Armour of God | Ephesians 6:10-20

INTRODUCTION

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today I want to bring your attention to a powerful passage of Scripture found in the book of Ephesians 6:10-20. This passage speaks to us about the armour of God, a spiritual armour that we as believers are called to put on and utilize in our daily lives. It is a passage that reminds us of the spiritual battle we face and provides us with the tools necessary to stand firm in the face of adversity.

Open your Bibles with me to Ephesians 6.

1. There Is No Choice, You Are In A Battle.
2. We Have A Real Enemy: Flesh, World, & Devil
3. We Are To Be Strong In The Lord And His Power.
4. The Church Is Called To Participate In The Triumph Of God In Christ.
5. We Are To Put On The Full Armour Of God.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

He explains the armour in:

Ephesians 6:14-17

¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Armour of God

• Belt of truth buckled around the waist.
• Breastplate of righteousness.
• Shoes which is the readiness given the by gospel of peace.
• Shield of faith.
• Helmet of salvation.
• Sword of the Sprit, the word of God.

Belt Of Truth Buckled Around The Waist

This is to hold on to the Gospel Truth.

Speak the truth to one another.

I have spoken a full sermon on the ‘belt of truth’ last week. You may go and listen to that sermon. Today, we will start with the second armour.

Breastplate of Righteousness

What is righteousness? In this epistle righteousness is closely connected to another word: Holiness.

Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Righteous means doing what is right.

Holiness is the one who does according to God’s precepts.

A holy person is a person dedicated to God, doing only the will of God.

Paul has already mentioned in this letter as to what is holy?

Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

Ephesians 4:17-19

17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

Do not live like the Gentiles.

Sexual immorality.

Impurity: Everything is included here. It is anything that God does not like, anything that the word of God prohibits.

Greed – Not satisfied with what you have, and a desire to grab more and more. It is an addiction.

Can you imagine? If holiness is our breastplate, if we have a bit of impurity and a lot of greed, we have lost it.

Feet Fitted With The Readiness Of The Gospel Peace

Two things: Unity & Proclamation

Ephesians 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

There is a great importance of footwear in battle. They used a thick-soled, hobnailed, semi-boot that had straps that tied, so that it was tremendously tight, adhering to their foot. The hobnail gave them firmness of footing so they could stand in the battle, and that’s what Paul sees. He sees this Roman soldier standing, and his feet are firm, and he’s able to hold his ground, and make quick moves, and keep his feet. He doesn’t slip, and he doesn’t slide, and he doesn’t fall.

Ephesians 2 talks about the peace that Jesus proclaimed.

Ephesians 2:17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

So what is the gospel of peace?

Paul says that Jesus preached the peace to those who were far away and those who were near.

The gospel of peace brings unity.

One of the greatest weapon of the enemy against a church is to cause disunity. The gospel of peace will make peace among each other. When Jesus proclaimed the gospel of peace he brought the ones who were far and near as one. He brought the Jews and Gentiles together as one. So the gospel divides every kind of human barrier of language, caste, religion, and class and brings peace.

The gospel brings peace between God and between people.

The gospel brings peace to people.

So spiritual battle in this context is to work for unity in the home, church and community. If we are divided, we have lost in the spiritual battle. Everyone must be careful about this. With our talk, friendship, and behaviour we must not bring disunity in the church. Think before you talk. See if our talk will bring disunity among the members of my family or church. Do I give the devil the foothold to bring disunity with my talk?

The devil wants a divided home. When the husband and wife cannot get along, children are always in conflict and disobedient to their parents.

The devil wants a divided church. A divided church is not effective, a divided church cannot grow or move forward. But when a church is united, if we are united, with one mind, one heart, one Spirit, one body; we will be able to do what Jesus did in this world. We will become a body that proclaims the gospel peace.

How does the devil destroy the unity in the home and church?

Ephesians 4:25-27 ²⁵Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:31-32 ³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Falsehood, unwholesome talk, bitterness, anger, brawling, slander, gossip malice.

Slander.

But be compassionate and forgiving one another in the family and church.

So the gospel of peace is not just unity, but a preparation to preach this gospel outside of the church.

Preparation to Preach the Gospel

Today many churches are having an imbalance. There is no proclamation of the gospel. Every one of us must be involved in proclaiming the gospel.

Every church must be involved in the gospel. Every believer must be involved in the gospel. We will must be busy sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many are too focused on revival, some are too focused on discipleship. All these are important, but the church and believers cannot neglect our commission to share the good news of the gospel. Discipleship and evangelism are sides of the same coin.

We all must read and set our foot to spread the gospel of peace.

How can we spread the gospel of peace?

Open our homes for the care cells, and invite your friends to the care cell.

Share the gospel personally with your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours.

Bring others along to church on Sunday mornings.

Support the mission initiatives of the church.

Warfare is that the church is having meetings, and fasting prayers and I will not be a part of it. I have lost the warfare.

It is a readiness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

There is a readiness to hold on to the gospel truth.

There is a readiness to speak the gospel.

There is a readiness to participate in missions in sharing the gospel.

The belt of truth buckled around the waist.

Breastplate of righteousness.

Shoes at your feet which is the readiness given the by gospel of peace.

The Shield Of Faith

Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

We have the flaming arrows of the evil one.

If you do not have the shield of faith, the flaming arrows will burn us. This is such an enemy that if it comes, it comes with fire and smoke and suffocates us. So we are to hold up the shield of faith.

Now, Paul is looking at a Roman soldier and has picturized this.

They had 3 kinds of shields, two for individual use, one for using it together to form a blanket shield against the arrows of the enemies which was held by more than one person. This is not an ordinary shield. It is the height of a person.

We have an individual shield of faith – the Word of God.

We have a collective shield – Uphold one another.

Ephesians 6:18-20 ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

So the big shield is a common effort when the soldiers are standing together, they used to help each other.

This shield of faith cannot be held individually. We have to support each other with the shield of faith. The church should come together, we should help my brother or my sister to hold this shield of faith during their testing times. That is why we have fasting prayers, we come together, take up each other’s needs and lift up to God in prayer. So we are upholding the weak brethren.

When a family or a brother or sister is going through a difficult time, you go and pray for that family and encourage them, the shield of faith is being lifted up there.

We need to become such a family or community. House visiting is important. House visiting is not for gossiping or spreading rumours, but house visiting is for lifting up a brother or sister in need in faith.

Some people are thinking pastor, I do not have a good house or place to host a meeting. A good way to look at it is contentment. I am happy with what I have and I will open up my house for prayer even in my limitations. The rich and poor will come together to that house and worship. There we hold up the shield of faith and extinguish the flames of evil.

Find out who is weak in faith. Find out who is going through a tough time. Go to them and strengthen them in the faith. Pray for them.

Belt Of Truth Buckled Around The Waist.

Breastplate Of Righteousness.

Shoes At Your Feet Which Is The Readiness Given The By Gospel Of Peace.

The Shield Of Faith.

Helmet of salvation.

Ephesians 6:14 ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The helmet of salvation is our thought life. The thoughts of the enemy that says that I am not good, I have lost the grace of God. Overcome such thoughts of the enemy. At such times take the helmet of salvation. I may make a mistake, my God forgives my mistakes. But I will not let the devil defeat me in my thoughts. I am a child of God.

Sword Of The Spirit, Which Is The Word Of God.

We have only one offensive weapon – the sword of the Spirit. We need to use the sword of Spirit, which is the word of God.

ILLUSTRATION

The Word of God is the power that overcomes the devil. So it was with Jesus in the wilderness. To every temptation thrown at him by the devil, he quoted Scripture (Mat. 4:4, 7, 10). If Jesus was himself the Word of God and could command demons so that they obey him (Mark 1:27), and yet he depended on Scripture to deflect the temptations of the devil, so should we.

When you go through a difficulty, sickness, problem, or pain; where the devil fights with us; let the word of God not depart from your mouth. Speak the word of God to our circumstances. Let the power of the word of God be seen in our situation. When you use the word of God, it is like cutting through the schemes of the devil.

The word of God is powerful.

When the devil suggests that you will not be healed. You use the word of God.

1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

When the devil says that this relationship will not change. You use the word of God.

When the devil says, you will be defeated. You use the word of God.

When the devil says, you need more things to be happy. I am content, I can do all things through Christ.

When you confess the word of God, God gives you victory over the enemy. The principalities and powers of darkness will surrender to the word of God. Use the word of God as your weapon.

When the devil uses the family to fight, use the word of God. Tell them my wife will respect me and I will love and submit to my wife. Our children will be obedient, and they will prosper according to the word of God. Our family will be protected. No weapon of the enemy shall prevail against my family.

CONCLUSION

Who is the devil afraid of?

One who has:

Belt Of Truth Buckled Around The Waist – Believe the Gospel truth & Speak the truth.

Breastplate Of Righteousness – A holy life.

Shoes At Your Feet Which Is The Readiness Given The By Gospel Of Peace – Unity & Proclamation.

The Shield Of Faith – Upholding one another.

Helmet of salvation – Taking captive every thought to obey Christ.

Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

Now, as believers, it is not enough for us to simply know about the armour of God. We must put it on daily. We must be intentional about preparing ourselves for the spiritual battle that surrounds us. This means spending time in prayer, seeking God’s guidance, and filling our minds with His Word. It means living lives of integrity and righteousness and actively sharing the message of peace and salvation with others.

What a victorious Christian life. God has saved us so that we shall become soldiers for him. We are seated, but we will walk, but we will stand knowing the scheme of the devil and we will oppose him and have victory in our Christian life.

Let’s read Ephesians 1:3-13 as to what Christ has done for us as we conclude this sermon series:

Ephesians 1:3-14

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹¹In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.