A man came to a certain town
and stayed in the home of a church couple several days. And upon leaving,
he said to a friend, I hope I don't have to stay in that home again.
There's so much contention, hard words. These things ought not to be.
Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave
himself for it, that he might sanctify it and cleanse it with
the washing of the water with the word. Down to chapter 6 now,
verse 1. Children, children, obey your
parents. Obey your parents in the Lord. This is right. This is what it
should be. This is God's order. Honor, love,
respect, speak well of. Honor your father and mother. This is the first commandment
with promise. It may be well with you, and you may live long on the
earth. You fathers, fathers, Provoke
not your children to wrath. Don't be unreasonable. Unduly
hard and fierce. Uncooperative. Provoke not your
children to wrath. Bring them up in the, and I'm going to add
something here, and I know it's not unfitting at all, bring them
up in the nurture and admonition and the house and the worship
under the gospel of the Lord. Bring them up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord, and that's an impossibility without
them coming regularly, faithfully to worship services with you. Servants. Workmen, be obedient to them
that are your masters according to the flesh. We don't have any
masters. Spirit is number one, Christ
Jesus. That's the reason our Lord said
don't call anybody father. You have one father, the father
in heaven. Spiritually speaking, don't call any man master. You
have one master, Christ. But we have masters according
to the flesh. We have people for whom we work. Be obedient to them that are
your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling,
in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ." Serving Christ,
not with our service. We used to call it in the Navy,
apple polishing. Not as men-pleasers, that's not
the objective, but as servants of Christ. Working as if working
for Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill
Doing service as to the Lord and not to men. And knowing that whatsoever good
thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord,
whether he be bond or free. And ye masters, masters, bosses,
do the same thing unto those that work for you. Forbearing
threatening. Treat them as you want to be
treated. Knowing or remembering that your master also is in heaven
Neither is there any respect of persons with him Now these
things were exhorted to do and the kind of persons were commanded
to be Cannot be performed or accomplished in our own strength
That's the reason he says in verse 10 finally My brethren,
this is talking to believers. Be strong in the Lord. Be strong
in the Lord, in the power of His might. Draw your strength
from Him to be what He wants us to be, and to do what He wills
us to do, and to have the attitude and spirit and behavior that
we're supposed to have. Be strong in the Lord. Our Lord
said, without me you can do nothing. Now we know and we preach very
strongly that faith is the gift of God. Faith is the work of
God in a believer's heart. It's the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. But my friends, love is also
the gift of God. The love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts for the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is the gift of God. I
don't think I ever pray that I don't ask God for wisdom. I
need wisdom so badly, don't you? Understand it. God, teach me
your way. Teach me your will. Give me wisdom. Wisdom, if any man lack wisdom,
then ask of God. I need wisdom to bring up my
children. Ask of God. Forgive it to all
men liberally. Understanding is the gift of
God. Grace is the gift of God. Grace to overcome the flesh is
the gift of God. Work of God in us. We cannot
do these things and be this kind of person unless he gives us
the grace. Do you understand what I'm saying?
He gives us the grace. Not in you, of you, or from you.
Grace to overcome the flesh is grace to adorn the doctrine.
Grace to be godly wives, godly husbands, and godly children,
and wise fathers, and cooperative servants, and generous masters. That's the work of God. That's
the work of God. That's in the power of His might,
not this flesh. So my brethren, be strong in
the Lord and in the power of His might. I think an illustration
of this is found in 2 Corinthians 12. I want you to turn over there
and let's see what I can do with this. 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 2 Corinthians 12. This helped me a great deal.
2 Corinthians 12 verse 7. This was Paul's experience, and the Lord gave Paul many revelations
and many gifts and many open doors to preach the gospel and
much authority in the church. And he said here in verse 7 of
2 Corinthians 12, unless I should be exalted above measure through
the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn
in the flesh, trouble in the flesh, trials and weakness in
the flesh. I don't know what it was. Nobody
else knows what it was. You could argue for a week and
you couldn't find out what that thorn was. But God gave it to
him and God gave it to him for a purpose. For Paul's good and
his glory. Is the messenger of Satan. Bust
it me. Trouble me. Lest I be exalted
above measure. Now verse 8. Because of this thing. I prayed
three times, I besought the Lord, I besieged the throne, I cried
out to God three times, that this trial, this weakness, this
trouble might depart from me. And verse 9, He said to me, I
like to notice something when I come, He said to me. I cried out in my weakness and
trouble and trial and difficulty. God take this away. Three times,
I beseech the throne. He said to me, number one, my
grace is sufficient for you. My grace is sufficient for you
under any circumstance, condition, or trial. You remember one thing,
my grace is sufficient. It's all you need. My grace is
sufficient for all my people. My grace is sufficient for all
saving purposes in my people. And my grace is sufficient for
all their times of need, whether regeneration, or sickness, or
trial, or trouble, or death, or resurrection. My grace is
sufficient for all. My grace. All right? Secondly,
he said to me, My grace is sufficient. Secondly, he said, for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. I looked hard at that for a long
time. My grace is made perfect in their
or your weakness. Now I know this. Let's establish
what we know and then we'll see if we can find out what the Lord
is saying. Number one, I know that our weakness does not add
perfection to his grace and strength. I know that. His grace is perfect. His strength is perfect, already
perfect. But the meaning is this, that
the grace and strength and mercy of our God is manifested and
glorified and shines forth in supporting, strengthening, upholding,
supplying the needs of his weak children. That's when his grace
and his strength is made manifest and shown in his perfect love. For example, when is the shepherd
most glorified? Most glorified? Leading us in
green pastures? Yeah. By five still waters? Yeah. Restoring our soul? Yeah. Preparing a table for us
in the presence of our enemies? Yeah. But he's most glorified
when he leaves the 99 and goes out into the wilderness seeking
the lost sheep. And among the bruises and wounds
He finds that sheep and picks it up in its utter helplessness,
inability, weakness, and puts it on his shoulder and brings
it home. That's when his grace and power
and strength is made perfect in demonstrating that mercy to
that weak sheep. When is the father of the prodigal
most glorified? When he's dispensing the inheritance
to the rebellious son? No. I'll tell you when he's most
glorified. When he sees that boy coming home in his rags, in his gilts, coming home, and
he runs out to meet him, puts his arm around him and kisses
him, and kills the fatted carrot and invites his friends to come,
and welcome his boy. The weakness of the prodigal
is an occasion for a manifestation and perfection of the kindness
of the Father. You see what I'm saying? When is the grace of God most
glorified? Turn to Ephesians 2. Ephesians
2. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 4. When is the power of his might
and grace of God most glorified. Verse 4, Ephesians 2, but God
who is rich in mercy, oh how rich he is in mercy, while his
great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in
sin, now you can't get much weaker than that, hath quickened us together with
Christ, by grace you say, hath raised us up together and made
us sit together in heavenly places in Christ that in the ages to
come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward weak, helpless, fallen sinners in Christ. So back to
2 Corinthians 12. Let me show you one more thing.
Paul said this trial and trouble and thorn is getting the best
of him. I want you to move it. He said
to me, my grace is sufficient for you in your weakness, because
my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore Paul came
to this conclusion, most gladly therefore, most gladly therefore
will I glory in my weakness and in my infirmities, that the power
of Christ might rest upon me. Most gladly will I be content.
to remain not a self-sufficient person, but a poor, weak, feeble
creature, the chief of sinners, that the power of Christ as a
shield and a tabernacle may rest upon me." Far, verse 10. Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, I admit my infirmities, my reproaches, necessities, and
persecutions, distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am
weak, then am I strong." What does that mean? When I am weak,
then am I strong? It means this. When I am sensible
of my sinfulness, when I am sensible of my inability, when I am conscious
of my weakness, my total dependence upon Him and my great need of
His grace, then, in order to receive all the glory and the
praise, He will uphold me by His might. He will undertake
for me. He will give me the wisdom I
need. He will make me strong in His
purpose and in His work, and He will use me for His glory,
because then He can give us the glory. That's it. And I will know if anything is
accomplished in me, of me, through me. It'll be of God and not of the
flesh. That's the experience of Paul
and that's what God said to him and what the conclusion to which
he came. When I'm weak, when I'm sensible
of my sinfulness and my inability and my own weakness, my great
need of him. And that's something between
me and him. Then and then only he'll uphold
me. by His mighty arm undertake for
me, He'll give me wisdom. He'll make me strong in His purpose
and in His work. He'll give me gifts. But He's
not going to put old wine in new bottles or new wine in old
bottles, no patches on old ropes. He's going to make the whole
thing. He's going to get all the glory. So, let's come back
to our text. Be strong in the Lord and the
power of His might to be what we're supposed to be. what God
commands us to be, what we need to be. All right, verse 11, put
on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand,
that you may be able to stand. I want to read these two verses
together. Let's look at them. 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 darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Why is godliness so difficult? Why are these things, wives love
your husband, submit to your husband, husbands love your wives,
freedom and kindness, be faithful, raise your children, bring them
up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, children obey your
parents, walk in obedience and love, fathers But vote not your
children to rest. Servants, be good servants. Masters,
be generous, gracious, kind masters. Why is this so hard? I'll tell you why. Right there. Not a flesh and blood battle.
The believer lives in a world of evil. We're surrounded by
evil powers and forces, evil persons. Sin is around us, sin
is among us, sin is in us. And this is a spiritual contest. It's a spiritual conflict. Paul
calls it a race. Literally a race of discipline,
of determination. A race, like people running a
race. A mild run, he calls it a race. Secondly, he calls it a fight. You've come out with some scars
and you've administered some. It's a fight. But look at 1 Timothy
6 verse 12. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life. Whereunto you are also called
and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. That's
a fight. Paul calls it a warfare. Turn
back to 1 Timothy 1. It's nothing easy about it, 1
Timothy 1 verse 18. He says to Timothy in 1 Timothy
1 verse 18, This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according
to the prophecies which went before on you, that you by them
mightest war a good warfare. War a good warfare. to be strong
in the Lord, and depend on the power of His might, and to put
on the whole armor of God." That's what it says here, back to my
text, Ephesians 6, 10. Brethren, be strong in the Lord,
in the power of His might, and put on the whole armor of God,
is because our enemies, now listen to me, are a whole lot stronger
than we are. First of all, he said you may
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. He's stronger
than you are. He's called in the word of God
the accuser of the brethren. He's called an adversary. He's
called an enemy. He's called a father of lies.
He's called the prince of the world. He's called a serpent.
He's called a tempter. He's called the god of this world.
He's called that wicked one. And with him, against us, is
principalities, look at verse 12, principalities, powers, rulers
of the darkness of this world, wicked spirits in heavenly places,
who deal in lies and pride and covetousness, this is their battlefield. Lust, covetousness, deceit, self-righteousness,
unbelief. And the field of battle is the
mind. It's a spiritual battle. He said you're not wrestling
against flesh and blood. You're going to keep your body
in good shape and run a mile a day and exercise on all these
exercises. That's not where it is. It's
in the mind, it's in the soul, it's in the spirit. He invades
the mind. He invades the spirit. He causes
unrest and division and distrust and anger and doubt and fear. He'll attack an angel. He's not
a coward. He's not a timid enemy. Turn
to the book of Jude. This principalities and powers
and rulers of the darkness and devil, he'll attack an angel.
In Jude, verse 9, Michael the archangel, Michael the archangel,
when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of
Moses. But he didn't bring any railing
accusations against the devil, against Satan. He said, the Lord
rebuked me. This is a spiritual battle. Sometimes you feel pulled apart,
powerful temptations, all these feelings. You're wrestling against
some awesome powers. He'll attack an apostle, the
apostle Peter. He kind of bragged a little bit.
The Lord said, all of you are going to be offended because
of me this night. He said, not me. Remember? These other fellas may, but not
me. I'll go to the death with you."
Christ said, Peter, Satan hath desired you that he might sift
you as wheat, but I prayed for you. And Satan gave him a rough time. I tell you, this enemy will attack
the Son of God. He'll attack an angel, he'll
attack an apostle, he'll attack the Son of God. You read that sometime, he took
him up on the mount and said, if you're the Son of God, cast
yourself off and show everybody who you are. If you're the Son
of God, if you're hungry, make some bread out of those stones. So that's what I'm saying. This godliness and walking with
God requires the power and might of God, of our Lord, of His Spirit. It requires us to put on the
whole armor of God. Wherefore, verse 13, take unto
you the whole armor of God, Because the battle's not with flesh and
blood, it's in the spiritual realm, and we need the armor
of God, the power of God, the grace of God, the strength He
provides. These enemies do not want us
to believe on Christ. These principalities and powers
and rulers of the darkness do not want you to believe Christ
and to rest in faith. They do not want you to be a
kind and loving and obedient son or daughter. They'll use your soul as a battleground. They do not want you to walk
in grace and knowledge of Christ, in the righteousness of Christ.
They don't want you to find comfort in His Word. They don't want
you to be a loving parent. They don't want you to be a good
servant. They don't want you to be a generous
master, or a loving, caring, forgiving believer. They want
you in trouble. Isn't that what it says? If I know anything at all about
the word, what I'm saying is true. He goes through all these
things of godliness and grace and mercy and peace and obedience,
grace. And then he says, brethren, be
strong in the Lord, in the power of his might. You better put
on the whole armor of God because you've got some enemies. Put on the armor. We're going
to get to this in a minute. And they're going to come at you.
And they're not flesh and blood. It's not somebody you can challenge. It's somebody you can't even
see. Spiritual battle. It messes with your mind and
your thoughts. Puts doubts and fear. Upsets
you. Brings things upon you. Tries
to overwhelm you like Peter. Put him in a circumstance where
he denied he knew Christ. And we're going to have to have
the armor of God because this battle rages and it's the only
thing that can help us, protect us, our defense. All right, verse
14. Now he says in verse 11, put
on the whole armor of God. First, that's all I need is the
armor of God. Put on the whole armor of God.
All of it. It's all I need. It's the only
armor I need. It's the only protection I need.
It's the only strength I need. It's the only way I can overcome
in this spiritual conflict. So what is it? Number one, verse
14. Stand therefore having your loins
girt about with truth. The truth. That's what I tried
to preach this morning. Christ the truth. The gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the truth. Turn to John 16. This is what I'm talking about. John 16. John chapter 16, verse 13. When he, how be it, John 16,
13, when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into
all truth. He will not speak of himself.
The Holy Spirit is not going to speak of himself. But whatsoever
he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he'll show you things
to come. He'll glorify me. He'll receive of mine, and show
it to you, the truth. All things that the Father hath
of mine, therefore said I, he'll take of mine, and show it to
you. Have your loins girt about with
the truth." That's Christ, who said, I'm the way, the truth,
and the life. in whom you trusted after you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. That's
the truth. You know the truth and the truth
will make you free. That's the start, the truth.
All right, secondly, and having on the breastplate of righteousness,
the breastplate of righteousness. Now, this breastplate It's talked
about in the Old Testament a little bit. Let's turn to a couple of
scriptures in the Old Testament. Now, the breastplate is front
and back. It covers from the neck to the
waist, the breastplate, front and back. It protects the most
vital parts. Isaiah, let's look at Isaiah
59. This is in the Old Testament, Isaiah 59. All that God reveals
to us in the New Testament has been written in the Old. Isaiah
59 verse 17. For he put on righteousness as
a breastplate. Righteousness as a breastplate.
Helm of salvation upon his head. He put on the garments of vengeance
for clothing was clad with zeal as a cloak. This breastplate
is a breastplate of righteousness. All right, another, Isaiah 61,
verse 10. Isaiah 61, 10, I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my
God. He hath clothed me with the garments
of salvation. He's covered me with the robe
of righteousness. As a bridegroom decketh himself
with ornaments, as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Now
this is not our righteousness, is it? This is not our righteousness. The enemy, if I were hiding behind
my righteousness, he'd easily find defects. He'd easily find
cracks and holes. There'd be more holes than breastplates,
I'm afraid, with my righteousness. And he'd destroy me. This is
the righteousness of Christ. Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians
5, let's see what it says here, 1 Thessalonians 5, and verse
8, this breastplate, 1 Thessalonians 5, 8. But let us who are of the day
be sober, putting on, reaching out, taking, putting on the breastplate
of faith and love. and for a helmet the hope of
salvation. This is Christ's righteousness.
His perfect holiness will repel any accusation, any charge, or
any conflict. His righteousness. I wouldn't
dare stand before men or before Satan, much less God, clothed
in anything but the righteousness of Christ. That's our hope. Oh, that's the third piece of
this armor. Verse 14 says, have your loins
girt about with the truth, Christ is the truth, gospel of truth,
what I've preached this morning. Having the breastplate of his
righteousness, his holiness, his perfection. And your feet
shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Now in preparation
for this race, This was how. This journey. The believer's walk is a long
walk. We've got a long walk. Some of
us have been walking as believers for 50 years now. It's a long
walk. And this walk is going to go
through some rough places. You've been in some rough places.
Going to be in some more. Thorns, wires, The believer's
walk is in slippery places, through storms, deep valleys
and high mountains, cold and hot. He's going to have to have
a firm, solid footing. He's going to have to have a
firm, solid foundation, or he's going to fall. And this is it
right here, the gospel of peace. the gospel of Christ, who made
peace by the blood of his cross. Now I don't know about you fellas,
but I went in the surface. I went in the amphibious forces,
that's land and sea. And one of the things that they
were most concerned about was my faith. With all the marching,
it was a long war, it was a long time, And it's concerned about
our feet. And when they issued boots, they
didn't issue sandals. They didn't issue slides or slippers.
They issued some very strong, lasting, tough, cloth hoppers
we call them, but comfortable. The best boots, the best. because of the long journey.
My gospel is the gospel of peace. It's the best for the long journey. Secondly, my boots fit me perfectly. They were very careful that my
boots would be, fit me perfectly, meet my condition. This gospel
fits me. Remember when they put those
boots on? They fit you perfectly. This gospel fits me. It's my
gospel. It's comfortable. It fits my
need, my condition, and my boots were comfortable. I wore them
for two years. And my boots gave me a firm,
solid footing no matter the terrain, whether I was walking in sand
or up a hill or down a valley or through a marsh. They protected my feet and slip-replaced
it. And I don't think they ever had
to be replaced. And that's my gospel. In preparation
of this race, your foundation better be good. It's just one
foundation. That's having your feet shot
for this long journey through rough places and slippery places
and tragic, terrible places. Gospel people. And then he says,
above all, and that's a pretty good word, isn't it? Above all.
But above all, take the shield of faith. Above all, believe
God. Don't try to understand God,
just believe Him. Don't try to explain God. Don't
ask God for reasons. God doesn't give account of His
matters to creatures. We couldn't understand it if
He spelled it out for us. But just believe Him. Believe
God. Oh, who can tell the value of believing God? Without faith
it's impossible to please God. Abraham believed God and became
the friend of God. Abraham believed God and he was
able to hope against all hope. Take the shield of faith, that
shield of faith turns in every direction. It covers the whole
man. Not just like a breastplate,
it covers the whole man. Say, shield, make long shield
of faith, it turns in every direction, meets every challenge, every
dart, every fiery dart hurdle. That's what it says. Take the
shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked. I believe God. It's alright. I believe God. They can't get
you that. It's alright. I believe God.
If it's what God wants me to do, I believe Him. If it's the
way God wants me to walk, I believe Him. If it's the condition God
wants me in, I know how to be abound and be a base, but I believe
God. Now you're not open for any,
any defeat if you can believe God. That's the shield. And all
the fiery darts, but, but, but no but to it, just God, I believe
God. Didn't ask him for an explanation,
he's not going to give one. Why should he? If I can believe Him, all things
are possible. Alright then, next he says, and
for a helmet, take the helmet of salvation. That talk over
there talked about that breastplate of hope and helmet of salvation. The helmet's for the head. Helmet's
for the head. And the hope of a sure salvation
in Christ is a defense against People that want to work on your
mind. Well, who is that? False preachers. False preachers that always,
well, this, that. There's no trinity in the Bible.
There's no substitution. There's only false preachers.
They work on you. They want to come at your mind.
These people come and knock on your door. They want to argue.
Put on the helm of salvation. Christ. False preachers, false
doctrines, attacks of depression and distress. down, put on the
helmet of salvation. And then he says, take the sword
of the spirit, the word of God. The sword of the spirit, the
word of God. The spirit of truth. Our defense
is thus saith the Lord. That's it, thus saith the Lord.
It's a sharp two-edged sword. It wounds and it heals. And this
is what our Lord used when Satan came to him on the mountain.
He said, if you be the son of God, cast your... bake these
stones, bread. And Christ said, it's written.
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by the word of God. That
shoot him off, came back. You be the son of God, cast yourself
off headlong, we'll believe you. It is written, I shall not tempt
the Lord thy God. But if you be the Son of God,
follow down and worship me and I'll give you all the kingdoms.
Again, he said it is written. That's our self-worth. That's
our defense against any challenge. And then that's also our offensive
weapon. Preach the word. Now closing,
here's the last part of the armor, verse 18, and pray. Pray always. Pray at all times,
all seasons, all occasions. There is no season for preaching
the gospel, in season, out of season. There's no season for
prayer. It's at all times. And he says,
let's read it, praying with all prayer and supplication. The
word supplication is a humble spirit. A humble spirit, a broken
spirit. That's it. Praying in the Spirit,
in the Holy Spirit and in the true sincere Spirit of heart,
not hypocritically, in the Spirit, sincerely. Watching thereunto
with all perseverance. Don't quit praying. Even when prayer is not presently
answered. I've had a lot of prayers that
weren't answered, but I'm not quitting praying. with all perseverance,
all perseverance, even when discouragements arise, when the heavens seem
to be brash. God, David said one time, didn't
he say, God are you clean gone? Aren't you ever going to have
anything to do with me again? That's what he's talking about. Perseverance
and supplication, humble prayers and requests for all the believers,
pray for one another. And Paul said, verse 19, and
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, for which I am an ambassador in bonds. And therein
I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak, but pray for me. open doors and utterance, that
the gospel may run well, that I may speak boldly, but that's
the way I ought to speak, but I need prayer, because the preacher
wrestles also against the principalities of God. Satan doesn't want us,
the powers of darkness, doesn't want us to be what we ought to
be anywhere, especially here. He especially hates the gospel,
the gospel of grace. I'm sure of that. That's saying
only a sinner is saved by grace. Mike, I think that's a good one
for us to, depending on him, looking to him.