Sermon Info
Summary
It’s easy to think of the Armor of God as a metaphor that’s distant from our everyday realities. But each piece is meant to be utilized in “every situation” as Paul writes in Ephesians 6:16. Reflect this week on the following questions: 1. What dart of the enemy has come your way? What promises in Scripture can you claim by faith that will extinguish his arrows? 2. Our salvation is a present reality. In what area are you not living in light of that reality? How can you align your thoughts and actions with what is true about your salvation? 3. When you speak truths from God’s Word, is the timing right? Is your heart right before the Lord? Are you dependent on the Holy Spirit?
Content
Our Spiritual Battle
Are you putting on your Everyday Armor for your daily spiritual battles? Though we don’t live in the ancient Roman empire when armor like what’s described in Ephesians 6 was worn, we can still learn so much from this armor that Paul describes. It’s a different time period, yes, but the spiritual battles that the Christ-followers faced then are still very much the same as the battles we face.
They faced struggles with doubt. They faced feelings of condemnation. They faced despair, abandonment, rejection, and desire for control. No matter what day, what year, what century, or what life situation or circumstance, we all are facing fiery darts of the evil one being shot at us on a regular basis. These darts tempt us to give in or to give up. They can be so difficult to fight against at times, but the encouragement is that we are not alone in the fight – and God has given us armor as we take a stand against the enemy.
In every season and every circumstance, we are to put on this armor – the armor that God, too, wears. It protects, it defends, and it helps us to stand in the truth of God’s promises and in the hope of our salvation.
What the Bible Says about Going Forward
We read of six different pieces of armor in Ephesians 6, and in today’s message, we’re focusing on the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
Each of these pieces of armor are designed to fight against the fiery darts of the enemy but this is especially the purpose of the shield of faith. This shield that Paul is describing is a large shield, about the size of a car door, and it’s a shield that you can link together with other shields to form a barrier or blockade. It points to the fact that we need both our individual faith and our communal faith as we are fighting against the flaming arrows. It’s through our faith and security in Christ that we can defend ourselves against these attacks.
Next, we take up the helmet of salvation. What it means here in verse 17 is that we are using this defense to live fully in light of our present and future redemption. The helmet protects our minds, and, through this, it’s helping us to see things through the lens of our salvation – to see things as they actually are, not how culture or those who are not Christ-followers view things.
Lastly, we have the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is the only offensive piece of armor that we’re given. God’s Word is essential to the life of a believer because it destroys sins, it gives us the power to fight, it heals, and it equips us for battle. But, we must know the Word of God in order to use it in our lives as a piece of armor.
Are you equipped to fight your battles?
We all are fighting a different battle, but we all do struggle with something. God has given us this armor to strengthen our faith because faith is what gives us the power to declare the truth of the Gospel.
Faith declares we are forgiven and unconditionally loved. It declares that our God provides for our needs. It declares that we have an enduring hope in our Jesus that will never forsake us. Faith declares that our God is sovereign – NO MATTER the battle we face.
What is the battle that you are facing today? Do you believe that God is in control over that battle? Have you put on the armor of God today in order to take a stand against the flaming darts of the evil one? Friend, it’s time to be equipped for battle. Take up the shield, the helmet, and the sword today, and see what God does in and through your life. He is faithful to fight alongside you and will never leave you alone in the fight.
