Text: Eph. 6:10-18
Intro. The armor with which we will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the devil is from God ~ it is not man made, it is God-furnished.  Satan has many demon–devised methods and schemes to outwit the child of God ~ and we must have the mind of Christ and the power of the Spirit if we overcome Satan's many methods. I Cor. 2:16 For who hath known the mind
of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
    A. We are to put on the whole armor if we are to stand.
        1. If we leave one spot unprotected by God’s armor, we are open for defeat.
        2. It takes the entire armor if we are to be able to stand in the hour of battle.
I. The soldier: Verses 10-11
    A.  Must “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”
        1. The only way we can be strong against Satan is in the Lord.
        2. The only way we can overcome the devil is “in the power of His might.”
            a. We are no match for the devil
    B. The soldier must,  “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
        1. When a lost sinner gets rid of the burden of sin at the cross he is led to God’s house (a New Testament church), into
            the armory, where he puts on the armor which God has provided.
            a. God furnishes the armor but you must put it on. v. 11 put on the whole armor of God.
            b. Notice verse 13 says “take” not make. Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in
                the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore.
            c. This is not referring to “the great day of God’s wrath found in Rev. 6 thru 19 but to the evil facing the Lord’s
                churches today.
        2. A Christian pilgrim must also be a soldier for Christ.
        3. Warfare is part of the Christian life.
        4. Paul said, Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  II Tim. 2:3
        5. The Child of God who goes through life without a fight has never done anything to arouse opposition from the devil.
    C. When God’s preachers hurl thunderbolts from His Word against evil, men always take exceptions to it.
        1. They regard it as a personal affront aimed at their business, their supposed rights or their boasted “personal liberties.”
        2. Then they seek by any means at their command to silence the mouthpieces of God.
II.  The enemy: Verse 12 gives us light as to whom we are fighting against. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places.
    A. We must not deceive ourselves in thinking that our enemy is weak or that he is flesh and blood.
    B. We are not wrestling against human power, but against demon-power.
    C. Liberals and modernist would have us believe that Satan is only an evil influence.
        1. The Bible distinctly teaches that he is a person.
            a. Jesus referred to him as “the prince of this world.” Jn 12:31. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the
                prince of this world be cast out.
            b. Paul describes the devil as “the god of this age.” II Cor.4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds
                of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
                unto them.
            c. In Eph. 2:2 he describes him as “the prince of the power of the air.”
            d. In Rev. 12:10 He is called the “accuser of the brethren.”
        2. He goes up and down the earth seeking whom he may devour.  I pet 5:8
III. The Armour; every piece of armor is for protection from frontal attack. There is no armor for the back. Courageous,
loyal soldiers face their foes. The good soldier must be prepared to endure hardness and to fight the good fight of faith. I Tim. 6:12.  The Lord will not use a soft-pedaling, fence-straddling, men-pleasing puppet.
        1. It is one thing to be weak but it is another to be constitutionally spineless.
            a. To the weak the Lord says, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor 12:9
            b. Of the spineless He says. James 1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave
                of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A
                double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
    A. 1st The “Girdle of Truth,” Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.  v.14.
        1. The costume of the day consisted of long flowing robes.
            a. In order to be unimpeded in their movements, the Orientals were accustomed, when starting a journey or engaging
                in any work, to bind their long flowing garments closely around their bodies and fastened them with a leather belt
                (girdle).
            b. The girdle (belt) bound them up, out of the way.
        2. The flowing skirts of Bible ignorance must be girt up with a knowledge of truth. Truth holds our life together
        3. If you let the girdle of truth guide your life, you will see through the clever lies of Satan and overcome his deceitful
            ways.  John 17:17.
    B. 2nd The “Breastplate of Righteousness,” and Having on the breastplate of righteousness.  v.14
        1. When you put into practice the things taught in the Word of God, you are putting on the “Breastplate of
            Righteousness.” Your heart is fixed to obey God. Deut 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all
            these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded..
        2. Rev. 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife
            hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine
            linen is the righteousness of saints.  Isa. 61:10
    C. 3rd Preparation of the “Gospel of Peace,” And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.  v. 15.
        1. The third piece of armor for the Christian soldier is “Prepared Gospel Shoes.” II Tim. 2:15
        2. It's hard to fight when you don't understand your mission. Jer. 10:23.  Psa. 119:105;
        3. Our mission. Mark 16:15
            a. Baptize those who receive Christ.
            b. Teach them to observe or practice all God’s commandments.
            c. Minister to one another in love.
    D. 4th The “Shield of Faith,” Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of
         the wicked.  v. 16.  Heb. 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God.   Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of
         things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
        1. Satan has some fiery darts he will shoot at you.
            a. Dart of temptation.
            b. Dart of discouragement.
            c. Dart of deception.
            d. Dart of compromise.
            e. Dart of fear.  II Tim 1:7
        2. The trained soldier always used his shield to protect himself.
    E. 5th The “Helmet of Salvation,” And take the helmet of salvation.  v.17
        1. The Helmet of Salvation that God provides is a spiritual mind.
            a. A spiritual mind is one that thinks the thoughts of the Lord.
            b. The thoughts of the Lord are His Word. Rom. 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by
                the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
        2. In the battle for your life, Satan attacks your mind.
            a. God speaks to you through your spiritual mind.
            b. Satan speaks to you through your carnal or fleshly mind.
        3. Your thoughts control your mind and your mind controls your life.
        4. There are at least three ways Satan works on your mind.
            a. He tries to create a rebellious attitude in your mind.
                a) Rebellion is one of the oldest sins in the Bible (equal to witchcraft).
                b) Committed by Satan himself. Isa. 14:12-16
            b. Satan will suggest you follow your own wisdom in making decisions in life.
            c. Satan will attempt to get you to think with a carnal mind.
                a) That means you will look at things from a worldly point of view rather than a spiritual view.
                b) Lot didn’t look at Sodom with a spiritual mind. Gen. 13:10-11
                c) He looked at it with a worldly mind, as a good place to make money.
            d. You use the Helmet of Salvation when you allow God to control your thoughts.
    F. 6th The “Sword of the Spirit,” and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   v.17 The Word of God is an
        offensive weapon.
        1. This is a sword that has been fired and tempered in the fiery furnace of God. (The Bible) Heb 4:12 For the word of
            God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
            spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
        2. In the military they taught us to respect our weapons. (best friend)
            a. We must respect the Word of God; the Bible can bless you or bruise you.
            b. When rightly divided it brings one to Christ, salvation and Heaven.
            c. When wrongly divided it takes you from God and salvation, and it could lead one to hell.
        3. The military taught us to learn our weapons.
            a. You should have a deep desire to learn the Word of God.
            b. Before you will have that desire there are certain sins that must be put aside. 1 Peter 2:1-2 Wherefore laying aside
                all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere
                milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
            c. A soldier learns his weapon by practicing with it.
                a) You learn the Bible by practicing it. Matt 28:20
                b) When you practice God’s Word you deny your emotions or feelings to rule your life.
                c) When you follow God’s Word you have joy and happiness in your heart.
        4. The military taught us to use our weapons.
            a. One of the ways you can use your weapon is by winning the lost.  I Cor. 1:21
            b. Another way to use your weapon is to encourage other church members to serve the Lord. Rom 15:14 And I
                myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also
                to admonish one another.
    G. 7th  The warriors resource of power, v.18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching
         thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  Luke 19:46.  1. Phil. 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.