Survivor Sermon Series
Survivor
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Stand Your Ground – July, 05, 2009
Ephesians 6:10-20*
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For 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. 13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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.
19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
- Know Who you Stand With
Verse 10* “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power…”
Ephesians 1:18-20
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know… his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead …”
1. You stand with the God of incomparable power.
The word “power” in the Greek is “kratei “ and means “power that overcomes resistance,” as used in Christ’s miracles.
Philippians 4:13
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
2. Whatever you are battling, he is with you and he is for you.
Romans 8:31
“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
“I would rather loose at a cause that will someday win than to win at a cause that will someday loose.”
—Woodrow Wilson
Our ENERGY must come from Him.
Know Who you Stand Against
Verse 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.”
1. Notice who you do not fight with: people!
1 Peter 5:8-9
“… Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…”
2. Notice who you do fight with: the devil!
James 4:7
“So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you.” (New Century Version—NCV)
Ephesians 4:27
“… do not give the devil a foothold.”
- Our ENEMY is the god of this world.
2 Corinthians 4:4
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.” (New Living Translation—NLT)
John 14:30
“…the chief of this godless world is about to attack. But don’t worry—he has nothing on me,…” (The Message—MSG)
- Know Where you Stand
Verse 11, 13 & 14 “…take your stand… stand your ground…stand firm…”
Romans 5:2
“We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”
Colossians 1:22
“So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent.” (Contemporary English Version—CEV)
Our ETERNAL security is in Christ.
1 John 4:17
“… we’re free of worry on Judgment Day – our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.” (MSG)
Know How to Stand
Verse 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…”
Our EQUIPMENT is the full armor of God.
This Week’s Assignments:
Take a few minutes each day this week to meditate on our text for the Survivor series, Ephesians 6:10-20. As I have been meditating on the truths of this passage, I have been caught by several indicators that point out my need for utter dependence on Him. Notice the first phrase, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” That, all by itself gives me an amazing challenge. I am always wanting to be strong. I want to look strong emotionally, like I am well composed. I want to look strong physically. That is partially why I work out so faithfully. The problem is that all those are about me being strong in me. I am so guilty in trying to be strong in Jeff. The truth is, Jeff is incredibly weak. My first challenge to you and to myself is a challenge to cultivate a more accurate view of our desperation for Him, for his strength over ours, for his power, and not that of the world around us. We need to stop looking for power and strength in our own accomplishments, achievements, degrees, friends, possessions, looks or talent, and to start fostering a clear and unwavering commitment to embrace our weaknesses, our shortcoming, our fragility and to humbly lay our brokenness and insufficiencies before him. OK, hold on a second, don’t just take my word for it, look up the following scriptures and decide for yourself. Does God want you to bring your strength to the table or battlefield, if we’re talking about the “armor of God”, or does he want you to pick up His? (2 Corinthians 12:9-10; James 4:7-10; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6) Mike Singletary, undoubtedly a great sports warrior, said: ‘Until we realize how weak we really are, we’ll never know how strong He is.”
As you continue to examine our text, answer the following. Who’s armor are we putting on? What is our responsibility throughout the passage? Try and list the things we are to do, and then the promised result, if we do.
Looking over today’s notes, how can you make the choice each day to choose whose side you’ll be on; who you’ll stand with. Are you ever distracted by people, thinking they are the “enemy”? What needs to change about your perspective on how to look at people the way God does and how to be more aware of the true enemy? How does 2 Corinthians 2:5 fit into this challenge?
If our standing is in Grace, and God is absolutely and unconditionally committed to you in all things, how might that change your view of yourself, your mistakes and your personal fight with guilt and regret? How do these passages give support to our understanding of grace? (Romans 3:24; Galatians 5:1; & 1 Peter 5:12)
Blessings to you this week as you fight the good fight. If you are standing in a relationship with Christ, you will be a survivor! (1 Timothy 6:12)
Pastor Jeff
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THE BELT OF TRUTH – July 12, 2009
Ephesians 6:10-20*
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For 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. 13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
I. The Truth about your Spiritual Enemy
Verse 11* “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
2 Corinthians 2:11
“…in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
1. His objective: To kill, steal, destroy.
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
2. His strategy: Deception.
John 8:44
“… the devil, …was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
2 Corinthians 11:3
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
II. The Truth about your Spiritual Armor
Verse 11 “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
1. You need it for stability.
- Disciples fall but they don’t stay down.
Proverbs 24:16
“No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again; but disaster destroys the wicked.” (Good News—GN)
2. You need it for sagacity.
James 1:22-25
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
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Intelligent application of knowledge.
“The gap between knowing and doing is significantly greater than the gap between ignorance and knowledge.”
—John Maxwell III.
III. The Truth about your Spiritual Belt
1. It’s not a magic belt. You have to put it on!
Verse 11 & 14 “Put on…the belt of truth buckled around your waist…”
2. It’s the first piece of armor. It’s the foundation for everything else.
“There is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance or contentious stupidity.”
—Martin L. King, Jr.
“I have tried to be honest. To be honest is to confront the truth however unpleasant or inconvenient the truth may be, we must expose it and face it, if we are to achieve a better quality of life.”
—Martin L. King, Jr.
3. It gives you the sagacity to ask yourself two critical questions:
- Would Jesus do this? Would He say, “Yeah, go for it?”
John 14:6
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’ ”
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What does the Bible say about this? Would Scripture affirm it?
John 17:17
“… your word is truth.”
John 8:31b-32
“Jesus said,‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ ”
This Week’s Assignments:
Over the next several weeks I want to come alongside you and help to implant a potentially new concept into your thinking. A perspective that is not meant to come across as threatening, militant or combative but to equip you for the spiritual fight that is waging in the unseen world that each of us live in the midst of. Those we live with, work with, are related to and come into contact with are not the one’s we are called to fight but to love; our ability to love like the savior, is under certain attack. Why? Because if Satan can disable you from being radically and zealously loving, he has successfully nullified your spiritual impact for God’s kingdom.
The apostle Paul was writing his instructions to the believers in Ephesus from a prison cell in Rome while being chained to a Roman guard. As he was putting the finishing touches to his letter he must have thought, how can I convey the critical need these believers have to be fully invested in the spiritual war going on around them? How can I empower them to not only see the reality of the battle but to also be prepared to meet the challenges and the enemy that is right in front of them? As he looked up at the soldier fully adorned in his armor, watching over him, I wonder how long it took him to begin to assign spiritual significance to each piece of armor. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit he was led to challenge not just the Ephesian believers but also us, to come to terms with the fact that we are vulnerable to attack, fragile to stand, and often ill equipped to meet the enemy that so skillfully disguises himself that we even loose sight of the spiritual contest taking place around us. The two concepts, or perspectives that I will reference each week to help catalyze this new mindset are: KNOW YOUR ENEMY, and to KNOW YOUR ARMOR. Paul’s objective in giving this metaphor was to help each believer to have a word picture that coincides with the essentials for an effective walk with God.
This week we are putting on the “Belt of Truth”. Please allow me to give you a few directions to help you form a new spiritual habit that will synchronize your walk with Paul’s objective. This new habit needs to be as natural as you getting up each day and putting on clothes. I haven’t seen any of you come to church naked, and I am not suggesting you should either. You, without thinking “put on” your clothes each day. That is Paul’s first real point about this spiritual armor. You have to put it on. Look up the following scriptures and see how many comparisons you can draw from these passages and our text from the Survivor series. Take a piece of paper and write Ephesians 6:11-13 on the upper left then write each of the following passages underneath it and proceed by comparing each of the passages with our Ephesians text, Colossians 3:12-14; 1 Peter 5:5; Ephesians 4:24;, Galatians 3:27, and 1 Thessalonians 5:8. What are we to become habitual about (Put on) according to these passages?
Take a few minutes and think through each of the following questions and then close your time by praying-opening up to God- about what He witnesses to your heart; what He convicts you of or what you feel He may be leading you to do differently. How is the belt in our own culture an important item of clothing? What purpose does it hold for us and what do you feel when you need a belt and don’t have one? Are you living spiritually without the belt of truth? Are you making decisions apart from knowing what God wants you to do or against what you know He has revealed?
No wonder some of us may be feeling like our spiritual pants are down. How vulnerable is that? I believe we must come to terms with our own inattention to truth before we can effectively proceed in our spiritual lives. Only after we have dedicated ourselves to live by God’s revealed truth can we further robe ourselves in the rest of the spiritual armor God has for us.
As your week continues, I want to encourage you to meditate on our passage. See if you can memorize two of the verses each week. By the time the series is done, you’ll have the whole passage down. Truth is God’s truth. It makes no difference who said it, but it makes all the difference for those who live it. If you want to review the quotes I gave during the message, they will be put on my blog.
Much love,
Pastor Jeff
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Survivor
BREASTPLATE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS-July 19, 2009
Ephesians 6:10-20 (New International Version)
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For 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. 13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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.
19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Know Your Enemy
Verse 11* “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
1. He accuses God before us.
2 Corinthians 11:3
3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Genesis 3:1-3
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:1 “He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2. He accuses us before God.
Job 1:6 “…before the Lord, …Satan the Accuser came….” (New Living Translation—NLT)
Revelation 12:10 “The accuser of our brothers…”
3. He accuses relentlessly.
Revelation 12:10 “The Accuser of our brothers and sisters…accused them day and night before God.” (NCV)
1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
SATAN KNOWS THAT SIN IS AN ISSUE:
It goes against God’s desires for us.
Leviticus 19:11 “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.” (New King James Version—NKJV)
It separates us from God.
Isaiah 59:2 “… there is a problem—your sins have cut you off from God.” (NLT)
It causes us to feel condemned when we are doing poorly.
Romans 7:23-24 “I see another law at work…waging war against my mind and making me a prisoner… of sin… What a wretched man…”
- It causes us to feel self-righteous when we are doing well.
Romans 2:1 “Do you, my friend, pass judgment on others? You have no excuse at all, whoever you are. “
Isaiah 64:6 “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags.” (NLT)
Know your Armor.
RIGHTEOUSNESS in the Greek is Dikaiosune: It means “to be justified” or “to be in right standing” or “right relationship with.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 “God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus….He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom.” (NLT)
2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
HOW DO I PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE?
1. Own your sin! Remember you cannot be right on your own.
“To be a sinner is our distress, to know it is our hope to come…”
—Reinhold Niebuhr
Romans 3:10 “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.”
Philippians 3:4-9
“If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
Philippians 3:9 “I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
- It fosters HUMILITY, for what He’s done for you.
2. Own your relationship with Him! Remember you are made right through Jesus.
Romans 3:22 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”
Isaiah. 61:10 “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness….” (NLT)
- It fosters DEPENDENCY, for what He wants to do through you.
1 Timothy 1:15
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
This Week’s Assignments:
One of Satan’s primary tactics is to simply distract us. If we have an assignment from God, and we do, and he can get our eye’s off of God’s intentions for us and onto anything, then we’ll find ourselves always feeling like something is missing. Satan understands perfectly well that the issue between God and us is our sin. Even though God has dealt with the sin issue on our behalf Satan knows that if he can distract us with our own faults or the faults of others, we’ll fail to focus on Christ’s grace and acceptance that we have and are called to dispense. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
Last week we looked at the fact that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) and that he uses deception as the strategy for his objective to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Today we have focused on Satan’s commitment to wage a constant assault on believers by accusing us before God or accusing God before us. Satan is an excellent tactician when it comes to attacking us. He knows that if he can hit us on more than one front we are less likely to “stand our ground” (Verses 11-13 of our text). Take a moment and ask yourself on which front are you more vulnerable to attack.
- Allowing Satan to accuse you, or using you to accuse others. Do you tend to judge and condemn yourself or are you more likely to judge and condemn others? Most of us are weaker on one front or the other, and some of us are actually vulnerable on both. Either way he is distracting us from our calling as ambassadors for Christ. Read through the 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 passage and list the things that God has done for you and what he wants you to do for him. Do you see anywhere in the passage where he calls you to judge others or accuse others? What does he call us to do?
- Arousing doubt in you by accusing God or distracting you by accusing people? Just like Eve was deceived (Genesis 3:1-3 and 2 Corinthians 11:3) into questioning God’s intentions for her we are vulnerable to questioning God’s desires for us. If Satan can keep you doubting who God is, how much he loves you and wants to do in you and through you, you’ll never be a threat to the kingdom of darkness, nor an ambassador to the Kingdom of light.
In Zechariah 3:1-4 there is a beautiful picture of the purpose of the breastplate of righteousness. The text doesn’t use the metaphor of the breastplate but of the way God wants to clothe us. Remember that the analogy of our breastplate is just a picture of what God wants to give us. Compare the Zechariah text with the sermon notes. What are the similarities. How is Joshua like us? See 1 Peter 2:9-10. What does Satan do and what does the angel of the Lord do? Add to your comparison Isaiah 1:18.
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Survivor
Feet Fitted with Readiness- July 26, 2009
Ephesians 6:10-18 (emphasis on 6:15)
Ephesians 6:10-18 (New International Version)
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For 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. 13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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.
I. Know Your enemy
Verse 12 – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood …”
1: He stands against us :
1 Peter 5:8-9 – “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.”
2: He lies to us :
John 8:44 – “When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
3: He fights for his own :
Acts 26:18 – “turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
Luke 8:4-15 – Parable of the sower (verse 12 – “and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”
4: He has a strategy :
to distract, lure into complacency, or get us to give up .
2 Corinthians 2:11 – “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
2 Corinthians 11:14 – “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
II. Know Your Armor
Ephesians 6:15 – “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
Our feet are fitted with readiness as we …
1. Embrace our commission
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 – “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors
2. Pray for success
Mark 3:27 – “No one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man.”
Eph 6:19 – “pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me …”
3. Prepare in advance
1 Peter 3:15 – “Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
4 . Love through risk
Luke 10:16 – “If they reject you, they reject me” – Jesus
John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay
down his life for his friends.”
5 . Go all the way
1 Thes. 2:8 – “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well.”
Going Deeper:
Know your enemy. Take some time this week to review the 4 points (and Scriptures) Pastor Spence shared concerning our enemy and his effort to keep us from sharing the gospel with others. Remember, we do have a very real enemy who is actively at work against us. It is critical that we be aware of his presence and learn to combat his strategies …
- In what ways do you see the enemy standing against your
efforts to share the gospel? What lies has he told you about yourself or your friends? How have you responded to these lies?
2.Can you think or identify ways that he is actively fighting for his own right now (in the world around you)?
3.Satan’s strategy is, in part, to distract us, lure us into complacency, and eventually get us to give up. Can you see how and where he is attempting to do that in your life? What can you do to “Stand firm” against him?
What lies has he told you about yourself or your friends? How have you
responded to these lies?
2. Can you think or identify ways that he is actively fighting for his own right now (in the world around you)?
3. Satan’s strategy is, in part, to distract us, lure us into
Complacency, and eventually get us to give up. Can you see how and where he is attempting to do that in your life? What can you do to “Stand Firm” against him?
Know your armor. This week our focus has been upon Ephesians 6:15 – “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” The image of a Roman soldier, ready for battle, prepared to go as needed, is a healthy reminder and a call for us to do a bit of extra work to prepare ourselves. We’ve got to fit our shoes correctly, put them on, and be ready. It doesn’t just happen, which means we have work to do. Why do we do it? That’s simple: we love our friends and family enough to do the work. So here are some guiding suggestions for fitting your feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace …
1. Spend a few days this week (or at some point) reflecting on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. It is a beautiful passage in which Paul expresses our commission to share the gospel with others. What do you learn here about your commission? What is an ambassador? In what ways does this come easily for you? How is it a challenge? Reflect with the Lord on this passage.
2. Prepare your own story. We can spend a lot of time trying to be creative in sharing the gospel, but in truth what our friends and family may be most impacted on how the gospel has changed us. Some people find it helpful to write it out. Others practice sharing their story with a fellow believer, their spiritual exercise partner, etc. Whatever works for you, do it. Prepare your story, and be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15).
3. Memorize key passages of Scripture, or at least know their address (Scripture reference) so that you can go to them quickly. Great passages include John 3:16, Romans 3 (the whole chapter, especially verse 23), 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5. The crucifixion / resurrection story in any of the 4 gospels is also good to know well. Find other favorites, and do the work to prepare yourself.
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Survivor
SHIELD OF FAITH -August 02, 2009
Ephesians 6:10-20*
Verse 16* “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Two Sides to the Shield
1. Confident forward movement
2. Confident spiritual vision
I. Know Your Enemy
Satan wants to arrest your forward movement, and obscure your spiritual vision.
“Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see.” William Newton Clark
1 Thessalonians 2:18 “We wanted to come to you..but Satan hindered us.” (New King James Version—NKJV)
The word “hindered” in the Greek, “enkopto”, means literally to break up the ground in front of you, or to dig a trench to be a barrier to you.
Ephesians 6:16 “… taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.” (Revised Standard Version—RSV)
1. He deals in darkness, because it keeps us from seeing the unseen world and the power of forgiveness.
Acts 26:17-18 “I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
1 John 1:7
2. He deals in doubt, because it creates spiritual instability.
James 1:6-8 “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind….he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
3. He deals in deception, because it takes you off course.
Revelation 12:9 “Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” (English Standard Version—ESV)
Revelation 12:9 “Satan, who leads the whole world astray.” (NIV)
II. Know your Armor.
Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Galatians 5:6 “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
Faith is the ability to have spiritual vision for the future, and the courage to keep moving forward despite how you feel or the circumstances around you.
How To Pick Up the Shield of Faith
1. In life, talk to God about everything.
Ephesians 6:18 “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.”
2. In obedience, stop at nothing; keep moving forward with God, even when you don’t see it, feel it, or understand it.
Hebrews 11:27 “It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king’s anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back.” (Good News—GN)
2 Corinthians 5:7 “We live by faith, not by sight.”
3. In hurt, let go of anything, between you and anyone else.
Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only for building others up according to their needs…”
Ephesians 4:31-32 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander… Be kind and compassionate to each other forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.”
This Week’s Assignments:
As we consider “the shield of faith” we are given a description that elevates the importance of this piece of armor. Paul says that if faith is used properly it can “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” That should create a fairly high expectation on our part. But we are still responsible to pick up the shield of faith. I memorized a little quote years ago that said, “If you feed your faith your faith will grow, if you feed your doubt your doubt will grow. Whichever one you feed will surely grow.” Simple and so very true. If you do not pick up the shield of faith you will be struck by the devil’s darts, the adversary’s arrows, and he will pull you off course, he’ll envelop you with darkness and he’ll double your doubts. That is what he is so very good at. So, what do we have to be good at? We have to know our enemy, and we have to know our armor.
If you want to enlarge your faith, a larger faith creates a larger shield. You have to do several things consistently. First, increase your intake of scripture. Romans 10:17 says; “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” If you and I are not getting into the word of God, listening to sound teaching, meditating on scripture, then we are not enlarging the size of our shield. The Greek word for faith, pisteuō is often simply translated “believe”. When Jesus was in Samaria look how pisteuō is translated “believe” from John 4:40-41.“ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.” They became “believers” how? By listening to His words. The more we listen the better our chances at developing a larger shield/faith. How does Galatians 3:2-5 encourage our exposure to faith by hearing?
Second, we must foster our ability to see what is unseen; our spiritual vision. Notice Hebrews 11:4 “ It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God’s word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.” How well do you recognize the unseen world of spiritual forces and the reality of the spiritual dimension? Look up these passages and ask God to enlarge your faith and to open your eyes to the unseen world: 1 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Matthew 6:18; 1 Timothy 1:17; and Hebrews 11:7,10, &17.
And third, let go of your sin and the sins of others who have hurt you. We will be stopped dead in our tracks if we retain bitterness, anger and unforgiveness of ourselves or others. Here’s the deal, we usually rationalize our unforgiveness by saying to ourselves, “It’s the other person’s responsibility to apologize. They are the ones who hurt me and I didn’t do anything.” OK, read the following passages and then ask: who is God asking to take responsibility? Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 18:15-17-if you can get a hold of a Message Bible read it in that Bible, too; Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:32.
May you be shielded by faith and captured by love,
Pastor Jeff
__________________________
Survivor
HELMET OF SALVATION -August 09, 2009
Ephesians 6:10-20*
Verse 17* “Take the helmet of salvation….”
What is a helmet? A defensive headgear.
What is salvation? The Greek is Soteria : Deliverance from harm, ruin or loss; to be rescued and brought into safety, provision.
I. Know Your Enemy
Matthew 16:23 “He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (English Standard Version—ESV)
* Satan can influence your thoughts.
2 Corinthians 11:3 & 2 Corinthians 4:4 & 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5
II. Know your Armor.
THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE WORK OF SALVATION:
Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been (justified) made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (New Living Translation—NLT)
When I Put on the Helmet, it:
1. Reminds me that I am a child of God.
Galatians 4:4-5 “God sent him to buy freedom for us… so that he could adopt us as his very own children.”
* Free from the penalty of sin.
Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
* Because I am accepted and forgiven …
HOW? Confess Christ as your Savior.
Romans 10:9 “…if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
2. Protects me from temptation.
Philippians 2:12 “… as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
* Free from the power of sin.
Romans 6:17 & 22 “Once you were slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed with all your heart the new teaching God has given you… now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God.” (NLT)
* Because I am in a relationship…
John 14:23 “Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.’ ”
HOW? Obedience; humbly, submissively conforming my thoughts, and choices to Him.
James 4:7
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
3. Inspires me for confident ministry.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 “Let us who live in the light think clearly,…wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.” (NLT)
Go back to Romans 5:1-2 & underline “confidently”
* Eventual freedom from the presence of sin.
Titus 2:12-14 “It teaches us to… live self-controlled… lives… while we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
2 Timothy 1:12
Philippians 1:6 “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
HOW? Focus your hope not on this world, but the next, not on your abilities but on His, NOT YOUR POTENTIAL FAILURE BUT HIS PROMISED SUCCESS.
This Week’s Assignments:
On more occasions than I would like to admit I have ridden my dirt bike without my helmet. There was no intention on being either careless or irresponsible, I just wasn’t thinking. Fortunately I haven’t incurred serious injury. A ten-year study done on the importance of helmets with motorcycles revealed that 7,808 people’s lives were spared because they were wearing a helmet and conversely over the same period of time 4,107 died because they were not wearing a helmet.
One of the most vulnerable places for every believer is their thought life. We can somewhat carelessly allow our thoughts to indiscriminately run in any direction without being checked or screened. We allow ourselves to think, deliberate, evaluate, decide, choose, and ultimately believe concepts and ideas from the world around us, without any protection. Look at the following passages which reflect the influence that Satan has over the world’s system of thought or ideology. Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31. Our mind is the battle ground for living out our salvation.
After reviewing your notes consider the following as steps and exercises to form a more consistent habit of arming yourself. Putting on your spiritual wardrobe (Colossians 3:12-15), your armor and helmet; always taking with you the tools needed for spiritual success.
For the believer, the individual who has already made a choice to follow Christ, “salvation” past tense has been accomplished. As you look at each passage make a note as to who is doing what, God or you? What is your part of the past tense work of salvation? Look up Acts 15:11; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:4-7 and John 3:16-18. What are you delivered from and how do you receive that deliverance?
Now take some time to consider the ongoing work of salvation, in the present tense. What are you doing to put on, or participate in, salvation now compared to the previous scriptures? See Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 4:22-25; Hebrews 10:22-25; and Colossians 3:1-15. This is where the daily battle is won or lost. I have died once with Christ which frees me from the penalty of sin (1 Peter 3:18). Now I must die daily with Christ to experience freedom from the power of sin (Colossians 3:8 and Matthew 10:38) and eventually I will die and go to be with Christ being free from the presence of sin (1 John 3:2).
Francis Schaeffer, one of the great Christian apologists, wrote a book entitled “How Then Shall We Live”. My final point here is, if we have this great salvation that promises us eternal success then we should be risking more than ever because our failure is not fatal. Take a few minutes this week to meditate on the following promises that should stimulate and inspire an increased spiritual confidence. Romans 8:28-32; Philippians 1:6; Titus 2:12-15 & 2 Tim. 1:12.
Until the day I go home to be with Christ, if I can become adept at putting on my helmet, I’ll remember who I am, a child of God, called and chosen by God to reflect Him. I’ll be protected from sin ruling my life and I’ll be inspired to live as courageously for Him as I can, because my future is secure.
Blessings to you,
Pastor Jeff
Sword of the Spirit-August 16, 2009
Ephesians 6:10-20*
Verse 17b* “… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
I. Know Your Enemy
1. He’ll steal the word.
Matthew 13:9 “When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart….”
* He wants to rob you of it’s influence.
2. He’ll misquote the word.
Matthew 4:6-7 “(Satan) If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you,… so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
* He wants to lead you astray.
3. He’ll distort …1 Timothy 4:1 “The Spirit ….
* He wants you to abandon the faith.
II. Know your Armor.
1. What is the sword?
Verse 17b “… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Hebrews 4:12-13
A. It’s Living.
Hebrews 4:12a “For the word of God is living and active.” John 1:1-2
* It reveals who He is.
John 6:63
B. It’s sharp.
Hebrews 4:12 “Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
* It reveals who we are.
- On the inside, what we are hiding.
Psalms 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalms 51:6 “What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.” (The Message—MSG)
- On the outside, how we are hiding.
Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
C. It protects. (see Hebrews 4:14-15)
* If Satan is the father of lies, God’s word is truth.
Psalms 119:160 “All your words are true…” (New Living Translation—NLT)
John 17:17
John 8:31-32 “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (New Revised Standard Version—NRSV)
* If Satan’s kingdom is darkness, God’s word is light.
Psalms 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
Psalms 119:130 “As your words are taught, they give light; even the simple can understand them.” (NLT)
* It reveals what to do.
2. How to use the sword well.
A. Prioritize it.
Joshua 1:8 “Don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it.” (MSG)
B. Practice with it.
Hebrews 5:14 “Solid food, (A deeper commitment to the study of God’s word) on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.” (Good News—GN)
2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
C. Pray it and say it.
John 15:7 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s
This Week’s Assignments:
We don’t live in a world of swords but we do live in a world that continues to need and use physical armor and weaponry for protection and defense when an adversary’s attack is eminent. Therefore, we know that both defensive and offensive weapons are critical for survival. Take a few minutes and open your Bible to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 and reflect on the contrast the apostle Paul makes between the world’s weapons and ours.
Everything from our list in Ephesians 6:10-20, has been defensive until now. The last piece of armor is the “sword of the Spirit which is the word of God”, verse 17b, and is the only offensive weapon listed. A Roman soldier would carry with him a short sword which would be used for close hand-to-hand combat. It was up to the individual soldier to hone his skills in wielding his sword, and his life may very well depend on his acuity with the sword.
How would you rate your skills and ability as one who handles, not a physical sword but a spiritual one? The Bible is the only offensive weapon God has given you to withstand the attacks of the devil. That should be a little sobering. You might say that we have prayer, and you are right, that is a critical tool in our arsenal. But if I do not know the scriptures, if I do not have the ability to draw up truth, and spiritual direction from God’s most clear spiritual weapon, I am extremely vulnerable.
Take some time this week to review your sermon notes. The last three points in your notes are clear steps that you can take to be a well prepared swordsman. Prioritize the word, practice the word, and pray the word. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” I would say that it is impossible for me to “Do my best” at something that I have not made a priority. How are you at making God’s word a priority? Try to set aside a time, a place and an amount of time that you will commit to spending in God’s word. Each time you read a passage ask yourself, “Is there a command to obey, a sin to confess, a prayer to say or an action to take?”
As you consider our text, on our last week of the SURVIVOR Series, think about how in our relationship with Christ we have full access to the armor of God. As we live intimately with Him we are able to put Him on, put on Christ. Notice how Jesus is the armor of God. Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), and He is our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) and our peace (Ephesians 2:14). His faithfulness makes possible our faith (Galatians 2:20); He is our salvation (Luke 2:30); and He is the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). This means that when we trusted Christ, we received the armor.
May you become a wonderful warrior in the spirit, one who handles the word of truth in such a way that you live in ever increasing freedom.
In His love,
Pastor Jeff
