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.

Introduction

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.

The Commands Stated

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.

The Reasons Given

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.

The Armor Described

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.

Belt of Truth

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.

Breastplate of Righteousness

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.

Feet Shod with the Gospel

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.

Shield of Faith

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

Helmet of Salvation

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.

Sword of the Spirit and Prayer

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.

Application and Conclusion

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.

Closing Prayer

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.

Scripture References

• Exodus 22
• Joshua 1:6
• 1 Samuel 12:3; 23:14; 23:16-17; 30:1-2
• 2 Samuel 11
• Isaiah 59:17
• Zechariah 3
• Acts 20:19-24
• Romans 12:1-2
• 1 Corinthians 4:2; 16:13
• 2 Corinthians 2:8-11; 10:4-6
• Ephesians 1:15; 1:17; 1:19-23; 2:6; 4:1-3; 4:26-27; 5:22-6:9; 6:10-20
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8
• 2 Timothy 2:1; 4:6
• 1 Peter 2:11; 5:8
• Revelation 20