ARMOR UP PT 2
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Two guys were out hiking and fishing in the backwoods and on their way back they all of a sudden heard a sound behind them. When they turned around there was the biggest Grizzly Bear they had ever seen.
1st guy said; “What do we do now?”
2nd guy; “Well I’ve heard just crawl up into a ball on the ground and lay real still, what do you think?”
1st guy; “I say we run!”
2nd guy; “No man, we can’t out run that bear.”
1st guy; “I don’t have to out run the bear, I just have to out run you.”
EPHESIANS 6:10-17 (NKJV)
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. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
LISTEN ….
[1] The Enemy Is Powerful
Whether ‘principalities’ and ‘powers’ refer to different ranks of evil spirits in the hierarchy of hell we do not know, but both titles draw attention to the power and authority they wield[1]
[2] The Enemy Is Wicked
Power itself is neutral; it can be well used or misused. But our spiritual enemies use their power destructively rather than constructively, for evil not for good. They are the worldwide rulers of this present darkness. They hate the light, and shrink from it. Darkness is their natural habitat, the darkness of falsehood and sin.[2]
[3] The Enemy Is Cunning
It is because the devil seldom attacks openly, preferring darkness to light, that when he transforms himself into ‘an angel of light’ we are caught unsuspecting. He is a dangerous wolf, but enters Christ’s flock in the disguise of a sheep. Sometimes he roars like a lion, but more often is as subtle as a serpent.3 We must not imagine, therefore, that open persecution and open temptation to sin are his only or even his commonest weapons; he prefers to seduce us into compromise and deceive us into error. [3]
Satan’s greatest scheme to get to you is “Weariness” & He is trying to “Get You” to ABANDON YOUR POSITION “In Christ”
SO -- God provided us with some weapons for the Battle -- His Armor -- not our armor -- but -- HIS ARMOR!!! – ISA 11 & ISA 59 to see our armor comes from Our Father God
I’M GOING TO REARRANGE THE “ARMOR’S ORDER” TO SHOW YOU HOW IT WORKS ….
[1] REFINED MIND
[1] REFINED MIND
Mind -- seat of your intellect, will and emotions
“for as a man thinketh, so is he”
By Filling YOUR Mind with the Word of God -- Knowing from God’s Word “Who You Are” In Christ Jesus & “Who He Is In You”
SEE -- A HELMET wraps around a Warriors Head -- he can’t lose his thinking by a blow to the head or the battle is “Totally Lost” -- a well fought battle is “All About” Right Thinking!
Next piece of armor I want to talk about is ….
[2] CONDEMNATION STATION
[2] CONDEMNATION STATION
Satan begins to help YOU fish in the “Sea of Forgetfulness” -- looking for past guilt, past feelings, forgotten sins
Making YOU THINK that YOU must have done something really bad to be going through what you are going through
Devil LOVES to use “Old Things” to condemn you with
ROMANS 8:1 (NIV)
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
ROMANS 8:1 (PHILLIPS NT)
No condemnation now hangs over the head of those who are "in" Jesus Christ. For the new spiritual principle of life "in" Christ lifts me out of the old vicious circle of sin and death.
PHILIPPIANS 3:13 (LIVING BIBLE)
No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
THAT IS WHY RENEWING YOUR MIND IS SO IMPORTANT – SO YOU CAN MOVE INTO THE NEXT LEVEL OF ABUNDANCE – CONDEMNATION HITS AT YOUR MIND & THEN YOUR POSITION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Which Brings Me To Our Next Piece Of Armor ....
BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS -- breastplate on a soldier protects his heart & all his vital
organs
ISAIAH 59:17 (DARBY)
And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
PROVERBS 4:23 (GW)
Guard your heart more than anything else, because the SOURCE OF YOUR LIFE flows from it.
OUR ENEMY WOULD LIKE TO STRIKE OUR HEART!
The heart is the center of our emotions.
The heart is the center of our devotions.
The heart is the center of our relationship with GOD.
WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH OUR “SOULISH REALM” OF LIVING WE NEED TO CONQUER
In Spiritual Warfare there is one part of us in particular the DEVIL sets his site for & that is our HEART.
· If the DEVIL can get control of our heart --- he can then control our emotions & our devotions.
· If the DEVIL can get control of our heart -- he can very quickly destroy our relationship with GOD.
There’s a lot of professing CHRISTIANS whose HEART is CONTROLLED by the DEVIL.
‘Above all else guard your heart.’
If Satan can strip the child of God of his sense of righteousness then he can wound his heart and his conscience
2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 (NKJV)
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in Him.
FOR US -- the Blood of Jesus gives us life -- His Righteousness covers us --
WE HAVE BEEN MADE ONE WITH CHRIST – SO – When the Father looks at Jesus He sees US & When He looks at US He sees Jesus!
RIGHTEOUSNESS – places US back into that original position that we were created “After His Likeness” – to begin “Operating Like God Meant For Us To Operate” – HAVING DOMINION IN OUR LIVES ONCE AGAIN
PHILIPPIANS 3:7-9 (GW)
These things that I once considered valuable, I now consider worthless for Christ. It’s far more than that! I consider everything else worthless because I’m much better off knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. It’s because of him that I think of everything as worthless. I threw it all away in order to GAIN CHRIST AND TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. This means that I didn’t receive God’s approval by obeying his laws. The opposite is true! I HAVE GOD’S APPROVAL THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST. This is the approval that comes from God and is based ON FAITH
WE must not only believe in OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS -- WE must put it on as a breastplate – IN OTHER WORDS -- IT MUST BE A WAY OF LIFE
JUST LIKE we believe in gravity
JUST LIKE we believe we can breathe oxygen
WE’VE GOT TO BELIEVE WE ARE RIGHTEOUS
ARE YOU GETTING THE PICTURE – WE ARE PUTTING ON THE NEW MAN
(ORIGINAL FORM) – Garden Of Eden Man In The Spiritual & Take Back Our Dominion That Was Stolen By Deceit From Us – CHRIST MADE THE WAY – NOW We Have To Step Into Our Christ Man THE WORD APPLIED TO OUR EVERYDAY LIVING
EPHESIANS 6:10 (WEY)
In conclusion, strengthen yourselves in the Lord and in the power which His supreme might imparts.
We need to see ourselves as God sees us, and by doing this, through Christ we will achieve the greatness in our lives that God has willed for us. AN ABUNDANT LIFE!
HEALING flows out of this RIGHTEOUSNESS THINKING
PROTECTION flows out of this RIGHTEOUSNESS THINKING
PROSPERITY flows out of this RIGHTEOUSNESS THINKING
PEACE flows out of this RIGHTEOUSNESS THINKING
SECURITY flows out of this RIGHTEOUSNESS THINKING
Confession In The Middle Of Battle:
Confession In The Middle Of Battle:
“I am the righteousness of God In Christ Jesus” -- I reject & refuse your lies devil, I am not unrighteous but I have been fully accepted in the Family of God -- I HAVE GOD’S APPROVAL THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST -- I AM HIGHLY FAVORED BY GOD MY FATHER -- I am a child of the Living God In Christ My Savior!!!!”
If you are not COMMANDING the devil -- then he is INFLUENCING YOU!
[1] Stott, J. R. W. (1979). God’s new society: the message of Ephesians (pp. 263–264). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[2] Stott, J. R. W. (1979). God’s new society: the message of Ephesians (p. 264). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[3] Stott, J. R. W. (1979). God’s new society: the message of Ephesians (p. 265). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.