Deliver us from the Evil One!

This is a time when we pause to consider our blessings, to be grateful and to be thankful. And like I said today and other days during this time of the year, we often hear messages about gratitude. I'm going to share something with all of you this afternoon that I am grateful for, and perhaps something that's never been considered, and perhaps something that we haven't thought about. But I truly want to give thanks today because of a very important point that is brought out in what I'm going to share with you. I am thankful, as was mentioned by Mr. Carton Hire, that our Heavenly Father has called us, and that Jesus has given his disciples then and now something very special. Join me, if you would, over in Matthew 6.

In Matthew 6, today this is where we are going to center our thankfulness in this message and to actually center on a particular part of what is normally called the Lord's Prayer. I hope that as I offer this, that it will give incredible insight as to how to maintain our calling, to follow Him being Jesus Christ, to become like Him, and to consider what He personally placed emphasis on in His own prayer life. You know, it's very interesting when you deal with the model prayer. We call it the Lord's Prayer. We could all say, actually, the ultimate Lord's Prayer was in John 17, that night before He was betrayed.

But the disciples asked Him, because every rabbi had a prayer, every rabbi had a saying, and to, in a sense, know the Jewish community of the first century leading up to it, these prayers would be short and they would repeat them at times, just like the Shema, several times a day. Now, we recognize, as we've often heard in messages, that we don't simply stop at these words, which are incredible, we want to expand upon them. They can be a guidepost where to expand and to talk to our Heavenly Father. But I want to share something with you that I think is important. It begins with our Father in heaven and, how will it be your name? Your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

So we have praise that's going up, His name is being hallowed, we're asking that His will might be done. Then we get into the middle of the prayer and it says this, And give us this day our daily bread. So we've gone from magnifying God, all of a sudden we're back down here on earth and we're requesting of our Father, give us our daily bread. But let's stay with the flow of what might be daily in the middle of this. And notice what it says, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And then notice verse 13, And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from, not just evil, but from the evil one. When you look at verse 13, you notice that this is smack dab between praising God in the beginning of the prayer and then glorifying Him again at the end of the prayer. And it says, deliver us from the evil one. That comes after the daily bread. That means that if you're praying for your daily bread, that's something that's always on your mind. If you're a little bit like me, your daily bread. But also there's the emphasis here then that says to deliver us from the evil one. This model prayer is in part, because there are many parts of it, but we're just going to focus on this day, is purposely designed to never allow Satan to go underneath our radar as disciples of Christ, as children of our Heavenly Father.

You know, we can allow him to go underneath our radar. We cannot think about him. We can sometimes just almost forget that he exists, and that's exactly what he would like to do. He would like us to forget that he is still around in this verse. As he's speaking to his disciples, and there's other verses that we're going to be going to, is to recognize simply this, that we are at war. I'm not here necessarily to speak soft things today, and it was interesting because our church is pacifist when it comes to war, but the Bible tells us that we are at war. Now, this is not going to be a scary sermon. This is going to be an informational sermon, and it's going to be a very encouraging sermon at the end of this message to let us know what is going on. But, dear brethren, we need to have at times a spiritual reality check that there is a created spiritual being that has fallen, that is the adversary, and that is the enemy, that is jealous of the calling and the future that God the Father, through Christ, has in store for each and every one of us. And just as much as we are going about our business, he also is going about his business. So we're going to talk about that a little bit today and put a spotlight on the true foe of God's kingdom. Join me if you would in Ephesians 6 and verse 10. In Ephesians 6, verse 10. Finally, my brethren, this is after a long epistle being written out of prison. Be strong, not by yourself, not by what you think, not by what you know, but by what you are and who you are living in the midst of. Be strong. Notice. In the Lord. In, especially in the New Testament epistles, is a very, very important verse. It's not in ourselves. We don't have it open by ourselves to do what we're going to be talking about today to be at war against that spiritual entity. Be strong in the Lord and notice. And in the power of His might, put on the whole armor of God. Notice that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. Now, we're going to come back to the rest of this later on, but there's a few things that we need to understand. Notice what it says here in verse 12 that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. So often we get earthbound and earth-thought and earth-centered, rather than recognizing that the big headlines are at times being made up above and not here on terra firma. It's being made in a spirit world. If you read the book of Daniel at times, where it talks about the Prince of Greece, where it talks about the Prince of Persia, and at times, Michael, the defender of the Covenant people, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, was held up. There was trouble up in the spirit world.

So often we think the headlines are from Berlin or Paris or London or Moscow or Washington, D.C.

This brings us all into focus that there's a world that we need to remember. As I say this, I want to share something. This is not going to be a spooky sermon because we're going to be talking about Satan. It's actually going to be a very encouraging message.

But it's encouraging, number one, because Jesus gave us this model prayer to bring delight that it's not just Christ and He is the foundation and He is the captain, but to recognize that there is an enemy, that there is an adversary. And sometimes, as Christians, we can become so anchored in Christ, which we ought, but to not forget that we are still on stormy seas down here below.

So let's notice that it says we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. So often we see things. We're just looking at the person right in front of us, and we think that's the problem.

We think that's the issue. We look at flesh. We look at blood. We look at headlines that are happening down here below. We look at this disappointment or this coming at us.

And we need to recognize that, indeed, there is a whole different, another world.

Then it says this, against principalities, against powers. Power of and by itself is neutral.

Power, though, can either be for good and or for evil. And it defines that this here, down in verse 12, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

So we recognize that this power is evil. There is power. It is a power that is evil.

And then notice what it says up here above in verse 11. Let's go back up to verse 11.

To stand against the wiles of the devil. Let me just be plain about it. The devil and that spirit that exists in him, it is cunning. It is deceitful.

It is full of falsehoods. That might sound true until you get to the end. The same one that visited Mother Eve in the garden and only told her half the story. Satan could quote words from God, but he didn't give the whole conclusion.

So we're going to do a spiritual reality check. Here's what I want to share with you again.

We are at war.

Think about it that way.

We say, but here we are. When you look at John 17, Jesus said, Father, I ask you not to take them out of this world, but to keep them in this world.

I want you to think through that for just a second. Okay? You know, beam me up. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to follow you right to the throne of the Father right now. I had enough down here, but Jesus said, you keep them here.

And that's why he gave us what we call the Lord's Prayer so that we could come to understand not only what he thought, that we would not only just simply absorb what he said, but that we would become like him because he too had to face the adversary. He too had to face Satan.

Let's think about this for a moment in Matthew 4 and verse 1. Here's a thought I want to share with you. It says, and the Spirit led Jesus into Disneyland.

No. It said, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness.

And in that sense, there was a reason because he had to show us how to confront Satan and to be and stand in him when we do.

So the title of this message is simply this. Here's the title. Deliver Us From the Evil One.

Just for a moment, I'd like you to consider Satan's track record, to make us aware of his spiritual mischief.

From the beginning of the book to the end of the book, he pops up again and again and again. Let's just think this for a moment. This is the same being that went to war against God.

He actually, before time, went to war with God. Join me if you would in Isaiah 14.12 for a second. Isaiah 14.

And let's take a look at this. We haven't read this for a long time.

Where it says, How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer!

O Lucifer!

Son of the morning!

How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations. For you said in your heart, I will send into heaven, and I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will also sit on the mount of the congregation.

And he wanted to ascend.

He wanted to make war against God.

Just think that through for a second. He wanted to make war against God.

Later on, he went after Mother Eve in the garden, right in Genesis 3.

Went after Eve, cunningly, quoted God without the rest of the meaning behind it.

And as Scripture says, she was beguiled by the serpent's half-truths.

Not to just lay it on the woman, because later on, Adam the man also bit into that proverbial apple.

So he went after the first of God's human creation in the garden.

Let's do another one. He's going to go real quick. He went after Job.

He went to the very throne of God and said, you know God?

It's no wonder that Job is doing so well. He's kind of like your favorite pet down there.

Why don't you let me have him for a little bit? And then let's see how things go.

So he went after the patriarch Job, 1700 B.C.

And we know that story and what would happen. He would, not only that, but later on, not just Job, but he would go after, think this for a second, he would go after Jesus Christ.

And here's a lesson I want to share with you when it comes to Satan.

He went after Jesus at a weak moment. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.

Then he came at him. Are there three temptations?

One, two, three. And we're going to talk about that a little bit later in this message. One, two, three.

And then, when the Spirit of God and Christ triumphed, he slinked off. But as the Scripture says, he would wait for a more opportune time. I want you to think that through for a moment.

A more opportune time. I'm going to share a story with you later on that just when you think it's over, it's not over.

And to recognize what would happen.

He would also shortly after that, he would go after Judas.

And he actually went after Judas twice.

He went after Judas before that Passover, when Judas went up, and it says that the Spirit of Satan entered him.

And then also then, on that night of the Passover, when he was basically called out in a sense, it says that the Spirit of Satan entered him.

Understanding that Satan is not through. And there's a reason why I'm going to share with you in a moment. Another thought I'd like to share with you. He went after Peter. There's a point where Peter said, think this through for a moment because Satan is cunning. Peter said, Lord, you can't do that.

He was getting God's business. And Peter thought that he was doing Jesus a favor, holding him back. Jesus turned around and said, that's not it. That's the wrong spirit. And it actually says in that account the Spirit of Satan.

At the founding of the church, it says that Satan entered Ananias. Now think this through for a second. What is happening? The founding of the church, the founding of the Israel of God under the new covenant. A new creation, as it were, that is occurring in Jerusalem. And it says that he is chastised by the apostles, saying that the Spirit of Satan has entered. What about the apostle Paul? In 2 Corinthians 11. A very familiar verse to most of us about the foreign and the flesh. Are you with me? It's very interesting that in that account it said, I was visited by Satan's messenger.

Now, none of us know exactly what that was. But it is interesting that Satan's name was mentioned in that. Interesting.

In Revelation 12, I will have you go over there, please, with me for a second. Revelation 12. Notice what it says here. Revelation 12 is interesting. In one sense, it is a scope of time between Jesus' ascension, till now, to beyond us, perhaps. It also seems to have particulars about specific events during that 2,000-year time.

But notice what it says in verse 3. He stood before the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born. Join me now all the way down at the bottom of Revelation 12, verse 13. At another time and another setting over these last 2,000 years, and yet, perhaps in the future, in a more decisive manner. Now, when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for such a time. From the presence of the serpent. Join me now in verse 16. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. That word, fly, could actually be symbolic of armies. That's a possibility. But notice verse 17. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who kept the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. I'm here today to tell you, brethren, on the authority of Jesus Christ, on the authority of His word, we have an enemy. And we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. And we need to recognize that. We need to recognize that, and we need to understand that. You know, it's kind of interesting. Just to share a thought with you. Can you imagine that Satan actually tried to repel God, and take God off of the sword? Have you ever kind of stopped your mind for a little bit and thought about that? How's that going to work out? And all that I'm going to share with you, because, oh, no, no, no. I'm sharing this to tell you who we worship, and who we serve, and who's on our side. Just remember this, for some of you that are new to the Word, and maybe not have heard this before, but 1 plus 1 equals 2. Let's understand that God, and the one that is the Word, that we now call Jesus Christ, they are uncreated. They are uncreated. They are, in a sense, in a whole sphere, all by themselves. There's an uncreated sphere, there's a spiritual sphere, and there's a physical sphere. So, this is not a great controversy who's going to win this story at the end. God is uncreated. Here's a created being who is given every opportunity, and he decides to battle against God. There's an old expression that goes like this, insanity has been defined as doing the same thing again, and again, and again, without results. I'll just simply say this. The one Lucifer, Lightbringer, now called Satan, is spiritually insane. I have no difficulty in saying that. The logic tells me so, that you cannot fight against something uncreated, being a created spiritual being. So, I'm just sharing that to recognize when we say, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, and to thee be the glory and the power, and the ever, we need to recognize who's on our side in this battle that is before us. Let's understand a few more things, and I'm going to give you some encouragement here. Let's go to John 8.44 and recognize that in John 8.44, the Gospel thereof, what are we dealing with? Because he is cunning. And Satan has many, many different titles and different personalities and different traits brought out in the Scripture. In John 8 and in verse 44, let's take a look here.

Speaking of people that were not listening to God's Word, You are of your Father, the Devil, and the desires of your Father you do not want. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is the liar and the father of it. One thing that we want to understand, which is very basic, and maybe you've heard this before, but also to recognize that times that we are going to hear things that people think are profoundly true that are inaccurate, they shared it like Bible truth and it is not, and that Satan is a liar. In Ephesians 2 and verse 2, join me if you would over there for a second. We're pinning the tail on the dragon. In Ephesians 2 and verse 2, notice what it says here. This is what we're operating in. Speaking of us, you that were made alive, who were dead and trespassed and sinned, notice verse 2 now, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. Have you ever heard that phrase, you know, it must be in the air? You know, there's something in the air. This is not talking about smog. This is not talking about autumn allergies. It says here that he is the prince of the power of the air. He has an ability to motivate in the air. I remember when I first heard this many, many years ago in Pasadena growing up, that at that time the analogy was used. It's like radio beams. It's like television beams. It's like this kind of a beam. You don't see them, but they're transmitting all the time. They're in the air. I think an even more interesting analogy today is in our time, think of a microwave for a moment. It bakes from the inside out, doesn't it? Am I right, ladies?

It makes the biscuit hot on the inside before it gets to the outside.

Go home tonight. I can't. Oh, you of little faith! But anyway, you hear that brrrrrr, and you know something's getting hot on the inside. We can all agree with that? Okay, good. Okay, thanks, Rosie. Good. Okay. She nodded. So that we recognize that he's the prince of the power of the air. There is literally, at this time, God has allowed him to continue dominion down here on this earth. He is the prince of the power of the air, and so he works that way. He doesn't work by telling, now go, do, so and so, just this way. He doesn't give you a map. He doesn't give you instructions. But being in this environment of the prince of the power of the air, he works on our emotions.

He works on our doubts. He works on our feelings. He works on our anger that is not being dealt with. He works on our pride that all of us have. And that's, he doesn't tell us, now do this, but he creates, as the prince of the power of the air, he deals with our feelings, and he moves in that and sticks with it. That is if we allow him.

We also recognize, then, that he is a dragon, as it mentions in Revelation 12. A dragon by mythology is, mythology is just, you know, devours all that is in its path.

He is the serpent. And if we are not careful, he will come back to Baichu. Remember, he will come back to Baichu. I read a story about five years ago, a fascinating story. There was a man that was running a restaurant, and in that restaurant they were serving cobra.

That's not McDonald's. They were selling, they were serving cobra. And the cook went, and he, think this through about the serpent, he cooked, he cooked, no, very cooked. He chopped off the cobra's head.

Dead! Right? Wrong! The cobra's head was still alive. And the cobra came back and bit the cook. So they both died.

Just think that, as far as the dragon that is out there, keeps on coming back down through the time of creation. From the time of when he, before creation, tried to take God off his throne, to all the individuals that I mentioned. And to recognize that he will come back again at a more opportune time, just like he did with Jesus at the crucifixion. Just as he worked in the life of Judas once or twice during that week of crucifixion. To recognize what we are up against.

So, let's understand one thing again. Satan is a creative being.

But there is some very good news. Here comes all the good news. We're going to start piling on the good news. Let's go to 1 John 3 and verse 8.

1 John 3 and verse 8.

What was one of the purposes for Jesus coming to this earth? And we notice in 1 John 3 and verse 8. There are different reasons.

But this is one of the reasons.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. Now, notice this. This is powerful. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested.

Manifested means appeared on this earth that he might destroy the works of the devil. Our Savior is at war.

He's not a pacifist when it comes to the devil. That he might destroy the works of the devil.

He did that on the altar of Golgotha.

When he took our sins upon him, and he went through that for you and for me, and the victory was won. But now we're still here, and the details have to be worked out. Join me if you would in Ephesians 1.18.

How can you say that the victory has been won? Well, we're getting there. Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1.18.

What happened at that ascension?

Ephesians 1.18.

The eyes of your understanding, just like Bob was saying, that we have the Bible and we can read it. That you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance and the saints, and what is the exceeding... Remember we talked about power in Ephesians 6? What is the exceeding greatness of his power? Not the power of Satan, not the power of his demons, but the power of Jesus Christ towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. Now notice verse 21. Far above all principalities and power and might and dominion. The Jewish community up to the first century looked at the spiritual world as being layered with different strata of power, different strata of office. And what Paul is revealing here is that he is above every dominion over every might and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. Notice verse 22. And he put all things under his feet. And then he speaks about the church.

I'm just sharing that to recognize, to galvanize your faith and your confidence as to who has called you, who has also said, you're going to remain on this earth. And there is going to be this force and there is going to be this foe out there. But I'm here to remind you this, that let's not take Satan for granted.

We can be so anchored in Christ, which is right where God the Father wants us, but we've got to recognize we're still on stormy seas down here on earth and could be taken out. Join me if you would in Hebrews 2. In Hebrews 2. Notice what it says in verse 10. The author of Hebrews says this, For it was spitting for him, for whom are all things, by whom are all things, and bringing many sons to glory. Notice to make, notice, the captain of their salvation, perfect through sufferings.

Then drop down here if you would be so kind to verse 14. Inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him, who has the power of death.

And that is the devil. And release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. I want to share a thought with you. You might want to jot this down as a line. The Prince of Peace is at war, and it's a righteous war. It's a war that will bring ultimately at his victory, the victory through Christ, that God the Father has set as our captain of salvation. Join me if you would in 2 Timothy 2. 2 Timothy 2 verse 1. You therefore my son, can I also add my daughter, paraphrase, be strong in the grace, that is the favor, and the sustaining favor, that is in Christ Jesus, and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these two faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Notice now verse 3. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Notice what it says here. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. Stay with me. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life. The word entangled there is a word that would be used in other Latin literature. When you're going to war, there's two things you want to do. You want to stay on your feet in battle.

And number two, if you're wearing a cloak, you don't want your cloak to get entangled with other men, because that can pull you down. You want to be straight. You want to be focused. You want to be firm as a Christian soldier and to go about our Father's business. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 12. Notice what it says here. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. One of the reasons I'm giving this message is just to alert you. As Jesus alerted his disciples two thousand years ago, deliver us from the evil one.

He was not talking to the world at large at that time. And I do not think he was only talking to his disciples at that time. We are disciples of Jesus Christ. And he's talking to us today. And this is something we need to be cognizant of, to deliver us from the evil one. And to understand that. Now, when I say that, let's understand something.

There are three areas that you and I have homework in. There's dealing with Satan, there's dealing with society, and there's dealing with self. Remember what Flip Wilson used to say back in the 70s? The devil made me do it. The devil can't make you do anything. The devil is the prince of the power of the air. The devil can approach you. The devil can speak to you. He is that prince of the power. He can work with your feelings and with your emotions. But at the end of the day, it's our responsibility. Satan, society, of which we're in just as much as the seven churches in Revelation, we're in different cultures of their time that we're kind of at times messing them up or molding them.

At the end of the day, there's also that self. The three S's, Satan, society, and self. At the end of the day, you are responsible for your actions. You're responsible for your actions. You're responsible for your decisions. You're responsible is how you will follow through with the captain of our salvation. Join me for James 4. James 4. And James 4. Let's pick up the thought in verse 7.

With that stated, therefore submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. How do we submit ourselves to God? Two items. You can jot these down. Very short.

Number one, pray the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to make you mindful. Kind of right in the middle of the prayer. Deliver us from the evil one. Number two is to put on the armor of God. Forgive me if you wouldn't accept Corinthians 10.

In 2 Corinthians 10. And in verse 3. 2 Corinthians 10 verse 3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. We are at war.

Back in the 4th century AD, one of the Catholic Fathers, 5th century, 4th century AD, Augustine of Hippo came about with a thought, There is such a thing as a righteous war. Well, I don't think Augie of Hippo, his righteous war, is what is spoken about here. But there is a righteous war, and we've been called to be soldiers in it.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. Pulling them down. Casting down arguments. And every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, Notice bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. So we notice this, that when we apply the prayer of Christ, of Matthew 6, when we apply the instruction that we're now going to look at as you turn over to Philippians 4, is when we apply this, we will stand in Christ.

I want you to go to Philippians, and let's pick up the thought in Philippians 4. Excuse me a second. Philippians 4. But notice this, Therefore my beloved and longed for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Very important. A couple words. Let's break it down. It says to stand fast. I like to spell the word for you in the Greek. Very simple. S-T-E-T-K-E. Steka. So what's that mean? To stand fast in the Lord. That word was used in Greek language and Greek text. To define that moment, stay with... This is the PowerPoint of when you'd have two armies. What would happen is armies just didn't say, show up and go to battle. Sometimes it would be hours, sometimes it would be a whole day.

Sometimes it would be a couple of days, and they would taunt one another. Ladies, you know how men are. They would taunt one another. They would try to psychologically destroy the other army by drums or bugles or chants or obscenities. They would kind of go like this. They were trying to feel one another out where the weak point was.

Just like a lion does. Think about that. Satan who roars about, and he'd go like that. Then all of a sudden, thousands of men on each side, when the moment seemed ripe, boom! Like that. They would come together. Just think of a football team ten thousand times over. An offensive line and a defensive line. Boom! Like that.

It says that we are to stand and cry. Why was it important to stand in an army? Because if you lost your footing, you were down, you would be literally trampled to death. Just think of what happened several weeks ago in Houston with that rock concert, where everybody surged towards the stage, and six or eight people died. They were trampled. That happens, unfortunately, from time to time in sporting events, rock concerts, etc. etc. So it says that we are to stand, think this through, as a soldier of Jesus Christ, who is the captain of the Versailles, we are to stand in Christ.

Not by ourselves, not by our might, not by our power, not by our spirit, not by our good looks, not by our knowledge of the Scripture, but to actually actualize it in our lives, that it's not about us, it's standing in Christ.

Now, with that thought, let's go to Ephesians 6 real quickly. And I think we have that passed out. In Ephesians 6, notice what it says here. I'm just going to read through this. I'm not going to go a long time. Let me put it this way. This is just the beginning of your study. When you come to services, it is not the end, but it's the appetizer for you, then, to go into your own study on these things.

Finally, my brethren, be strong. Notice, in the Lord, it's not our muscles. It's the spiritual power of God the Father that He has issued to Jesus Christ to strengthen us in the power of His might, not by our might, not by our pride, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand, there's that word, stekka, stand against the wiles of the devil.

For again, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the sage, against spiritual hosts of wickedness and the heavenly place. Now, notice verse 13. Very important admonition. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in that evil day, and having done all.

I remember hearing this when I was a sophomore at Ambassador College, and it really woke me up. It says, having done everything that's about to be instructed, just to stand.

Just like Jesus, as He was combating the adversary in the wilderness, He'd already been fasting, but afterwards He was exhausted.

But He stood on the words of God and the commandments of God.

Just think about that. That is a sobering Scripture. That should make us really want to read Ephesians 6.

Stand therefore. This is how you will keep your spiritual footing.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth. This is how you keep yourself together with truth.

God is truth. Jesus is truth. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. We're going to have to recognize that Satan and the attitudes that he hoisters in this world are not going to tell you the whole truth.

We're seeing that today in our media on all sides.

And they're sincere, but they're not telling the whole truth. And nothing but the truth.

So stand therefore, girding your waist, holding yourself together with the truth of God.

John 17, 17. Let's jot that down. Your word is truth. And Bob just spoke about that in the first message.

Then again, let's notice what it says. Having put on the breastplate of righteousness.

Number two, the breastplate of righteousness. What does a breastplate do?

You can look at your picture there, and you'll see the Roman with the breastplate over him. The breastplate protects the heart. It protects our hearts.

It keeps us armored.

It keeps us, as we can, as we appeal to God to be with him.

And to recognize that that breastplate of righteousness is not our righteousness.

It's not what we've done. Christ is our righteousness.

That's why God, the Father, and Jesus Christ went through what they did.

That when he went to Golgotha, it was his righteousness.

Satan, think about this for a moment, about Satan going to God's throne about Job.

And to recognize at times that, you know, I haven't been there, neither of you, but to think that, you know, at times when we're praying, you say, God, forgive me. And there's Satan saying, yeah, look, look, look what they've done.

And they're supposed to be a disciple of yours? Are you kidding me? Get them!

Christ is on the right hand of God.

He's on the right hand of God. He's not saying that we haven't done something. But he hears our repentance, and God hears our repentance, and he says, Father, apply my righteousness to what they have done.

I've been down there. I know what it's like. Don't listen to the adversary.

Remember what we did together, that we made that decision, that from the beginning of time, that I'd be sacrificed. So that the righteousness that I exhibited, even as I took on their sins, that's what I want you to place on them. Sure, they did it. That's not the point. And we're going to continue to do that as disciples.

We're going to fall. We're going to falter. But the righteousness of Christ put on that breastplate, having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We're on a walk.

Are we peaceful as we come into the body of Christ on the Sabbath day? Are we peaceful when we pick up a phone talking to somebody, whether they're in this way of life or somebody out there at the workplace at school?

Are we at peace, or are we like Satan? Are we an accuser?

Do we deceive people?

What spirit are we of? We're to be people of peace. Notice this above all, taking the shield of faith, which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

All the darts. And you think of some of the great figures in the Bible that were placed in incredible situations, but they had faith, whether it be Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. When they said, we're going to serve you, whether we live or whether we die, that's not the issue. We're going in. We are not going to bow down to you. They had faith beyond the moment.

That God was going to work his work one way or the other, but they were going to obey God.

Sometimes you can hear that voice, not this time. Maybe God will wink, maybe he'll blink. Maybe he'll sneeze and he won't see what I'm doing.

What about Daniel and the lion's den?

You know, one thing about the book of Daniel, there is so much in the book of Daniel that we can get absorbed with the last part of it with prophecy that will yet be met out. We'll find out where that's going, and that's good. But if you just look at those first chapters of Daniel, they are so powerful about examples of faith that God will provide. What about Jesus, the captain of our salvation? It says, For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross.

He was looking beyond. He was looking beyond.

And he had that faith, and that's why we stand. Are you with me? We stand in his life. We stand and are found in how he handled things.

And take on the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplications, and the Spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

It says, The helmet of salvation. Salvation is what protects your head.

And the sword of the Spirit.

I'm going to finish up where Bob left off. You and I are so blessed with this Word of God. I think I gave a message on that a couple of weeks ago here. To recognize that we not only have the living Word of God, we have the spoken Word of God, we have this written Word of God, but all of that is of no avail unless we activate that Word of God in us, because God wants it to bear fruit. We have the Word of God. Join me if you would in Hebrews 4, just one last scripture, Hebrews 4, about the Word of God.

For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joint s'merel, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from its sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him, to whom we must give account. The Word of God was actually the ammunition that Jesus used in the wilderness against Satan. Each time Satan would come and he would quote scripture, just like he did Eve. Have truth. And each time, what did Jesus come back with? Three words. It is written. It is written.

But if you don't know what's written, how can you use it as ammo? The Word of God.

The question I have for you is simply this. It says, having done all just to stand, and we were just given the all. I'm going to let you go ahead and do that study on the armor of God, and you've got your picture out there.

What part, then, when you recognize how mighty God is, and that we can stand in Christ, what part of that armor are we lacking right now in our arsenal as we are at war with Satan?

What part wouldn't you want to use?

What part?

What I've mentioned today is to recognize that we worship an uncreated deity, God the Father and Jesus Christ. They are uncreated. But in Jesus' prayer, it told us to be mindful that we're not alone down here. We do not need to be frightened. We do not need to be scared. But we do need to be aware, and we need to be alert, and we need to be proactive with the armor that God has given us to stand in Jesus Christ. Therefore, let's remember the message that was given today. Deliver us from the evil one.