"Power For Living" Part 2

"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?

Luk 11:21-22
(21) When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
(22) But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh
from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

Intro: Clank, Clank, Clank the army of souls goes marching into God's house each week. Their helmets
gleaming, swords sharpened, shields held high. Soldiers of the Lord you say? Wearing the Armor of the
Lord? Some are. But when we read in the bible, we find there is another armor. The devil's armor.
Everyone here today has on a spiritual armor, but the question I want to ask you is:

Whose armor are you wearing?

In Ephesians we find the God gives Christians His armor. Knowing the devil often imitates God's
methods (angel of light, blood, indwelling, etc.) and that from our bible reading he has an armor, we can
imagine that as God clothes Christians with His armor, the devil gives his armor to those he wants to
"protect" from the power of God.

If he can't keep you from the house of God, then he wants to put his armor on you so that you will not
come into full contact with God's power.

Notice the order of the armor, as I began writing this out, I started with the helmet, but when I follow the
bible order as mentioned, it is the belt that is first!

God's Armor
1. Waistbelt of truth
2. Breastplate of Righteousness
3. Gospel shoes... spikes and nails to give sure footing. (Benaiah slew a lion in a pit on a snowy
day.) First thing we do, I am not ready, let me get my shoes!
4. Shield of Faith
5. Helmet of Salvation

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 "Power For Living" Part 2
"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?
devil's armor
1. Belt of Lies (slander, accusations)
name of the devil....liar and the father of lies.
Matt 4.3 devil called "the tempter"
satan=adversary,
the accuser of the brethren.
a. you have sinned too much "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved."
b. It is too late for you. "If today you hear His voice harden not your heart..."
Manasseh/Saul
c. I am good. "There is none good, no not one, all have sinned and come short of the glory
of God" Your works are filthy rags in the sight of God. Spiritual pride is the worst pride, the very ones
that were seen as the most holy in the bible times were the ones that crucified the Son of God.
d. Everyone sins a little, God understands.
2. Breastplate of wrong living
a. Your sins and iniquities have separated you from the face of your God.
b. Don't want to give it up. **Rev. Porterfield when he was pastoring a church in
Oakland/San Leandro area had a lady tell him "I would rather die and go to hell then give up this
relationship!" Foolish and unlearned statement. And unless she changed that is what she did or will do.
Look ahead! Look beyond this life! Look into eternity! Look into hell! See the torments, that never end,
look into heaven and see the joys that await, there is no man, no woman that is worth your soul. If he
won't marry you, or she won't marry you, why trade your eternity for a body, or a bedroom experience, or
the security of a boyfriend and his paycheck.
3. Shoes of delay and procrastination/Prepared to do evil….
a. ***devils meeting...what shall we do to destroy the soul of man? I know we will tell
him there is no God. That won't work, for only the fool says in his heart there is no God. I know, we will
tell them there is no heaven and hell, that eternity consists of this life only. No, the conscience of man
knows there is a hereafter, Finally one said "I know, we will tell them there is a God, there is a heaven and
a hell, but that he can always get right with God tomorrow!" Perfect said the devil. Tomorrow never
comes!

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 "Power For Living" Part 2
"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?
b. God cries "Today is the day of salvation, now is the accepted time" Multitudes and
multitudes are in the valley of decision, the day of hte Lord is near in the valley of decision.
c. When you get older, when you settle down when you finish this deed, after the big party,
after the prom, then I will get right with God.
d. Dieth Abner as a fool dieth....Now NOW NOW!!! Now is the time to get right. James
said our life is a vapor. It appears for a little while and then vanisheth away.
4. Shield of Unbelief, doubt, suspicion
a. Without faith it is impossible to please God. He is the one that gives us the faith, but the
enemy sews this seed of doubt,
It is too good to be true
I can't change that fast
God doesn't really care
Question the church and the preacher and the Christians so that you never develop a
relationship with true believers and you orbit in your own little circle of friends who keep you messed up
in wrong religion, doubts etc. God commands us, not to leave our coming together as believers. Faith
itself comes from hearing the Word of God.

Matthew 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted
They were looking at the resurrected Christ face to face and still the devil was able to sew some seeds of
doubt! If that is the case then, I know he will do the same in your life.

It was Thomas who said "How can we know the way?" when Jesus had said I am the Way and the Truth
and the Light. He wanted to know, but he didn't keep pressing on to find out. When the disciples had
gathered, Thomas was missing. Why? Perhaps he said Jesus won't be there, no use in me going.

John 20:24-29
(24) But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
(25) The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I
shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my
hand into his side, I will not believe.

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 "Power For Living" Part 2
"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?
(26) And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the
doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
(27) Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand,
and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
(28) And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
(29) Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that
have not seen, and yet have believed.

If he can get them to doubt, everything is affected.

The preaching is no good to them…not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Relationships are blown up…who can live in suspicion and distrust?

Our name as Christians is believers….

Love is closely linked…Charity…believeth all things.
Love has faith in us when no one else does…and it makes all the difference!
That is why accusations from those we love the most are so painful to bear!

Where was he? He skipped church and it cost him. No faith.

5. Helmet of Destruction
a. you are going to die and go to hell
b. he tries to get you to destroy yourself, literally or through a destructive lifestyle.
c. I am going to hell anyway I might as well live it up.

God's arrow right between the joints of the harness…

Our self righteous attitudes

The pride

I must die that I might live

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 "Power For Living" Part 2
"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?
Can't have a resurrection until you die
I must confess that I have done wrong so that I may be pure
Must be weak to have His strength
Become poor that I may be rich (suffered the loss of all things that I may gain Christ!)
devil lies that you need to come home to solve your families problems, when usually you can't solve them
yourself, number one, and number two the best thing that you can do for them is to get strong in God and
pray for them.

Judas had power...

Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean
spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

According to Matthew 10:1, Judas, one of the twelve, had been given power to cast out unclean spirits
and to heal. He became an example of betrayal and his name is synonymous with being a traitor. What
happened? He was given power, but didn't use it. Instead of casting out the unclean spirits, he became a
friend to them and they entered him....satan entered into him.(Luke 22:3)
He healed others, but didn't heal himself from the sick heart, and covetous spirit.

He was commanded to take no gold or silver or scrip for your purses, but later that is what concerned him.
He held the bag, he betrayed Jesus for money.

He had power to resist the devil but he didn't use it.

The same one that was casting out devils earlier was now taking them in!

The same one that was raising the dead, was dying on the inside!

The same one that was cleansing the lepers was becoming defiled himself!

He preached to others, but didn't listen to his own message!

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 "Power For Living" Part 2
"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?
He yielded his power to the enemy and became his pawn. He gave him his keys.

God gives me power over the enemy and power over myself, but I must not squander it.

Judas as wearing that armor

Lies (Waistbelt)
Joh 12:5-6
(5) Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
(6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had
the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Sometimes the most wicked lies are covered by a moral sounding excuse.
No one is going to stop me from…my worship of God, if it is out of order, and disrupts
200-300 other people, it is just a covering for our pride!

I can not take care of my parents, this is a gift dedicated to God….(Priest and
Sadduecees)

1. Helmet of Destruction….repented himself and brought the 30 pieces of silver to the priests.
Thought it was too late. But even then God could have and would have forgiven him, if he tried.

Act 1:16
(16) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy
Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them
that took Jesus.

Breastplate of unrighteousness (put it in the heart)

Joh 13:2
(2) And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, to betray him;

Feet shod with shoes….ready to do evil. immediately…

John 13:30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
Pro 1:16
(16) For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

Shield…unbelief...to not believe…

When he did not believe, he opened himself to betrayal.

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 "Power For Living" Part 2
"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?
John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they
were that believed not, and who should betray him.
John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were
given unto him of my Father.
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal
life.
John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
John 6:71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one
of the twelve.

He walked with Him three years and still did not believe! He had seen the miracles,
even partook of them, but still did not believe!
What is meant by the "sop"? It is the most tasty morsel of food being served at the feast. It may be
served in the "bread spoon," but is more often picked up by the host with his thumb and finger, and
handed directly to one of the guests.10 But why is a sop given to one of the guests? A native and
resident of Bible lands says that certain villagers there have this custom of giving the sop today, and
he describes the purpose of the act thus:
It is with them a mark of special respect for the master of the feast to hand to a guest
portions of what is before him, or to insist on putting morsels or sops into his mouth with his own
hand. I have had this done to me several times, when the intention was certainly to honor and
manifest good will.11
The meaning of what Christ did then was most certainly to extend love and friendship to the
very one who was going to betray Him. The act has been described as if the Lord were saying to the
traitor: Judas, my disciple, I have infinite pity for you. You have proved false, you have forsaken me in
your heart; but I will not treat you as an enemy, for I have come not to destroy, but to fulfill. Here is
my sop of friendship, and "that thou doest, do quickly."12

Closing: A horrible tragedy took place recently outside the city of Smolensk in Russia. A
plane crashed in very thick fog. 96 people lost their lives. On board were the president
of Poland, his wife, 4 top army generals, an admiral, religious leaders, and many of the
top leaders of Poland. They were going to a memorial service in a place called Katyn,
where 22,000 Polish people had been killed by the Russian secret police years ago.
They will be doing an investigation as to why the plane crashed, but the news said that
the air traffic controllers had warned the pilot several times to not land there and to go
to a different airport. He ignored their commands, and after several attempts to land,
then crashed the plane and lost his life and the lives of all the passengers on board.

You can almost hear the controllers telling him. Don't land here! The fog is too thick,
we sent another plane away just half an hour ago, it's too dangerous! The pilot saying,
I know what I am doing. I can do it.

God warns us...

Change your destination, you are going to crash, you are going to die.

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 "Power For Living" Part 2
"What Stops the Power" or Whose Armor Are You Wearing?
Get away from those friends,
Quit the drinking, the smoking,
Control your spirit
Repent of your anger
Don't go over there alone!
What are you doing!
Why are you looking at that?
Why are you watching/ reading listening to that?
Stop! Turn back! Repent! And you continue on...

It doesn't have to be that way. Change your armor, come to Jesus!

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