life’s a battle be prepared

Life’s a BattleBe Prepared

TITLE: Life’s a Battle: Be Prepared

• TEXT: Ephesians 6:10-15• THEME: The believer should put on God’s

armor to defeat Satan

Times we see the face of evil

• On September 11, 2001 we could see the face of evil


• On September 11, 2001 we could see the face of evil.

• We see the face of evil when we see Jaycee Lee Dugards Plight


• On September 11, 2001 we could see the face of evil.

• We see the face of evil when we see Jaycee Lee

• We see it in the lives of people dealing with depression

Satan gains ground when:

• You fight with your wife


• You fight with your wife• When Christians divorce


• You fight with your wife• When Christians divorce• When a Christian leader falls into sexual sin


• You fight with your wife• When Christians divorce• When a Christian leader falls into sexual sin• When a church becomes fractured and

splits

How can you defend against Satan’s schemes?

I. Find strength in the Lord (10-11)

EPHESIANS 6:10-11

• Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Find strength in the Lord (10-11)

• We cannot stand against Satan in our strength. He works in the spiritual realm and we must battle him in that realm

I John

• “Greater is He that is in you that he that is in the world”

Find strength in the Lord (10-11)

• We cannot stand against Satan in our strength. He works in the spiritual realm and we must battle him in that realm

• Our primary protection against the devil’s schemes is an armor that we must put on

Comic Con in San Diego

II. Understand the nature of the enemy (12)

EPHESIANS 6:12-

• 12 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.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood.

• Have you ever noticed how when you have an argument with someone that all reason is cast aside and only anger and self-centeredness prevail


• Have you ever noticed how when you have an argument with someone that all reason is cast aside and only anger and self-centeredness prevail?

• Have you ever noticed how you reach a point where further discussion seems to be fruitless because you or the other person has reached an impasse?


• Have you ever noticed how when you have an argument with someone that all reason is cast aside and only anger and self-centeredness prevail?

• Have you ever noticed how you reach a point where further discussion seems to be fruitless because you or the other person has reached an impasse?

• It seems like something else is controlling them


• Rulers: Refers to Satan’s influence over political realms



• Authorities: Refers to Satan’s influence over feelings and thoughts




• Powers: Refers to Satan’s influence over lies and deception. Includes superstition, fortune telling and false-teaching of various kinds




• Powers: Refers to Satan’s influence over lies and deception. Includes superstition, fortune telling and false-teaching of various kinds.

• Spiritual Forces: Refers to Satan’s influence over religious experiences

III.Put on the full Armor of God (13-15)

EPHESIANS 6:13-15

• 13] 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. [14] Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, [15] and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [

Put on the full Armor of God (13-15)

A. Cinch on the belt of truth.


• Cinch on the belt of truth. – Truth is essential


• Cinch on the belt of truth. – Truth is essential – Truth is indispensable.

Proverbs 23:23

• "Buy the truth, and do not sell it."

1 Corinthians 13:6

• "does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth."

Philippians 4:8

• "meditate on… whatever things are true."

Proverbs 3:3

• "Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."

Cinch on the belt of truth.

• Truth is essential • Truth is indispensable • Truth is immutable.

John 14

• "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Hebrews1:11–12

• "They will perish, but you remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak, you will fold them up, and they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will not fail."


• Truth is essential • Truth is indispensable • Truth is immutable.– Truth is immutable because God is immutable.


• Truth is essential • Truth is indispensable • Truth is immutable.• Truth is incorrigible.

• Incorrigible means "cannot be improved or perfected."

2 Samuel 22:31

• "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; he is a shield to all who trust in him."

Matthew 24:35

• "Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away."


• First, truth is essential • Truth is indispensable • Truth is immutable.• Truth is incorrigible.• Truth is objective.

John 8:32

• "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Genesis 3:4-5

• "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil"

Psalm 119:11

• "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you!"


• First, truth is essential • Truth is indispensable • Truth is immutable.• Truth is incorrigible.• Truth is objective.• Truth is practical.

John 8:44

• Satan is a liar and the father of all

III. Put on the full Armor of God (13-15)

• A. Cinch on the belt of truth. • B. Strap on the breastplate of righteousness.

Proverbs 4:23

• "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."

• This righteousness in Ephesians 6 does not refer to self-righteousness.

Isaiah 64:6

• "All our righteousness is like filthy rags."

Strap on the breastplate of righteousness.

• This righteousness in Ephesians 6 does not refer to self-righteousness

• This righteousness does not refer to imputed righteousness.

2 Corinthians 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

Strap on the breastplate of righteousness.

• This righteousness in Ephesians 6 does not refer to self-righteousness

• This righteousness does not refer to imputed righteousness.

• This righteousness does refer to practical righteousness.

“Strapping on the breastplate of righteousness" means living a life of holiness and obedience to God,

not imputed, but imparted righteousness.

1 Peter1:15–16

• "but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"

John 1:4

• "These things we write to you that your joy may be full"

John 15:5

• "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing."

Colossians 2:18

• "Let no one cheat you of your reward." Satan would love to do that!

Titus 2:10

• Practical righteousness will "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things."

I. Put on the full Armor of God (13-15)

• A. Cinch on the belt of truth

• B. Strap on the breastplate of righteousness.

• C. Lace-up the shoes of peace

NIV

• We are to have our "feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."

Romans 5:1

• "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Because of "the gospel of peace," we are now at peace with God and

can rest in that peace and that confidence

How do we apply peace with God in spiritual warfare?

• This is the kind of confidence Peter had when he fearlessly drew out his sword in Gethsemane to defend Jesus because he had seen before how the soldiers fell to the ground at Jesus' word (Luke 22:50; John 8:10


• This is the kind of confidence Gideon had when he went up against a force of 32,000 Midianites with only 300 men armed with torches and clay pots (Judges 7).


• This is the kind of confidence that Jehoshaphat had when he sent Judah's choir out in front of the army and a great victory was won without a weapon being used (2 Chronicles 20:21–26).

Philippians 4:6–7

• we see that we have eternal peace with God, but we must daily put on the peace of God. If we don't, the evil one will eat us for lunch.!

APPLICATION

• In our church we must understand Satan is at work to discourage us and get us distracted from what we are really all about.

APPLICATION


• In our government Satan wants to put into place self-serving people who are there to further their own agendas verses seeking the best interests of others.

APPLICATION



• In the world Satan promotes hatred in the form of religion and nationalism.

APPLICATION• In our church we must understand Satan is at work to

discourage us and get us distracted from what we are really all about.



• In your own life he wants to discourage you and defeat you that that you no longer praise and worship God.

APPLICATION• In our church we must understand Satan is at work to

discourage us and get us distracted from what we are really all about.



• In your own life he wants to discourage you and defeat you that that you no longer praise and worship God.

• Satan is already defeated by Christ death on the cross but that does not mean he has given up trying.

life’s a battle be prepared

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