Armed for the Fight

INTRODUCTION: No soldier wants to go into a fight improperly armed. However, a soldier is not properly armed unless he has both the arms (offensive weapons) and the armor (defensive weapons) sufficient to win victory over the enemy.

Christians make two major mistakes concerning our spiritual warfare. Many discount the battle as something much lighter and easier than it is. These Christians are doomed to spiritual defeat. Another group has come to recognize the greatness of the warfare but do not believe that they have the resources to be victorious.

This passage is a correction to both of these errors. The battle is indeed great and is beyond our abilities to fight; but God has provided the arms and the armor we need for the battle and will give us the victory if we will trust in Him.

1. OUR NEED FOR THE ARMS AND ARMOR  (Ephesians 6:10-13)
1. Our Own Weakness (Ephesians 6:10)
1. Paul is speaking to the brethren
2. We are not to find our strength in ourselves
1. The flesh by its nature is weak (Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.)
2. We can do nothing in ourselves (John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.)
3. Our strength is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.)
3. Our strength is to be found in the Lord (2 Timothy 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.)
1. In His person
2. In His power
2. The Wiles of the Devil (Ephesians 6:11)
1. The wiles of the devil are his subtle ways of trickery
1. He plots (2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.)
2. He blinds (2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.)
3. He beguiles (2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.)
4. He transforms (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
1. 2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2. 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
3. 2 Corinthians 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
5. He devours (1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:)
6. He deceives (Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.)
2. The armor of God enables us to stand against these wiles
3. The Spiritual Nature of the Battle (Ephesians 6:12)
1. Not a battle of flesh and blood
2. But a spiritual battle
1. Principalities
2. Powers
3. Rulers of the darkness of this world
4. Spiritual wickedness in high places
4. The Evil Day (Ephesians 6:13)
1. We will sometime face the evil day (Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;)
2. We will have times when we have done all we can do
1. Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
2. Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
3. We will need the whole armor of God in these days
2. THE PROVISION OF ARMS AND ARMOR (Ephesians 6:14-18)
1. The Girdle of Truth (Ephesians 6:14)
1. The loins are the place of strength
2. The truth will give us this strength
1. Sanctified by His truth (John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.)
2. Girding the loins of our mind (1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;)
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)
1. The breastplate protects the our chest cavity and heart
2. A righteous life protects our heart for God
1. Psalm 15:1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2. Psalm 15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3. Psalm 15:3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4. Psalm 15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5. Psalm 15:5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
3. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15)
1. Although shoes protect the feet (armor), they are here used to take the gospel to the lost (arms). As such, they are an offensive weapon.
1. God sees a beauty in the feet of those who deliver the gospel to a lost world (Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!)
2. The shoes transport the feet that take the gospel to the world
2. The shoes transport the gospel of peace
1. It is a message of good tidings (Romans 10:15 - And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!)
2. It tells how to have peace with God (Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:)
3. The shoes are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
1. The soldier must first have received the gospel for himself
2. The soldier must be prepared and ready to take this gospel to others
1. Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
2. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
4. The Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16)
1. The shield is a mobile defense that can be applied at the place of attack
2. The soldiers shield is made up of faith (1 Peter 5:8-9)
1. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
2. 1 Peter 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
3. The shield is one of the most important pieces of armor above all
4. The shield can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked
1. Doubt
2. Discouragement
3. Fear
4. Defeat
5. Lusts
6. Worldliness
7. Anger
8. Pride
9. Covetousness
5. The Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)
1. The helmet protects the head; the most crucial part of the body
2. The helmet that protects our head is our hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.)
6. The Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17)
1. The sword is the weapon by which we attack the enemy
2. The sword is the sword of the Spirit; that is, it is the weapon that the Holy Spirit specifically uses; therefore, it is the weapon we must use if we are to accomplish anything by the power of the Spirit.
3. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God (Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.)
7. The Prayer of the Saints (Ephesians 6:18)
1. Though prayer is not compared to an earthly piece of armor, it is still an integral part of the armor of the good soldier of Jesus Christ. And though it has a defensive use, its main use is an offensive weapon in fulfilling the work of the Lord.
2. We are to pray always with all prayer
3. Prayers are to be made for all the saints
4. Paul sought prayers that he might open  his mouth boldly (Ephesians 6:19)

CONCLUSION: We must understand our inability to fight the spiritual battles to which we are called in our own strength. We cannot do it ourselves. However, God has provided the armor and arms needed to fight these battles. Make sure you wear and use the armor God has provided. God will then give the victory.