Ephesians 6:10

The following is based on a true story. There's something compelling about movies that begin with that little tagline at the very beginning. There's something even more compelling about stories that involve a main character meeting insurmountable odds, facing challenges that seem impossible to overcome. When it is a true story, not just something that someone made up, it becomes even more gripping.

That was the case with the 1993 film "Rudy." How many of you remember Rudy? Rudy is based on a true-life character named Daniel E. Rudecker, who grew up in southern Illinois. From the time he was just a little kid, his aim and ambition were to attend Notre Dame University. But not just to attend; he wanted to play football for the Fighting Irish. That was his goal.

The problem for Rudy was, first and foremost, he had a learning disability and did not do very well in school. He was dyslexic, and his grades were not where they needed to be to get into a university like Notre Dame. Additionally, he was a wee little lad; he was not a big guy. The running joke in the family was that everyone always told him he would never be able to do that. They said there was no way he could succeed because he was just too little, too small, and not smart enough.

Despite being dyslexic and standing at his biggest at 5'6" and 165 pounds, Rudy Rudecker made it into that school. He attended community college for a couple of years, worked hard to improve his grades, and ultimately got accepted to Notre Dame, that top-tier university. He fought hard to overcome all the obstacles, including his size and the presence of much bigger players on the team.

Ultimately, in the last home game of his final season at Notre Dame, he played three plays and even got a sack. On his team that day was the great Joe Montana, who speaks very highly of Rudy Rudecker.

And so, if you've seen that story, you followed along with what took place there as Sean Astin plays the character Rudy Ruettiger. At one point in the film, he is sitting down and wanting to get into the university. He talks with the priest at the university, and there Rudy says to him, "Everyone said it couldn't be done. My whole life, people have been telling me what I could do and what I couldn't do. I've always believed them. I listened to what they've said, and I don't want to do that anymore. I've listened to what they've said that you cannot do it, and I don't want to do it anymore." He fought hard to overcome a learning disability. He fought hard to get on the team, and ultimately he achieved that dream. He overcame the insurmountable odds.

Over the last five studies together in the book of Ephesians, we have been considering the identity of the Christian. We've been looking at where we came from. If you're a believer today, if your identity is found in Christ, we have seen our origin. There in Ephesians chapter 2, it is revealed that we were dead in trespasses and sins. Not only were we dead in trespasses and sins, but prior to the work of God's grace in our lives, we were separated from God, alienated from Him because of disobedience and opposition to Him. We stood in the position of being His enemies, standing against the holy God.

We were, in former times, as Ephesians chapter 2, verse 2 tells us, under the sway of the wicked one. We were directed by another spirit to do those things that were in opposition to the holy God. Furthermore, we found that we were in open rebellion to Him, walking in uncleanness, in lewdness, in greediness, and walking according to the lusts of our flesh. By our minds, we were under the wrath of God as children of disobedience, appointed to His wrath because of ignorance and blindness. Those are the weighty things that the Scriptures here in the book of Ephesians describe the non-believer as being in.

But God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love, Ephesians chapter 2, verse 4 tells us, reached out to us when we were dead in trespasses and sins, and He has made us alive. So, if you're a Christian today, that is, if you've put your faith, your trust, and your confidence in Jesus for salvation, then your identity has changed.

You are no longer in the position of being dead in trespasses and sins, nor are you in the position of being an enemy of God. Instead, He has placed you in Christ. Those are the key words that the Apostle Paul uses to identify the Christian: they are those who are in Christ. Because they are in Christ, they are blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.

Not only are they blessed, but Ephesians chapter 1 says that they have been chosen by God, predestined, adopted into His family, and accepted. We have been redeemed by God, forgiven by God, and given revelation from God. We have been given an incorruptible inheritance that does not fade away, and we have been given an eternal future. This is the identity of the Christian. They were formerly dead in trespasses and sins, but now they are in Christ—blessed, redeemed, and forgiven. Their destiny, where they are headed, has changed as well.

We are no longer headed toward an eternity without God, separated from Him in what the Scriptures describe as hell. We will actually be doing a series on this topic beginning just two weeks from today. We will start a three-week series called What the Bible Says About Hell. We are no longer headed in that direction, as we formerly were under God's wrath. Now, we are headed toward being with Him for eternity, to be in His presence.

The Scriptures describe in the Old Testament, in the book of Psalms, that in His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. Now, we have a new destiny in Christ: to be with Him eternally and to receive the riches of His great grace. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 7, says that in the ages to come, God will be revealing to us the riches of the glory of His grace.

Not only that, but our destiny is to come into the full comprehension of the width, depth, length, and height of the love of God. In the future, we will come to the place where we fully comprehend just how awesome and great His love is. We will be discovering that.

Thus, we have a new identity in Christ. We were dead in trespasses and sins, but we shall be with Him for eternity. This new identity, as we have considered in our two previous studies and will look at a little bit more today, changes our purpose. Our new "I am" in Christ affects our "I do." Our identity alters our activity.

This was true in the life of the Apostle Paul. After he put his faith in Jesus Christ, he came to know the true "I Am." Everything changed. He became a sent one of Jesus Christ, an apostle to those who did not know Him. His purpose changed.

Not just the Apostle Paul, but also the very people to whom this letter was written—the people in Ephesus. Paul says in Ephesians chapter 1 that he calls them saints, "you that are saints and faithful in Christ Jesus." Their position as saints in Christ Jesus changed their purpose. They became faithful. The same thing is what God wants to do in our lives today. If you are in Christ, He wants to change your purpose.

We see it in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in." A couple of weeks ago, we saw that the Christian ethic, the ethical responsibility of the Christian, is that we should walk in those good works that God created beforehand. We should no longer walk as the rest of the world walks; we should walk worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called.

Because of our new identity in Christ, because we are no longer dead in trespasses and sins, and because we are headed toward heaven, we should walk worthy of the calling. Paul says it like this in Ephesians chapter 5, verse 8: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." In that verse, we see our origin—who we were: we were in darkness. But now, who we are: we are in light. Therefore, our purpose is to walk as children of light.

A couple of weeks ago, we considered together what we can be in Christ. We should be those who walk in humility, as Ephesians 4 says, in gentleness, meekness, patience, and forgiveness, seeking unity and pressing on to maturity. Because of the work that Christ has done in us, we can be these things. Our purpose to walk in these things can be fulfilled as we imitate God as dear children.

Ephesians 5, verse 1 says that we should walk in love as children of light, walking circumspectly in wisdom. This is possible, Paul says in Ephesians chapter 5, as we are saturated with the Spirit of God. He says, "Do not be drunk with wine, which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit." As we are saturated by the Spirit of God, with Christ dwelling in us, we are given hope of glory.

And then also, as we're sanctified by the Scriptures, Ephesians chapter 5, verse 26, says that God wants to wash and cleanse us by the washing of the water of His Word. So we, who find our identity in Christ, can be the things that we should be as He sanctifies us by the Scriptures and saturates us with His Spirit.

Because all of this is true, we now come to the last study in our series called Identity, where we move from what we should be to what we can be. If you have your sermon guide handy, point number one is that what we should be and can be is the very thing that we must fight to be.

We are turning our attention to the things that we should fight to be, even though others say we can't do it. Even though the odds may seem insurmountable for us, just like in the story with Rudy, those things that our flesh says there’s no possible way we can reach this. There’s no way. We are just too little. Our stature is too small. We are too weak. There’s no way we are strong enough to do these things. In the same way, we still need to fight to be those things.

Now, we see this very clearly in Ephesians chapter 6. Would you open your Bibles to the book of Ephesians? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. Ephesians is right after the books of 1 and 2 Corinthians and Galatians, just before the book of Philippians.

Ephesians chapter 6, the last chapter, verse 10. Let's stand together. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10. Paul is finishing up his discourse to the Christians there in Ephesus, and he says, "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 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 the truth."

Having put on the breastplate of righteousness and shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. Take up the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray always with all prayer and supplication, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Father, I ask today, as we look at this passage of Scripture, that you would strengthen the hearts of your people here. If there are any here today who have not put their faith in you, who are still, as the Scriptures describe, dead in sin, Lord, would you make them alive as they put their faith in you? Draw them by your Spirit to come into the place where they trust you for their salvation—not their good works, not their church attendance, not their giving, not any other thing but you.

For your people, those who find their identity in you today, help us to be what we should be, knowing that we can be by your work at work in us. As we considered a little bit last week together, you are working. Help us to fight to do these things that you've enabled us to do. As we fight from a position of victory, the battle is ultimately won by you, Jesus, on the cross. You said it is finished. Help us to walk in that victory and to experience that victory in our lives. For we ask this in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, amen. You can be seated.

As I've said every week over the last five weeks leading up to today in our series here in the book of Ephesians, Christianity answers the questions of identity and origin, destiny and purpose better than any other worldview, better than any other philosophy that's out there. There is a compelling answer here in the pages of Scripture, specifically in the book of Ephesians, regarding our origin, our identity, our destiny, and now our purpose.

That's why we've been spending the bulk of our time on our purpose, because that is what we need to be focused on. You see, when you became a Christian, if you're a Christian today, when you prayed to receive Christ and put your confidence in Him for salvation, He didn't immediately just pull you out of here and say, "Alright, come on." He left you here. Even though the victory is won, even though Jesus said it is finished on the cross, He has us here to live out our faith, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Knowing that God is working in us to will and to do His good pleasure is essential. However, the sad reality, as we survey the church in America today, is that many Christians live a defeated and deflated Christian life. Many Christians are not experiencing the kind of victory that should characterize their lives. While they are in Christ and find their identity with Him, knowing their destiny is set with Him, they often look forward to the day when they will finally be with Him. Right now, though, their experience is one of defeated, deflated Christianity.

God wants us to walk in victory, and I would suggest that there are some keys to victorious living found in Ephesians chapter 6 that are exceedingly important. Point number two on your outline is that the Christian's identity is certain, and their destiny is set. However, there is still a battle to fight. We need to be aware of this reality and cognizant of the fact that there is a battle to engage in.

Many Christians do not recognize that when they became Christians, they were conscripted into a battle. This battle exists, as the Bible describes it, on three fronts. We battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. We are in a fight against these three adversaries.

The enemy, our adversary, the devil, is described by Paul in Ephesians 6 as principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness. These spiritual entities are real, even though we cannot perceive them with our senses. We cannot see, smell, taste, or touch these things, but they are indeed present. They use the trappings and temptations of this world to attack our flesh.

Let me clue you into a reality: they are very effective at this. They skillfully use the things of this world to stumble and tempt our flesh. Within us, there are lustful desires in our sinful nature that yearn for things contrary to the nature of God.

That are contrary to the law of God. The enemy, our adversary, the devil, uses the world to tempt us to fall into those things and to be entangled by them. These temptations are very effective.

In this battle, as I shared just a minute ago, we need to recognize that ultimately the victory is won. Jesus declared victory there on the cross 2,000 years ago when He said, "It is finished." He defeated sin and death; He defeated Satan. Yet, we are still in occupied territory. The people of God are still in the midst of occupied territory because this is a world under the sway of the wicked one, as we find in Ephesians chapter 2.

So here we are, if you're a Christian today, in occupied territory and in a battle. Before you were a Christian, there was never a battle. For lack of a better way of saying it, before you were a Christian, you were on Team Lucifer. He didn't fight against you.

For the person who is not a Christian, if you're not a Christian today and I'm talking about spiritual warfare, you might say, "This makes no sense to me. I think this is goofy. You guys are all nuts." If you really think there are things happening in another realm fighting against you, you wouldn't know that. There is no fight coming against you because you're on the opposing team. You're on the other side, doing everything he wants you to do. Even in your doubt, as you sit there and think, "Oh, that's just foolishness," that's exactly what the enemy would want you to do.

As it was said in a popular movie years ago, the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. The sad reality is that even in the church, only one-third of Christians believe that the devil is real. A study done in 2009 by Barna Research found that in the church, only one-third of Christians believe that the devil is real. The majority believe that the devil in the Bible is just a symbol for wickedness and evil resident in the world, but they don't believe in an actual entity of spiritual hosts of wickedness.

Let me tell you something: Jesus did, and so did the Apostle Paul. He spoke very clearly about spiritual hosts of wickedness, and these things actually exist. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he did not exist. When you find that in the church, only one-third of Christians actually believe that there is a devil, it means that if there's no devil, then there's no spiritual battle.

And if there's no spiritual battle, then there's no reason to prepare or fight for that battle. If that's the reality, it makes sense that there are many Christians who live deflated Christian lives. There is a battle going on, and they just don't even recognize it. It's not there; they don't see it. But it's foolishness to live your life in that way. The devil is real, and the battle is on. However, the ultimate victory is won, and yet there is still a fight to engage in.

How do we know that? Throughout the Scriptures, we find exhortations to Christians to stand, to fight, to have courage, and to put on the full armor of God. In many places, we see the call to exercise our bodies as soldiers in this battle. Even though the victory is won—when Jesus said, "It is finished"—we are still called to stand and engage in this fight.

The first key to victory is found in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 10 and 11. Paul says, "Our strength to fight is found in the Lord." The first key to victory is this truth: our strength to fight is found in the Lord. We are to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We must put on His whole armor so that we may be able to stand in the evil day.

If your identity is in Christ today and you are seeking to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, then the only way you will be able to walk in that, the only way you will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, is by standing in the strength of the Lord and not your own strength.

You may be physically fit. You may even be a CrossFitter, wearing tight stretchy pants and able to do cleans and burpees. The only thing I know about burpees is that little kids do them. But here's the thing: you may be able to do all that and be physically strong. You might be intellectually quick and savvy. You might even have stellar church attendance and have been baptized many years ago. However, none of that will stand for you against the foe that is coming against us in the battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil, specifically the enemy who seeks to come against the Christian.

If you're going to stand, then it's only going to be as you do so in the power of the Lord, by His might and with His armor. The first key to victory in this battle is that it's God's strength and not ours. We need to constantly be in the place where we're confessing, "God, I cannot do this on my own." This is clearly seen in the Apostle Paul, especially in his second letter to the Corinthians. In Second Corinthians, he constantly reminds the church that we are not sufficient in and of ourselves to think anything is being of ourselves. Our sufficiency, our strength, our power, our authority—everything comes from God. He is the one who makes us able.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul confesses his weakness. He says, "I am weak and I have no strength." Yet he adds, "When I am weak, then I am strong," because it's the power of His might evident in my life. We need to first confess our weakness as Christians, acknowledging that we cannot do this on our own. Then we should ask God, "Enable me by Your strength to do this, to face this foe that I'm fighting against." As the enemy comes against me with temptation and sins that so easily ensnare us, I need help to stand strong. The first key to victory in this battle is to confess your weakness and ask for and receive His strength and might.

The second key is found in verse 12, which I alluded to a moment ago. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 12, was the first Bible verse I remember memorizing as a kid. It states, "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 heavenly places."

Point number four on your outline is that our fight is spiritual and not physical. We need to make sure that we grasp this. As I mentioned earlier, only a third of Christians in America believe that the devil is real, and so they don't believe that this verse is true. When it says, "For we wrestle not," notice Paul states it in the negative and then in the positive. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual hosts of wickedness, principalities, and powers. He emphasizes this important truth that many American Christians have disregarded. The devil has been very effective in convincing the world, including the Christian world, that he doesn't exist.

If you don't think he exists, then there's no reason to get ready. There's no reason to stand. There's no reason to try to fight. We need to recognize that this battle we are in, this fight we are engaged in, is not physical; it's spiritual. There is a very real foe, and he uses very real ammunition against us as believers.

Now, I realize that if you're not a Christian today, you might think this is wacky. You might think this stuff is nuts. Do you really believe this? Yes, we do. You will not perceive this, and you will not know this until you put your faith in Christ. But let me guarantee you, as soon as you put your faith in Christ and say, "I want to follow Jesus," you will experience opposition. You will experience the enemy coming against you like you never imagined. Every Christian here knows that this is true, and you have experienced it.

Anytime you stand up in your Christian faith and say, "No, I want to follow the Lord faithfully. I want to serve Him. I want to represent Him well," you know that there is a force, an enemy, that comes against you. Many Christians, because of that, retreat and say, "Forget it. I'm not even going to try anymore." They think, "Every time I step out to invite my friend or neighbor to come to church, I know there's opposition. So I just won't do that anymore." They convince themselves that when they don't do it, there is no opposition, and it's okay. But it's not okay. The Lord has called us to fight.

Paul says that we need to stand strong against the wiles of the devil because we are wrestling against a spiritual foe. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but we do wrestle against a spiritual entity. If it were a physical foe, a physical entity that we were fighting, I will admit it would be a lot easier. It would be easier if we knew exactly where this enemy was coming from, what he looked like, and all those sorts of things. If there were a physical foe, we could prepare for that because the attack would not be as subtle, and our response would be far more sensible and practical.

The reality is, he comes to us wily, and that's a greatly descriptive word. It probably reminds every single one of us of Wile E. Coyote. The problem is, Wile E. Coyote was terrible at subtlety and traps; he always trapped himself. When we think of the wiles of the devil, we conjure up this little picture of Wile E. Coyote and think, "That's so funny. He's not going to get me. Look how stupid he is." But the reality is, the Bible shows that he is subtle. Remember the cunning serpent, which is the representation of the enemy given to us in Genesis chapter 3.

He came in subtly, with cunning and craftiness. He deceived and ensnared humanity into sin, and he has been doing this for thousands of years. Let me tell you, he is very good at it. I highly recommend the book, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It's an allegory in which one demon writes to his nephew, explaining how to ensnare and tempt his client, who is a Christian. As you read these short letters in The Screwtape Letters, you may find yourself thinking, "I have fallen into that time and time again."

Here's one of the pieces of advice that Wormwood, the uncle, gives to his younger nephew, who is trying to tempt a Christian client. He says, "Listen, every single time your client decides he wants to do something spiritual—read the Bible, pray, go to church—remind him of his natural tiredness. Just remind him, 'Oh, you're really tired,' or 'No, you're really busy.' Oh, you can't do that." Has anyone ever experienced that before? That's subtlety. You say, "I'm going to spend 15 minutes praying," and you close your eyes, only to instantly feel tired. Or you sit down, thinking, "I'm going to read my Bible," and then your stomach starts growling. You think, "I'm really hungry. I'll do this later. I'm going to go make myself a sandwich." That is subtlety—deceptive subtlety.

We wrestle against a spiritual foe. If it were a physical foe, it would be easier. But we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. This battle comes against a foe that is otherworldly and very experienced. Therefore, we need to make sure that we are ready to stand. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 2, says, "You once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air." But now you are no longer under that. This opposition is coming against you, but notice he is called the prince of the power of the air. You can't see the air, and you can't see him, but the effects are there.

When you stand to fight against him, the first thing you need to recognize is that you are doing so by the strength of the Lord. Secondly, you need to recognize that this is a spiritual battle and not a physical one. The next key is found in verse 13 of Ephesians chapter 6. It says, "Therefore, because this is true, because we are doing this not in our own might but in the strength of the Lord, and because this is not a physical battle but a spiritual battle, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand in the evil day."

And having done all to stand, stand therefore. Verse 14 begins by emphasizing that this fight is spiritual. In the same way, point five highlights that our armor and weapons are spiritual and not physical. This is another key to the battle. The first key is to recognize that this is not our strength, but the Lord's strength. The second is to know that this is not a physical battle, but a spiritual battle. The third key is to note that these are not physical weapons, but spiritual weapons.

Now, all the guys in the room would confess that if this were an actual physical battle, we would be all over picking up some physical, tangible weapons. It's like, "Yeah, give me the AR-15 lower build kit and let's put this sucker together." But this is not a physical battle, and we're not using physical, tangible weapons. Yet, 2 Corinthians chapter 10 tells us this.

2 Corinthians 10:4 says, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They're not physical, but they are mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds." They are more powerful than missiles, guns, and all the other things that we could come up with. This spiritual battle involves these spiritual weapons, and these spiritual weapons are mighty. Therefore, if you're going to be victorious in this battle, you need to take up the whole armor of God.

You cannot hope to survive in this onslaught from the enemy in your own strength and by just taking up one or two pieces of the armor. We need the complete armor of God, which is given to us in verses 14 through 18 of Ephesians chapter 6. Paul speaks of the Christian's complete armor and mentions seven armaments that we have as Christians. I love that it's the number seven; it adds to the completeness of it.

So, look at verses 14 through 18 of Ephesians chapter 6. We are going to read through it, and then we will look at each one of these seven things quickly because we only have 12 minutes and 38 seconds.

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with the truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit."

And praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for the saints. So, the complete armor begins with the belt of truth. He says, "Christian, if you're going to survive and thrive in this battle, you need to recognize that there is a battle. You need to recognize that you can't do it in your own strength. You need to recognize that you need to do it in the strength of the Lord, by the power of the Lord, against the spiritual enemy with spiritual weapons." Therefore, put on the belt of truth.

Now, what's a belt? It's obvious. It's that which holds everything together and keeps it up. He says, "What's going to hold everything together and keep it on in this battle is truth." We are told in John chapter 14, verse 6, that Jesus is the truth. In this battle, the only way that you're going to be victorious is if Jesus is holding everything together in your life. If He is that which you are relying on to keep you held together and keep your things up and ready to go.

Why is this so important? Because in John chapter 8, the devil is revealed as the father of lies. He is very effective at subtle lies. When he comes in and says, "You will not surely die," or when he comes in with his cunning and says, "Listen, just cast yourself off this temple here, and the Lord's going to protect you. He's going to raise you up." When he lies to you and me, saying, "No one's going to find out. This is done in secret. This is quiet," or when he says, "No, you can cover this over. No one will ever see."

When he comes and lies to you to justify the wrong behavior that you're doing, his lies go on and on. He is the father of lies. So, you need the truth of Christ holding everything together when you are confronted by the lies of the father of lies. He says, "Christian, if you're going to stand, you need to make sure that you've got everything held together by the truth. You need to get to know Jesus, and He needs to be that which you are completely relying on to keep everything held up and held together."

Secondly, he says, "Put on the breastplate of righteousness." The breastplate of righteousness.

The only thing that can truly protect your vital organs of faith is the breastplate of righteousness. Now, what does this speak to? Well, I would suggest that it speaks to the fact that you and I stand in this battle against the enemy, not in our own righteousness, because we have none. We stand protected by the righteousness of Christ.

Why is this important? Every Christian has experienced this moment. The enemy comes in, and you've just erred. You've just sinned. You've just done something wrong. He says, "You're not good enough. He's never going to accept you. Look how terrible you are. Look how weak you are. Look how quickly you fall into temptation. You're so bad. You're so unrighteous." And you know what the Christian needs to confess in that moment? "You're right. I'm unrighteous. I don't stand in my own goodness. I don't stand in my own righteousness. I stand clothed in the righteousness of Christ."

He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that we are righteous in Him, not in our own righteousness. You will never be good enough to withstand the onslaught of the enemy. You'll never be right enough or righteous enough to hold strong when the enemy comes in. The prophet Isaiah says that the follower of God is clothed in a robe of righteousness. I like that metaphor—that the Lord has given us a robe of His righteousness. That is the only way we are protected when the enemy comes in like a flood: by the robe of righteousness, by the breastplate of righteousness.

So, we need to put on the belt of truth. We need to put on the breastplate of righteousness. Thirdly, he says that we need to shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We need to have the shoes, if you will, of the preparation of the gospel of peace. What does this speak of? Well, I suggest that it speaks of a sure foundation. The gospel is the only thing that can keep us sure and steadfast when the enemy comes in. The gospel, the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, needs to be the foundation upon which we stand—no other thing.

We can't have Jesus plus anything else. We trust completely in Him to be the one that keeps us steadfast when the enemy comes in. We're not saying that we trust in Jesus and our good works. We trust in Jesus and the fact that we were baptized when we were kids. We trust in Jesus and the fact that we serve or we tithe or any other thing.

It's Jesus plus nothing. He and He alone is that upon which we stand in our salvation. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace are all essential. He goes on to say, "Take up the shield of faith." Notice that He emphasizes, "above all." There seems to be an essential nature to the shield of faith. We have the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, and the belt of truth, but He says, above all, take up the shield of faith. With that, you'll be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.

If you're going to be protected in this battle against the enemy, this air assault of fiery darts, then we need to have complete, total, utter dependence, trust, and confidence in Jesus and Jesus alone. I don't know if you see the underlying theme of each of these elements so far, but each points to the fact that we're trusting completely and implicitly in God and not in ourselves.

Put on the whole armor of God. Stand in the power of His might, or else you will fall. It's His righteousness, His truth, and His finished work on the cross. Our trust and dependence must be upon Him and Him alone when the enemy comes against us.

He moves from the shield of faith to number five, the helmet of salvation. We need to put on our heads the helmet of salvation. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 8, Paul uses the same metaphor when he says, "But let us who are of the day, walking in light, be sober." This means to walk circumspectly, to be aware of what's going on in the battle, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of our salvation. We need to put on the helmet of the hope of our salvation.

What is this? I think it is absolute and certain trust in the finished work of Jesus. I am saved not because of anything I have done, but because of what He has done for me. That guards my head and my mind when the enemy comes in. He says, "You'll never be good enough," and it's true; you won't. He tries to deceive you with things that are partially true. You'll never be good enough. You can respond, "You're right; I'll never be good enough." But it's not my work; it's the finished work of Jesus that has brought salvation. He accomplished it when He said, "It is finished."

Number six, He says, "Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The author of the book of Hebrews says that the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It cuts deep and is effective. The Christian, in this context, has this as the only offensive weapon; everything else is defensive. This is an offensive weapon with which we can fight against the enemy, and it is effective.

How do we know it’s effective? Well, what did Jesus use when the enemy came against Him? Matthew chapter four records the temptation of Jesus. Three times the devil came and tempted Him while He was fasting. The devil said, "You're hungry. Change these stones into bread." And what did Jesus say? "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." Three times, Jesus responds to the temptation of the enemy, saying, "It is written, it is written, it is written."

I would suggest that many Christians live a defeated life because they don't know what is written. They haven't taken the time to learn how to use the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The only time they hear the Word of God is on a Sunday morning. In over 50% of churches in America today, the average length of a service, specifically the teaching time, is 25 to 28 minutes. Some of you may be thinking, "I really hope you only go 25 to 28 minutes." We're not going to do that. However, the average teaching length at over 50% of churches in America is indeed 25 to 28 minutes.

Statistically, most Christians only receive the Word of God during those 25 to 28 minutes a week. They are defeated in their battle against the enemy because they don't know how to use the sword. Although our teaching time goes for 45 minutes, as the little red clock indicates, you need more than that. You need to open the Word of God yourself on Monday morning and read it, and again on Tuesday morning, Wednesday morning, and in the evenings. Meditate upon it day and night, hiding God's Word in your heart that you might not sin against Him. It is a light unto your path and a lamp unto your feet.

You may say, "Well, I don't really know how to do that. Every time I open it, I'm confused." That’s okay; these things are spiritually discerned. The first thing you need to do is pray, asking God to give you insight and to enlighten your eyes so that you may understand His truth, as the psalmist said.

Additionally, as we have been sharing with you, on March 21st, just a few Saturdays from now, we have a free seminar here at the church.

You can register for it on the church's website, events.ccsco.com. Register for our Reading the Bible with Purpose seminar. It's three hours and it's free. We encourage you and train you on how to use the Scripture so that when the enemy comes in, you can say, "It is written." The amazing thing is that the enemy instantly flees when the sword of the Spirit is presented.

Seventh, the last point Paul makes is about praying with all prayer and supplication with the saints, being watchful. How can you know that an enemy is coming at you when he is spiritual and you cannot perceive him with your senses? You need to be watchful in prayer, praying always. In battle, you always need to be in communication with headquarters. The best way to do that in this spiritual battle is to pray always—not just three times a day when you sit down to eat a meal and say, "Thank you, Lord, for the food. Let's eat," but praying always throughout the day, in every circumstance and in every situation.

In this way, you are connected with the Lord and you are on the rampart, watchful. It is very clear how we can be winners in this spiritual battle. First, we need to recognize that there is a battle that is spiritual and not physical. We need to understand that we cannot stand in our own strength but in the strength of the Lord. We must put on all of His armor to be effective in this: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the sword of the Spirit, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and prayer. In these things, I suggest that you and I will find victory. Amen.

Would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Father, we fight in a battle from a position of victory because You said it is finished, but we still fight. God, I pray that You would enable us by Your truth, by Your righteousness, by the good news of the gospel, with the sword of the Spirit, with faith and total confidence in You. By prayer, enable us to be victorious, to see victory in our lives, to express it in the way that we live, and that all of this would be done ultimately for Your glory.

We ask this in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, "Amen."