Put on the Full Armor of God

1. Put on the Full Armor of God - Shield of Faith Allen Lo (April 23, 2017)

2. Ephesian 6:10-18 • 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.

3. Ephesian 6:10-18 • 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—

5. The Full Armor of God • Belt of Truth • Breastplate of Righteousness • Feet prepared with the Gospel of Peace • Shield of Faith • Helmet of Salvation • Sword of the Spirit

6. Review - Belt of Truth • WHAT • Belt of Truth is the word of God • Foundation of our service • WHY: • Be not deceived by Satan • Be always ready for the spiritual warfare • HOW : • Discipline yourself to study the Bible • A life that shows the belt of truth is buckled on

7. Action : Belt of Truth • Read through the Bible in ONE year • Attend Sunday school to study God’s word systematically • Memorize ONE Bible verse a day (or a week)

8. The Breastplate of Righteousness • WHAT • Self-righteousness • Imputed righteousness • Imparted righteousness (SANCTIFICATION) • WHY: • The Breastplate protect our heart • Everything starts from our heart • HOW : • It gives us assurance from inside • It promotes a true Christian life

9. Action : Breastplate of Righteousness • Admit that we cannot achieve righteousness by ourselves • Accept Jesus Christ as our Lord who cleanse us from our sins • Ask the Holy Spirit to help us live a righteous life everyday • At school, at work, at home, at church • Any place Any time Any person…

10. Feet prepared with the Gospel of Peace • WHAT • Caliga provides both stability and mobility • Peace with God and peace with man • WHY: • STABILITY as we embrace the Gospel of peace • MOBILITY as we take this Gospel out to the world • HOW : • Stand firm in the truth • Action and speed in sharing the gospel of peace

11. Action : Footware • Memorize “The Roman Road’” (Gospel of peace) • Romans 1:20-21 - God is the creator • Romans 3:23 - We all have sinned • Romans 5:8 - Christ died for our sins • Romans 6:23 - The wages of sin is death • Romans 10:9-10 - Confess Jesus is Lord • Romans 10:13 - Call upon God and you are saved • Romans 11:36 - Make Jesus the Lord of your life • Share it with at least one person in the next 30 days (Action and speed)

12. Shield of Faith • Ephesians 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  • What • Why • How • (Action)

13. Background: The Roman Shield • The Scutum • Roughly 4' high x 2 1/2' wide - made of wood with metal lining to deflect arrows • About 22 lbs • Used by Roman soldier

14. Background: The Roman Shield • Testudo (“tortoise”) formation

15. Roman Shield • Great defensive weapon • Provide great protection against arrows

16. Shield of Faith What is faith?Why Paul used the shield as analogy for faith? How can the shield of faith protect us from the fiery darts of the wicked one? Faith

17. What: Faith (Hebrew & Romans) Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him:… Heb 11 By faith …By faith…By faith… Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 

18. What: Faith “Remember that faith is not a noble quality found only in superior men. It is not a virtue attainable by a limited few. It is not the ability to persuade ourselves that black is white or that something we desire will come to pass if we only wish hard enough. Faith is simply the bringing of our minds into accord with the truth. It is adjusting our expectations to the promises of God in complete assurance that the God of the whole earth cannot lie. ” - A. W. TOZER

19. What: Faith (A. W. TOZER) • It is simply the bringing of our minds into accord with the truth of God • It is simply adjusting our expectations to the promises of God • It is then resting in complete assurance that the God who made those promises cannot lie

20. What: Faith is NOT… • Watch out for substituting hope for faith • Not uncommon to hear “I just have faith that somehow everything will work out all right” • True faith must spring out of truth - "I know it will work out BECAUSE…" • Watch out for substituting strong desires for faith • Some say “If you believe something strongly enough then that thing will come about”

21. What: Faith “You’ll need to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs” - Rick Warren

22. Why: The Shield of Faith • “…with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” • The only weapon that provides an explanation • Protect us from the fiery darts of the wicked one (flaming arrows of the evil) • Attacks can come from inside and outside • Protect us from being hurt inside and outside

23. Darts of the wicked one • Outside: Physical Darts of the wicked one: • Attacks from Satan • When you are not aware… • From everywhere and nowhere… • E.g. Job (Sabeans, fire fall from heaven, Chaldeans, great wind, sickness)

24. Darts of the wicked one • Inside: Spiritual Darts of the wicked one: • Doubt • Discouragement • Delay • Difficulty • Depression

25. How can Shield of Faith help us?

26. Recap: Faith (Hebrew & Romans) Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him:… Heb 11 By faith …By faith…By faith… Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 

27. Recap: Faith (A. W. TOZER) • It is simply the bringing of our minds into accord with the truth of God • It is simply adjusting our expectations to the promises of God • It is then resting in complete assurance that the God who made those promises cannot lie

28. How does Faith act like a Shield • Help us to have assurance of our salvation when we are in doubt (By Grace through Faith) • Help us to continue to trust God when we cannot see the result or relieve • Help us to adjust our expectation to the promise of God when things do turn out as expected

29. Conclusion: Shield of Faith • When we hold up the shield of faith we are simply looking away from self • We must be able to do this quickly (arrows are being shot at us) • We need to be persistent at blocking these arrows with the shield • It is faith in God, in His ways, In His truth, In His promises and in His power

30. Action : Shield of Faith • Memorize the following Bible verses to protect us from the Darts of the wicked one: • Doubt (Proverb 3:5-6) • Discouragement (Deuteronomy 31:8) • Delay (2 Peter 3:9) • Difficulty (Job 23:10) • Depression (Psalm 42:11)