Today, I would like to share with you all one of my Friday night teaching  putting on the Armor of the Lord

Open you bibles to

Ephesians 6:10

Finally my brethern, be strong in the lord, and in the power of his might.

Now here is a message from the Lord to us.

From now on, he says, I want you to increase in strength and be strong.

I want you to give of yourself totally to the calling I have given you at this place and at this time and in whatever state you find yourselves because you are working for me; your Supreme Authority, your Lord and Master and the controller of your destiny.

The Lord doesn't stop there; he goes on to tell you how you are to become this overcoming servant of the Most High God. You are to do this with vigor, with all dominion and all the mighty power that has been given you by the Father through His Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the whole armor of god, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

(Put On)

With these words he is saying:

I want you to totally sink yourself into this armor I have provided for you. I want you to invest of your time, energy. This is how I want you to dress yourself for your daily battle.

(Whole Armor)

I want you to put on the full Armor, not just part of it.

Many times this is why we are wounded very seriously-- we are partially dressed. The enemy finds a weak area and aim for it and most of the time his aim is perfect, and you find yourself on the ground wounded.

  Now this battle is spiritual, this battle you can't see but the earthly battle that you can see is the one where you go out of the house only dressed with half of the armor and you meet the enemy in the form of another human being and the battle begin and the attacks of the other really are hurting you and because you are not fully dressed you don’t for the moment have full control of yourself and you begin attacking back.

Then the battle swings to another battle ground-this battle is fought in your mind. The enemy come and tells you have blown it. You begin to feel down because you did fall into the trap the devil set up for you. And you let him keep putting you down and down.

But if you remember that God the Father has made provisions for your sins--go to him and ask him to forgive you and receive his full pardon.  Next time before you go out and begin your day, put on the full Armor of the lord.

(May be able)

Can stand

You can abide in control no matter what comes against you. You will continue to live a Holy life no matter what.

Knowing that as you stand against the enemy you are being held up by the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ. You won't have to worry because you and I have God promise for us—

“I am” says the Lord; in the battle with you--let me fight the battle--don't begin fighting the battle yourself.

Don't go fighting the enemy naked- without your spiritual garments on.

Don't go against the wiles (tricks of the devil).

Are you familiar with his ways? Do you know that he has been preparing for this attack on your life for a very long time. He is prepared --are you?

He is a false accuser, he is a devil, and he is a slanderer--meaning he will injure your reputation.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

Here the Lord is sayings, open your eyes, the battle is not that enemy you see with your eye but the battle is spiritual and it is for your soul. This word 'not' is a very powerful word, it means no, no, no, no way nothing at all.

It is not against the body -the flesh that you see or know. But the battle is again I remind you, for your soul. It is what is inside of you that the enemy is after. And you know he can't take it away from you because he is a defeated enemy--his weapons have been taken from him. And of course he is hoping you don't remember this.

Principalities

Now if you can understand this way down in your mind, soul, and spirit-the victory is your.

Our fight is against principalities meaning territory that has been given to a prince by the devil and also power to rule this territory.

Powers

Our fight is also against powers-- demons that have abilities, the mastery, the liberty, right, strength and the power to control us.

Rulers

Our fight is against Satan the ruler of darkness of this world.

He rules from dark places where you will not notice him. He can do a great deal of damage when you think it is the person in front of you as your enemy or the circumstance you are in. When all the time he is controlling it all from the shadows where you cannot see him.

Ok, so now you have been advised about the enemy you face and who you really are in battle with.

Now the Lord will show you how to stand against him and win....

Ephesians 6:13

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

  God is saying here always take up, not for anyone else but for yourself the weapons he has provided for your battle. Not just one piece or two but all of the weapons for battle. I want you to do this for the purpose and the results of victory for you. You will be able to withstand or stand against, and oppose and resist him. Glory.

  The evil day can mean for you illness, when someone hurt you, when you are rejected by your loved one, when some one tries to harm you, when someone is abusing you, or someone has rape you or .......

  Remember, as you are finishing dressing yourself or done everything possible.

Now you will be able to stand- to abide as he will, you can continue, you can hold up no matter what, you know that you have been establish in the Lord.

Never forget you have a covenant -a promise from the Lord and he will never leave you or forsake you as you go into battle.

There will be times when you will grow weary but all you have to do is sit under the shadows of his wings and rest. He will be for you a place where you can go and rest, we are just to trust in him. He has promised to deliver you from the attacks, he says he will cover you with his feathers and under his wings will you abide, his truth will be thy shield. He promises you that a thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousands at thy right hand.

God tells you because you have your love on me, therefore will I deliver you and set you on high, because you has known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

Ephesians 6:14

Stand there with your loins full of my truth.

Why should I stand with my loins full of truth; because it is out of your internal loins where procreation power resign.

The Lord says I want you to girt yourself, like when you put a belt on.

But the belt you are using is a belt of truth-God Word.

Now, once you are clothe or array and endue with truth now you can stand no matter what comes against you.

Breastplate of Righteousness

For this battle you will need a Breastplate  to cover you chest area, where your heart is.

It is not just any kind of breastplate but one of right thinking or right acting, the breastplate of righteousness the lord prepared for us. No other breastplate will do, it is very important that this breastplate you wear be the right one

Gospel of Peace

But we have to prepare ourselves for this piece of armor. Wherever you go you are to carry the Gospel of Peace.

Peace with yourself and others.

The bible tells us to be peacemaker and peacekeepers in every way we can.

We know we can never make others truly happy but he is talking about only you.

This is the kind of spirit he wants you to work toward getting. And this doesn't means that you have to appease everyone only the ones you can and desire to make things right.

Shield of Faith

Another piece of armor that we need badly is the Shield of Faith.

Above everything this shield will protect you from the fiery darts of the wicked one (the devil) and anyone he wants to use for this purpose.

When you lift up this shield of faith this is what you are saying.

I believe in God and his protection, I rely on Christ for salvation.

This shield is my assurance of his love for me. As I step forward I am assured that he is with me, I am cover from danger, I am defended, I am protected, I am secured from assault or injury.

And because of this I am able to put out or extinguish all the kindle that has been ignited or has been inflamed with anger, grief or lust against me.

You know, those missiles that are constantly aimed at us in whatever form they decide to take.

Helmet of Salvation

(17) The lord tells you to make sure your head is covered with the Helmet of your defense- your salvation.

The lord tells you tonight to make sure you take the knife or tool of war; which is the word of God-- his commands, his utterance.

(18)

By worshipping the Lord God and talking to him and making your requests known to him always coming before him every day.

We are to come to him totally, wholly, holding nothing back.

You are to come to him earnestly requesting what you need from him in the Spirit but that is not all you are to be watchful, you are to keep awake for the devil your enemy is walking around seeking who he may devour.

Wake up church for the enemy will take everything you have now and whatever you were going to have in the future.

He goes on to tell us that we must go on with all persistency and petition for all God people (saints), people that are living for the Lord in Holiness and Sanctification.

Keep on being that Christian that God has called you to be, even those the devil says you can't.  “For we can do all things through Christ that strengthen us”

Your patience and perseverance will overcome the greatest difficulties.

And as for me that preaching may be given me so that I can have power to strike at the enemy.

Blessing I send your way

Linda Miller

RFC Teaching Department

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