Sunday 06/18/17
Series: Doers of the Word
Message – The Armor of Trust
*** There is NO video this week only Audio ***
Armor of Trust
Eph. 6:10-20,
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-
19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.We have an enemy, and he is relentless, but we have a God Who is too… And greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world!
Main points we’ve covered:
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- We are in warfare
- Our armor and weapons are not of the flesh
- We are not fighting people
- We ARE fighting against the sin and death in OUR flesh
- Our armor enables us to resist demonic attack
- Our enemy’s weapons are arguments against our trust in Christ
- Our armor and weapons are God inspired, spiritual weapons OF trust in Christ
- The battlefield is in our soul (mind, will and emotions)
- We obtain victory through surrender (heart-obedience) to Christ
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We learned last week that in this battle we are to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Much of that might comes in the form of revelation and confirmation.
God reveals truth to us and Satan challenges it… he tries to prevent it taking root, bearing fruit or at least only sparse and immature fruit.
We introduced the word En-Duna-moo which means STRENGTH.
This strength Infuses itself into us enabling us to combat the deception & lies…the Arguments, of the enemy.
Like James 4:4-10 said,
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
If we hold onto what God has revealed to us and trust in His good nature… His revelations to us become for us a tea bag filled with His nature that we partake of by infusion. This is because His promises are birthed out of His character… So in this infusion we become “TEA”.
Infusion of Christ’s character = Christian.
TO ILLUSTRATE the “how to” of this last week we looked at Phil. 4:1-9 as an example of a stronghold and how to combat it in our trust-based armor of God’s strength.
“(1) Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. (2) I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to…
… be of the same mind in the Lord.
(3) And I urge you also, true companion,
help these women
who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
(4) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say it, REJOICE!
(5) Let your gentleness (merciful lenience) be known to all men. The Lord is at hand (near you).
(6) Be anxious for nothing, (To be anxious, troubled, to take thought)
but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
(7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The Philippian saints were habitually worrying. Paul exhorts them to stop it. The word “nothing” is literally “not even one thing.” Then the apostle gives these saints the cure for worry, believing prayer. The word “prayer” is the translation of a Greek word which speaks of prayer addressed to God as an act of worship and devotion.
Now that we’ve submitted & resisted… What do we do?
(8) Finally, brethren, whatever things are
- true, whatever things are
- noble, whatever things are
- just, whatever things are
- pure, whatever things are
- lovely, whatever things are
- of good report,
- if there is any virtue and
- if there is anything praiseworthy
- —meditate on these things. [contemplate, dwell on, carefully reflect on]
(9) The things which you learned and received and heard and seen in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Strongholds are things we run to in avoidance of what really matters and it becomes that sin that “easily besets us”. Our armor of trust, invites us to turn our eyes of Jesus and belly up to the table in the presence of our enemies, finding our strength and safety in the stronghold of His presence and embrace!
1Peter 5:6-11,
“(6) Therefore… humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
[worry, fret, stewing, contemplation towards anger… Is all exalting Arguments over Christ’s rule and reign. It is the of humbling yourself.]
(7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
In regard to concern or care, to cast off upon in dutiful and respectful confidence.
7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. [Ps. 55:22.] Amplified
(8) Be sober, (Fully present and focused, mindful)
be vigilant; (Watchful and diligent)
because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
(9) Resist him, steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
(10) But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
(11) To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 2,
“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-things which angels desire to look into.
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, “BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
24 because “ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS, AND ALL THE GLORY OF MAN AS THE FLOWER OF THE GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND ITS FLOWER FALLS AWAY,
25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”
We will pick up here next week…Blessings!
I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
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Blessings!
