Being strong in the Lord
Introduction-
Ephesians 6:10-6:20
I read these verses concerning putting on the whole armor of God because in deed we do need to equip ourselves to fight a battle that by ourselves we are not able to win.
We talk a lot as Christians about trusting God
We talk about taking a stand even when we are outnumbered and overwhelmed by an unseen but known enemy.
We say that we are soldiers, we sometimes even sing Onward Christian soldiers, but truth is most people don’t realize the battle they are in and they have no idea the damage because of a war around them and in them.’
The enemy of your soul attacks you in three ways. World.(people) Flesh.(self) Devil (temptation)
The Devil gets the blame most of the time and we don’t see problems in the other area. The devil made me do it.
Since the day that you said yes to Jesus, there is a spiritual battle that is going on for your soul.
The World and all its sin is trying to pull you back to where the Lord has brought you out of.
Your flesh is your old nature that is trying to pull you back to your old life.
The devil tempts us, distracts us, discourages us , blinds us, so we don’t realize we are in a battle.
The church may be singing Onward Christian Soldier, but they are retreating by great numbers.
Christians live today like they are on a playground instead of a battleground. (repeat )
Illustration-
Author Jack Handey writes, there used to be this bully who would demand my lunch money everyday. Since I was smaller, I would give it to him. Then I decided to fight back. I started taking karate lessons, but the instructor wanted 5.00 a lesson, that was a lot of money at the time. I found that it was cheaper to pay the bully, so I gave up karate.
Too many Christians believe it is easier to pay the bully than learn how to defeat him.
I know a story in the bible that illustrates an enemy, a bully, a habit, situation, circumstance, our wrong desires, to scare us when we are in a battle in our own lives.
It is the story of Goliath against the nation of Israel.
Goliath paralyzed the nation of Israel with his scare tactics and his overwhelming size.
1 Sam. 17:8
“Goliath stood and shouted to the racks of Israel, why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects, but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us. Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel.”
(This monster of a guy said in so many words I don’t care about your God)
He taunted Israel, He belittles Israel, He made Israel feel defeated! He made the king of Israel feel like he had no one to come up against him.
Young David who heard the taunting, heard the belittling comments, said I will go up against this Philistine!
“Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine.”
David looked at the giant, that enemy of God, that circumstance and said to the Philistine
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
He no longer looks at the giant as a threat, but as a defeated foe because of the God that he proclaimed and served.
Today I will bring you down-In Jesus name/ by the power of God.
Today I will get victory- In Jesus name
(47) “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lords, and He will give all of you into our hands.”
Today Christians believe it is easier to pay the bully, but God is looking for some David’s to bring down the giants not only in their lives but in the lives of those around us.
Back to the text- listen to this!
(10) “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand- stand firm!
That is the text around here- it is a life verse, memorize it! “When you have done everything you know to do- stand firm! Amen.
Let’s break it down
Apostle Paul tells us finally, after we have read and did the first 5 chapters of Ephesians, when we have put on the armor of God that he has provided.
(1) He says Be Strong in the Lord Almighty
(2) Take your stand against the devils schemes.
There is a two part message
Strong in the Lord
Stand firm against the devil
I. Be Strong in the Lord
1st thing we have to see is that it is not our strength. He tells us to be strong in the Lord.
Realize you are in a battle with the enemy that desires to bring you down.
Human effort is inadequate to the power of Satan but God’s power is invincible.
We spend so much time fighting each other- God’s people lashing out against flesh and blood as if that was the real enemy.
Thinking that spiritual battles can be won by human effort. There is a spiritual battle going on whether you want to admit it or believe it or not.
Mark it down, memorize it-
Only the Lord and the power of His might are we able to overcome any and all spiritual attacks.
Many people don’t believe in Satan
Gallop pole in 1995 said that 86% of Americans believe in God and only 63% believed there was a Devil.
They don’t want to believe in a red-suited evil creature that sits on our shoulders and tempts and destroys lives.
We look at society, the evil, the pain, the fight against good and evil.
The devil is glad that we don’t believe in him. We don’t want to believe that someone hates us as much as God loves us.
If we are going to be strong in the Lord- you have to know there is an enemy that is stronger than you and the only way to defeat him is in the strength of the Lord.
Maybe you think it is a coincidence that since you decided to follow Jesus there seems to be a battle going on (wink) it is just a coincidence.
Listen, Scripture says Jude (9)”Even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring slanderous accusations against him, but said “The Lord rebuke you”
Strength is in the Lord- in the name of Jesus! And on that name you have strength.
In our strength you are defeated. In His strength we are victorious.
Without Christ, there is no power and you can and will be defeated. In Christ, Satan trembles!
Satan is powerful, but compared to Jesus, he has no power!
Illustration-
Story is told about a large anaconda snake that was 25 feet long and was in a man’s house in Indonesia. This size snake could eat a man whole. They planned how they could kill this great snake. They diverted attention and cut of f his head which was determined to be the size of a man’s chest. Even after the snake was killed, this snake banged back and forth with such force that it destroyed the house and took a long time to die.
This is Satan- He is a defeated foe. While Christ has defeated him, he is still playing havoc and destroying, but one day the destruction will stop.
In his book disarming darkness- Pete Briscoe describes it as what criptaknight does to Superman Jesus does to Satan. When Jesus is around, He has no power.
The devil is not a cartoon character. He is powerful and intelligent created being by God. He is a master deceiver, but he is no match for Jesus.
Don’t give him too much power.
He is not all-powerful.
He is not all-present.
He is not all-knowing.
He can be only in place at a time that is why he needs his little dominions of fallen angels. But they all tremble at the name of Jesus.
II. Standing firm in the devil’s schemes.
Realize that you are in a battle
If the enemy is in range, so are you.
Teamwork is essential, it gives the enemy someone else to shoot at.
Anything you do can get you shot, even doing nothing.
The enemy attacks in two way.
When you are ready for him
When you are not ready for him………which would you prefer?
Jesus is truth,
He is our righteousness.
He is our peace.
We are to do all we know to do- study our Bibles, understand and apply God’s Word, put on the armor of God that He gives us.
Go in the strength of the Lord, then and only then, can we stand firm in the confidence of the Lord.
Closing
We have power in Christ. We are in a battle. Some are losing because they are doing things in their own strength.
We have advantage over rulers, authorities, powers of the dark world, spiritual forces of evil, in Jesus name!
There is strength and you are able to stand firm in
Trouble
Sickness
Weakness
Warfare
Waiting
Service
Because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
Do you believe that? We are more than conquers.
Make this your prayer as we close this morning
1 cor. 15:57-58
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my, dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
