A New Season: Our Spiritual Armor

Series: A New Season
Sermon: Our Spiritual Armor
5-30-10
Intro
Last week we looked at our Spiritual Weapons as to how it relates to us taking ground on the battlefield
Obj
• An aggressive church needs protection from Satan
• God has given her spiritual armor
Eph 6:10-18 KJV
• The command is to take up the whole armor of God
• Many of us only take a few pieces of armor and then wonder why we are still taking hits
• Ive got news for you that the purpose of the armor of God is to take hits,
• Satan is going to attack, that is his job
• Your job is to put on the “whole” armor of God that you might be able to withstand Satan
Ex: imagine getting ready for work in the morning and just putting on a hat and nothing else…
How about just your shoes, or just your belt…
• You must be fully prepared, to fully win
Let’s look at the strategy of the enemy and God’s plan for protection…
1. Belt of truth- John 14:6: I am the way the truth the life
Form of attack from the enemy:
• Lies against the character of God John 8:44 NLT
• Deception about who you are- Romans 8:1 No condemnation
• Error as to the way you are going- sometimes we think the grass is greener on the otherside, conneticut: no hot water, sleep in bunk beds, square peg round hole, no connection, as soon as we stepped off plane, uncomfortable feeling,
Sin-creates error in your way,
• Rom 16:19 be innocent concerning evil
• Bankers are taught to study the real thing, meaning the dollar bill, and when a counterfeit comes by they spot it by studying the truth, not studying what’s counterfeit
Truth enables us to move into battle, prepare for activity, be dressed in readiness, 1 pet 1:13 gird up the loins of your mind
2. God’s Righteousness- Breastplate
Form of attack from the enemy:
Accusations-Rev 12:10 accuses us before God day and night
Despair comes from believing what satan says rather than what God says
Condemnation- Rom 8:1 no condemnation to those that belong to JC
When falsely condemned declare the truth
Spiritual Pride- trusting ones own goodness
• Protection: a heart that is covered with God’s righteousness
• Pure motives, love,compassion, the glory of God
• You must not stand in your righteousness, but God’s righteousness: rms 3:22,25,26
• Satan cannot penetrate the armor of God’s righteousness

3. Shoes of Peace
• The peace of God that passes all understanding Guide your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
• Attack of the enemy: persecution, lies, compromise, passivity
• Counterattack: feet that always follow the way of peace
o Jesus is our example: Matt 12:18-21 NLT
o Feet indicate one is ready to move with a message
• Rom 8:14 the children of God are led by the Spirit of God, led by peace
• Ex: hotel one time up north, we immediately felt the urgency to leave, got money back and got out of town.
• Ex: didn’t have peace with Lisa
• Ex: in dallas prayed over david, into homosexuality, witchcraft- spirit of peace clothed me like a blanket, God what are you going to do, deliverance cast the devil out of him
• Romans 1:16 the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation!
4. Shield of faith
• Attack from the enemy: flaming missiles
• Doubt, unbelief, fear, the opposite of faith
• Faith protects the whole man, head to foot, extinguishes flaming missiles
• 1 pet 5:9 faith actively resists the enemy
• Mk 11:22-24 NLT
5. Helmet of salvation
• The mind is a battlefield of your thoughts
• Rms 8:6 the carnal mind operates in the flesh
• Eph 4:18 the unrenewed mind remains in darkenss
• Eph 4:23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind
• Memory set free from the things of the past
• Bondages of the occult or cults broken over your mind
• Give no place to the devil eph 4:27 topos position of opportunity
6. The Sword of the Spirit
• Heb 4:12
• Attack of the enemy:
• Hath God said? Twists and distorts the Word
• Takes the Word out of the heart of the hearer Mat 13:19
• Doctrine of demons, 1 Tim 4:1
• Do not be afraid to rebuke Satan Rev 19:15
• Stand your ground, speak the truth
• This weapon is energized the Holy Spirit

Conclusion
• God has prepared His church for the attack of the enemy
• You don’t need to fear his attacks, but stand in the whole armor of God.
• Ask God to show you the attacks of the enemy about yourself, when you are free then you can ask God for the freedom of others

• What are the accusations in your mind now from satan- apply the Word
• What are the doubts and fears that attack your mind?
• If you battle depression, ask God to show you the doors by which despair and hopelessness enter

Remember Duet 1:8 behold I have set the land before you, go in and possess the land I am giving you.
You possess the land by facing the works of the enemy
The land of promise is a land of complete victory