Ephesians 6:10-24 - Skip Heitzig

Calvary Church is dedicated to Doctrine and we want you to experience the life change that comes from knowing God's word and applying it to your life so we explain the Bible verse by verse every chapter every book this is expound we are in the book of Ephesians we are going to finish Ephesians chapter 6 tonight I know you're thinking bold prediction for skip heig to make but we begin in verse 10 of chapter 6 in order to finish it up so I think it's a doable goal to uh finish this book before we get into

as you heard 1 Chronicles next week now I appreciate the announcement to bring somebody uh new who's never been to uh midweek to come to First Chronicles but I'm going to warn you have you ever read first Chronicles because the first nine chapters are a list of gen gen ological names uh which I'll explain next week uh but uh it could be interesting for somebody's first time uh but go feel free bring as uh we'd love you to bring as many as you'd like um but let's have a word of prayer father thank you for

your word we derive nourishment we derive encouragement instruction warning and at the end of it all shaping as you change us shaping our character more and more into the image of your son the Lord Jesus Christ there's no one else we would rather be like than him and so we pray that your spirit might use the hammer and chisel of your word to knock off the rough edges of our personalities so that we would be more and more conformed to that image in jesus' name we pray amen of all of the descriptions that you could

think of for a Christian man or woman I'm thinking words like encourager Peacemaker faithful one of all of the descriptions like that that you would think of that that should describe a Believer probably fighter is not one of them one who fights one who contends and yet that is what we are moving into in the last section of this book as we deal as you heard uh by Antoine tonight we're dealing with the Warfare of the believer and so we need to learn how to fight not just learn what we have in our wealth learn

what we should do in our walk but learn how to fight with the weapons of our Warfare years ago I bought a book because it was recommended it was called The Invisible War I think I still have it I tried to find it in my library but it's not as organized as I'd like so I had a tough time locating it today but it's called The Invisible War It Is by Donald Grey barnhouse and he I've quoted him before of all of the books he's written this perhaps is his finest as he traces Warfare in

the Heavenly Realms between God and the adversary Satan a created angel who fell traces it before history as we know it began throughout history on into the end times in also the life of the Bel believer it's a fabulous book called The Invisible War you probably have to get it digitally though you can find a used copy I think you can find it on Amazon if you're interested but it on spiritual warfare is one of the finest books that I ever bought and read it's true we are fighting a war now on the day I

was saved I didn't know that on that afternoon of Ju July 1973 when I prayed to how many of you were even how many of you were not born then okay so way back in prehistoric days when I was saved in July of 1973 and I asked Jesus to come into my life I felt such Joy I felt such peace I often tell the story I didn't hear a voice I didn't see any sign in heaven but I felt something I felt peace I felt a sense of Joy I felt a sense of satisfaction I

felt like a a burden had been lifted But as time went on I discovered that um because I had made friends with God and I had become friends with Christ that I by default inherited his enemy because I align myself with a different Kingdom the Kingdom of Light now the kingdom The King The Prince of Darkness in the kingdom of darkness that I had once been aligned with who hates my new friend had his sights aimed at me and I have discovered this strange dichotomy in my life that I have both Abundant Life and abundant

Warfare I have peace deep within and I have a battle deep within at the same time both of those things are true and so we find this language peppered throughout the New Testament Paul writes to Young Timothy and he says fight the good fight of Faith he also writes to Young Timothy endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and then at the end of his life in second Timothy he writes again to Timothy his closing statement Paul says I have fought the good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith

and now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me at that day and not only to me but all to th those who have loved his appearing so all of this language about fighting and being a soldier and and ending his life by saying it's done I have fought the good fight and it's now time for me to go to heaven well that is the language language that we find ourselves in uh on the battlefield here in chapter 6 beginning in verse 10 now

since we only have a few verses to cover allow me to sum up the book so far and I know you've heard some of this stuff before but the more you hear it the more you'll remember it you know listen I'm not ashamed to repeat myself uh Peter even did he said I know you've heard this before I've said it before but I'm going to say it again because it's needful so the book of Ephesians we've told you about can be divided into three sections the first is the tell me wealth of the believer chapter

1 2 and 3 the second section is the Walk of the believer chapter four and five on into the first part of chapter 6 and the third part beginning in chapter 6: 10 is the war Warfare of the believer so chapter 1 opens up in the courts of heaven and pictures us as seated with Christ in Heavenly places that's the foundation you need to know who you are and where you sit positionally you are in Christ you are hidden in Christ God God sees you already in Heavenly places you're positionally there because of his promise

so it opens in the courts of Heaven describing our wealth who we are then in Chapter 2 we are given the bank account of Heaven God who is rich in Mercy writes Paul The Riches of his grace he me mentions also in that chapter in chapter three we're taken into the living room of the kingdom of God we're introduced to the family Jew and Gentile no difference before God if you're a believer in Christ the middle wall that separated us the wall of division is broken down there is no separation we all have access through

Christ to the same God because of the finished work of Christ so that's the wealth of the believer in chapter 4 verse 1 he introduces us to walking worthy of the Lord and then he describes the worthy walk so that's the second section beginning in chapter four on into chapter 5 we are to have a walk we're to walk in humility we're to walk in unity we're to walk with diversity using different gifts to build up the body of Christ we're to walk in sanctity or in Holiness not like the World chapter five we're to

walk in love we're to walk in light we're to walk in wisdom and we're to walk with Integrity in our relationships with our family at home husband wife wife husband children parents even on to bond servants and Masters now in chapter 6 verse 10 Paul moves from the wealth and the walk to the Warfare now he takes us to the battlefield and we smell smoke and just when you're going oh but I like the wealth of the believer and I like learning about the Walk of the believer I don't want to fight I'm sorry you

have no choice in the matter you're a Target you're being targeted Satan is out to destroy your life to neutralize you to make you ineffective to make you inconsequential you therefore I therefore we therefore cannot be spiritual pacifists if you try and saying no I don't want to fight then you will fall and you will fail you need to learn what you have de defensively as well as offensively so we discover that Christian life is not a playground but a Battleground in chapter 6 beginning in verse 10 now something you should know I'm sure you've

already figured this out but but where is Paul writing this letter from prison and in prison in Rome the first imprisonment he had a little bit of Freedom he was under house arrest he wasn't in his second imprisonment or he wasn't like in his second imprisonment which was in the mamertine prison a hole in the ground that was dark and dank and food had to be lowered the last moments of his life were miserable but this was different in his first imprisonment in Rome Paul was under house arrest people could come and visit him he

could teach the Bible he could do some kind of evangelism and sold soers were chained to him 24 hours a day in 4our shifts so because of that Paul had the advantage of having a captive audience and I mean that literally they couldn't leave they couldn't say shut up or I'm going to get out they couldn't get out it was their job to be there for 4 hours so you can imagine Paul saying hey have you heard the good news about Jesus Jesus Christ and how he can break your spiritual chains and set you free

I'm in these chains chain to you but I'm a free man because whoever the son has set free is free indeed and I speak to you as a Freed Man and he shared the gospel with these soldiers and many of them according to Philippians chapter 1 and chapter 4 tell us that they became Believers in Christ but while they were chained to Paul Paul was able to look at them study them study what they were wearing as soldiers look at their sword their Shield their sandals on their feet and use what he saw as this

beautiful analogy of warfare as we will see so in verse 10 long introduction but just a few verses to go finally my brethren don't be fooled whenever Paul says finally because it doesn't always mean the final finally now this is his final closing statement but sometimes Paul will say finally and then launch into a whole other thought like in Philippians chapter 3 says finally Brethren and then you know he sort of gets a case of spiritual add and focuses on a on something the Lord has put on his heart and shares and then finally in

chapter 4 again he says finally and it's the final finally but this is his final finally but just be careful every time Paul says finally it doesn't mean he's done just like when um a preacher says it well he may go on and on finally my brethren be strong but notice be strong in the Lord be strong as you see yourself in Christ Jesus in Heavenly places think back to chapter one when you see yourself practically as he sees you positionally you find strength be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power or as

my version says the power of of his might put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the Ws of the devil now in Military Intelligence they will tell you that the first task that they have to perform is to find out who the enemies are where they are located and what they are up to what they may plan on doing so the first thing Paul wants us to know is who our enemy is and he says put on the whole armor of God verse 11 that you may be

able to stand against here it is the Ws and he identifies our enemy the devil according to the Bible the Devil is a real person an entity with person Al it not just an evil force not just the metaphorical summation of all that is wrong with the world we just like to call that the devil no According To Jesus he's a real person with personality a spiritual being highly malevolent incredibly intelligent who has been doing this a long time and studying human nature a long time and knows how to craft a custom Salvo Temptation on

you our enemy the devil Jesus speaking of Satan said I saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightning I was there he fell I saw it so according to Jesus he is is real whenever Jesus spoke of Satan he didn't say it but him he he's real he has personality not only is he real but he is personal you recall at the Last Supper with the disciples Jesus turned to his friend Peter and he called him by his first name his old name Simon he said Simon Simon Satan has been asking for you that he might

sift you like wheat but I've prayed for you Peter and when you return to me strengthen your brothers so Satan is real Satan is personal DL Moody Dwight Lyman Moody that evangelist from Chicago so many years ago said I believe in the devil for two reasons number one because the Bible says he's real number two too because I've done business with him have you done business with him we all have if you're God's friend and if you're a Christian you are God's friend then you are his enemy because you are God's friend so I believe

in the devil for two reasons because the Bible tells me he's real and because I've done business with him oh by the way Charles Haden Spurgeon said when it comes to the devil it's good news that he's our enemy I'd much sooner have Satan as my enemy than as my friend so take refuge in the fact that God is your friend even if Satan is your enemy but he is your enemy so he identifies our enemy uh in these verses be strong be strong in the Lord in the power of His might put on the

whole armor of God he's about to list it that you may be able to stand against the what WS well what are they what are the Ws of the devil the Greek word is Methia methods methods schemes plottings plannings strategems it speaks of somebody who would study somebody else to figure out the proper attack it was sometimes used of an animal who would study its prey before it would launch an attack and Peter identifies Satan as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour these are the Ws of the devil now Paul in another place

did say that we are not ignorant of Satan's devices yet I must confess I believe one of the problems of many Christians generally speaking is that we are ignorant of Satan's divine or at least unaware of them when they come to us we might know them on paper but when it comes to practical daytoday living we are sometimes ignorant of his devices so what are his devices well they're variegated they're many colored there there's a variety of them all as I said customade but I think I can generally sum it up by saying Satan has

two main lines of attack back one is an outward assault a frontal assault one is a more stealth likee attack um one would be persecution an allout assault as I said frontal attack to persecute the believer intimidation and the other would be infiltration if if the outward Assault The frontal attack the obvious attack through trials and temptations don't work well if you can't beat them join them and so get unbelievers in churches to influence True Believers in those churches so you sometimes have Pretenders in the Pew and in the Pulpit or we might say Pretenders

in the pew predators in the Pulpit Paul said that Satan is an angel of Light it's no Marvel that his ministers also disguise themselves as Ministers of light so we put everything said and every person to the test to find out uh if there's Truth Or Not truth so you remember when Jesus gave the parable of the sewing of the seeds and he said some seed fell by the wayside that is the hard compacted ground the walkway the pathway it doesn't penetrate the ground so he said the birds come along and snatch the seed he

said that's the devil that's Satan he comes and steals the seed before it can penetrate the heart that's more or less an outward assault but then he gave another parable of a man who seed tears into the garden of seed that was sown by the son of man The Good Seed next to the good seed the True Believers were tears that grew up and they were almost indistinguishable from the legitimate plants and when it was discovered and the servant went to the owner and said should I pull up the tears he said no leave them

alone let them grow until the last day the Judgment Day lest when you pull up the tears you also pull up the wheat along with them so you have um you have infiltration as well as that frontal assault that we talked about he says he explains in verse 12 for this is why you should put on the whole armor of God because or for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood no this is not a human battle this is not fought in the world of humanity and politics although Satan does infiltrate humanity and politics

and he does use people who are aligned with his value system to wreck havoc in the lives of Believers but we do not wrestle against flesh and blood per se but there's something behind the flesh and blood that is principalities Powers rulers of Darkness of this age we've told you before these are rankings of demonic beings Spiritual Beings in high invisible places like the book I told you about the Invisible War a hierarchy of demonic beings some are principalities some are powers some are rulers of the darkness of this age you remember back in the

Book of Daniel when the angel came to Daniel and said 20 you know 21 days ago I was dispatched when you started praying but the Prince of Persia withstood me for 21 days and I couldn't come I was fighting him we were in a battle locked you know in battle until Michael the prince of your people came and bailed me out and here I am to give you further Revelation I just find that interesting that there was a principality or a power a demonic being over Persia at that time controlling what is ancient Iran to

today the prince of Iran the Demonic prince of Iran which when I read that and now I start thinking well then I wonder what is the Demonic Prince of New York San Francisco Santa Fe your neighborhood you know whatever I mean there there seems to be um Geographic locations where uh certain sins activities are marked per perhaps because of the influence and infiltration of principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness in Heavenly places so these are all rankings in the Demonic realm now in Revelation 12 John

gets a vision of Satan whose tail the dragon whose T haale drew a third of the stars of heaven and flung them to the Earth and by that and by other scriptures we ascertain that when Satan fell from the place of God's glory as the anointed cherub that covers when Satan fell prehistoric times that a third of the Angelic host fell with him and that third of the Angelic hosts are what we call demons and that frightens people when we start talking of these things they see that is such bad news that a third of

all the angels that ever were created by God are part of the de demonic horde poised against us and if you've ever read CS Lewis's excellent book screw tape letters there's reason to get a little antsy as he describes in that book the Ws of the devil and the Demonic hordes but I suggest that you don't look at that fall from Heaven as don't think of it just the bad news think of the good news the bad news is a third of them fell the good news is two-thirds did not which means they're outnumbered never

forget that they are outnumbered pause for a moment let that sink in you who are so afraid of the devil and Temptation and I I heard this last night and saw that and what if and okay could be real 2third did not fall they're on your side they're sent it says in Hebrews to minister to those of us who inherit salvation they're on our side so you know when Satan knocks at the door asks Jesus is to answer the door or just one of his angels there's you they're outnumbered anyway don't worry about it don't

worry as much as you have been worrying about there's a great great story that comes to us from the book of Second Kings if you remember that far back in our Wednesday night bible study I'll refresh your memory in 2 Kings chapter 6 uh Elijah the prophet Elisha the prophet is um uh being used by God to tell secrets of the enemy to the king of Israel so the king of Syria up north made battle plans to attack Israel down south and he said to his Commander the Syrian King told his Commander get your army

set over here we're going to have a surprise attack on Israel well the Lord revealed the battle plans to Elijah who told him to the king of Israel and so every time the king of Syria was going to make an attack the troops of Israel were there to Counterattack and so the king of Syria said Okay I want to know who on my team's a snitch which one of you is selling secrets to the enemy who are you who here this is up in the area of Syria and Lebanon who's telling secrets to the Israelis

and the commander says nobody's a snitch your majesty but there's a prophet in Israel who tells the king of Israel the words you talk to your wife about in your bedroom and the king of Syria said find out where he is and they found out where he was he was in the city of Dothan down south down in the middle of the country not far from Samaria he's in that town of Dothan so the syrians surround the city of Dothan where the Prophet and gesi are located this his servant and um early in the morning

the servant of the Prophet looks up and he sees the Chariots and the horses of the enemy all around and he says oh alas you know we're dead meat basically wo woe unto us we're surrounded and he went and told the Prophet Elijah and elishah prais the Lord open his eyes that he can see the reality of what's going on in this battle and the Lord opened the eyes of the servant his servant Gesa and he looked around he saw Chariots of Fire the Angelic hosts around the Syrian Army outnumbering them so instead of saying

oh wo is us he's going oh man woe unto them they're dead meat you see perspective matters truth matters knowing your Bible matters they're outnumbered and so sometimes when you're scared the prayer needs to be Lord open my eyes that I might see what's really going on what's really taking place so yes bad news a third fell yes bad news there's principalities and powers and we have a devil and he's wicked and he's in the Heavenly places but the good news is if God is for us who can be against us and greater is he

that is in you than he that is in the world and they're outnumbered 2: one therefore verse 13 knowing all that 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 you need to withstand and you need to stand you need to stand your ground stand against the attack and not seed ground to the enemy but March forward stand therefore now here is the first item the first defensive weapon stand therefore having girded your waist with Tru truth the soldier wore

a belt around his tunic and the belt was called the if I can remember the Latin the Roman Latin word was singul militar singular militar was the Soldier's belt that he wore around his tunic now a tunic was basically a square cloth with a hole in it for his head and it was like a robe so for a soldier to be mobile to fight in a battle he had to be able to move freely his legs had to be able to move so he could run and dart from different place to place so what he

would do is he would take His Garment and tuck it into his belt his girdle that's why he says the Old King James says girdle belt is better his singul militar he'd tuck it in so uh he would have the ability to move and to fight try to run a race with a bathrobe and you'll see the problem you'll trip over it so you you would take and bunch up that cloth and and it would hold the sword and also it was located at the center of your body and it held every other piece in

place it uh had a place to rest the large rectangular Shield it was a had a place that notched up to the breastplate that rested upon it uh for protecting the vital organs we'll get to that in a minute but the belt was Central it tied and held everything together what is our belt it is the belt of Truth the idea is be prepared for the battle be prepared for Action be prepared to fight how you need truth you need to know truth and when you know truth you'll know the scope of the battle you'll

know the outcome of the battle before you get into it you'll know that you're on the winning side that Satan is outnumbered and has an end game where he is doomed for life you need to know that going in and so it's the belt of Truth have your waist girded by the way uh that that idea that terminology is used in the New Testament when it says gird up the loin of your mind that's what the my version says gird up the loins of your mind and it means it talks about the idea is taking

the robe and tucking it in so that you are ready to be on the move so um be free to think clearly G up the loin of your mind in this case G your waist with truth that's number one second piece also verse 14 having put on the breastplate of righteousness now the breastplate went from the singul military the belt and it covered the chest it covered the abdomen it was made out of leather sometimes it had plates of metal in it it was sort of fashioned and formed to fit the mus muscles of a

soldier so it had relief to it sometimes they were custom fit to match the Torso but the breastplate protected the vital organs it protected the heart it protected the um the abdomen the organs the viscera in Greek Roman and even Jewish thinking the heart was the center of your anybody remember thoughts your thoughts now in in the west today we don't think of the heart as the center of your thoughts but but your feelings but not back then the center of your thoughts was in your heart the Bible says as a man thinks in his

heart so is he so the heart in ancient Greek Roman and Jewish thinking was where you think all your thoughts where you feel all your feelings was in your guts your viscera the Bible talks about the Old King James the bowels of mercy and uses the term bowels or abdomen or organs to speak of how you feel your emotions so the breastplate uh of righteousness protects your thought life and how you feel and I have discovered that Satan attacks those two areas a lot what we think how we feel he's on the attack he whispers

to you and he says you're not good enough you're not righteous enough and you go you're right it's like we we're saying Amen to the devil amen devil I agree with you we get so beaten down because he says you're not good enough you're not righteous enough you don't pray enough so you're to put on the breastplate of righteousness whose righteousness his righteousness listen to this get this understand this his righteousness that is imputed to you that's the word Paul used imputed to you in the Book of Romans so it is put to your account

God sees you in the righteousness of his son Jesus Christ because of what Jesus did for you on the cross so it's not about your righteousness but it's about his right who shall bring any charge against God's elect it is God who justifies that's what Paul said in Romans chapter 8 so to protect my vital organs my thoughts my emotions I need the breast plate that I am in the righteousness of Christ now I'll just add a little bit to that because any of these could be developed and it could be a long series I've

even done many years ago a whole series on this I do see something else not just justification where it's imputed to you but there's a practical sense in which because his righteousness is imputed to you because you don't stand in your good works we are not saved by righteous Deeds it says in Titus 3:5 but by his righteousness so it's not by our righteous works works of righteousness but he has made us that way that's one sense because that's true Our Lives should become more practically righteous and when because we know we're Justified and we

become holer and Holier and more righteous on a practical level that gives us confidence when we're attacked that gives us confidence let me uh remind you of a text of scripture uh in 1 John um chapter 3 uh let me read it to you little children this is 1 John 3:7 little children let no one deceive you he who practices righteousness is righteous just as he is righteous he who sins is of the devil for the Devil is Sin from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the

works of the devil Whoever has been born of God does not sin and I've told you before that's in the present tense whoever is born of God does not continually habitually as a lifestyle without repentance or check practice sin for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he has been born of God in this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God he who does uh nor is he who does not love his brother so what is John speaking about

practical righteousness what is Paul speaking about positional righteousness positional righteousness is where God imputes to you the righteousness of Christ if that's true if that has happened guess what there will be practical righteousness and when there is and you are attacked you have confidence yeah your life isn't perfect sure there's room for much improvement but you look at your life and by and large that's the practice of your life a righteous lifestyle and it gives you confidence in him so in verse 19 I'm reading that a little further this is 1 John 3: 19 and

by this we know that we are of the truth and we shall assure our hearts before him for if our heart condemns us God is greater than our heart and he knows all things beloved if our heart does not condemn us we we have confidence toward God so when we're attacked we put on the breastplate of righteousness his righteousness but also because that's true my ongoing lifestyle that more and more is a righteous lifestyle I'm not sinless but I do sin less as I grow I sin less there's more righteousness less of the old Behavior

so stand with your waist girded with truth put on the breastplate of righteousness verse 15 is the third item for the soldier and that is the shoe store we're going into the shoe store now having Shaw your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace a soldier wore sandals on the battlefield with nails that were nailed through coming out the bottom end to grip so he wouldn't lose ground it was thick leather with sometimes a metal plate with the nails going through also to protect him from sticks that were often placed in the battlefield

by enemies sort of like modern well ancient landmines uh booby traps so um the idea is you put these sandals on your feet and he says your feet should be shaw with the preparation of the gospel of peace so I think what this means is we should not back down because we know the truth because our vital organs our emotions our thoughts are protected with that breastplate now we have on our feet the preparation of the gospel of peace I am prepared to share the gospel with different people unbelievers yeah that's a battle sometimes if

you notice that it's not easy to you you don't want to talk he's like I get nervous talking about Jesus in front of people don't back down don't back down don't be afraid in fact as you step out in obedience feel the power surge it'll happen ask God to fill you with his spirit in the moment uh Isaiah chapter 52 oh how blessed are the feet of those on the mountains who bring Tidings of good news the gospel the good news the preparation of the gospel of peace verse 16 above all taking the shield of

faith that's number four with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one now there were two types of shields in ancient times there was a little round Shield called a buckler sort of like a large frisbee think of a large leather frisbee attached to the left arm it was used in hand-to-hand combat it could deflect the thrust of the enemy with the short sword and then there was a larger Shield it was rectangle it was about two 2 and 1/2 ft wide about four 4 and 1/2 ft long

and it was slightly curved made out of metal often the top part was leather sometimes it was soaked in water or a nonflammable oil that would quench fiery darts arrows that were placed in Pitch lit a fire and then you've probably seen the movies like Gladiator when the soldiers when they see those flaming arrows shoot through the air thousands of them at one time they take all their Shields and lock them together and it forms this gigantic wall of protection so that the arrows don't penetrate now here I think is the secret so often when

we're fighting battle spiritual warfare is we think we should fight him alone so we're alone we're watch we're watching something on our computer and we're being tempted and so we're struggling and I'm going to be alone and fight this battle no get on the phone come to church none of this thinking well I'm So Unworthy I'm not coming to church that's the reason you need to be in church you need to lock Shields we need to fight the battle together we need to pray at the beginning of services sing together lock our Shields get together

with your connect group come on Wednesday nights Etc we fight the battle together the fiery darts the Greek word Bellas for Dart fiery Dart well you know what they're like they're the accusations you get the doubts you have the fears you have and when you experience those things it's best to experience them with another believer just just confess them I'm experiencing this I'm struggling with this and get prayed for your growth will be a steep trajectory upwards and onwards that's part of the victory you lock your Shields verse 17 is the fifth item the helmet

take the helmet of salvation in interesting Greek word peric kealia helmet from two words Perry which means about or around and kealia which is the Greek word for head calic the medical term comes from keia so it means around the head surround your head um it could be a leather helmet in the old days a metal helmet but it would it protected from arrows and protected from the broadsword it protected from the short sword not just protecting your thoughts but I think I think this I think that there has been for quite some time even

in our movement the Jesus movement the Calvary Chapel movement almost this anti-intellectualism that has pervaded it like it's a sin to be smart oh I was a drug addict on the street I had I dropped out of second grade now I'm a pastor cool nothing wrong with that but that's no reason to get proud that that shouldn't be your calling card you should be able to um grow as Peter said 2 Peter 3:18 in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ aim to learn more aim to learn more truth

think of the deep theological philosophical problems questions that people F have in this world get answers to them be well read you'll be more valuable protect your head take the helmet of salvation and I think the idea here is that the work that he has begun in you he will continue uh there's a a parallel verse I don't want to belabor this because I do I am going to end this chapter tonight but listen to this we this is explained to us I believe in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 there is a parallel verse this is

what Paul writes to the Thessalonians but let us who are of the day not of the night of the darkness those of who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of Salvation the hope of Salvation what is the the helmet of salvation is the helmet of the hope of Salvation do that mean I have to like hope that I'm going to go to heaven no you are going to heaven it's to live with the assurance that what God has begun in you he's

going to complete in you you see you and I are saved three different ways we're saved in the past past tense from the penalty of sin we're being saved in the present tense from the power of sin the grip of sin in our lives we will be saved in the future from the very presence of sin one day that's the hope of our Salvation he's begun something he's going to continue it Martin Luther used to say live your life as though Jesus died on the cross yesterday Rose from from the dead today and is coming

back tomorrow think of that let that sink in live your life like I just found out Jesus died yesterday he died for me yesterday wow and this morning he rose again from the grave conquering death which means I'll live forever because I believe in him and he's coming back he'll be here tomorrow tomorrow he's coming if not tomorrow then the next day if not the next day then the next day that's the way to live that's the idea of the of the idea of Salvation or the the helmet of salvation he's begun he'll continue it

it could happen at any moment then verse 17 we get the sixth item and now we go to offensive weapons we'll finish this up quickly the sword of the spirit which is the word of God you know Hebrews chapter 4 where the author says the word of God is like a sharp two-edged sword piercing even to the division of joints and Marrow Soul and Spirit Etc I'm looking at the time I don't want to violate the time I just want to say what you are doing here on Wednesday night is is in fulfillment of this

verse the sword of the spirit you are boning up on truth you see here's the thing um the sword of the spirit and the sword that he's speaking of here makyra is the word and it's the short sword it's a about a 12 to 18 inch little sword that can only be used when you're up close like eye to eye and you have that little tiny frisbee like shield on your left arm and you take the short sword for jabbing poking decisive blowing boom boom boom boom up close vicious Christians you need to know truth

so well that in particular instances it's ready not just well you know generally I know that the Bible is true and God is in heaven and Jesus died and I think he's coming back no you need to know stuff that applies now in the moment up close short little Jabs Jesus had a conversation with Satan and said you know can make these stones into bread it is written Satan man shall not live by bread alone boom jab that's the shortsword that's up close that's a scripture boom you need to know the scripture well enough in

the battle to pull out those Tex Texs learn where they are second uh offensive weapon um number seven on the list Verse 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit being watchful to this end with perseverance and supplication for all the sents since uh Nate covered it on Sunday and I covered it also the week before on prayer uh in the Book of James I won't labor this except to say it says praying always with all prayer and supplication soft prayers loud prayers long prayers short prayers praise and worship prayers supplication prayers

anxiety prayers all of it all of it praying always doesn't mean you mutter something under your breath 24 hours a day always praying to God it means on All Occasions on every in every instance that you find yourself in you you it becomes reflexive to you to pray to pray just like breathing it's my breath I I bring it and give it back to the Lord in prayer that's the idea and verse 19 and for me that is and pray for me that utterance may be given to me that I may open my mouth boldly

to make known KN The Mystery of the Gospel hey how cool would it be to have Paul the Apostle on your daily prayer list pray for Paul today he's in prison in Rome and be pretty cool but do you notice that Paul doesn't pray for deliverance he prays for utterance he doesn't it's more important that Paul be a faithful man than that Paul be a free man you didn't say pray that I get sprung out of here just pray that I'm faithful and bold you see when you are confined by a jail sentence a disease

a family situation it doesn't mean the end of ministry just means a change of ministry Paul in prison was able to write four letters as we have seen witness to guard see them come to Christ never would have happened otherwise so that's what he prays for for which verse 20 I am an ambassador in chains that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak but that you also may know my Affairs and how I am doing notice he didn't even say how he's doing he said you want to know how I'm doing asked Titus

tius a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will make all things known to you you may remember Titus from our study in the book of Colossians uh he was from Ephesus he joined Paul on his third Miss missionary journey he was one of a team of seven people seven member team that went and collected an offering from Gentile churches to take back to the poor Saints in Jerusalem so tius he'll hang out with you he'll tell you how I'm doing because he was hanging out with Paul in Rome delivering this letter whom I

have sent to you for this very purpose that you may know our Affairs and that he may Comfort your hearts peace to the Brethren and love with Faith from God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ and he ends the letter like he begins the letter Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and we all said the last word together amen let's pray Lord I do pray that your grace your UNM merited undeserved lavish luxurious favor would rest upon your people filling them surrounding them encouraging them strengthening them for

every purpose that you have for them in jesus' name amen for more resources from Calvary Church and Skip heig visit Calvary nm. Church thank you for joining us from this teaching and our series expound [Music]