I. Intro & Encouragement & Summary.
A. Vision and preparation.
1. Since this revelation from the Lord about restructuring, we’ve covered a lot of ground.
2. It began with a vision from the Lord about removing man-made structures that we trust in more than we trust in the Lord. These structures have limited our faith and restricted our vision.
a. Money & debt, times and seasons and family & community.
3. We will get to each of those areas and go deep into the Word to learn God’s ways in those areas, but before we do, the Spirit has been leading us to prepare for this work.
a. Exodus faith vs conquering faith: Are we going to be saints who still crave the delicacies of this world? Or saints who press on to lay hold of God’s purposes?
b. Power & authority: Are we going to see ourselves as victims or are we going to stat using the power & authority that Jesus has imparted to us?
c. Friendly fire: Can we accept that people are not the enemy & that we are commanded to restore the sinning brother or sister with gentleness & compassion.
d. Four steps to freedom: Can we recognize areas of dysfunction, repent for our part in allowing them to continue, remove the source and resist the evil one when he tries again?
4. Do you see a pattern? He gave us the vision, and then began to prepare us for the work.
B. One more step in our preparation before we address the big issues.
1. Today I want to take our preparation a step further and talk about the armor that God has given us to stand against the evil one.
2. Have you been fighting the good fight? Do you feel a bit overwhelmed in the fight? The Lord has given you everything that you need to stand against the evil one. And the Lord is with you. God is for you, not against you.
3. Remember that we talked abut our fighting identity. A fighter has to know their fighting identity. Do you consider yourself a believer? How do believers fight? By believing. We fight by resting in what Jesus has done and standing in faith on the completed work of the cross. To stand means to believe and speak what God has done.
4. Fighting often means standing, and we stand by believing and speaking God’s Word.
II. Two classes of enemy. (To help us prepare to fight.)
A. Their strategy against us is to lie and deceive us.
1. Power and authority in Christ.
Through Jesus, God has given us power and authority to resist the evil one. (Lk 9:1; 10:19)We do not resist evil in our own strength, but in the power, authority, strength and ability of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two classes of wicked enemies that we will face in this life.
2. It is important to understand the nature of our enemies as we prepare to restructure our lifestyles because any change begins in the mind, and our enemies work by influencing our minds through lies and deception.
3. If we believe these lies long enough they become a mental stronghold. We can cast out or rebuke a demon, but we cannot cast out or rebuke a mental stronghold. We have to replace the lie with the truth. We pull down the stronghold by replacing its with truth. (1 Cor 10:3-5)
4. If enough people believe the lie, then the lie becomes culture. If God’s people don’t know the truth, they will obey culture instead of God’s Word.
5. Again, this is crucial to understand because the Spirit will expose strongholds in our mind. Then trace the stronghold’s origin back to a lie, and trace the lie back to the enemies that are working overtime to exert influence.
6. Eph 2:2&3
2 …in which you once walked (lifestyle) according to the course of this world (culture), according to the prince of the power of the air (the enemy), the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
7. The Spirit will revel these strongholds.
a. Money & debt: The Spirit says live below your means & give more.
b. Who do we obey? Culture? Do we continue in our lifestyle of debt or do we walk in the light of the Lord?
c. Testimony: John W. returning from decades in 10-40 Window & feeling the influence of mammon as he flew back to the US. (Thoughts of fear, lack of money, etc.)
d. How the Lord provided cash for a house.
8. So to understand where these lies that influence us come from, I want to talk about 2 classes of enemy and the strategy and tactics that we need to face them.
a. Strategy: the high level plan that defines our goal, the big picture.
b. tactics: the specific actions & tools that we must do to achieve the goal.
c. The strategy for each enemy is to resist them as we take the gospel to the nations and live the Christian life.
d. We’ll talk about the tactics next.
B. The first class of enemy: demons and unclean spirits.
1. The first class of enemy are called demons, sometimes referred to as unclean spirits. Jesus referred to them as serpents and scorpions, both of which crawl on the earth. This reveals that demons are evil spirit entities who operate on the earth and primarily attack individuals.
2. Origin.
The bible is silent about the origin of demons and evil spirits, so we should not speculate. We do not need to know where they came from to overcome them. (Where the bible makes plane sense, don’t look for any other sense or you end up with nonsense.)
3. Jesus has given authority to tread upon them. (Lk 10:19) They are often named after their activity against us, i.e., a spirit of fear, a lying spirit, a spirit of divination, a spirit of infirmity, etc.
4. Examples:
a. The man in the Capernaum Synagogue crying out (Mk 1:23),
b. boy with seizures (Mk 9:17)
c. the blind and mute man (Matt 12:22)
d. the woman bent over for 18 years (Lk 13:10)
C. The second class of enemy: principalities and powers, et. all.
1. The next class of enemy operates in heavenly places by exerting influence. These are found in Ephesians 6:12 “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.”
2. Origin and biblical teaching.
The bible teaches that Jesus made them (Col 1:16) but at some point they rebelled against God (Jude 1:6; 2 Pet 2:4; Ps 82). Jesus disarmed and defeated them (Col 2:15). Now we wrestle with them (Eph 6:12) but they can never separate us from the love of God in Jesus (Rom 8:38. God has determined that His eternal wisdom will be demonstrated to them by us, the church. (Eph 3:10) At the Lord’s return, they will be overthrown. (Matt 24:29)
3. Examples.
a. (Dan 10) the Prince of Persia
b. (Matt 8) the storm that Jesus rebuked on the Sea of Galilee (immediately after
crossing the Sea, he met the Gadarene Demoniac and cast out a legion of demons who went into
the pigs and drowned themselves)
c. (Acts 27) the tempestuous headwind named Euroclydon was a storm that hovered
over Paul’s ship for at least 14 days.
d. (Acts 19) Diana in (vs 27 “…whom all Asia and the world worship.” and vs 35 “…the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?”)
e. STILL TRYING TO EXERT INFLUENCE TODAY. [PICS]
4. Present activity and final outcome.
Both classes of enemy are spirit beings and as such, are actively oppressing any and all they can and opposing the work of the gospel. They will eventually be destroyed with the unrighteous in “…the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Mt 25:41) Principalities and powers are defeated (Col 2:15) but at the Lord’s return, their power will be shaken. (Matt 24:29-31)
5. They primarily work by influence and deception. Eph 2:2&3
2 …in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
D. Different enemies, different tactics.
1. Demons we trample.
When dealing with the first class of enemy, demons and unclean spirits, symbolized as serpents and scorpions by Jesus, we rebuke them, cast them out, forbid them from operating, etc.
2. Principalities and powers, we wrestle.
When dealing with the second class of enemy, the principalities and powers in heavenly places, we wrestle with them by using the whole armor of God.
3. There are some tactics that are universal, that work for each enemy.
a. Fasting (demons Mt 17:21; P&p’s Dan 10)
b. Worship, declaring the Word, holiness, forgiveness
c. Discerning spirits
d. Taking out the trash, removing whatever they feed on
III. Today, we will focus on the whole armor of God, which is find in Ephesians 6:10-18.
A Background of the church in Ephesus.
Ephesus was the major city in Western Asia Minor, now Turkey. It held the chief shrine of Diana and was the center of Diana worship. It had a 50,000 seat theatre, where gladiators fought. It was wealthy from trade and Diana worship and developed a banking industry. Many pilgrims came to worship Diana and they bought shrines to take with them. So there was a well developed stronghold of Diana worship and wealth in the city. This led to an occult marketplace where sorcerers, astrologers and traveling exorcists sold spells, amulets, idols and curses. We have archeological evidence of these.
Paul preached the gospel in Ephesus and the Lord granted many signs and wonders to confirm the gospel. So many people were converted and rejected the cult of Diana that they publicly burned their occult paraphernalia. The value of which was 50,000 pieces of silver, approximately $7-10 million today.
B. A spirit realm overview.
Paul’s epistle to the Ephesian church highlights the spiritual nature of their being and battle. They are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph 2:6), wrestling with evil entities in the spirit realm (Eph 6:12) and making up the fullness of Christ as His body on the earth. (Eph 1:23) He even teaches them that God has decided to reveal His wisdom through us to the principalities and powers. (Eph 3:10)
1. What does this have to do with restructuring? We have to recognize that our actions in the natural world have a direct impact on the spirit realm.
a. We are seated with Christ in the 3rd heaven
b. we wrestle with evil entities in the 2nd heaven
c. by the actions and attitudes that we take on earth.
2. It is to this church, born out of witchcraft and the worship of an evil entity, that Paul writes to tell them about the whole armor of God so that they can stand against the influence of evil entities in the spirit realm.
III. The whole armor of God.
A. Ephesians 6:10-18
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—
B. Vs 10-13
1. Vs 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Remember that Jesus gave us power and authority. In vs 10 we are told to be empowered by the Lord’s
own strength and ability. When we stand against the enemy, we need to remember that we are not standing in our own might or ability, but in the Lord’s.
2. Vs 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
a. The whole armor means the complete armor, we are going to need it all
b. We stand against deception and lies, witchcraft and trickery.
3. Vs 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.
4. Vs 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.
a. We stand by believing and speaking what the Lord has done.
b. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THEM! STAND IN OPPOSITION TO THEM.
C. Vs 14.
1. “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness…”
2. Our enemies function through lies, so the first piece of armor mentioned is truth. Every piece of armor is based on our belief in the truth vs the lies of our enemies.
3. Belt of truth
a. gird yourself, as you fasten a garment to yourself, fasten truth to yourself
b. equip yourself with the knowledge of the truth.
c. Implies a sense of being prepared, being ready with the Truth before we are confronted with lies. (Lk 12:35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning…”)
d. 1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober…” Truth prepares our minds to stand against deception.
e. Satan is the father of lies (Jn 8:44), the antichrist comes with false signs & lying wonders.
f. 2 Thess 2:9&10
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan (2nd heaven enemy), with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception (lies that influence) among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
4. To put on the belt, we must (1) love the truth and (2) embrace a lifestyle of truth.
a. Repent for lying, manipulating, etc. and purpose to speak the truth!
b. Lying is an abomination to the Lord. (Prov 6:16&17)
c. The church is the only fortress of the truth in the world. (1 Tim 3:15)
5. PRAYER OF REPENTANCE.
6. The Breastplate of Righteousness.
a. We stand against the enemy in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not in self-
righteousness.
b. The Breastplate protects our heart, what we believe in our heart.
c. Remember, the enemy will try to make you angry or afraid.
d. Our righteousness is a gift from God because we believe in Jesus.
e. Rom 4:9 Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness. He received the seal of circumcision.
f. We believe in Jesus Christ and are made righteous in Him, and we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.
g. (Rom 10:10) With the heart we believe unto righteousness and with our mouth we confess to be saved.
7. We put on the breastplate of righteousness by agreeing with the Truth of God’s Word about our identity.
a. 2 Cor 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
D. Vs 15.
1. “…and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace…”
2. Again we see preparedness. Be prepared to proclaim the gospel wherever we go.
a. Nowadays we say “preach the gospel” but scripture says we are to proclaim the gospel. That means we declare the gospel.
b. We often think we have to a degree from seminary to preach the gospel, but all we have to do is proclaim it in it’s simplest form.
3. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
4. My summary: Jesus the innocent was murdered for us, the guilty so that we could have peace with God for eternity. Anyone who turns from their sin and believes in Jesus will be saved.
5. Jesus said “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt 24:14) The gospel of the kingdom means the good news that Jesus lived a perfect life, paid the penalty for our sin on the cross and rose from the dead. Now God has made Him both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:26) A true disciple does not just believe in Jesus, they submit to Him, so we tell people to turn from their sin and follow Jesus instead.
6. We should remember that the power and authority over demons and disease was accompanied by the commission to preach the gospel. We should understand that we are wrestling with principalities and powers who oppose the gospel being proclaimed, the tactic to stand against them is to prepare ourselves to proclaim the gospel.
E. Vs 16&17.
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;
1. These two pieces of armor protect our mind. The breastplate protects our heart (identity) but the shield and helmet protect our mind, what we think, what we allow in and believe.
2. Shield of faith.
a. Remember the evil one operates through lies and deception.
b. The enemy is trying to make us afraid or angry with one another.
c. Faith will shield us from those lying thoughts called fiery darts.
d. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Faith in God’s Word to block lies from landing in our mind.
3. Shield of faith scriptures:
a. Heb 11:1 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.”
b. 1 Jn 5:4 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.”
4. Use the shield of faith by believing what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
5. Helmet of salvation.
a. The helmet surrounds our mind with thoughts of Jesus.
b. It protects us from accusations, from guilt, shame and condemnation.
c. The helmet keeps us anchored in the hope that we are saved and that we belong to the Lord.
d. The helmet protects us from philosophy of this world.
6. We put on the helmet by having confidence in what Jesus has done. We put on the helmet by Phil 4:8 thinking.
“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.”
7. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
a. The Sword is the only offensive weapon in the armor.
b. The Sword is God’s Word, every believer needs to know how to use it.
c. This is not just for pastors, etc. we have all been given a sword.
d. “Beware the man who only owns one gun, for he knows how to use it.”
8. The word used for sword here is machaira and it refers to a short sword, about the length of a forearm. It is meant for close hand to hand combat.
9. We use the sword by speaking the Word of God. It is most effective when (1) it comes out of our own mouth and (2) we speak it out loud.
10. All of the other pieces of armor protect us from lies, the Sword allows us to counter attack the lies with God’s truth. When we speak the Word of God, we are speaking God’s thoughts directly against the enemy.
F. Vs 18.
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—
1. The last part that most people leave out of the armor is prayer. In the kingdom of heaven, nothing happens without prayer.
2. In the Spirit: Pray from the heart, not the mind. Pray in tongues if you have the gift. Always pray the Word.
IV. Direct Application and Prayer.
A. Recap.
1. Each class of enemy is trying to influence us through lies.
2. We have been given power & authority, the Word of God & the Whole Armor of God to oppose them.
3. How to wear the armor every day.
a. Love the truth and be truthful.
b. Remember your identity in Christ every day.
c. Always be ready to proclaim the gospel.
d. Counter lying thoughts with thoughts of what Jesus has done for you.
e. Protect your mind by thinking and meditating on your salvation.
f. Speak the Truth of God’s Word directly against the enemy.
g. Pray for the grace to keep standing.
4. A rhyme to remember.
Belt: Truth beats lies
Breastplate: I’m new in Christ
Feet: And gospel ready
Shield: My faith is steady
Helmet: His thoughts I think
Sword: His Word I speak
Pray: And I always pray
For all the saints
B. Fight from your identity.
1. You are a believer, so fight by believing. We stand against these enemies by believing and speaking what God has done.
2. I know this series has been intense, but the Lord is preparing us to move out of the wilderness and into our inheritance.
C. Prayer of Repentance.