The order of messages is different
than in the bulletin. We're going to look at Ephesians
6 in both messages this morning. We're going to finish up the
book of Ephesians. We're going to look this morning
at the armor of God here in these last several verses. And then the second message will
be found just in the last two or three verses on the grace
of God. Grace with them that love Christ. We've looked at
these verses several times before, the armor of God. We've spent
a whole message on each part of the armor. But today, we're
going to just briefly look at the whole thing. Let's read verses
10. Is this on? Doesn't sound like it is. Yeah.
All right. Ephesians 6, let's read verses
10 and 11. Finally, my brethren. Be strong in the Lord and in
the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Finally, be strong in the Lord. Strong in the Lord, in the power
of His might. What is the power of His might?
The Gospel is the power of God, and Christ is the power of God.
The Word of His power. Be strong in the Lord. We have
no strength in ourselves to do it. I quote this all the time
because it's so true, and it gives me comfort, that our Lord
said, without me, you can do nothing. He said, I know the
spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. So this is an exhortation
and help how to be strong in the faith. How to keep from quitting. How to stand in the last day. Stand, not fall. The wiles, he's
going to talk about the wiles, the deceptions, the tricks of
Satan, the god of this world. who holds captive the whole unbelieving
world at his will. But we're giving help. We're giving help. Now, how does
this go with what we looked at in 2 Chronicles 20? Stand still
and see the salvation of the Lord. The battle is not yours. But here he tells us, take on
this armor. Well, we already concluded this,
that the battle for our souls is the Lord's completely. It's
not yours. Aren't you glad that your eternal
destiny doesn't depend on you? That's good news. But there are
little wars within, without fighting here and there. Paul told young
Timothy, let's see if I can find it real fast, well turn with
me, 1 Timothy chapter, let's see, 1 Timothy chapter 6, 1 Timothy
6, that's easy to remember, Ephesians 6, 1 Timothy 6. Here's what he
says to him and us too, 1 Timothy 6, 11. Thou, O man of God, flee these
things. And Peter wrote this. He said, Dearly beloved, I beseech
you that you abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. And so he tells us here, run
from them. Where do you run to? You run
to the Lord. You run to Christ. Flee these
things. Verse 11, follow, pursue, Righteousness, godliness, faith,
love, patience, meekness. Peter said those things, didn't
he? Add to your faith, virtue, and
so on and so forth. And then look at verse 12. Fight
the good fight of faith. It's a paradox, really. We rest, we do nothing. We stand
still and see the salvation of the Lord. And yet there's a fight. There's a battle. It's not that
we do nothing. There's a fight. There's a battle. And he tells us how to wage this
battle. OK, all right, back to our tape.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of
his might. Verse 11, put on the whole armor
of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles, the
tricks, the traps, the tactics, the deceptions of Satan, who's
a master. He's a master of deception. He deceived a perfect woman. And you and I, we're far from
perfect. And he deceived her. And he's
the master of deception. He's had 6,000 or more years
practicing this art. He's a master of deception. He's
a master in the art of disguise. He disguises things. He can make
bitter look sweet and evil look good. And you and I are no match. No match for him. He's an expert in hunting. He's a cunning hunter of human
beings. Peter said, Satan is a roaring
lion. There's no animal on earth that's
more cunning in hunting than a cat, a big lion. They just sit in stealth and
quiet for hours, waiting, watching for their prey
to move. razor-sharp claws and teeth.
There's no animal that's a match for that lion. Will Satan, as
a roaring lion, seeketh whom he may desire? Devour. So, he's a master. He's an expert in hunting, trapping,
fishing. Fishing. He uses bait. And there's a Brother Don Bell
had a fishing pond down there, and he had a big large amount
of bass in that pond, and everybody caught that bass. He asked them
not to keep it, to throw it back. Everybody, little kids, grown-ups,
everybody, that bass bit everything inside. You'd think we'd learn,
wouldn't you? After we got old enough not to
fall for bait, for deception, wouldn't we? Well, He tells us we need to
grow. We need to get stronger, don't we, in the faith. We're
no match for the great deceiver. We live in an evil world. An
evil world, surrounded by evil powers and evil people. That's
a fact. It's not a fable. Peter said
that this is no fable. This is real. And those that
God's people are the only ones that know this. The world doesn't
know. They laugh and scoff. They don't
even believe there's another world. They think this is it.
There's no God. There's no devil. This is it. Go for it. Well, we know better,
don't we? And not only is sin around us,
but sin is in us. It's within us. And this is a
race that we run. And it's a battle to be fought. I thought about this. I've got
two little notes while I'm shaving. Things come to my mind, I write
them down. But this race, he said in Hebrews
12, let us run the race before us. People call this the rat
race. Have you ever seen a rat race?
Have you ever seen that? Rats all chasing something. Or
have you seen a dog race? Have you seen a greyhound dog
race? What are they chasing? Have you
seen that? They're chasing a fake rabbit.
It's on a pole. And they turn those dogs loose.
And man, some of them killed themselves running after it.
They're running after it. Horses ain't running after anything.
They flee when no man pursues them. Anyway, they're chasing
that fake rabbit. And they go all over. And they
never do get the rabbit. Well, they go back and they start
doing it again. You'd think one of them would say, hey boys,
that rabbit ain't real. And none of us have ever tasted
it. What are we doing this for? We're doing this because they
tell us to? Well, this is a race, a human race, and everybody's
running after vanity. You're never satisfied. You never
obtain that which you go after. Happiness, contentment, joy,
peace, security. Oh, you get old and you got some
money and you got your house paid on. Now I'm secure. Really? Then you start reverting back
to a child and start worrying about things all over again.
It's a race, a rat race. You and I are running a race,
and we've got a real prize that we're after. The prize of the
high calling of God in Jesus Christ. He's the prize. He's real. He's genuine. He's true. Everlasting. We're looking for temporary things. Come on now. Temporary things
can't give you anything lasting. Where are we going to get this
story? Temporary things cannot give us lasting peace and joy
and pleasure. They can't do it. So why are
we trying to do that? Christ said, I have my peace,
I give it to you, and no one can take it away from it. The
kingdom of God is in righteousness and peace and joy, everlasting
joy, unspeakable and full of glory. Is that what you're after?
It's only found in one place. I thought about this, you know,
You won't hear anything you're hearing right now anywhere else
but here. We go out in the world and the
world is telling us the exact opposite. Our children are not
going to get true wisdom anywhere but here. It's absolute foolishness
to forsake wisdom from above for that foolish wisdom out there.
You go out there and they're going to tell you the opposite
of what God tells us. So this is what we're about. And
it's a battle. We need help. We need strength
to stand against the great enemy. And God has provided us armor. Armor is for your defense. There's
a weapon mentioned here. That's for not only defense,
but the op-ed. A sword. But this armor. Alright, verse 12. We're not
wrestling against flesh and blood. You say, I don't understand.
In my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Well, it's an unseen enemy
that we are wrestling with. And this body is not really the
enemy. It's the old man in us that is
trapped in this body, and all he wants is to satisfy this body. God made man a body, and it's
good, very good. Christ took a body, but in him
was no sin. This flesh is not sin. A bottle or a box or things,
there's no sin in things. Sin's in our evil, Adamic nature,
alright? That makes us, this flesh just
craves everything. So we're not contending against
a physical opponent, but an unseen, unseen enemy. And our fight is
against, look at verse 12, principalities, against powers, that is, wicked
spirits, rulers of the darkness of this world. Darkness, this
world's in darkness. My, some of us were in this,
grew up more in the 50s and grew up in the 60s and 70s. And I
remember the 60s and 70s, we thought we were enlightened.
We're enlightened. No, it was chemically induced
light. But, you know, oh, this is the
enlightened generation. Boy, look at them. Wallering
all over each other like animals, worms. And, oh, well, now we
are today. We're more educated than that.
Yeah, right. Look at the world. Darkness. And I remind you, in Exodus,
Right before the Lord took His people out, what did He send? Darkness. Darkness. It was so dark it could be felt.
Thick. And people, Egypt said none of
them could even see each other. They just can't see what they're
doing to themselves. Can't see, can't look at each
other. What's wrong with us? Darkness. We're not in darknesses. Where
do we get this light? The light of His Word, the Son
of God has come. The light, the light of the world.
And He's given us this understanding there. Letting us know God, ourselves,
man, see clearly. We have eyes. That ark, Noah's
ark, had one window to it. One window. He wanted to see
the world. You have to go to that window
and ask, what did you see? If you were in that ark, they
were in it for a year, when they went to that ark, Shem, Ham,
Japheth, Noah, their wives, whatever, what did they see? When they
looked out at that world, what did they see? A perishing world. Then what did they understand?
I'm in the ark. There's everybody out there perishing.
I'm in the ark. Why am I in the ark? Thank you,
Lord. Thank you. Where am I? Ephesians 6, 12. Rulers of the darkness of this
world, spiritual wickedness in high places. And I don't understand.
You know, people question if God is love, why did he allow,
you know, God is holy, why did he allow? Satan and this and
that and the other. It's not ours to ask why. Just
know that it's so. It's real. He's real. He's there
and it's according to God's will. So these spiritual powers are
in place according to the will of God. So, wherefore, verse
13, therefore take unto you the whole armor of God. Complete
armor. things can be missing, that you
may be able to withstand an evil day in having done all to stand. Take upon yourselves the complete
armor God has provided to resist these evils and withstand every
temptation, every trial, every conflict, because there's going
to be many. You know, sometimes things come
to you and you think, well, that's so simple. Why didn't I ever
think of that? Well, you know, when you're in
school and you're learning things from a
book, aren't you? Learning things, hopefully. How
do you know if you've learned anything? Take a test. Take a test. You love tests?
Emma, do you love taking tests? Anybody love taking tests? No, you don't. The trial of your
faith. True faith is going to be tested. It's going to be tried. There's
only one way you know if you really believe God. Only one
way you know if you're really in the ark. Only one way. It's
going to be tested. It's going to be tested. So, you know, these things are
going to happen. And so he tells us, take this
armor, stand the tests, withstand these temptations. Okay. Anybody
need this? I need it worse because I'm I'm trying to tell you, I've
got the same or worse problem. Someone once said, how do you
take down a ship? Kill the captain. And the enemy is after him more
than anybody else. I need this. Verse 14, stand
therefore having your loins girt with truth. Your loins girt with
truth. Again, Peter said this, 1 Peter
1, if you want to turn, 1 Peter 1, 13. Peter said many things I've already
quoted. Why? Because here's what the
Lord said to Peter. Simon, Satan wants you. He desires you. Peter was the
outspoken one, wasn't he? Peter was the bold one. Peter
was the leader of the apostles at that time, wasn't he? Until
Paul came along, wasn't he? And so our Lord said, Simon,
Satan has desired you to sift you like wheat. He knows he can. You ain't nothing. He wasn't
nothing but an old fisherman. He didn't know nothing, Brother
Kevin. The Lord found him, and the Lord's
teaching him everything. He's still a little baby, a little
child. He hadn't been with the Lord for a year. He said, Satan
wants you. And Peter said, and you remember,
he was tested, he was tried. And he failed miserably then.
When they came after the Lord, Peter was the first to run. first
to revert right back to that world. And so Peter learned a lesson,
didn't he? Without him, we can do nothing. Peter said, they
may leave you, not me. Ooh, Simon, Peter, you should
have said, by your grace, everything you say ought to begin with that.
By your grace, I won't So Peter failed miserably. And bless his
heart, I'm so glad. I'm so glad the Lord put him
through that. Because one of the first things Peter said,
we're lax. You know that? He said, we're
kept by the power of God. Do you know that? He said, I
know it. And look at verse 13, 1 Peter 1. He said, gird up the
loins of your mind. Be sober. Hope to the end, the
grace that's brought on us by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
And he goes on to talk about, you know, obedience and so forth. And I quoted to you in Chapter
2, Dearly Beloved, stained from fleshly lust. And in Chapter
5 is where he said, Be vigilant, be sober, your adversary the
devil is a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,
resist, steadfast, how? in the faith. When Michael, the archangel,
and Satan were contending together, remember, for the body of Moses,
how did Michael, the archangel, contend with him? The Lord rebuked Satan. That's it. Our Lord could say,
get. I love that. Once again, Simon
Peter, no, Lord, don't. You're not going to the cross. Get behind me, say. So your loins
girt about with the truth. He said, that's what Simon Peter,
your loins girt about. Wrap about you the gospel. of the Lord Jesus Christ. This
is the foundation. Back when they wore armor, oh
man, I got to hurry. Back when they wore armor, the
very first part of that arm was a girdle, and everything else
hung on it, okay? You wrapped yourself tight, and
the athletes, you know, they wrapped themselves in tape, their
wrists, their ankles, and, you know, so forth. Well, this girdle of truth is
the gospel. It all hangs on Christ crucified. The truth is, here's the truth,
and here's how we contend with unbelief in the world and unbelief
within us. The Son of God actually came
to this earth. Truth walked this planet. His
name is Jesus Christ. He walked. He spoke. I believe
everything he said. Do you? I believe everything
he said. I don't believe anything anybody
says that's contrary to what Jesus Christ said. He is the
truth. Wrap yourself tight in that.
He came. He lived. He spoke. He died. Nobody will deny that. Why did
he die? I know why he died. Don't you,
God? The soul that sinneth must surely
die. That's not just a doctrine. I
know it's a fact. We're dead and dying. Christ
died. Why? Substitute. Those in Christ, in Adam, all
die. In Christ, they're made alive. He rose. That's not just something
you celebrate on Easter. It's every day. We worship a
living Lord. Okay? He's coming again. That's the truth. What does that
do? What does that do to your mind,
your heart, concerning everything else? Keep that in mind. Keep
Him. in mind all the time. Wrap yourselves
up in this. Christ, that's the truth. That's
the truth. Let's go on in our text. He said, now, the girdle, having your loins
gird about with the truth, you know, loins is an inner man,
seat of all lust and so forth. Having on the breastplate of
righteousness, the breastplate of righteousness, Fiery darts
of Satan are going to, the accusations of Satan are going to hurl, they're
going to hurl scripture at you. You know? I know you, you're
a sinner. Well, you know, this righteousness
is not, can't be ours. This breastplate repel these
darts and accusations of Satan cannot possibly be our goodness
and our righteousness and our holiness, not by works of righteousness
which we have done. You see, this is not just a doctrine.
This is how Satan's going to, you're nothing but a sinner through
and through, and you deserve hell, and they get through. If they get through to you, you're
going to say, that's right. So what's the use? David said
that in Psalms. I've cleansed my heart in vain.
I'm going back to the world. It's breastplates. What is it? Righteousness. Christ, our righteousness. Satan says you're a sinner. You're
right. But Christ died for sinners.
You're unrighteous. That's true. But Christ is my
righteousness. You're guilty. It's true. My heart hurts because of it.
But Christ, there's no condemnation to them that are crying. It's not doctrine. This is our
hope. He's our hope. Breastplate of righteousness.
When that high priest... I'm going to take a few more
minutes. John, I'm going to take a few more minutes. When... Yeah, let me go on. Verse 15,
have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of
peace. This whole story, this whole
text reminds me of the story back in Exodus 12. Doesn't it
remind you of that? First thing, it begins with this
girdle of truth. Christ is crucified, His righteousness,
the heart, man believeth unto righteousness, the heart. And
in Exodus 12, how does it start? Exodus 12. You're going out.
You're going out. Every man has to have a lamb. You're not going
out without a lamb. And eat this lamb. Eat it. Take
it down into the recesses of your soul and your heart and
your mind. Feed upon it this lamb. Christ him crucified. Blood over the door and the lintel.
When I see the blood, God made this promise. I will pass over
you in mercy and grace. He said, eat it with your loins
girded, shoes on your feet. Why? Do you ever, at home, when you
sit down to supper, do you ever take your shoes off? Sure you
do. Why? You're not going anywhere. You
hear, go to sleep, go to bed, and I'm not going anywhere. And
no, no, no, no. Keep shoes on. You're not staying
here. You're leaving. You're leaving,
they said. That's staff in your hand. And
it's the Lord's Passover. That reminds me, this reminds
me of that. Why? Because it's the same. In the
old and the new, even today. His feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace. Why does it say the preparation
of gospel? Because Christ has gone to prepare
a place for him. And if he goes and he went to
prepare a place, he says he's coming again this evening. Prepare
yourself. Keep listening to the gospel.
Because the gospel, I'm going to keep telling you, what I'm
going to keep telling you is what Christ said. You have here
no continuing sin. This is not your home. We look
for one whose foundation and builder and maker is God, where
Christ dwelleth. Christ is our light. Set your
affections on things above. We're leaving this place. We're
leaving. These young people say, well, I just got here. I know. So here's the deception of Satan.
You've got your whole life ahead of you. Go for the world. And when you
get that, then there will be more time Is that right? What is your life? Paper. That's the truth. It looks like
people have learned that way. The only way you can learn that
is right here. Take the shield of faith, verse
16. It quenched the fiery darts of
the wicked like that breastplate of righteous. Faith in the Lord.
Faith in Christ. Shield of faith. Fiery darts. Take the helmet of salvation.
The helmet of salvation. I've got to hurry through that. Your mind. Salvation on your mind. The sword
of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The sword of the Spirit
is both for offense and defense. The sword of the Spirit is the
Word of God. You know, it has two edges. Two edges. A two-edged sword. It kills,
it makes you alive. It wounds, it heals. It convicts
you and it comforts you. My dad wrote this. He said, no
one can come near the Word of God without it having some effect
on them. It will convict you or harden
you. It will cut away your righteousness or make you think you've got
one. I do that. the rich young ruler. All this I've kept. That the Spirit of God, or the
sword of God will kill, envy, lust, the only thing that will.
So take this sword. May the Lord take the sword and
cut away all this dross. Alright, read on. Praying always.
He saves this last thing. That's an armistice defense. Verse 18, praying always with
all prayer. Praying always without ceasing. Why? Because without Him you
can do nothing. You can't resist for one moment.
You can't resist the slightest temptation. You'll fall for the
same trap you've fallen for before. Like that old bass. And you ask
him, and scriptures keep saying, watch under prayer. Prayer keeps
you watching. If you're not praying, if you're
not calling, you settle down to some carnal security, and
you'll fall right back into a trap. You ask, Lord, wake up, Lord,
guide my feet, set a watch over my lips, my eyes, let me see
clearly. Shut my ears to all I'm hearing.
Put blinders on my eyes and I look straight on. Set my feet in paths
of righteousness or else I'll go astray. Without Him, praying
always, I knew nothing. Oh, I'm telling you. I didn't
tell you. He did. Supplication. They need everything supplied
to them. We don't have anything. He supplies it all in the Spirit.
Watching with all perseverance. That means keep doing it. You
see, there is something for us to do it. Pray, call. And for the saints, don't just
pray for yourself. Here's the rule. Here's God's
rule, Christ's rule. You pray for others, he'll help
you. He'll help you. And for me, verse 19, see this? Pray for me that utterance may
be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make
known the mystery of the gospel. You pray for me. You want your
children to know the Lord, to be saved. You want the gospel
to touch their hearts and minds. I would please God by the foolishness
of preaching. In praying for me, you're helping
your children. So verse 20, and I'm an ambassador,
as Paul said, in bonds. Oh, he was a man of faith, wasn't
he? He was in prison. He said, Christ put me here.
And I want to speak the word boldly and not be fearful. And
let's close right there, okay? teach us, give us an understanding
of these things and enable us to put on this whole armor. Okay.