WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:00.800 Well, amen. 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:05.519 It is uh great for Sue and I to be back here again and uh to open God's word. 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:12.080 So I'm gonna make a few remarks about what we've been up to, but while I'm doing that, get your Bibles open to Ephesians chapter six. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:15.199 We're gonna take a look at a message today about the battle. 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:17.679 Um the Christian life we live in is a battle. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:20.239 And uh we don't ever want to understate that. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:24.640 We don't ever want to overstate it, but uh we're gonna look at that from Ephesians six today. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:38.719 Uh before we do that, though, as you are well aware, I served at uh Harvest York Region for 11 years and in January started in a new role as the uh Canadian Regional Director for the Great Commission Collective, of which uh your church is a part. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:48.159 And uh Sue and I have been all over Canada this year so far, a little bit down in the States as well, uh serving our churches, and it's a great privilege to do it. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:53.359 I'd like to explain what I do kind of in four uh sentences for people to understand. 00:00:53.520 --> 00:01:01.600 What we're what we're striving for is that we would have healthy leaders leading strong churches, planting life-giving churches around the world. 00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:03.119 So that was three things, right? 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:08.400 And then the fourth thing is uh recruiting and seeing other churches come and join us in the journey. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:12.000 And uh so that's what uh my new job is, that's what the task is. 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:13.519 And uh, we've been traveling. 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:18.239 We still uh make um Harvest York Region, which is as of today. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:23.840 So if you get out of the service before their 11 o'clock service starts, please don't put anything on Facebook. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:37.920 But uh they're announcing a name change there, and uh they will be uh Hope Bible Church Markham, um, officially starting on October the 5th or 6th, but uh that announcement's being revealed, so you're getting like the secret scoop of that. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:46.959 Uh we heard it because we were there last night and are excited about what God's doing in our churches across our nation, but it's a battle, and for sure it's a battle. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:51.200 You know it's true in your own life, and you know it's true in the church. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:54.799 And so today I want to talk about how messy that can be. 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:57.680 This battle that we need to be ready for. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:03.760 Um the Christian life is a battle, it's a battle against a strong enemy. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:10.240 And if you deny the reality that we face, a strong enemy, you set yourself up to be defeated. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:14.240 Um, although he's a strong enemy, he's not a greater enemy. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:17.120 He's not a greater enemy than he who is in us. 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:22.400 He's not a greater enemy that with God's help we don't conquer, but he's a strong enemy. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:27.919 Um, and the great part of that for followers of Jesus Christ, especially at the end, we win. 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:28.560 We win. 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:39.439 And so this is not a message about, oh no, how awful it's gonna be, but it's a reality message about what God's called us to and what we're to be a part of as we uh live our lives for the glory of God. 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:49.599 The enemy is real, he's powerful, he's slick, but God is greater and he's given us all the tools that we need to fight this battle successfully. 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:52.400 And we're gonna look at that from Ephesians chapter 6 today. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:55.520 So would you stand with me as we uh read God's word today? 00:02:55.680 --> 00:03:00.159 I want to read starting at verse 10 down to the end of verse 20. 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:07.120 Here's what Paul says it says, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:14.159 Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:25.439 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the cosmic powers over the present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:48.960 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, uh to stand firm, stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, as and and as shoes of your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 00:03:49.199 --> 00:04:06.240 In all circumstances, take on the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, a praying at all times in the spirit with all prayer and supplication. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:26.959 To that end, keep alert, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:27.600 Let's pray. 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:44.319 Father, we uh thank you for the amazing privilege it is to uh come together, to lift our voices in strong worship, in words to you for all that you've done and what you've accomplished for every person in this room who has put their trust in Jesus Christ. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:50.079 And Lord, we realize, we realize that just from what we went through last week, this spiritual life is a battle. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:54.240 Never promised it would be easy, but you've always promised you'll go with us. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:59.120 And Father, the victory we have comes through the power of your spirit leading and directing us. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:07.120 And so, Lord, if someone's here today and in their spiritual journey they feel like they are a failure, Father, um, it's a new day. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:12.800 There's a new opportunity, there's a time to be right with you and move forward as we grow up in Jesus Christ. 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:19.519 For the one who is rejoicing in their walk with you, I pray that you would continue to encourage them, but remind them this is a battle. 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:22.480 And if the battle's not on today, it's going to come. 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:28.319 And Father, for the person who is outside of Christ today, have never trusted Christ, would you use this message? 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:35.759 Would you use this message to open their eyes that they may see through eyes of faith what we understand in Jesus Christ? 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:40.319 Do all of this we pray for your glory, and we ask it in Jesus' name. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:40.959 Amen. 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:41.519 Amen. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:42.160 Well, thank you. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:43.680 You can take your seats. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:55.279 It would be wrong for me to just jump right into Ephesians chapter six without taking a minute to kind of paint a picture of what Paul's already been doing in this book, right? 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:04.000 Uh, Paul is in prison as he's writing this, and so as he talks about some of the things, he's experiencing some of the realities of what he's talking about. 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:16.639 And uh so we have this um a battle that's going on in his own life, and so he writes this letter to this church, and in the first part of the letter that he writes to the church, he he really gives them a doctrinal basis. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:28.160 Ephesians chapter one is an amazing chapter of how how good God is and God's working and his choosing us and our being um uh brought into the family of God and all that God's done. 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:37.360 There's all this rich theology in Ephesians chapter one and Ephesians chapter two, it starts out and we understand it says that we are dead in our trespasses and sins. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:40.240 The Bible says, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:42.079 There's none righteous, no, not one. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:43.600 No one seeks after God. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:44.639 We're we're dead. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:46.079 Spiritually, we're dead. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:52.319 But then in Ephesians 2, as you read through the first verses there, it talks about that we are made alive in Jesus Christ. 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:57.040 And God does this transforming work where he brings us from death to life. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:05.120 So often when you talk to people, they talk about the journey they were on, and I was seeking after God, and I was on a spiritual journey, and I found Christ. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:06.959 No, you didn't. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:11.120 That's what it appears is that what happened to you, but that's not what really happened to you. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:12.399 The Bible said you were dead. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:15.199 Dead people aren't looking after, looking out for anything. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:17.360 They're not striving for anything. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:25.120 Um the Bible says, you were made alive in Christ Jesus, and that's a work that God did, and He does that work through us, and we find ourselves in a journey. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:31.759 But God starts that work, and and then it says in Ephesians 2, 8, for by grace you're saved through faith. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:35.759 It's a gift of God, not of works, lest no, lest anyone would boast. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:39.279 And uh, if it was about what we did, we would become boastful about it. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:50.240 And then in Ephesians 2 it goes on and it talks about the fact that we are his workmanship, God working in us, God doing this work, writing this poem of our lives. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:57.439 We come to uh Ephesians chapter 3, and I've been preaching about it this summer and really focusing towards the glory of God. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:00.480 That's the purpose of your life, is one thing is to glorify God. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:03.680 Everything else is not the main purpose. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:08.879 Having a good church, having good ministries, having good things, they're all good things, but they're not the thing. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:16.079 Um, having a family and having a job and having devotions and raising your kids to go to church, and they're all good things, but they're not the thing. 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:21.120 The thing is to glorify God, and you see that in uh verses uh 20 and 21, I think it is. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:30.160 And then Paul comes to Ephesians chapter 4, and after all of this rich theology and all of this rich teaching, now he he kind of turns the book on its head. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:35.360 It's like this is who you are, and now the rest of the book is now this is what you do. 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:38.720 And uh he talks about so many different things. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:43.519 He talks about sin in our lives, and he talks about preparing people to do the work of ministry. 00:08:43.600 --> 00:09:03.759 And in Ephesians 5, he gets to that place about submission, and he talks about the church is filled with people who are in mutual submission, and he talks about the relationship between husbands and wives, and then he goes on and he talks about the relationship between kids and their parents, between slaves and those who are the uh masters over them. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:12.159 And then as we move down through into Ephesians 6, he's coming to the end of the book, and as he comes to the end of the book, then he comes to this. 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:14.799 He says, Finally, finally. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:22.399 And he wants to give them some more tools to put in their toolbox so that they can live for the glory of God. 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:30.320 And so today we want to take a look at four things that he talks about in this text, and I trust they will help you in your battle. 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:33.679 Because if you're not feeling like you're in a battle today, get ready. 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:35.519 You are going to be in a battle. 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:41.679 The battle is coming, and we need to be ready for it, and we need to have the tools so that we can stand. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:50.000 Um becoming a Christian was the best decision you ever made in your life. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:54.000 It was the most important decision you ever made in your life. 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:57.679 But the day you trusted Christ, that was the most wonderful thing you did. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:09:59.360 You might think, well, no, I got this job. 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:00.240 That was a wonderful thing. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:02.639 Yeah, but it doesn't compare to knowing Christ. 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:11.120 Yeah, but I I found a wife, and some of you guys are lucky you found a wife at all, but it's not, it's not the most wonderful thing that ever happened in your life, right? 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:14.960 Um my house is paid for. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:18.720 Yeah, it's a good thing, but it's not the most wonderful thing that ever happened in your life. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:23.679 The most wonderful thing that ever happened in your life was when you come to know Jesus Christ. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:29.519 It was the greatest decision, it was the best decision, it was the biggest decision that you ever made. 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:44.320 But, but that decision launches a war, it launches a battle that until we find ourselves in the house of the Lord forever, we're gonna be in the middle of this battle. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:46.480 Remembering always that we win. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:50.080 Remembering always that the victory is ours in Jesus Christ. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:51.600 But we need to be ready for the battle. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:54.799 So here's four things today, right out of the text, I want us to take a look at. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:58.240 Here's the first one ready for battle, we have to have a right desire. 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.799 And that is that our strength is in God. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:04.639 We need to make sure we get this foundational piece right. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:06.480 Our strength is in God. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:09.360 Um, I can't speak for women because I'm not one. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:12.720 I can speak for men, and I can tell you we like to try and fix things. 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:15.759 We like to try and do things on our own our own when there's a problem. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:18.080 I try and be the first one to fix it. 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:23.759 Even in spiritual things, so often my first inclination is to how do I fix this? 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:25.200 How do I deal with this? 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:33.039 Instead of making my first inclination to run to the Lord and get him on the throne in his right place, our strength is in God. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:34.720 Look at verses 10 and 11. 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:44.879 Finally, be strong in your workout program and your no, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:51.360 Put on the whole armor of God that you might be able to stand. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:59.519 The provision of the armor of God, which he tells us about, it comes from God. 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:03.279 And this armor that he gives us is amazing armor. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:10.480 It gives us everything we need for godliness, it gives us everything we need for victory in our Christian walk, it gives us all of the tools. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:17.279 I remember as a kid, we used to play ball hockey in in the driveway, and um we didn't have the best equipment for that. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:21.440 Um, and so I was the uh there was five kids in our family. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:25.600 I was the third boy, so it was like dress up Paul, put him in net, and we'll try and kill him. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:28.159 That was kind of what my older brothers desired to do. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:38.879 And we had these great big old uh pads that we had, and we'd strap stuff on, and I had a baseball chest protector, and I was wearing a baseball mask and a and a glove and some kind of something for a blocker. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.960 I don't know what it was, and then they would try and kill me. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.320 That's what their goal was. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:44.720 And uh it wasn't the best equipment. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:48.399 It it really didn't do a great job, but it was the best we had. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:51.679 And uh that's not the kind of equipment we're talking about here. 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:54.960 When I started to play hockey, I didn't have the best equipment. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:59.759 I had these skates that when you when you took them off, the top of the skates would flop over, right? 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:01.919 And you wondered why you were flopping around on your ankles. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:04.799 I had to put ankle guards in my skates to keep them stiff. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:06.639 Um some of you are older know what those things are. 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:08.720 Those of you are younger, like, what's he even talking about? 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:11.519 And then I had to buy things to wrap around my skates. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:14.879 So if a guy shot the puck and it hit me in the foot, it wouldn't kill me. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:17.200 Didn't have the best equipment. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:21.039 But what God offers to us is exactly what we need. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:24.559 I watch guys who play hockey to now, they're like, they're out there in armor. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:27.759 Um, and in like, how can they possibly get hurt? 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:30.320 Um, because they've got the best equipment. 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:42.159 Well, that's what we talk about when uh Paul says to these people, be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, put on the whole armor, because this armor we're going to see is exactly what God has for us. 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.039 We're strong in his strength. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:52.159 Um, that strength, that armor, that really is God's helping us and directing us. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:14:13.039 And Colossians chapter 1, which is very much a parallel book to Ephesians verses 11 to 13, it says this may you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:19.440 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:22.399 God has done this work in us. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:26.559 God is providing everything we need everything we need. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:29.840 Uh, we were just talking on the way up here about Jehoshaphat in Chronicles. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:32.240 We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:33.440 That's what Jehoshaphat said. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:34.480 They're in the middle of a battle. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:36.799 We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:43.200 Is that your go-to position in your walk in Jesus Christ? 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:50.559 Understanding that the strength and the ability is not in you, it's not in me, it's in God and what he has done. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.919 There is no other path, there is no other way. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:58.399 Um the strength to get through what we need is not you. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:04.000 It's not the world, it's not another religion, it's the finished work of Jesus Christ. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:08.720 Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:11.440 God help me to rest in that every day. 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:14.879 Help me to get my eyes focused back on that every day. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:17.600 He says, put on the armor of God. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:20.480 Um, that's a word of permanence in the Greek. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:22.960 This is not something you put on and take off. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:27.440 It's not like that hockey equipment you play the game and you take it off at the end of the day. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:28.480 It's not like that. 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.039 This word put on is a permanent thing. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:36.159 And so as we get to the armor in a few minutes, we need to remember we put this on. 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:38.000 It becomes who we are. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:42.320 These things that God offers to us, they need to become who we are every day. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:45.200 It's not, well, we're going to church, I need to put on some armor. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:48.799 I'm gonna go and meet with somebody and have a meeting, we need to put on some armor. 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:50.399 We're we're um whatever. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:52.159 It's a permanent thing. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.559 This is who we're desiring to be. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:16:01.440 With all of these pieces of equipment that God has given us, it's a permanent thing. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:09.759 In 2 Corinthians 10, 3 to 5, it says, For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:16.480 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but of divine power to destroy strongholds. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:25.840 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:32.000 If we're going to be ready for the battle, we need to be strong in the Lord. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:39.279 You're stories, we've been hearing stories if you're reading in the news about the Christian world about people who walk away from their faith. 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:46.080 I can tell you right now, each of those people at some point took their eyes off of the Lord. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.720 Each one of those people stopped reading the word. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.279 Each one of those people stopped praying. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:56.799 Each one of those people started to get their eyes fixed on what they thought they could accomplish and they could do. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:00.559 And in doing all of those things, they left the Lord out of their lives. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:03.200 Now, I'm not even sure necessarily they were saved or not saved. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:10.000 I'm not gonna get into the discussion, but I can tell you, you don't walk away from the Lord when the Lord is your armor. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:12.000 Paul's in prison. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:16.960 If anybody could have packed it in and said, look, I I've taken it for the team, it would have been him. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:19.920 He wasn't a lean-out guy, he was a lean-in guy. 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:28.000 And so the first thing we want to be ready for the battle, we've got to get our eyes, we've got to get our eyes fixed on the Lord and keep our eyes fixed on him. 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:29.359 Here's the second thing. 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:32.799 If you want to be ready for the battle, you need to discern. 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:35.759 You need to discern that the enemy is real. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.559 The enemy is real. 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:41.680 Um look at the end of verse 11 and verse 12. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:45.359 Um, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:59.200 But we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over the present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.000 The enemy who is against us is real. 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:07.839 Not only is he real, but he is he is powerful. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:10.079 Um, his name is Satan. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:16.640 In 1 John 2, 15 and 16 and 16 it says, Do not love the world or the things of the world. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:20.720 If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:30.240 For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the eyes, and the pride of possession is not from the Father, but is from the world. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:34.160 And in this text, it talks about him, gives him the name, the devil. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:35.279 I mean, he is real. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:36.480 Here's some things about him. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:40.319 He he was once the chief angel, he was the anointed cherub. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:46.240 He was called the star of the morning, all of that until he rebelled against God. 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:47.279 He is real. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:49.680 Jesus spoke about him in Luke 10, 18. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:58.480 He spoke with him when he was um, remember when he was um in the wilderness, and and the Satan would come and tempt him in Matthew chapter 4. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:00.720 And each time, Jesus, how did he deal with him? 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:03.839 He dealt with him by scripture, he dealt with him by the word of God. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:10.480 Um Paul and Peter, James and John all speak of him as a personal being. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:12.480 He's named in Scripture. 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:29.200 He's named the anointed cherub, the ruler of demons, the ruler of this world, the God of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the great dragon, a roaring lion, the vile one, the tempter, the accuser, and the spirit working in the sun of disobedience. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:38.319 52 times he's called Satan, which equals the adversary, 35 times he is called the devil or the slanderer. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.519 You wonder why you fall in sin. 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:50.720 Flip Wilson, for those of you who are like over 40, remember he was a comedian and he used to say, um, what? 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:52.319 Did he remember what he used to say? 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:54.799 The devil made me do it. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:57.839 Flip Wilson was wrong. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.680 But the devil is powerful. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:07.039 And he loves to get into our lives and he loves to take our eyes off of the Lord. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:12.000 He loves to get us skewed away from the things that God would have us to be focused on. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:16.480 Um He's powerful, but he's not all-powerful. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:22.319 The one who keeps you, the one who saved you, is all-powerful. 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:24.880 Satan's power is restricted in your life. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:26.880 There are things he cannot do. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:39.440 1 John 4 and verse 4 says, Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he that is in the world. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:48.720 But we know because of the sin that we maybe found ourselves in this week, the thing you find yourself going back to over and over again, you know that he's powerful in your life. 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:55.519 And if we're going to win the battle, we must understand our adversary and be ready to stand against him. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:58.880 The Bible says he's a schemer. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:09.440 And the temptation of his children, and immorality, in the worldliness, in pride and self-reliance, and self-satisfaction. 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:26.400 Today we see Satan and deceiving us in control confusion and marriage and homosexuality and multiple cults and new religions and philosophies, and Satan is scheming and he is working and he's real. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:29.680 And we need to be aware of that. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:32.559 And we need to get our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:34.559 We need to get our eyes focused on the Word of God. 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:40.240 And the moment we're going to die, we need to get the armor of God on so that we can stand. 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:50.079 But if you've been defeated this week, you don't have to be defeated next week because greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:56.000 That sanctification process we're going on, that growing up in Jesus Christ, is a bumpy road. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:58.000 And if we sin, we confess our sin. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.759 He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.799 From all and all kinds of unrighteousness. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:05.359 We don't have to live in this defeat. 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:09.039 But Satan doesn't rule in the heart of a believer. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.720 And Satan has his minions. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:17.519 He has those who work for him in verse 12. 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:28.480 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:46.319 We have these demons, those are also fallen angels, who are working on us and working at us and seeking to get our eyes off of the Lord and using all kinds of things through what we see and what we hear and what we taste. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:50.000 All those things are just being used to be taking our eyes off the Lord. 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:52.720 But Satan is at work and he uses his minions. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:54.960 Satan is not omnipresent. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:56.319 He's not. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:58.240 He's not omnipresent. 00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.920 He's not omnipotent. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.480 He's not omniscient. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:04.000 He's not. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:06.240 But he's an adversary. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:08.640 And he's a strong adversary. 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:15.119 And he has his demons that fight against us. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:29.759 The church's statement, your church's statement about spiritual warfare, would uh say this: Satan and his demonic servants viciously oppose the work of God that God performs in and through his people. 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:39.039 God, who by his nature is infinitely more powerful than Satan, in due time will have complete and total victory over Satan. 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:45.119 Although it's appropriate to pray in Jesus' name for protection against demonic activity. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:50.240 The scripture does not instruct the Christian to bind Satan in Jesus' name. 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:54.400 Rather, the scriptures instructs the Christian to combat Satan by. 00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:57.200 So how do we fight against this evil one? 00:23:57.359 --> 00:23:58.880 That's really what I wanted to get to. 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:05.519 Here's how you start: humbly draw near to God, knowing that he will give grace and mercy and strength. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:11.759 And in 2 Corinthians 12, it talks about that in Hebrews 4 and James chapter 4 and 1 Peter 5. 00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:14.240 Humbly draw near to God. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.960 Resist Satan's temptation. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:21.200 The Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee. 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:22.960 But you have to do your part. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:24.400 You have to resist. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:26.640 We get caught up in things and we want them. 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:36.079 And sometimes I think we think about these things mostly in our culture today around sexuality or pornography, and that's blatant and obvious and true. 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:38.559 And there'll be people in the room who are struggling with this. 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:42.640 If you're a man and you've never struggled with this, I just don't think your heart's beating. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:46.400 Because Satan loves to do this in the lives of men. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.680 And you have to resist. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:49.279 You have to resist. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:55.039 But you don't resist alone by I'm going to try harder, I'm going to try harder, I'm going to try harder. 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:58.079 You have to agree with God about these things. 00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:01.519 And so you have to hate sin like God hates sin. 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:12.160 I said in our church a couple times, and I said, like, if you if you can't control what you do on your computer, take it out in the driveway and back over that thing with your car. 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:16.000 Unless your company owns it, then be more careful what you do with it. 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:20.880 But it's not just, I'm going to try harder, I'm going to try harder, I'm going to try harder. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:23.359 You'll never have victory if you just keep trying harder. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:25.119 You have to agree with God about this. 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:27.279 You have to hate what God hates. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.960 But that's just one picture. 00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:36.319 It could be the way you deal in business, it could be the way you treat your spouse, it could be all kinds of things that the devil uses in your life. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:39.200 And draw near to God. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:41.839 Resist Satan's temptation. 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:44.079 Know the truth. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:48.480 When Jesus was tempted, every time, he quoted Scripture, every time. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:52.960 If you don't know the Word of God, you can't stand against the evil one. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:57.920 Because what He gives and what He offers seems so good sometimes. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:01.200 If you're going to stand, you have to forgive offenses. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:03.920 You have to be willing to forgive those around you. 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:11.440 You have to put on the whole armor of God, truth and righteousness, and ready to share the gospel and faith and salvation and prayer. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:13.119 We're going to look at those in just a minute. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:18.559 Then you have to be demonstrating faithfulness to the Lord by enduring the trials. 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:21.440 When it gets difficult, when it gets hard, I don't give up. 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:24.000 I don't lean out, I lean in. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:31.440 We need to be ready for the battle, understanding that our strength to have victory in this is not in ourselves, but it's in God. 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:36.400 We need to understand and discern that the enemy that we face is real. 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:37.519 Here's the third thing. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:40.880 To be ready for the battle, we have to be dressed properly. 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:49.519 We've got to have the right equipment for the battle, and it's given to us, prepared for us, in verses 13 to 17. 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:56.240 Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand, withstand in the evil day. 00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:00.880 And having done all to stand firm, I love the next word, stand. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:05.359 So often I think we um we just stop. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:08.480 After you've done everything to be ready to stand, I love what the next word is. 00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:09.279 So stand. 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.960 You gotta stand. 00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:16.079 There's action that's involved for us as we think about this uh armor we're gonna put on. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:41.200 He says, uh stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace in all the circumstances, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:46.880 And that's the tools, that's the equipment, that's what God offers to us. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:51.039 That's what is given to us as followers of Jesus Christ. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.640 But you have to take them on. 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:59.279 You have to learn how they fit, you have to work with them, but they're there, they're all there, and they're all available for us. 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:05.200 Says um, you don't get to pick and choose the parts. 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:08.480 A Roman soldier couldn't decide. 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:11.359 I'll wear the breastplate of righteousness. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:12.559 I'll wear the breastplate. 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:13.839 I'm gonna go to battle. 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:18.000 I think I need a bulletproof vest, but I'm not gonna take the rest of the equipment. 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:19.039 Didn't have a choice. 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:20.000 He didn't have a choice. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:22.559 This is a you take it all thing. 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:30.400 And so all of this armor that's talked about is like it's a one, it's a one, it's all kinds of pieces, but it's one thing. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:32.799 It's the protection that we need. 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:37.920 And so we take it all on and we learn to work in it and use it. 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:42.720 And uh talks about first, he says, uh put on the belt of truth. 00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:45.519 Put on the belt of truth. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:54.319 This belt that they would wear, it was kind of used as an anchor piece that would hold some of the other pieces in place, but it's the belt of truth. 00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:59.519 Um not your truth and my truth, but the truth, the truth of God's word. 00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:04.480 The belt is not the Bible, that's the sword, which is the word of God. 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:16.960 So Jesus said to the Jews in in John 8, 31, 32, if you abide in my words, and you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:26.640 Taking on the belt of truth is the application of what we know God's word says, and we're doing it in our lives. 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:38.240 In 1 Peter 3 it says, But in your hearts honor Christ, the Lord is holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason of the hope that is in you. 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:51.680 Yet do not, excuse me, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:59.279 Put on this belt of truth, a doing the truth, a doing the things that you know are true. 00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:01.200 Put on the belt of truth. 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:04.640 Then he says, put on the breastplate of righteousness. 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:08.400 Um, the breastplate for a Roman soldier was made out of chain mail. 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:12.319 It was it was what a cop today would call your bulletproof vest. 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:13.200 That was what it was. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:20.880 It it went from here down to here, it protected your vital organs, and it's called the breastplate of righteousness. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:22.559 So, how are you doing it? 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:26.880 Putting on the breastplate of righteousness, you go, I don't even know how I put on the breastplate of righteousness. 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:28.640 What is the breastplate of righteousness? 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:31.039 Well, there's two parts to it, as I see in scripture. 00:30:31.119 --> 00:30:32.880 There's imputed righteousness. 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:37.839 That's what was received in us when the moment you trusted Jesus Christ. 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:40.559 How awesome is this! You were justified. 00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:43.279 You were made righteous in God's eyes. 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:44.640 Put on that. 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:47.039 That should be something that you put on. 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:52.880 That should be something you talk about when the evil one comes against you and you're thinking, oh, what a mess I am. 00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:54.480 How can I ever serve in the church? 00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:56.240 How can I ever lead my family? 00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:58.000 How can I, how can I, how can I? 00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:59.599 That's the evil one, by the way. 00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:11.519 Unless you're being convicted of sin, the evil one loves to take that stuff and go, who do you think you are that you Whittingstall, who do you think you are that you can get up, open God's word, and talk to these people about this? 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:14.559 Here's how imputed righteousness. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:27.119 What God has done in us, the position God has put us in, put on the breastplate of righteousness, imputed righteousness. 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:36.880 2 Corinthians 5, 21, for our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become what? 00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:38.960 The righteousness of God. 00:31:39.279 --> 00:31:42.480 How awesome is that! That's what God has done for you. 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:44.000 You didn't have anything to do. 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:45.200 God did that. 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.720 Then there's another kind of righteousness that's growing in righteousness. 00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:51.440 This is the daily growing up in him. 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:59.440 Ephesians 4, 24, and put on the new self created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:02.319 Something that we put on it, something that we grow in. 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:03.920 And this is the part I talked about before. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:05.519 This is our sanctification. 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:07.599 This is growing up in Jesus Christ. 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:10.480 It's not a line that goes like this. 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:14.559 That growing up in Christ is a bumpy road in our lives. 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:14.880 Why? 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:16.559 Because we keep getting in the way. 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:19.039 Our selfishness, our pride, or sin. 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:25.119