STRENGTH To STAND-VII—Ephesians 6:10-20
Attention:
The Same Taste
Looking in the mall for a cotton nightgown, I tried my luck in a store known for its sexy lingerie.
To my delight, however, I found just what I was looking for. Waiting in the line to pay, I noticed a young woman ahead of me holding the same nightgown.
This confirmed what I suspected all along: despite being over 50, I still have a very “with it” attitude. I said proudly to the 20-something, “I see we have the same taste.”
"Yes," she replied. “I'm getting this for my grandmother.”
*Her delusions were shot down!leaving potentially devastating circumstances!
Likewise, God’s people must find their Strength to Stand firm.
Need:
Courage—to stand firm for & in Christ—against the lost world’s direction.
Confidence—knowing that we cannot compromise with the opponent.
Perseverance—knowing that the Lord’s armor holds & protects thru every battle.
Paul urged the Ephesian church to find their strength in the Lord by effectively arming themselves.
The church must acquire God’s strength to stand victorious.
Where & How can the church find strength to stand victorious?
12 distinctions of the Christian soldier’s strength for victory.
We have found that—
...God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious..or..acquire victory thru a distinct...
1. STRENGTH(:10)
2. ENSEMBLE(:11)Clothing/Array/Dress
3. CONTENTION(:12)
4. RESISTANCE(:13)
5. REALITY(:14a)
6. MANNER(:14b)
7—God’s people also acquire strength to stand victorious thru a distinct...
PEACE(:15)
Explanation:(:15)
:15—“& having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”
“The Roman soldier’s shoes were fashioned from thick leather with nails through the soles. The studded soles enabled the soldier to stand firm. They kept the soldier’s feet from slipping in battle & allowed the soldier to maintain his position against his enemies.”—(JL @ SC)
Everything about a soldier balances & pivots on his two feet. If the feet are not protected & enabled, his mission is over. A soldier is not “prepared” if he is not “shod” properly.
Those of you who ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’...If “the good news” of God’s “peace” thru & in Christ Jesus, is continually strained...If you need “peace”...If you need Good News...If your ‘feet slip’ occasionally...then you need better gripping shoes! You need shoes fit for the occasion...for wrestling(:12)...for battle(:11, 13-17). You need the Good News of God’s “peace”! And don’t be pointing fingers, those of you who think you’ve arrived while others haven’t! We all have & live God’s “peace” thru Jesus.
God’s people have an established “peace” ‘with’ God. They also have the “peace” ‘of’ God resident in their hearts thru the continuation of that faith. These aspects free the Christian to live righteously thru God’s truth. It affords them obedience to God’s will for themselves & for others.
Rom. 5:1-11—“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, & rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; & perseverance, character; & character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
Php. 4:6-9—“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer & supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; & the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue & if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned & received & heard & saw in me, these do, & the God of peace will be with you.”
God’s people are to be swift(“preparation”) to bring the good news(“gospel”) of their “peace” to any situation.
Js. 1:19-21—“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness & overflow of wickedness, & receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
*God’s people are not fomenters/instigators of unrest & division, but rather, are instruments of “peace”...God’s “peace.”
They are not complainers but are instead peace-finders & implementers...They are passionate about finding the various means of instilling the peace of God to any situation—to individuals, thruout the congregation, & thus thruout the global Church!
“Good News(“gospel”) of Peace” is a vital part of “the whole armor of God”(:11, 13)...BUT, like all the other parts of the soldier’s ensemble, it is not enough by itself! All are intimately related to & bolstered by the other parts of the ensemble!
Argumentation:
Lk. 21:29-36—“Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, & all the trees. When they are already budding, you see & know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven & earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, & cares of this life, & that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, & pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, & to stand before the Son of Man.”
Mat. 11:28-30—“Come to Me, all you who labor & are heavy laden, & I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you & learn from Me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy & My burden is light.”
Hab. 3:19—“The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.”
*2Pet. 3:11-14—“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct & godliness, looking for & hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, & the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens & a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot & blameless;”
*Isa. 52:7—“How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!””
*2Cor. 5:18-21—“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, & has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, & has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
*Jn. 14:1, 27, 31—“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”.....“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”.....“But that the world may know that I love the Father, & as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.”
Php. 4:6-7—“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer & supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; & the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds through Christ Jesus.”
*Col. 3:12-16—“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy & beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, & forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; & be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching & admonishing one another in psalms & hymns & spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Illustration:
Bad news of Peace—Directly across the street from FBCC Carrabelle’s sanctuary, there was a severely overgrown corner lot with a dilapidated former restaurant building called ‘Pat’s Place’/It sat for years untouched & had become a gathering place for vagrants/In early June of 2017 someone finally began the process of cleaning up the property at ‘Pat’s Place’/A yard crew came which cleaned out the trash—old tires, pipes, plastic trays,& accumulated trash from the vagrants etc./The crew bush-hogged two sides of the side & back property around the building/However, the road frontage & remained overgrown with large bushes & small trees so that you couldn’t see the porch from the road/June 18, 2017 was a Sunday morning/On June 18th, during morning worship, the crew returned to cut & pile up the remaining debris for the city to remove/Right outside the west-facing sanctuary windows, the yard crew went to work with shouts, loud conversations, chain saws, & weed eaters!/When we exited the worship service, Pat’s Place’ could be easily seen!/The town of Carrabelle had ‘peace’ in that the property was cleared/The yard crew had ‘peace’ in that their work had been fully completed in about 1 1/2 hours during our worship service!...wrapping it up in just enough time to miss worship/BUT, because of their actions, none of the workers could experience the corporate ‘peace’ of & with God that morning/PEACE....
Good News of Peace—Simultaneously with the yard-cleaning racket next door, We were attempting corporate worship/I was oblivious to the noise(largely because my hearing is not the best)/But others during worship, heard it & were potentially distracted from worship/We were declaring & experiencing God’s goodness...grace...power...direction... love...His deliverance, salvation & purpose, etc....& the Good News of His peace/PEACE
Application:
?Your PEACE give you & others, strength to stand victorious?
?You acquired Strength to Stand victorious over wickedness?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
A cotton nightgown...Having a ‘with it’ attitude...Having ‘the same taste’...“I’m getting this for my grandmother.”—Delusions shot down!...Potentially Devastating!
Action:
God’s people acquire strength to stand victorious thru a distinct...
7. PEACE(:15)
1. STRENGTH(:10)
2. ENSEMBLE(:11)Clothing/Array/Dress
3. CONTENTION(:12)
4. RESISTANCE(:13)
5. REALITY(:14a)
6. MANNER(:14b)
Pt. 7 only! Presented 07/23/2017am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
