Armor Part 2

Welcome back.  If you remember last week, we talked about our armor, our spiritual armor and how important it is to keep on.  We talked about the parts of armor and the uses of some of those parts and what they meant.  Today we will talk about them again, but this time I will ask you about them. While doing this lesson I sought to know more about it, then I originally thought so I hope you will be able to get something out of it too.    

Today we will go deeper than maybe you are used to, just hold on, we will understand it.  Are you ready? 

>                         Again, we will be studying this as an in-depth Bible Study.

>                         What does this verse mean for us?   As we begin to study this, I will be using different pieces from different authors and teachers to teach this.  If I do it from all of me to all of you, we will get deep but we want to be deeper still. 

>                         This will be our 2^nd class, we have one hour under us but we want to continue to know why it’s important we wear this armor continually.

>                          We are breaking down what the Full Armor of God is and why it’s important. 

>                         We will pray at the end of each class for the things that we need broken off of us so we can wear our armor proudly and without false pride but with pride that we walk with the Lord closely. 

 

Let’s begin in prayer

Lord Jesus, help us to understand the things of the spiritual nature, the spiritual realm and the reason we need to know what we are reading.  Lord open our spiritual eyes to see those things from you and how we will use our armor better.  Lord, we learned some but we want to go deeper with you, we want to walk in the depths of your glory, we want to esteem you and acknowledge that you are our God.  We desire your heart and desire to walk with you.  We love you and thank you for what you have done and will do for us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 In our scripture

Ephesians 6:10-18New King James Version (NKJV)

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, ^[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 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, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

We looked at our helmet and how important that is.  Let’s look at the word wrestle.  What comes to your mind about this word? 

 

Because the devil likes to mess with our thoughts, dreams, visions and our mind. We must take control of our thoughts and not allow unbelief or negativity come in and steal the joy and the beauty of our life. 

Let’s look at the original meaning to this word.  Since the New Testament was written in Greek, let’s look at this from “Biblehub.com and Barnes Notes on the Bible (NT)

For we wrestle - Greek, "The wrestling to us;" or, "There is not to us a wrestling with flesh and blood." There is undoubtedly here an allusion to the ancient games of Greece, a part of the exercises in which consisted in wrestling; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 9:25-27. The Greek word used here - πάλη palē - denotes a "wrestling;" and then a struggle, fight, combat. Here it refers to the struggle or combat which the Christian has to mainrain - the Christian warfare

 

What do you think?  What sticks out to you?

What are the things that are your most pressing problem or a person or people that are on your list of problems or circumstances beyond your control? 

List them in your notes.  Put asterisks at the ones that you are wrestling with.  

Why do you think you are wrestling with them?  Emotionally, physically, financially, or verbally.  Let’s look at what is happening with them.  Let’s dig a bit deeper into some of those. 

At biblehub.com the Barnes Notes on the Bible (NT) …

He goes on to say: Not against flesh and blood - Not with people. The apostle does not mean to say that Christians had no enemies among men that opposed them, but they were exposed often to fiery persecution; nor that they had nothing to contend with in the carnal and corrupt leanings of their nature, which was true of them then as it is now; but that their main controversy was with the invisible spirits of wickedness that sought to destroy them. They were the source and origin of all their spiritual conflicts, and with them the warfare was to be maintained.

So some of what you are going through is not against you personally but fighting the spiritual battle that surrounds you. 

Who is your real enemy here?  It’s not God, it’s an adversary the Devil who roams from to and fro, trying to destroy what he deems necessary.  That is the things on your list are easy for him to come in and take priority in our thinking about them. 

It goes on to say:

“But against principalities - There can be no doubt whatever that the apostle alludes here to evil spirits. Like good angels, they were regarded as divided into ranks and orders, and were supposed to be under the control of one mighty leader; see the notes on Ephesians 1:21. It is probable that the allusion here is to the ranks and orders which they sustained before their fall, something like which they may still retain. The word "principalities" refers to principal rulers, or chieftains.

So, let’s look at this a bit closer.  This was not my intent on this lesson but really in order to really understand the reason for our armor.  It’s going to get a bit deeper than what my own intention was, but I believe as I write this, it’s where the Lord desires us in our walk.

Powers - Those who had power, or to whom the name of "powers" was given. Milton represents Satan as addressing the fallen angels in similar language:

"Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers."

Against the rulers of the darkness of this world - The rulers that preside over the regions of ignorance and sin with which the earth abounds. "Darkness" is an emblem of ignorance, misery, and sin; and no description could be more accurate than that of representing these malignant spirits as ruling over a dark world. The earth - dark, and wretched and ignorant, and sinful - is just such a dominion as they would choose, or as they would cause; and the degradation and woe of the pagan world are just such as foul and malignant spirits would delight in. It is a wide and a powerful empire. It has been consolidated by ages. It is sustained by all the authority of law; by all the omnipotence of the perverted religious principle; by all the reverence for antiquity; by all the power of selfish, corrupt, and base passions. No empire has been so extended, or has continued so long, as that empire of darkness; and nothing on earth is so difficult to destroy.

Yet the apostle says that it was on that kingdom they were to make war. Against that, the kingdom of the Redeemer was to be set up; and that was to be overcome by the spiritual weapons which he specifies. When he speaks of the Christian warfare here, he refers to the contest with the powers of this dark kingdom. He regards each and every Christian as a soldier to wage war on it in whatever way he could, and wherever he could attack it. The contest therefore was not primarily with people, or with the internal corrupt propensities of the soul; it was with this vast and dark kingdom that had been set up over mankind. I do not regard this passage, therefore, as having a primary reference to the struggle which a Christian maintains with his own corrupt propensities. It is a warfare on a large scale with the entire kingdom of darkness over the world. Yet in maintaining the warfare, the struggle will be with such portions of that kingdom as we come in contact with and will actually relate:

(1) to our own sinful propensities - which are a part of the kingdom of darkness;

(2) with the evil passions of others - their pride, ambition, and spirit of revenge - which are also a part of that kingdom;

(3) with the evil customs, laws, opinions, employments, pleasures of the world - which are also a part of that dark kingdom;

(4) with error, superstition, false doctrine - which are also a part of that kingdom; and,

(5) with the wickedness of the pagan world - the sins of benighted nations - also a part of that kingdom. Wherever we come in contact with evil - whether in our own hearts or elsewhere - there we are to make war.

Let’s go back to what we have on for our armor:  We have a helmet, we have a breast plate, we have shod for our feet and shins, we have armor on our arms.  But there is one thing that isn’t covered, what is it? 

There is no armor for our back!  Why?

Because we are not to turn our backs on HIM.  We are to stay in the fight and not turn away because it’s hard, that is when the devil will come in and kill us. 

Can you think of a time when you have turned your back in Him? 

Now why would the devil attack your mind?  Why would he even care about it?  Because your own mind can destroy you through stinkin thinkin.  This is the main part of his tactic.  If he can get into your mind, he can destroy your relationship with the Lord. 

Let’s look at some verses to help us to see what is being said.  John 8:44

2 Corinthians 4:4, and Rev. 20:10

The enemy’s approach is sneaky and secret, keeping his ways very hidden and we almost forget that he is even around because we can not see him, but if we look really close at our lives, we can see the things that are from God and not from God. 

We don’t look close enough to see his snares, his trip ups, his efforts to destroy us at every step.  This Meany wants to take back what he feels God took.  But God didn’t take it, when we gave our life to Jesus, we gave Jesus permission to be joined in our lives.  Well, the devil is jealous and envious of the joy that Jesus gives, he wants it back.  Let’s look at 2 Cor. 11:14 and see what this sneaky creep is up to.   Your salvation is an ongoing process, it's not something that is done once and we forget about it.  It's an ongoing, ever changing, always progressing process.

Let’s change the subject for a second.  Let’s look at your life.  What are you hopes and dreams?  Let’s take a few minutes and write them down. 

Now what are your hopes and dreams for your children? 

One of my son’s dreams was to fly around the world delivering food to the nations that needed it, including the U.S.  Well, as he grew older and more defiant to the teaching of Jesus, the devil waltzed right in and took that dream and the other dreams and visions he had because the door was opened wide with disobedience to his mom and disobedience to the Lord.  His life today is definitely not what God had intended, though we know God can turn something bad into something good if WE are ready to submit to Him.  

God wants us to be prosperous and to be rich in HIS glory but also there is so much available for us and to us.  Moreover, if you have the vision and goals, you can see the devil clearer in your line of vision and you can stop him from stealing it.  Now let's look at your past, no judgment, just write down on that list what was good and what was not so good?  Now, let's look at again and write the results of those things and let's see if God's hand was upon you during those times.

We are going to be searching for the deeper things of God but also his adversary the devil. 

Let’s go back to Eph. 6:12- … for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…

If you look at this and say to yourself, how is the devil going to steal this?  What are you thinking? 

Let’s write down a few things that he has taken in your ministry or in your life, because we really are all in ministry and we are definitely in our own life,  since we are to go into all the world to make disciples…

If we water down the Gospel, God’s Holy Word, it does not equip us.  We will be like the world and the devil isn’t going to mess with us that bad.  But if we stick to what the Word of God says, we will fight for every minute step, every inch of ground, every tip toe, every millimeter of ground. 

Pray in All Occasions –

Pray: entreat, implore —often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea; to address God with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving

Do we pray in all occasions, good AND bad?  Do we address God daily?  Are we praying for our loved ones?  Are we praying protection over our marriage and family?  Do we thank God with a humble heart?

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” – James 5:13

 

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16

 

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” – Colossians 4:2

 

 The Armor of God has been given to us by our God, our Commander in Chief; laid out before us as a tool to protect and defend! They are disciplines that we should be actively doing DAILY!  God is calling His army, His body, His followers, to fight against the evil one!  Will you PUT on the FULL Armor of God?

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” -1 Timothy 6:12-16

We are going to take a look at a study that we teach and how it affects us when the devil comes knocking and finds us home and unguarded.

How many of us are buffeted by the devil?  How many of us call out to the Lord to come and help?  You know he’s always there even when we get hit hard.  So, let’s take a look at this. 

Excerpt taken from page 3 of Biblical Foundations of Freedom by Art Mathias.

There are many tactics that Satan uses and we have allowed to come into our life.  We may have opened doors and not really even known it.  The key is to find those open doors and find those hiding spirits and shine God's light on them! 
Here are some of those creepy spirits that sneak in and find a foothold and you won't even know it, they come in and hide and come out in the least expected times! 
Accusing spirits are ones that comes in ever so sneaky, it comes to steal, kill, and destroy in whatever capacity it can.  "Accusing spirits can operate in our life when we don't know what the real Spirit looks like.  Accusing spirits build on our ignorance of who we are in Christ.  They tempt us to misunderstand who other people really are. They confuse our thinking about God's true nature. Accusing spirits' goals are to bring us down, to bring others down, and to bring God down.  They seek to separate us from God, others and ourselves.  Satan uses an old military tactic of divide and conquer."

Accusing spirits accuse others, judge others, accuse God and accuse ourselves.
Here is a small list of these spirits...

1. Refusing fellowship with a person who has changed.
2. Holding people to their past behaviors
3. Keeping a record of wrongs
4. Bigotry
5. Completion, not feeling whole unless we win
6. Mistrust
7. Heaviness
8. Gossip and innuendo
9. Being easily offended. Easily offending others
10. Self-exaltation
11. Envy
12. Jealousy
13. Suicide
14. Not walking in or accepting forgiveness
15. Anger
16. Bitterness
17. Depression
18. Fear
19. Hate
20. Perfectionism
21. Worry
22. Vanity
23. Blaming others for problems

 

This list is much longer. 

But I want to share this prayer with you.  You can use this as well.  Let's pray that junk off and take back what the devil stole.  He is a creep and he is a stealer, he will blindside you faster than anything. 

This is a Wellspring prayer

Part 1- Forgiving or Repenting

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we give you permission to try our hearts for any wicked way and we covenant with you that when you need to reveal a wicked way (anything that grieves the Lords' heart), and we covenant with you that when you reveal a wicked way we will deal with it in forgiveness and repentance.  we set aside this time for you and ask that the Holy Spirit be in charge and and In the Name of Jesus, we bind all evil spirits and command them not to interfere. Amen.
(In obedience we choose to forgive or repent. Matt. 6:14-15, James 4:7, 1 John 1:9)

Part 2- Canceling Satan's Authority

Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for (any of the things above- one at a time) __________________.

I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from (same as above).

In the name of Jesus and by the power of His blood, I cancel Satan's power and authority over me in this issue of ________________________ because God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself. 

Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart and tell me your truth about this situation.  (Shhh, let Him speak to your heart- listen, you may hear it loudly or softly)

Part 3- Closing prayer:  (After you have prayed through whatever ones you needed to, go to this prayer)

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus, I ask you to forgive me and I purpose and choose to forgive myself for allowing the accusing spirits to come in. I release myself from all of them. 

In the name of Jesus. I cancel all Satan's power and authority over me for any and all entry points.  God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself.  It is done and over with.  In the name of Jesus I command the principality of these accusing spirits and all of their army to leave me now!

Holy Spirit, please come tell me your truth and heal my heart and mind.

Amen.

This is taken from Wellspring prayer ministry, by Art Mathias.  http://www.akwellspring.com/  you can go here and take a peek at his ministry.

We also at times, each and every one of us also make vows.  Do you really know what a vow is?


What is a Vow?  We aren't talking wedding vows, but what is a vow, do you know? 

I am using the "Green Book- Wellspring School of Ministry, the Wellspring model.  How to Minister Workbook.  By Art and Patti Mathias

Have you ever said:  "I will never let a man (or woman) ever hurt me again?"
Or, "I will never put myself in that position again." "I can't trust anybody." "Nobody can do it right but me." "I will never be like my mother (or father)." "I will never be like that." "I will never share what I really feel, it is not safe."

Many men say this ab out their mothers, and then it transfers to their wives.  "Men (women) never do it right." "Don't share", etc.

Proverbs teaches us that as we think in our hearts, so we become (Proverbs 23:7a).  If we make these "vows", or statements, they are waiting to be fulfilled, and Satan will make sure they happen.  Many of these vows were said as children, yet they affect our lives as adults.  If you have ever made such statements, it is now time to go before the LORD, and repent and break the power of the curse that was placed on your life.

                                        
                                       Suggested Prayer

Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, and as an act of my free will.  I confess, repent, and renounce the vow of (specific words) in my life and in all my generations, clean back to Adam.


I ask you, LORD, to forgive me and all my family members and all my past and future generations for involvement in this vow.  I release myself from the curse of this vow. 


In the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, and by the power of His blood, I cancel all of Satan's power and authority over me because of the vow of (specific words).


Holy Spirit, heal my heart and cleanse me from the effects of this vow.  Please speak your words of truth to me.

The following is a list of typical vows: (condensed)

• I don't matter
• I'm not good enough
• What the use in trying? I'll never be good enough.
• I am an outcast.
• It's too complicated.
• I can't do it.
• I'll just suck it up and go on. 
• I'll just pretend it doesn't hurt and go on.
• Nobody will believe me.
• No one will hear my heart, or listen to me, or validate me, or acknowledge me.
• Emotions don't matter.
• It's my fault.
• I'm worthless.
• I'd better be perfect.
• Everyone else gets what he or she wants.  I never get what I want.  When is it going to be my turn?
• I'm defective.
• I don't have time for emotions.
• I'm a victim.
• I am unclean.
• Men have to be tough, or strong.
• You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
• I'll always find a way out; I will survive.
• I have to be good.
• I have bad blood.
• I'm going to carry my cross and the thorn in my flesh.
• I'm depressed.
• It's so hard.
• What's wrong with me, I just can't get my life together.
• I'd better look good.
• It's just so hard (self-pity)
• I'm a victim
• Time heals all wounds
• I'm going to make the best of what I've got.
• I'm depressed
• I have anxiety
• Men don't hug
• I'm just not motivated
• Men don't cry
• I'm going to carry my cross and the thorn in my flesh
• I can't change
• No body loves me
• I've always been like this
• This is the way it's always been
• Be strong, good, right and perfect and make us proud of you. Don't be selfish
• It's not okay to play or be playful
• Keep peace at any price

 

This is a Wellspring prayer
Part 1- Forgiving or Repenting

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we give you permission to try our hearts for any wicked way and we covenant with you that when you need to reveal a wicked way (anything that grieves the Lords' heart), and we covenant with you that when you reveal a wicked way we will deal with it in forgiveness and repentance.  we set aside this time for you and ask that the Holy Spirit be in charge and and In the Name of Jesus, we bind all evil spirits and command them not to interfere. Amen. (In obedience we choose to forgive or repent. Matt. 6:14-15, James 4:7, 1 John 1:9)
Part 2- Canceling Satan's Authority

Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for (any of the things above- one at a time) __________________.

I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from (same as above).

In the name of Jesus and by the power of His blood, I cancel Satan's power and authority over me in this issue of ________________________ because God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself. 

Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart and tell me your truth about this situation.  (Shhh, let Him speak to your heart- listen, you may hear it loudly or softly)
Part 3- Closing prayer:  (After you have prayed through whatever ones you needed to, go to this prayer)

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus, I ask you to forgive me and I purpose and choose to forgive myself for allowing the accusing spirits to come in. I release myself from all of them. 

In the name of Jesus. I cancel all Satan's power and authority over me for any and all entry points.  God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself.  It is done and over with.  In the name of Jesus I command the principality of these words and warfare and all of their army to leave me now!

Holy Spirit, please come tell me your truth and heal my heart and mind.

Amen.

 

 This list is so much longer, but I hope you get the point.  When we speak words over ourselves, they may come to fruition. 

When we give a foothold to the devil, he takes advantage of us because we have allowed it.

   

Almighty God, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I put on Your full armor today. As I continue in my daily union with You, I trust that I will continue to walk in Your righteousness, being led by the Holy Spirit and praying completely in faith, covered by Your divine protection.

I declare that whatever is thrown at me, I will stand strong, by the Word of God deep within my heart and soul, and by Your grace.

You are faithful, Abba Father, and I know that all things work together for good to those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that rises up in judgement, I will prove to be in the wrong, in the name of my sweet and loving Jesus!

Thank You, merciful Father, that I am blessed beyond measure and am protected fully by You. My heart overflows with praise and gratitude for all You’ve done for me. Thank You, most gracious and everlasting Father!

In Jesus’ matchless name, I thank You for the opportunity to put on Your armor daily. So be it… Amen and Amen!