I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Ephesians chapter
6. Ephesians 6. I would like to read verses 11
to 13. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 11. Put on the whole armor of God
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, taken
to you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand
in the day of evil, and having done all, to stand." Let's pray
together. Our Father, we ask you this evening,
Lord, bless, for Christ's sake, the word to our hearts. Thank
you this evening as we call upon you that we can be assured, according
to your word, Lord, that You're here. May the preaching and the
hearing of the Word be to Your honor. For it's in Christ's name
we pray. Amen. I'm just going to relate what
happened. But in 1 Samuel, an account of a battle that took place between
two men, one named David and one named Goliath. The army of
Israel was being defied by this Philistine, Goliath. And this man challenged Israel. He said, if you have any man
that will fight me, He said, will just the two of us do battle?
And whoever wins, he said, the victor, he said, will go to have
this victory that the other army will serve the army that he represents. Well, there was no one that stepped
forward out of the army of Israel until a young man named David
accepted the challenge. And David said to the king of
Israel, Saul, he said, let no man's heart fail because of him,
thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine." That's
1 Samuel 17, 32. David said, I'll fight him. Well, King Saul in 1738-39 armed or clothed David
with Saul's armor. And the scripture says, he put
on a helmet of brass upon his head, also he armed him with
a coat of mail, and David girded his sword upon his armor, and
he assayed, that is David agreed at first, to wear the armor. But he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot
go with these, for I have not proved them. And David put them
off. The armor that David was trying
to wear, David hadn't tried the armor. It was Saul's armor. But it wasn't tested, it wasn't
proven by David. And really the armor would just
be nothing more than a hindrance to him. Well, Scripture says that David
took his staff in his hand, And he chose out five smooth stones
out of the brick, a brook, I'm sorry, and put them in a shepherd's
bag, which he had, and his sling in his hand, and he went out
to meet the Philistine. Now just get this in your mind.
He's out there in this big plain, you've got two armies looking
at each other. And here's Goliath, and he walks out there in the
forefront of the Philistines, and he's waiting on David. David's talking to Saul and Saul's
trying to give him some armor. He's going to go out there and
fight this guy. And David said, I can't do this. This armor,
not for me. Now this is who he's going to
fight, Goliath. 1 Samuel 17, 4-7 gives a direct
and very intricate account of how big Goliath was and what
he was wearing. He stood six cubits and a span
tall. He was 11 feet 4 inches. 11 feet 4 inches. He had a helmet
of brass armed with a coat of mail and it gave the weight,
I'm just computing it to pounds and stuff. He had a coat of mail
that was on him 156 pounds and had leg harnesses or boots and
a corset of brass between his shoulders to protect the neck. His spear was like a weaver's
beam. 26 feet long was his spear. And the spear's head weighed
about 18 pounds. This was a big guy, and he had
a lot of stuff, and he was just very intimidating. Can you imagine,
over 11 feet tall? And the two met on the field
of battle. And this Philistine, the Scripture says, cursed David
by his gods. You know, obviously, Goliath
told David that by the power of the gods of the Philistines
that David's flesh that day was going to be given to the fowls
of the air and the beasts of the field. That's what he told
them. He said, you're going to pay dear for coming out here
and facing me. And David said to Goliath, thou
comest to me with a sword, with a spear, with a shield, but I
come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the
armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." Now I'm going to tell
you something. This was more than a physical
battle. This was a spiritual battle.
There was more going on here than just two guys standing out
there between these two armies. There was a spiritual war going
on right here and David knew it. He said, you got all your
stuff and you're a big guy. I understand that. But he said,
I'm coming to you in the name of the Lord of hosts. I'm coming to you in the name
of God Almighty. You've got all your regalia on
you. Saul tried to give me his stuff,
but it wasn't going to do. It hadn't been proven for me. He had a sling. and five smooth stones. And the whole armor of God was
David's provision. The whole armor of God. This is what David told him.
This day, now I'm going to tell you, you talk about faith. Now
here's a man that he believed God. He said, this day will the
Lord deliver thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee and take
thine head from thee. I will give the carcasses of
the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air,
to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that
there is a God in heaven, and that all this assembly shall
know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the
battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands." I wonder what that Philistine
thought when this little fellow came to him with nothing on,
but he's just shepherd's clothing and a sling A little sling. This guy's got a helmet, he's
got this mail, he's got this corset, he's got this shield,
he's got this spear. And the scripture says that Goliath
drew near to meet David. And David ran toward the army
to meet the Philistine. And while he was running, David
put his hand in the shepherd's bag, drew out a stone, put it
in the sling, and dropped him right where he stood. Scripture says the rock just
sunk right into his forehead. He fell upon his face to the
earth and David ran over and took his own sword and cut his
head off. And when the men of Israel and
Judah saw it, they pursued the Philistines back all the way
to their own cities. Now that battle took place hundreds
of years ago. And it was absolutely recorded
for God's glory and for our admonition. There was a battle that was going
on. It was physical, there's no doubt about it. It was a physical
battle. That giant was really standing
there. That army was really standing
there. And David was too. I mean it was physical. But there
was a spiritual war going on. And David believed God. Here
was David, a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ
who fought the battle for the redemption of God's people by
Himself. It was the Lord Jesus, Isaiah
63.3, I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there
was none with me. There was one warrior out there
for Israel, David. And David represented all the
nation that was standing out there behind him. David was a
picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. And His David was victorious
over Goliath, our heavenly David. The Lord Jesus Christ has ever
prevailed to save all that the Father has entrusted into His
hand. He is, the Lord Jesus is, our
mighty David. Isaiah 42 verse 4 says, "...he
shall not fail, nor be discouraged, till He has set judgment in the
earth." That is, until He has revealed and set forth God's
judgment. What do you mean God's judgment?
He said, I'm going to have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. I'll
have compassion on whom I'll have compassion. And the Lord
Jesus Christ is not going to fail till He has set judgment
in the earth. But brethren, Like David, who
was a beautiful picture of Christ first. I'll tell you this, we
have a battle too. And there's a battle that's going
on and it's a spiritual battle. There's a war that is raging,
not only within every believer, but without the believers. The Apostle Paul said this, Romans
7.23, he said, I see another law in my members, warring against
the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin which is in my members. There's two men, you know this,
there's two men in every believer, and these two men are contrary
one to the other. There's an old man, with which
every one of us was born, and it's still there. You know, somehow
we get this mindset. I mean, I do it. I do it too.
Somehow we get this mindset that, you know, after we're converted,
we just, you know, we think differently, and we do, by that new man. But that old man, And a believer
knows this. That old man is there. And that
same wicked, rebellious Goliath wars against the law of our new
man, our mind, our new mind, that new heart. There's a battle. We think just as disrespectfully
as we ever did. The problem was, is that before
we never knew it. I think back, I mean I'm just,
my mind, in my mind, I'll tell you where I went back to just
then, just a minute ago. I went back when I was in college.
And I don't know, maybe I was, when I was in college, that was
just the epitome of my memory of just rebellion. I mean, I
was a rebel. I mean I was, and still am. Still am. There's no difference
in me right now in my old man than it was before. I'm just
more aware of it. I see it. And I say to myself,
oh wretched man that I am. There's a battle that's going
on. A spiritual battle. And the battle
that we're fighting, every believer is fighting right now, is fought
with spiritual weapons. 2 Corinthians 10.4, for the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but they're mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds. Our foe, who we're fighting,
Well, let me tell you this, the foes that we're fighting are
not visible to the carnal eye. We think they are. We think we
can see. Ephesians 6.12 says, For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places, Listen, I know, I am absolutely, I'm
convinced, I know this is true. Where two or three are gathered
together in the Lord's name, the Lord has said, I'm there.
I know the Lord is here. I can show you a scripture where
it says the sons of God assembled themselves before the Lord and
Satan was there too. I can tell you this, not only
is the Lord in this place, but there's spiritual wickedness
in high places here too. And if you think there's not,
you're just fooled. Because that's where the battle
is going on. And there's an insinuation given to every believer right
now by these spiritual wickedness and these powers and rulers of
the darkness coming and insinuating to you right now. Remember what
happened today at work? You know you don't feel good.
Aren't you tired? Don't you feel bad right now?
There's a battle that is raging right now. And the problem is
that often we don't think about it. We just don't remember. There's
a fight that's going on right now. And it's called the good
fight of faith. 1 Timothy 6.12. Fight the good
fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life wherein
thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before
many witnesses. Now I want us to just for a few
minutes, I want us to just consider these These three scriptures
that I read right here, verse 11, put on the whole complete,
put on all the armor of God that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. Why? Because of what I just read. Because we wrestle not against
flesh and blood. but against these principalities,
powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. We live in an evil world. It's evil. It was surrounded
not only by evil men who know not the Lord, But by these powers
and rulers of the darkness and principalities, I said, they're
here. There's a real battle that's
going on right now. And here's the danger. It's the
nature of the enemy. They're not flesh and blood.
You know, we feel as though that we're inside this building secure
and together and protected. And we are. We are. Because we
don't see someone from the outside in our midst that we can look
at right now and see with our physical eyes someone that's
trying to harm us or hurt us or do something. You don't see
it. So you say, well there's nothing here that would influence
me. There is a battle that's going
on. The enemy that a believer faces
cannot be withstood in the power of the flesh. We cannot do it. We don't have the ability. Like
I said last week, we often think that this battle is fought against
somebody else. Somebody that we can see. You
think that the problem is that person at work. You think it's
just your family member, you know, your neighbor or something
like that. They are, as I said last week,
they're the means. They're the means that principalities
and powers and rulers of the darkness use as mouthpieces. Unconverted, they're unrestrained. There's no grace in them to restrain
them. You look at them and you think,
that's the problem. That's not the problem. We wrestle
not against flesh and blood. There's a while right there.
Satan will say, yeah, you do. They're the problem. Liar. Those that wrestle, against our
minds, against our heart and speak to us. Let me tell you
something, they're good at their trade. Satan, these principalities,
they've had thousands of years perfecting their trade. Satan
is able to suggest to the mind things that are referred to as
wiles. trickery, deceit. Now, I'm not
saying that a believer can be possessed or something. I'm talking
about just suggestions. And you, believe me, if the Scripture
didn't set forth that this was so, I wouldn't know this, you
wouldn't either. But this is what's going on. We are wrestling
against these powers. And so the Lord is telling us
that there's a battle that's actually going on. You know,
these wiles, and I'm going back to the garden here, when Satan
came to Eve. I only found, I'm not saying
it's all, but I can only find three places where Satan spoke.
Three. One of them is to Eve. One of
them is to the Lord Jesus Christ in the desert of temptation,
and one of them when Satan was talking to God concerning Job. That's the only time I can find,
and there may be more, but that's all I can find. But Satan, the
Scripture says, came to Eve, and this is what he said. Now
listen to what he said. Now you know what he was doing?
He was questioning God's Word. He was insinuating to her that
God lied. Has God said that you shall not eat of every
tree of the garden? Are you telling me that the Lord
who puts you in this garden is going to withhold something that
would be for your good? You mean there's something that
God's not going to do for you? He was telling God, Almighty
God does not have your absolute best at heart. That's wild. That's trickery, deceit. Now you listen, and I'm telling
you, you that know Him, you know this so. To a believer, these
wiles are often stated to the mind. I mean, it's just, you
think them, you just think them. There it was. I just thought
it. The Scripture says that there's a battle that's going on. Recognize
it. Recognize it. For a believer,
these wiles often call into question God's promises. Now listen to
this. Hebrews 13, 5. Let your conversation
be without covetousness. Now here's what he's saying.
Let your walk, let the attitude of your walk be without coveting
that which doesn't belong to you. and be content with such things
as you have." What he's saying is the Lord has given you that
which you have according to His good will. He worketh all things
after the counsel of His own will. Doesn't Scripture say that? For He said, He said, I will
never leave thee nor forsake thee. Now let me ask you something. Have you ever wondered or doubted
His faithfulness? Now before you say, I have never
doubted, be careful. Have you ever wondered? Have
you ever gone through something for a while? I'm talking about
maybe just kneel for a fleeting moment. I mean, you know, just
a fleeting moment. And then all of a sudden you
realize, Oh, how disrespectful was that thought. How disrespectful. But you thought it? Wiles. Hebrews 12, 6, For whom the Lord
loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Have you ever found yourself
questioning God's providence for you? Trickery. The Lord said, I'll
never leave you. I'll never leave you. Have you
ever felt alone? Where is the Lord? Lord, I cry
unto you. Heavens are brass to me. But He said, I will never leave
you. To a believer, he has never left
you. He's never left you. Never! Romans 8, 28, and we know that
all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are called according to His purpose. All things. I'm talking about
good and bad. I'm talking about those that
are pleasant and those that are unpleasant. All things work together. When I question His Word, spiritual
wickedness in high places is trying to deceive me. Had God
said, you're not going to die. You'll be like God. Oh but listen
to this, not only Satan does not know who are the lords, Satan
does not know who are the lords. He doesn't know who the elect
are. But I will tell you this, don't think for one second that
he doesn't know that the preaching of the gospel is the power of
God unto salvation. That's been declared for hundreds
and hundreds and hundreds of years. You think Satan is not
a master at Scripture? The Scripture says his preachers,
they come as angels of light, preaching, quoting Scripture. Satan quoted Scripture to the
Lord. Jump off. He said, He's not going
to let you hurt your foot. You're not going to bruise yourself.
Jump off. Jump off this pinnacle. Do I ever find myself doubting whenever the Word is preached?
Now those that believe not until the Lord gives a man or woman
a heart to believe. They don't believe. You know
that. They don't have faith. All men have not faith. Satan
doesn't know who belongs to the Lord. He doesn't know who the
sheep are. But he does know that the preaching
of the gospel is the power of God and salvation. He knows that.
So what happens whenever the gospel is preached? Well, the
Lord gave a parable concerning this about a sower. A sower went forth to sow. And
he cast the seed and some of it fell by the wayside, by the
stony ground, thorny ground. Some of it fell on good ground.
But concerning that seed that fell on the wayside, what does
Scripture say? He said, you know, they cast
the seed and the birds come and peck it up real fast and get
rid of it. What happens? Then the Lord explained it to
His disciples. He says, Satan comes and snatches
it out of their mind. That unbeliever, listen, an unbeliever,
until Almighty God opens his heart and his mind, gives him
a heart for the truth, gives him faith to believe. He hears
the message of man's absolute, total depravity. Satan is trying
to, unless God gives that man a heart and ears to hear, Eyes
to see, he hears that and he says, totally depraved. Are you telling me that I don't
have a free will? Is that what you're saying? Oh,
my friend, no sir, I don't believe that. Are you telling me that
God elected and chose a certain people from before the foundation
of the world, that He was going to show mercy and compassion
to and only them? Is that what you're saying to
me? Oh no, the God that I serve loves everybody. Particular redemption, you're
telling me that Christ only died for a certain group of people? These that you're referring to
as the elect? that you're telling me that God
selected the ones that Christ was going to die for. And are
you telling me that the rest of the world, that Christ didn't
die for all the rest of the world? Is that what you're saying? Yeah. Oh, I don't believe that foolishness.
Why? Are you telling me concerning
this issue of irresistible grace. You're telling me that I'm born
with a dead heart, that I have no ability to be able to believe
God. Is that what you're saying? And
I know good and well I do, but you're telling me that I have
no ability to believe God, that God chose a certain people and
Christ died for only those people, and that the Spirit of God under
the preaching of this gospel. Are you telling me that this
is the only message that the Spirit of God is going to bless
to the salvation of God's elect? You mean to tell me that everybody
else that's not preaching what you're preaching, you're telling
me that they're all deceived? That everybody but this group
and others like you, you're telling me that all the rest of the world
is deceived? That you're the only ones? Yeah. I don't believe that. And it's
going to take God Almighty to keep me. You're telling me that
I don't have the ability to love the Lord and to be faithful and
to walk. That's exactly what I'm telling
you. I don't believe it. I do not believe it. The Scripture
declares that this is a spiritual war that's going on. Wherefore,
verse 13, Take unto you, and this is only going to be for
God's people, because an unbeliever is not going to do it, take unto
you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand
in the day of evil, and having done all, to stand." Now I'm
going to state, I don't plan to, Lord willing I'll go into,
Verse 14 in those actual implements. But I'm going to stop with verse
13, but I'm going to say this about 13. The Apostle Paul had
by divine revelation an experience. Now listen, you that believe,
you've experienced. You know what I'm talking about. You know something. of this spiritual
battle that's going on. You know that there's a war.
You feel it inside. A person that tells me, I've
never doubted my salvation, I've never doubted the Lord's presence,
I'd say, well, the Scripture said that you will.
The Apostle Paul had learned some things. teaching under the inspiration
of God's Spirit. He's teaching the people of God
their need of protection. Now there's a war. There's a
war going on. And what we need is the whole
armor of God. Now this is not armor of flesh
and blood. And let me tell you this, it's
not within our power to put it on. We don't have the ability. The Lord provides it. The Lord
provides it. Take unto you, let me tell you
how you're going to take unto us, by faith. By faith. We believe God. Now let me tell
you, and Lord willing, next week I'll go into it. Let me tell
you what the armor is. It is the Lord Jesus Himself.
It's the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The armor is nothing less than
Christ Jesus. He alone is our complete protection. In Christ alone, we're able to
withstand against the wiles of the devil. We believe God. We rest in Him without me, He
said. You can do nothing by faith. That helmet of salvation, that
shield of the Spirit, that shield that is not our faith, but it's
the faith of Jesus Christ. The sword, what is the sword? It's the Word of Christ. I said
I wasn't going into this. Satan is cunning. Satan is cunning. He's too crafty. He's too deceitful
for us to handle. Christ is our conqueror. Christ is the Lord. Christ is
our armor. Christ is our protection. He
is the whole armor of God. In the Lord Himself, We shall
never fail because He never fails. Let me tell you this, Satan is
going to have to get through Him to get to us. He'll insinuate
to our mind that the Lord has given us armor. I tell you, you've
been in the military, you know it's something about this. We
need some protection. There's a battle that's going
on. And we have the best. We have the best. I know this. I've heard some different preachers
say it. I've seen the end of the book.
We're more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave Himself
for us. You know, we are. We're going
to look at those elements of armor. The helmet, the shield,
the breastplate, the shoes, the gospel, the sword. But I'm telling
you, every one of them is Christ. It's Christ. By faith, we rest
in Him. Lord, have mercy upon us for
Christ's sake.