Hypocrites and Backsliders Lesson 046

1
Hypocrites and Backsliders Lesson 046

• Operation Ocular Deforestation
• Retaining the Filling of the Holy Spirit through
  Resistance
• AND
• The Armor of God

2
The Best Part

• 1 Corinthians. 1013 There hath no
  temptation taken you but such as is common to
  man but God is faithful, who will not suffer you
  to be tempted above that ye are able but will
  with the temptation also make a way to escape,
  that ye may be able to bear it.
• How?
• The Word Ps. 119.11 Your word I have treasured
  in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

3
The defense against temptation.

• Attitude of the fear of the Lord.
• Appeal to Jesus as our victorious high priest.
• The Holy Spirit.
• Integrity.
• Application of faith-rest prayer.
• Apply doctrine of separation (Avoidance of
  temptation situations)
• Resist the devil.

4
The Sequence of Resisting

• 1. Recognize Temptation.
• Know what Sin is
• 2. Refuse to entertain the temptation
• I Resist that. or I reject that thought.
• 3. Concentrate on the appropriate doctrine or
  scripture.
• Run it through your mind

5
The Armor of God

• The armor of God Eph. 6.10-18 Finally, be strong
  in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
  11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will
  be able to stand firm against the schemes of the
  devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh
  and blood, but against the rulers, against the
  powers, against the world forces of this
  darkness, against the spiritual forces of
  wickedness in the heavenly places.

6
The Armor of God

• 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so
  that you will be able to resist in the evil day,
  and having done everything, to stand firm.
  14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS
  WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF
  RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH
  THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

7
The Armor of God

• 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of
  faith with which you will be able to extinguish
  all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And
  take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and THE SWORD OF
  THE SPIRIT, which is the word of God 

8
The Armor of God

• Ephesians 612 clearly indicates that the
  conflict with Satan is spiritual, and therefore
  no tangible weapons can be effectively employed
  against him and his minions.
• There is no listing here of specific tactics he
  will use.
• However, the passage is quite clear that when we
  follow all the instructions faithfully, we will
  be able to stand, and we will have victory
  regardless of his offense.

9
The Armor of God

• Christians in the first century were confronted
  with the Roman occupation forces and were only
  too familiar with the uniformed might of the
  Empire.
• Now the apostle was urging them to model their
  spiritual life after the military pattern of
  Rome.
• This they would accomplish, "after having buckled
  around" their "waist" (accusative singular direct
  object from OSPHUS) the foundation of their
  unseen equipment. (Thieme)

10
The Armor of God

• The Full armor of God" is
• The Belt of Truth
• The Breastplate of Righteousness
• The Boots of the Gospel of Peace
• The Shield of Faith
• The Helmet of Salvation
• The Sword of the Spirit, The Word of God

11
The Armor of God

• What it really comes down to is that the "full
  armor of God" is simply this
• Truth
• Righteousness
• The Gospel of Peace
• Faith
• Salvation
• The Word of God

12
The Armor of God

• At first it was kind of a "DUH!" moment (a
  'smack yourself upside the head' moment) for me
  when I realized that this whole passage really
  boils down to six simple truths!
• I had been so focused on all the imagery (again,
  not to take away from the God-inspired purposes
  of the imagery) that I hadn't really seen the
  substance. And what made this into more of a
  joyful, positive "Eureka!" moment is that as I
  looked at each word or phrase, something became
  even more clear.

13
The Armor of God

• Here's the gist of what I exclaimed to myself as
  all of this came into focus
• "Each one of these things is God's gift to us!
• This is all stuff that He gives us freely and
  that He Himself works in and through us!
• This is all stuff that we can't conjure up on our
  own! It's all HIM! (GraceRoots.com)

14
The Armor of God

• The Belt This was a very important piece to the
  Roman Soldier's armor. 
• The Roman soldier put around his waist a very
  wide belt which was the holder for a lot of
  equipment.
• There was a loop, for example, for the different
  swords.
• Other loops held ropes and a rations sack. When
  the legions conquered a city, the soldiers would
  empty out the ration sack to make room for gold,
  jewelry, and other loot they picked up.

15
The Armor of God

• There were loops on the belt for darts.
• The belt was tied in several places to stay in
  place, so that no matter how the soldier moved
  about, fell down, climbed hills, etc., the belt
  was always in place with weapons at the ready. 
• If the belt were not on straight, then everything
  would be out of place for the soldier.
• This would cut down his efficiency in battle and
  may even cost him his life.

16
The Armor of God

• Though not mentioned name, this refers to the
  basic and most essential item of Roman military
  dress - the BALDRIC, which consisted of a broad
  leather "girdle" (Latin BALTEUS), which was worn
  around the waist, and a leather strap, which was
  slung across the chest and over the shoulder..

17
The Armor of God

• There are many battles to be fought, and as the
  passage reminds us, the battle is not against
  people (flesh and blood) but against
  principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness,
  spiritual hosts of wickedness, etc.
• But there is something that is equally as
  important (or even more important) that,
  ironically, I think people of faith (those who
  say they trust the Lord, not themselves) tend to
  give lip service to The battle is the Lord's,
  not ours. (Grace Roots)

18
The Armor of God

• The complete belt was used when heavy armor was
  worn, for to it was attached the bottom part of
  the breastplate.
• The wide belt around the waist sufficed when the
  armor was light.
• The baldric was studded with metal plates and
  fastened with an ornate buckle.

19
The Armor of God

• Suspended from this belt were the scabbard for
  the sword and loops for ropes and rations all
  were easily accessible as they were needed.
• Furthermore, thick strips of leather hung down
  from the belt to circle and protect the soldier's
  lower body.
• You must admit that it was a handy piece of
  equipment, and no soldier could go into battle
  without it! - R.B. Thieme, Jr (Christian Warrior)

20
The Armor of God

• Attached to either the BALTEUS or his waist belt
  were large coins engraved upon them were the
  various battles in which he had fought.
• In addition to these "campaign ribbons," the
  Roman solider had fastened to his belt his most
  valuable possessions

21
The Armor of God

• Paul mentions the belt first and foremost because
  he understood its importance the belt was the
  key to the rest of the PANOPLIA. therefore, it
  paralleled Bible doctrine resident in the soul -
  the basic requirement for the full armor from
  God!

22
The Armor of God

• Just as the soldier had his loin belt to put on
  every day to keep his armor together,  we must
  apply the Word of God to our lives on a daily
  basis or we will not be able to maintain our
  defenses. 
• The belt was the first thing that the soldier put
  on.
• Just as this is the first thing a Christian must
  put on.

23
The Armor of God

• Much of the weaponry and protection depended on
  the belt being in place properly.
• If we do not use the word of God as our belt of
  truth, we have no foundation on which to base our
  warfare with the enemy.
• The belt held things in place where they needed
  to be.
• The truth of God's word does the same for us.
  (Christian Arsenal)

24
The Armor of God

• The first element of our armor is truth (vs. 14).
  
• This is easy to understand, since Satan is said
  to be the "father of lies." (John 844).
• Deception is high on the list of things God
  considers to be abominations.
• A lying tongue is one of the things He
  describes as detestable to Him (Proverbs
  616-17).
• We are therefore exhorted to put on truth for our
  own sanctification and deliverance and for the
  benefit of those to whom we are a witness.

25
The Armor of God

• Once the Christian Warrior has buckled on his
  waist the baldric God intended for him to wear,
  he is fully prepared for the charge of the unseen
  foe.
• And how does he get ready to stand? "Bv means of
  doctrine!"
• The preposition EN plus the singular from
  ALETHEIA does not mean "with truth" but signifies
  the means by which we reach our spiritual
  objective in life - doctrine, or that which is
  believed.

26
The Armor of God

• Thus, the so-called "BELT OF TRUTH" comprises the
  entire realm of doctrine -- all its truths, all
  its categories as it is assimilated by the daily
  function of GAP.
• Therefore, the Christian who wants to attain the
  status of maturity, he must take up the challenge
  to expose himself to Bible doctrine on a
  consistent and daily basis, no matter what
  distractions or temptations would keep him from
  it!

27
The defense against temptation.

• 2 Cor. 10.3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we
  do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the
  weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but
  divinely powerful for the destruction of
  fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and
  every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge
  of God, and we are taking every thought captive
  to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to
  punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience
  is complete.

28
The Armor of God

• The Breastplate of Righteousness
• Also in vs. 14 we are told to put on the
  breastplate of righteousness.
• A breastplate would shield a warrior from a fatal
  blow to the heart and other critical organs.
• This righteousness is not works of righteousness
  done by menrather, this is the righteousness of
  Christ, imputed and imparted by God and received
  by faith, which guards our hearts against the
  accusations and charges of Satan, and secures our
  innermost being from his attacks.

29
The Armor of God

• The Romans had the ideas for armor design which
  provided light weight combined with ease of
  movement and protection from blows.
• This breastplate was attached to the belt by
  leather thongs passed through rings on the bottom
  to keep it solidly attached.
• It was anchored to the belt, and it was above the
  belt.
• Note the belt had to be put on first, then the
  breastplate.

30
The Armor of God

• One key area the Soldier's breastplate protected
  was the heart.
• While the heart is the one key organ responsible
  for sending blood through our circulatory system
  to keep us alive, in our spiritual lives the
  heart is the source for living out righteousness
  or evil.
• When we walk in the Reservoir of Righteousness of
  God, it is a weapon of defense against all
  slanderous accusations, and outrageous strategies
  of the devil.

31
The Armor of God

• The Bible declares that the heart of man is prone
  to be tempted according to Matthew 2641.
• Right thinking and doing from Imputed
  Righteousness (our authority) and the Right
  Thinking and Doing from the Imparted
  Righteousness in the R of R is that which we are
  to protect ourselves with.
• (And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered
  My servant Job, that there is none like him on
  the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who
  fears God and abstains from and shuns all evil?

32
The Armor of God

• Vegetius noted that troops, defenseless and
  exposed to the enemy's arsenal of weapons, are
  more disposed to flee than they are to take their
  stand.
• The case was quite different when soldiers were
  protected by the complete armor and when they
  were instructed in the expert use of their
  weapons they would then fight with great courage
  and confidence.

33
The Armor of God

• Ancient Rome provided both the armor and the
  training for its fighting men.
• The basic body armor consisted of the belt and
  the breastplate.
• The term "breastplate" is somewhat of a misnomer.

34
The Armor of God

• In the first century, Latin and Greek were
  equivalent languages. The Latin word for
  breastplate is LORICA the Greek word, THORAX
  (literally, "door").
• This LORICA was usually constructed of leather
  and was often overlaid with metal strips or mail.
  
• Shaped like a sleeveless coat, the cuirass
  covered both chest and back it fitted the
  shoulders and was fastened down the front by
  means of a series of studs and slots.

35
The Armor of God

• Back hinges gave the body armor a degree of
  flexibility, and the metal offered added
  protection for the vital organs.
• The enlisted man's cuirass was sometimes
  reinforced with iron or bronze and had metal
  fringes over the shoulders.
• Often the basic metal on the officer's
  breastplate was plated with silver and gold.

36
The Armor of God

• It was the belt which held the breastplate
  securely in place, even as it supported the heavy
  leather and metal kilt.
• In his epic, AENEID, Virgil calls the breastplate
  STADIOS (standing upright).
• So solid and sturdy was this ancient coat of
  mail, that it stood upright by itself and was
  frequently used as a campstool.

37
The Armor of God

• Its primary purpose, however, was the protection
  of every part of the soldier's body, from his
  neck down to his knees.
• Certainly, it took constant practice to put on
  the breastplate and to become accustomed to the
  weight of the ancient armor.

38
The Armor of God

• Neither Rome nor its army was built in a day!
• So it is with the Christian Warrior.
• We do not become mature believers overnight!
• It takes time and persistence to "GAP it" to
  super-grace, to buckle on the belt of truth.
  Ephesians 6 14 takes this into consideration and
  states that "after having buckled on ... the
  baldric by means of doctrine," we must put on the
  piece of equipment which is an integral part of
  the body armor - the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

39
The Armor of God

• The adjunctive use of the conjunction KAI
  connects the belt and the breastplate by the word
  "also."
• "Also, after having put on aorist middle
  participle _ 'to put on') the breastplate
  (accusative singular direct object from THORAX)
  of righteousness (descriptive genitive singular
  from DIKAIOSUNE)."

40
The Armor of God

• The spiritual counterpart of the ancient LORICA,
  symbolizes the Christian's body armor and
  represents the righteousness of the believer in
  super grace status.
• It is not overt righteousness but righteousness
  in the sense of fulfillment of the divine
  standards - a way of life in the soul - which
  characterizes the mature Christian Warrior.

41
The Armor of God

• Thus, the breastplate is synonymous with the
  fulfillment of living in the Reservoir of
  Righteousness.
• The Imparted R of R is Gods provision for the
  Righteousness described earlier in Job.
• It is the R of R plus Volition.
• Such righteousness is totally divorced from
  self-righteousness rather, it is the product of
  doctrine resident in the soul and results in the
  surpassing-grace reward of the crown, or Wreath
  of righteousness (2 Tim. 47-8).

42
Next Week

• Conclusion of the study of The Armor of God
• 3. The Combat Boots.
• 4. The Shield of Faith.
• 5. The Helmet of Salvation.
• 6. The Sword of the Spirit.