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Victory in Battle
9 Plays5 days ago
Eph. 6:10-24
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction: Life's Struggles as Battles
00:00:00
Speaker
You've probably come here this morning and you've heard this statement, life is a ah battle. And if you've been alive any amount of time, you'll know you've probably felt this at some point. Life is a battle, it's a struggle.
00:00:16
Speaker
Some of you here this morning may be right in the middle of that that battle. It could be a battle of your mind, battle of your heart, a battle that's raging in your home,
00:00:29
Speaker
or a battle that's raging in your health. There are forces at work, and I'm going to use this term all throughout the sermon, so I just just want you to write it down probably.
Unseen Spiritual Forces: Ephesians 6
00:00:40
Speaker
Behind the scenes.
00:00:43
Speaker
If we can summarize Ephesians 6, it's literally in these words. There are forces at work behind the scenes that you and I cannot see.
00:00:53
Speaker
This is why the Bible says that our struggle is not with flesh and blood, meaning it's not with the people, the things that we can see. But instead, as Brother Bob eloquently, by the way, Bob did a great job. Does he not have a voice to read scripture or what?
00:01:10
Speaker
I wish I had that deep voice like that. He said that that our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but it's with these evil rulers, these authorities, these powers of darkness, these spiritual forces of wickedness.
00:01:23
Speaker
These, friends, are what Paul is pointing to it in Ephesians 6 as we dive in today. He's saying, even though I gave you this beautiful letter oh church unity from chapter 1 all the way to right here chapter 6, it's all about the Christian walk.
00:01:43
Speaker
He gets right up and says, Church, what I want you know as I close this letter, it's not about comfort. It's about a call. And it's about a call to arms.
00:01:55
Speaker
And all the Texans say, Amen. It's not that type of call arms. I hate to ruin it for you. but It's a different call this morning. And he wants to let you know, brothers and sisters, that your Christian walk, what you're doing matters behind the scenes.
The Necessity of Spiritual Armor
00:02:15
Speaker
It's not a playground, it's a battleground. And we need to be equipped in this battleground, we'll see, with a particular type of armor. Now, many pastors have gone in depth and they've walked through each one of these pieces, the helmet, the shield, the belt. I'm not going to do that today. I'm going to, like I always do, tell you the significance of that list and why that's important for us to know.
00:02:40
Speaker
When you leave here today, when you walk out these doors, when you head right over to the potluck, you'll have Discover two things that you're going to need to be victorious in life's battles.
00:02:51
Speaker
Two things. Not three. I apologize. It's not a typical Baptist message. You're only getting two today. Ephesians chapter 6, turn with me. ah By the way, i hope you, you know, as we close out, I hope you've enjoyed Ephesians. I'm, as your pastor, i have a joy at the very beginning of a book, and i'm and I'm super joyful at the end of the book. It's that middle ground that's super stressful that we've struggled together with, that we've learned, but but brothers sisters, we've landed here the final chapter.
God's Love and Purpose in Ephesians
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Speaker
Let me give you just a ah quick, if you haven't been with us these last 12 weeks or so, a 30,000-foot level view of what Ephesians is. We see a glorious and loving God who sent His one and only begotten Son to die for the sin of humanity.
00:03:38
Speaker
Jesus redeemed us. He made us His own. He set us apart as a people to be holy. He empowered us by the Holy Spirit, and He called us to use our spiritual gifts to do good works and to reflect Christ to the world.
00:03:51
Speaker
And we are to submit to God are submit to others. And we saw this picture of first of the marriage demonstration and then we saw what it looks like to be in in a relationship in the world both as an employee, employer.
00:04:07
Speaker
He says it's against this backdrop, if you will, of what it looks like to be in the body of Christ. What it looks like to be in the family. What it looks like as God is consummating all things together.
00:04:20
Speaker
in Christ that he says this morning, as you're walking, as you go about your day-to-day Christian walk, you will experience the supernatural foe.
00:04:30
Speaker
You will experience these supernatural battles. And Paul is so worried about how it's going to affect you that he he closes this letter to this church. And he says, be be alert.
00:04:46
Speaker
Be on guard. This is where is where we're at. Chapter... 6 verse 10 and following i'm reading from the new living translation and i will point out a couple and i will tell you if you've been at the church for any amount of time i love preaching from the new living translation because it's so easy to hear it's ah it's a more natural reading but there are a few things that i struggle with in this translation and i'm going to point them out for you as we get a little bit further on and Verse 10 says, a final word, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor
Components of Spiritual Armor
00:05:18
Speaker
so that you will be able to stand firm against the strategies of the devil.
00:05:23
Speaker
For we're not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
00:05:35
Speaker
Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
00:05:46
Speaker
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on put on the peace that comes from the good news so that you will be fully prepared.
00:05:59
Speaker
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet. Take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
00:06:10
Speaker
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on now all occasions. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Paul says, verse 19, and pray for me also.
00:06:22
Speaker
Ask God to give me the right word so I can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the good news is for the Jews and the Gentiles alike, I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador, so pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him as I should.
00:06:41
Speaker
He says, finally, this is the final greetings in verse 21. He says, just to bring you up today, Tychicus is here. He's going to give you a full report about what I'm doing and how I'm getting along.
00:06:52
Speaker
He's a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord's work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters. May god the father God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you the love of faithfulness. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:07:16
Speaker
It's real clear but picture, if you will, that this attack, this struggle, this thing you're going through in your life is being waged against you and in verse 10 here.
00:07:31
Speaker
This is where the New Living Translation kind of smooths us over. he says a final word, but the real translation, your translation, may say, in the remaining time. He's saying, from the time you accepted Christ to the time you're going to receive your rewards in heaven, he's saying, brothers sisters, there is going to be a spiritual battle that you're going to partake in. It's optional.
00:07:54
Speaker
It's not optional. If you're a Christ follower, you you're going to experience this battle. But he says we're not to fight that in our own power or our own strength. He says rather be empowered in the Lord, that is in the strength of his might.
00:08:09
Speaker
Verse 12 says for our struggle, our battle, that thing that you're going through right now is not against flesh and blood. You might write out a note. Flesh and blood equals people.
00:08:21
Speaker
You can just simply put people there. It's not against people, even though it may present itself that way. Paul's saying that there's something behind the scenes. There's something behind that person who's the real foe.
00:08:36
Speaker
And he gives us four descriptors here. These foes are waging war against you. He says they're the rulers, they're the authorities, they're the world forces of darkness.
00:08:46
Speaker
They are spiritual beings of evil. This is what's behind the scenes. that's aggravating your boss who's aggravating you, if I can say that.
00:09:01
Speaker
It's these things that are behind the scenes that are aggravating your teacher that's aggravating you.
00:09:10
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It's this world forces of darkness, the spiritual beings of evil that are behind the scenes that are working through your teenage kids that are aggravating you.
00:09:21
Speaker
Why do I make the point of saying this? Well, because I think it's very easy sometimes, brothers and sisters, for us to go down this rabbit hole of blaming people for the situations that are happening in our lives.
00:09:32
Speaker
When in reality, if we understand what Paul's saying here, is he's saying there's something else going on behind the scenes. There is a spiritual element to this. Now, I could go through and give you a sermon, and I have taught on what each one of these things Things are these
Spiritual Awareness and Earthly Struggles
00:09:51
Speaker
rulers, these evil authorities, these mighty powers.
00:09:55
Speaker
But with any list, you know, every time I get to a list, I always tell you to ask yourself this question. What does that list represent in our Bible? What does that list today represent in our Bible? Well, friends, it represents that there is a spiritual element going on behind the scenes.
00:10:12
Speaker
And Paul's drawing it to your attention. He's saying, while you may have a life crisis, you while you may have a struggle in life with your health or your home, that there's something else going on behind the scenes that's driving this.
00:10:28
Speaker
How does that help you and I today? Well, I think just for the sake
00:10:34
Speaker
It's easy to point to somebody and go, my boss is really the problem. My kids are really the problem. My grown kids are really the problem. I would like you to know there's something else going on behind the scenes that's driving that struggle.
00:10:51
Speaker
Now he's super clear, Paul is here, and he's saying that while this is a spiritual battle, it's a battle that you and I aren't fighting to win. And I want you to know this is a common mistake many Christians make.
00:11:05
Speaker
right Because I'll hear it quite often and sometimes I'll hear it in the more in the the prophetic or the apostolic movements. right we are We are to put on this armor and go out and fight the battle because this is a battle that needs winning.
00:11:18
Speaker
Have you heard this before? It's the biggest fallacy that they've ever taught in the church. I'm here to tell you this morning, brothers sisters, that battle has already been won. Your job is to simply stand firm.
00:11:32
Speaker
Matter of fact, Paul says four times here, stand firm. Take a strong stance. I put in my notes on the side, the battle's already won. We are already victorious.
00:11:46
Speaker
What does that mean for you and I today? Well, if you're struggling with your kids or your boss or a particular situation, understand there's something else behind the scenes that's causing that spiritually.
00:11:58
Speaker
But that battle's already been won.
00:12:01
Speaker
Meaning you're already going to make it through. Matter of fact, I like the New Living Translation. It says here, as you're standing firm after the battle was won, end of verse 13, look at me. says, then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. What does that mean?
00:12:21
Speaker
You weren't defeated in the battle. You're still standing after the battle. You're still there. You're still victorious.
00:12:30
Speaker
Verse 11 that we're fighting against the schemes of the devil. This word schemes is really like a cunning or a devious strategy that the enemy is going to use.
00:12:42
Speaker
He's going to tell you that these evil powers are all powerful. And they're going to defeat you. Brothers and sisters, they're not all powerful.
00:12:55
Speaker
Our God is all powerful. Jesus has already overcome. And because you are in Christ, brothers sisters, you have overcome. Don't let them derail you, meaning these evil forces.
00:13:07
Speaker
Don't let them try to defeat you. Don't let them deceive you.
00:13:13
Speaker
See, they're defeated and they know it. And in that defeated yet active state, they're going to try to aggravate you because they know the final outcome is they've already lost the battle.
00:13:26
Speaker
I put up, just as a mental note to myself, mosquitoes and gnats. I write these sometimes in my notes as visual images when I get to this. Have you ever had students, teachers that are in your class that are bad kids? We call them bad kids growing up.
00:13:43
Speaker
Now, I know that's not the politically correct thing. There's all sorts of acronyms you give them now. There's something going on behind the scenes with those kids, and they become in your classroom annoying.
00:13:57
Speaker
A gnat or mosquito just won't go away. that boss that just won't leave you alone do your job that you're getting paid for. Ugh, just leave me alone.
00:14:10
Speaker
That's why I put gnat and mosquito here.
00:14:16
Speaker
It's not that kid in your class. It's not that boss that's the mosquito. They may be annoying, but there's something behind the scenes that's driving them.
00:14:27
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So how do we fight a supernatural battle if this
Preparing for Spiritual Battles
00:14:30
Speaker
is what Paul's saying? He's saying, friends, if you're a Christ follower, you're going to be in this supernatural battle. You better put on this supernatural armor.
00:14:40
Speaker
Put on the whole armor, verse 10 says. Take up the whole armor of God, verse 13 says, so that you might stand against It's this picture this shotting your shoes or putting on these shoes. It's one of, if I can do it this way and still talk, it's one of facing the oncoming battle like this, where you're firm, where it won't push you back.
00:15:07
Speaker
That's the visual picture Paul's giving you here. Stand firm. Put it all on, it says. And then it goes on to give this long list. What do we do with lists when we get to the list in the Bible?
00:15:19
Speaker
We ask ourselves, what does that list represent? Well, he gives us the helmet and the shield. It's the word of God.
00:15:31
Speaker
All these things represent one thing, spiritual armor. Don't come to a spiritual battle with regular armor. Come to a spiritual battle with spiritual armor.
00:15:43
Speaker
It takes a special kind of armor, and this is what Paul is telling you. He's saying you have to put it on. You have to be ready. You have to get prepared. Just like if you were to sit down Paul's time and put on the shoes and put on the leggings and put on the armor and put on the helmet and go get your sword. It's it's a process of getting prepared for battle.
00:16:07
Speaker
He's saying this is the same thing when it comes to the spiritual battle. He says, brothers and sisters, you have to get prepared. How do we get prepared? Well, look with me here, verse 18.
00:16:20
Speaker
This is where I like the New Living Translation because it kind of gives us a clue. And I'm going accentuate a few words as I read verse 18. Pray in the Spirit at all times, on all occasions.
00:16:36
Speaker
Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. or all places, your translation may say. but He's making a point, brothers and sisters, here, all types of prayers, all types of pet petitions, praying at all times in the Spirit, staying alert with all perseverance and all all petitions for all the saints.
00:16:57
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It takes all sorts of prayer all the time when we get ready and we put on the armor to fight this battle. You better come to fight with the right tools. And it starts with prayer.
00:17:12
Speaker
O'Brien, who's this theologian, he says this. He says, if Christians are to stand firm, as Paul says, if we are to be successful in this spiritual battle, we're not only to don God's armor, but perhaps even more so, we are to be in a state of readiness when it comes to our prayer.
00:17:31
Speaker
An attitude that's constantly reliant and dependent upon God at all times. What does this mean, I put, for you and I today?
00:17:43
Speaker
It means that but the moment you wake up in the morning to the moment you lay your head down on the bed, you better be praying. Paul says pray without ceasing. It means in all that you do, know that you're getting ready to go into a battle. Teachers, you're ready to go into the classroom. You know those problematic kids are going to be there.
Prayer and Daily Spiritual Readiness
00:18:02
Speaker
Get up in the morning and start praying. Lord, um'm umm I'm preparing myself for the battle. I know it's not with Johnny and it's not with Sarah. It's the spiritual forces that are behind the scenes.
00:18:14
Speaker
I'm getting ready go into my job. I know my boss is down my throat. He's micromanaging me. I know it's not him. It's somebody behind the scenes. Lord, prepare my mind. Prepare my heart.
00:18:26
Speaker
help my Help me to be able to speak boldly whenever I'm in those situations.
00:18:34
Speaker
We are to be in a state of constant alertness, and that starts with prayer.
00:18:41
Speaker
So much so that Paul says, hey, pray for me too. Pray that I may be bold. By the way, I just wrote down this morning as I as i got to this verse, I thought how great was it to see some of you guys praying boldly with these kids with the shoes yesterday.
00:18:57
Speaker
When I was just walking around, that's the beauty of being the pastor. I just tell you guys, oh, do this job, do this job. Then I get to walk her around and watch everybody. It was fantastic to see you guys sitting with these families and praying with them.
00:19:10
Speaker
Boldly speaking truth into their lives. I told Kim as we walked yesterday, that we do quite often, we never know how God's going to use that event.
00:19:23
Speaker
Maybe it wasn't even a chance that you had to speak Jesus to somebody. Perhaps they just simply saw somebody somewhere in Cameron, Texas love them enough to give them a pair of socks and shoes.
00:19:36
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And maybe God uses that as as an opening. I don't know.
00:19:43
Speaker
Paul says, pray for me that I may be bold. And I put, Lord, pray for me that I may be bold, that we that you may be bold, that we are able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and hurting and struggling world who are so desperately under attack by the enemy and they don't even know it.
00:19:59
Speaker
May we be bold and courageous in that way. He ends this letter with these last in these last four verses. He says, I want to offer you peace and love and encouragement. In the face of that hardship, in the face of that spiritual battle that I know that you're going to undertake, Paul says, as I close this letter, as I finish it all off, I want to remind you, you have God's peace and love and encouragement in this time of struggle. Those of you who are struggling with it right now, understand God sees you.
00:20:26
Speaker
God knows the struggle you're going in. And he wants you to it's already been fixed. He's already won the war. You just simply need to stand firm in that battle. So what do today?
00:20:36
Speaker
What's our two things I alluded to at the very beginning? What are the two things that are crucial for us to leave here today knowing when it comes to life's battle? Well, the first thing is you gotta put on the armor.
00:20:49
Speaker
You gotta put it on. And the second is you gotta pray. What does it mean to put on the armor? Well, Brother Billy alluded to this in Bible study class today.
00:21:01
Speaker
It means we have to have full dependence on God. It means you can't do it yourself. It means you can't wake up in the morning and say, you know, Lord, I'm just going to go out and I'm going to do the best I possibly can in my own strength.
00:21:16
Speaker
And the Lord's going to remind you real quick.
00:21:19
Speaker
He's going to put four Johnnies and four Sarahs in your teaching class on Monday if you think you're going to do it in your own strength. He's going remind you real quick, you need me. You need the armor that I have.
00:21:33
Speaker
You need my strength. to carry on, to push through, to stand firm.
00:21:40
Speaker
And I just put down, we better get prepared. Part of putting on and depending upon God is getting prepared. What does that look like?
00:21:51
Speaker
Well, I put in my morning prayer, I say this, Lord, I commit this day to you. This is way I start every single day, by the way. Lord, I commit this day to you. Lead me, guide me and what you would have me do.
00:22:03
Speaker
Prepare me Save me from the enemy because I know I'm going to experience the enemy in some way and some fashion all day long. Prepare me. provide Provide your strength. Help me to stand firm so that I can endure.
00:22:17
Speaker
i know we're going to win. I just want to endure while I'm going through the battle. Perhaps that's what you need to do in the morning before you wake up and you head out into your day.
Morning Prayers for Strength
00:22:25
Speaker
Maybe you start with a prayer to God.
00:22:27
Speaker
I can't do it on my own. I need your spiritual armor. I need to depend fully on you. And I laughed and I chuckled myself in Bible study today because we talked and we saw this picture of partial obedience.
00:22:42
Speaker
Right? Go out to the rock and speak to it and it'll give you water. And what do they do? They went out to the rock and as instead of speaking, they struck it with a staff.
00:22:54
Speaker
Oh, and you were so close. You were so close to being fully obedient. But then you were partially obedient because you struck it. And there was consequences to that. Brothers sisters, it requires you and to be fully in, fully dependent upon God, fully committed to him. And he will stand firm with you and in strength and empower you and strengthen you so that you may win that battle, that you may stand firm in the fight.
00:23:21
Speaker
Second, we need to pray.
00:23:25
Speaker
does it mean to be in constant prayer? That's what I put. All week I've been thinking about this. Do you really know as a congregation what it means to be in constant prayer?
00:23:35
Speaker
And then I put, don't make assumptions.
00:23:39
Speaker
My job often from the pulpit is I think you guys already know it all. And I'm just reminding you guys. What does it mean to be in constant prayer? It means we're constantly speaking to God throughout the day. doesn't just start in the morning.
00:23:52
Speaker
It's not just during lunchtime. It's before you go into every meeting. It's before you pick up every phone call. Lord, help me with what you're getting ready to prepare. Prepare my words so that I may speak truth to whoever's on this phone.
00:24:06
Speaker
Help me, Lord, before I go into this administrative meeting that I don't say it' something that's out of turn. Help me, Lord, whenever I go before the superintendent of the Cameron School District so that I don't put my foot in my mouth and say, you know, state law says you have to put these Ten Commandments up.
00:24:23
Speaker
I joke with with ah Brother John. Part of my fallen arrogance, if I can say that to you, is I just wanted to tell her It's law.
00:24:35
Speaker
Put it up. We're going print it all for you. Just give it. But I was praying the entire way I was there.
Humility, Prayer, and Peaceful Solutions
00:24:43
Speaker
and And, you know, the message, if you want to say God spoke to me, I'm real leery about that.
00:24:49
Speaker
The way God led me was humility. From the moment I walked in, I looked at her, and I called her doctor because that's what she deserves. She's got a degree. Thank you doctor for this time. Thank you for allowing us to be here.
00:25:03
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I know you don't have to. Thank you for allowing me to be here. We would love to donate this. Right, says posture of humility. And instead of getting any pushback, we got just the opposite.
00:25:16
Speaker
Oh, by the way, 125 is the number we need. You get those to them, we'll put them up. Just like that.
00:25:24
Speaker
I looked over Brother John like I was ready for a battle. And it was already won before I got there. God said, it's all right. I'm going to take care of this. Matter of fact, I've already had somebody say, it's already paid for.
00:25:39
Speaker
Brothers sisters, it's already paid for. Those Ten Commandments already paid for. We simply have to take them now and give to the school.
00:25:48
Speaker
He wants our prayer life to not be a last resort, but a first option.
Prayer as the Primary Approach to Battle
00:25:55
Speaker
That's the other thing I put. Quite often that's what we do is we get into trouble, we get in the battle, and then we run to God.
00:26:00
Speaker
God, I'm all out of options. I've tried everything myself and it's just not working. Right? And then that's what happens. And he says, why are you waiting until now? You should have been talking to me all along.
00:26:12
Speaker
He wants constant, consistent communication all throughout the day. He wants us to be on guard and awake and eagerly ready to charge in on these battles and to stand firm.
00:26:24
Speaker
Because other people are watching to see how we how we fight the battle.
Conclusion: Victory Through God's Strength and Prayer
00:26:33
Speaker
In closing, I just put victory isn't about living a life free of battles. It's about knowing who fights for you and who's already won it for you. We simply need to stand in in His strength. And as those struggles come, and they will, we address them in prayer.
00:26:49
Speaker
That's our greatest weapon. Amen?