Hope Now Bible Church: Fresno, California

What Is Your Purpose? 1st Peter 1:1-2

2009-07-06T10:00:59-07:00

By Pastor Roger Feenstra

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in this world? I mean, you get up in the morning and it seems just like every other day; You feel like you're in the movie Groundhog Day. Maybe you have seen that movie where the main character wakes up every morning and everyday turns out to be exactly the same as the previous one. And he finds that no matter how hard he tries to change the outcome, when he wakes up the next day and it begins all over again, just like the day before. It's as if the world has a hold on his life and he can't break its grip.

Maybe that's how you feel in your life. There seems to be no purpose - you have no goals - Life just keeps on rolling along and each day brings the same old, same old.

In our passage today, and throughout the following weeks, Peter the author of this letter is going to help you understand what your purpose is and how you can face each day with a newness of life -- escaping the hold that the world has on you.

Follow along with me as I read verses 1 and 2 of 1st Peter:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The opening verse claims that this book (or letter) you are holding in your hands was written by "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ."

Most of us remember or have heard of Peter. Peter was a trusted disciple of Jesus Christ and was a part of His most inner circle. You have probably heard of Peter since his name is mentioned more times in the New Testament than any other person except for Jesus Himself.

Peter, The Rock

In fact, the name Peter was given to him by Jesus Christ. Peter's actual name was Simon Bar-Jonah (or Simon son of Jonah or John: Matthew 16:17; John 21:15-17). The name Peter was a nickname that Jesus gave to Simon. Some of you have been given a nickname or know someone who has one. Usually a nickname matches the personality of the person who receives it. For example, when I was in the Coast Guard I was only seventeen years old and I was the youngest guy on our ship, the older guys gave me the nickname "Youngblood."

The nickname that Jesus gave Peter means "Rock" in the Greek language. And while Peter doesn't always come across as a rock, Jesus knew what Peter would eventually become. He knew that Peter would one day become a strong leader, a rock. Peter is also called "Cephas" in the New Testament which is the word for rock in the Aramaic language. Therefore, throughout the New Testament you will read of him being referred to as Simon, sometimes Simeon (which is the Hebrew spelling), Simon Peter, Simon son of John, Peter, and Cephas.

Simon's background was that he was a fisherman. He owned his own boat (Luke 5:3) and he fished on the Sea of Galilee. Once he met Jesus, the Bible says, "[He] left everything and followed him" (Luke 5:11).

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, Peter followed Him throughout the countryside for about three years. Peter was the spokesman for most of the other disciples and he was known for his directness in the way he interacted with others and with the Lord.

Peter, A Man of Strengths and Weaknesses

Peter was also a man like us with many strengths and many weaknesses. Once, when Jesus was explaining to His disciples that He must be killed and on the third day rise again, the Bible says that Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke Him for talking about His death and said,
"Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." (Matthew 16:22).
But Jesus rebuked him by saying,

"Get behind me Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." (Matthew 16:23).

Peter had fallen victim to Satan's trap of unbelief and Jesus rebuked him for it.

Peter fell victim to Satan (again) on the night of Jesus’ arrest, learning that he was humanly weak and could not trust his own resolve. Also, he learned the hard way that he needed to be watchful and careful – boasting about how strong he was in the Lord did not keep him from falling. He needed to depend on the Lord’s strength and not his own: (Luke 22:54-62).

And let me say this, you are just like Peter. You have no power of your own to fight Satan. I am always amazed when I hear people say that they "told Satan this or that". The Bible never tells you to talk to Satan. It never instructs you to rebuke Satan. In fact, at our men's retreat we even sang a song that was incorrect. The words were, "I told Satan, get thee behind me." It was Jesus who said that. Jesus is the One who is able to tell Satan to get lost. You can't fight Satan with your words. Rather, the Bible says, we are to "resist him" by putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6). You always fight the spiritual battle with the Lord's strength, not your own.

Peter thought he would never fall or turn his back on Jesus and he was boastful about it. Once Peter said, "Lord, I will never turn my back on you. I will never deny you. I will always follow you." But we discover later that Peter did deny Christ, not once, but three times. Peter was prideful, which is a lie of Satan.

You see, you have no reason to boast about anything you have done in your life. You have zero ability on your own to be strong in the Lord. Your power, your boasting, your ability to grow in Christ only comes from Jesus Himself. Where does Jesus get His power to fight Satan for us?

Jesus was born and lived a sinless life, and because He is God, He took on your burdens and sins when He was crucified on the cross in accordance with the Scriptures, He was buried and on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures. After His resurrection Jesus appeared to Cephas (that is, Peter) and the other disciples as well as more than five hundred others. And because of his death and resurrection you are justified, that is, made righteous in God's eyes - Just as if you had never sinned. And the result of those who believe in Him is the promise of eternal life (1 Corinthians 15).

From the very beginning of this book of First Peter, Peter is making it clear that this letter is not about him. It is about Jesus Christ and what He has done for you and me and how He can help us live holy lives.

Peter, The Apostle

Peter was an apostle --

The word apostle means "One who is sent." Peter was sent to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ. He was not interested in sharing his own story, rather his purpose was to instruct his readers on how Jesus Christ makes them holy. As an apostle, Peter was not proclaiming his personal testimony. No, that was not the authority that Christ gave to Peter and the other apostles before He ascended into heaven. Jesus told Peter this in the book of Matthew 28:19,20:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Peter, The Ambassador

Peter's mission was to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. Do you know what an ambassador does? In the United States an ambassador is appointed by the President to travel to another country and proclaim the message of the President. The ambassador doesn't tell his own message, he tells the message of the one who sent him.

And that is what Jesus has called you to be and to do. To be His ambassador, proclaiming His message of salvation. The apostle Paul, in 2nd Corinthians 5:20 says,
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us."
But Peter was more than an apostle or an ambassador. Turn with me to the book of Second Peter. In verse one, Peter identifies himself further:

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

Peter, The Slave of Jesus Christ

Notice in this verse Peter identifies himself as not only an apostle, but a servant. The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language and in the Greek language the word "Servant" is the word "doulos." Doulos literally should be translated "Slave." It comes from the word "deo" which means "to bind." What is a slave? A slave is someone who is owned. A slave is bound to serve. A slave does not do his own thing, rather he always does what his master instructs him to do. As a slave in the New Testament times your will and your capabilities were at the service of another. Therefore, Peter is saying that he is a slave of Jesus Christ. He could do nothing on his own -- as a slave he was to obey and do the bidding of his master, Jesus Christ.

So here we have Peter, a man who walked and talked with Jesus Christ. Who in human terms could boast about knowing Christ personally; who could brag about Jesus giving him the nickname "Rock." But instead, he proclaimed that he was nothing -- merely a slave of Jesus Christ, one who carries out the Lord's orders. Everything Peter did, everything he owned, including his salvation was because of Christ Jesus.

The Book of First Peter, Addressed To Christians

Peter continues by addressing his readers:

"To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,"

When Peter uses the words "Elect exiles" here he is speaking in spiritual terms -- in other words, he is addressing this letter to all Christians throughout the world who are separated from their heavenly home. You may remember that the apostle Paul wrote that we are "Citizens of heaven" and we are awaiting our Savior Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20). This is what Peter means by "exiles". As Christians, we are not a part of this world, we are just visitors.

We're getting ready to celebrate the 4th of July in our country. And what a great celebration most of us will have; barbecues and fireworks! But in all of our celebrations, we should not forget that this earthly residence that we are living in here is simply temporary. This world will never satisfy our deepest desires. We will never find complete peace while we are here on earth. Our life here will always be a mixture of happiness and sadness. Jesus said this in John 14,

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

We have a heavenly home to look forward to. This sinful, stressful, and painful earth that we live in is hostile environment for those who are Christians. In this world we will face struggles, heartache, persecution and even death.

God Knows and Understands Your Difficulties

Yet Peter is showing us that this trouble you face is not a surprise to God. Everything that you are experiencing here on earth is all happening (Verse 2)...

"according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,"

And what a comfort that should be for all of us. No matter what you have been through, or are going through, it hasn't escaped the attention of God. Some in our church have faced the death of loved ones over the past few months; Many have lost jobs; Some are struggling in their relationships; Several are facing financial turmoil.

But Peter stresses here that God knows all that will happen even before it happens. In the book of Isaiah 65:24 God says this:

"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear."
In other words God knows what is going to take place in your life even before you experience it and even before you cry out to him. He knows.

And while we cannot comprehend God's purposes at times, we should take comfort in knowing that He is fully aware and fully in control of our lives.

Look at what God says in His word about this:

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world." Ephesians 1:4

God knew that you would need a Savior and so before the foundation of the world He determined to forgive your sins through Christ. Look at 1st Peter 1:17-21:

"17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He [Jesus] was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."

Do you see what is being said here? Peter is saying, while you are living in this dirty filthy earth, away from your heavenly home, realize that before the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ was promised to bring you faith and hope if you place your trust in Him.

Christians, Set Apart To Be Holy

But how do we live that life here on earth? It seems so difficult at times. You live your life on this earth through the Holy Spirit. Peter uses the phrase,

"In the sanctification of the Spirit."

Sanctification is what the Holy Spirit does for us. Sanctification means to be "set apart" or "declared holy." From the moment you believe in Jesus Christ, the Bible shows you that you are being sanctified. Look how this works.

The Bible says, "None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:11). It says that "No one seeks God" (Romans 3:11). Therefore, if left to yourself, you will always turn your back on God. You can't help it, because the Bible says, "All fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

So Jesus promised that He would send a "Helper" to you after He ascended into heaven (John 15:26). And this "Helper" who is the "Holy Spirit" will guide you into all truth (John 16:13). Because you and I have a Helper (the Holy Spirit) we are to "Set [our] minds on the things of the Spirit" not the things of the "flesh" or the world (Romans 8:5-7). Paul calls this the "Renewing of our mind" (Romans 12:2). As we focus on the Spirit of God and our minds are renewed we begin to do the will of God and by His will we are being sanctified or made holy (Hebrews 10:10).

So Peter is telling you in verse 2 that as you live your life in a world of turmoil and as you look forward to your heavenly home, keep your mind focused on the Spirit of God and as you do so, God sanctifies you and you are made holy, set apart from the world.

But why is this necessary? Well, verse 2 goes on to say that it is necessary in order for you to be obedient to Jesus Christ.
"for obedience to Jesus Christ and d for sprinkling with his blood:"
Cleansed By The Blood Of Jesus Christ

The phrase "Sprinkling with his blood" is an idea that the readers of Peter's letter would most likely have understood. For us to understand it fully we need to look back at an Old Testament ceremony.

You have probably heard about the disease of leprosy. Today, it is not common (only about 200,000 cases per year according to the World Health Organization), and has the name "Hansen's disease." Leprosy is caused by a particular bacterium. In the Old Testament, leprosy was dreaded and feared. Any person with leprosy (which was really a skin disease of any kind) was excluded from the community. That infected person was to live alone and shout "Unclean, unclean" whenever he or she approached a town or village. In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, God gave Moses laws to follow when a leper was cured.

When a person was cured or healed from their skin disease, there was a particular protocol that was to be followed so that the community would know they were cleansed and could be welcomed back into the town or village. Turn to Leviticus 14:1-7.

"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person,4 the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop. 5 And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. 6 He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field."

Therefore, this passage in Leviticus is not just giving laws for dealing with lepers, but it is giving us a picture that one day a Savior would come whose blood would be the ultimate sacrifice for our spiritual disease, sin.

David, in the book of Psalms (Psalm 51:7), alludes to this cleansing and he relates it spiritually to cleansing from his sin or iniquities:

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
So when Peter writes that we are to be obedient to Jesus Christ by the "Sprinkling of his blood"

David is referring to getting rid of spiritual defilement in our lives. And because we are defiled by sin daily, we need continual sprinkling, in the spiritual sense, with the blood of Christ.

You see, it is only through the blood of Jesus Christ that you can be cleansed from your sins.

"For obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood" means that God's plan for you is not obedience that is marred or stained by unforgiven sin, but obedience whose failings are cleansed by the blood of Christ. It means continual daily obedience and forgiveness.

In 1 John 1:7, The apostle John gives a wonderful reminder that your sins are forgiven, not by what you do, or how you act, but by the "blood of Jesus" who sacrificed His life on the cross for you.

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

When we walk in the light of Jesus Christ, we have fellowship with each other and the passage goes on to state that we have fellowship with God too. Because of this, if you have not believed in Jesus Christ, then the Bible is clear that you have no access to God and no cleansing of your sins. You are dead in your sins. If you are not a believer in Christ, you are like a dead man, with no breath.

If you are a believer and you continue in your sin, without acknowledging it before God, you are like a leper, with your fellowship broken. It is only through Jesus Christ that you can ensure a heavenly home and live a life that is set apart or holy. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me has eternal life" (John 6:47). And today, you can say, "Lord, I believe in you." And at that moment Jesus Christ's blood cleanses you from all sin; past, present and future.

What Is Your Purpose?

So let's summarize what these two verses have said;

1. You are to be a slave of Jesus Christ, obeying His will by being His ambassador to a lost world.

2. This world is not your home. You are an exile, a foreigner, an alien in this world. And because of that, you are going to experience heartache and sadness.

3. Take heart, because God is aware of everything you are going through. In His Divine plan He knows what is best for you.

4. And because of that, He sent the Holy Spirit so that you might have the strength to live your life on this earth and by renewing your mind through the Holy Spirit you might be sanctified, set apart, and holy.

5. And as you grow in your walk with Christ and obey Him you are reminded that your sins are forgiven due to His sacrifice for you on the cross, and the shedding of His blood.

What an amazing two verses of Scripture! What richness and promises that they give us. But today, sadly, there are some who believe in Jesus Christ, who call themselves followers of Him, but don't realize that they are strangers or exiles in this world, or perhaps they don't care. Perhaps it's you? Maybe you're trapped in your sin? Maybe the world has you in a stranglehold and you can't get away? Then turn to Jesus Christ right now and confess your sins. Understand that you are washed in His blood and allow Him to transform your life.

You may be reading this today; listening to the Word of God, but you've never trusted in Jesus Christ. You've never said, "Lord, I believe in You." Then today you can be washed in the blood of the lamb. You can have your sins forgiven and receive the promise of eternal that comes only through Jesus Christ. Tell Christ that you believe, and then turn and follow Him, just like Peter did. There are no magic words to say, there is no special prayer, simply a conviction that you believe in Jesus Christ and the fruit of your conviction will be an act of your will and your desire to follow Him and serve Him.

For those who do, Peter gives a promise, that "Grace and peace will be multiplied to you." In other words, the promise here is, that all your moments would be filled with God's undeserved spiritual blessings.

So what is your purpose in life? Peter says it is to be obedient to Jesus Christ. And in your obedience you are not promised that all of your problems will disappear, rather God will give you His grace and peace to get through them.

Why not determine to live your life in obedience to Jesus Christ this week. Realize that this world is not your home, it's just temporary, and trust Christ to help you live each day for Him.

Put On the Whole Armor of God: Ephesians 6: 13-18

2009-06-12T10:53:45-07:00

Pastor Roger Feenstra

"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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..." Ephesians 6:13-18

In the city of Ephesus, there was a battle going on for the souls of the new Christians there. The city itself was full of gods and goddesses and there was a spirit of religious tolerance among the people for whatever anyone wanted to worship. In fact, people typically worshipped more than one deity (or god). The city of Ephesus also had a reputation for magic, shamanism (following someone like a witch doctor or medicine man), and occult arts (that is devil worship). Magic was a means for the people to harness spiritual power through rituals, incantations, and invocations. And Luke writes in the book of Acts many of the believers in Ephesus gathered their magical books together and burned them (Acts 19:19). Christians in Ephesus had a difficult time turning completely away from their former practices in the process of discipleship, as a battle for their souls was being waged against them through the forces of evil.

Whether or not you know it, or whether or not you like it, there is a battle going on for your mind and ultimately, your soul too.

The Battlefield

From the very beginning of time, mankind has been on a battlefield. Ever since Satan uttered the words to Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis;

If you eat this fruit, "you shall not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4).

All of the battles that have been faced throughout all of history; all of the temptations and struggles that you face each day as you determine to live your life for Christ, are a result of this first battle. It is a spiritual battle between, "God said", and "Satan said." Hand to hand, face-to-face, and toe-to-toe spiritual conflict and every believer in Jesus Christ is thrust into the battlefield. When you enter into the Christian life, you are not set free from the conflict. In fact, when you make a decision to follow Jesus Christ more closely, the battle intensifies. The battle is intense, fierce, extreme, serious and real and perhaps deadly. At times, it may seem as if the battle is too overpowering and that all may be lost.

Be Strong in The Lord, The Commander of The Lord's Army

But there is hope for us in this struggle between the "rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places." Our hope lies in Ephesians 6:10, to "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might."

In the Old Testament book of Joshua 5:13-15, Christ appeared to Joshua (this is called a Christophany-a visible appearance of Christ in the Old Testament) as the "Commander of the Lord's army." To fight this spiritual battle, you have Jesus Christ as your Captain or Commander and He has promised to lead you into battle if you simply depend on him and his power.

But how do you do that? How do you fight the temptations that so easily come upon you day after day? Last week I told you that Scripture says that you are to "Put on the Lord Jesus" (Romans 13:14) and the passage today in Ephesians shows you how to do that: It's called putting on the "whole armor of God" and the purpose of the armor is to be able to "withstand" the evil that is around you. Do you know what "withstand" means?

"John Lambert lived in England in the 1500's. He was a teacher of Greek at Oxford and he was a Christian. In the 1500's, the church was controlled by the King, Henry the 8th. Therefore, whatever the King said was the truth, even if it contradicted the Bible. King Henry the 8th approved all of the sermons that were preached in England in the 1500’s. Since John Lambert was a scholar and had studied the Bible carefully, he knew that some of the teachings of the Church of England were wrong. They were not teaching the truth about Jesus Christ, so John spoke out against the Church of England to protest.

He was put on trial before the archbishop of Canterbury and the King himself. The King asked John Lambert, "Will you give up your foolish talk about Jesus Christ and believe the way the Church believes?" John Lambert replied that he could not do that. So, King Henry had him sentenced to death! He was tied to a stake and a small fire was lit underneath him. As the fire slowly consumed his feet and legs, he was left hanging from the stake with only his bloodied, burned stumps, and while in extreme agony, he was still alert. With nothing but stumps left, his accusers tied rope under his arms and lifted him into the air. As he hung there they again asked him, will you renounce your false teaching! Withstanding the torture and pain, John Lambert cried out his last words, "None but Christ, None but Christ!" At that point they dropped him into the fire where he died shortly after."

Here are the words the dictionary uses to help us understand what it means to withstand:

Resist, weather, survive, endure, cope with, stand, tolerate, bear, stomach, defy, brave, hold out against, tough it out, bear up against, stand up to, face, and confront.

The only way you can withstand the battle over temptation and sin and the troubles that drag you down is to "Put on the whole armor of God." The key to this passage is that you are to put on the "Whole" armor. One piece of the armor won't allow you to win the battle. Just picking up the "Sword" which is the Word of God isn't enough to fight the battle. It might help you get a few swipes at the enemy, but the battle is so fierce it is impossible to fend of all of the enemy’s blows with just the sword - more on that later. So let's look at each piece of God's armor, and as we do, ask God to help you wear that piece of armor each day.

Belt of Truth

Paul begins to describe the "whole armor" by instructing you (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) in verse 14 to "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth..."

When you hear people talk about the "Whole armor of God" you hear a lot about the "Sword" but not a lot about the "Belt of truth." Now we all know what a belt is used for. It's used typically to hold up your pants! In the Biblical world, the belt was used for a similar purpose. An athlete or a worker would tuck his tunic into his belt so that he could run faster and not get tripped by his loose clothing.

You've seen those people today who walk around without a belt -- we say, "Hey, you're sagging!" And many guys have been caught by the police because they were sagging and their pants tripped them up when they were being chased!

Turn to the book of 1st Peter1: 13. In the book of 1st Peter it says this:

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1st Peter 1:13)

If you look at the little footnote at the bottom of the page of your Bible it says "Greek girding up the loins of your mind” To gird your loins in the Roman era (which is when Ephesians and 1st Peter were written) meant to draw up your garment into your belt to increase your mobility or agility. By doing so, the athlete or the soldier would be less likely to be tripped up by loose clothing.

So our passage is saying that the "belt of truth" is what prepares your mind for action. And if you are not prepared for action; if you're not prepared for this spiritual battle, the battle will be lost -- that's why the belt of truth is mentioned first in this list of armor in Ephesians. You can't fight the battle without being prepared for it. So you must keep your "belt of truth" in good shape, you can't let it get corrupted by the sin you commit or tolerate in your life. When you do, you will start "sagging" and surely get tripped up and fall. So you need to recognize and examine the things that cause you to stumble and fall in your Christian walk. The Bible doesn't give us one specific list, but as we saw last week we stumble and fall because of the "schemes" of the devil -- Remember that a scheme is a "secret underhanded plan." And Satan is constantly trying to trip you up.

That's why Peter said to "Prepare your mind for action" and Paul says, "fasten on the belt of truth." The battlefield of sin begins with the people and activities around you that will trip you up. Therefore, the belt of truth requires focusing your mind on Jesus Christ -- allowing your thoughts to be saturated by the truth of His word and not the secret underhanded lies of the world, placed there by Satan to trip you up: "You'll feel much better if you get high" the enemy whispers in your ear through the voice of a friend, but God says, "Be sober minded." "You can go to church next week, your family says" "We have family things to do, don't you care about your family?" But God says, "Do not turn your back on going to church." "That girl is much hotter than my wife" as the devil entices you to think and even act out on sexually immoral thoughts, but God says, "Rejoice in the wife of your youth and reject sexual immorality." No, you are to "fasten the belt of truth" to keep you from the things that will trip you in your Christian life.

When I was a child, my dad had a belt of truth. Whenever I would disobey or do something that was wrong, my dad would get out the belt of truth and use it on my backside to correct me! The belt of truth in my house got my mind off what I was doing wrong and helped me think of ways to do things correctly in the future!

You see, The Belt of Truth corrects you and helps you train your mind to be saturated with truth from God, rather than the lies of the world. And believe me the lies of the world are so intense at times that they will aim right for your heart. That is why the next piece of armor is so important.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

"Put on the breastplate of righteousness" (vs. 14)

The Roman breastplate was typically made of bronze, backed with leather. It was designed to protect the vital area. You can imagine that without a breastplate, or in today's world a bullet proof vest, one arrow or bullet to that area would be deadly.

So with the whole armor of God, you are protected by Christ's breastplate of righteousness. If you are wearing that "breastplate," you can rest assured that your heart, your emotions, and your will are securely guarded and adequately protected against attack.

Listen to what one pastor said about the breastplate and the spiritual attacks that come to you:

"Your heart and emotions are perhaps the most frequent ground of attack against Christian faith. Christians often feel they lack assurance (or confidence in their faith). They feel unworthy of God. They feel they are a failure in the Christian life and that God is certain to reject them, that He is no longer interested in them. They are so aware of their failures and shortcomings. Growth has been so slow. The first joy of faith has faded, and they feel God is angry with them or that He is far off somewhere. There is a constant sense of guilt. Their conscience is always stabbing them, making them unhappy. They feel God blames them. This is simply a satanic attack."

He continues...

"How do you answer an attack like this? You are to remember that you have put on the breastplate of righteousness. In other words, you do not stand on your own merits (or, worth). You never did. You never had anything worthwhile in yourself to offer to God. You gave all that up when you came to Christ. You quit trying to be good enough to please God. You came on His merits. You came on the ground of His imputed righteousness—which which He gives to you. You began your Christian life like that, and there is no change now. You are still standing before God on that basis.”[1]

What this is saying is that you don't fight this spiritual battle alone; Christ's righteousness is the source of your protection from Satan.

And when you finally realize that you are covered by Christ's righteousness and not your own, you are able to stand firm in the spiritual battle that is being waged in your life.

So you put on the "belt of truth" to keep from getting tripped up by your sins, you put on the "breastplate of righteousness" in order to allow what Christ did for you on the cross to protect you and not rely on your own works of righteousness, which are worthless.

Shoes For The Gospel of Peace

When you depend on our own works to help you, when you determine to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, you'll never overcome the sin in your life. Why? Because you don't have the right boots on! Look at verse 15:

"And as for shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace."

There are many different types of shoes. I could never get Carol to understand that whenever I took up a new sport, I had to have the proper shoe to go along with it. When I was into running, I needed running shoes, when I play tennis I need tennis shoes, when I ride my bike I need biking shoes, when I just want to kick back at home, I need sandals. Carol's comment is, "Why can't you just use the same pair of shoes for all the sports?" The truth is, each type of shoe has a particular purpose and each pair will give you a slight edge on your competition.

Shoes of peace are what Paul is talking about. The idea here seems to be that you are not to look for a spiritual battle, it's going to be there regardless, but you are to seek peace, not looking for a fight, rather seeking peace.

Ephesians 2:14 says, "Jesus is our peace. Therefore, we can only experience peace through Jesus Christ. See, peace is not passive it is powerful. You may think that to be a man of peace, it means you're weak. That is a lie of Satan and you couldn't be more wrong! Jesus said this about peace in John 16:33:

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

In fact in John 14:27 Jesus said,

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

God's peace is strong, it overcomes the powers of the world, it keeps us from fear - The peace of Jesus is powerful!

Do you want to be able to fight the "schemes of the devil" and be ready to move quickly when the attacks come? Then God says, "Seek peace which only comes through Jesus Christ."

Shield of Faith

But take caution, when you seek peace, the devil is going to continue to attack you. He is going to muster all of his weapons against you and his attacks are going to come fast and furious. So Paul writes that you are to,

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one." (vs.16).

In all circumstances...never let your guard down. Never! And yet this is probably what you tend to do the most. Jesus Christ rescued you from the power of sin and death and things started looking pretty good in your life. You were reading your Bible, you were praying, you were interested and passionate about growing in Christ, so you dropped your shield for a while. After all, you say, this shield is heavy, it's not always easy to hold it up -- you just needed a little rest so you dropped your guard for a minute. But you forgot that you were in the battle still - and when you dropped your shield Satan fired at will; Pow,pow,pow,pow,pow,pow... Suddenly, you didn't have time to read your Bible, you stopped praying and your spiritual growth just stopped -- as each "flaming dart" hit you got weaker and weaker in your faith and Jesus took a backseat. He became an afterthought.

But where does faith come from? How can you be assured that you're not going to drop your shield of faith? Fortunately, the Bible is clear on this matter of faith:

Turn with me in your Bible to the book of Romans 10:17. So often the pastors at Hope Now hear this, "I'm just not growing in my faith." And usually, we hear this from those who never attend church; who never sit through a Bible study; who never seek out Godly teachers. Look at what it says in Romans 10:17:

"Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God."

You will never be able to continue holding up the shield of faith unless you are hearing the Word of God being taught clearly and accurately. "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God." That's why you need to attend church and when you do attend, you must attend a church that teaches the Word of God: Not some place that just tells a bunch of good stories that are funny or interesting; but a church that honors Christ and teaches only Christ. It is clear that you will not grow in your Christian life without taking up the shield of faith which only comes through hearing the world of God.

You see, when we preach each Sunday we are not preaching our own words. Right now, these are not my words that I am preaching. You're thinking, "Well it sure sounds like your voice!" That is because God is using me as his tool, and when John speaks next week, and Vanna and Bryce on other weeks, God will use them as his mouthpiece too. All week, I have spent time in prayer and study of God's Word, asking Him to show me exactly which words to share with you -- and my prayer this week has been that the Holy Spirit would speak through me and that you would be convicted by God's Word and your faith strengthened as it is preached. If you have attended here long enough you know that our preaching is only from the word of God. Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 1:17:

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel"

What is the gospel?

"That Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures..." (1 Corinthians 15)

The gospel or good news is that Jesus Christ promises you eternal life because of his resurrection.

So the Shield of Faith involves trust and reliance on Jesus Christ through his Word and even more specifically, the preaching of His Word.

The Helmet of Salvation

"And take the helmet of salvation..." (vs. 17)

A wound to the head is a serious matter. Since the head is vital part, you need to protect it well. While your heart needs the protection of the breastplate of righteousness, your head needs protection too.

So many messages, true and false, enter into our heads today.

- The sheer volume of knowledge is doubling every five years now ~ Bill Clinton, 1998

- A weekday edition of the New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in seventeenth-century England . . . . ~ Richard Wurman

- By the time a child is eighteen years old, he or she will witness on television (with average viewing time) 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders (Huston, et al, 1992)

And by the way:

-Young children who see media violence have a greater chance of exhibiting violent and aggressive behavior later in life, than children who have not seen violent media (Congressional Public Health Summit, 2000).

The great preacher of the 1800's in England, Charles Spurgeon said, "If you have the right doctrine (or teaching) in your head, and then set the soul on fire, you will soon win the world [for Christ].

The head is the place where Satan can persuade you and manipulate your mind. That's why you are to be sober-minded and not drunk. When you are drunk, your mind is open to the schemes of the devil. One time a young man said to one of our pastors, "When I'm high, I am much closer to God and the Bible is easier to understand." Of course, that's also lie of Satan. If he can get you to doubt you have a helmet he'll strike your head to get you to believe a lie.

It is of great importance to have a helmet that will not be knocked off but understand this, if you are already wearing a helmet it cannot get knocked off by Satan. It's a helmet that he cannot get off. The devil himself cannot drag the Christian's helmet off, once it is buckled on.

The world can neither give nor take away the salvation of a Christian. Salvation comes from God, and He will never withdraw it, for His gifts and calling are irrevocable (final, carved in stone) (Romans 11:39). Once his helmet is put on Satan will lie to you to make you doubt that you have the salvation of God and when he does, you need to be ready with the only weapon that comes with the armor.

The Sword of the Spirit, Which is the Word of God

"And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." (Vs. 17)

The Word of God!

It is only through His Word that we can actually fight the schemes of the devil and to withstand evil. In this verse, "the word of God" does not necessarily refer to the complete Bible.

The "sword of the Spirit" is the saying of God applied to a specific situation. This is the only great weapon placed in the hands of a believer. Perhaps we have experienced this in some moment of temptation or doubt, when we we're attacked by what Paul calls here "the flaming arrows of the evil one" (v. 16). But the temptation has been answered immediately by a passage of Scripture that flashed into your mind, something you had not been thinking of at all, but which supplied the needed answer. That is why this is called "the sword of the Spirit," because it not only comes from Jesus as the author of the Word, but it is also recalled to mind by the Spirit and made powerful by Him in our lives. The Word of God is His answer to the attack of the devi who comes to discourage you, defeat you, lure you aside, deceive you, or mislead you in some way.

The more you are exposed to Scripture, the more the Spirit can use this mighty sword in your life. If you never read or study your Bible, you are terribly exposed to defeat and despair. You have no defense; you have nothing, no weapon, to put up against these forces that are at work. Therefore, read your Bible regularly. When you neglect the reading of the Scriptures you are in disobedience to the will of the Lord. And what is the responsibility of the Christian when the Spirit places one of these sayings in your mind on some appropriate occasion? The apostle says, "Take it! Heed it! Obey it! Do not reject it. Take it seriously. The Spirit of God has brought it to mind for a purpose; therefore, give heed to it, obey it."

Peter, in his 1st letter, says that people "stumble because they disobey the word." (1 Peter 2:8).

Prayer, The Substance That Holds it All Together

Paul concludes his analogy or metaphor of the whole armor of God with the substance that holds all of the armor together:

"Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." (Vs. 18)

Do you want to "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might"? Then put on the armor of God - and to keep your armor well-oiled and strong Paul says to remember to do three things:

1. Pray at all times. In the book of First Thessalonians Paul says it this way, "Pray without ceasing." Praying keeps your mind focused on God. It takes your thoughts off of what is evil and places your hope and trust in the Savior. The tendency is to pray only when you have a need or a problem, but you are told here to pray at all times, in fact, it doesn't say to pray for your own problems at all.

2. Supplication. Supplication means to plead and Paul says to plead for other Christians. Focus on building others up in Christ and your armor will stay strong.

3. Keep alert. And remember, you are in a spiritual battle. Don't drop your guard, don't give up, keep your armor on and fight the good fight.

Let me assure you today, you are going to be under attack. From the moment your day begins, it is on! Satan will use everything in his arsenal to knock you down. He's going to throw drugs at you, abuse of alcohol, temptations to lie, cheat, and steal, the urge to strike back when someone strikes out at you; in fact, he'll set other Christians in your path who might fail right in front of you and you'll become discouraged. When you leave here today, you'll be tempted to fight with your spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend, you'll face financial problems, illnesses, perhaps death, but remember, remember your calling this week when all of those things try to cover you like a wave...shall we give in to the forces of Satan this week?

No. God tells you this as you finish reading this today:

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39).

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith..." (1 Peter 5:8,9) "Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil...take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND FIRM."

"And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

[1] Pastor Ray Stedman

Be Strong in the Lord and The Strength of His Might

2009-06-05T11:50:47-07:00

Ephesians 6:10-13 Pastor Roger Feenstra

Please take your Bible and turn to the book of Ephesians, chapter 6. We are nearing the conclusion of our study through this wonderful letter of Ephesians, written by the Apostle Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus nearly 2,000 years ago. As we have shared with you over the past few months, because this is the holy Word of God, this letter is just as relevant for us today in 2009 as it was when it was first written.

Throughout the book of Ephesians we have touched on a lot of subjects that are of importance to us:

In Chapter 1 we are told to be "holy and blameless" (vs. 4)

In Chapter 2 we are told that our salvation is purely a gift of grace, not works.

In Chapter 3 we are told to be rooted and grounded in love and to know the love of Christ.

In Chapter 4 we are instructed to "Put off our old self" (vs. 22)

In Chapter 5 we are commanded to "Be imitators of God" (vs. 1); to not be sexually immoral (vs. 3); to not get drunk (vs. 18); for wives to submit to their husbands (vs. 22), and for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church (vs. 25)

In Chapter 6 we're given instruction for children to "obey their parents" (vs. 1); For fathers to "not make their children angry" (vs. 4); for slaves, or in our day, employees, "to obey your earthly masters" (vs. 5)

And now, Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit begins to sum up the entire book in chapter 6:10 with a powerful message to us all:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."

I love this verse as it is touches on the heart of the Gospel (Or, the Good News) of Jesus Christ.

What is the Good News? What is the Gospel? If you had only one minute to tell someone about Jesus Christ; who he is, what he did for you, you might give a one minute testimony of your life; what Jesus has done for you and how your life is changed. This might be a good approach, but probably one of the best ways to tell someone the pure Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ is to quote 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Keep your place in Ephesians, but turn back a few books to 1st Corinthians.

The Good News is this,

"Jesus Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time...then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles and finally to the apostle Paul" (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

So when this verse in Ephesians tells you to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might it is proclaiming good news to you and me. The Lord, strong and mighty, who had the power to rise from the dead, is the source of your spiritual strength.

How to Be Strong

Have you ever needed spiritual strength? Perhaps you have been through a time in your life when it seemed as if there was no hope? Maybe you've lost a loved one and all of your plans and dreams came crashing in around you? Possibly you've lost a job, or have financial difficulties? Maybe you're trying to live your life for Christ, but your friends and family mock you for your new found faith and they say, "It won't last." Maybe you need spiritual strength today, right now? Is it possible to be "Strong in the Lord and the strength of his might?"

By the way, do you know when the best time is to be strong in the Lord? It is when you are weak -- when you've reached the end, when you can go no farther. When the world is against you. Hear the words of the Lord from 2 Corinthians 12:10:

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Paul is not talking here about his own strength. He's not saying, if I just pull myself up by my bootstraps and try harder I'll be strong. No, Paul is talking about being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might whenever you encounter trials.

Tortured For Faith

History is replete (filled) with Christians who have endured trials like you; those who have been persecuted for their faith and yet have remained strong in the Lord and refused to turn away from their Lord.

In the book Tortures and Torments of Christian Martyrs (A martyr is someone who suffers to the point of death), by Antonio Gallonio written in 1903; He lists various methods that Christians were tortured for their faith.

He describes:

Red hot plates: a piece of metal heated to the point of glowing red hot was placed upon the Christian until he or she renounced their faith in Christ.
Burning torches: A branch with its tip dipped in pine tar and lit on fire was pressed against the Christian.
Stakes or crosses: Where the Christian was hung sometimes upside down and fire lit beneath him to produce a long, slow, torturous death.

Other punishments for believing in Christ included:

Buried alive: Often these martyrs for Christ were not buried completely, but only up to their necks where they were left to bake in the sun without food or water.

Sewn inside a bag and thrown into the River.
If ever there was a time when spiritual strength was needed, it was during these times.

What was it that allowed these Christians to remain true to Jesus Christ? How could they endure the slow pain of death? It was because they were "Strong in the Lord and the strength of his might."

Strength in the King of Glory

All of our strength comes from Jesus Christ. We can never be strong in ourselves. We can never be strong in our own might.

This is the crux (the heart, or main point) of the Gospel: That our spiritual strength comes from our Savior Jesus Christ who was so strong and mighty that he rose from the dead. That is the good news!

Psalm 24:8 describes him this way:

"Who is this king of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle."

How strong?

Jesus Christ was laughed at, tortured, beaten with rods, pierced on his head with a crown of thorns, spit upon, crucified on a cross, buried, YET, He rose from the grave, he conquered death -- He is strong and mighty even over death and he offers that same resurrection power to you and me! Because of Christ, we too have power over death and are promised to be resurrected someday. Our strength is made sure in the fact that we will someday escape this body of sorrow and death and will be resurrected to live eternally with Jesus Christ. Our strength comes from the truth that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has conquered death for us.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:!6)

The Lord strong and mighty!

Our Lord, strong and mighty!

Why Do You Need Strength

But why do we need to be strong in the Lord and strength of his might? I mean, we are not facing torture or physical persecution in Fresno in 2009.

No, you and I are facing a much greater foe. You need his strength because the devil is trying to destroy you. So Paul relays to us God's plan to help us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.

"Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (vs. 11).

Here's how the dictionary describes the word "scheme":

"A large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining some particular object or putting a particular idea into effect...A secret of underhanded plan."

Satan has a secret plan to destroy you. You may not be facing red hot plates, burning torches, burning at the stake or being buried alive or thrown into the river for your faith in Christ, but make no mistake, you are being tempted and tested in other ways: drugs, alcohol, sex outside of marriage, stealing, lying, cheating -- all of the things from your former life (See Ephesians 4:22-31) Satan is making a bold attempt to draw you away from Christ, even to the point of physical death if need be.

Therefore, we need to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might and we need to put on the whole armor of God so that we may be able to stand against the secret underhanded plan of the devil!

You see, you may think that all of the temptations you face are a result of your former life or your upbringing - "That's the way our family rolled, you might say." But the truth is that the battle you face in serving Christ has nothing to do with your physical upbringing, your parents or your past.

And while the events of your past are real and cannot always be forgotten, the temptations you face today, to live your life for Jesus Christ, are purely from a spiritual battle that is raging all around you.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12).

Not a Physical Problem

Your struggle with sin is not due to your background. You use that as an excuse, because it's all you know. The truth is, you can't change where you came from, or what your past was like. And you can't change the way you are. Why? Because your problem is not a physical problem, it is a spiritual one. You see, when you try to use the world's medicine to make your life better; when you listen to the Dr. Phil's and the Oprah's, and try your best to "heal" your past or to search for your inner happiness you will never be able to find it. Listen to the mission statement of Oprah Winfrey's television show:

"Our mission statement for ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ is to use television to transform people’s lives, to make viewers see themselves differently and to bring happiness and a sense of fulfillment into every home.

”

I don't know about you, but when I'm faced with a choice have my life transformed, and I'm facing great trials and temptations, I'm not going to turn to television for the answer. I'm turning to the Lord, strong and mighty.

Dr. Phil's method to help you overcome your sin and your past is to simply rely upon yourself to do it. And while his methods at face value seem harmless and at times even helpful, it is the same old false story that people have been listening to for thousands of years, "You can solve your life's problems on your own."

But the truth of the matter is when you become a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the power through Christ, not yourself, to overcome the struggle of sin in your life. And when you turn to your past to try to figure it out you are never able to trust our Lord Christ or to depend on his strength. You become what the apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 2:22 (quoting from Proverbs):

[Like a] dog [who] returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

You Can't Do It

Satan is trying to bring you down and it is only by "being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might" that you will be able to move on in your life and conquer your past, your sin and the temptations that seem to so easily befall you.

Some people say to me, "I'm trying to change to become a better person, but it's just not working." That's good that you want to change, but do you know why it's not working? It's because you are trying to make the change in your life. Rather God says, "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might."

Why do you think Jesus died on the cross? So that you could keep trying on your own to do good? Did he die simply so you could think he was a good guy? Did he suffer on the cross so that you could continue to be mired in your past life? No! Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to do all of the work for you! He took all of your sins, past, present and future and put them on himself so that you could place your faith in him and be rescued from a life of sin and death. Remember the sin you committed recently (maybe even last night?), the one that is causing you so much guilt? He took that sin too upon himself and he offers you forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

It is only through Jesus Christ that you can withstand and overcome the temptations that are thrown at you.

Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might: Because your problems are not physical. They appear physical because that is the lie of Satan. Jesus said this about Satan:

"He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)

If he can make you think that your problems are about your past then he has succeeded in producing a great lie that you will believe.

Rather, the truth is that your struggle is against Satan and his forces. And to overcome that struggle you need to "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might." You will not overcome your temptations and struggles by trying to do good, or trying to figure out your past, or blaming others. When you do that, Satan has you right where he wants you.

You are to "be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might." And to fight this battle that is raging all around you, you need to "put on Christ." And next time we'll look more closely at what that means and how we do that.

Jesus is Your Covering

But the Bible is clear that to fight the spiritual battle; to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, you need to put on Christ. Here's what God said about putting on Christ in Romans 13:14:

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

You see, Jesus is our covering. He covers us with his righteousness, and this is what God was showing us from the very beginning. Turn to Genesis 3:21. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were immediately guilty -- their guilt showed in that they realized that they were naked and their nakedness caused them shame. Therefore, verse 21 says that God "clothed them." This verse is a prophecy of what Jesus Christ would someday do for us. From the very beginning God was showing that he was going to make a covering for our sin. And that covering is Jesus Christ.

From the moment you believe in him, you are covered with the righteousness of Christ. No longer are you walking around naked in your sin, you are covered with his righteousness; and to fight the spiritual battle, you are to put on Christ.

That's why so many Christians today (even many in this room), are weak and defeated. Christian by name only, but not by deed. They walk around week after week, with the same problems. "Woe is me" they cry. I have so many problems, you don't understand my problems." And they go through life never growing in their relationship with Christ, never reading God's Word, praying only when they have a real serious problem. Playing hit and miss when they attend church to worship the Lord. Denying their children the blessing of learning about Jesus Christ by not bringing them to Sunday School and not training them up at home to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to love Him.

This is a spiritual battle -- be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. Put on Jesus Christ daily - wear him as your whole armor against the onslaught of Satan. Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might:

"Santoso" is a farmer and a pastor for a small village church in Indonesia. Recently, he was attacked on the way home after sharing Christ with Muslims on a farm in the city of Poso. He and a friend, both on motorbikes, were hit with a machete wielded by a Muslim who jumped from a bush. The Muslim tried to cut off his head but missed, hitting him in the mouth. He ran to his village holding his face. Because of the attack Santoso lost 10 teeth and damaged his tongue and his friend's fingers were cut off. (This was the third attempt on Santoso's life.) Before going into his last surgery, he said, "I read Ephesians 1:19 which promises God's great power to us who believe. God sends me power so I can bear suffering. We rejoice that one Muslim has come to Christ."

Where do men and women like Santoso get their strength to endure torture? It comes from the Lord Jesus Christ -- by being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. The power to live our lives for Jesus Christ comes through recognizing that we are not in a physical war, but a spiritual one; and to win the war, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Next time, I am going to share with you how to do that. In Ephesians, it's called "putting on the whole armor of God."

Do you need spiritual strength today? Then be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. And when you do that; when you take the focus off your own strength which is weak and feeble, and when you finally determine to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, then we can rest assured that we will win the sprirtual battle and will become as Paul said in Romans 8:37:

...In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
There is good news for us today! Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might!

Are you trying to fight the battle of life on your own strength? Do you try and take matters into your own hands on a daily basis? You need money so you steal and rob. You struggle with your relationship with your wife or husband or girlfriend or boyfriend so you act superior, like you're better than them and you become the shot caller in your relationship. I'll take control of this myself, you say. But God is calling out to you today -- to be strong in the Lord and strength of his might. He is calling you to turn to him, to put your faith and trust in him. And when you do, he promises to help you and to guide you and to give you the strength you need to overcome the spiritual battle that you are facing.

Some of you might even leave here today and ignore everything that God has been trying to show you today. You'll go home and get drunk or high. You'll revert back to your old self -- But God is still calling you -- Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might is his call to you. Follow him and be strong in him today.

"Our Lord strong and mighty, please give me the strength right now to put my trust in you, to be strong in you and the strength of your might." Amen.