GET DRESSED,
EPHESIANS 6:10-20
“WE TEND TO MAKE THREE MISTAKES REGARDING EVIL IN THE WORLD: FIRST, WE IGNORE EVIL WHEN IT DOESN’T HIT US IN THE FACE. SECOND, WE ARE SURPRISED WHEN IT DOES. THIRD, WE REACT IN IMMATURE AND DANGEROUS WAYS WHEN IT DOES.” N.T. WRIGHT
THE ADVERSARY, Vv. 10-12
“WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEMONIC, PEOPLE USUALLY FALL INTO ONE OF TWO ERRORS – EITHER THEY TAKE HIM ALTOGETHER TOO SERIOUSLY OR THEY DO NOT TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY ENOUGH.” C.S. LEWIS
THE DECLARATION, 10
THE DECEPTION, 11
THE DOMAIN, 12
“IF ONCE THE CURTAIN WERE PULLED BACK AND THE SPIRITUAL WORLD BEHIND IT CAME TO VIEW, IT WOULD EXPOSE OUR SPIRITUAL VISION A STRUGGLE SO INTENSE, SO CONVULSIVE, SWEEPING EVERYTHING WITHIN IT’S RANGE, THAT THE FIERCEST BATTLE EVER FOUGHT ON EARTH WOULD SEEM, BY COMPARISON, A MERE GAME. NOT HERE, BUT UP THERE – THAT IS WHERE THE REAL CONFLICT IS WAGED.” ABRAHAM KUYPER
THE ARMOR, Vv.13-17
THE BELT OF TRUTH, 14
TRUTH IS THE ABSOLUTE STANDARD BY WHICH REALITY IS MEASURED …
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 14
TRUTH IS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD – RIGHTEOUSNESS IS OUR RESPONSE TO THAT KNOWLEDGE …
THE SHOES OF PEACE, 15
THE STABILITY THAT COMES FROM GOD’S PEACE …
THE SHIELD OF FAITH, 16
THE SHIELD WAS MEANT TO EXTINGUISH THE MISSILES OF THE ENEMY …
THE HELMET OF SALVATION, 16
THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION …
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, 17
RHEMA – THE UTTERANCE, DECLARATION …
THE ARENA, Vv.18
THE APPLICATION:
“TAKE THE SUPERNATURAL SERIOUSLY AND REALIZE THAT WE ARE IN A WARFARE THAT CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT BE DOMESTICATED BY REINTERPRETING EVERYTHING IN THE BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW SO THAT IT FITS NICELY WITH SECULAR, NATURALISTIC WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT THE WORLD. BE READY FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY AS WELL AS THE ORDINARY WAYS THAT EVIL SPIRITS WORK. DON’T BE PRESUMPTUOUS, AS THOUGH DEMONS WERE WEAK: AND DON’T BE ANXIOUS, AS THOUGH THEY WERE STRINGER THAN JESUS.”
PIPER
