The Secrets of Standing Strong

Eph.6:10-17

I recall a story about a man who had to cross a wide river on the ice. He was afraid it might be too thin, so he walked very slowly, then becoming more afraid, he began to slide his feet slowly. Becoming more fearful, he knelt down and started to crawl on his hand and knees in great terror. He thought he might fall through at any moment. Just as he neared the opposite shore, all exhausted, another man glided past him nonchalantly sitting on a sled loaded with pig iron.

How like some Christians! God’s faithful children are in a great throng headed for the eternal holy land, but some tremble at every step lest the divine promises break under their feet. While others glide along on their spiritual sled saying, "Man! I can’t wait to get there! Can’t this thing move any faster??" I believe the difference is strength. Gal.6:9 > > Sometimes, we do lose heart. Here are a few reasons why...

This morning, from the text of Ephesians 6:10-17, I want to discuss the SECRETS OF STANDING STRONG.

INTRODUCTION

A. Outline of the letter

1. ch.1 - -

>> The Christian’s Possession in Christ 1:3,7

2. chs.2-3 - -

>> The Christian’s Position in Christ 2:19-22

3. chs.4-6 - -

>> The Christian’s Purpose in Christ 4:1-3

B. Paul begins to draw his letter to a close with a final exhortation - v.10

1. We cannot fulfill our Purpose without learning the secrets of standing strong.

A. The Source of Strength (10-11a)

B. The Need for Strength (11b-13)

C. The Nature of Strength (14-20)

DISCUSSION

A. The provider is God.

1. You can be strong, but it’s going to have to be in the Lord and you can be mighty, but it’s going to have to be His might.

 

2. A Christian has power and might that not only is separate and apart from our own strength but actually transcends our own strength.

>> Eph.1:19; 3:16,20

 

>> Phi.4:13

B. The provision is God’s armor - v.11a

1. This is armor that we must put on.

2. We must put on the whole armor.

>> In basic training, we went through constant inspection in the ranks where you were thoroughly examined to insure that you were missing nothing that you should have.

 

>> In war time, a soldier cannot afford to have everything but his shoes, or everything but his helmet, etc., etc.

3. So we have a great provider, God, but we must use His great provision, that is, His armor.

A. The schemes of the devil (v.11)

1. The Gk. translated "wiles" is ‘methodea’ = ‘cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery’

 

2. The devil doesn’t meet us on the front lines, he stands ready to strike us from the sidelines.

>> Look at what he did to these people of God.

 

>> Look at what he is prepared to do to us.

 

>> This involves everything we listed at the beginning of the lesson.

3. Only with God’s help can we overcome the evil one.

>> 2 Ths.3:1-3 > 1 Jn.2:13-14

B. The spiritual hosts of wickedness (v.12)

1. This verse goes beyond the devil being the ringleader but looks at all the demonic forces that are his henchmen.

 

2. I don’t believe in demonic possession but the presence and the power and the persistence of demonic action in the world is unquestionable. 1Tim.4:1-3

 

3. But notice the word "wrestle" (or ‘struggle’).

>> The Gk. does actually refer to the Greek athletic practice equivalent to our modern day "wrestling".

4. "having done all" is in perfect harmony with being "strong in the Lord"

>> Knowing we have the strength of the Lord on our side constrains us to fight defensively and offensively to fullest extent of our capabilities.

 

>> Notice the combination in Phi.2:12-13

5. So, we have this great need for strength.

>> devil seeks our eternal damnation

 

>> spiritually wicked host constantly at work against us

6. And, we have this great source of strength.

>> God is our Provider.

 

>> But His armor is our provision.

A. Do you really WANT to stand strong?

1. Judges 7:3

>> God had promised to deliver the Midianites into the hands of His people under the leadership of Gideon.

 

>> They encamped beside the well of Harod (Midianite camp was to the North).

 

>> v.2-3

2. The "stand" in v.13 denotes the end of the battle - - the "stand" in v.14 denotes the beginning.

>> From the very beginning of the battle, God’s child must WANT to stand - - to oppose the enemy!

 

>> No one has that desire without a sincere love and longing for TRUTH.

3. "...having girded your waist with truth..." (v.14a)

>> In Roman armor, you were a mess without the belt or waistband to hold your sword on and keep you from falling all over your own armor. It was central to the whole outfit.

 

>> Truth is the substance of the gospel revelation - - 2Pet.1:12 > Jn.8:44

 

>> So we need to begin our stand with the very thing of which the devil has none!

 

>> Not only objective truth but also subjective truth - - 1Cor.5:8 > Jn.1:14 (He.7:26) > 3John 4 - - honesty, sincerity of profession

 

>> Without truth, we’ll never have the central desire and motivation to stand strong in the Lord.

B. Are you living the kind of life so that you CAN stand strong?

1. "...having put on the breastplate of righteousness,.." (v.14b)

>> Breastplate - - a coat of armor extending from neck to thigh often made of metal rings or scales overlapped like fish scales.

 

>> It protected the vital internal organs from the front.

 

>> NOTE: It did not protect the back - - for the soldier, it was either victory or death, no room for retreat!!

 

>> Our breastplate needs to be righteousness which is uprightness before God - - following His will in every sphere of our lives.

2. We are either living the kind of lives so that we CAN stand strong spiritually or we have our back turned to the devil and you can be sure that he’ll take advantage.

>> Why did David lose his son born from the affair with Bathsheba? not because of adultery, not because of murder, not because of arrogance in ignoring sin...but - - 2 Sam. 12:13-14

 

>> Words can’t defend against the attacks of the devil but a righteous life can - - John 8:45-46

 

>> A righteous life also aids in times of persecution and pressures - - Prov.28:1 > Matt.13:41-43

3. That’s why it’s the breastplate of the armor!

C. Are you PREPARED to stand strong?

1. "...and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;..." (v.15)

>> The footwear of Roman soldiers had metal spikes for traction, balance, and quick mobility.

 

>> The armies of Rome were some of the most victorious armies in part because they were so much more advanced in this area (covered more ground, etc.)

2. Here is a fascinating paradox - - The peace that comes from the gospel being a primary piece of the armor of war!!

>> We must stand strong in peace, before we’ll ever stand strong in war!!

 

>> We’ve seen that there must be the character of truth and the life of righteousness but we also need a disposition of peace to overcome the evil day - - Phi.4:6-7

 

>> We keep the faith because our minds are steadied and our stance is settled upon the good news that our sins are forgiven - - Rom.5:1

 

>> We’re only PREPARED to stand strong if we have that peace that comes from the obedient response to the gospel - - Jn.16:33 > 2 Tim.1:12

3. And so we stand strong because we have committed who we are and what we are and what we have and what we will be to God and we believe that he is able to keep us until that great and grand and glorious Day!

>> Are you prepared to stand strong? Have you responded to the gospel call? If you have, have you kept your eyes on it?

D. Is it WORTH it to you to stand strong?

1. "...above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." (v.16)

>> The Gk. reflects the larger of the Roman shields - - 4.5ft x 2.5ft - - it covered nearly all the body!

 

>> The fiery darts signified those arrows that had been dipped in pitch (a dark residue from tar like substances - - it lit quick).

 

>> This, the most damaging attack could easily be shunned through the shield.

 

>> Faith is that thing that will enable us to stand strong against even the roughest assaults of our diabolical opponent.

** It’s no coincidence that approximately 42 times the word shield is used in the O.T. and 22 of those times it is used in reference to God - - Psa.84:10-11

 

** But God is only our shield through faith - - Peter said we are "...kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1Pet.1:5)

>> That’s why faith is the avenue through which God, who is our shield, protects us - - Heb.12:1-2 > Heb. 11:3

2. "And take the helmet of salvation..." (v.17)

>> If a soldier becomes disoriented, he might as well hang it up - - he may not have any other physical infirmity but if he injures his head, he’s pretty much through! He has to keep his mental faculties.

 

>> The helmet serves this purpose - - for the soldier of Christ, the helmet that helps keep a level head is our salvation.

** Not only the comfort from having been saved here and now but the hope of eternal salvation when Christ is revealed - - 1Thess.5:8 "But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation."

 

** Peter said the saving faith we have is such that it gives us hope of the future - - 1Pet.2:6

 

** The person who doesn’t grow stronger as a child of God and a soldier of Christ is a person who has forgotten his state of salvation & purification before the Almighty God - - 2 Pet.1:9 (5-8)

3. So do you see the worth in standing strong? Do you have faith as your shield and the eternal hope controlling the thoughts of your head?

E. Do you love to STUDY and MEDITATE ON the word?

1. "...and the sword of the Spirit , which is the word of God..."

>> In the literal and physical sense, the sword is the only piece of armor that is both Defensive and Offensive.

 

>> Notice that the word is the sword that the Holy Spirit uses but He uses it through us!! - - Heb.4:12

2. Our sword helps us to stand strong against the devil and wickedness in that it:

>> cuts to the heart of sin - - Ac.2:37

 

>> gives new birth - - 1Pet.1:23

 

>> helps us grow up - - 1Pet.2:1-2

 

>> keeps us solid - - Matt.4 > Ps.119:11

3. The reason I asked do you love to study and meditate on the word is because everything we have listed comes back to it.

>> waist - TRUTH - developed from word

 

>> torso - RIGHTEOUSNESS - Rom.1:17

 

>> feet - PEACE - gospel

 

>> shield - FAITH - Rom.10:17

 

>> helmet - HOPE - Rom.10:14-15

CONCLUSION

A. The Secrets of Standing Strong

1. Knowing the SOURCE of our strength

>> God is the provider

>> His armor is the provision

2. Knowing the NEED for our strength

>> wiles of the devil

>> all his evil host

3. Knowing the NATURE of our strength

>> must "put on" this armor

>> must put on the "whole" armor

B. The final analysis is that the strength comes down to us standing strong in the Lord but us having done all.

II. Standing strong in the Lord begins with becoming one of the Lord's!  Why not become a follower of the Lord today?  Click here to find out how!

- - Jason Malham

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