STANDING FOR TRUTH IN THE LAST DAYS
PART 2
EPHESIANS 6:10-18
Introduction:
This is the second part of this message dealing with the last days before the coming of Jesus Christ to catch away His own unto Heaven. In the first message we dealt with BEING STRONG IN THE LORD and that our fight is not with men, but rather, with the powers of Satan, the Prince of this world.
This message continues that thought and deals with the weapons at our disposal for the fight before us. Consider the following:
II. HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND, STAND THEREFORE
A. Having your loins girt about with TRUTH, v. 14;
1. We have trusted in Christ after we heard the WORD OF TRUTH, Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also TRUSTED, after that ye heard the WORD OF TRUTH, the GOSPEL of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
a. You Trusted Christ after hearing the Word, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
b. The Good News of salvation, James 1:18, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
2. We have GROWN UP (MATURED) in Truth, Ephesians 4:15, “But speaking the truth in love, may GROW UP into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”
a. Becoming that Perfect Man in Christ, Ephesians 4:13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”
b. Here the “New Man” become dominant, Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
B. Having on the BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS, v. 14; 1 Thessalonians 5:8, “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”
a. Stand therefore, resist every attack—as a soldier does in battle, 1 Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
b. The enemy will not sleep, Isaiah 5:27, “None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:”
c. We must stand in Righteousness, Isaiah 59:17, “For he put on RIGHTEOUSNESS as a BREASTPLATE, and an HELMET of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with ZEAL as a cloke.”
C. Having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, v. 15;
1. READINESS of MIND that comes from the gospel WHOSE MESSAGE IS PEACE, Isaiah 52:7, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”
2. Whose message is RECONCILIATION, 2 Corinthians 5:18, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”
D. Taking the shield of Faith, v. 16; Genesis 15:1, “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”
a. Fear not, Isaiah 35:4, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.”
b. The Lord is our shield, Deuteronomy 33:29, “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.”
E. Having the helmet of Salvation, v. 17; Isaiah 59:17, “For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.”
a. With the Helmet of salvation there is no danger of lethal wound, Job 11:18, “And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.”
b. Clad with the Zeal of the Lord, Psalms 119:139, “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.”
F. Using the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, the ONLY OFFENSIVE WEAPON, v. 17; Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is QUICK, and POWERFUL, and SHARPER than any twoedged sword, PIERCING even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a DISCERNER of the THOUGHTS and INTENTS of the heart.”
a. The Word was a known name of the Messiah, John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)full of grace and truth.”
b. It pierces to the soul, Acts 2:37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
c. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Revelation 2:23, “And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”
G. The last weapon is PRAYER, v. 18; Luke 18:1, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”