Oh yes.
So Alex is going to be speaking from Ephesians chapter 6.
And if you have the Red Church Bibles, it's on page 1177.
1177.
And I'll read and Alex can come up then.
We're going to start at verse 10.
And we'll finish then at verse 18.
Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.
And after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Thanks, Alex.
I love the way the angels are applauding already.
The reading of God's word, not what I'm going to say in the...
So, I didn't get to see the new Power Rangers movie.
But I too wanted superhero powers, superpowers.
As a child, I wanted to have an invisible cloak, or at least the power to make myself invisible.
I would imagine sneaking around the house, or escaping from trouble, or sneaking up on my brother and sister to try and scare them.
If I was a superhero, I'd like to be Superman.
With the extra superpower of invisibility.
Actually, maybe come to think of this, maybe the best superpower wouldn't be invisibility, but invincibility.
Would you like to be invincible?
To be able to withstand the greatest trials of life?
To have your arch nemesis blast you with kryptonite and still survive unscathed?
To be able to survive any battle, or opposition, or sickness.
To be able to live forever.
To be invincible.
Well, unlike being a superhero, which Connor is actually impossible, invincibility is possible.
Our passage this morning is going to show us how we can be invincible.
As we know, we all enter the world completely helpless, totally dependent on someone to care for us, usually our parents.
We are small and fragile and vulnerable.
Vulnerable to any attack from either the weather, or a person, or disease.
Even gravity causes us problems at some stage.
As we grow up into adults, we continue to be vulnerable.
Even if we get strong and fit and healthy, we remain vulnerable, because no matter how strong, or how fit, or how healthy we get, we will eventually die.
That's pretty gloomy, isn't it?
Well, maybe perhaps we will get weak, and old, and slow, and our health will deteriorate.
And then we will die.
It is gloomy.
It's not very superhero-ish.
But it's also true.
Back in Genesis chapter 2, verse 17, God said to Adam, the first man,
not to eat from a certain tree in the garden that God had provided for him.
For as God said, when you eat from it, you will surely die.
As we know from the story, the serpent came along and said,
you'll not surely die.
For God knows that when you eat, your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
So right from the start,
we have seen a battle between Satan, the serpent, and God.
Good versus evil.
The life we were given versus the death we have chosen through our rebellion and through our sin.
You see, invincibility was what we were created for.
I don't think I need to tell you the effects of this rebellion are still being felt.
Death comes to us all.
In the meantime, life is hard.
There's a battle going on.
John MacArthur, in his commentary on the New Testament,
says that the Christian life is a battle.
It's warfare on a grand scale.
Because when God begins to bless,
Satan begins to attack.
That's what happened in the garden with Adam and Eve.
God blessed and Satan began to attack.
Jesus himself, at the beginning of his ministry on earth,
had a 40-day battle with Satan in the wilderness.
The end of his earthly ministry in the Garden of Gethsemane,
Satan had another go at him,
to the extent that Jesus was sweating drops of blood.
Here in Ephesians,
the Ephesian church also had its problems.
Now we could say on one hand that Jesus' problem
was that the Jews wanted to kill him.
But actually the real battle was much bigger than that.
This battle was on a cosmic scale.
This was Satan's big move.
His opportunity to dethrone Jesus as king.
Now rather than getting bogged down in the minutiae of Ephesians today,
and get bogged down in the issues of the occult and church unity,
which were the issues,
and there was other issues going on in the Ephesian church at the time.
But today, let's broadly say that the Ephesians too had their battles,
and it was ultimately Satan and his schemes at work.
Let's open up God's word.
Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10 through to 18.
It's on page 1177.
Ephesians chapter 6, on page 1177.
So, look there at verse 11 if you would.
Put on the full armour of God,
so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
Paul calls for them,
for the Ephesians, for the believers in Ephesus,
to stand against the devil's schemes.
Well, how would you feel about going to war against the devil?
It's a daunting prospect, isn't it?
I don't think I could do it with sword and shield,
or even hand grenades and machine guns, for that matter.
Paul isn't trying to overwhelm us here with dismay,
but rather to encourage us.
Our job isn't to go to war,
but rather to stand firm.
Also, there is an encouragement in 2 Chronicles,
chapter 20, verse 15.
You can just listen.
It's short.
This is what the Lord says to you.
Do not be afraid or discouraged
because of this vast army,
for the battle is not yours,
but God's.
Paul starts this passage
with the word,
finally.
It's a call to sit up and listen.
All that he has been saying
in the previous five chapters
has been leading to this point.
These are his parting words to the believers,
and so they must be important.
It brings all that he has been saying together.
So we would do well
to sit up and listen up.
Back in Ephesians, chapter 1,
he begins the letter
by giving thanks to
God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us
with every spiritual blessing
in Christ.
He's speaking to the believers in Ephesus,
and so this message is also for us
in every Christ-following church.
He continues in chapter 1, verse 4,
that we are chosen,
predestined,
and adopted as God's children.
We were lavished with his grace,
redeemed and forgiven,
given the mystery of his will.
We are receivers of an inheritance.
We've been sealed with the Holy Spirit,
and going on in chapter 2,
we are greatly loved by God.
We have been made alive with new life,
created by him
for doing good works,
and we've been given God's own peace.
The list goes on,
reminding them of the blessings
that they have as saints
or as followers of Jesus,
the guarantee
that they have been made citizens
of God's kingdom
and are members of his family.
Chapter 3 explains that
access has been given to God the Father.
They have been made powerful
beyond their imagination
through him,
through Christ.
They are individually
and uniquely gifted
by the Christ,
in chapter 4.
Blessed with gifted leaders
to equip them in ministry work,
given a new self
in God's holy likeness.
They have been made light
in the darkness,
in chapter 5.
Offered the fullness
of the Holy Spirit,
given the resources
and instructions
to make all relationships
with others
what God intends them to be.
And finally,
we come to today.
Here in chapter 6,
they are given God's
full armour
to make them invincible
against Satan
and his demonic forces.
Verse 10,
Finally,
be strong in the Lord
and in his mighty power.
Or as other versions say,
be strengthened by the Lord.
It is the Lord
who strengthens us.
It is only with his strength
that we can fight the opposition
or stand firm against him.
The battles we face
are real
and daily.
We might have health battles.
We might have
mental health battles.
We might have
relational battles.
We might have
marital battles.
We might have
work battles,
personal battles
like
self-confidence issues
or self-esteem.
Look at verse 12.
For our struggle
is not against flesh
and blood
but against the rulers,
against the authorities
and against the powers
of this dark world
and against the spiritual
forces of evil
in the heavenly realms.
So,
our real
battles
of flesh
and blood
are not to be
underestimated.
They are real.
But Paul is saying here
that our battles
are even bigger
on a cosmic scale.
They are against
the rulers
and authorities,
against the powers
of this dark world
and against the
spiritual forces
of evil
in the heavenly realms
who are fighting
for our very souls.
This battle
is the devil
wanting your soul.
Now,
I realise that
to keep going
with the superhero theme,
I realise that
this sounds like
something out of
Star Wars.
Cosmic forces
and spiritual battles.
So,
maybe we just need
a lightsaber
and the force
to help us out.
Well,
that's not what
Paul is saying.
This battle,
as we've seen,
is not a physical battle
but it's a bigger battle
of the mind.
So,
to be ready for battle
we must be ready
in our minds.
By putting on
the armour of God
we are able to stand
firm in the battle.
With God's armour
we are invincible.
No power of darkness,
no scheme of the devil,
no spiritual force
of evil
can penetrate us
with God's armour on.
Who wants invincibility?
Well,
follow with me
as we continue
to learn
how to stand firm
in his armour
with his power.
Verse 13,
therefore,
put on
the full armour
of God
so that when
the day of evil
comes
you may be able
to stand
your ground
and after you have
done everything
to stand.
His armour
protects
when we put it on
and take it up
and helps us
to stand firm.
So,
Paul says
we need to put on
put on
the belt of truth.
Verse 14,
stand firm then
with the belt of truth
buckled round your waist
with the breastplate
of righteousness
in place.
Paul wrote this letter
in a Roman prison
and so
as he was surrounded
by Roman soldiers
maybe as he was
looking at the soldiers
and what they were wearing
maybe that was
the inspiration
for this imagery.
Roman soldiers
always wore a tunic
an outer garment
that served
as his main clothes.
It was a large
square piece
of material
with holes cut out
for the head
and the arms
and it was hung loosely
over the soldier's body.
In battle
most combat
was hand to hand
and so a loose tunic
was dangerous
so it could be grabbed
or cut easily.
So before battle
the soldier
would carefully
pull up
his loose bits
of material
and tuck them
into his big leather belt
to stay safe.
This is where we get
the term
girding up your loins.
Girding up your loins
means to be ready.
The soldier
who was serious
about fighting
was sure to secure
his tunic
with his belt.
Be ready.
But it's the belt
of truth
that we are
to prepare
ourselves with.
The belt
of truth
it's the content
of God's truth.
It's essential
for the believer
in their battle
against the schemes
of Satan.
The false schemes
of Satan
like when he tempted
Jesus in the wilderness.
They can only be
successfully encountered
with the truth
of the word
of God.
And we'll be looking
at that again later.
Next Paul
tells us
to put on
the breastplate
of righteousness.
Stand firm then
14
with the belt
of truth
buckled round
your waist
with the breastplate
of righteousness
in place.
The breastplate
of righteousness.
No Roman soldier
would ever go into
battle without
his breastplate.
It was a heavy
sleeveless piece
of either linen
or leather
that would cover
his whole torso.
Onto it
were sewn
overlapping slices
of animal hooves
or horns
or pieces of metal
a little bit like
a suit of armour
for the torso.
Its purpose
I hope was obvious
it was to protect
the heart
and lungs
intestines
and other vital organs.
In ancient
Jewish thinking
the heart
represented the mind
and the will.
The bowels
were considered
the seat of emotions
and feelings.
The mind
and emotions
are the two areas
where Satan
most fiercely
attacks believers.
He tries to create
in us
a certain
worldview
a sinful environment
by which he tempts us
to think wrong thoughts
and feel wrong emotions.
He wants to flood
our minds
with false doctrines
with false truths
false information
just to confuse us.
He also wants to confuse
our emotions
and thereby
pervert our affections
morals
loyalties
goals
and commitments.
He wants to take
God's word
from our minds
and replace it
with his own
perverse ideas.
He wants to take
our pure living
and replace it
with immorality
with greed
with envy
with hate
and selfishness
addiction
pornography
and every other
kind of vice.
He wants us
to laugh at sin
rather than
repent of it
or even mourn
over it.
He wants us
to rationalize it
and make it okay
rather than
to confess it
and bring it
to the Lord
for forgiveness.
He seduces us
to become
so immune
to sin
in and around us
that it no longer
bothers us.
Put on the breastplate
of righteousness.
Don't let these things
happen to you.
Put on
the breastplate
of righteousness.
Righteousness
is to be taken
and wrapped around us
like the breastplate
protecting our hearts
and our minds.
Righteousness.
What do I mean by that?
Well let me start
by saying
what I don't mean.
I don't mean
self-righteousness.
This is not
righteousness at all
but it's
seen at its very worst.
Self-righteousness
is the kind
of righteousness
that thinks
that our own character
or our own behaviour
or accomplishments
please God
and will bring
his reward.
Nothing you can do
can make God
love you
more
than he already does.
Self-righteousness
will actually
keep a believer
out of the glorious
power of fellowship
with God
and it will keep
an unbeliever
out of his kingdom.
When I say
righteousness
neither do I mean
imputed righteousness.
Big word.
Imputed.
What does that mean?
Let me try
and explain.
Imputed righteousness
is the righteousness
that God
applies to
every Christian's
account the moment
they follow him.
Let me say that again.
Imputed righteousness
is the righteousness
that God
applies to
every Christian's
account
the moment
they follow him.
2 Corinthians
chapter 5
21
says that
God made
Christ
who knew
no sin
to be sin
on our behalf
that we might
become the
righteousness
of God
in him.
So our
imputed righteousness
is what
God gives us.
We cannot put on
what God
has already
given us.
God's imputed
righteousness
is the basis
of our Christian
life and our
Christian living.
It protects us
from hell
but it does not
in itself
protect us
from Satan
in this present
life.
The breastplate
of righteousness
that we put on
as spiritual
armour against
our adversary
is the
practical
righteousness
of a life
lived in
obedience
to God's
word.
So to try and
summarise
to put on
the breastplate
of righteousness
is to live
daily
moment by
moment
obedience
to our
heavenly father.
power.
This part
of God's
armour is
holy living
for which
God supplies
the standard
and the power
but for which
we must
supply the
willingness.
God himself
puts on
our imputed
righteousness
but we
must put on
our practical
righteousness.
Verse 15
whatever sport
or activity
these days
there is
always special
footwear
to make
the task
more comfortable
safer and
practical.
Likewise
a soldier's
footwear
was also
important
because
very often
his very
life
would depend
on it
as he
walked
or
marched
on dusty
roads
or over
jagged
rocks
or through
rivers
or thorns
a soldier
whose feet
were blistered
or cut
or swollen
could not
fight well
and may not
even be able
to stand up
to defend
himself.
A Roman
soldier's
shoes
or boots
were made
tough and
durable
for these
very reasons
but they
were also
impregnated
with little
bits of
metal
or nails
so that
they would
have better
grip
as they
climbed
slippery
surfaces
and greater
stability
as they
fought.
A Christian's
spiritual footwear
is just
as important.
If we
have put
on the
belt of
truth
and the
breastplate
of
righteousness
but not
fitted our
feet with
the preparation
of the
gospel
of peace
we are
destined
to stumble
fall
or slip
and suffer
many defeats.
The gospel
of peace
is the
truth
that in
Christ we
are now at
peace with
God
and are
one with
him.
So when
our feet
are ready
with the
gospel of
peace we
stand with
the confidence
of God's
love for
us,
his union
with us
and his
commitment
to fight
for us.
The believer
who stands
in the
Lord's power
need not
fear any
enemy,
not even
Satan
himself.
When the
attack comes
our feet
are rooted
firmly on
the solid
ground of
the gospel
of peace.
This gospel
was once
our enemy
when it
separated us
from God
but has
become our
defender
because now
Jesus has
taken our
place and
we are
protected by
a loving
heavenly
father.
We who
were once
his enemies
are now
his children
and he
offers us
his full
resources
to be
strong in
the Lord
and in
his mighty
power.
So having
put on
the armor
that protects
we are
now tasked
with taking
up,
being active.
Whereas
the belt,
the breastplate
and the
shoes were
armor that
never came
off while
on the
battlefield,
the shield,
the helmet
and the
sword on
the other
hand were
always kept
ready for
use when
actually
fighting.
Let's
look at
verse 16.
In addition
to all
of this,
take up
the shield
of faith
with which
you can
extinguish
all the
flaming arrows
of the
evil one.
Take the
helmet of
salvation
and the
sword of
the spirit
which is
the word
of God.
There are
two types
of shields
that the
Roman soldiers
used.
One was
a small
round one
about two
feet in
diameter
strapped
to one
arm to
deflect
swords
when in
hand-to-hand
combat.
The other
shield is
the one
we are
talking
about here.
It was
one big
sheet of
wood about
four and
a half
feet high
and about
two and
a half
feet wide.
It was
designed to
protect the
whole body
of the
soldier who
was considerably
smaller than
the average
man is
today.
The shield
was made
of wood
and covered
with either
metal or
heavily soaked
leather.
They were
carried in
the front
lines of
that battle
and stood
side by
side and
overhead to
make a
wooden wall
which could
have been
up to a
mile wide.
Behind this
wall of
shields the
archers would
shoot their
arrows and
would slowly
advance on
the enemy
behind this
safe wall.
Anyone behind
the walls of
shields were
protected also
from arrow
attack.
Very often
they would be
shot at with
arrows whose
tips had been
soaked and
wrapped in
pieces of
cloth soaked
in tar
like in
a tar
like substance
and set
alight.
The purpose
was to
maximize damage
by having
the flame
burn and
spread and
splatter onto
the soldiers.
However,
with these
big shields
the arrows
would be
either deflected
or extinguished.
So we
are to take
up this
great big
shield of
faith which
can extinguish
all the flaming
arrows of the
evil one.
turn back
with me
for a
minute back
to chapter
3 verse
16.
I pray
that out
of his
glorious
riches he
may strengthen
you with
power through
his spirit
in your
inner being
so that
Christ may
dwell in
your heart
through
faith.
And I
pray that
you being
rooted and
established in
love may
have power
together with
all the
saints to
grasp how
wide and
long and
high and
deep is
the love
of God.
And to
know this
love that
surpasses
knowledge that
you may be
filled to
the measure of
all the
fullness of
God.
Faith.
The shield
of faith.
The faith in
this letter
is the
openness,
the willingness
to God
that allows
Christ to
dwell in
us and
brings in
us a
deeper grasp
of his
unfathomable
love.
The flaming
arrows that
Paul writes
about could
be anything
from direct
occult attack
to devilish
persecution.
And that's
what was
happening in
Ephesus.
But for
us in our
context,
currently it's
most likely
to be the
steady rain
of temptations,
fear,
bitterness,
anger,
and division
that could
break up the
unity of
the church
or any
family or
societal unit.
These arrows
that are
being fired
at us
are to be
countered
with faith.
Taking up
the shield
is a
deliberate
and a
positive
act,
holding
on to
the God
revealed in
the gospel.
dependent on
the Lord.
Holding
on to
the God
revealed in
the gospel,
dependent on
the Lord,
no matter
what.
He is the
Lord who
extinguishes
the fiery
arrows of
the enemy
attempting to
spread harm
and spread
panic and
division.
Next is
the helmet.
helmet.
I hope
the helmet
is straightforward.
It protects
the head
and the face.
The fact
that the
helmet is
related to
salvation
indicates that
Satan's blows
are directed
at the
believer's
security
and assurance
in Christ.
In the same
way that a
helmet would
protect a
soldier from
the blows of
the enemy
in battle,
the helmet
of salvation
suggests that
the blows that
come from
Satan's
double-edged
sword are
that of
discouragement
and doubt.
Satan
discourages
us by
pointing out
our failures,
our sins,
our unresolved
problems,
our poor
health,
or whatever
else seems to
be negative
in our lives
in order to
make us lose
confidence and
to doubt in
the love and
care of our
heavenly father.
If we are
believers this
morning,
our salvation
is secure
if we are
in Christ.
The final
piece of
armour is
the sword
of the
Spirit,
which is
the word
of God.
Turn back
with me to
chapter 6,
verse 17.
Take the
helmet of
salvation and
the sword
of the
Spirit,
which is
the word
of God.
the word
of God
is a
spiritual
weapon
to be
used as
a
defensive
weapon
in our
struggle
against
spiritual
enemies.
It needs
to be
handled
well
to be
most
effective.
It can
only deflect
an attack
when it is
handled with
precision and
skill.
Hebrews 4,
12,
describes the
word like
this.
When Jesus
was tempted
by Satan
in the
wilderness,
he defended
himself from
each temptation
with a
passage of
scripture that
precisely
contradicted the
devil's word.
You can see
that in
Matthew 4.
Here's a
challenge to
us.
If we
don't know
God's word
well,
we can't
use it
well.
Satan's
only just
looking for
an excuse.
He's only
looking for
areas of
weakness
where we
are either
ignorant or
confused and
he'll attack
us there.
The Bible
isn't a
broad sword
to be waved
around
indiscriminately
but it's a
sharp dagger
to be used
with great
precision.
I just
want to
pause on
that point
for a
minute because
September is
just around
the corner.
There's a
new term
ahead.
It's an
opportunity to
get into
new habits
and new
routines.
So another
challenge.
How about
prioritizing the
word of the
spirit in your
life?
How about
equipping
ourselves well
to know God's
word well so
that we can use
it well?
Here's a few
suggestions.
Commit to
daily Bible
reading to
get a daily
diet of God's
word.
You can
read the
Bible or
you can
listen to
it on
audio
Bibles.
How about
committing to
meeting up
with another
believer every
week, every
other week,
just regularly?
Spending half
an hour reading
and discussing
scripture together?
how about
committing to
joining or
rejoining a
midweek Bible
study or
home group as
we call them?
Prioritize God's
word and getting
to know it
well so that
we can handle
it well.
Maybe some
of you have
been considering
studying the
Bible in a
more systematic
way.
Maybe
Munster Bible
College is
something that
you'd be
interested in.
Either way,
commit to
prioritizing
knowing God's
word well so
that we are
equipped to
handle it
well when
the attacks of
the devil
come.
Verse 18.
Prayer is
the closing
theme of
Ephesians and
even though it
is closely
related to
God's armor
here, it
shouldn't be
regarded as
another weapon
because prayer
is much more
than that.
While we are
standing firm
with all the
armor at
hand, we
are to be
in prayer.
It isn't
something that
we add on
when all
else fails.
Prayer must
be the air
that the
soldier of
Christ
breathes.
It's not
an accident
that prayer
is here at
the end of
the letter.
It's not
an accident
that it's
the crescendo
of the
letter.
We started
by looking
at chapter
1 verse
3.
Praise be
to the
God and
Father of
our Lord
Jesus Christ
who has
blessed us
in the
heavenly realms
with every
spiritual blessing
in Christ.
And then we
went through
the whole
letter looking
at that
big long
list of
blessings.
We are
chosen,
predestined,
adopted,
lavished with
his grace.
Do you
remember that
list?
And now
we've
arrived here
at the
crescendo.
It would
be easy
for us,
well me at
least,
to become
quite arrogant
with a
list of
blessings
like that
because I'm
a believer,
that list
applies to
me,
so I am
all those
things.
I could
take the
attitude that
I'm redeemed
and forgiven.
Great,
I can do
what I want.
Or to
say,
well I'm
adopted as
God's
child.
Brilliant,
I can
treat him
as badly
as I
want,
because I'm
a child,
I still
get the
inheritance.
We need
to be careful
with attitudes
like that.
When we
read Ephesians,
that we
don't fall
into Satan's
trap of
making us
think of
ourselves and
how blessed
we are,
rather than
looking to
the one who
gives us
the blessings.
We need
to be careful
not to think
how adequate
we are in
ourselves and
lose the
sense of
dependence on
God.
And turn
that then
into praise
and to
prayer.
The letter
starts in
chapter 1 by
looking up
at the
heavenlies,
but Paul
brings us,
Paul finishes
the letter by
bringing us
down on
our knees.
We must
not fall
into the
trap of
thinking that
because we
have all
these resources
and blessings
that we can
do this
Christian life
without God's
help.
God's
armour is
not mechanical
or magical.
We can't
just pick
it up
and expect
it to
produce
supernatural
feats in
battle time.
Our divine
gifts,
our gifts
from God,
amazing as
they are,
are useless
without God.
We need
his help.
And this
comes through
prayer.
Pray in the
spirit on all
occasions,
with all kinds
of prayers
and requests.
With this
in mind,
be alert and
always keep on
praying for
all the saints.
the three
alls here.
All
occasions,
all kinds
of prayers
and requests
and for
all the
saints.
Praying in
the spirit
on all
occasions
is simply
encouraging
an attitude
of prayer
as we go
about our
day to be
talking to
God,
making prayer
part of our
everyday activity.
For example,
when we are
tempted,
we hold
the temptation
up before
God and ask
for his help.
When we
experience
something good
and beautiful,
we thank
the Lord
for it.
When we
see evil
around us,
we pray
that God
would make
it right
and be
willing to
be used
by him
to do
so.
When we
meet someone
who doesn't
know Christ,
we pray
for God
to draw
that person
to himself
by his
spirit
and also
maybe to
use us
to be a
faithful witness.
When we
encounter
trouble,
we turn
to God
as our
deliverer.
All kinds
of requests
and prayers.
They can be
both general
and specific
prayers,
like the
ones I've
just listed.
They are
in line
with God's
will and
nature and
word,
so we
don't keep
asking for
a Porsche
to arrive
at our
door.
In line
with God's
will and
nature and
word.
prayer.
And we
pray for
all the
saints.
We can
all be
guilty of
neglecting
prayer in
our lives.
I know I
can,
especially
when life
seems to
be going
pretty okay
for us.
Well,
in light
of the
battle
that we've
been looking
at here,
we can
be assured
that there
is always
someone who
needs the
Lord's
help to
put on
his full
armor,
even if
our life
is currently
a bed of
roses.
Pray for
each other.
pray for
each other
in the
battle.
As
followers of
Jesus,
we will
be devoted
to the
welfare of
others,
especially
fellow
believers.
If we
are too
consumed
with our
own
battles,
even if
they're
spiritual
battles,
and not
concerning
ourselves
with others,
we will
suffer from
a destructive
self-centeredness.
This can
lead to
isolation
from other
believers,
who if
they were
intimately
involved in
fellowship
with us,
would
be
regularly
praying
for our
spiritual
welfare.
When
Satan
attacks,
it's
foolish
to try
and do
battle
alone.
A
soldier
on guard
who sees
the enemy
approaching
doesn't
run out
and start
fighting
by himself.
What does
he do?
He reports
back to
the commanding
officer,
who then
in turn
organizes
the defense.
If we
are under
attack,
report it
to the
Lord,
our
commanding
officer,
and he
will
organize the
troops.
In
general,
God
uses
his
word,
his
spirit,
and his
people to
accomplish
his plans.
So trust
others to
help in
the battle,
but first
run to
him in
prayer.
For those
of us who
like our
own company
and the
solitude of
a quiet
life,
if there
is a
battle going
on in
our lives,
it is
foolish to
try and do
battle alone.
So be
careful.
Our
fellowship
with God
is not
meant to
wait till
we are
in heaven.
God's
greatest
desire and
our greatest
need is to
be in
constant
fellowship with
him now.
There is no
greater expression
or experience
of fellowship
than prayer.
Praying in
the spirit
is simply
to pray
in Jesus
name,
to pray
consistent
with his
nature and
his will.
It is to
line up our
minds and
desires with
God's mind
and his
desires.
As I
conclude,
be strong
in the
Lord,
be strengthened
in the
Lord,
so that you
can stand
firm against
the enemy,
the devil,
and his
schemes.
Have you
noticed the
implication of
these words?
The blessings
and benefits
I listed
earlier,
the promise
of going
into battle
invincible,
knowing that
God has
already won
the ultimate
victory,
through Jesus
conquering
death,
this is such
great news
for those
who are in
Christ.
This victory
and this
promise
is not
for those
who don't
know him.
If you
don't know
Jesus as
the Lord of
your life,
you don't
have the
security of
this help
in times
of battle.
You don't
have the
assurance of
2 Chronicles
2015,
where the
Lord says,
do not be
afraid or
discouraged
because of
this vast
army,
for the
battle is
not yours
but God's.
Battles
will come.
Will you
stand with
the Lord
or fight
it yourself?
If you
don't know
Jesus as
Lord of
your life,
there is
reason to
fear.
The battle
is real,
as we've
seen.
How will
you stand
firm if
not with
God and
his help?
If you
do know
Jesus as
Lord,
how do
you treat
him when
the heat
is on?
Do you
run to
him and
throw on
the armor
he offers
or do
you run
out and
take on
the enemy
on your
own?
this
morning,
wherever
you are,
I plead
with you
to run
to Jesus.
We
can't
survive
the battles
of life
without
him.
Cast
your cares
on the
Lord and
he will
sustain
you.
He
will
never
let
the
righteous
fall.
Let's
pray.
Lord,
thank you
for the
surety of
your word.
Thank you
that in
Christ we
need not
fear because
you have
won the
ultimate
battle for
us.
We need
not fear
death
anymore.
Thank you
for the
gift of
every
spiritual
blessing
when we
are in
Christ.
thank you
that you
greatly
love us
and that
your gifts
make us
new.
Lord,
help us
to root
ourselves
in truth,
to put on
righteousness,
to be ready
with the
gospel of
peace.
Help us
to be
obedient.
Help us
to live
holy lives.
Help us
to put on
the shield
of faith,
remembering
you and
your goodness
in the
trials of
life.
Give us
a love
and a
passion for
the word
of God.
Help us
to commit
to putting
things in
place this
next term
that will
help us
to know
your word
well.
And Lord,
give us a
passion for
prayer,
that we
would see it
as the best
fellowship with
you as
we pray
and unburden
our souls
to you,
asking for
your help
and claiming
the truths
of scripture
for ourselves.
And we
pray all of
this in
Jesus' name.
Amen.
Our final
song, I
think I've
said it a
couple of
times.
I've used
this phrase
a couple
of times
in what
I've been
saying.
The song
is in
Christ alone.
No power
of heaven
is not
in the
world.
I've
been
in the
world.
I've
been
in the
world.
I've
been
in the
world.
I've
been
in the
world.
I've
been
in the