Armor of God
Ephesians 6
We do not fight for victory but from His victory
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The Belt of Truth
- The truth of God’s word must control our lives.
- His truth strengthens us to resist the devil and persevere.
- We must take the word into our minds and apply it in our lives.
- Satan is a liar. This is his strongest tool.
- Unless we constantly feed on the word and His life, we will fall for lies in weak moments.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
- Put on the breastplate of righteousness, which is God's verdict of approval.
- It is what is right in His eyes.
- Protect your desires and emotions, as they influence decisions.
- Obey the faith that God births in your inner self, in the heart of your spirit.
- This is not about our righteousness but the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
- Satan wants to influence our minds so we fall short repeatedly.
- He brings accusations against us, pointing his finger at God.
- He uses guilt to beat us down and make us quit.
Standing in Righteousness
- Stand your ground.
- Remind yourself and the accuser that you wear the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not your own dirty rags.
The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace
- Strap on your feet the firm foundation of the gospel.
- God’s gift of wholeness comes when all essential parts are joined together.
- Satan is the destroyer. He seeks the destruction of our lives.
- We must stand on the firm foundation of the gospel.
- Justified by faith in Jesus Christ, we have peace with God.
- With that peace, we can stand and face anything.
Psalm 40: "He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud. He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm."
- Standing firm means we must move and fight the enemy to make progress.
Numbers 33:53: "You shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you." - We are to fight and stand firm so the enemy cannot shake us.
The Shield of Faith
- Take up the shield of faith to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
- Satan tries to influence our minds with ungodly thoughts.
- His goal is to inflict pain, misery, and wear us out.
- Our faith, trust, and confidence in God come from His word.
Romans 10:17: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."
- The Lord births faith in us as we yield to Him.
- Why does He do this? So we may know what He prefers.
- He woos and draws us toward His will, where power and life abound.
The Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit
- Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
- Protect your soul and feed constantly on the Living Hope of salvation.
- Actively renew your mind through the word, prayer, and worship.
- This is the abiding life.