Post by Shepherd on Mar 23, 2009 20:29:44 GMT -6
-IV THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD.
EPHESIANS 6:11..PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST HE WILES OF THE DEVIL.
If a person received Jesus Christ as Savior, would he need to fear the devil?
Paul has been setting forth in the Book of Ephesians what is true about being a Christian. He began by pointing out what has been arranged for the Christian in Christ. He spoke of the spiritual blessings that the Christian has in Christ. Then he showed how the Christian could respond to walk worthy of his name as a Christian.
Under the leadership of specially gifted ministers—people with divine enablement, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers–the Christian can grow into maturity, into the fullness of the stature of Christ. Paul pointed out that to do this he needs to practice putting off the old human nature, and putting on the new, which is the spiritual nature in Christ.
Then Paul set out steps to take to achieve this blessed condition; the heart and mind should be filled with Scripture, the Christian should practice thanksgiving; Christians should submit one to another. To help Christians understand, Paul pointed out specifically what six different groups of people ought to do; wives and husbands, children and parents, servants and masters. The apostle described how each one would be submitted himself in his situation as part of the way in which he could be filled with the Holy Ghost of God.
All this would seem to be a complete presentation and one could wonder why Paul did not stop at this point. He was giving them guidance for living. Now he undertook to help them to put into practice that of which he has written. With reference to a Christian living in this world, Paul would say, “There is an enemy.
PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL.. EPHESIANS 6:11
Armor is what as soldier puts on when he fights. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD means see to it that your are completely covered and protected, so that you MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL
Paul had no question in his mind about the devil being real. The Christian would be very well advised to remember that the devil is active and hostile. He is cunning, and is a lot smarter than any human being. God can and will protect Christian for which they can thank Him. He will do it in His way.
With reference to the devil, we should never forget that Michael, the archangel, does not rail at him. Whatever you do, do no joke about the devil.
BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKS ABOUT, SEEKING WHO HE MAY DEVOUR. I PETER 5:8.
BE SOBER–get serious minded about this thing. Do not be light about it–BE VIGILANT—keep your eyes open because of your adversary. We have an enemy, someone that means to do us harm, THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKS ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.
It would be a whole lot safer for us if he were merely a lion; that would be enough to scare us by our just looking at him. If he were only something you could actually identify then you could be careful. The trouble is he is a liar–he is smooth–he can be found sitting in church, pretending to be pious.
In the Book of Revelation where the seven churches are referred to, two of them were called the place “Where Satan is.” He can be in the church, he can be in the pew. I have spent many years in the pulpit so I going to take the liberty to tell you that he can also be in the pulpit. Remember that when the Lord Jesus Christ was with His own disciples, He turned around to talk to Peter, one of the best men He had, and said to peter. GET THEE BEHIND ME, SATAN. MARK 8:33.
Paul has in mind that the devil is real and he is not bound at this time. He is prowling and he is after us to do us harm. He is cunning. He comes at us always on our weak side. Everyone has some weakness. And old farmer one time was heard to pray; “Lord, prop me up on my leaning side.” That is how it is with many of us.
Well, Satan knows where that is . He knows exactly the weakest spot and that is exactly where he will attack, but he also seeks to affect us through other people. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. The next time we feel like criticizing someone, lets keep in mind that is exactly what the devil would do.
A word of criticism has a way of always getting back to the person involved. It gets around and cause always more trouble. Satan is powerful, no man, woman or child is strong enough to face the devil alone.
When Jesus of Nazareth warned Peter that Satan planned to sift him like wheat, the Lord Jesus said to Peter..I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE, THAT THY FAITH FAIL NOT. Luke 22:32. Jesus of Nazareth would not allow Peter to withstand that testing alone. Our Lord is in heaven now praying for us, which is a great comfort to all Christians.
God has made provision for Christians for this very battle against the enemy, and He has made these provisions as we read in Ephesians by preparing a certain armor that the Christians can put on to help him in self-defense against the devil. Such armor will include truth, HAVING YOUR LOINS GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH; righteousness, THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS; the Gospel of peace, YOUR FEET SHOD WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; and faith, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH, WHEREWITH YE SHALL BE ABLE TO QUENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED.
God has given us the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. This is the armor that the Christian is to put on in this great contest where he is fighting for his life against a vicious enemy that wants to harm him. Paul urges Christians to put on the whole armor of God, not just part of it, but all of it.
Christians need total protection. It is a life and death struggle that we may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil. He is such a powerful enemy that the only chance of survival that I have is by my putting on the whole armor of God.
I can rejoice to remember that when I fail to get it all done, the Lord is more gracious than I can think. he can do more for me than I can ask or think. Even if I do not get the whole armor on, I can run to Him for safety. FOR SATAN TREMBLES WHEN HE SEES THE WEAKEST SAINT UPON HIS KNEES. When we get on our knees and look up into the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are safe in Him.
EPHESIANS 6:11..PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST HE WILES OF THE DEVIL.
If a person received Jesus Christ as Savior, would he need to fear the devil?
Paul has been setting forth in the Book of Ephesians what is true about being a Christian. He began by pointing out what has been arranged for the Christian in Christ. He spoke of the spiritual blessings that the Christian has in Christ. Then he showed how the Christian could respond to walk worthy of his name as a Christian.
Under the leadership of specially gifted ministers—people with divine enablement, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers–the Christian can grow into maturity, into the fullness of the stature of Christ. Paul pointed out that to do this he needs to practice putting off the old human nature, and putting on the new, which is the spiritual nature in Christ.
Then Paul set out steps to take to achieve this blessed condition; the heart and mind should be filled with Scripture, the Christian should practice thanksgiving; Christians should submit one to another. To help Christians understand, Paul pointed out specifically what six different groups of people ought to do; wives and husbands, children and parents, servants and masters. The apostle described how each one would be submitted himself in his situation as part of the way in which he could be filled with the Holy Ghost of God.
All this would seem to be a complete presentation and one could wonder why Paul did not stop at this point. He was giving them guidance for living. Now he undertook to help them to put into practice that of which he has written. With reference to a Christian living in this world, Paul would say, “There is an enemy.
PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL.. EPHESIANS 6:11
Armor is what as soldier puts on when he fights. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD means see to it that your are completely covered and protected, so that you MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL
Paul had no question in his mind about the devil being real. The Christian would be very well advised to remember that the devil is active and hostile. He is cunning, and is a lot smarter than any human being. God can and will protect Christian for which they can thank Him. He will do it in His way.
With reference to the devil, we should never forget that Michael, the archangel, does not rail at him. Whatever you do, do no joke about the devil.
BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKS ABOUT, SEEKING WHO HE MAY DEVOUR. I PETER 5:8.
BE SOBER–get serious minded about this thing. Do not be light about it–BE VIGILANT—keep your eyes open because of your adversary. We have an enemy, someone that means to do us harm, THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKS ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.
It would be a whole lot safer for us if he were merely a lion; that would be enough to scare us by our just looking at him. If he were only something you could actually identify then you could be careful. The trouble is he is a liar–he is smooth–he can be found sitting in church, pretending to be pious.
In the Book of Revelation where the seven churches are referred to, two of them were called the place “Where Satan is.” He can be in the church, he can be in the pew. I have spent many years in the pulpit so I going to take the liberty to tell you that he can also be in the pulpit. Remember that when the Lord Jesus Christ was with His own disciples, He turned around to talk to Peter, one of the best men He had, and said to peter. GET THEE BEHIND ME, SATAN. MARK 8:33.
Paul has in mind that the devil is real and he is not bound at this time. He is prowling and he is after us to do us harm. He is cunning. He comes at us always on our weak side. Everyone has some weakness. And old farmer one time was heard to pray; “Lord, prop me up on my leaning side.” That is how it is with many of us.
Well, Satan knows where that is . He knows exactly the weakest spot and that is exactly where he will attack, but he also seeks to affect us through other people. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. The next time we feel like criticizing someone, lets keep in mind that is exactly what the devil would do.
A word of criticism has a way of always getting back to the person involved. It gets around and cause always more trouble. Satan is powerful, no man, woman or child is strong enough to face the devil alone.
When Jesus of Nazareth warned Peter that Satan planned to sift him like wheat, the Lord Jesus said to Peter..I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE, THAT THY FAITH FAIL NOT. Luke 22:32. Jesus of Nazareth would not allow Peter to withstand that testing alone. Our Lord is in heaven now praying for us, which is a great comfort to all Christians.
God has made provision for Christians for this very battle against the enemy, and He has made these provisions as we read in Ephesians by preparing a certain armor that the Christians can put on to help him in self-defense against the devil. Such armor will include truth, HAVING YOUR LOINS GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH; righteousness, THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS; the Gospel of peace, YOUR FEET SHOD WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; and faith, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH, WHEREWITH YE SHALL BE ABLE TO QUENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED.
God has given us the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. This is the armor that the Christian is to put on in this great contest where he is fighting for his life against a vicious enemy that wants to harm him. Paul urges Christians to put on the whole armor of God, not just part of it, but all of it.
Christians need total protection. It is a life and death struggle that we may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil. He is such a powerful enemy that the only chance of survival that I have is by my putting on the whole armor of God.
I can rejoice to remember that when I fail to get it all done, the Lord is more gracious than I can think. he can do more for me than I can ask or think. Even if I do not get the whole armor on, I can run to Him for safety. FOR SATAN TREMBLES WHEN HE SEES THE WEAKEST SAINT UPON HIS KNEES. When we get on our knees and look up into the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are safe in Him.
