The Sermon The Armor of God by David McGee
Oct 30, 2011
The Armor of God (36:12)
Referenced Scriptures: Ephesians 6:10-18
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10) Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.
11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world‘s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13) Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
14) Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15) and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16) above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17) Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18) with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
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Area Bible to Ephesians chapter six verses ten to fifteen and were to talk about the armor of God, be strong in the Lord and the power was much whenever we think about being strong and we think about strain. We generally think of it in the context of being neuromuscular and physical strength and I won't add us a lot about me here whatever, whenever in the day back in the olden days of being eighteen, nineteen, twenty years of age. No drying up on the farm. I was extremely was I could bench over almost four hundred pounds, so I was I I was very strong. I was very. Bob was drunk while I would lose this one guy and one evening in this video with a new strength I member being on it. It's college and this was not it. Bible colleges was at the design and Salem and West Virginia. The disguising where the big man on campus, you know, strong guys that they said a committee that came into my and are reminiscent, I hear you may tell me that we hear you think you're pretty strong as I don't think I'm very strong and I just was going on, scared to death, and I'll sort out these were upperclassman and is a will. How much can you left us as well. I looked around I thought I could probably ing about fifteen times and pick them up when I press the ten or fifteen times and I set them down. They said okay. They left so big, strong contagion has a lot of different connotation. There is a strong will. People have strong will. Some call it stubbornness. But you know our strengths are our weaknesses are. Weakness can be our strength. So whenever we think I'm strong. What do we think we generally think of something that we possess. But the Scripture that were talking about your being strong in the Lord is allowing what God has given to us what God 's provision is for the arts. Now if we could allow the strength of the person beside us to somehow work into our life to be pretty good in our league. I is like I have membership at the gym and and I and I don't also doesn't help me. I don't understand and apply by your membership at the gym and you go work out. I don't get a benefit from job so we know it doesn't work that way if I buy your membership you go work out. Why don't I get them to benefit from. But what we have here in businesses, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might that we are allowing what God has done for us and what God has given us to be part of who we are and we can earn it. We can make it happen. We can't take this on which God has given us. We can't somehow conjured up. We have to see it for what it is an and in the Scriptures, and what it represents, and then allow it to be part of who we are part of our spiritual, physical, mental, emotional makeup. Now, in any patients. Here we have missed this armor of God, and one of the things, and I heard this morning whenever I'm listening to my tapes and the Bible and think when it's been quite interesting to listen the Bible through the yearbook to the Bible just read through without stopping and looking at verses and stuff and then going back and listen to them again, but Paul said Jesus is the visible image of an invisible God, Jesus is the visible image of an in visible by so when Paul was writing about Jesus Christ and what he has come to the exhaust is saying, Jesus is a visible image of an invisible God, and whenever we are taking this after the armor of God, and we're going to look at this and were going to see a visual image of an invisible part of who we are. So let's read on Ephesians chapter six verses ten to fifteen finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, but on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil 's schemes for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil and heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, that you sold that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist with a breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sort of the spirit which is the word of God and 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 saints don't we have this Jesus is the visible image on an invisible God. Paul is Paul was imprisoned and Paul is chained to a Roman soldier, so he was very well aware of what the Roman soldier what the Roman armament looked like an very much aware of fondly called these soldiers had been in battle and how that the EntreMed had protected them how they did the other Roman. The Roman legions were probably the most levels are the most well-equipped but they were very well-equipped very well trained and on one of the words for the Roman legions rose soldier was on exercise. They were very physical person they could be involved in the Army was not a tumor for your stand. It was a lifetime commitment. So you were in the Army humor in the Army for life. They die. So you are part of the Army, and you are part of this whole regiment. So you learn on your experiences and your experiences. You passed on to other people and the Romans were quite quite dreaded they are there military strategies in there and there are annoying. If you've seen the movies and things to see how they think they would take their shield and put it in front of them. And you know in the arrows of flying at all. They just put than the protection up and the guy behind reported on top. It would just like this. No metal encasement that would protect them from the arrows and whatever was being thrown at the end. Then they were able to move forward and already the battle and none of them were killed by these flaming arrows were flying arrows because they were all protected by their shields and then I got right into the into the business. The battle and began to fight and they were very well-trained, so Paul is talking about disarmament, and he uses is a uses it as a visual imagery of an invisible quality. The use of the visual there were three eleven invisible quality. He first tells us in this in this verse we strong-arm the Lord in the power of his mind that that we are to recognize that what we are taking onto ourselves in putting on is the power of God. The strength of God and what God has given to us, not counting along with our Sunday school lesson that John God has signed a contract. The contract is that he loves us, and that he will provide for us, he will be with us, he will keep us that we never leave us nor for thank you so these are things that God has promised to us and our faith in allowing it to become part of our life shall be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. If we are going to be strong in the Lord. We then need to put on what Paul calls the armor of God, and he is using the Roman soldier as a illustration as to what this armament looks like and he says that we are first of all our struggle is not against flesh and blood that what we are going through in our life is a spiritual battle. There are there are spiritual battles going on around us. There are spiritual battles for our soul of our life for mine. My spirit because we are a spiritual being. We are spiritual beings. The Bible says the angel of Lord cap about campus roundabout. Those who fear him. God camps around us. There are angels in this place. The their angels. That's a good thing. There are angels here, you know, saying the weather here is a spiritual round around us that that is going on all around us, and if you've ever been in a place that's a really evil, hopefully not been there. I mean, it was Nathan Barringer had stand up and give us know beyond any shadow without this is not a good place and then I hope you been in a place where you can sense God 's Spirit in you can sense that there's a loving this place is alone here. That is different than in Iraq might advantage is a very special holy place. That's a spiritual reality ends where not always aware of it, but there is there. That's all around us all the time and that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against powers or rulers of darkness, so I strongly suggest mind over matter. It isn't just about you. You ever thought that you thought thoughts that you thought the driver have thoughts that you knew where yours now. Sometimes their evil and sometimes they're very good. Now don't get too upset about that, because when Peter was Jesus said to Peter, who do people say that I am, here's is one hour at the Christ the son of the living God. Jesus said to Peter, while Peter Fleischer wanted revealed that to you, but my father which is in heaven, and then a little later Jesus as one might to die. It appears as though we can't let that happen. And Jesus tells Peter, get behind me Satan. So Peter had a divine thought from the father and enable thought from Satan and in a matter of moments. So these thoughts come to us. We have to know which ones are which subplots are human subplots are God, and some thoughts are evil. Now we have to know enough to be able to discern pick out which one what will we think of this way is my thoughts are distilled the killer to destroy evil plots are stealing, killing and destroying the house down thing yourself belittling yourself tearing yourself down. Those are not going there are wolves understand which one which thoughts are with their guidelines so we can understand which God which Doctor God, and which ones are. If we know the word if we know the word. The word will help us understand what are the characteristics and qualities of a godly I don't get too upset over now, while the other can do the devil made me do we do this not because the devil doesn't make us do anything we choose to do, just like I believe God says you can do all things through Christ which I can do all things which, through Christ who strengthens me. I forgot the do I do everything to God wants me to know what is I decide I'm the deciding vote in my life. God is trying to bring me develop who I have developed my life, and he was trying to steal, kill, destroy, have setbacks fallbacks stumbling and falling and don't get up again. Those types of thoughts. It is not a private ball down it. Sometimes we get up being godly doesn't mean we don't make mistakes being godly recognizes the hand of God in my life, even when I fail God is there, what for to restore to build your child that is learning to walk. When a child falls down to yell and scream: stupid and help Black is learning to walk. God says that our spiritual life. So, but on the whole armor of God were not in the battle that slice. Therefore thirteen therefore take up the whole armor of God so we we have an entire armament and where to put on women entire armament that we argued to put ourselves now back to the picture. This argument isn't something that is out of us make this argument isn't something that we know we create. This is something God has created for us. We are to put it on faith. God has created this honor. So Paul, being chained to a Roman soldier knows what disarmament is about and that the armor. It has to be put on one piece at a time so you can see that underneath right in the middle of straw and Isabel that holds the shield in the garden was at work in place and everything that holds it together. The belt is called what with both the girded your waist with the belt of truth, while Charlotte is pretty simple, that the word of God, thy word is truth. The Scripture is the truth. What is the truth of the matter truth of God is that he loves us so never leave us or forsake us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of. I sent what is the truth of God 's word. Why is their lives on through the water lines. Satan fights us with lives with lines that wise about ourselves lies about our background lies about Gail Pear always writes the back truth. If you're going to the alive, you're going to believe a lie because it's attached to something that you think is true that the truth is based upon God 's revelation of his word to our life like John, while the sale allies, you know, guiding it ever be any good, and feel him never make it. You never what you know that that's a lot why, because who knows the future, but God, and who gave us the right to to to fail our future over a past mistake. She knows her lives. Satan tells us with lies. The truth is we've failed in the past and therefore the line that comes from that failure is that you'll never make it to that the law. God says all things work together for good. That's a true. The truth is that I'm going to allow God to work in my life over and through the failure of yesterday so that tomorrow is that I can arrive where God wants me to be not the true and the truth holds it all together and hold breastplate of righteousness. While there is a breastplate there and you know you want those sword battles in whatever and eight is/ are right across the midsection and I'll let AI doughnuts that the gory site in people who don't have a breastplate right, Roy site, but what is the breastplate of righteousness, our righteousness, or God God 's righteousness righteousness means whiteness right standing with God right relationship. My right relationship with God will protect my heart, my lungs. My internal organs and the righteousness is why doesn't God and my and my righteousness is as filthy rag want of filthy rides protect us from absolutely nothing. They just think so. My filthy righteousness to think that I would consider my whiteness in life are nothing but the righteousness of God is something that he has given me so, God is put together. God has put together this armament that you and I are to put on so we are to put on true truth will haul the breastplate in place is ever put on something. I just walked around Oliver blank, you might go with a floppy piece of armor. It's got the fat in every piece of armament has to be connected or to become a part in battle connected to truth, righteousness of God. His righteousness is my is protected by heart. My rightness relationship with God, his relationship with me. He has set in motion a contract are covenants and agreements that once it was the Scripture talks about righteousness and righteousness was imputed given to them that the righteousness was that which God gave to them, and this is something God has given to us to protect our hearts think righteousness of the righteous is the heart is the seat of the emotions self-worth and trust so his righteousness protects my heart, my emotions myself were when we got our South were we are putting our rags to protect us the righteousness of God protects our hearts. I self work God has a whole different image of our self-worth, then we do or evil does evil is afraid of you and I becoming the person God wants us to be because we will do damage to the to the kingdom of evil. We will do damage to evil because of the righteousness of God protecting our heart and our self-worth and what's next verse fifteen. What is it and I got a idea 's. What is it it shows that I ever wore spikes for both banks running spikes baseball spikes in Iran White House, thanks in the bottom traction life. They are shot in the King James has shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, that peace, the peace of God gives us the security when we stand when we are standing when we have a shot on armament, a guy who was fighting a battle for his life doesn't want to be falling down on slippery slimy slope, so they would have his aware spikes in their sandals so they could stand in battle, and whenever we are a piece, the peace of God that passes understanding is that while I am in the most difficult place of my life I am at peace with myself and with God and with others that so I don't fall peace is footwear that I am able to stand and not be afraid. I am to go and I am able to go into battle trusting my equipment trusting my training trusting the God who is my commander-in-chief. So therefore I am at peace going into the battles of my life Paul being beaten drug on the city forget stone drug on the city per day. Shipwrecked three times spent a day in an ice floating in the date the peace of God that passes all understanding. He was able to be at peace in his life, even when the circumstances were totally out of his control. Peace of God, where's that please come from God. God is the one who gives us peace that peace is something we wear you don't come up on my thinking. You come up you come across it by God giving you his spikes now is like kids in negative indent level shoes and have lately lied up Johnny, my grandson, you'll say I got new shoes. I can run fast walk because of the shoes in our life, we have peace. What's next shielded saying the quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Satan has lots of things he throws at us fiery darts. You never see those flaming arrows. There are different kinds of shields, but most of the shields were. Had a bad egg kind of knew they were made out of wood and that was very heavy, but they also had a leather like it. No, I don't say which so for their shields in water to make them wet snow that way the fiery darts. The enemy was shooting arrows flaming arrows at them. They would stick into the shield and the fiery darts would be quenched, put out by the shields what is this you was wet and it would quench the diets, the shield of faith is that I have enough faith that the God who is with me will never leave me nor forsake me that God will provide a way for me. He will make a way where there is no way that these are promises and that these are the things when doubts fly out as you never, you know, good boom that that's the self-worth that hits off of the breastplate, you can't make it. Well, not the fiery dart that hits off of the yellow circumstances are against you that it's impossible for you to do this. That's a bit about the shield being hits the shield of faith and faith says I can do all things to Christ who gives me strength and that we get into this mode, where were we going or going forward we're going forward in our life were not looking back to the bad things there that have happened in the failures. God is forgiving than he has separated them from us and now it gives me this, however, meant to go forward into battle. So I have a shield that will protect me so that I can need to think that what the shield Israel is a lot of getting to the battle it out while you're in the battle you use it in a hand-to-hand combat. They have a different shield. Sometimes they would have this big shield of his body almost bodily that they would be behind and then whenever they were getting ahead and comment. They had the circular shield that they would use the in the battle, so they had been sometimes had Lucio, one inside the other almost, but primarily in that windshield that they walked forward to get into battle so large faith is that which takes us day by day that we have come. I like that, and some of the football players. They talk about having open up Aaron or helmets because the newer helmets are inflated their inflated navigator tubes inside of an in-flight that was so much pressure so that when they collide that it until they don't feel the full impact on the hit. So the helmet of salvation is that it covers our heads once or had what we think and what we what we see what we hear the salvation of God. Is that what God has given to us in this relationship experience must be protected. The Bible says to guard your hearts and your minds through the word comparison, there is a garrison on soldiers that were that this helmet is around your thoughts around what we think as a man think of it in his heart. Sally is don't let your thoughts. Take every thought into captivity. Don't let your thoughts runaway with you. Let the thoughts of God be your thoughts. Scripture says my thoughts and your thoughts as the heavens are higher than your saw my thoughts and my ways than yours. What that more than is telling us is that God 's thoughts about us are so far about so far superior to anything we can even imagine. So we don't allow ourselves to imagine evil bad defeating thoughts. The cell as God is out we were having this relational experience and our thought life was being elevated to a place where God 's will and God 's purpose will be accomplished in our life. We can't even begin to imagine. So what happens is we need to start imagining what God wants us to imagine and what does God want us to think he wants to think possibility he wants to think us to think about love and forgiveness. He wants us to think about how that he can accomplish great things in our life. He wants us to think about no matter how bad things had been where still safe in the arms of our father. No matter what happens we are not afraid of tomorrow whether I live or whether I die, belong to God. So therefore I say in this life and in the life to come. That's the thoughts of God. He will provide for me will make a way for me, he will protect me. He will be my helmet and my helmet always like that one that in the back to have this piece of that sticks out so that we can slash the back your neck and that is not part of a gallant one more, salvation and what sort of spirit which is the word of God. This is the only offensive weapon in the armament. The only office of weapon is the sword and the sword is the word. The word is knowing the word of God gives us time, not knowledge that we can go forward that I can strike out against the enemy of my soul, which is trying to defeat me that I can know the word by word is true, by word and I hid in my heart that I may not sin against the word of God is the anchor to our soul. The anchor to everything we are is this because it established lashes out against evil, evil wants us to retreat. God never retreat. The always advances that doesn't have to address that the retreat how does it have to retreat the dam of the devil knew everything. He would've never had Jesus crucified the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, with the fulfillment of God 's plan for salvation and the devil was totally caught off guard by a guardian. One, that's where the word of God can sin, evil thinks it can win the double cab with times limited God is the victor. God is the victor byword and I hated my heart. I will know the truth and the truth shall set me free anchorman. Now they goes on verse eighteen for the first part of what to say, praying always praying is what we say we need to talk about and pray about. Speak what we believe and take that belief to God, imagine going to God, so you're gone. I really don't believe you can work this out loud as our prayer. Let the Tao. What is our faith say. I believe that God can work in my life. I believe God 's word, which is my sword I believe God 's word and I pray God 's word over my life. I pray God 's word over my children. I pray God 's word over my circumstances. I pray God 's word over all of my life, my friends, my family the needs. We talk about. I pray those prayers of God 's word over them. That's my faith gained one for I have an expectation that the second part of it being watchful to this, and that's an expectation. I'm expecting I'm watching for the after my prior company and I persevere and I continue to go on, carry on Gulf War word in this endeavor and what supplication. I'm not holding on to pray for myself and the once caused me to pray for everybody and what's going on here is I am a soldier for God, and it is what Paul called Jesus Christ. The visible image of an invisible God. This imagery is a visible imagery and invisible power that every one of us possess. This is a visible imagery and indivisible power that every one of us possesses because as a child of God. Paul says we have truth, God 's word is truth holds everything together. We have a breastplate of righteousness, God 's righteousness. He gives this to us. We have feet of peace. Peace means that I am at peace, as I'm going into the greatest battle of my life. I will not fall I will not fail fall in the battle of life. I'm at peace. I have a helmet that gives me protects my thoughts. I know what I am to think I have a shield that no matter how many fiery darts employing in my way got it. He'll never does the Lord shoot away. You must Satan, you can get me on my feet, my shield of faith, because when I get close enough in the battle, the word of God will destroy what did Jesus say to Satan engine in the temptations it is written, it is written, it is written, it is written applicable). It is written, he knew the word. All of this is our 's and we pray it. We speak it. We think it. We go forward. And it's all there. You didn't even purchase this armor meant God didn't and he gives it to us. It is a visible picture of an invisible quality of God that he gives to them. We are to put it on every day in and ready to fight. You think you're strong. We are strong in the Lord and in the power of his life. I can't do this, God can and that's that selling right up& soldier guy fail, there is no visible picture on it in a little bit of a visible picture of the invisible qualities of the Christian life that God has given you. Is it because the spirit of honest side, there is floor to the spear was for those of you are into battles that they would be there and end whenever behind the. The armament they would. They would use their spears for launching war. They were using for thrusting until they got to into the closeness of the battle and then they would pull out the sword to goArea Bible to Ephesians chapter six verses ten to fifteen and were to talk about the armor of God, be strong in the Lord and the power was much whenever we think about being strong and we think about strain. We generally think of it in the context of being neuromuscular and physical strength and I won't add us a lot about me here whatever, whenever in the day back in the olden days of being eighteen, nineteen, twenty years of age. No drying up on the farm. I was extremely was I could bench over almost four hundred pounds, so I was I I was very strong. I was very. Bob was drunk while I would lose this one guy and one evening in this video with a new strength I member being on it. It's college and this was not it. Bible colleges was at the design and Salem and West Virginia. The disguising where the big man on campus, you know, strong guys that they said a committee that came into my and are reminiscent, I hear you may tell me that we hear you think you're pretty strong as I don't think I'm very strong and I just was going on, scared to death, and I'll sort out these were upperclassman and is a will. How much can you left us as well. I looked around I thought I could probably ing about fifteen times and pick them up when I press the ten or fifteen times and I set them down. They said okay. They left so big, strong contagion has a lot of different connotation. There is a strong will. People have strong will. Some call it stubbornness. But you know our strengths are our weaknesses are. Weakness can be our strength. So whenever we think I'm strong. What do we think we generally think of something that we possess. But the Scripture that were talking about your being strong in the Lord is allowing what God has given to us what God 's provision is for the arts. Now if we could allow the strength of the person beside us to somehow work into our life to be pretty good in our league. I is like I have membership at the gym and and I and I don't also doesn't help me. I don't understand and apply by your membership at the gym and you go work out. I don't get a benefit from job so we know it doesn't work that way if I buy your membership you go work out. Why don't I get them to benefit from. But what we have here in businesses, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might that we are allowing what God has done for us and what God has given us to be part of who we are and we can earn it. We can make it happen. We can't take this on which God has given us. We can't somehow conjured up. We have to see it for what it is an and in the Scriptures, and what it represents, and then allow it to be part of who we are part of our spiritual, physical, mental, emotional makeup. Now, in any patients. Here we have missed this armor of God, and one of the things, and I heard this morning whenever I'm listening to my tapes and the Bible and think when it's been quite interesting to listen the Bible through the yearbook to the Bible just read through without stopping and looking at verses and stuff and then going back and listen to them again, but Paul said Jesus is the visible image of an invisible God, Jesus is the visible image of an in visible by so when Paul was writing about Jesus Christ and what he has come to the exhaust is saying, Jesus is a visible image of an invisible God, and whenever we are taking this after the armor of God, and we're going to look at this and were going to see a visual image of an invisible part of who we are. So let's read on Ephesians chapter six verses ten to fifteen finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, but on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil 's schemes for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil and heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, that you sold that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist with a breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sort of the spirit which is the word of God and 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 saints don't we have this Jesus is the visible image on an invisible God. Paul is Paul was imprisoned and Paul is chained to a Roman soldier, so he was very well aware of what the Roman soldier what the Roman armament looked like an very much aware of fondly called these soldiers had been in battle and how that the EntreMed had protected them how they did the other Roman. The Roman legions were probably the most levels are the most well-equipped but they were very well-equipped very well trained and on one of the words for the Roman legions rose soldier was on exercise. They were very physical person they could be involved in the Army was not a tumor for your stand. It was a lifetime commitment. So you were in the Army humor in the Army for life. They die. So you are part of the Army, and you are part of this whole regiment. So you learn on your experiences and your experiences. You passed on to other people and the Romans were quite quite dreaded they are there military strategies in there and there are annoying. If you've seen the movies and things to see how they think they would take their shield and put it in front of them. And you know in the arrows of flying at all. They just put than the protection up and the guy behind reported on top. It would just like this. No metal encasement that would protect them from the arrows and whatever was being thrown at the end. Then they were able to move forward and already the battle and none of them were killed by these flaming arrows were flying arrows because they were all protected by their shields and then I got right into the into the business. The battle and began to fight and they were very well-trained, so Paul is talking about disarmament, and he uses is a uses it as a visual imagery of an invisible quality. The use of the visual there were three eleven invisible quality. He first tells us in this in this verse we strong-arm the Lord in the power of his mind that that we are to recognize that what we are taking onto ourselves in putting on is the power of God. The strength of God and what God has given to us, not counting along with our Sunday school lesson that John God has signed a contract. The contract is that he loves us, and that he will provide for us, he will be with us, he will keep us that we never leave us nor for thank you so these are things that God has promised to us and our faith in allowing it to become part of our life shall be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. If we are going to be strong in the Lord. We then need to put on what Paul calls the armor of God, and he is using the Roman soldier as a illustration as to what this armament looks like and he says that we are first of all our struggle is not against flesh and blood that what we are going through in our life is a spiritual battle. There are there are spiritual battles going on around us. There are spiritual battles for our soul of our life for mine. My spirit because we are a spiritual being. We are spiritual beings. The Bible says the angel of Lord cap about campus roundabout. Those who fear him. God camps around us. There are angels in this place. The their angels. That's a good thing. There are angels here, you know, saying the weather here is a spiritual round around us that that is going on all around us, and if you've ever been in a place that's a really evil, hopefully not been there. I mean, it was Nathan Barringer had stand up and give us know beyond any shadow without this is not a good place and then I hope you been in a place where you can sense God 's Spirit in you can sense that there's a loving this place is alone here. That is different than in Iraq might advantage is a very special holy place. That's a spiritual reality ends where not always aware of it, but there is there. That's all around us all the time and that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against powers or rulers of darkness, so I strongly suggest mind over matter. It isn't just about you. You ever thought that you thought thoughts that you thought the driver have thoughts that you knew where yours now. Sometimes their evil and sometimes they're very good. Now don't get too upset about that, because when Peter was Jesus said to Peter, who do people say that I am, here's is one hour at the Christ the son of the living God. Jesus said to Peter, while Peter Fleischer wanted revealed that to you, but my father which is in heaven, and then a little later Jesus as one might to die. It appears as though we can't let that happen. And Jesus tells Peter, get behind me Satan. So Peter had a divine thought from the father and enable thought from Satan and in a matter of moments. So these thoughts come to us. We have to know which ones are which subplots are human subplots are God, and some thoughts are evil. Now we have to know enough to be able to discern pick out which one what will we think of this way is my thoughts are distilled the killer to destroy evil plots are stealing, killing and destroying the house down thing yourself belittling yourself tearing yourself down. Those are not going there are wolves understand which one which thoughts are with their guidelines so we can understand which God which Doctor God, and which ones are. If we know the word if we know the word. The word will help us understand what are the characteristics and qualities of a godly I don't get too upset over now, while the other can do the devil made me do we do this not because the devil doesn't make us do anything we choose to do, just like I believe God says you can do all things through Christ which I can do all things which, through Christ who strengthens me. I forgot the do I do everything to God wants me to know what is I decide I'm the deciding vote in my life. God is trying to bring me develop who I have developed my life, and he was trying to steal, kill, destroy, have setbacks fallbacks stumbling and falling and don't get up again. Those types of thoughts. It is not a private ball down it. Sometimes we get up being godly doesn't mean we don't make mistakes being godly recognizes the hand of God in my life, even when I fail God is there, what for to restore to build your child that is learning to walk. When a child falls down to yell and scream: stupid and help Black is learning to walk. God says that our spiritual life. So, but on the whole armor of God were not in the battle that slice. Therefore thirteen therefore take up the whole armor of God so we we have an entire armament and where to put on women entire armament that we argued to put ourselves now back to the picture. This argument isn't something that is out of us make this argument isn't something that we know we create. This is something God has created for us. We are to put it on faith. God has created this honor. So Paul, being chained to a Roman soldier knows what disarmament is about and that the armor. It has to be put on one piece at a time so you can see that underneath right in the middle of straw and Isabel that holds the shield in the garden was at work in place and everything that holds it together. The belt is called what with both the girded your waist with the belt of truth, while Charlotte is pretty simple, that the word of God, thy word is truth. The Scripture is the truth. What is the truth of the matter truth of God is that he loves us so never leave us or forsake us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of. I sent what is the truth of God 's word. Why is their lives on through the water lines. Satan fights us with lives with lines that wise about ourselves lies about our background lies about Gail Pear always writes the back truth. If you're going to the alive, you're going to believe a lie because it's attached to something that you think is true that the truth is based upon God 's revelation of his word to our life like John, while the sale allies, you know, guiding it ever be any good, and feel him never make it. You never what you know that that's a lot why, because who knows the future, but God, and who gave us the right to to to fail our future over a past mistake. She knows her lives. Satan tells us with lies. The truth is we've failed in the past and therefore the line that comes from that failure is that you'll never make it to that the law. God says all things work together for good. That's a true. The truth is that I'm going to allow God to work in my life over and through the failure of yesterday so that tomorrow is that I can arrive where God wants me to be not the true and the truth holds it all together and hold breastplate of righteousness. While there is a breastplate there and you know you want those sword battles in whatever and eight is/ are right across the midsection and I'll let AI doughnuts that the gory site in people who don't have a breastplate right, Roy site, but what is the breastplate of righteousness, our righteousness, or God God 's righteousness righteousness means whiteness right standing with God right relationship. My right relationship with God will protect my heart, my lungs. My internal organs and the righteousness is why doesn't God and my and my righteousness is as filthy rag want of filthy rides protect us from absolutely nothing. They just think so. My filthy righteousness to think that I would consider my whiteness in life are nothing but the righteousness of God is something that he has given me so, God is put together. God has put together this armament that you and I are to put on so we are to put on true truth will haul the breastplate in place is ever put on something. I just walked around Oliver blank, you might go with a floppy piece of armor. It's got the fat in every piece of armament has to be connected or to become a part in battle connected to truth, righteousness of God. His righteousness is my is protected by heart. My rightness relationship with God, his relationship with me. He has set in motion a contract are covenants and agreements that once it was the Scripture talks about righteousness and righteousness was imputed given to them that the righteousness was that which God gave to them, and this is something God has given to us to protect our hearts think righteousness of the righteous is the heart is the seat of the emotions self-worth and trust so his righteousness protects my heart, my emotions myself were when we got our South were we are putting our rags to protect us the righteousness of God protects our hearts. I self work God has a whole different image of our self-worth, then we do or evil does evil is afraid of you and I becoming the person God wants us to be because we will do damage to the to the kingdom of evil. We will do damage to evil because of the righteousness of God protecting our heart and our self-worth and what's next verse fifteen. What is it and I got a idea 's. What is it it shows that I ever wore spikes for both banks running spikes baseball spikes in Iran White House, thanks in the bottom traction life. They are shot in the King James has shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, that peace, the peace of God gives us the security when we stand when we are standing when we have a shot on armament, a guy who was fighting a battle for his life doesn't want to be falling down on slippery slimy slope, so they would have his aware spikes in their sandals so they could stand in battle, and whenever we are a piece, the peace of God that passes understanding is that while I am in the most difficult place of my life I am at peace with myself and with God and with others that so I don't fall peace is footwear that I am able to stand and not be afraid. I am to go and I am able to go into battle trusting my equipment trusting my training trusting the God who is my commander-in-chief. So therefore I am at peace going into the battles of my life Paul being beaten drug on the city forget stone drug on the city per day. Shipwrecked three times spent a day in an ice floating in the date the peace of God that passes all understanding. He was able to be at peace in his life, even when the circumstances were totally out of his control. Peace of God, where's that please come from God. God is the one who gives us peace that peace is something we wear you don't come up on my thinking. You come up you come across it by God giving you his spikes now is like kids in negative indent level shoes and have lately lied up Johnny, my grandson, you'll say I got new shoes. I can run fast walk because of the shoes in our life, we have peace. What's next shielded saying the quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Satan has lots of things he throws at us fiery darts. You never see those flaming arrows. There are different kinds of shields, but most of the shields were. Had a bad egg kind of knew they were made out of wood and that was very heavy, but they also had a leather like it. No, I don't say which so for their shields in water to make them wet snow that way the fiery darts. The enemy was shooting arrows flaming arrows at them. They would stick into the shield and the fiery darts would be quenched, put out by the shields what is this you was wet and it would quench the diets, the shield of faith is that I have enough faith that the God who is with me will never leave me nor forsake me that God will provide a way for me. He will make a way where there is no way that these are promises and that these are the things when doubts fly out as you never, you know, good boom that that's the self-worth that hits off of the breastplate, you can't make it. Well, not the fiery dart that hits off of the yellow circumstances are against you that it's impossible for you to do this. That's a bit about the shield being hits the shield of faith and faith says I can do all things to Christ who gives me strength and that we get into this mode, where were we going or going forward we're going forward in our life were not looking back to the bad things there that have happened in the failures. God is forgiving than he has separated them from us and now it gives me this, however, meant to go forward into battle. So I have a shield that will protect me so that I can need to think that what the shield Israel is a lot of getting to the battle it out while you're in the battle you use it in a hand-to-hand combat. They have a different shield. Sometimes they would have this big shield of his body almost bodily that they would be behind and then whenever they were getting ahead and comment. They had the circular shield that they would use the in the battle, so they had been sometimes had Lucio, one inside the other almost, but primarily in that windshield that they walked forward to get into battle so large faith is that which takes us day by day that we have come. I like that, and some of the football players. They talk about having open up Aaron or helmets because the newer helmets are inflated their inflated navigator tubes inside of an in-flight that was so much pressure so that when they collide that it until they don't feel the full impact on the hit. So the helmet of salvation is that it covers our heads once or had what we think and what we what we see what we hear the salvation of God. Is that what God has given to us in this relationship experience must be protected. The Bible says to guard your hearts and your minds through the word comparison, there is a garrison on soldiers that were that this helmet is around your thoughts around what we think as a man think of it in his heart. Sally is don't let your thoughts. Take every thought into captivity. Don't let your thoughts runaway with you. Let the thoughts of God be your thoughts. Scripture says my thoughts and your thoughts as the heavens are higher than your saw my thoughts and my ways than yours. What that more than is telling us is that God 's thoughts about us are so far about so far superior to anything we can even imagine. So we don't allow ourselves to imagine evil bad defeating thoughts. The cell as God is out we were having this relational experience and our thought life was being elevated to a place where God 's will and God 's purpose will be accomplished in our life. We can't even begin to imagine. So what happens is we need to start imagining what God wants us to imagine and what does God want us to think he wants to think possibility he wants to think us to think about love and forgiveness. He wants us to think about how that he can accomplish great things in our life. He wants us to think about no matter how bad things had been where still safe in the arms of our father. No matter what happens we are not afraid of tomorrow whether I live or whether I die, belong to God. So therefore I say in this life and in the life to come. That's the thoughts of God. He will provide for me will make a way for me, he will protect me. He will be my helmet and my helmet always like that one that in the back to have this piece of that sticks out so that we can slash the back your neck and that is not part of a gallant one more, salvation and what sort of spirit which is the word of God. This is the only offensive weapon in the armament. The only office of weapon is the sword and the sword is the word. The word is knowing the word of God gives us time, not knowledge that we can go forward that I can strike out against the enemy of my soul, which is trying to defeat me that I can know the word by word is true, by word and I hid in my heart that I may not sin against the word of God is the anchor to our soul. The anchor to everything we are is this because it established lashes out against evil, evil wants us to retreat. God never retreat. The always advances that doesn't have to address that the retreat how does it have to retreat the dam of the devil knew everything. He would've never had Jesus crucified the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, with the fulfillment of God 's plan for salvation and the devil was totally caught off guard by a guardian. One, that's where the word of God can sin, evil thinks it can win the double cab with times limited God is the victor. God is the victor byword and I hated my heart. I will know the truth and the truth shall set me free anchorman. Now they goes on verse eighteen for the first part of what to say, praying always praying is what we say we need to talk about and pray about. Speak what we believe and take that belief to God, imagine going to God, so you're gone. I really don't believe you can work this out loud as our prayer. Let the Tao. What is our faith say. I believe that God can work in my life. I believe God 's word, which is my sword I believe God 's word and I pray God 's word over my life. I pray God 's word over my children. I pray God 's word over my circumstances. I pray God 's word over all of my life, my friends, my family the needs. We talk about. I pray those prayers of God 's word over them. That's my faith gained one for I have an expectation that the second part of it being watchful to this, and that's an expectation. I'm expecting I'm watching for the after my prior company and I persevere and I continue to go on, carry on Gulf War word in this endeavor and what supplication. I'm not holding on to pray for myself and the once caused me to pray for everybody and what's going on here is I am a soldier for God, and it is what Paul called Jesus Christ. The visible image of an invisible God. This imagery is a visible imagery and invisible power that every one of us possess. This is a visible imagery and indivisible power that every one of us possesses because as a child of God. Paul says we have truth, God 's word is truth holds everything together. We have a breastplate of righteousness, God 's righteousness. He gives this to us. We have feet of peace. Peace means that I am at peace, as I'm going into the greatest battle of my life. I will not fall I will not fail fall in the battle of life. I'm at peace. I have a helmet that gives me protects my thoughts. I know what I am to think I have a shield that no matter how many fiery darts employing in my way got it. He'll never does the Lord shoot away. You must Satan, you can get me on my feet, my shield of faith, because when I get close enough in the battle, the word of God will destroy what did Jesus say to Satan engine in the temptations it is written, it is written, it is written, it is written applicable). It is written, he knew the word. All of this is our 's and we pray it. We speak it. We think it. We go forward. And it's all there. You didn't even purchase this armor meant God didn't and he gives it to us. It is a visible picture of an invisible quality of God that he gives to them. We are to put it on every day in and ready to fight. You think you're strong. We are strong in the Lord and in the power of his life. I can't do this, God can and that's that selling right up& soldier guy fail, there is no visible picture on it in a little bit of a visible picture of the invisible qualities of the Christian life that God has given you. Is it because the spirit of honest side, there is floor to the spear was for those of you are into battles that they would be there and end whenever behind the. The armament they would. They would use their spears for launching war. They were using for thrusting until they got to into the closeness of the battle and then they would pull out the sword to go