Section (6) (Could You Not Tarry One Hour?)

SECTION SIX   POWER: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ” 

 

CHAPTER (15)  PUTTING ON GOD’S ARMOR

 

 What a time to have a heart attack! Unfortunately, Pastor Conatser didn’t have any say in the matter. Although Beverly Hills Baptist Church was exploding with growth, and the only other preaching pastor on his staff was a 22-year-old kid fresh out of Bible college, Pastor Conatser had orders to rest at least six weeks and let someone else do the preaching. That someone else turned out to be me—the 22-year-old preacher boy.

 

 When the board turned to me and said, “Larry, it’s up to you,”the pressure was awesome.
Overnight my responsibilities doubled, and so did my anxieties and frustrations. It wasn’t long until a little black cloud of depression followed me around raining gloom and misery on my bedraggled spirit.
 But one day a Lutheran pastor visited my study, and he wasn’t long in coming to the point. “Do you put on the whole armor of God every day?” he asked bluntly. Now I was a Bible college graduate with three years of Greek recorded on my transcript, so I wanted to impress this pastor and let him know I was no dummy. “Oh, yes!” I exclaimed, leaning back in my chair and folding my arms across my chest. “You’re referring to that beautiful Pauline metaphor in the sixth chapter of Ephesians. Yes, sir, I’m familiar with its every participle, verb and noun, because I exegeted that entire book from the Greek.”

 

 I knew immediately that he wasn’t impressed. “I’m not asking if you know about the armor of God,” he ex¬plained patiently. “I’m asking if you put on the whole armor of God every day.”

 Somewhat deflated, I shook my head and admitted meekly, “No sir, I don’t.”
The pastor’s insightful reply startled me. “Then maybe that’s why you’re depressed all the time.”

 

The Whole Armor of God

 

 After he left, I took another look at Ephesians 6： 10-18, and, phrase by phrase, topic by topic, I studied those nine verses for clues to their relevance for twentieth-century Christians. Would you like to join me in a simplified line-by-line account of what I found? "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of bis might. ’’ 

 The Christian preparing for conflict needs power. Even if you are fully clad in the armor Paul describes in the verses that follow, you must first have power or the armor is of little benefit. Where do we get that power? Through fellowship with the Lord and in answer to prayer. “Put on the whole armour of God.” 

 As a Christian warrior you are to put on the complete equipment provided, undervaluing nothing, omitting nothing, for how can you know at what unguarded point the enemy may attack?

 

 “That ye may be able to stand. ” Paul explains that the warrior puts on the whole armor in order to stand. 
This is a military term that refers to “the firm and prepared attitude of a good soldier confronting his enemy.”
 “Against the wiles of the devil.” What is the warrior to stand against? The wiles or stratagems of the devil— the subtle, dangerous ways that evil assails.
 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of this world, against spiritual wickedness in higb places.” We do not wrestle against visible physical opponents, but against principalities, against the organized forces of evil powers.

 

 We wrestle against rulers whose sway over the moral darkness pervading humanity is worldwide. We wrestle against spiritual hosts of wickedness—spiritual cavalry, robber hordes—in all spheres and relations and in the atmosphere around us. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to luitbstand in the evil day.” We are not to rely merely upon human precautions and defenses but are to take up the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the day of temptation— that special season and circumstance of spiritual or moral testing which may come at any time, and for which it is always necessary to be prepared.
“And having done all, to stand. Stand therefore.... ’’ Being in condition for warring a good fighthaving done all—we are to stand, intending to conquer.
 

“Having your loins girt about ivitb truth.” The loins are that part of the body between the ribs and the hipbones. The digestive system, the reproductive organs and the bowels (which eliminate waste) are contained here. The leather girdle or apron about the loins of the Roman soldier was the first and most necessary part of his equipment. 
 It not only served to keep the armor in its proper place, it also was used to support the sword. Paul teaches that our loins are to be girt about with truth—inward truth, genuineness and determined purpose. The psalmist said, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts： and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (Ps. 51:6).

 

 As a believer, you are to be filled with the truth of God； you are to be a person of total integrity and moral rectitude. You must know who you are in God and who God is in you. You gird your loins with truth by reaffirming the truth about yourself and about God and by acting upon that truth instead of upon your emotions.
 “And bavitig on tbe breastplate of righteousness. ” The breastplate was a piece of armor worn over the chest. Organs vital to life itself were protected by the breastplate： the esophagus (the passage for food from the mouth to the stomach), the windpipe, the heart and the luiigs.

 

 What is the believer’s breastplate of righteousness? It is the righteousness of God through faith. It is justifica¬tion by the blood of the cross. This righteousness is the result of the renovation of the heart by the Holy Spirit. The breastplate is an important part of the soldier’s defensive armor. The righteous new man within the believer resists, defends against and refuses to entertain evil suggestions. The breastplate of righteousness diligently guards the heart of the believer, for out of the heart are the issues of life.
 “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” In hand-to-hand combat, the ability to stand, sidestep, walk and run, is absolutely essential. Because a Roman soldier's fighting was mostly hand to hand, a firm footing was extremely important. His sandals were not only bound firmly to his feet and ankles, but the soles 
were thickly studded with hobnails or spikes to prevent the warrior from slipping.

 

 As participants in spiritual warfare, we are to shoe our feet with the preparation一the readiness and prepared¬ness, the firm-footed stability一found in the gospel of peace. As we walk daily in the revealed will of God and order our conduct and conversation according to His word, we will experience a sense of oneness with God and a consciousness of divine aid equal to any problem. As believers, we are to walk in the will of God and, as my Wycliffe missionary friend Alice Huff says, leave ‘‘footprints of peace’’ wherever we go.
 

 “Above all，taking the shield of faith. ” The shield was a piece of armor carried on the arm or in the hand to protect and cover the entire body in battle. However, the words “above all” in this verse do not mean that shield of faith was the most important part of the soldier’s equipment； it was simply a part of the soldier’s armament that could be shifted about and lifted up over all parts of the body as needed.

 

 As Christian believers, our faith serves us just as a shield serves the soldier, but how do we get faith? Ephesians 2:8 says that faith is a gift. Romans 10： 17 says that, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word {rhema) of God.” Galatians 5:22 says that faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 2：20 says we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us. That faith is the believer’s shield.
 “Wherewith ye shall be able to queneb all tbe fiery darts of tbe wicked.” “The wicked” does not refer to an impersonal force, but to Satan and the evil foes described in verse 12.

 

 The large shields of ancient soldiers were made of wood (so they would be lightweight) and were covered 
with hides.  The hides were soaked in water to quench flaming arrows, the enemy’s most dangerous missiles shot to destroy and wound mortally. Paul assures us that “the shield of faith” will prevail against Satan’s worst forms of attack.

 

 The believer takes the shield of faith and declares, “I’m trusting in You, Lord, to protect me. Because I am hiding in You, nothing can touch me today that You do not allow.”
“And take the helmet of salvation.” The helmet, the most expensive piece of the armor, was worn to protect the head. The helmet of salvation protects the believer’s mind and thinking.

 

 The word “take” in this verse literally means “receive”—to take in hand the helmet of salvation, which is “the gift of God.” Therefore, the believer is consciously to ask for and receive the mind of Christ and the peace of God that garrisons and mounts guard over his thoughts (see Phil. 4:7, Amplified).
 “And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The sword was an offensive weapon with a sharp blade fixed in a handle or hilt. Used to wound or kill, the sword was a symbol of power or authority, especially to judge and impose sentence.

 

 The Christian's power and authority are the word of God. In speaking of the sword of the Spirit or the word of God, the reference here is not to logos or the whole Bible as such, but to rbema—the individual scripture, statement, command or instruction which the Spirit speaks to our spirits or brings to our remembrance for use in time of need. Before we are able to wield the sword of the Spirit effectively, we must fill our minds full of Scripture.

 

 The Greek indicates that the believer must receive this specific word from God for a specific situation. 

The special revelation can then be used as a sharp sword against the enemy and his onslaughts.
 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” The last powerful piece of the whole armor of God is praying always in the Spirit. This means praying in tongues, praying in and with your spirit in your own personal prayer language inspired of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2：4； 1 Cor. 14:2,14,15; Jude 20).

 

 Because you are not praying with your mind but with your spirit, it is possible to obey Paul's command to ‘‘pray always’，(Eph. 6:18). The only way you can pray always—or without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17)—is to pray with your spirit. Your mind is limited； it hinders you from praying as you ought. But your spirit, redeemed by the blood and filled with the Holy Spirit of God, is unlimited. As you pray, the Spirit comes to your aid, joins His strong supplication with yours and intercedes before God in your behalf and for the welfare of other believers. As the Holy Spirit enables you to pray according to the perfect will of God, your prayers get through (Rom. 8:26,27).

 

 Consider this： Your spirit has instant access to your vocal cords just as your mind has. Therefore, by your will, a prayer in your prayer language can come out of your spirit, bypass your mind, go over your tongue and go straight to God. God’s response to your prayer can then be registered in your mind, enabling you to pray with understanding (1 Cor. 14:13-15).
Have you ever groped for words, sensing the weaknesses and limitations of your own mind and understanding as you poured out your heart to God? Have you ever been caught in tense, urgent situations where there was no time to slip away by yourself and  pray? I have. 

 

 That is why this seventh piece of spiritual armor is so precious to me. I can use it like a laser beam to pierce right through the devil’s territory, reach God and receive His immediate response back to my mind. I can live in a constant attitude of prayer, regardless of where I am or what I am doing. I can pray aloud or under my breath； I can pray alone or in the middle of a crowd. God knows. God hears. And God answers. This is how the armor-clad believer can maintain a prayerful frame of mind and pray at all times, in every season.
“And watching thereunto.” “Watching” refers to the care the believer is to take not to neglect the prayer so essential for victory in spiritual conflicts.

 

 “With all perseverance and supplication for all saints. ’’ No soldier should pray for himself alone, but for all his fellow-soldiers also, for they form one army. The success of one is the success of all.
 When Jesus commands believers to pray, ‘‘Lead us not into temptation,” He is instructing us to pray that forces beyond our own control will not lead us into trials. He is commanding us to watch and pray against entering into temptation through our own carelessness or disobedience. The petition “Deliver us from evil” goes beyond the sense of a test or trial related to our inclination to sin. It introduces the supplication to be saved from the grasping, potent power of evil that seeks to influence, overcome and master us, then lead us astray. This request in-volves much more than merely asking to overcome a desire to sin； we must also defeat the powerful, evil forces seeking to hinder or destroy God’s plan for our lives. Therefore, in Ephesians 6:11,13, Paul instructs us to put on the whole armor of God so we will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

 

 What is the obvious reverse of this teaching? If we do not pray, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil,” 

if we do not put on the whole armor of God, we cannot stand against the wiles of the devil. We will not stand!
 In Romans Paul again mentions the armor. There he instructs us to put on “the armor of light” and to put on “the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:12,14).

 

 The armor Paul describes and commands the believer to put on is really the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus wants to be our defense and to clothe us with Himself.

 

How to Put the Armor On

 

 As I learned from the Lutheran pastor, this passage in Ephesians was not written just to be a beautiful metaphor. It was written to be obeyed and applied in everyday life. But how does a believer put on armor he or she can¬not see, touch or feel? By faith, visualizing each piece. We put on our armor by believing and confessing God’s promises. Each day, the believer should pray Ephesians 6:14-17 and in faith put on the whole armor of God, piece by piece. Take a minute to learn how to put on the armor of light, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

~~~~~~~~~  
  
 For many years now, I have daily put on the whole armor of God, piece by piece, by believing and declaring God’s promises. How about you? wouldn't think about going to work or to church without dressing properly, but day after day are you walking around without your spiritual clothes on? Are you a spiritual “speaker”? If so, the devil sees you walking around spiritually naked, and he laughs because he knows you are defenseless against his wiles.

 Learn to put on the whole armor of God, and do it every day. Refuse to let Satan delay or destroy God’s purpose for your life! And pray a hedge of protection around yourself and your loved ones. That’s what we learn to do next. 

 

 

CHAPTER (16)     BUILDING A HEDGEOF PROTECTION

 

 When I was a kid, I never sat in the dirt with two puffy eyes and a bloody nose exclaiming, “Boy, that was a good fight.”
It wasn’t a good fight unless I won!
 Then why does Paul call our war with Satan a ‘‘good’’ fight (1 Tim. 6:12)? It is identified as a good fight because we are supposed to win. We win by praying, ‘‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” We win by putting on the whole armor of God and by building the hedge of protection around ourselves.

 

 Are you tired of eating the devil’s dust? Would you like to know how to flatten the dude in the dirt and plant your hobnail boots on his greedy throat? Then you must prepare yourself to stand in the victory Jesus has already won for you by putting on the whole armor of God and by learning to build a hedge of protection.

 

Build a Hedge of Protection

 

 Build a hedge of protection about yourself and your loved ones daily by your faith declaration from Psalm 91:2: “I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress： my God； in him will I trust.” In the Amplified Bible, 
the next verse states： “For then he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler” (italics mine).
 Later in the chapter (vv. 9,14) are three reasons—or “becauses”-why you can claim God’s protection： “Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation”; “Because he hath set his love upon me”; and Because he hath known my name.”

 

1. Because we have made the Lord our habitation. As we believers sing praises to the Lord, He sits down among us, enthroned upon our praises. Psalm 22：3 states： “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest [to sit down or dwell among] the praises [tebillah一songs, psalms, the residing song of the Spirit] of Israel.”
 Because Paul knew this secret, he instructed： “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit； speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:18,19). In another passage, Paul, an example to believers, said he sang with the spirit and with the understanding also (1 Cor. 14:15). You, too, are to sing to the Lord in praise and worship. At times, you will enjoy singing beautiful old hymns or choruses. At other times, you may feel like making up your own special songs and singing them to the Lord. And sometimes, the Holy Spirit may compose a spontaneous song of praise in a language only God’s ears and your own heart understand. As you sing to God, He inhabits your praises. That is how you make the Lord your habitation. As you walk with Him in the Spirit, He will be your refuge.

 

2. Because we have set our love upon Him. We can dso claim God’s protection if we set our love upon Him. We set our love upon the Lord by focusing our affections upon Him, by seeking Him first. David declared： 

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will
 I seek after； that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me； he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies around about me： therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy； I will sing, yea，I will sing praises unto the Lord (Ps. 27 ：4-6, italics mine).

 

 The word “pavilion” in verse 5 means “a temporary, movable tent, or a more permanent building.” During war, the royal pavilion一the king’s tent—was erected in the center of his army, and it was surrounded by a constant guard of mighty men.
 David, a king who occupied one of those royal tents in battle, is saying： “In the time of trouble, God hides me in His royal tent in the very center of His army, and surrounds me by a constant guard of angels.’’ In Psalm 91:10-11 we are assured, “No disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (NIV). And Psalm 34:7 declares： ‘‘The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

 

 If we want to be surrounded by God’s hedge of protection, we must set our love upon Him. In Psalm 27:4 David declared, ‘‘One thing have I desired.".’’ Have you ever noticed other references to the words “one thing” in Scripture? To the rich young ruler Jesus said, “Yet lackest thou one thing...” (Luke 18:22). To Martha He said, “Thou art careful and troubled about many things： 
 But one thing is needful...” (Luke 10:41,42). Paul declared, “This one thing I do...” (Phil. 3:13).
 We, like Martha, are often anxious and troubled about many things, but we lack one important thing. We hurry and scurry about, busy with our own business, but we neglect our Father’s business. Here’s an example with which you might identify.

 

 When my son was younger and I asked him to mow the yard, he would sometimes put the job off and go play. Now I didn’t mind his playing with friends, but his disobedience and his not mowing the yard disturbed me.
I think it’s like that with our heavenly Father. He says, “Tarry with Me one hour,” but we put our own things first and before we know it, the day is over and we have not spent time with God. It’s time we grow up spiritually and learn to give our Father the first hour of our day； then there will be 23 more hours to take care of our own things.
 We need to allow the Holy Spirit to focus our energies and attentions upon the Lord一to set our love upon Him. As we cling to Him in absolute trust, He will be our protection.

 

3. Because we have known His name. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower： the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Prov. 18:10). The name of the Lord signifies not only who He is, but what He wants to be in your life.
 Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. He is more than savior. He is your righteousness and sanctifier. He is your peace, and the overflowing One present within you. He is your healer and provider, banner and shepherd. So know His name, for it is a strong tower. Let Him be what you need Him to be in your life. 

 

Declare God’s Hedge of Protection

 

 Every day, make the Lord your habitation by singing songs of praise. Set your love upon Him and seek Him first, above all else. Know and submit to His name. Inspect your spirit and make certain you are living in the three “becauses” of Psalm 91.
 Then you can stand in your armor and declare： “You are my refuge, my fortress, my God. In You do I trust. I know Your name. You are my righteousness, sanctifier, peace, healer, provider, banner and shepherd, and Your presence dwells within me.”

 

 That is the way to pray a hedge of protection about yourself and your loved ones. When you live in these three ‘‘becauses’’ and daily declare He is your refuge and fortress, the Lord’s hedge of protection forms around you like a nest around a bird, or a cocoon around a butterfly larva.
 I realize some people laugh at the idea of God’s hedge of protection, but the devil doesn’t. He knows it’s real. Just take a moment to study this complaint Satan made to God about Job：
 Have You not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has on every side? You have conferred prosperity and happiness upon him in the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land (Job 1:10, Amplified).
Notice three things God does for His children： He puts a hedge around us, our homes and all we have on every side；  He confers happiness and prosperity (not one or the other) upon us in the work of our hands； He makes our possessions increase, not decrease.
 

So every day as you pray, ‘‘Lead us not into tempta¬tion, but deliver us from evil,” declare that hedge of 

protection around yourself, your friends and loved ones, your home and all you have. Ask God to confer happiness and prosperity on the work of your hands and to make your possessions—both spiritual and material—increase in the land. Hallelujah!
 Clothe yourself in the armor of light—the Lord Jesus Christ一and pray God’s encircling hedge of protection around all you hold dear. And having done all, stand.... Stand in the victory Jesus Christ has won for you.

 

Review Questions

1. If the following statements are true, write “T” in the blank； if false, write “F”.
  a  Believers can enter into temptation by their own carelessness and disobedience.
  b  The armor Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 is actually the armor of light, Jesus Christ.
  c  If we do not put on the whole armor of God, we will not stand against the devil.

 

2. Why is our war with Satan called a good fight?    
 
3. What are the three reasons一or “becauses”一in Psalm 91:9,14 that allow you to claim God’s protection?

Prayer Outline

I. Put on the whole armor of God.
  A. Loins girded with truth
  B. Breastplate of righteousness
  C. Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
  D. Shield of faith
  E. Helmet of salvation
  F. Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God 
  G. Praying always in the Spirit

 

II. Build a hedge of protection.
  A. Three “becauses”
    1. Because we have made the Lord our habitation
    2. Because we have set our love upon Him
    3. Because we have known His name
  B. Declare： “He is my refuge and my fortress： my God； in him will I trust.”