Tag: Gospel

September 8 2020

The Sky-Level Gospel

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Evangelism & Missions, Gospel Leadership, Jesus & The Gospel, Practical Ministry, Sharing the Gospel Christian Life, Gospel, Missionary, what do christians believe? 0

As we continue our seres on “God’s Gossip,” we have already discussed that for it to be a “gospel,” it must be shared. We then looked at the first of two storylines¹, which will enable you to easily remember the gospel story and share it with others. In this post, we will look at the second storyline. I call it the “sky-level gospel.”

Though the first method is simpler, and can be used for a quick presentation of the gospel, the second method is, by far, my favorite. Whereas the first method keeps things close to the ground, this method will take the person up higher, and give them the 30,000-foot view of the entire gospel narrative.

This method uses the full story of scripture to lay out God’s beautiful, original plan; the problem of sin in humanity, and the reason for which Christ came into the world. If the person is far from getting saved, it can also be shared conversationally when giving an explanation of your faith, without adding the immediate pressure of a response. It can act as the starting point to impart faith in God, that may lead to a later decision.

The four keywords to learn for this method are Creation – Fall – Redemption – Restoration. Let’s take a look at them.

Creation

God created all things in the beginning and made them good (Genesis 1:1-31). He put humanity in charge of His creation, giving him authority to rule as a steward of God’s universe (Genesis 1:26, 2:19). Again, this creation was perfect and holy, and man himself was righteous having been created in the image of God.

God’s original intention was that creation, from Eden, spreading to the ends of the earth, would be a physical representation of heaven. Righteousness would rule, and mankind would live in harmony and fellowship with God, as they lived out His will on the earth (Genesis 1:28).

Fall

After God created the world and placed man in the Garden, He gave one commandment, which would ensure that Adam and Eve – the first man and woman – were faithful to the covenant He made with them to rule the earth. They were not allowed to eat of one tree in the garden, lest they die (Genesis 2:15-17).

It didn’t take long for mankind’s curiosity to rise up, and one day Eve was admiring the fruit of the tree, with Adam by her side. Taking it as his first opportunity to tempt the humans and mess up God’s plans, the devil tempted the man and woman, and they ate the fruit (Genesis 3:1-6).

When mankind sinned against God for the first time – the event we call ‘The Fall’ — not only was man affected with a curse, but the whole creation as well. This is why everything we see in the world is not as it was originally intended to be: war, famine, sickness, violence, natural disasters, etc (Genesis 3:14-19).

Another downside of the fall was that the authority over the earth which God had given to mankind was then delivered to the devil (Luke 4:5-6), who has become ‘the God of this world’ and ‘the prince of the power of the air…at work in the sons of disobedience‘ ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 and Ephesians 2:2). The world mankind was intended to rule, is now controlled by sin, death, and the devil.

Redemption

The good news (gospel) is that God has a rescue plan for humanity and all of His beloved creation. When we say “redemption,” it is a theological word meaning that on the cross, not only did Jesus die for our sins, but He also came to break the curse over creation and reclaim what was lost in the fall. According to Luke ‘…the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost’ (Luke 19:10).

This goes beyond just the salvation of souls, but also the restoration of righteousness and justice in the earth, and ultimately the redemption of authority over creation. This is why after the resurrection, Jesus tells the disciples that He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

The promise of redemption for individuals comes when we begin to trust Jesus as the Savior from God. This is where an offer of personal salvation comes in to the story. If Jesus is the Redeemer of all things, that means He also redeems us, and brings us back to our original intended relationship with God the Father. He also gives us new life and restores our ability to walk in holiness by faith in Him.

Restoration

The Greek word for “be saved” is the word “sozo” which I think is a great name for a ministry. It literally means we are saved in every way. It translates as “to be saved from judgement for your sins,” “to be healed (saved) from sickness and disease,” and “to be delivered (saved) from the power of your enemy (the devil).” Not only does salvation bring eternal life for the believer, but it begins the process of restoration, when we will be returned to God’s original intention for the creation.

Though we are not made completely perfect in the moment of salvation, we now recognize Jesus as the Lord of our life and submit to Him. As we work to build our relationship with Him, we also begin to be conformed to His image once again, just as we were originally created to be in the beginning (2 Corinthians 3:18).

This presentation of the gospel then looks forward to the day when Jesus will return and we will see the final restoration of all things back to the way God intended them to be in the beginning. Sin and death and the devil will be dealt their final blow. Jesus will judge the world according to whether or not their faith was in Him, and then He, along with all those who believed in Him as Savior will see all things finally made right. There will be a new heaven and new earth, and all the promises from the Bible will finally be fulfilled.

It is now the role of all believers to be living their lives with restoration in mind. That is why we share the gospel, pray for the sick, and cast out demons wherever they rear their ugly heads (Matthew 10:1,7-8).

Lead Them Toward Discipleship

One final note about this gospel story line: even if you do not use this method for reaching the person in salvation, it is an important story for them to understand once they are saved. Therefore, if the person gets saved using the ground-level version of the gospel, then the high-level gospel should be discussed with them, in depth, as you begin the process of discipleship.

No matter which method you use to preach the gospel, what must be made clear is that our goal in sharing the gospel is to take a lost person and lead them to salvation in Christ. We must be bold to share the gospel, and we must give them the opportunity to accept Christ as their personal Savior.

Let’s Connect

In the next post, we will discuss why sharing your own testimony is an important part of your gospel witness, and how to share your story clearly. To make sure you never miss a future post, it would be my honor to have you sign up for my weekly newsletter. It goes out every Sunday morning. I promise not to spam your inbox or share your information with anyone.

You can also follow me on social media. I can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Parler. I’d love to see you there.

Also, if you want to find out more about the ministry I oversee, sharing the gospel and planting churches in East Africa, you can find it a www.SozoMinistries.net. There are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved!

¹ These two story lines do NOT originate with me. I have heard these two ways of sharing the gospel repeated in many teachings and writings by various pastors, especially during my time working for an Acts29 Network church, so it would be impossible for me to footnote any specific reference. Suffice it to say, (though I have not read it) I believe Pastor Matt Chandler of The Village Church has explained these two ideas in depth in his book, The Explicit Gospel, published by Crossway.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Cover Photo by Dylan McLeod on Unsplash

September 4 2020

Exodus

A. Scott Ingram Bible Basics, Old Testament Survey Bible, Bible Basics, Bible Study, Bible Survey, Exodus, Exodus Outline, Exodus Themes, Gospel, Jesus, Moses, Old Testament, Old Testament Survey, Scripture, Summary of Exodus, Survey of Exodus 0

Author

Moses. (See Luke 24:27 and John 5:46.)

Date

The date of writing is unknown, although the most common view is that the Exodus event took place around 1446B.C. and that the Tabernacle was completed in 1444B.C.

Audience and Purpose

The book was written for future generations of God’s people, recalling the history of God’s people from their time in Egypt until the tabernacle was completed at Mount Sinai. The purpose was to reveal God as the Great Redeemer who will never abandon His people.

Major Themes

Salvation, Deliverance and Redemption. The word “exodus” comes from a Greek word meaning “coming out” or “the way out.” The book describes how God delivered His people, Israel, from a life of slavery in Egypt. It becomes the model for how God would one day redeem humanity from our greater slavery to sin.
Covenant. Exodus opens with God remembering His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), and His promise to return His people from captivity to the Promised Land (Genesis 15:13-14).
Judgement and Grace. The plagues show God’s judgment on those who refuse to obey Him (Exodus 7:8-10:29). The Passover reveals God’s grace on those who may not be perfect, but who are humble enough to obey (Exodus 11:1-13:16).

Key Scriptures

Exodus 3:4-6 — “When the Lord saw that (Moses) turned aside to see [the burning bush], God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ And he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”

Exodus 3:13-14 — “Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 20:1-3 — “And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’”

Outline

Exodus 1:1-2:25 — God remembers His covenant.
Exodus 3:1-4:17 — God Comes Down, Appoints a Deliverer.
Exodus 4:18-15:21 — God Redeems His People
- Exodus 4:18-7:7 —Redemption through Promise
- Exodus 7:8-10:29 — Redemption through Plagues
- Exodus 11:1-13:16 — Redemption through Passover
- Exodus 13:17-15:21 — Redemption through Power
Exodus 15:22-18:27 — God Leads
Exodus 19:1-40:38 — God Instructs
- Exodus 19:1-20:17 — Legal Instructions
- Exodus 20:18-24:11 — Covenant Instructions
- Exodus 24:12-40:38 — Tabernacle Instructions

Gospel Summary

Before Jesus died on the cross in the Gospels, the story of Exodus was the greatest story of God’s redemption and deliverance to mankind. It paints a picture of hope for a greater exodus, when God would deliver/save His people from bondage to sin, death and the devil. The Exodus stories frame our own story of salvation in Christ. In Jesus, God remembers His covenant and comes down. Jesus becomes our Deliverer. The Holy Spirit is our pillar of cloud and fire, and we are the tabernacle of God’s presence.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

September 4 2020

Genesis

A. Scott Ingram Bible Basics, Old Testament Survey Bible Handbook, genesis themes, Gospel, protoevangelion 0

Author

Moses. We learn this from Luke 24:27 and John 5:46.

Date

Unknown. Moses’ ministry is considered to have been anywhere from 1500B.C. to 1300B.C.

Audience and Purpose

The book was written for future generations of Israel, recalling the history of the world and the children of Abraham from the moment of creation to about 1589B.C. when Joseph died. It lays the theological framework for everything else in the Bible, from the existence of God, his creation of man, the entrance of sin in the world, and the promise of redemption.

Moses intention at the time of writing was that the people of God would make a connection in trusting God’s creation of the world, with His promise to establish them in the Promised Land and beyond.

Major Themes

Creation. The word “genesis” means “beginnings, and the book tells us of the beginning of many things: the world, humanity, sin, God’s promise of a Savior, families, civilization, nations, languages, and the nation of Israel.
Sin. In Genesis we see the entrance of sin into the world and the immediate devastation it causes. Throughout the book we are introduced to varying levels of sinfulness. Sin against God by Adam and Eve. Sin against another person as Cain killed Abel. Sin at a worldwide level, leading to both the flood and the dispersion at the Tower of Babel.
Grace. Despite the many punishments God shows in Genesis, He never gives up on people altogether. In fact, in the midst of human sinfulness, God still appoints imperfect men to represent Him: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.

Key Scriptures

Genesis 1:1 — “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 3:15 — “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (This is the first promise of a coming savior, called the “proto-evangelion” or “first gospel.”)

Genesis:12:1-3 — “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

Outline

Genesis 1:1-2:3 — God is the Sovereign Creator and King of the Whole World
Genesis 2:4-4:26 — Humanity’s Creation and Fall from Grace
Genesis 5:1-6:8 — The Family of Adam: from Adam to Noah
Genesis 6:9-9:29 — The story of Noah
Genesis 10:1-11:9 — The Family of Noah to the Tower of Babel
Genesis 11:10-26 — The Family of Shem: from Shem to Terah
Genesis 11:27-25:11 — The Family of Terah: Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael
Genesis 25:12-18 — The Family of Ishmael
Genesis 25:19-35:29 — The Family of Isaac: Esau and Jacob
Genesis 36:1-43 — The Family of Esau
Genesis 37:1-50:26 — The Family of Jacob: The 12 Tribes of Israel

Gospel Summary

Genesis contains so many of the famous stories we read in the Bible – the creation, Adam and Eve eating the fruit, Cain killing Abel, the flood, the tower of Babel, God’s friendship with Abraham, Lot and his wife, Melchizedek, and the entire lives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. There is so much in these 50 chapters that it would be impossible to summarize it all. The key message of Genesis, however, is that God created man in His image, and though man has not done well to maintain on their own, God does not leave His plans to chance.

From the beginning, God has had a plan to show grace upon grace. It is in Genesis 3 where we see the first promise of a Savior. We, again, see this picture in Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Issac: “Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son…’ (Genesis 22:8)

It is also in Abraham where we first learn that God forgives the sin of those who come to Him by faith: “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)

At the end of Genesis, we should feel the weight of sin in the world, and yet we come away with expectation that God is going to fix it all.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

September 1 2020

The Ground-Level Gospel

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Evangelism & Missions, Gospel Leadership, Jesus & The Gospel, Practical Ministry, Sharing the Gospel Christian Life, Gospel, Jesus 0

After reading the first post in this series, I hope you are convinced that sharing the Gospel is a must! As Christians, “gossip” about Jesus should always be on our lips. Therefore, in this post and the next, I will share two, easy-to-remember story lines, which will help you share the gospel narrative with others.¹

Both story lines I share will contain four simple words for you to remember, which will guide you any time you have an opportunity to share. If you can remember the four words, you can share the gospel.

I call the first story line the “ground-level gospel” because it keeps the story simple, and very personable to the people we are sharing with. Though using scripture is always necessary, this method doesn’t go as deep into the history of the bible as the second method will. It is very simple, and may have even been the method used by the person who led you to Christ. The ground-level is made up of the following four words: God-Man-Christ-Response

God

In this story line for presenting the Gospel, you begin by explaining who God is; that He is perfect and holy, and that when He created everything in the universe He made it ‘very good.’

You can share as much or as little about the creation story, and the nature of God as you want, but the goal is to explain that because God is perfect and holy, He cannot associate Himself with the unholy. This will bring us to the second point.

Man

Man, though he was created holy in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), chose to disobey God’s command and eat of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6). With this one action, sin entered the world and man lost his connection with God. The judgement came with the curses pronounced in Genesis 3:14-19, as well as eternal separation from God in this life and in the next.

It is at this point, you will begin to bring in the individual’s own life and sinfulness into the equation. You might ask questions, such as:

What do you think sin is?
Is God just to judge sin?
Have you ever sinned?
If you have sinned, why should God forgive you?

We must explain to them that sin is real, and all of humanity is guilty. We must also help them to understand that doing good in the present does not excuse our sinful past. For example, if I commit murder, it doesn’t matter what good I might do afterward, any good judge must hold me accountable to the law.

The scriptures can help make this point:

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
^{Romans 3:23}

“As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.'”
^{Romans 3:10-12}

When you can bring their own life and sinfulness into the light of scripture, the discussion will show that there is stark contrast between the holiness of God and their own sinful humanity. There is a great chasm which has been formed, and it would take a miracle for us to come back to God, but…

Christ

This is where Christ comes in. When you have a Holy God, and a sinful humanity, there has to be a major move on both sides in order to make reconciliation. The problem is that mankind could not make that move back toward God on their own. So when Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and birthed by Mary, God actually took on flesh and became a man, and became the representative of both sides!

“He is the [physical] image of the invisible God…”
^{Colossians 1:15}

Jesus, as a man, lived a sinless life according to the law of God, then when He died on the cross, it was in our place. He took the punishment from God for our sin, and made a bridge to reconcile us to God.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
^{Romans 5:8}

As God, in Christ moved toward us, we now have the offer of new life and righteousness through faith in Him, to every human being who will repent and believe.

At this point, we once again become personal. We must share with the person that though they can never erase their own sinful history, they must understand that Jesus stood in their place. He took their punishment and He is offering them a new life in Himself, if they will believe.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
^{Romans 6:23}

Response

With these three things in mind — the holiness of God, the sinfulness of man, and the atoning work of Jesus Christ — the person must then be given an opportunity to respond. Will they accept Jesus as their Savior and be reconciled to God through faith in Christ, or will they reject Christ as Savior and continue in life separated from God?”

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
^{Romans 10:13}

We must ask the golden question: “Would you like to accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord?”

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
^{John 3:16-17}

All of our witnessing is in vain, if we do not come to the point where we actually make them an offer to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. I know I am glad someone asked this question of me, many years ago, and I am sure you are, too.

“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.'”
^{Romans 10:9-11}

Let’s Connect

In the next post, we will look at the “high-level” gospel, which dives deeper into the full, biblical narrative from creation in Genesis to the re-creation in Revelation. It will be a little more in-depth, but it is also my favorite way to share the gospel. Stay tuned.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and testimonies in the comment section below.

I hope this series will be a blessing to you! You can make sure to never miss a future post by signing up for my weekly roundup newsletter, below. It would be my honor to have you, and I promise never to spam you or share your information with anyone!

You can also join me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Parler, to continue the discussion on this post and more!

Cover Photo by Dylan McLeod on Unsplash

August 21 2020

Introduction – Bible Basics

A. Scott Ingram Bible Basics Bible Handbook, Gospel 1

For the last few months I have undertaken the task of writing a basic Bible handbook, which will one day be used in my ministry to equip pastors and leaders in their personal study, preaching and teaching. Though my plan is that once the writing is complete this handbook will be published and available to anyone, I have been challenged by this project, as it is my goal to always give away the knowledge, wisdom, and gifts which the Lord has given to me. I have always been struck by the verse where Jesus says, “You received without paying; give without pay” (Matthew 10:8), and while I know this is directly in relation to healing the sick and casting out demons, my conscience will not let me withhold my writing gifts as well.

Intent to Publish

With that in mind, my intention is to begin publishing the writings for my Bible handbook here, each Friday, as a way to distribute freely, what God has entrusted to me. Then, once the writing journey is complete, I will make a full, published version available through Amazon and other platforms for those who may want a nice, print copy. That way my conscience is clear, as everything is freely available here, and yet the work of organizing, publishing, and distributing is still rewarded with compensation for those who desire a complete handbook of their own.

Please keep in mind that my free distribution here does NOT imply that these writings are not copyrighted works of which I retain all rights. You may take them and use them as you wish, so long as you are not editing the work or claiming it as your own. Remember, integrity matters, especially for the Christian.

A General Preface

In any undertaking to study the Bible or to learn more about the Bible itself, there is one, underlying truth that must remain front and center in the mind of the believer. That is this: the Bible is one story, and it is all about Jesus. This truth is the foundational understanding of these writings, and my hope is to make this truth evident in every post.

My goal is to provide a resource for all believers that will help them to view the Bible as more than simply a tool for ministry or a series of ancient texts that give good moral guidance. While those things are true, and many more things could be said about what the Bible is, it is primarily God’s revelation of Jesus – the Savior of the world.

In the Old Testament, we see the gospel of Jesus Christ concealed in pictures and stories, that cannot be clearly understood until the gospel is revealed in the New Testament. From Genesis to Malachi, the Bible gives us a clear view of how sin and evil and death are forces which separate man from God, and yet there is always the promise of redemption to come. The New Testament, written 400 years after the Old Testament was completed, begins with the promised Redeemer of the Old Testament coming into the world as a man, and yet God’s own Son.

Although His life was not what men expected, and His death was completely unforeseen by those looking forward to His coming, Jesus fulfills all the promises of the Old Testament and initiates God’s eternal Kingdom among men in the New Testament.

The Plan

As I share these posts each week, I will begin at the most basic level, to gain an understanding of the Bible as a collection of various writings.

We will start by taking a general look at the entire Bible, it’s books and breakdowns, as well as major themes and highlights in the story. What we will discover is that throughout the entire Old and New Testament, there is one major story that is woven into every smaller tale, and this is the story of Jesus. The whole Bible is about Him.

The Bible is not a single book. It is a library of 66 smaller books, written by more than 40 authors over a period of 1300 years. The Bible is broken down into two main sections: The Old Testament, which contains 39 books, and the New Testament, which contains 27 books. These books are further broken down by categories, such as histories or prophecies, which explain the purpose for which they were written.

As you read these posts, you will get a very general overview of the bible. However, please do not view this as the work of a great scholar or theologian. This is a simple resource, written by a simple man, to help you understand the greatest story ever told, and hopefully, to draw you a little closer to Jesus Christ – the One this story is all about!

The Outline

This page will serve as a “table of contents” for what will come in the future. If you are looking for something particular, this will help guide you as the posts become available. You can always browse the entire series at AnthonyIngram.com/BibleBasics.

Introduction
The Books of the Old Testament: Law, History, Poetry, Prophets
The Books of the New Testament: Gospels, History, Letters, Prophecy
Timeline of the Bible
Old Testament Survey (Book by Book)
New Testament Survey (Book by Book)
A Brief History of the Bible: Inspiration, Canonization, Translations
Why We Can Trust The Bible
Bibliography

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

July 31 2020

Episode 9: How To Study The Bible

A. Scott Ingram Podcast Bible Study Tools, Gospel, how to study the bible 0

Episode 9: How To Study The Bible

Every Christian knows the Bible is God’s Word, and that we should be studying it daily. However, most do not. For some, this may be due to time constraints or other extenuating circumstances, but for most, it is often a lack of commitment and a feeling of being unequipped to do so. I cannot help you with the commitment level, but in this episode I do hope to help you feel equipped to study the Bible for yourself.

Resources Mentioned: The book “Living By The Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible” by Howard G. Hendricks and William D. Hendricks; the book “Contagious Disciple Making: Leading Others on a Journey of Discovery” by David Watson and Paul Watson; and the mobile Bible study app “Read Scripture.”

Scriptures quoted or referenced in this episode include: 2 Timothy 3:16, Philippians 4:13, Hebrews 4:12, John 14:26, Philippians 2:12, and 2 Corinthians 3:18.

If you want to leave feedback, you can email me at [email protected] or send me a voice message at Anchor.fm/thechristianlife.

Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform

July 24 2020

The Shield of Faith

A. Scott Ingram Armor of God, Christian Life, Christian Life and Gospel Leadership, Gospel Leadership God, Gospel, Jesus 0

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
^{Ephesians 6:13-18a}

In this series on Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God, we have already looked in depth at the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, and what it means to have the readiness of the Gospel of Peace as shoes for your feet. These three have been foundational layers to our armor, for our ability to “stand firm.” Now, in this post, we turn our attention to the pieces of armor which Paul commands us to be armed with “in all circumstances,” so that we can win in the daily battle with the enemy. We will begin these pieces of armor with the “Shield of Faith.”

What is Faith

As believers, we talk a lot about “the Christian faith” or “having faith in Jesus,” so it seems like the word should be simple to define. However, we could be talking about many things when we say “faith.”

There is the simplest definition of faith, being “belief.” There is the active view of faith being “belief in action;” or “because I believe ______, I do ______.” This would go hand in hand with James’ teaching that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).

We could also be talking about “the faith,” which can mean either the complete set of teachings of the Christian religion (Jude 3) or your personal adherence to a particular creed or set of beliefs (1 Timothy 6:12).

Possibly one of the most simple explanations of “faith,” which we hear preached often is found in Hebrews 11:1.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Honestly, though, that explanation of faith is still a pretty confusing concept to grasp. Trying to add clarity to this definition, one Bible handbook says that faith is:

Confident trust in the promises of God, centered in His provision of spiritual life through a sacrifice (which would be the sacrifice of Jesus); it is the sole condition of salvation and is not a work, but, in fact, a gift of God… synonymous with belief.
^{Paul S. Karleen, The Handbook to Bible Study: With a Guide to the Scofield Study System (New York: Oxford University Press, 1987), 324.}

I really like that definition, and within it I see three ways in which our faith is built, which then merge together to form the “shield” we carry into battle.

1. Faith Comes from God

Firstly, faith is a gift from God. It is not something we create within ourselves, and biblically, it is not something we can even choose to step into. Jesus is the one who creates faith in us. Even our choice to get saved is something He initiates in us, through the power of the Holy Spirit! This is why Hebrews 12:2 calls Him “the founder and perfecter of our faith.”

If He is the one who put faith in us, and He is the one who will see that faith through to completion, then one way we tangibly grow our faith is to stick close to Him in life’s journey. In fact that is exactly what the Passion Translation of Hebrews 12:2 says,

“We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection.”

2. Faith Comes from God’s Word

The second way our faith grows is through God’s word. The Bible teaches that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). The Greek word used here for “word” is “rhema.” This literally means “that which is spoken.” We must therefore include the written word of God in the Bible, by which God has spoken to every generation of believers, as well as the inner voice of the Holy Spirit which continually speaks to us intimately and personally.

The Written Word of God

From the scriptures, we can see who God has revealed Himself to be, and know the plans He has shared concerning human history and the establishment of His Kingdom. As we learn what the Bible teaches, we can then have a clear view of the world around us, judging what is in accordance to His plan and what is not. We will discuss this more when we look at the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,” but for now, me must understand that the Bible is the foundation of everything God will speak to us personally.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
^{Hebrews 4:12}

The Spoken Word of God

Beyond just the Bible, however, we must also be seeking to develop a deep relationship with the Spirit of God, who is always with us and speaking to us.

As miraculous of a gift as the Bible is, the complete thoughts and intentions of God cannot fully be contained in a book. In fact, Jesus told His disciples that even after His three years with them there was still so much more to speak, but the time was too short and they wouldn’t be able to take it all in. He therefore promised the Holy Spirit who would continue to speak and reveal the things of God.

““I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
^{John 16:12-15}

The Holy Spirit will take the scriptures and make them real to us. He will apply them to our lives, personally, and He will further reveal the plans and intentions of God over us.

As we hear God’s Word – in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit – our faith will continue to be developed and strengthened.

3. Faith Comes from Our History with the Lord

The third way our faith grows comes through experience of the Christian life. We know that faith starts as a gift, and is built as we continue to hear God speaking over us, however, our faith will begin to grow exponentially as we experience God’s faithfulness, first hand. It is inevitable that we will develop more and more trust in Him, as we experience His continued faithfulness to us.

We must learn to keep a personal record of His continued faithfulness to His promises. I would suggest that it is a good idea to write them down. This is the same testimony of faith that was commanded to the Jews as they walked through life with the Lord.

In fact, 21 times in the book of Exodus, God gave some teaching on how the testimony of His faithfulness was to be kept. In the books of Psalms, the musicians reference either the command to, or the blessings of, remembering the testimony of God — 23 of those references are in Psalm 119 alone.

Your testimonies are righteous forever; (they) give me understanding that I may live.
^{Psalm 119:144}

One of the ways believer’s overcome the enemy in the book of Revelation is by keeping the testimony of Jesus!

“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”
^{Revelations 12:11}

So faith comes as the Lord initiates it inside of us and as we choose to walk closely with Him. It develops as we hear the Word of the Lord, both written in the Bible and spoken by the Holy Spirit. And it grows all-the-more as we learn to keep account of His faithfulness to us. This faith, then, which is fully-established and growing, becomes the shield we carry which puts out the flaming darts of the devil! So what are those darts?

The Darts of The Enemy

The enemy’s goal is to discredit God and bring doubt into our minds concerning His Word and His intention. He wants us to doubt God’s goodness and His faithfulness to us. From his first attack on humans in the garden of Eden, this tactic was evident.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say…”
^{Genesis 3:1}

His goal was to bring doubt to Eve’s mind regarding the Lord!

He did the same thing when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, urging Jesus to distrust what God had already spoken over Him. The last voice we hear before Jesus goes into the wilderness is that of the Father:

The Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
^{Luke 3:22}

The next thing we hear is the devil challenging that word:

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God…”
^{Luke 4:3}

Our daily encounters with the enemy are no different. He wants us to doubt who we are in Christ; he wants to convince us that we lack what God says we have, and if possible, he wants to destroy any relationship we have to God through our salvation in Jesus. These attacks are why we must hold our shield of faith, boldly, and resist these blows.

Holding Our Shield

As we know God intimately, hear His Word, and establish a personal record of His faithfulness to us, our shield of faith is forged. We are then readily equipped to discern God’s plans by faith, and to extinguish the power of the enemy’s darts.

The shield of faith — that “confident trust in the promises of God, centered in His provision of spiritual life” — gives us the ability to break down every doubt the enemy tries to create in us! We must not forget, however, that Paul’s command is to carry this shield “in all circumstances.” We never know when the attack will come, so we must not allow ourselves to be caught unarmed. The Apostle Peter reminds us of this same thing:

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith…”
^{1 Peter 5:8-9}

We must always be growing in our faith, so that no flaming dart of the enemy can land a blow!

Let’s Connect

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and testimonies in the comment section.

In the next post we will look at the Helmet of Salvation. You can make sure to never miss a post by signing up for my weekly roundup newsletter, below. It would be my honor to have you, and I promise never to spam you or share your information with anyone!

You can also join me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Parler, to continue the discussion on this post and more!

Photo by Henry Hustava on Unsplash

July 21 2020

The Shoes of The Gospel of Peace

A. Scott Ingram Armor of God, Christian Life, Christian Life and Gospel Leadership, Gospel Leadership Christian Life, eirēnē, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, Gospel, Gospel Leadership, irene, Jesus, pax, prince of peace 0

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
^{Ephesians 6:13-18a}

So far in this series on Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God, we have learned how to put on the Belt of Truth, by filtering everything through the lens of Christ, and the Breastplate of Righteousness, as we guard our hearts from sinful passions and temptations. Now we turn our attention to the shoes of our spiritual armor, which is “the readiness of the gospel of peace.”

As the commandment given by the Apostle Paul in this passage is to “stand firm,” we must be very careful to understand this piece of the armor. After all, it is our shoes which give us the ability to stand. If your shoes are slippery, or do not fit well, you will surely fall.

Mixed Understanding

To be honest, this piece of armor may be the most misunderstood. A quick survey of other materials on the “shoes of the gospel of peace” leads in various directions. The most common is to say that to put on the “shoes of the gospel” is a call to evangelism. Some writers will allude to Romans 10:15, where Paul quotes from Isaiah 52:7, “As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

While I do believe that part of our spiritual warfare in this life includes sharing the gospel with others, I do not believe that is what the armor of God passage of scripture is referencing. To understand the shoes we will put on, we must first truly understand the definition of this “peace.”

Understanding Peace

The Greek word used in this verse is “eirēnē,” (or “Irene”) which is the New Testament equivalent of the Hebrew, “shalom.” In fact, the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament used by Jesus) usually translates the Hebrew word “shalom” as “eirēnē.”

The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible say that this word means:

Total well-being, prosperity, and security associated with God’s presence among his people.
^{Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Peace,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1634.}

To fully grasp the understanding of this peace, we should not be thinking of person-to person peacemaking, such as a treaty to end a war. That would typically be spoken of using the Latin word “pax,” which is legislated peace by treaty or law. (The Pax Romana was “the peace of Rome” granted by citizenship under Roman law.)

While the Latin pax “in the first instance denotes a reciprocal legal relationship between two parties,” eirēnē is “primarily no more than the passionately asserted, emotionally felt and palpable opposite of polemos (war, battle).”
_{^{Werner Foerster, “Εἰρήνη, Εἰρηνεύω, Εἰρηνικός, Εἰρηνοποιός, Εἰρηνοποιέω,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 401.}}

We should, therefore, understand eirēnē in Ephesians to mean the existence of peace itself, rather than the act of bringing peace. In Jesus, we have peace. We live in peace, even if there is war outside.

The Gospel of Peace

Another Bible dictionary says the definition of peace includes the idea of:

prosperity, success; welfare, state of health; friendliness; deliverance, salvation…
^{The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Septuagint (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).}

When we truly understand the Gospel of Peace, we come to know that all of these are gifts from God to His children. These are not just promises which await us in eternity, but they are realities we can and should live in now, by faith!

The Baker Encyclopedia goes on:

In prophetic material, true peace is part of the end-time hope of God’s salvation. In the NT, this longed-for peace is understood as having come in Christ and able to be experienced by faith.
^{(emphasis mine)}

We must understand then, that the gospel of peace is this: through Jesus Christ, God has not only forgiven our sins, but He has already established His Kingdom (His reign) in us, which grants us His peace, now!

As believers, we should be living in this peace of God (shalom/eirēnē), right now, even though the war over the rest of creation is still raging! On the final judgement day, when God defeats all of His enemies, then the pax (legislated peace) of God will be established over all creation for eternity.

How Does Peace Become Shoes?

Take note that Ephesians does not tells us that it is the “Gospel of Peace” itself which is the shoes for our armor. It is “the readiness of the Gospel of Peace.” Not to make things more difficult than they need to be, we must take a look at this word readiness, since the English use of the word may be slightly different than the Greek author’s intention.

In English, the simple reading sounds like it is saying, “for shoes, make yourself ready with the Gospel of Peace.” Although this might be considered technically true, it does not give the proper understanding.

The root word does not mean “get yourself ready,” but rather implies that something “is already made ready.” The Septuagint writers used this same Greek word as they translated Old Testament words like “foundation” and “support.”

It does not imply that you need to get yourself at peace so that you may stand. Rather it means that your peace, protection, provision, and well-being is ALREADY established in Jesus Christ, as the foundation upon which you must choose, daily, to stand! It literally says that for shoes, put on the solid foundation which has been laid for you by the Prince of Peace.

Standing on a Stable Foundation

As I said in the beginning, it is our shoes which give us the ability to “stand firm” or cause us to fall. Paul is telling us that our standing is all about our foundation; our support — The Gospel of Peace.

The shoes given by the Lord, as part of our armor, give us stability as we stand on the foundation of God’s peace in our lives. When we are grounded in the Lord as the one who fulfills His promises to us — to be our provider, our protector, our healer, etc — then our well-being will be secure, and we will have the resilience to “stand firm.”

If, however, we do not stand on the foundation of the gospel of peace, we will never be secure when opposition comes. If Jesus isn’t our security, then we will build false idols to protect ourselves. (How many times did Israel fall because they trusted other nations to protect them, rather than God?) If Jesus isn’t our provider, then we will stumble in our calling, as we struggle to find resources outside of His plan. If Jesus isn’t our healer, the enemy can use any form of sickness to shake our stability. (COVID19 anyone?)

We must remove any counterfeit shoes, given to us by the world or the enemy, which do not give true peace. Although they may offer temporary comfort and stability, they will not be able to stand up in the day of testing!

The Gospel of Peace is our only solid foundation, as we have assurance that Jesus cares about our total wellbeing, and will do whatever it takes to give us His security, even when the world around us is at war.

Jesus’ Plan for Us is Peace

This is one of the toughest lessons of the Christian life, but it is one we must learn quickly, if we are to overcome “the evil day.” Jesus is the Prince of Peace and He promises us His peace, if we will receive it, and stand on it!

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
^{John 14:27}

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
^{Matthew 6:25-34}

Let’s Connect

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and testimonies in the comment section.

In the next post we will look at the Shield of Faith.

You can make sure to never miss a post by signing up for my weekly roundup newsletter, below. It would be my honor to have you, and I promise never to spam you or share your information with anyone!

You can also join me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Parler, to continue the discussion on this post and more!

Photo by Henry Hustava on Unsplash

July 11 2020

The Belt of Truth

A. Scott Ingram Armor of God, Christian Life, Christian Life and Gospel Leadership, Gospel Leadership Gospel, Salvation, satan 0

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
Ephesians 6:13-18a

Having established that the armor of God is not a metaphor or inspirational idea, but is in fact a reality we must step into each day, we now turn our attention to putting on each piece of the armor of God, listed in Ephesians 6, beginning with the “belt of truth.”

The Belt of Truth

Belts are not made just for fashion. Though they definitely make an outfit look complete, and can add a little bit of bling with a shiny buckle, for many people like myself, our bodies are not exactly proportioned to most clothing. A belt is an absolute necessity. We need help. We rely on belts, daily, to keep our pants from slipping down and our shirts from bunching up or coming untucked.

The same is true for the belt of truth. Without it, our armor is incomplete. Without truth to hold it together, other parts of the armor will not be able to completely do their work, either. It is designed to hold everything together.

Surrounded with Truth

The symbolism of the belt is that it must surround us. While other pieces of the armor, as we will see in future posts, are tailored for individual body parts, such as the helmet, breastplate, or shoes, the idea of the belt is that truth is what encompasses you all the way around.

To put on the belt of truth, then, is to take on a personal commitment to live in the light of God’s truth, to stay safely within a hedge of protection that blocks and filters the lies and false realities of the enemy.

What is Truth?

The Greek word used for truth in this passage is “aletheia.” Strongs concordance defines this truth in two ways. The first is objective truth as in “what is true in any matter under consideration…” That is truth “in reality.”

The cultural impact of this definition cannot be overstated, as this word carries a connotation which our world is becoming extremely hostile toward: the idea that there is such a thing as universal truth that is not subject to human will or emotions, or to time and place. It is reality because God says it is reality, and it will never change.

The second way Strongs concordance defines “aletheia” is in terms of a subjective truth, as in “that candor of mind which is free from affection, pretense, simulation, falsehood and deceit.” “Subjective” here, then, cannot be taken to imply that this absolute truth is subject to our belief in it. Rather, it must be taken to mean that our will and emotions must become subject to this “truth in reality,” and thereby forsake all untruths that do not measure up.

I do not mean to get too technical with this understanding of the word, but we must be clear on what the Bible says, or else we will be vulnerable to the influence of culture and our spiritual enemy in how we understand “truth.”

Living in Reality

With this definition in mind, to put on the belt of truth is to understand that God has established an absolute truth to which all humanity will be held accountable. This is a tangible, experiential truth, which when held up against all other false realities, will prove itself true every time. Putting on this belt means that we will make the choice to live in this truth, no matter what our emotions, desires, or cultures tells us is “better” or “right.”

Choosing to stand on a belief in absolute truth is a major claim to make. In fact, this claim to truth is as the heart of all opposition to Christianity (and all other religions that claim to be absolute).

This claim to truth is the biggest target of attack by every enemy we have, in the world and in the spirit realm. Just look at how believers are portrayed in the media and in the entertainment industry. We are faced every day with the message that “what is true for you is true for you, and what is true for me is true for me,” and therefore “tolerance” must take precedence over any idea of “truth.”

However, believing that God’s truth is the only truth, is the foundation of our salvation and hope!

Truth Emancipates Us

Jesus made a bold statement in John 8:32, in which He not only claims that there is an absolute truth, but that when we come to live in that truth, it will set us free.

“…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Once again, the Greek word used here is “aletheia.” It says that you will know THE truth – truth in reality – and THE truth will set you free from slavery to sin, death and the devil (see John 8:31-59).

What this means is that as believers we have an obligation not only to find out what God’s truth is, but we must also make the commitment to be conformed to that truth, and cast off every other false reality the devil or the world wants to build around us. Our freedom from the kingdom of darkness depends on it. But where do we find this “truth?”

Truth in the Word

Of course, the standard way believers come to understand truth is through the writings of scripture. However, in discussing the armor of God, I would argue that Bible study is not the intention of the writer. Paul already includes the Word of God in the armor, not as the truth that surrounds us like a belt, but rather as the sword we carry to attack our enemies (Ephesians 6:17).

If not scripture, then, what is this truth we are supposed to be surrounded with, which holds all the rest of our spiritual armor together? The answer isn’t in the book, but in God Himself!

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
John 14:6

Truth is a Person

When we put on the belt of truth, the implication is that we are literally putting on Christ, who is the Truth. We are not just opening our minds to what is true, but we are asking Him to cover us, and conform every part of our lives to His image. This is commanded of us elsewhere in scripture:

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Romans 13:14

Yes, this “putting on” happens at the moment of salvation (see Galatians 3:27), but it is also a continual command to the believer. When Paul tells the Romans to “put on” it literally means “clothe yourself with,” and is an imperative command in an active, ongoing sense. It is not something you did in the past, or something you are commanded to do in the future. It is an ongoing all-the-time command.

Put on the Belt of Truth

To put on the belt of truth, then, means that we are first born again in Jesus Christ, and have put our full faith in Him as Savior, and give Him our full allegiance as Lord.

It is then something we continue to do every day – every moment – as we look to Him as our source of truth in all things. This requires relationship with Him. It requires learning to hear His voice. It requires conditioning our mindset to filter everything through His reality (again, see 2 Corinthians 10:5).

For the believer, Jesus alone is Truth. We do not look to political parties. We do not look to our favorite news stations. We do not look to pundits or podcasts or teachers or celebrities. We do not even rely on our pastors and spiritual leaders. Although any and all of these voices may speak truth to us, we cannot stake our lives on it. We must first submit it all to His testing.

Jesus said “I Am the Truth” and we are called to surround ourselves completely with Him! If we will do that, then every other piece of our armor will be held fast, and we will be able to “stand firm” against the enemy.

What about You?

The starting place to put on the belt of truth is to be saved by the One who is The Truth, Jesus Christ. If you have never been saved and want to find out what that means, I would love nothing more than to talk to you. Please, reach out to me to find a time to chat!

If you have been saved, though, the question is are you living in relationship with The Truth, or is your life being guided by the daily news cycle or your Facebook feed? Some of us have neglected the ongoing practice of “putting on” the belt of truth each day, and it has left us vulnerable. Maybe it’s time to repent, and return to The Truth, so that we can then wear all the armor correctly, and find our victory in this battle.

Continue reading in the next post, as we look at the Breastplate of Righteousness. With it, we will seek to take our life in the Truth to another level, protecting our hearts from sinful passions and temptations of the enemy.

Let’s Connect

I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, or testimonies in the comment section.

If you want to keep up with the blog and all my other #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership content, I would be honored to have you sign up for my weekly roundup newsletter, below. I promise not to spam you!

You can also join me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Parler, to continue the discussion on this post and more!

Photo by Henry Hustava on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

July 7 2020

The Armor of God

A. Scott Ingram Armor of God, Christian Life, Christian Life and Gospel Leadership, Gospel Leadership armor of God, deliverance, Gospel 0

In the last post I sought to explain that spiritual warfare does not begin with demonic manifestations and professional exorcists. Instead, the battle with the enemy begins in the mind. The Apostle Paul tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, and he charges us to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (see 2 Corinthians 10:6). In his letter to the Ephesians, he picks up this same theme when he tells them:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”
Ephesians 6:10-13

A Spiritual Enemy

In both of these passages Paul tells us that our enemy is not flesh, and therefore we cannot successfully do battle with weapons of the flesh. This is a call to grow in discernment (see Hebrews 5:14)!

In the modern world of news media and with videos recorded and distributed on every smart phone, it is the fleshly input filling our mind day-by-day that keeps us in a worldly mindset. Since we live in the flesh, we allow ourselves to be guided by the flesh rather than the Spirit, and that is disastrous.

The Lord’s command is to be in the world, but to understand that we are not of this world (see John 17:15-17 and James 4:4). We are not limited by the physical boundaries of this world, because we are united with the Lord, (1 Corinthians 6:17). We are spiritual beings, and we must learn to live from a higher place, in Christ, if we are to have success in this battle (see Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:1-4).

The Armor is Real

As we come to understand the spiritual reality of our own lives and that our enemy is not fighting us in the flesh, we will see that the “armor of God” which Paul speaks of is not just a symbolic metaphor or inspirational picture to guide our lives. It is, in fact, a spiritual reality which we must learn to step into each day!

I saw this explained, recently, in the book, “Deliverance and Inner Healing“, which states this fact better than I can. In the book Mark Sanford tells the story of a man called “Steve,” who:

“asked me why, for him, the armor of Ephesians 6 seemed so ineffective. Morning by morning he had asked God to outfit him with each piece, yet his tormentors’ arrows had not been extinguished.”
_{Sandford, John L, and Mark Sandford. Deliverance and Inner Healing. Chosen Books, 2008. Page 100}

Sanford goes on to explain that at the core of Steve’s issue was a “warped understanding of God’s grace” as he “was steeped in a doctrine that minimizes or eliminates the need for sanctification beyond the born-again experience. To him, therefore, the armor was no more than a magic wand to dispense with evil.” Sanford says that he had to explain to Steve that

“the armor is a literal reality and not just a metaphor… The one wearing the breastplate of righteousness, for example, is saying, ‘I don’t have to trust in my own goodness. I trust Jesus to be righteous for me.’ To wear the helmet of salvation is to say, ‘I don’t have to worry about what others think. I know who I am in Christ.”
_{Sandford, John L, and Mark Sandford. Deliverance and Inner Healing. Chosen Books, 2008. Page 101}

Stand Firm

The command, given to believer’s by Paul, is to put on the armor of God so that we can “stand firm” against every attack of the enemy. In Steve’s story, salvation was primarily about the next life. This mindset kept him in the flesh, and he didn’t see the armor of God as a literal covering for his spirit-man, which left him exposed to every “flaming dart” of the enemy in the present.

When we come to understand that right now we are living in a spiritual reality, and that every single day is a battle — that our enemy is bombarding us at every opportunity — we will finally understand the call to guard ourselves with God’s armor.

As believers living in the fallen world, we must understand that every thought that enters our head from the outside has the potential to be either empowered by the Holy Spirit or poisoned by the devil’s lies. When we listen to the Lord, “praying at all times in the Spirit,” He will guide us through life (Eph. 6:18). However, the culture has yet to be redeemed, and is still under the control of the ruling spiritual authorities. This allows “society” to be manipulated into willing evangelists for the enemy.

The Schemes of the Enemy

The world around us hits us, every day, with messages saying “God is dead;” “faith in the Bible is ignorant superstition;” “people are inherently good” and “it can’t be sin if you follow your heart.” The devil wants us to believe that mankind is the highest being in existence, and is therefore the sole determiner of morality and justice. The end result is to believe “only the strong survive” leading to the oppression of others, or to be guided by the philosophy, “just do what feels good” (see 1 Corinthians 15:32).

If we do not put on the armor of God, we will be knocked down by these subtle (and not-so-subtle) messages coming at us. That is why the armor of God, as we will come to see, is primarily a protection from the lies and condemnations of the devil.

We will see that as we wrap ourselves with the belt of truth, our armor will be held firmly in place when a false reality claims our attention. We will understand that as we put on the breastplate of righteousness, our heart is protected from the sinful desires and passions being promoted around us. We will learn that wearing the shoes of the gospel of peace will help us stand firm in a world of uncertainty, stress, and anxiety.

You are a spiritual being, and you are in a spiritual war. As you come to understand this reality, I hope you will be equipped to withstand the evil days ahead, and follow Jesus in a life of triumph over the devil and his tactics. You were set free when you were saved. Let us not return to the yoke of slavery in the kingdom of darkness. We will begin to actively arm ourselves with the “Belt of Truth” in the next post.

Let’s Connect

I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, or testimonies in the comment section.

You can also join me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Parler, to continue the discussion on this post and more!

You can also find out more about my ministry work in East Africa, and see how you can partner with us to take the gospel into the world by training leaders and planting churches at www.SozoMinistries.net.

Photo by Henry Hustava on Unsplash