Welcome to Celebration in the Park!

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-24

Context/Story

In the last two chapters Paul teaches us how to act in the church, how to act towards other believers and how to act in the family. Now he comes to how to act towards the evil influences and satanic forces in the world.  And I think we can pull from our text 4 types of soldiers that Paul is warning us not to become.  

The Distracted Soldier 

• • The Distracted Soldier gets caught up in the cares of the world. 
    • Without clear marching orders, the soldier goes whatever direction he feels like, He is blown around like a leaf in the wind.  
      • Lives for money, for fame, for status, for comfort, for pleasure.
  • The Distracted Soldier is blind to the battle that rages all around them

• Like an ostrich hiding his head in the sand or a child playing peek a boo.  

• • • Let’s be honest here, some of us are doing NOTHING for Jesus Christ.  War is waging all around us and we sit in our house or our class, or our job and pretending that the enemy doesn’t see us. 
      • No he does see you. And he has you exactly where he wants you. Completely ineffective. He doesn’t need to burn any resources on you.
• The Distracted Soldier doesn’t really know their enemy, 
  • Some of us have had a rough year.  Emotionally, Physically, Spiritually.  The circumstances of your life have made you discouraged and depressed, and you don’t know where to turn.  
    • So we turn to God and begin to ask questions… “God, where are you?, I thought you were good, I thought that you loved me, I thought you would take care of me.  Why did you hurt me?”
    • “Maybe there is no God, Maybe God isn’t good, Maybe God loves other people but He doesn’t love me”
    • we need to know that it’s not just us and God. There’s a third variable that must not be forgotten.
      • We live in a day of resistance to the supernatural, people don’t even believe in Satan and demons. We turn them into fictitious cartoon characters and mythical parts of history.
        • So when bad things happen we don’t put the blame where it belongs, we blame God instead.
• The distracted soldier fights everybody around them instead of the true enemy. They pick meaningless and unfruitful fights with those around them.  
  • Vs 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
    • Our war is not against the captives of the enemy.  It is not a physical war, It is not a political war, it is not a financial war.
      • It is a spiritual war against cosmic powers over this present dark world.
        • Fight the cause, not the symptoms

• • How does He fight? He uses the culture, he uses the financial system, He attacks the hearts of men and women, He sets up false systems of belief, tempts people to sin, and seeks to undermine the foundations of the church through division. 

• Sometimes He encourages people to do good:

• • • to try to earn their way to heaven, To be their own savior, earn their righteousness, to lull them into a false sense of security and safety

• Sometimes He tempts people to do evil:

• •  Like Stealing, Lying, Adultery, Murder, Rape, Violence, He builds sinful strongholds in the hearts of people and covers them with accusations of shame and secrecy.  

 

The Poorly Equipped Soldier

• Far too many Christian soldiers are going into battle naked (don’t wrestle naked)
  • Just one missing piece and the enemy knows just where to attack.

• Belt of Truth

• The enemy is going to lie to you

• • • • It doesn’t have to be true to influence how you live.  
      • “You have a week left to live” “Your spouse is cheating on you”
    • We cannot be built upon feelings.  Our emotions must not drive us.  We must know the truth, love the truth, live in the truth.  
      • John 8:44b – He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
    • Despite what the world tells us,  Truth is not, and never was subjective.  It is not a matter of opinion.  God defines truth, Satan obscures truth.  It’s that simple. If you see the world in shades of gray, No objective truth, the enemy has a foothold in your life, because you have not put on the belt!

• Breastplate of Righteousness

• • • We are not righteous in ourselves. There is only one way to be able to get this righteousness.
      • GOSPEL!
    • Christ’s righteousness has been given to us!
      • CLING TO CHRIST, you meditate on his sacrifice, follow His example. You fight off temptation because you love Jesus more than your sin.  

• Feet equipped with the Gospel of Peace

• • • War often produces muddy, slippery ground, it is hard to move, hard to step forward.
      • One recent festival in Nevada that got rained out comes to mind 
    • Cleats for pushing forward and advancing the kingdom of God.
      • We don’t just stand still, we march and destroy the enemy’s castles and kingdoms.

• This happens through the sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ! 

• • • • • Like medicine to a dying man – Don’t be slow to deliver the good news of salvation through Christ to those in desperate need!  Bring the Gospel whenever there is an opportunity.

• Shield of Faith

• • • The VBS Shield vs The Roman Shield 
      • Arrows that would normally bring instant death are hardly even dangerous anymore.
    • Trust in God.
      • Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

• Helmet of Salvation

• • • When I was in Highschool I was a fullback, My job was to get a running start, go through the line, and look for the nearest person I could hit as hard as I could.  I caused a lot of Concussions.  I kid you not, one guy got sent to the hospital.  Let’s just say I am not proud of everything I have done!  I felt awful.  But can you imagine what it would have been like without a helmet?
      • Friends, you are going to get rattled by life, you are going to get hit.   You have to keep your head straight.  You have to protect your mind.
        • Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

• Sword of the Spirit

• • It is our only offensive weapon.  If someone walked into the park here with a massive broadsword on his shoulder, you would take notice wouldn’t you?
    • That is exactly how Satan responds when we wield the word of God.  
    • Every time you pick up the Bible and say, “I’ve got to read it today, got to study it today. I’m going to Church today, I am going to a discipleship Group. I am going to Listen to a sermon or a podcast on the way to work so I can learn the word of God.”  you are taking up your sword.
  • You don’t take a BB gun to war,  You don’t fight a bear with a pocket knife.  Use the most effective weapon for the battle – The word of God. 

 

The Untrained Soldier

• Now, some of you have heard this 100 times.  You know the pieces of armor, you know what they do, you are aware of how valuable they are.  But you still don’t put the armor on.  
• You are like an untrained soldier who has heard about the war, but you have no real battle experience.  
  • You are unready for combat.  You don’t personally know your armor, you don’t personally know your weapon.  You may come each week to hear someone else use their weapon, but you don’t use yours.  You may be inspired by other great warriors of the faith, but you are still sitting on the sidelines.   
    • Christian, put on your armor.  People are dying. People who God wants to use you to save.  Put on your armor.  Know your weapon, study with it each morning.  
      • Rifleman’s Creed
        • This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life

• Vs 18 – praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
  • Study God’s word, and pray.  Prayer is how we put the armor on.  We pray on the armor every morning.

The Isolated Soldier

Isolated from God

• • Vs 10 – be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might
    • Whose armor is it? Whose Kingdom is it? Whose war is it?  Whose strength is it?
      • We are not the king.  It is not our kingdom. We are the soldiers, we labor for a great, glorious, and good King.  And it is Him who gives us the strength to fight!
    • We are in a war for the king, and war is hard!  Don’t be the guy who says, “Things are hard. It must not be God’s will.” If things are hard in your life, you may well be closer than you have ever been to God’s will!  Don’t retreat, Don’t surrender.  Step forward by the power of God, advance His kingdom!
    • (GOSPEL PIVOT)Understanding our king, helps us to fight the battle with all we have! – Enemy’s camp, Soldier working in his army.  God went behind enemy lines, purchased you by His blood, Pulled you out of your hopeless darkness, and brought you to his holy kingdom.  Now you stand for Him.  You battle on behalf of the new king of Kings, Ruler
      • If you have never come to Christ, Taken His salvation, You are still a soldier in the enemy’s army. Come to Christ.  Join the side of the king of kings, lord of lords, the one who crushes the head of the enemy under his feet.  

• Isolated from others

• • Because we come from a hyper-individualistic cultural background, we tend to read this and think that this is to be applied one by one for each of us, but the truth is, we are all soldiers, and it takes an army to win a war. 
    • If you don’t have a church home, come join us on Sunday mornings, ask anyone here, we love our church!  It is a wonderful place where we get to advance the kingdom together!  
      • You don’t have to do it alone.  Join us, Be involved, get in a celebration small group, Jump into our discipleship process, D1, D2, D3.  Build relationships.  Let’s fight Together.

Conclusion     

• Wonderful modern hymn – O Church Arise – Keith and Krystin Getty 

O, church arise and put your armor on, Hear the call of Christ our captain

For now the weak can say that they are strong, In the strength that God has given

With shield of faith and belt of truth, We’ll stand against the devil’s lies

An army bold whose battle cry is love, Reaching out to those in darkness

Our call to war, to love the captive soul, But to rage against the captor

And with the sword that makes the wounded whole We will fight with faith and valor

When faced with trials on ev’ry side, We know the outcome is secure,

And Christ will have the prize for which He died, An inheritance of nations

Come, see the cross where love and mercy meet, As the Son of God is stricken

Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet, For the Conqueror has risen

And as the stone is rolled away, And Christ emerges from the grave,

This vict’ry march continues till the day, Ev’ry eye and heart will see Him