A Special Message From Pastor Mike

Dressing

For

The

Battle

By

Pastor Mike Odom

Title: Dressing for The Battle  
Scripture: Ephesians 6:10- 24    

Ephesians 6:10-24 (KJV)

10   Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11   Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12   For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13   Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14   Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15   And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16   Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17   And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18   Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19   And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20   For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

21   But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

22   Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

23   Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24   Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.     

  
Sometimes we think that if we become Christians that all our troubles and problems will just disappear.  But the fact is, it does not take long to realize that we are in a battle with an enemy that is powerful and strong.

            We as Christians are confronted with THREE KINGDOMS:

1-    Humanly kingdom

2-    Hellish kingdom

3-    Heavenly kingdom

 

Paul would write in Ephesians 2:1-3 these words:

 

Ephesians 2:1-3 (KJV)

1     And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2     Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3     Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

Here Paul tells us that we have two enemies:

 

1st- The World - It is the human kingdom around us that opposes the system of God and seeks man’s wisdom and way.

 

2nd- The Flesh – It is the place where we battle the hellish kingdom:

-         Lust of the flesh

-         Lust of the eyes

-         Pride of the eyes (life)

 

1 John 2:15-17 (KJV)

15   Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16   For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17   And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.


This morning I want us all to understand that God has called us to live under HEAVENLY KINGDOM authority!  As Paul is closing his letter to the people in Ephesus, he shares with them several truths about living a victorious life, and how we need to prepare for those difficult times ahead.

 

Notice Paul used the words the evil day in verse 13.

The evil day =   has many meanings – toil, hurtful, diseased, turmoil -  these are seasons that we all go through.

 

This morning I want us to understand several things from this study:

1st - - We all have an ENEMY – the devil.

The Bible has many names for the devil, for example:

-         The accuser (Rev. 12:10)

-         Your adversary (1st Pet. 5:8)

-         Angel of light (II Cor. 11:14)

-         Deceiver (Rev. 12:9)

-         Destroyer (II Cor. 11:14)

-         Evil one (John 17:15)

-         Liar (Jn. 8:44)

-         Prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2)

-         Ruler of the world (Jn. 12:31)

-         Serpent (Gen 3:4; Rev 20:2)

-         Tempter (Matt. 4:3)

 

Satan is compared to a lion in (1 Pet. 5:8) seeking whom he may devour.   Satan is not all knowing, nor all powerful but he does have an army of demonic powers that work under his direction.

 

2nd- -  Satan has HELPERS – DEMONS

Notice in Eph. 6:12, Paul tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against:

-         Principalities

-         Powers

-         Rulers in dark places

-         Spiritual wickedness in high place

 

3rd- - Satan’s abilities  -   Paul is very clearly telling us that Satan is a force to be reckoned with and not to be taken lightly.

 
 

In Eph. 6:10 and following - Paul clearly tells us that we MUST

1st   be strong IN the Lord (10)

2nd  and in the POWER of HIS MIGHT (10)

 

And the way we are STRONG IN THE LORD is that we must always:

 

1st - - PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD (11)

- girdle of truth (14)

- breastplate of righteousness (14)

- shoes of the gospel (15)

- SHIELD OF FAITH (16)

- helmet of salvation (16)

- Sword of the Spirit (17)

 

2nd- - Not only are we to put on the whole armor of God but we are to           PRAY! (18-20)

 

Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)

18   Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

 

Notice what He tells us about the importance of prayer:

1st   THE CALL TO PRAY ---- Pray ALWAYS (18)

2nd   THE POWER OF PRAY ----Pray in the SPIRIT (18)

(Romans 8:26-28)

3rd   THE WATCHFULNESS of PRAYER ----   watching with all perseverance and supplication (18)

4th   THE FOCUS of PRAYER ---- all the saints (18)

 

CONCLUSION:   This morning we are in battle together, as family.  Some of us are hurting from the wiles of the attacks that have come to you.

Others are struggling – wanting to break free and live victorious but you are like the man at the pool of Bethesda – somebody always steps in ahead of you and gets the blessing.  

I WANT TO CLOSE WITH Jesus’ words in Luke 4:

 

Luke 4:18 (KJV)

18   The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

 

Notice:

-Heal the brokenhearted

-Deliverance to the captives

-Recover the sight

-Set at liberty

Where do you fit this morning?
  

JERUSALEM STRONG

Pastor Mike