How to Put on God’s Armour

24 May 2020 PM – Ephesians 6:10-18 – Armour – Scott Childs
Welcome: Welcome to our Sunday evening online church service.
Prayer
Introduction: Daily we face temptations to say ungodly words, to act unkindly, to lust, to get angry, to disobey, to fear to witness, to worry, to gossip, and on and on.
            Our text this evening is written to Christians. It tells us that the devil and his demons are behind our temptations (v.12). Though our sinful flesh works against our indwelling Spirit (Gal 5:17), the spiritual powers of the devil and his demons are our greatest foes.
            Many, perhaps most, Christians do not know HOW to put on God’s armour and therefore they rarely put it all on and they live in defeat.
Transition: This evening, I want to show you HOW to put on each piece of God’s armour. Just as a soldier, you must daily put on God’s armour. You put on the armour by asking God to help you with each piece. You must memorise this procedure and arm yourself every morning.
  1. Begin with God’s belt of truth
a.         Ask God to teach you truth from the Bible
1)         Knowing truth will keep you from believing error.
2)         The Bible is God’s truth for us. Jesus said, (John 17:17) “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 8:32) “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.“
b.         After prayer, find a Bible truth on which to focus
1)         Having a daily time in careful Bible study every morning will fill your mind with truth and protect you against error.
2)         Do NOT just read a chapter a day to keep the devil away. Follow a schedule of some sort. Underline key phrases. Look up unknown words. Write notes in your Bible margins. Review when finished and pick one verse to ponder. Write down a principle that can help you from that verse. Ponder the verse during the day.
3)         You did not buckle on God’s truth today if you did not study the Bible and find a truth to ponder.
2.        Next is God’s breastplate of righteousness
a.         God made you righteous at salvation
1)         If saved, you are positionally righteous before God. (Romans 10:10) “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.“
2)         Because we do not always live righteously, God tells us to follow righteousness. (2 Timothy 2:22) “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.“
b.         Confession of sin will keep you righteous
1)         Daily confession of sin is not part of eternal salvation; it keeps you right with God. (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
2)         You put on God’s breastplate of righteousness by confessing all known sin. Ask God to search your heart.
3.        Third is God’s shoes of peace
a.         Worry robs of peace and weakens resistance
1)         Going through the day without God’s peace is like walking barefoot on sharp pebbles. It is painful.
2)         When you are worrying about your burdens, you are disobeying God, focussing on self and weakening your resistance against the devil.
b.         Cast all burdens on the Lord and receive peace
1)         Make a mental list of your burdens.
2)         One by one, lay them at God’s feet, and ask Him to deal with them His way. (Philippians 4:6-7) “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.“
4.        Next you must pick up God’s shield of faith
a.         The fiery darts of doubt disable you.
1)         When we doubt God’s love, His care, His abilities, his faithfulness, His promises or His presence with us, we have no shield against the devils fiery darts.
2)         Faith in our mighty, faithful God is our shield.
b.         Renew your faith in God’s greatness
1)         Thank God for creating all things. Thank Him for every answer to prayer. Sing, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. Ask God to increase your faith (Ro 10:17). Ponder God’s attributes. (Hebrews 11:6) “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.“
2)         Pick up God’s shield of faith and hold on tightly. Believe God and His Word.
5.        Then take God’s helmet of salvation
a.         This is God’s helmet to protect your mind.
1)         The word “salvation” does not always refer to God saving us from hell. It also refers to deliverance or protection.
2)         God’s helmet will protect your mind as you fill your mind with God’s Word. (Psalms 119:9) “Wherewithal shall…”
b.         Keep your mind protected.
1)         Do so by guarding your meditations. (Psalms 19:14) “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalms 119:15) “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.“
2)         If your meditations please God, you will not be thinking impure or ungodly thoughts. Guard your mind.
6.        Sixth, you must grip God’s sword
a.         The devil cannot stand against the Bible.
1)         It is the sword of the Holy Spirit because He is its author.
2)         Jesus defeated the devil with the Word during His temptations (Mt 4:4, 7, 10).
b.         Ask God to help you use Scripture effectively
1)         When the Bible seems ineffective, the problem is not with the Bible but with our inability to use it effectively.
2)         You must keep your sword skills proficient. [Illustrate] The only way to do this is through memorisation, meditation, and application. (Psalms 119:11) “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.“
7.        Seventh, spend time in God’s presence
a.         Prayer is staying close to God
1)         Prayer can do anything God can do.
2)         Therefore, submit yourself to God. (James 4:7) “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“
b.         We must pray and supplicate
1)         Prayer is talking to God and keeping in close fellowship with Him. Discuss life’s situations with Him.
2)         Supplication is requesting His help before and during temptations. “Pray without ceasing” (1Th 5:17).
8.        Last, you must watch for potential attacks.
a.         You must be a scout.
1)         The devil usually attacks when our guard is down.
2)         You must always be sober and vigilant – stay away and be ready. (1 Peter 5:8) “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (cf. Mt 26:41).
b.         Seek to spot the devil before he strikes
1)         Know your weak points and be on guard.
2)         Bite your tongue. (Ecclesiastes 7:9) “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.“
3)         Bounce your eyes. (Psalms 101:3) “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.“
Conclusion: God designed this armour for your protection. It is your means to attaining God’s strength and might to defeat the devil. You must allow yourself to benefit from it by doing what God said in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Yes, it will take work, but you are in a battle with the devil not in a squirt-gun fight with your friends. Will you take it seriously? Will you memorise how to put on God’s eight pieces of armour? Will you put it on every morning as your day begins? Your spiritual success and purity depend on it.
Pray