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Withstanding the Evil One By

Understanding Our Identity in Christ  

Ephesians 6:10-17

As we open God’s Word to Ephesians 6:10-17 we are looking at the amazing new life, new beginning, and completely new identity God gave us when we were saved.

When all systems are functioning properly, all the dimensions of being new creations in Christ are astounding.

God’s Plan for Every Believer

As believers, we are each designed by God to have:

Lives held together with His liberating-truth.

Lives surrounded with His guilt-free righteousness.

Lives permeated with His confident, hope-filled peace.

Lives overshadowed by His 100% Reliable shield of faith.

Lives transformed by the endless new beginnings of His salvation.

Lives protected by His Word’s Spirit-empowered sword.

When everything operates as designed by God, it is just a wonder to behold.

When All the Parts Are Functioning

In a small way the hum of a well-tuned and running engine under the hood of a car is a great example. The ignition system, the fuel line, the lubrication system, the exhaust system all work together to make the drive shaft spin, the tires turn, and the car to work.

But even a very small mistake in that interconnected system can make huge problems. I learned that well following the Arab Oil Embargo of October, 1973. My 1969 Chevy Caprice with that huge 454 cubic inch, 7-liter engine went only 8-10 miles per gallon on the highway, As the price of gas went from $0.29 to $ 0.55 per gallon desperate times were upon us.

Being the practical backyard mechanic that I was at 19 years of age, I heard that 4 cylinder cars got amazing gas mileage. So that evening in the garage I opened the hood, pulled off four spark plug wires and instantly transformed my gas guzzling Caprice into a sleek 4-cylinder gas miser.

Everything looked great until the next morning when I fired up my car. It actually started and so violently shook that I almost broke the motor mounts. When that motor didn’t operate the way it was designed, my car was almost useless.

Today this is how God has designed us to operate.

Jesus the Truth: Holds Together My Life

The belt of truth (Eph. 6:14a) Paul spoke of is the amazing way that God secures our lives when we get saved.

His truth surrounds us.

His truth upholds us.

His truth keeps us from getting tripped up (Psalm 119:67)

His truth explains life to us (Psalm 16:11).

Truth makes us confident, secure, wise (Pr. 28:1).

His Word is truth and that Word engrafted into our souls saves us (James 1:21).

Salvation means I became a Truth-Lover (2 Th. 2:10).

Salvation means I became a Truth-Inhabited (Jn. 14:17, 16:13; 1 Cor. 6:19).

Salvation means I became a Truth-Liberated (Jn. 8:32).

Salvation means I became a Truth-Guided (Rom. 8:14).

When I want His truth that saved me to keep me, I take up the Belt of Truth.

When I choose to wrap Him around my life, I am wearing the Belt of Truth.

When I do, Jesus the Truth: Holds Together My Life.

He makes me wise, confident, secure, bold, and full of joy from knowing Him.

Jesus the Righteous: Covers My Life

Wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness (Eph. 6:14b) means that I want to not just have His righteousness planted with in, I want my lifestyle to reflect my contents.

The greatest verse in the Bible (2 Cor. 5:21) explains the greatest transaction.

God made Jesus who never sinned to become guilty of committing every sin I have and ever will do. Jesus was punished for me, took my guilt and paid my debt. That effectively erased any records of my sin.

Clothed in His righteousness I stand, faultless before the Throne.

When I want His righteousness that saved me to keep me, I take up the Breastplate of Righteousness.

When I choose to wrap Him around my life, I am wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness.

When I do, Jesus the Righteous: Covering My Life makes me wise, confident, secure, bold, and full of joy from knowing Him.

Jesus Prince of Peace: Guards My Life

Wearing the Shoes of Peace (Eph. 6:15) means finding that the peace with God that salvation brought, expands into the peace of God filling my life.

I walk through life protected from puncture wounds to my peaceful walk (Ps. 37:23).

I want to wear Christ’s peace as my choice (Phil. 4:7).

I want to rest in Him, trusting, learning, and in step with Him (Mat. 11:29).

When you walk through deep waters He holds us (Isaiah 43:2).

Even when facing the Shadow of Death, we fear not (Psalm 23:4).

The work of Christ on the Cross plants peace within, but the effects of choosing to strap on obediently His shoes of peace gives me quietness and confidence (Isaiah 32:17).

When I want His peace that saved me to keep me, I take up the Shoes of Peace.

When I choose to wrap Him around my life, I am wearing the Shoes of Peace.

When I do, Jesus Prince of Peace: Guards My Life.

He makes me wise, confident, secure, bold, and full of joy from knowing Him.

Jesus My Advocate: Shields My Life

The Shield of Faith (Eph. 6:16) is none other than my Heaven Father who extinguishes every dart.

I can’t stop those arrows, but He does (1 Cor. 10:13).

Jesus reveals the Father to me (Mt. 11:27).

I trust my life into His care (1 Pet. 5:7).

Each time I am facing an attack all I have to do is call out to my Father (1 Pet. 1:17).

My Heavenly Father always is there (Mt. 6:8 He watches; 1 Cor. 10:13 He is faithful).

My Heavenly Father always extinguishes all of the fiery darts (Eph. 6:16).

He always is pleased when I call out to Him (Lk. 18:7 will He delay long).

Jesus stands at the Right hand of God the Father (Rom. 8:34 who shall bring any charge).

This I know that God is for me (Ps. 56:9).

Jesus ever lives to intercede for me (Heb. 7:25).

He is my Advocate, My Protector who is always there (Mt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5).

When I want His presence that that came with my salvation to keep me, I take up the Shield of Faith.

When I choose to hide behind Him as my refuge, I am wearing the Shield of Faith.

When I do, Jesus My Advocate: Shields My Life.

He makes me safe, confident, secure, bold, and full of joy from knowing Him.

Jesus My Savior: Guards My New Mind

The Helmet of Salvation (Eph. 6:17a) is the constant reminder of all that Jesus accomplished for me, and has planted within me. When I want to live out what He has done within, I pull on my helmet.

Jesus loved me and loosed me from sin (Rev. 1:5).

Jesus gave Himself for me (Gal. 2:20).

Jesus wants my every thought captivated by Him (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

Jesus wants my mind focused on Him (Isaiah 26:3).

Jesus wants my affections set above where Christ is seated (Col. 3:1).

When I want to live out the wonders of my salvation, I wear the Helmet of Salvation.

When I choose to acts upon the truths or doctrines of my salvation, I am wearing th
e Helmet of Salvation.

When I do Jesus My Savior: Guards My New Mind.

He takes away any guilt, condemnation, hopelessness, uselessness, loneliness, fearfulness, or frustration in my life.

Remembering the work of salvation for me, and in me helps me to desire to act like I really believe all that truth.

Holding On to the Truths of My Salvation

Each facet of salvation defined by those seven great doctrines of salvation, are the keys to walking through life confidently.

The summary of the Helmet could be stated as a series of declarations of why we can’t really ever feel guilty, condemned, hopeless, useless, lonely, fearful, or frustrated again.

But this is only ours if we wear our Helmet of Salvation.

1.    Because I am Forgiven, I never again have any reason: to feel Guilty.

2.    Because I am Justified, I will never again have any reason: to feel Condemned.

3.    Because I am Regenerated, I will never again have any reason to feel Hopeless.

4.    Because I am Redeemed, I will never again have any reason: to feel Useless.

5.    Because I am Adopted, I will never again have any reason: to feel Lonely.

6.    Because I am Reconciled, I will never again have any reason: to feel Fearful.

7.    Because I am Sanctified, I will never again have any reason: to feel Frustrated.

Take Up Your Helmet Daily

If you have never tried this, I’d encourage you to start a new dimension of your spiritual life by starting one of the more wonderful spiritual exercises you can ever do.

As you begin each day, one of our greatest privileges is to take up the helmet of the salvation God has given to us.

By faith we please God when we believe what He’s said about us.

We need to not live by what others say or have said about us all our life.

Satan is the Accuser and wants us to only remember all the many times we have fallen;

Satan delights in the days, weeks, or months he can keep us condemning ourselves for what we’ve done.

That is his plan, so don’t fall for it.

Resist Satan as you believe the truth; speak the truth; and preach the Gospel to yourself.

And whenever we fall down, God says to just turn back to Him and repent, confessing our sin immediately—and believe that what God has promised in His salvation.

We are forgiven, justified, regenerated, reconciled, adopted, redeemed, and sanctified.

That makes us precious in His sight, special in His plan.

One of the most powerful habits you could develop is to take these truths about the gift of salvation and rejoice by faith in what God has done and wants to do in you!

Keep this list of what God did in salvation for you in your Bible, at home, on your computer, put one on your mirror where you start your day, and in your car.

Wearing our Helmet of Salvation.

1.    I am Forgiven, I never again have any reason: to feel Guilty.

2.    I am Justified, I will never again have any reason: to feel Condemned.

3.    I am Regenerated, I will never again have any reason to feel Hopeless.

4.    I am Redeemed, I will never again have any reason: to feel Useless.

5.    I am Adopted, I will never again have any reason: to feel Lonely.

6.    I am Reconciled, I will never again have any reason: to feel Fearful.

7.    I am Sanctified, I will never again have any reason: to feel Frustrated.

Put this truth into your mind as a reminder of what great things God has promised and done through Christ’s death for us!

Slowly as you understand and lay hold on these truths a life-changing transformation take place in our minds, and then in our emotions, and finally throughout our entire life as we live each day based on God’s eternal truth.

Jesus the Word: Feeds & Protects My Life

Jesus is called the Word of God (Jn. 1:1).

The Logos, or the Word, is who He is (Rev. 19:13).

When I learn God’s Word and take that same Word that saved me, and hold onto it by faith, it becomes the Sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17b).

The Word that feeds me (1 Pet. 2:2), saves me (1 Pet. 1:23), guides me (Ps. 119:105), fills me (Col. 3:16): also protects me.

By meditating upon that Word my life is purged, pruned, and sharpened (Josh. 1:8-9).

The holding onto the Word as a sword (Eph. 6:17), I am able to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12).

The Word is the sword that the Spirit can use in my life to defend me against the Evil One. It is also the sword than can cut away layers of callousness.

It is the sword that can defend me, and refine me.

When I want to be healthy and safe, I hold the Sword of the Spirit.

When I choose to use the truth of God’s Word, I am using the Sword of the Spirit.

When I do Jesus the Word: Feeds & Protects My Life.

He feed my new life (Mt. 4:4), nourishes and cleanses my soul (Jn. 17:17).

Holding the Word as a scalpel can cut away layers of callousness and coldness towards God (Heb. 4:12).

Holding the Word as a sword can make the Evil One retreat before the voice of God that I cling to and hold.

God’s Plan for Every Believer

As believers, we are each designed by God to have:

Lives held together with His liberating-truth.

Lives surrounded with His guilt-free righteousness.

Lives permeated with His confident, hope-filled peace.

Lives overshadowed by His 100% Reliable shield of faith.

Lives transformed by the endless new beginnings of His salvation.

Lives protected by His Word’s Spirit-empowered sword.

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