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SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 54

TITLE: ARMED FOR BATTLE, PART II

TEXT: EPHESIANS 6:15 & 16

INTRODUCTION: (1) NO ONE EVER FACED A MORE INTIMIDATING HUMAN OPPONENT THAN DID DAVID WHEN HE SQUARED OFF WITH GOLIATH IN I SAMUEL 17:1-54.

* GOLIATH WAS WELL OVER 9 FEET TALL. IF HE WAS AS WELL-PROPORTIONED AS SHAQUILE O’NEAL, WHO IS 7’ 1” AND WEIGHTS OVER 325 POUNDS, HE MUST HAVE WEIGHED WELL OVER 400 POUNDS.

** ACCORDING TO I SAMUEL 17:5, GOLIATH’S TORSO WAS FITTED WITH “SCALE-ARMOR WHICH WEIGHED FIVE THOUSAND SHEKELS OF BRONZE.”

*** NOW IN TODAY’S TERMS, GOLIATH WORE METAL UNDERWEAR WEIGHING 125 POUNDS.

**** ACCORDING TO I SAMUEL 17:7, GOLIATH’S SPEAR WAS LIKE A WEAVER’S ROD (SOME 14 FEET LONG) AND ITS IRON POINT WEIGHED SIX HUNDRED SHEKELS, WHICH IS ABOUT 15 POUNDS, ALMOST THE WEIGHT OF A COLLEGE SHOT PUT. SOME POINT!

(2) THE ENTIRE SPEAR PROBABLY WEIGHED 30 POUNDS. BEYOND THAT GOLIATH HAD A BRONZE HELMET ON HIS HEAD.

* WHAT AN AWESOME SIGHT TO SEE GOLIATH IN FULL ARMOR. IT’S NO WONDER THAT THE MEN OF ISRAEL FLED FROM HIM AND WERE GREATLY AFRAID.

** HOW COULD ANYONE DEFEAT THIS BIG OF AN ENEMY WITH THIS KIND OF ARMOR?

*** WELL, CERTAINLY CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SUGGESTED EQUALLY FULL ARMOR, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT KING SAUL GAVE DAVID THE SHEPHERD BOY WHEN HE VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE ON GOLIATH.

**** REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED? DAVID TRIED ON SAUL’S OVERSIZED ARMOR. BUT SAUL WAS A HEAD TALLER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER ISRAELITES ACCORDING TO I SAMUEL 9:2.

3. SAUL’S ARMOR WAS WAY TOO BIG. SO DAVID POLITELY RETURNED THE ARMOR TO SAUL, SAYING I CANNOT GO IN THESE BECAUSE I AM NOT USED TO THEM, ACCORDING TO I SAMUEL 17:39.

* THE HEBREW LIT. SAYS: “YOU CAN HAVE YOUR ROYAL TIN CANS.” (NOT REALLY)

** WELL, WE ALL KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY. DAVID WON THE BATTLE AND DEFEATED HIS POWERFUL FOE BY USING A SLING, UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPON TO DEFEAT A GIANT.

*** DAVID WAS VICTORIOUS THAT DAY BECAUSE HE SET ASIDE CONVENTIONAL ARMAMENT, HE CHOSE DRESS AND WEAPONRY SUITABLE FOR BATTLE FOR HIS POWERFUL FOE AND HIS TRUST WAS IN THE LORD TO DELIVER HIM.

**** DAVID DID NOT APPROACH HIS BATTLE WITH HIS POWERFUL ENEMY WITH CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AND ARMOR. HIS ARMOR IN ESSENCE WAS THE ARMOR OF GOD, GOD’S POWER TO DELIVER AND DO WHAT HE COULD NOT DO ON HIS OWN.

4. IN DAVID’S MIND, THE BATTLE BELONGED TO THE LORD AND THE VICTORY WAS THE LORD’S.

* AND BELOVED THIS MORNING, MAY THAT LESSON LEARNED BY DAVID NOT BE LOST BY US. WE FIGHT A POWERFUL ENEMY.

** AND WE CANNOT DEFEAT THIS ENEMY WITH CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS, IN FACT THE BATTLE HAS ALREADY BEEN WON.

*** BUT DAILY WARFARE RAGES AND WE MUST STAND FIRM AND NOT FEAR AND HOLD OUR GROUND AND PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD.

**** THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT FLESHLY OR NATURAL, BUT SUPER-NATURAL. AND OUR ENEMY IS A DEFEATED FOE, BUT A POWERFUL ANGRY ONE.

5. SO WE ARE TOLD IN EPHESIANS 6:13 THIS: (READ IT).

* AND BEGINNING IN EPHESIANS 6:14-17 PAUL TELLS US OF SIX PIECES OF ARMOR WITH WHICH OUR COMMANDER AND CHIEF, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, SUPPLIES HIS SOLDIERS TO WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHTS OF SATAN AND HIS HOSTS.

** AND LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT THE FIRST TWO PIECES OF ARMOR, THE BELT OF TRUTH AND BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AS A PART OF THE MEANS TO FULFILL THE MANDATE TO STAND FIRM AND HOLD YOUR GROUND.

*** NOW TODAY WE’LL LOOK AT TWO MORE PIECES OF ARMOR. NO. 1 OUR WAR BOOTS, FEET SHOD WITH THE GOSPEL, V. 15; AND NO. 2 THE SHIELD OF FAITH, V. 16.

**** AND THIS MESSAGE IS A CONTINUATION OF LAST WEEKS, TITLED TODAY, ARMED FOR BATTLE, PART II.

6. AND WITH THAT TITLE AND OUTLINE IN MIND, LET’S LOOK AT OUR FIRST PIECE OF ARMOR FOUND IN V. 15, WAR BOOTS, FEET SHOD WITH THE GOSPEL. LOOK AT V. 15 PLEASE.

I. FEET SHOD WITH THE GOSPEL, (READ V. 15)

A. NOW ROMAN SOLDIERS IN PAUL’S DAY WORD WHAT WAS CALLED A CALIGA ON THEIR FEET.

* AND A CALIGA WAS AN OPEN-TOED LEATHER BOOT WITH A HEAVY NAIL-STUDDED SOLE WHICH WAS TIED TO THE ANKLES AND SHINS WITH STRAPS.

** IT WAS KIND OF A HALF BOOT WITH SOLES MADE OF SEVERAL LAYERS OF LEATHER AVERAGING THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH THICK, STUDDED WITH WHAT WAS CALLED HOLLOW-HEADED HOBNAILS.

*** AND A HOBNAIL WAS A SHORT NAIL WITH A THICK HEAD USED TO PROTECT THE SOLES OF BOOTS.

**** NOW THESE HALF-BOOTS WERE NOT RUNNING BOOTS, BUT ONES ABLE TO DIG IN AND STAND AGAINST THE ENEMY.

1. THEY WOULD PROVIDE THE SOLDIER WITH TRACTION TO CLIMB AND GREATER STABILITY AS HE FOUGHT IN HAND TO HAND COMBAT.

* THEIR FUNCTION WAS LIKE TODAY’S CLEATED FOOTBALL SHOE, THEY GAVE THE FOOT TRACTION AND PREVENTED SLIDING.

** NOW HERE’S THE APPLICATION, A CHRISTIAN’S SPIRITUAL FOOTWEAR IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN THEIR WARFARE AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.

*** FOR YOU SEE, IF WE HAVE PUT ON THE BELT OF TRUTH AND THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT DO NOT PROPERLY FIT OUR FEET WITH THE READINESS THAT COMES FROM THE GOSPEL OF PEACE WE WILL FALL, WE WILL STUMBLE, LOSE OUR FOOTING AND GO DOWN.

**** SO WE MUST SHOD LIT. FIT, TRANSLATED FITTED IN THE NIV, OUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.

2. AND THE WORD SHOD IN THE GREEK LIT. MEANS TO UNDER BIND, TO BIND UNDER ONE’S SELF, TO BIND ON, AGAIN TO FIT.

* OUR SPIRITUAL SHOES MUST FIT WELL AND NOT MOVE AROUND AND CAUSE PROBLEMS.

** THERE MUST BE PROPER PREPARATION, READINESS, PREPAREDNESS IN PUTTING THEM ON.

*** SO THEY MUST FIT RIGHT, SO WE CAN BE PREPARED TO STAND OUR GROUND IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

**** NOW UNDERSTAND THIS. THE READINESS OR PREPAREDNESS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE HAS ITS SOURCE IN THE GOSPEL, THE CONTENTS OF WHICH IS PEACE.

3. AND THE CONTEXT HERE IS NOT PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, BUT A BELIEVER’S STABILITY OR SUREFOOTEDNESS FROM THE GOSPEL WHICH GIVES PEACE SO WE CAN STAND IN BATTLE.

* FOR IN THIS CONTEXT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT PREACHING OR PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL BUT ABOUT FIGHTING SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

** WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT BEING ON OFFENSIVE MODE BUT PUTTING ON DEFENSIVE ARMOR TO HOLD GROUND ALREADY WON BY CHRIST.

*** FOR THE MAIN VERB IN THE PRESENT CONTEXT IS TO STAND, NOT TO ADVANCE.

**** AND THE SUBJECT OF THE CONTEXT IS NOT EVANGELIZING THE LOST, BUT FIGHTING THE DEVIL.

4. THEREFORE, RATHER THAN PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF PEACE TALKED ABOUT IN ROMANS 10:15 AND ISAIAH 52:7, WHICH IS VITAL FOR US TO BE DOING.

* HERE, IN THIS CONTEXT, BELIEVERS ARE READY OR PREPARED TO STAND AGAINST THE ONSLAUGHTS OF THE EVIL FORCES BECAUSE THEY ARE FIRMLY GROUNDED IN THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. THERE IS PREPARATION, NOT PROCLAMATION.

** BELOVED, IT IS THE CHRISTIAN’S SUREFOOTEDNESS IN THE TRANQUILITY OF THE MIND AND SECURITY OF THE HEART IN THE GOSPEL OF PEACE THAT GIVES READINESS TO STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL AND HIS ARMY.

*** THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IS THE MARVELOUS TRUTH THAT IN CHRIST WE ARE NOW AT PEACE WITH GOD AND ARE ONE WITH HIM.

**** THEREFORE, WHEN OUR FEET ARE FITTED WITH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, WE STAND IN THE CONFIDENCE OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US, HIS UNION WITH US AND HIS COMMITMENT TO FIGHT FOR US.

5. WE HAVE STABILITY IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE AND ARE SUREFOOTED FROM THE GOSPEL WHICH GIVES US PEACE SO WE CAN STAND IN BATTLE.

* AND THE GOSPEL BRINGS PEACE WITH GOD AS WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, READ ROMANS 5:1.

** BUT ALSO THROUGH THAT PEACE WE CAN EXPERIENCE THE PEACE OF GOD IN THE MIDST OF OUR WARFARE, READ PHILIPPIANS 4:6&7.

*** AND THAT PEACE GIVES US THE STABILITY, BALANCE AND SUREFOOTEDNESS THAT WE DO NOT LAPSE OVER INTO DESPAIR IN WARFARE AND FALL IN BATTLE, WE KNOW THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD AND THE VICTORY HAS ALREADY BEEN WON.

**** SO WE MUST HAVE OUR FEET FITTED WITH GOSPEL OF PEACE, THAT’S THE WAR BOOTS THAT WE MUST PUT ON, WHICH LEADS TO THE NEXT PIECE OF ARMOR WHICH IS, THE SHIELD OF FAITH. LOOK AT V. 16 PLEASE.

II. THE SHIELD OF FAITH, (READ V. 16)

A. NOW V. 16 BEGINS WITH THE WORDS, “IN ADDITION TO ALL” OR “ABOVE ALL” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE.

* AND THESE WORDS INTRODUCE THE LAST 3 PIECES OF ARMOR. FOR THE FIRST 3, THE BELT. THE BREASTPLATE AND THE SHOES WERE NEVER TAKEN OFF ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

** WHEREAS THE SHIELD, THE HELMET AND THE SWORD WERE KEPT IN READINESS, CLOSE BY FOR USE WHEN ACTUAL FIGHTING BEGAN, HENCE THE VERB TAKING UP IN V. 16 AND THE VERB TAKE IN V. 17.

*** THE FIRST 3 WERE ON ALL THE TIME IN THE BATTLEFIELD, THE LAST 3 WERE CLOSE BY, IN READINESS WHEN THE ACTUAL BATTLE BEGAN.

**** AND IN BATTLE WE MUST TAKE UP OUR SHIELD.

1. NOW ROMAN SOLDIERS USED SEVERAL KINDS OF SHIELDS, BUT TWO WERE THE MOST COMMON.

* THE FIRST ONE WAS A RATHER SMALL ROUND SHIELD, ABOUT 2 FEET IN DIAMETER, THAT WAS SECURED TO THE ARM BY TWO LEATHER STRAPS.

** IT WAS RELATIVELY LIGHTWEIGHT AND WAS USED TO DEFLECT OR WARD OFF THE SWORD BLOWS OF ONE OPPONENT IN HAND TO HAND FIGHTING.

*** NOW THE SECOND KIND OF SHIELD WAS THE THOO-REH-OS, THE GREEK WORD PAUL USES HERE.

**** AND THIS SHIELD WAS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF FEET WIDE AND ABOUT 4 ½ FEET HIGH AND ABOUT A HAND’S BREADTH IN THICKNESS.

2. IT WAS MADE OF TWO WOOD PLANKS GLUED TOGETHER WITH THE OUTER SURFACE COVERED FIRST WITH CANVAS AND THEN WITH CALF SKIN LEATHER.

* THERE WAS METAL ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES TO PROTECT THE WOOD WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND AND ON THE CENTER FRONT THERE WAS AN IRON BOSS CAUSING MOST STONES AND HEAVY ARROWS TO GLANCE OFF.

** AND THIS SHIELD NOT ONLY COVERED THE BODY BUT ALSO THE OTHER PARTS OF THE ARMOR DESCRIBED EARLIER.

*** NOW SPECIFICALLY IN THE PICTURE PAUL IS PAINTING, THE SHIELD TALKED ABOUT HERE IS THE SHIELD OF FAITH.

**** NOT THE SHIELD OF THE FAITH, BUT THE SHIELD OF FAITH, THE SHIELD CONSISTS OF FAITH.

**** FOR THE FAITH TO WHICH PAUL REFERS HERE IS NOT THE BODY OF CHRISTIAN BELIEF – THE FAITH, BUT BASIC TRUST IN GOD, CONFIDENCE IN GOD, LIVING FAITH, TRUST IN GOD AND HIS WORD.

3. AND BELOVED OUR SHIELD CONSISTS OF FAITH, CONFIDENCE IN GOD AND HIS PROMISES.

* FOR YOU SEE FAITH IS ONLY AS RELIABLE AND HELPFUL AS THE TRUSTWORTHINESS OF ITS OBJECT.

** AND CHRISTIAN FAITH IS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE OBJECT OF FAITH, JESUS CHRIST, IS INFINITELY POWERFUL AND ABSOLUTELY DEPENDABLE.

*** CHRISTIAN FAITH NEVER FAILS, BECAUSE THE ONE IN WHOM THAT FAITH IS PLACED NEVER FAILS, WE CAN REST IN HIM.

**** TO ILLUSTRATE THAT, WHEN MISSIONARY JOHN PATON WAS TRANSLATING THE BIBLE FOR A SOUTH SEAS ISLAND TRIBE, HE DISCOVERED THAT THEY HAD NO WORD FOR FAITH OR TRUST.

4. ONE DAY A NATIVE WHO HAD BEEN RUNNING HARD CAME INTO THE MISSIONARY’S HOUSE, FLOPPED HIMSELF IN A LARGE CHAIR AND SAID, “IT’S GOOD TO REST MY WHOLE WEIGHT ON THIS CHAIR.”

* THAT’S IT, SAID PATON. I’LL TRANSLATE FAITH AS “RESTING ONE’S WHOLE WEIGHT ON GOD.”

** WELL, OUR SHIELD N OUR SPIRITUAL BATTLE IS FAITH, RESTING OUR WHOLE WEIGHT ON GOD, STANDING ON HIS TRUTH, BELIEVING THAT WHAT HE SAID HE WILL DO, THAT HE WILL DO IT.

*** IT IS TRUSTING IN GOD’S HIGHER WAYS, RESTING IN HIS PROMISES, HAVING CONFIDENCE IN SOVEREIGNTY AND IN HIS GOODNESS.

**** AND THAT FAITH IS OUR SHIELD WHICH WILL EXTINGUISH ALL THE FLAMING MISSILES OF THE EVIL ONE.

5. AND NOTE THAT IN N.T. TIMES, THE TIPS OF ARROWS WOULD OFTEN BE WRAPPED IN PIECES OF CLOTH THAT HAD BEEN SOAKED IN PITCH.

* AND JUST BEFORE THE ARROW WAS SHOT, THE TIP WOULD BE LIGHTED AND THIS FLAMING MISSILE, THIS FLAMING ARROW WOULD BE SHOT AT ENEMY TROOPS.

** THE PITCH BURNED FIERCELY AND ON IMPACT IT WOULD SPATTER BURNING BITS FOR SEVERAL FEET, IGNITING ANYTHING FLAMMABLE IT TOUCHED.

*** SO IN ADDITION TO PIERCING THEIR BODIES, IT COULD INFLICT SERIOUS BURNS ON ENEMY SOLDIERS AND DESTROY THEIR CLOTHING AND GEAR.

**** WELL, THE MOST RELIABLE PROTECTION AGAINST SUCH FLAMING MISSILES WAS THE SHIELD WHOSE COVERING OF PARTIAL METAL AND LEATHER SOAKED IN WATER COULD EITHER DEFLECT OR EXTINGUISH THEM.

6. AND BELOVED, THE SPIRITUAL FLAMING MISSILES AGAINST WHICH BELIEVER’S NEED PROTECTION IS TEMPTATIONS.

* FOR THE EVIL ONE WHICH IS SATAN CONTINUALLY BOMBARDS GOD’S CHILDREN WITH TEMPTATIONS.

** TEMPTATIONS TO IMMORALITY, TEMPTATIONS TO ANGER, TEMPTATIONS TO ENVY AND JEALOUSY, TEMPTATIONS TO HATRED, TO COVETOUSNESS, PRIDE, DOUBT, FEAR AND DESPAIR.

*** AND AS WE GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN WITH ADAM AND EVE, WHAT WAS THEIR FIRST TEMPTATION BY THE SERPENT – SATAN?

**** TO DOUBT GOD AND INSTEAD PUT THEIR TRUST IN SATAN’S LIES.

7. AND THAT WAS THE FIRST OF SATAN’S FLAMING MISSILES.

* AND IN ESSENCE, EVERY TEMPTATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IS THE TEMPTATION TO DOUBT AND DISTRUST GOD.

** SATAN WANTS CHRISTIANS TO FORSAKE THEIR TRUST IN GOD, TO DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN THE SAVIOR AND THE SAVED.

*** AND BASICALLY TO SIN IS TO BELIEVE SATAN AND HIS LIES WHEREAS TO FOLLOW RIGHTEOUSNESS IS TO BELIEVE GOD.

**** THEREFORE, ALL SIN RESULTS FROM FAILURE TO ACT IN FAITH IN WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE IS.

7. FAITH, THEN, IS THE SHIELD!

* AND THIS IS THE PICTURE PAUL PRESENTS. AS WE ARE BATTLING IN WARFARE, THE EVIL ONE LAUNCHES REPEATED VOLLEYS OF BLAZING ARROWS – TEMPTATIONS, STRATEGIES, DECEPTIONS – TO INFLAME US.

** BUT UP COMES OUR SHIELD OF FAITH AS WE TRUST GOD AND HIS WORD INTO WHICH HOT ARROWS ARE PUT OUT AND DEFLECTED.

*** AND THE REALITY OF THE MATTER TODAY IS WE ALL HAVE LUSTS WITHIN US WHICH ARE EASY TO IGNITE.

**** I MEAN ALL THAT IS NEEDED IS THE TINIEST FLAME AND WE ARE A ROARING FIRE. WE RATIONALIZE AND DISBELIEVE GOD AND BELIEVE SATAN’S LIE.

8. YIELDING TO THAT LUST WILL SATISFY ME, WHICH IT WON’T, YIELDING TO THAT UNRIGHTEOUS ANGER WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, NO IT WON’T.

* YIELDING TO MY DESIRE FOR THAT NEW THING WILL FILL MY NEED, NO, YOU’LL JUST WANT MORE. BELIEVING GOD IS NOT JUST OR GOOD WHEN THINGS GO WRONG.

** AND THE ONLY WAY TO EXTINGUISH SATAN’S FLAMING MISSILES OF TEMPTATION TO DOUBT GOD IS TO BELIEVE GOD, TAKING UP THE SHIELD OF FAITH.

*** PROVERBS 30:5&6 SAYS: (READ THEM).

**** THEN PSALM 18:30 SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ I JOHN 5:4 AND I PETER 5:8&9.

9. BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MUST RESIST SATAN BEING STEADFAST IN THE FAITH, STANDING IN THE PROMISES OF GOD, TRUSTING IN HIS HIGHER WAYS, AND BEING REMINDED THAT GOD CAN’T LIE, BUT THAT’S ALL SATAN DOES, READ TITUS 1:2 AND JOHN 8:44.

* GOD IS TRUTH, SATAN IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF IT, TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD AND HOLD UP THE SHIELD OF FAITH TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMING MISSILES OF TEMPTATION.

IN WRAP UP TODAY: (1) WHEN DAVID BATTLED GOLIATH, HE CAME TO VICTORY BECAUSE HE REJECTED CONVENTIONAL WISDOM AND CHOSE WEAPONRY SUITED TO DEFEAT HIS ENEMY.

* THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM OF THIS WORLD SAYS THAT WE FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE, HATE WITH HATE, SPITE WITH SPITE AND PRIDE WITH PRIDE.

** BUT THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE SAYS WE FIGHT WITH PEACE AND FAITH.

*** HOW AWESOME IS THE SOLDIER WHOSE FEET ARE SHOD WITH PEACE AND WHO USES THE SHIELD OF FAITH.

**** THIS IS NOT CONVENTIONAL ARMOR, IT IS GOD’S ARMOR. AND WE MUST PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD TO STAND AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.

(2) AND HERE IS DIVINE WISDOM; DON’T FIGHT THIS SPIRITUAL BATTLE WITH CONVENTIONAL FLESHLY WEAPONS. PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD.

* READ EPHESIANS 6:10-13 AND CLOSE.