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Text: Ephesians 6:14
God’s instruction to His people is to put on the armour of God. So there is a responsibility to equip yourself that is not automatic because you’re a Christian. Furthermore, the armour is mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, but if it is not put on then a soul is taken captive by the devil at his will.
Here is the process. God gives you the truth. You say, I know, but I don’t care. Or you say, I don’t like the way he talks. Or you say, I know his history. Whatever you use to diminish the truth isn’t as important as the enemy’s end game which is to simply get you to follow his lie. But that means that you’re choosing to believe a lie. Lies have one source, the father of lies who is the devil. So at this point you’re snared by the devil at his will, because you choose to believe a lie. The devil takes that piece of real estate.
Here is the process. God gives you the truth. You say, that’s right. You ignore all the other voices diminishing the truth. The voice of the cares of this world. The voice of money. The voice of relationships. You say to God, you’re right. And you go to work living by that truth. You’re freed from sin. You’re life is pleasing to God, so you see the fruit of the Spirit beginning to bloom where the truth is being applied. And you face opposition from the enemy to that truth.
Attacks from the enemy
- Truth is mentioned first because warfare is about deception. Camouflage, spying, if you’re planning an attack don’t look like you’re planning an attack. If you’re closing in on the enemy you want to appear far away. If you’re observing the enemy, you want to appear like you’re ignoring the enemy. Warfare is deception.
- The devil wants you to believe that truth is individual: my truth.
- The devil wants you to believe you’re obeying God when you’re not.
- The devil wants you to believe the pursuit of pleasure is the pursuit of God.
- The devil wants you to believe acknowledging truth is going to cause more problems than you want to deal with.
- Devil will give you the perspective that the truth is uncomfortable
- Christian may not want to wear this belt or girdle because it’s uncomfortable.
- Ephesians 4:21-22 …deceitful lusts… pleasure temporary, heartache and trouble last a lifetime. And possibly eternally.
- We can fall into the trap of thinking I follow God I’ll be uncomfortable or I can live my life around play and enjoy myself. The truth is following God or following the flesh each comes with its own discomfort. One just lasts much longer than the other.
- If your children’s feelings are at stake, or your grandchildren’s feelings are at stake, you’d rather believe a lie… at the time, anyway. Until that lie comes back to bite you like a snake. (Lady got mad at me for saying something about Santa Claus in a teen class. One boy in there 16 or 18 years old, but very slow. It was Christmas time and I did something on Santa Claus.)
- If you want to see God’s truth through the devil’s eyes, you’ll see it as uncomfortable.
- Devil will give you the perspective that the truth is too common
- Isaiah 59:12-14 …truth is fallen in the street…
- Jesus Christ the truth was without honour in his own country. Matthew 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
- People close to it begin to knit pick it and see it as being too ordinary and common (Matthew 13:55). But that is looking at the truth through the devil’s eyes.
- Devil will give you the perspective that truth is individual
- For the world this will mean one thing while to a Christian this will mean something else.
- To the world it is “my truth”, my identity, my feelings, my thoughts are all that is real to me.
- To the Christian it is “my truth”, worship is what I call it, obedience is what I call it, Spiritual fruit is what I call it.
- Both are the same trap.
- 2 Chronicles 13:9 and Galatians 4:8
- Devil will give you the perspective that there is no judgment
- Ecclesiastes 8:11-13
- Because oftentimes God gives space for repentance, people are led to believe there is no judgment. Where time is allowed by God for people to grow and get right, the devil says time is an indication there are no consequences.
Mighty power of the truth
- Now God said, ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free… Freedom versus slavery
- Truth not only frees you, but makes you fruitful in the Lord; John 17:17-19
- Walking in truth produces the fruit of the Spirit which is joy – 3 John 4.
- In God, in you, and in others who love the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
Responsibility to the truth
- Back to the armour of God in Ephesians. The Holy Spirit began by saying, Put on the whole armour of God…
- Responsible to allow the truth to look at your life – John 3:20-21 …he that doeth the truth…
- Not one of you believes you’re deceived.
- Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
- You have a duty to stop accepting your own thoughts but to lay them aside the word of God and see if there is any value in your pursuits.
- Responsible to speak the truth – 2 Timothy 2:25
- Responsible to listen to the truth – 2 Timothy 4:4
- Responsible to live out the truth – 1 Timothy 3:14-15
