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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians chapter 6. The Lord 
willing, in two weeks we'll start a life study in the life of David. Next Sunday, God willing, is 
the Lord's Supper. So tonight we're going to look 
at the whole armor of God in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 10 
to 20. I'll read the section and pray, 
and then we'll look in detail at this passage. Ephesians chapter 
6, beginning in verse 10. Finally, my brethren, be strong 
in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole 
armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles 
of the devil. For we do not wrestle against 
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, 
against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual 
hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the 
whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the 
evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having 
girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate 
of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation 
of the gospel of peace, above all taking the shield of faith 
with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of 
the wicked one. and take the helmet of salvation 
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying 
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful 
to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the 
saints. And for me, that utterance may 
be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known 
the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, 
that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in Heaven, we thank You for the Word of God. We thank You for 
this passage in Ephesians chapter 6, and I pray that You would 
help us now as we look at this passage, that You would strengthen 
us, that You would cause us to reflect upon the necessity to 
stand, to be able to withstand, to be able to do that battle 
in the spiritual realm in a manner that is consistent with Your 
Word. Forgive us for all of our sins and all unrighteousness. 
Forgive us for transgression against your holy law and lacking 
conformity unto it. And fill each of us now with 
your Holy Spirit that we may indeed be guided into all truth 
by the one who gave us this truth. And we ask in the name and for 
the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, in bringing this 
particular letter to a close, Paul has some final words to 
exhort and encourage the people of God with reference to spiritual 
warfare. He stated the position of exaltation 
and supremacy of Christ over all powers in chapter 1, verses 
19 to 23. As well, he has highlighted the 
fact that the saints are seated with Christ, spiritually united 
to Him, according to chapter 2 and verse 6. And then he's 
also demonstrated that Christ is the head. Christ is the Lord. Christ is the King. So when we 
look at this particular passage, and we're called to don the whole 
armor of God, it is not divorced from our unity, our union rather, 
with Christ. We're to be strong in the Lord. 
We're to be strong in the power of His might. This is not something 
that we have the resources for, but rather God calls us to live 
in a particular way in union with the Savior. Now, 10 to 20 
definitely and certainly deals with spiritual warfare. It's 
not a physical call to arms. It's not a physical call to battlement, 
though I think it is necessary to say that it's not wrong to 
have physical arms. It's not wrong to defend oneself. 
This is certainly under fire today with reference to the crises 
that we see in various cities. The Bible speaks of self-defense. 
The Bible speaks concerning those particular issues. That's not 
our topic tonight, but I do want to make sure that you understand. 
It's not simply that we are to defend ourselves in terms of 
spiritual warfare, but the Bible does call us to defend ourselves 
and our families in terms of physical warfare as well. So 
if you happen to be making a journey or a vacation to a Democrat-run 
city in the United States, pack your vest and keep your powder 
dry, because that is certainly a necessity facing the people 
of God in this generation. There were people accosted in 
a dining facility or in a restaurant the other day, and persons from 
BLM or Antifa came up and specifically asked the woman, are you a Christian? 
This is increasing, this is happening, this is a reality. So the people 
of God must be wise, the people of God must be diligent, and 
the people of God must be ready, again, not only in terms of the 
spiritual, but in terms of the physical. Again, the idea of 
self-defense is rampant from Genesis to Revelation. I have 
preached on it before. Typically, when I deal with the 
topic of capital punishment or the death penalty, there are 
three legitimate uses of homicide or three legitimate places where 
persons can kill another person, where it's not murder. Self-defense 
being one of them, capital punishment, and then legitimate or just a 
necessary war. The Bible authorizes that. Too 
many Christians are fools when it comes to this particular reality, 
and we are not supposed to be fools. We're not supposed to 
be conformed to this world, but we're to be transformed by the 
renewing of our minds, and that includes Exodus chapter 22 and 
the necessity of self-defense. But as I said, we're dealing 
with spiritual warfare, and I want to look at three things. First, 
the commands stated in chapter 6, verses 10 and 11a. Secondly, the reasons given in 
11b and 12. And then thirdly, the armor described 
in verses 13 to 20. When we get to the armor described, 
we will not deal with it in great detail. I subscribe to what John 
Calvin says with reference to his commentary on this section. 
He says, now follows a description of the arms which they were enjoined 
to wear. We must not, however, inquire 
very minutely into the meaning of each word, for an allusion 
to military customs is all that was intended. Now, that is, I 
think, the right way to approach this passage. Now, contra, or 
on the other side, is the classic Puritan treatment of this passage 
by William Gurnall called The Christian Incomplete Armor. It's 
a wonderful book. It's filled with practical Christian 
theology. It is most helpful if you want 
to read a book that's about that thick, then I heartily commend 
it to you. But Calvin took a different tact, 
and I will side with him, so we will not do a Bernal-type 
exposition of each of these elements that we are to don relative to 
spiritual warfare. But notice in the first place, 
the command stated. First, there is a command to 
be strong in verse 10, and then a command to put on the armor 
of God in verse 11a. With reference to the first, 
notice, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in 
the power of His might. Be strengthened in the Lord. 
Be strengthened by the Lord. Be strengthened by virtue of 
your union with the Lord, the One who is exalted above all 
principalities and powers, the One who has lived for you and 
died for you and raised again for you. Be strong in Him and 
in the power of His might. We see this emphasized throughout 
scripture. If you go back to the book of 
Joshua in Joshua chapter one, remember Joshua is the successor 
of Moses. Joshua is the man that's going 
to lead Israel on the conquest. They're going to enter into the 
land of Canaan. They're going to dispossess the land of the 
Canaanites. They are going to do that with violent warfare. They're not going to do it by 
way of invitation. They're not going to do it by 
way of sort of dialogue, they're going to do it by going into 
Canaan and breaking things and killing people. And so Joshua 
needed to be prepared. Joshua needed to be strong. And 
if you look at Joshua 1 at verse 6, be strong and of good courage. For to this people you shall 
divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers 
to give them. Only be strong and very courageous 
that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my 
servant, commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right 
hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you 
shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to 
do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make 
your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. It 
simply will not do for Joshua as the leader of God's people 
on earth to be a wimp. It will certainly not do for 
him to be a Nancy boy. He must be strong. He must be 
girded with strength from on high in order to lead the conquest. Turn over to a New Testament 
reference in 1 Corinthians chapter 16. 1 Corinthians chapter 16. The old King James has it rendered 
as, quit ye like men. The new King James has, watch, 
stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. I most prefer the 
NASB, which tells us to act like men. That is a command to both 
men and women. The idea isn't that Paul wants 
women to be men. The idea is that Paul wants women 
to be strong, like men with reference to spiritual warfare, like men 
with reference to courage necessary to face the armies of Satan himself 
and to live in a manner that is consistent with the will of 
God. For the man of God, notice in 2 Timothy 2. 2 Timothy 2 at 
verse 1, Paul to Timothy, you therefore, my son, be strong 
in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. This strength is a strength 
which is in the Lord. This strength is coupled with 
the power of his might. John Eady makes the observation 
that soldiers have an invincible courage when they have confidence 
in the skill and bravery of their leader. So again, we're not called 
to do this in our own strength. Don this equipment, be faithful, 
and do all that you do for the glory of God. Yes, don this equipment, 
be faithful in all that you do to the glory of God, but you 
are in vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ. You are seated 
with him in the heavenly places. You are positionally justified. 
You have a life on earth in terms of sanctification. There are 
lots of onslaughts that are facing you, and therefore the resources 
that are given to you are to be put on in union with our Lord 
Jesus Christ. And then notice in 11a, he says, 
put on, well, just back up for a moment. Two other passages 
I want to look at in terms of being strong in the Lord. Look 
at 1 Samuel chapter 30. 1 Samuel chapter 30, with reference 
to this strengthening oneself in the Lord. It's an interesting 
situation. David goes and forms an alliance 
with the Philistines for a time. He's in Aphek, and eventually 
the Philistines realize they don't want David to play with 
them. They don't want David's participation with them in their 
sort of exploits in terms of being Philistines. So David and 
his men return to Ziklag. They have been away for a while, 
and now they return to Ziklag. Now notice in chapter 30 at verse 
1. Now it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on 
the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag, 
attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire. So David's away in 
Aphek. He has been disenfranchised ultimately 
by the Philistines and he has returned with his men to this 
place called Ziklag. The Amalekites had come in and 
had devastated and decimated and taken away all of the Israelites. 
Verse 2 tells us they had taken captive the women and those who 
were there from small to great. They did not kill anyone, but 
carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came 
to the city, and there it was, burned with fire, and their wives, 
their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then 
David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices 
and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two 
wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal 
the Carmelite, had been taken captive. Now David was greatly 
distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul 
of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his 
daughters. But David strengthened himself 
in the Lord." Notice the next statement, his God. David could 
no longer say his city, he could no longer say his wives, he could 
no longer say his possessions, but he could still continue to 
maintain his God. So he strengthened himself in 
his God. He learned this from his brother 
in the spiritual realm, Jonathan. If you look back at chapter 23, 
specifically in verse 16, Jonathan strengthened David at that point 
with the very promises of God Almighty. 1 Samuel 23, 14. And David stayed in the strongholds 
in the wilderness and remained in the mountains in the wilderness 
of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver 
him into his hand. So David saw that Saul had come 
out to seek his life. And David was in the wilderness 
of Ziph in a forest. Then Jonathan, Saul's son, arose 
and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in 
God. Do we ever consider the fact that an encouragement that 
we bring to a brother may ultimately pay off later in the life of 
that brother? David learned something about 
this, being strengthened in the Lord his God by his close friend 
Jonathan, and now in crunch time at Ziklag, David's response is 
just the same. He strengthens himself in his 
God. And as I said, Jonathan does 
this with the promises of God. Notice in verse 17. And he, Jonathan, 
said to him, Do not fear, for the hand of Saul, my father, 
shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel 
and I shall be next to you. Even my father, Saul, knows that. So David strengthened himself 
in his God and that is precisely what Paul tells us as the people 
of God in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10. Now in verse 11a he 
tells us to put on the whole armor of God. There's a hymn 
in the book if I would have had the time or the the wherewithal 
to do so, I would have found the hymn. But we sing the word 
panoply, and perhaps you've heard that word before, or perhaps 
you think, well, I've never heard that word before, and there's 
a handful of words like that in the hymn book, but I'll just 
trust that it's supposed to be there. Panoply means all arms, 
and it comes from this particular section of God's Word. The Greek 
word is panoplyon, and therefore it means take up all arms relative 
to your spiritual battle against the devil and against his host. Now this text calls for both 
defensive elements and offensive elements. It's not just put on 
these particular things to defend yourself against the onslaught 
of the devil, but you have a piece of offensive equipment, which 
is the sword of the Spirit and prayer. And so we as the people 
of God are to stand. We're not to run, we're not to 
hide, we're not to escape. Doesn't mean 24 hours and seven 
days a week. God gives us rest for the battle. God gives us rest with reference 
to these particular things. But with reference to the people 
of God, notice what he says, put on the whole armor of God 
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
The text necessitates responsibility and engagement. Again, we simply 
cannot abandon our post. We cannot abandon the church. 
We cannot abandon the people of God. We cannot abandon our 
commitment to the Lord Christ Most High. We need to put on 
this whole armor of God, and Paul highlights that. And then 
notice what he says, that you may be able to stand, that you 
may be able to stand the specific purpose for the armor of God. 
The passage is not calling us to consider the intricacies of 
spiritual warfare. The passage is not calling us 
to consider the particular tactics on how to cast out demons. The 
text calls us to stand. That is the responsibility of 
the soldier. That is the responsibility of 
the footman in the battle. He is to stand, he is to remain 
steadfast. One commentator says, to stand 
involves standing firm, holding one's position, resisting, not 
surrendering to the opposition, but prevailing against it. Charles 
Hodge comments, the believer has not only need to defend himself, 
but also to attack his spiritual enemies. And the latter is as 
necessary to his safety as the former. Again, the attack is 
not physical. The attack is spiritual. We repel 
the devil, we repel his schemes and his wiles by the word of 
God. Remember Jesus, when he's let 
out by the spirit into the wilderness, and there he is tempted by the 
devil. How does he do battle with the devil? He invokes the 
word of God. He quotes the scripture. He repels 
that foul fiend of hell with the scriptures of truth. And 
that is what Paul is calling upon us to do. So those are the 
commands. We are to be strong and we are 
to put on the armor of God. Notice secondly, the reasons 
given in verses 11, B and 12. He says, so that we may be able 
to stand against the wiles of the devil, and then he gives 
this elaborate explanation, for we do not wrestle against flesh 
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers 
of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 
in the heavenly places. We need to understand there are 
wiles, plural relative to the devil and his onslaught. It's 
not just one way that he tries to do harm to the people of God. There are a plethora of ways 
that the devil tries to trip up the people of God. Now the 
Bible teaches, according to Revelation 20, that the devil is bound in 
this age that some have called the church age, others have called 
it the millennial, Millennial Kingdom, that period between 
the first and second coming of the Lord, we have the devil, 
or Satan, is bound so that he cannot deceive the nations. In 
other words, at this period, the gospel goes forth to every 
tribe-tongue people in Asia. The devil cannot restrain that. 
But in terms of a personal enemy, 1 Peter 5, he describes the devil 
as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. So we need to 
understand that in terms of the cosmic, God has him restrained 
so that the gospel goes forth to all nations, conquering and 
to conquer. But in terms of our own private 
lives, in terms of corporate life, with reference to the church, 
the devil is seeking to destroy. The devil is seeking to usurp. The devil is seeking to overturn 
and overthrow. And we see that. Notice in Ephesians 
4.27. Ephesians 4.27, well, verse 26, be angry and do not sin, 
do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to 
the devil. And then in 1 Corinthians, I'm 
sorry, 2 Corinthians 2, you can turn there. 2 Corinthians 2. 
specifically at verse 11. Lest Satan, well, he's encouraging 
the people of God to forgive an offending brother. Some see 
this as the brother of 1 Corinthians 5, that it actually had his father's 
wife. The idea is, is that the man 
repented and they were a bit apprehensive or a bit slow to 
receive him back. So Paul exhorts them to receive 
him back. And then notice, let's go up 
to verse eight. Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love to 
him. For to this end I also wrote that I might put you to the test, 
whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive 
anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven 
anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence 
of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we 
are not ignorant, notice, of his devices. It's not just a 
single assault that the devil employs, but rather there are 
devices. And I can commend another Puritan 
treatise on this passage, Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices, 
by Thomas Brooks. It certainly is full of pay dirt 
for the careful reader in terms of how to deal with spiritual 
warfare. But with reference to the presence 
of warfare, again, he goes on to amplify in verse 12, we do 
not wrestle against flesh and blood. In other words, we are 
not to arm up and gun down our physical enemies or our spiritual 
enemies. He says, we wrestle against principalities, 
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, 
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Now, 
the instruction in the first place is given to promote diligence 
and not fear. In other words, you're not supposed 
to read Ephesians 6.12 and say, well, I just don't think I'm 
equipped for that. I just don't think I can do that. I just don't 
think I can withstand in light of this myriad of enemies. No, he doesn't do it. He doesn't 
give it in order that we would be dismayed, but rather he does 
it so that we would be diligent. Calvin again says he describes 
our enemy as formidable, not to overwhelm us with fear, but 
to quicken our diligence and earnestness. By speaking of the 
power of the enemy, Paul labors to keep us more alert. And that 
might need to be a good emphasis today. Brethren, there are problems 
going on. There are threats facing the 
church, not just in China, not just in Nigeria, not just throughout 
the earth, but in our own neck of the woods as well. And we 
need to be aware of this and understand and realize that the 
devil is behind so much of what we see. He's a murderer from 
the beginning. He is a liar from the beginning. 
There is a spiritual element relative to abortion. Planned 
Parenthood has, ultimately backing it, Satan, not just the liberals 
and not just the Democrat Party. But Satan is behind this when 
there is this wholesale assault upon the image of God in man. 
Same with euthanasia. But the reference here is that 
we are not to be dismayed, we are not to be afraid. A second 
reason is the instruction is given in order to help us understand 
the nature of the enemy. We really need to do that. We 
really need to understand and identify what we are facing in 
our generation. We need to get this down so that 
we can respond accordingly. A third reason is the instruction 
is given to underscore the spiritual nature of the enemy, and hence 
the spiritual nature of the response of the people of God. Turn to 
2 Corinthians chapter 10. 2 Corinthians 10, where we see 
the emphasis on the spiritual weapons that the people of God 
are to employ in their spiritual battles. 2 Corinthians 10, verse 4. For 
the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God 
for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every 
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, 
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and 
being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 
Brethren, this spiritual description of the spiritual enemy should 
highlight the spiritual response of God's people. The weapons 
of our warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty for the pulling 
down of strongholds. They are mighty for advancing 
the kingdom of Jesus Christ. They are mighty for protecting 
the people of God Almighty. And ultimately, the instruction 
given should cause the reader to consider earlier portions 
of the letter. The same language employed by 
Paul here has already been utilized by Paul. Go back to Ephesians 
chapter 1. In a demonstration of God's power, 
he uses the resurrection. to show or to highlight. If you 
look at Ephesians 1 15, it's good to see this in context. 
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus 
and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for 
you, making mention of you in my prayers. Did you ever wonder 
how Paul prayed? If he had been in your house 
and he had taken a small room and he was doing his morning 
devotions and he prayed out loud or audibly and you listened at 
the door, here's what you'd hear when he prayed for the Ephesians. 
He says first, in verse 17, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and 
revelation in the knowledge of Him. the eyes of your understanding, 
literally having been enlightened, that you may know what is the 
hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His 
inheritance in the saints, and then notice this, and what is 
the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe according 
to the working of His mighty power. So He wants them to know 
something of the power of God. And the way that He illustrates 
the power of God is in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's 
what verse 19 says. And what is the exceeding greatness 
of His power toward us who believe according to the working of His 
mighty power, which He worked in Christ when He raised Him 
from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly 
places? far above all principality and 
power and might and dominion and every name that is named, 
not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. And 
he put all things under his feet and gave him to be had over all 
things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him 
who fills all in all." So when we get to Ephesians 6, 12, and 
we see the nature of the threat posed by the devil, we need to 
remember that Christ is still sovereign. Christ is still over 
this. Christ has everything under control. And that's why we are called 
to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. And 
so this statement concerning the enemies that we face ought 
not to promote fear, but rather diligence and earnestness and 
a willingness to don the pieces of equipment that the apostle 
highlights. And that brings us to the armor 
described in verses 13 to 20. But before he describes the armor, 
he reiterates the command. Look at what he does in verse 
13. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be 
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to 
stand. That's the emphasis, to stand. Verses 11, 13, and 14. We are 
to stand. You don't have to necessarily 
be David. You don't have to necessarily 
single-handedly rescue the kingdom of God. You don't have to be 
the hero. You simply, by God's grace, have 
to stand. You are not to capitulate, you 
are not to bow down, you are not to subject yourself to the 
devil or his wiles or his schemes, and you are certainly not called 
upon to surrender. Rather, according to Paul, we 
are to stand in the power of his might. And now he gets to 
the particular elements of armor. Now, anybody who's been in the 
military or anybody who's served in law enforcement can see the 
beauty of this passage and the wisdom of this passage. There 
are men that will march into battle that are not properly 
prepared in terms of, you know, armament and weaponry and that 
sort of thing. Those men are called fools or 
dead. It is simply unacceptable to 
go into the battle unready. It is simply unacceptable to 
go into the battle, you know, taking a pea shooter or a squirt 
gun and charge hell. You have to don the armor of 
God because it is that which the Lord blesses. It is that 
which the Lord has calculated to protect and to promote the 
person or the people of God. In the first place, we have the 
belt of truth. Those who have been in the world 
of weightlifting or calisthenics or any type of physical exercise 
will know that several years ago there was this sort of idea 
that the core, the core is necessary. We've got to have a strong core. 
And notice where Paul starts. He starts with the core. Stand 
therefore having girded your waist with truth. We need truth. We cannot effectively go into 
battle. We cannot effectively defend 
ourselves against the devil and his schemes without truth. And that belt is absolutely crucial 
to the soldier. He hangs his weapons on it. He 
hangs his handcuffs on it. He hangs whatever he needs on 
it. And it stabilizes him so that he's able to face the enemy. 
So this belt of truth is absolutely crucial, brethren. We're not 
going to repel the devil. We're not going to engage in 
this spiritual warfare by being ignorant of the Scriptures. Again, 
when Jesus is assaulted in the wilderness three times, He says, 
it is written. It is written. It is written. 
Christ, according to his humanity, girded himself up, not in his 
own intrinsic strength, but upon the word of the living and true 
God. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that 
proceeds from the mouth of God. Secondly, we have the breastplate 
of righteousness. I mentioned, if you happen to 
go into one of those cities, put on your bulletproof vest. 
That's perhaps one of the most important elements, because you 
don't want to get shot. You don't want to get hit with 
shrapnel. Again, those who had served in the military, those 
who are in law enforcement, understand, you don't go out there without 
your vest on. You've got to have at least a 
flat vest. If there's shrapnel that flies, you want to be able 
to repel that. And it shouldn't surprise us 
that it's the breastplate of righteousness. John Gill says, 
in allusion to Isaiah 59, 17, meaning not works of righteousness 
done by men, though these are offense when rightly used against 
the reproaches and charges of the enemy as they were by Samuel, 
1 Samuel 12, 3, but rather the graces of faith and love, 1 Thessalonians 
5, 8. though faith has another place 
in the Christian armor afterwards mentioned. Wherefore, it seems 
best to understand this of the righteousness of Christ, which 
being imputed by God and received by faith, is a guard against 
and repels the accusations and charges of Satan and his security 
from all wrath and condemnation. You see, brethren, that breastplate 
of righteousness stabilizes us. When the devil assaults us and 
says, you're a wicked person, you've got all this sin, you've 
got all this crime, you've offended God. We can't seek refuge in 
our goodness. We seek refuge in the goodness 
of Jesus. He is our sole righteousness. 
He alone is our righteousness. And in that, that breastplate 
repels the onslaught of the devil. Thirdly, we are to have feet 
prepared with the gospel of peace, and having shod your feet with 
the preparation of the gospel of peace. ESV has and has shoes 
for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel 
of grace. If the emphasis is, in verses 
11, 13, and 14, on standing, then we better have good footwear. 
You all know this. If you haven't learned it by 
now, don't cheap out on your shoes and don't cheap out on 
your mattresses. Too many people do this and they 
walk hunched over. Brethren, we need good footwear. And with reference to standing 
in spiritual battle, it is the gospel in which we stand. It's 
not, again, our good works. It's not in social activism. 
It is rather in the gospel of peace that our feet are stabilized 
and we're ready to do battle with the devil. The next element 
is the shield of faith. the necessity of faith in Christ 
and faith in the promises of God. Had we kept reading there 
in 1 Samuel chapter 30, we would have seen how David strengthened 
himself in his God. I would suggest, first, it was 
in the experiential knowledge of God as his God. Secondly, 
it was in the promises of God that had been rehearsed to him 
by Jonathan in 2316. And then it was in the utilization 
of the means of grace. Right after the Ziklag incident, 
right after the people want to rise up and stone him, he calls 
for the priest to bring the ephod so that he can inquire of the 
Lord. This is how we strengthen ourselves in the Lord. It's in the means that God has 
given. The same idea is true here. We need to have faith in 
Christ and faith in the promises of God. Listen again to Charles 
Hodge. This is an extended quote, but 
I think it does hit the nail on the head. He says, "...as 
burning arrows not only pierced..." Remember that. The legion, the 
Roman army, they shot arrows that were on fire. I mean, come 
on, let's really hurt them. Let's not only penetrate their 
skin, but let's set them on fire while we do that. Instead of 
us saying, well, that's pretty barbaric. Realize that we live 
in the day and age where there are actually flamethrowers to 
dispatch our enemies. Man has never lacked ingenuity 
in ways to take out his enemies. So with these flaming arrows 
that would soar, the shield of faith was crucial. The shield 
of faith was necessary. When it says above all, I don't 
think he's highlighting that it's the most crucial. I think 
a better translation here is in addition. It, along with all 
these other pieces of equipment. Again, the soldier going out 
needs every bit of this equipment. If he's lacking any of it, he 
needs his head examined because he's walking into battle and 
he shouldn't do so unprepared. But back to Hodge. He says, as 
burning arrows not only pierced, but set on fire what they pierced, 
they were doubly dangerous. They serve here, therefore, as 
the symbol of the fierce onslaughts of Satan. He showers arrows of 
fire on the soul of the believer. who, if unprotected by the shield 
of faith, would soon perish. It is a common experience of 
the people of God that at times horrible thoughts, unholy, blasphemous, 
skeptical, malignant, crowd upon the mind, which cannot be accounted 
for on any ordinary law of mental action, and which cannot be dislodged. Have you ever had that experience? 
Something comes into your head that's not your garden variety 
sort of wickedness? Where did that come from? You're 
all looking at me puzzled. I guess I'm the worst of the 
bunch here. But at least Hodge recognized 
this. I think I saw it in one of the 
ancient writers as well. But this idea that out of nowhere, 
it's almost like, I didn't used to think that. I don't typically 
think that. But here's this horrible thought 
that has come into my mind. Could be the flaming arrow of 
the devil coming over against you. He goes on, they stick like 
burning arrows and fill the soul with agony. They can be quenched 
only by faith, by calling on Christ for help. These, however, 
are not the only kind of fiery darts, nor are they the most 
dangerous. There are others which enkindle 
passion, inflame ambition, excite cupidity, pride, discontent, 
or vanity, producing a flame which our deceitful heart is 
not so prompt to extinguish. and which is often allowed to 
burn until it produces great injury or even destruction. Think 
about David, not in Ziklag, but David in 2 Samuel 11. David was 
subject to these fiery arrows and David acted upon them. Think 
about Simon Peter denying the Lord Jesus to a slave girl. This is not unique to David, 
and it's not unique to Peter. The people of God, at their best, 
are still redeemed sinners with remaining corruption, and we 
need to be aware of that and use the shield of faith. He says, 
against these most dangerous weapons of the evil one, the 
only protection is faith. It is only by looking to Christ 
and earnestly invoking His interposition on our behalf that we can resist 
these assaults, which inflame evil without the warning of pain. So you see, each of these elements 
are absolutely crucial and vital, but Paul does not leave the head 
unprotected. We are also to take up the helmet 
of salvation. This makes perfect sense, because 
with the belt of truth, we need to understand that the head is 
the gate by which the truth comes. It certainly goes to the heart 
But with reference to the head, the skull protects the brain, 
and the helmet protects the skull. And we need to remind ourselves 
of this reality when facing the devil. We are saved by grace, 
we have understood by grace the glory of Christ, and the bottom 
line is that we are in Him, we are saved by Him, and that should 
enable us to proceed. And with reference to the offensive 
elements, look at verses 17b and 18. Again, it's not enough to just 
go stand in the field of battle and not to be brought down. That's 
a good thing. But it's also a good thing to 
take out your enemy. You don't go to the battle simply 
to not die. You go to the battle to not die. 
That's part of it. But you go to the battle to make 
them die in the sense of the spiritual realm, in the sense 
of spiritual warfare. We want to terminate these enemies. 
We want to extinguish these darts. The short sword, which was crucial 
to the Roman soldier for close combat, is probably what is in 
view here. And John Eady again says, the 
captain of salvation set the example. And once and again, 
and a third time, did he repel the assault of the prince of 
darkness by three brief and simple citations from scripture. Diplomacy 
and argument, truce and armistice are of no avail. The keen, bright 
sword of the spirit must be unsheathed and lifted. That is glorious. Let me just repeat it so that 
you don't wonder what I'm talking about. Diplomacy and argument, 
truth and armistice are of no avail. We're not going to bargain 
with the devil. We're not going to make a deal 
with the devil. That cannot happen, brethren. And the idea that it ever could 
is folly. It is foolishness. And we need 
to repent if that is our thought process. We are to unsheathe 
and lift the sword of the Spirit and bring it down upon our enemy 
relative to spiritual warfare. And then he ends by asking for 
prayer or calling upon the people of God for prayer. So not only 
we have the word of truth, but we have prayer. Look at what 
he says in verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication 
in the spirit. In other words, it's not the 
case that you simply don this armor and everything will be 
okay. You do it in prayer. You do it, 
again, conscious of your union with Jesus Christ. You are strong 
in the Lord and in the power of His might. You are not to 
think that you are an independent soldier. The worst soldier is 
the one out there that is the maverick, that is the one that's 
trying to be the hero. The best soldier is the one that 
subscribes to his head, that listens to his master, that takes 
the orders of his king and engages in the combat the way that the 
king mandates. And so prayer is absolutely crucial 
to keep us connected to our God, to keep us in vital union with 
our Lord, so that we may be able, 11, 13, and 14, to stand on the 
evil day. And then I love what Paul says 
here, not only in verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication 
in the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance 
and supplication for all the saints, but he says, and for 
me. In other words, General Paul, serving in the Lord's army, asked 
for prayer from the people of God. He not only prays for them, 
Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 3, but he calls upon them to pray 
for him so that together they can engage in this warfare in 
a manner that glorifies God, that shuts down, hopefully, the 
devil and his attacks, at least at this particular level, and 
so that the peace of Christ would indeed rule in the churches. 
He says, "...and for me, that utterance may be given to me, 
that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of 
the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in 
it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." So Paul highlights 
not only the reality that I should speak, but he wants to speak 
boldly. He doesn't want to be anemic. 
He doesn't want to be weak. He doesn't want to be the sort 
of guy that gets shouted down by the enemy. Paul wants that 
boldness of speech, that unction from on high, that earnestness, 
so that when he prosecutes his case, the people listen. They 
may not bow, they may not confess, they may not receive the Lord 
Jesus Christ, but he's able at least to shut their mouths for 
a time and proclaim the glory of Jesus as he desires. Well, in conclusion, The first 
lesson is the necessity to stand. Again, we don't need heroes necessarily. We need standers. We need faithful 
men and women. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4, 
with reference to gospel ministry, moreover, it is required of stewards 
that they be found faithful. That's the call with reference 
to the ministry, that we have faithful ministers, not famous 
ministers, that we have ministers committed to the truth, not committed 
to celebrity. Faithful ministers that are committed 
to the kingdom of God Most High and to the Master Jesus Christ, 
not men who are committed to their own whims or desires or 
their own whatever it is. We need to stand in the Lord. 
The believer must do so fully clothed in the defensive elements 
provided by the Lord. The various items that we just 
looked at, and again, check Gurnell for an in-depth explanation of 
every jot and tittle of this passage. But we need to take 
up the whole armor of God. The believer must do so fully 
ready to employ the offensive elements provided by the Lord. 
You perhaps now see why in verse 19 Paul says, and for me, that 
I may speak the gospel and that I may do so with boldness. The 
Apostle Paul needed prayer for that. Yes, the Apostle Paul needed 
prayer for that. You know, there are times when 
perhaps we're a bit afraid. We're at Tim Hortons and we don't 
want to make a scene and pray and show that we're Christians. 
I don't know why, that seems odd to me, but there might be 
a little bit of fear, a little bit of inhibition. There might 
be a little fear or inhibition about talking to somebody about 
the gospel. So what do we do? Do we just say, well, I'm fearful 
and I'm inhibited? No, we pray to the Lord to give us utterance. 
We pray to the Lord to make us speak boldly. We pray to the 
Lord to help us to be able to proclaim the excellencies of 
Jesus Christ and unsheath and lift that sword of the Spirit 
and wield it as we ought. The believer must also realize 
that the Lord will give continual supplies of grace and strength. 
We could go back to David, two instances of his life. He highlights 
the faithfulness of God to him early on and then later in his 
life. David had tried and proven his God. David had known him 
to be the one who he had promised him to be. And then ultimately, 
the believer must do so. Now, this might be a bit of a 
tough one, till his dying day. In other words, it's not just 
for a season. You just get converted, you're 
a new soldier, we're going to send you out there, do the battle, 
and then come back and retire. There's no retirement for the 
soldier of Christ. There's no retirement in terms 
of walking off the field of battle. We are to stand consistently 
the moment we believe by grace, The moment we have any sort of 
affliction or calamity in our lives, the moment we are assaulted 
by the devil and his fiery guards, we are to stand in each and every 
instance until the day that we die. We need to follow the advice 
of Churchill, never give up, never give up, never give up. Brethren, it is again simply 
unacceptable for the people of God to surrender, to wave the 
white flag, to say, I just can't do this anymore. Again, look 
at David. If there was ever a man who could 
have thrown up his hands and said, oh, I just can't do this 
anymore. He's hunted like a dog by King 
Saul. He is opposed by Philistines. He's opposed by everybody surrounding 
Israel. He is a man at times without 
a nation, as it were, and yet he continues to persevere. He 
continues to stand fast. He continues to go forward. We 
have an example of that in the apostle Paul. Look at Acts 20. 
Acts chapter 20, God willing, we'll be coming to this section 
in the not too distant future. Look at what he says in Acts 
20, verse 19. Serving the Lord, this is an 
address to the Ephesian elders. He says, serving the Lord with 
all humility, with many tears and trials, which happened to 
me by the plotting of the Jews, how I kept back nothing that 
was helpful, but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly 
and from house to house, testifying to Jews and also to Greeks, repentance 
toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And see, now 
I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will 
happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in 
every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. Not 
the kind of stuff we want the Spirit to say to us, is it? We 
want the Spirit to say, be warm, be filled, be content, be comfortable, 
be happy. That's what we want from the 
Spirit. That's not what the Spirit told the Apostle Paul. Except 
that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains 
and tribulations await me. But none of these things move 
me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish 
my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord 
Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Now turn 
to 2 Timothy 4.6 is what I'm looking for here. 2 Timothy 4.6, this is a reason 
why Timothy is to preach the word. Timothy is told, preach 
the word, be ready in season and out of season. Convince, 
rebuke, exhort. The first reason Timothy is to 
do that is because the professing people of God are gonna defect. 
For the time will come when they will no longer endure sound doctrine. 
Again, counterintuitive. Timothy probably didn't want 
that answer. Paul, they don't want to hear preaching. What 
do you want me to do? Preach. Paul, they don't like sound doctrine. 
What do you want me to do? Teach them sound doctrine. Okay. I've often wondered, you know, 
Timothy got that text or that email, didn't he hear me? They 
don't want this. Paul says, it doesn't matter 
what they want or don't want. They do what God says and God 
knows what's best for them. So that's the first reason. Again, 
command, verse two, preach the word, be ready in season, out 
of season. First reason, verse three. Four, the time will come 
when they will not endure sound doctrine. The second reason is 
verse six. For I am already being poured 
out as a drink offering. In other words, Timothy preached 
the word because the church isn't going to want it and because 
I'm going to die. I'm getting close to the end. 
This is the 11th hour for the Apostle Paul. I am already being 
poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure 
is at hand. Now look at what he says. I have fought the good 
fight. I have finished the race. I have 
kept the faith. What he says in Acts chapter 
20 comes to fruition in 2 Timothy chapter 4. I remember preaching 
on this passage and highlighting the reality that this was the 
11th hour for the apostle. If you, like Paul, in the 11th 
hour, want to be able to say what he says, you need to be 
faithful in hours 1 to 10. This is the outflow, this is 
the realization, this is, as I said, the fruition of a life 
of faithfulness for him to be able to say, I have fought the 
good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 
There is simply no surrender in the Christian life. Secondly, 
we need to understand the reality of spiritual warfare. Several 
things that affect us. There is this temptation to love 
the world. It's a spiritual battle. Romans 
12, 1 and 2, we saw it this morning. Do not be conformed to the world. 
Why do you think Paul wrote that? Because there's a tendency in 
the people of God to still be conformed to this world. And 
so he says, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The 
temptation to love money is a spiritual battle. Doesn't Jesus highlight 
this in terms of mammon? Talks about no one can serve 
two masters. The temptation to engage in sexual 
immorality is a spiritual battle. Look at 1 Peter 2 and see how 
he frames this argument. 1 Peter 2. Verse 11, Beloved, 
I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which 
do what? They war against the soul. Pornography 
isn't simply a physical expression of sinfulness. It is a warfare 
against the soul. You will destroy your soul by 
looking at this, by indulging in this, by compromising with 
reference to this. Take up the whole armor of God, 
all arms, and defend yourself from the fiery darts of the devil. 
That is the reality. We cannot have any truck with 
these sorts of things. The temptation to destroy family 
relationships is a spiritual battle. Ephesians 5 and 6, what 
does Paul spend a lot of time dealing with? Husband and wife 
relationship. Why? Because if we mess that 
up, it affects everything. The temptation to destroy church 
relationships is a spiritual battle as well. We need to be 
on guard. In fact, look at Paul in Ephesians 
chapter 4. Look at what he says in Ephesians 4.1, One of my biggest fears about 
COVID is the destruction of the church. There's so many different 
opinions and there's so many different views. And we all think 
that we're absolutely positively right and everybody else is wrong. We ought not to want to divide 
over this particular situation. We ought to be able to deal. 
We ought to be able to talk. We ought to be able to disagree 
without taking our marbles and going home. Brethren, we are 
to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of 
peace. This is a real threat to the 
people of God. The thought that there are still 
churches that haven't returned, the thought that there are still 
buildings that are empty on the Lord's Day, this ought to grieve 
our hearts, brethren. The people of God need to be 
in the house of God on the day of God, worshiping their God. 
That is the biblical mandate. We're not to forsake the assembling 
of ourselves together as is the manner of Psalm. Especially as 
you see the day approaching in the context, the destruction 
of Jerusalem in AD 70. You could hear the rationale. 
Well, the city's gonna be destroyed. Our families are gonna be dispersed. 
Why would we go to church? You absolutely positively must 
be in church when there is calamity, when there is hardship, when 
there is affliction. This is a tactic of the devil, 
brethren. We have an actual pandemic. We 
have an actual threat to health. I personally don't think it's 
as big as they have amped it up to be. But where do people 
need to be? With their faith community, with 
their people, with their friends, giving hugs and embraces and 
participating in the supper. This is a means by which health 
is promoted in the lives and hearts and bodies of the people 
of God. And yet there is this separation 
Don't go near one another, don't sing, don't do this, don't do 
that. Brethren, this is not a good 
thing. So we need to understand that 
these issues are a threat and these issues are a spiritual 
battle. And finally, take up the whole 
armor of God, each of the elements. I wanted to read again another 
extended quote from Brooks, the truth of God's word. Brooks, 
in his precious remedy, says, Ah, souls, have you not found 
truth sweetening your spirits and sharing your spirits and 
warming your spirits and raising your spirits and corroborating 
your spirits? Have you not found truth, a guide 
to lead you, a staff to uphold you? a cordial to strengthen 
you, and a plaster to heal you? And will you not hold fast the 
truth? Has not truth been your best friend in your worst days? 
Has not truth stood by you when friends have forsaken you? Has 
not truth done more for you than all the world could do against 
you? And will you not hold fast the truth? Is not truth your 
right eye, without which you cannot see for Christ, and your 
right hand, without which you cannot do for Christ, and your 
right foot, without which you cannot walk with Christ? And 
will you not hold fast the truth? Oh, hold fast the truth in your 
judgments and understandings, in your wills and affections, 
in your profession and conversation. You are better let go anything 
than truth. You are better let go your honors 
and riches, your friends and pleasures, and the world's favors. 
Yea, your nearest and dearest relations, yes, your very lives, 
than to let go truth. Oh, keep the truth, and truth 
will make you safe and happy forever. Blessed are those souls 
that are kept by truth. We need the belt of truth. We 
need the breastplate of righteousness. Brethren, the thing that fortifies 
us in the spiritual battle is not our perceived righteousness. 
It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Zechariah 3 is a wonderful 
display or illustration or example of that. The devil comes to accuse 
the high priest Joshua and the Lord rebukes him. And then the 
Lord deals with the filthiness of the high priest. He has the 
clothes, the dirty clothes, removed from him, and then he puts on 
glorious robes. It's a great depiction of justification 
by faith and the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's 
what stabilizes, that's what secures us, that is what protects 
the chest. The gospel of peace. If we are 
to stand for battle, we must do so in the power of the gospel. Again, it's not wrong to take, 
you know, active role as individual Christians in politics. It's 
not wrong to engage in that sort of thing. But with reference 
to the promotion of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, we're to stand 
fast in the gospel of peace. We need the shield of faith, 
the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and prayer. So my brothers and sisters, if 
there is in fact increased or perhaps persecution for the first 
time starting in our neck of the woods, it is the whole armor 
of God that the people of God need to don. The people of God 
need to don it consistently, and according to 11, 13, and 
14, the emphasis is on standing. Let us pray. Our Father, we thank 
you for your word. We thank you for the exhortation 
that we received from the Apostle Paul, and I pray that you would 
help us to receive it joyfully, help us to receive it and to 
employ it consistently, and help us, Lord God, to never surrender, 
to never give up, to realize that overcomers by God's grace, 
through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, are those who enter into 
that blessed kingdom above. I ask that you would watch over 
this local church. I pray that you would protect 
each one of us here, that you would guide us, that you would 
grant us help and strength and grace and cause us to glorify 
and honor you in our private lives and as we live as families 
and in this local church and in our role in the community. 
I pray that this place would be a place where people can come 
to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and that you would 
be pleased to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through 
him. Go with us now. Watch over us 
in this coming week. Grant us help and strength and 
grace. Again, we pray for our political leaders, that they 
would be granted wisdom from on high, not only here in Canada, 
but also in the United States, all over the earth, God. We pray 
that they would be skilled and able to deal with the various 
things affecting us. And as the apostle says, we pray 
for kings and all who are in authority so that we, the people 
of God, the church of God, may lead peaceable and quiet lives 
in all godliness. And we ask this through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord, Amen. We'll close with a brief time 
of meditation.