The Weapons of Our Warfare | Part 1

You know the truth of Scripture. Listen to Adrian Rogers. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but when big keeps me going is not how I feel it is what I know the devil will attack you with era and the only way that you're going to be able to discern between right and wrong is to get in this book feed upon this book saturate your soul with this book as the Holy Spirit of God to interpret this book to you. Many of you are set up for the devil and he moves in and takes over because you do not know welcome to love worth fighting for God will find ourselves in a battle between light and darkness, death and life, heaven and hell every believer in Christ is called to be a part of that battle. It is a claimed preacher and Bible teacher Adrian Rogers just reminded us what keeps us going in times of spiritual warfare is not how we feel, what we know. Do you know the truth of the word of God. Do you know that it is your only defense in this spiritual battle.

What does it say about our enemy about how we can defeat him. If you have your Bible turn to Nehemiah chapter 4 will begin in verse seven is Adrian Rogers reveals the weapons of our warfare. Now, Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls God called him to a task of construction and when Amir Miami people said, let us arise and build all of a host of hail said let us arise and stop them when God's people have a mind to work the devil's crowd has a mind correct and so Nehemiah said I made a prayer to God. Not only did I make a prayer but I set a watch. You see, if we pray without watching your friend that's laziness. If we watch without praying that his presumption. Oliver Cromwell is set on one occasion, I believe trust the Lord and keep your powder dry. Now that's what old Nehemiah did he live a marvelously balance life and as I read this fourth chapter of Nehemiah. My mind goes again and again to the six chapter of Ephesians a return to Ephesians chapter 6, I began reading in verse 11. I remember that the Nehemiah had an adversary. Many adversaries and he armed his people now look in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 11 put on the whole armor of God that she may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, I guess powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take of you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand stand therefore, having your loins good about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace of all taking the shield of faith were with you should be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints and for me, that utterance may be given to me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel and will stop right there. If you are living for God, you have a battle on your hands and if you don't have a battle on your hands. Shame on you. It doesn't speak well of you. It speaks poorly of you because the servant is not better than his master and he who stands nearest to the captain. In any battle is going to find the most darts aimed at him and I just wonder if you're not standing near your Lord if your life is so easy and you're not knowing what it is to do battle where Emma battle with no holes barred.

It's a battle between light and darkness between death and life between heaven and hell and every Christian is called to be a part of it. I want you to notice several things here in the Scripture that I read first of all I want you to notice our adversary in verse 11. On the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and then verse 12 for 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. What we learn about our adversary the devil well first of all, we learn that he settled but the Bible says to stand against the wiles of the devil. Remember Nehemiah's time when they said that you will know where were coming from with coming suddenly, swiftly, secretly, that's the way the devil is. He's very wily.

He's very subtle.

Your imagination and your ingenuity and your intellect is no match for the subtlety of the devil. Not only is he settled, but look at the Scripture. He's also spiritual voice says we wrestle not against flesh and blood. In verse 12 and never thought about the devil being spiritual it would be a great day in America when we learn that everything that is spiritual is not righteous.

The Bible says, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God, many spirits are going out into the world. The devil is spiritual everything spiritual is not righteous. Not only is he subtle and not only is he spiritual, but he is strong look in verse 12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness that were powers means authorities here is Satan who has great power and as Martin Luther said in a mighty Fortress is craft and power are great.

Don't you ever make the mistake of underestimating the devil.

I see some people who try to laugh the devil away. They try to act like that, that was some sort of a joke some medieval superstition. Some little fellow in a suit of red underwear with horns and a pitchfork try to catch somebody bending over all know he is powerful and he is malevolent and he has great authority and great power in the Bible says that he deceived with the whole world. But not only is he subtle and spiritual and strong. He is sinister he is sinister look in verse 12. We wrestle against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Now that's the kind of an enemy you had and it would be tragic if you underestimated him. Satan is real war, however, is not with you. It is with God. Evil persons of always known that if you cannot harm someone directly harm someone that that someone loves and you harm that one anyway and so Satan is trying to get it. God is real warfare is with God, but his attack is upon you, because God has set his affection upon you, so we notice first of all, our adversary, and then I want to notice. Secondly, are armor beginning in verse 13 and reading through verse 17 wherefore take him to you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand stand therefore, having your loins good about with true having on the breastplate of righteousness in your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith were with you should be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God and I want us to think very quickly now about armor. First of all, he says, you take the belt of truth, the warriors in this day wore a leather girdle that would pass around the waist.

It would gird up their loins and all that belt was hung all of their weapons and implements of war and it was the thing that held everything together all. How important is true. Jesus said, sanctify them through thy truth. My word is truth by word of I had in my heart that I might not sin against the I've said it before and I'll say it again. The thing that keeps me going is not how I feel it is what I know and the devil will attack you with era and the only way that you're going to be able to discern between right and wrong is to get in this book feet upon this book saturate your soul with this book as the Holy Spirit of God to interpret this book to you.

Many of you are set up for the devil and he moves in and takes over because you do not know true true all the very first weapon that you must have is the girdle of truth, the belt of truth in many speaks of the breastplate of righteousness. Every soldier in this day would wear a armored raisin breastplate, and it was to keep the dark scenarios from coming through now look folks, what is the breastplate of righteousness is a pure life because not only will the devil attack with Erin. You need the belt of truth, but he will also attack with impurity. You know the thing that I want to do. All I want to keep my life pure fuel.

There is no unconfessed unrepented of sin in my life as you say you braggart know is not bragging, that's not arrogance. I would be a sheer stupid fool to stand up and try to minister the word of God was sin in my life. I try to go against the devil was sin in my life.

Don't you know that the Bible says don't let the sun go down upon your wrath need to give a place to the devil you are to take the breastplate of righteousness, and then he says have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

That is the boots of peace. You see, the devil wants to discourage you and the devil is put all kinds of briars in your way, that was put all kinds of pitfalls in your way.

Also to rocks for you to stumble over an army moves not only on the stomach, but only Street leisure foot soldiers and the soldiers had hobnailed boots that they would wear that would equip them to keep them leaping rather than limping all you have the peace of God are your feet shed with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Or you can walk through any circumstance through any thorny pathway through any briars if your feet have on the peace of God, not Europeans, but the peace of God that passes all understanding and all misunderstanding to many says the shield of faith. Now folks, the devil will attack not only with era where you need the belt of truth.

Not only will he attack with impurity where you will need the breastplate of righteousness, and not only will he attack with discouragement where you need your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace which you listen to me right now he's going to attack you with doubts the devil will put doubts in your heart in your mind that will blow out every light in your soul. The devil wants you not to believe God, the devil is the author of all that he crawled his slimy corroding pathway into the pages of history in the third chapter of Genesis and put it down to needs mind and said yeah he hath God said, well, how are you going to overcome those doubts the shield of faith and where you going to get faith. God gives it different if you will allow him to do it.

You can't make yourself believe you can't work up faith rate is the gift of God and God dumped Everyman a measure of faith.

And if you get the sin out of your life and wait before the Lord and ask God for it and look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. You have faith in every fiery dart that comes from the very pit of hell will be quench in that shield of faith and then put on the helmet of salvation that means not simply being saved from hell.

But the helmet of salvation means that constant deliverance that God gives us an enemy so many times will go to crush the skill but no different. If you're wearing God's helmet to helmet of salvation.

Satan will break his arms on that strong helmet are you saved, do you know that you're saying are you trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you have the full assurance. Oh if you're not sure that your saved you be no match for Satan and then the sword of the Spirit which is the Bible the word of God. This is our armor, but I want to get to the very heart of the message and speak about our attack.

Our attack because you see, we are not to be on the defensive. We are to be on the offensive and we are not to be overcome with evil, but we are to overcome evil with good.

And so there's a war and where to be in.

And so now Paul tells us how to make our attack in verse 18. Read verse 18.

Now, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Now I can just hear somebody's put on all the armor he's got on the belt of truth.

He's got on the breastplate of righteousness. He's got on the boots of PCs got on the shield of faith, he's got the helmet of salvation, he's got the sword of the Spirit, and he says now Lord, I'm sure I'm all ready to fight and he's not prepared for what God says God says now that you're all dressed up. Here's the battle. Verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit now folks get this in your heart and get it down big and get it down straight. Prayer is not getting ready to fight. That's where the fightings rightly, that is the battle that is the warfare right there.

That's the way to wrestle against the enemy wants you dressed up for the light. Once you seen your adversary once you seen your ally once you put on your armor ready for the attack, and the Army of the Lord Jesus Christ marches forth on its needs.

The reason that some of us are not winning is where not even showing up for the war we don't even know where the battle is, the battle is in prayer.

That's what Paul is saying here after we get dressed up to fight. Then he tells us how to fight. Let me do some illustrations of what I'm talking about. For example, during the Exodus chapter 17 for moment Exodus chapter 17. Remember, the Israelites were coming out of the land of Egypt going into the promised land. And there was someone who withstood them and tried to keep them from having the fulfillment of God's promise in her life and that someone was a wicked man named Amalek, I want you to notice how Moses dealt with Amalek this one most remarkable battles in all of the Bible. Now, here is Amalek this wicked king well is begin verse eight. Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel and rested him. That's the name of the place record in and Moses said unto Joshua choose us out man and go out and fight with Amalek tomorrow. I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand, and so Joshua did as Moses had said under him and fought with Amalek and Moses and Aaron and her went up to the top of the hill now. Note especially verse 11 and it came to pass, that, as Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed, but Moses hands were heavy and they took a stone and put it under him and he said thereon and Aaron and her status hands.

The one on the one side and the other on the other side and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun, and Joshua got discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword and the Lord said to Moses, write this for a memorial in a book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua.

This was very important to God.

This wasn't incidental. This was fundamental, for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar and called the name of a Jehovah, Missy Bory said because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Now here is the question.

Where was the real war with Amalek all was it thought only you. I was at fault in the violent with you. Read the story you find out that was thought only was when his hands that Israel prevailed hands lifted to God holy hands in prayer.

It was when Moses tired and intercession, and his hands grouped that Amalek prevailed. I can imagine the Joshua down there in the valley with his soldiers would say to Moses.

This is all going on.

Moses come down off that mountain and fight. I can imagine Moses answering back and saying friend I am finding all the battle is prayer don't you forget it, dear friend. The devil wants to keep us from praying he doesn't care what else we do. He doesn't care how much money we write. He cares not how many buildings we bill. He cares not how many songs we sing, or how many sermons we preach, the devil marks are schemes he lasted are toiling sick but he fears our prayers. The battle is prayer. I am no greater than my prayer life.

You are no stronger than your prayer life. This church is no better than the prayers of its people. I remember when Cito Baxter was here.

He said this, he said the devil surely must say to his demons bought keep him from praying, if you can keep them from praying we can beat him every time, but if he prays he will beat us every time the battle is prayer. The battle is prayer.

The battle is prayer.

And when you put on the whole armor of God, all you're doing is bringing yourself into a stance where you can pray when you can hands to God and stand against the wicked one whole lot of power, this congregation can be in the hand of God. If we learn how to pray, let me give you another example of what I'm talking about doing battle through prayer, turn to the book of Daniel. Chapter 10 for moment and let's look at another passage of Scripture. I want to read now beginning in verse 10, Daniel has been seeking knowledge from God. Daniel is warning and understanding. I want to say this to friend that the understanding man praise in the praying man gets understanding and Daniel has been seeking understanding. He wanted know what's what he wanted to know what God was up to, so he could get in on an inspirational Lord, give me a revelation. God give me wisdom. Lord, I want to know in a strange thing happened when Daniel is mighty man began to pray and I'm reading here in Daniel 10 beginning in verse 10, and behold, I hand touched me, which set me up on my knees and upon the palms of my hands and he said to me, all Daniel, a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak under the and stand upright for under the EMI's now sin and when he had spoken this word on to me. I stood trembling. Then he said to me for not Daniel, for from the first day that thou data set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before God by words were heard, and I am come for thy word, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and 20 days below. Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me and I remained there with the kings of Persia and now I am come to make the understand what shall befall by people in the latter days for yet. The vision is for many days and when he had spoken such words under me. I set my face toward the ground and I became dominant, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips. Then I open my mouth and spake and set them in the stood before me. All my Lord by the vision. My sorrows are turned upon me and I have retained no strength and then he goes on to tell how he received a message from this angel of the Lord. Now this is indeed a deep and mysterious passage of Scripture. But I want to learn something here tonight if you don't learn anything else about this passage of Scripture that prayer is real warfare.

Here Daniel had been praying even fasting even seeking the face of God for 21 days of humiliation and fasting and no answer. Had Daniel receive. He prayed and he prayed and he prayed and he fasted and he cried and he praying, but there was no answer. And finally, an angel came and the angel said I was on my way with the answer, but the Prince of Persia withstood me. Now is the Prince of Persia that is an allusion to the devil himself. Often the power behind the throne of wicked kingdoms is the devil, and when the Bible says the Prince of Persia. It literally means the chief demon who ruled over Persian and here Daniel was praying. But the point I want you to see is that there was a warfare a great warfare that was going on and and while Daniel was praying and interceding, there were those who were trying to keep the prayer from being answered and if you don't understand that you just don't understand that prayer is war. Prayer is real warfare prayer is the warfare we put on the armor of God, to prepare us for prayer will hear the powerful conclusion of this message coming up on Monday but if you have questions about who Jesus is what he means to you how you can give your heart and life to him right now. How you can choose him as Savior and Lord.

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