Do You Know Your Enemy - Week 4

Do you know 

Week 4 “Prepared for battle”

Sit (ch.1-3), and learn the truth, walk (ch.4-6a), living out the truth, and stand (6b), against the enemy who hates the truth. 

Watchman Nee

6 indispensable items, the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).

God as a warrior 

Isaiah 42:13

Habakkuk 3

Psalm 35

God's servants/people as troops

Psalm 18:30-50

Psalm 28

Psalm 59

The armor referenced in the OT.

Isaiah 59 

Isaiah 52 

This text is a call to battle, a call to preparedness, and a call to stand firm. 

Ephesians 6:10-13

“10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”

There is no accidental warfare that we encounter. 

Luke 24:49 

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.“

V.14a “stand your ground”

14” Stand your ground…”

V.14b “Belt of truth.”

14” …putting on the belt of truth…”

1) The belt of truth holds up.

“At the metaphorical level, the belt, in the Roman military tunic, held up the lower garments. It meant now that the soldier was freed up, his legs were loose, and therefore he could fight and run.” DA Carson

John 8:31-32

31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

2) The belt of truth holds together. 

How is your spiritual battle going?

If you're being owned by your desires?

Galatians 2:20

20 “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Struggling to honor God with your sexual desire?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

Struggling to believe that God is with you?

Psalm 37:25

25 “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.”

Struggling to believe that you are forgiven?

Psalm 103:12

12 “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

Struggling to trust in the Lord?

Proverbs 3:5-6 

5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

V.14c “the body armor of God’s righteousness”

Ephesians 6:14 “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

“You cannot protect yourself from temptation unless you are hungry to be righteous.” 

-DA Carson