“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 the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:10-12).

In the next few days we will be looking at the Armor of God.

Paul writes about the armor of God at the end of his letter to the Ephesians. Ephesians is referred to as the “blue print” for the church. As the church was just getting started, Paul wrote this letter to express God’s plan for the church. This letter most completely describes the purpose and the function of the church. In closing his letter to the Ephesians, Paul leaves with them the key to “be strong in the Lord and his mighty power” (v.10).

Strong in the Lord and his mighty power? Yes. Absolutely interested. Sign me up for that.

How can we live “strong in the Lord and his mighty power?”

Paul tells us. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

• “PUT on the full armor of God”
  • Note that the armor doesn’t put itself on. You have to do it. You have to take action. This is intentional. This doesn’t just happen
  • God gives us the armor, but you must put it on
• “So that you can take your STAND against the devil’s schemes”
  • The purpose of putting on the armor of God is to stand against the devil’s schemes
  • Stand firm. You will notice this word used four times in the next four verses:
    • “Take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (6:11)
    • “So that…you may be able to stand your ground” (6:13)
    • “And after you have done everything to stand” (6:13b)
    • “Stand firm then…”(6:14)
  • This is our job. This is what Christians do. This is our calling. We do not cower. We do not retreat. We stand our ground against the devil and his schemes
• “So that you can take your stand against the devil’s SCHEMES“
  • The Greek word for schemes is methodia. This is where we get the word “methods”
  • We are called to stand against the schemes, the plans, and the methods of the devil
  • What are the devil’s schemes and methods? Lies. From the Garden of Eden, the devil has been twisting God’s words and truths. The devil is the father of lies
  • The best protection against the devil’s lies is God’s truths found in scripture
• “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”
  • Our battle is a spiritual battle. The battle against the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms can take on physical manifestations, but the source and the core of the battle is one of spiritual nature
  • To win this battle, you have to go to the root of the problem. The enemy is the devil and his lies

“Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the devil’s schemes.”

We will be doing that in the coming days as we study together how we can put on the full armor of God.

“But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?'” (Genesis 3:9).

The first words God utters after the fall of Adam and Even are, “Where are you?”

“Where are you?” is an English translation of one Hebrew word, ayyekkah.

Ayyekka – where are you? – expresses the heart of the gospel story between God and us. All of the heart of God for us in the Old and the New Testaments is expressed in this one Hebrew word – Where are you?

Ayyekka – Where are you? What this question reveals about God’s heart toward sinners:

• God seeks out sinners
  • Sin causes us to hide from God and his presence
  • Sin causes shame and estrangement
  • God searches for sinners
  • While Adam and Eve go into hiding, God comes to seek them out
• God invites sinners to repent
  • Repentance leads to restoration
  • To have restoration the violation must be acknowledged by both the guilty and the one who forgives
  • Both the one who violated the relationship and the one who forgives must mutually acknowledge that a violation has occurred and that the guilty acknowledges the violation and the one violated forgives that violation
  • To merely say “Sorry” and move on cheapens forgiveness and cheapens the cost of the hurt of the party who was wronged
• God desires the restoration of sinners
  • God seeks sinners, not to destroy and punish, but to restore sinners
  • Acknowledgment of guilt and sin is for the purpose of forgiveness and restoration, never for the purpose of punishment and shaming
• God provides his redemption
  • God arrives on the scene with a plan for salvation and restoration
  • God provides Adam and Eve with garments of skin
  • God provides us with his Son, the Savior of the world

Where are you? God loves you. God wants what is best for you. God knows what is best for you.

Whatever you are facing today, you are not alone. God is with you. God is seeking you out. You are never alone for God is God Emmanuel, God with us.

“Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – the good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

“Just be yourself.”

That’s the mantra of our world. It is so affirming. It is so encouraging. It sounds so kind.

The problem is that this is a lie. This is deception at the very core. This idea is the propagation of the devil.

If human beings are good, holy, kind, loving, giving, wise, true then it would be great to “Just be yourself.” But if this is who we are, God would never have had to send his Son to die for sinners. This negates the need for a Savior.

However, if human beings are wicked, sinful, selfish, liars, murderous, jealous then it would be an absolute disaster to “Just be yourself.”

If we are honest with ourselves, when we get quiet and have the opportunity to examine our hearts and thoughts, we come face to face with the truth that the Bible says about our core identity – we are sinners in need of a Savior.

While the mantra of the devil is “Just be yourself,” the scriptures remind us, “Be like Christ.”

Repent. Turn away from sin. Turn away from self. Turn to Christ. Pursue Christ.

Our hope in this world has always been, continues to be, and will always be Christ and Christ alone.

Christ is our hope.

Don’t fall into the devil’s lie. Our freedom and hope is in pursuing Christ and his righteousness.

Please, don’t ever be just yourself.