Put on the Whole Armor of God
Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:11—NIV)
It is not the devil’s power that is the problem, it is the devil’s "schemes." Satan is extremely cunning and he has studied the new race of man for thousands of years. He knows the personality profile of each one of us and understands our weaknesses and strengths.
We hear Christians say, "He that is in me is greater than He that is in the world." They puff out their chest and suppose they will roll over Satan if he gets in the way.
If they will read the context of this passage in First John they will discover John is speaking of truth and of deception. The problem is the devil’s ability to deceive us.
When the Christian churches boast about their power over Satan he merely laughs. They may sing triumphantly in church about their victory over Satan, and then be deceived by him on the way home.
Since Satan works by deception, and the center of operations of deception is our mind, we see therefore that the increase of communication technology represents a major opportunity for Satan to deceive people through their thought processes.
We can pray much and still be deceived, although prayer is one of the best ways of detecting and avoiding deception.
We can study the Scriptures frequently and be sound in theology and still be deceived, although the study of the Scriptures is one of the best ways of detecting and avoiding deception.
We can determine resolutely that we are going to serve Christ with all our heart and still be deceived, although it is of great importance that we proclaim clearly our determination to serve Christ and Christ alone. We cannot even begin as a Christian until we decide once and for all to live only by and in Christ.
As far as I know, the issue of deception revolves around the personal cross of the believer. It is in carrying our cross of suffering and denial that we are best kept from deception. Deception often works in terms of Satan holding something before us that we desire intensely, and then working in our mind until we imagine how we are going to have what we want; how God is going to circumvent His own Word by giving us something that is against the Scriptures because we are "special.’
Whenever we try to make a heaven of this cursed world we open ourselves to deception.
Fellowshiping with other fervent Christians is very helpful in avoiding deception. Many times God will reveal to another saint that we are in deception; or the Pastor may be moved to preach about the issue we are struggling with.
But remember this: no matter how determined a believer you are, no matter how resolved to live in iron righteousness, fiery holiness, and stern obedience to the Father, you still can be deceived. If you do not think so you are deceived already.
Pray always that you not be led into temptation. Never, never, never let down your guard. The officer who gives in to the complaints of his men and does not post a guard on a rainy, cold night, no matter how far from the battle, may have his scalp affixed to the belt of a more diligent warrior by the next morning.
We are in a battle and Satan has no mercy. He desires your destruction. He cannot overpower you unless you permit it, and so he must deceive you in some manner. Never underestimate Satan’s ability to deceive you.
If you find you have been deceived, or think you may be deceived, humble yourself. Seek help from mature saints of the same gender as yourself. God is always willing to hear your prayer, forgive you, and deliver you. But you may have to reap what you have sown, just as did King David.
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13—NIV)
The above verse points out the destructive impact of the unscriptural teaching of the pre-tribulation rapture. Even though God’s people have experienced every conceivable suffering and torment from the beginning of the Christian Era, they are being taught today that they will not experience "the day of evil." Therefore when we attempt to convince them they should prepare themselves, their response is: "Don’t worry Honey, I won’t be here"!
Is this not directly contrary to the Scriptures? What if the believers said that throughout the Christian Era and didn’t prepare themselves?
Does Paul say we of the twentieth or twenty-first century shall be removed from the earth before the day of evil arrives? Does he say this anywhere? Does he not exhort us to prepare to stand in the day of evil? How then can we profess to adhere to the plenary inspiration of the Received Text and then defy the Scriptures in this manner? Are we not guilty of unfaithfulness to the Word of our Father?
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the 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 when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:10-18—NIV)
We are to learn how to stand in the mighty power of the Lord if we are to stand in the day of evil.
We are to remember we are not wrestling against human beings but against the fallen lords of darkness who in ancient times had held posts of authority and honor in Heaven around the Throne of God.
We are going to be tempted in the coming days to fight against the moral depravity that has taken such a hold on America. Only the person who looks continually to the Lord Jesus will be able to resist the temptation to fight back on a human level. Only the person who lives a holy life and prays much will be able to conquer the forces of evil who are determined that demons and not righteousness will guide the American society.
Perhaps some Christians are led of the Lord to fight in the political realm. But the emphasis in Ephesians is on standing against spiritual powers, and this can be done only by the blood of the Lamb, by conforming our testimony to the Word of God, and by loving not our own life to the point of death.
Notice that Paul speaks of defense, of standing, not of attacking. Christians of today are being urged to attack the enemy. The time to attack the enemy will be when the Lord descends from Heaven. Our military posture in the present hour is to be one of defense. It is our carnal nature that desires to charge off and defeat the enemy. When we do this we often are deceived and overcome because the Lord has not blown the trumpet of attack.
Of course our red-blooded carnal nature wants to attack. But the General is telling us to build our defenses, and this sometimes requires many years of the most boring waiting and patience.
Anyone with military experience will tell you that one of the most difficult features of life in the armed services is the periods of waiting and boredom—especially during wartime.
A soldier who disobeys orders and acts on his own may bring other soldiers to harm and may be punished.
The first issue is that of the belt of truth. Much of what is being preached in Christianity today is not Bible truth but tradition. Therefore it is not the sword of the Spirit and the Spirit does not honor or use it. We must abandon our notions and buy the truth today, and sometimes we have to buy it with self-denial.
We can’t just go out and "use" the Word of God. The Spirit must be working in and with us if something of eternal worth is to be accomplished.
Truth is not learned in a seminary. Necessary knowledge may be gained, but not truth. Truth is a Person. It is only as we possess the living Lord Jesus Christ that we possess truth.
The breastplate of righteousness covers our heart. Almost all of the current Christian doctrines of today, from the "state of grace" error to the "prosperity message" work against the actual righteousness that the Spirit of God desires to create in us.
Every new idea that sweeps across the Christian churches seems to be a thought that distracts us from the pursuit of actual righteousness of behavior.
Imputed (ascribed) righteousness is not meant to represent a departure from God’s goal of having friends who practice righteousness, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Rather, imputed righteousness is a legal device, we might say, that enables us to start on the way of righteousness with a clean slate. God hears us because of the atonement made by Christ on the cross of Calvary, and helps us as we begin to turn aside from the sinful nature and seek to walk in the Spirit of God.
When, however, we attempt to use imputed righteousness as a permanent way of relating to God, and do not set aside the sinful nature and walk according to the Spirit of God, righteousness no longer is imputed to us. We have broken the covenant. We will never inherit the Kingdom of God while we are trusting in imputed righteousness but are continuing to walk according to the desires of our flesh and soul.
This is, of course, a major error in Christian thinking of the most extraordinary significance. The moral strength of the Christian churches, as well as of the American secular society who, perhaps without realizing it, look to the churches for moral light, has been all but totally destroyed by the concept that imputed righteousness is a new way in which God relates to man.
It is small wonder the Muslim nations despise us and refer to us as "the great Satan." It is because we are not revealing in our lives the Life of Christ.
So our heart is exposed today because there is no breastplate of righteous behavior protecting us. If we do not begin at once to keep the commandments of Christ and His Apostles so Christ may be formed in us, we never shall stand spiritually in the coming day.
The scepter of Christ’s Kingdom is a scepter of righteousness. When we as a Christian are not growing in righteousness each day, becoming a new righteous creation in Jesus Christ, we cannot possibly enter the Kingdom of God. Paul proclaims this very fact in his epistles.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; Idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions And envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21—NIV)
"Will not inherit the kingdom of God."
And will not stand in the day of evil!
Our feet shod with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. During the hour of distress we are approaching, the unbelievers will be in a frenzy of fear and anxiety. There will be no peace.
If we have prepared ourselves today, possessing the peace that passes understanding today, and knowing how to bring this peace to others, we will be a wonderful witness of God in the time of trouble. We will be on the Rock and will be able to help other people.
But if we have wasted the present hour with the lusts and pleasures of the flesh, the pursuit of riches, the variety of entertainments of the American culture including professional athletics, we will not have God’s peace when the axe falls and will be of no use to ourselves, our loved ones, or other people.
God enabled Joseph to save his family, Egypt, and the rest of the world. Joseph did this by directing the Egyptians to save corn during the time of abundance.
Today is the hour of spiritual abundance for all who will turn aside from the busy American culture. We are to take full advantage of the present window of spiritual "grain" and store up all we can. The time of the "lean cows" is near. We must be prepared with the gospel of peace, ready to walk wherever the Lord leads us.
Satan shoots flaming arrows at us, often in the form of some perverse actions on the part of other people—sometimes other people in the church. These flaming arrows have the potential of setting our entire personality on fire.
This will be more true in the days to come than ever before, especially if we have real persecution of Christians in America. We need to be able to wield the shield of faith in God’s Word so swiftly and effectively that the flaming arrows of the evil one are intercepted and extinguished before they reach our heart.
If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. "See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 54:15-17—NIV)
This promise will hold true for us if we really are the servant of the Lord and not just a casual Christian. These words from God are a shield that we can use to intercept the flaming arrows of Satan.
We put on the helmet of salvation, which protects our head (and mind, figuratively), when we put our faith in God’s Word that through Jesus Christ He has forgiven our sin and we now are without condemnation. As we said before, this certain knowledge of being a saved person in the sight of God comes as we actually walk before Him, confessing, denouncing, and renouncing our sins as we encounter them.
Some of the teachers of today, in order to provide assurance to believers who feel for one reason or another that they may not be pleasing God, overemphasize the role of forgiveness in the plan of salvation. The idea is, if you make a profession of belief in Christ you can forget about any possible condemnation.
While this may help for a season, it eventually will break down because it is not scriptural. It might be better to find out what behavior is troubling the distressed individual, face it directly, and present God’s plan for dealing with bondage.
We have the opportunity to confess our sins, and then through the Holy Spirit to eventually conquer them completely. God will work so as to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If there is restitution to be made, the Lord will lead us in this also, not leaving it up to us to just grit our way through whatever embarrassing confessions or restorations must be endured. If we pray, God will help us to make any amends or repayments that should be made. It is wise to wait on the Lord and not just attempt to relieve our guilt by blurting out something that will injure another person, our wife or husband for example.
As we truly serve the Lord each day, and not just trust in the false lawless-grace that is being preached, our head (mind) will be protected from the attacks of Satan. If we really are walking in Christ we have the assurance that we are saved and acceptable to God. If we are living in the appetites of the flesh and soul we do not have scriptural assurance that we are right in the sight of God, even though we name the name of Christ.
The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and there is none other like it in the universe. By the Word of God the elements were brought into being and fashioned. By the Word of God they will be removed and a new creation brought into existence.
However, we must remember that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, not the sword of the Christian. As the Pentecostal-Charismatic churches become increasingly sophisticated in the current unfoldings of the Word of God, many efforts are made to utilize our newfound knowledge to our own ministerial or personal advantage, or to heal the wounded of mankind.
This approach is not scriptural and will lead only to the False Prophet.
We are not to attempt to move mountains by faith, or to cast out demons, or to perform any of the other acts of authority and power that are the inheritance of the sons of God. Neither are we to try to command the angels or the Holy Spirit. We are not even to pray to the Holy Spirit!
Our task in the present hour is to seek the face of Christ to find out what He desires that we do. When we do what Jesus commands us to do, then the Holy Spirit always will be present to wield the Word of God. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him.
There is no problem of power as far as the Christian churches are concerned. Jesus Christ retains all authority and power in the heavens and upon the earth.
The problem is one of righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God. If we are not living in a righteous and holy fashion before the Lord, He doesn’t even know us. It is possible to work miracles in Jesus’ name and still not be known by Him. This is what the Scripture teaches.
"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:21-23—NIV)
We have to do God’s will if we are to enter the Kingdom of God. Many believers who prophesied, drove out demons, and performed many miracles, all in the name of the Lord Jesus, will be driven from His Presence because they did not live righteous lives.
What good does it do us if we have a tremendous worldwide ministry of powerful miracles and then are driven into the outer darkness? We receive the acclaim of people while we are alive but after we die we are rejected. We of the Charismatic movement of today need to think deeply about this issue.
As far as obedience to God is concerned, we learn this by patiently enduring suffering.
Iron righteousness, fiery holiness, and stern obedience to God. If these are true of our personality and behavior the Spirit of God will wield the Word of God through us according to the will of the Father. But to try to go out and "do great things for God," as currently is encouraged, is not wise. Remember, it is possible to use the name of Jesus to perform mighty deeds even when the Lord does not know us. So we should concentrate on knowing Christ and everything else shall follow.
As we mentioned before, praying in the Spirit is necessary if we are to live the life of victory in Jesus. Praying according to our fleshly mind is better than no prayer at all. But in order for prayer to be effective and enjoyable we need to learn how to get hold of God and pray along with Him according to His will.
The best prayers there are, are the ones God invites us to pray: "Ask of Me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance."
If we are to survive spiritually in the future we must each day set aside a place and time for prayer.
If we are to survive spiritually we must meditate in the Scriptures continually.
If we are to survive spiritually in the days to come we must place all of our treasures on the altar of God, ready to give any one of them to Him when He asks for it.
We must live in and by Christ so we can stand under the enormous spiritual pressures that are to come along with the increasing immorality.
If we are to survive spiritually in the coming days we must put on the whole armor of God, being always prepared to defend ourselves. The hour of attack will come later, when the Commander in Chief appears in the air and we go to meet Him.
Part of our defensive posture is that of remaining alert and praying for our fellow saints. Remember, one of Satan’s chief weapon is that of criticism, gossip, and slander. We must never, never, never think or speak evil of another person, especially a brother and sister in the Lord. Christ is very displeased when we wound His Body in this manner.
Satan obtains many victories in the Christian churches by inciting the unwary believers to gossip about and slander other Christians. Such behavior is common in the churches because God’s people do not understand spiritual warfare.
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