The Belt of Truth

Here's the final part of my Sunday School lesson based on Larry Richard's book The Full Armor of God:

Ephesians 5:8-6:9 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. 9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Christ once said, “When Satan lies he uses his native tongue.” And Satan has been deceiving us with lies since the Garden of Eden. His lies are designed to appeal to the sinful nature of man. The world values possessions more then persons, achievement more then relationships, believes a bigger house or a new car will make you happy. And the world is more attracted to beauty, then charity. Satan spins these lies. Satan and his demons don’t have to influence people individually. They influence culture and get a whole lot more bang for their buck! We need the belt of truth. Living by God’s word, wrapping His truth tightly around us like a belt, provides us with the support we need.

Paul uses “light” here for truth. God has given us a beacon of light: His Word. The truth! Jesus is also the light and the truth. If you remember John 1:1 He is also the Word. And we are not called simply to believe the truth; we are called to live the truth. And according to Jesus; that will set us free. Paul talks about how family members should treat each other. We are to live out the truth in our families.
Many ancient writers wrote about household management and Paul wrote about it in many of his other letters too. The secular writers though were all about the father as the absolute head of the family and what the wife, children and slaves owed him. The Biblical ones hold him accountable for loving his wife, nurturing his children and treating his slaves with respect. He’s not a dictator but rather God’s servant.  Where he says wives submit to your husband and husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church: husbands and wives are to care deeply for each other and be concerned with each others personal and spiritual growth.

Marriage is a partnership in the deepest sense of the word. If one partner believes he or she is more important then the other that’s allowing the door to open to demons by preying on the other spouse’s resentment or hurt. We’re to serve each other. And we’re to help each other put on the armor of God.
Ephesians 6:17-18 adds 2 important lessons to our goal of defending ourselves from the schemes of Satan. Take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Paul emphasizes prayer. Our safety depends on God’s mighty power. We must rely on Him and look to Him at all times, expressing our needs and concerns.
The author ends his book by telling Christians that we are authorized to cast demons out! He says any Christian living in fellowship with Christ can command demons in Jesus’ name and they will obey Him. First you have to deal with what’s going on in your life that’s letting them in though. Fix that and then cast them out. Then keep the door closed so they won’t come in again.

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”

The Breast Plate of Righteousness

This is the fifth part (of six) of the Sunday School lesson I did based on Larry Richard's book The Full Armor of God;

Even though we have “new selves” when we are born again that want to do right, we still have our old selves that are pulled by the world. And in that old self that still loves sin, Satan has an ally. Satan directs his temptations to the old self.

Paul lists just some of the things we do when we aren’t living righteously and how we should be living. This isn’t the only list like this in the Bible so we can’t claim to know what righteous living looks like and what sin looks like!

Ephesians 4:17-5:7 17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
This section tells us we are called to true righteousness not just to be “good people”.

The Roman breast plate was essential. It protected the vital organs. In the 1st century it was a metal plate worn over a leather garment. The spiritual breast plate of the Christian is righteousness and the Christian is responsible to put it on himself.

In the Bible righteousness is the idea of conformity to a standard. Old Testament saints were considered righteous when their personal and interpersonal behavior conformed to the moral and ethical norms established by God.

Deuteronomy 6:25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. But humans could only be righteous comparatively. Only God is righteous perfectly. Knowing no human could live up to the standard of God’s own righteous character demands has moved God to accept those who trust Him despite their flaws and failures.

Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

The Jews however sought to establish their own righteousness. But just like Abraham God credits righteousness to us who believe. Jesus didn’t just die to take us to heaven though. He died to free us from the dark way we were living too. The Holy Spirit in us helps us live godly lives if we follow his guidance.

So the breast plate of righteousness we are to put on is to maintain a good, holy and righteous life style. Take off the old. Put on the new.

The author, from talking to other ministers, believes that demons enter through 4 primary doors.

1. Trauma. All of the armor we’ve talked about so far helps here, but especially the shield of faithfulness. Remember the faithfulness of God who protects us and stays with us.

2. A sinful life style. And this is sin that’s usually done knowingly and habitually.

3. The occult. Deuteronomy 18:9-12 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.  It’s pretty clear what the Bible tells us to stay away from and the reason is that supernatural beings reached through the occult are in fact demons. Playing with the occult is inviting demons into your life!

4. Authority figures and the family line. This has to do with certain cultures where parents speak curses over their children or dedicate them to pagan gods.

The best way to get rid of the old self and put on the new righteous self is to take time for self-examination. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart. What attitudes, habitual choices, habitual responses, addictions, do you have? And then acknowledge it as sin. Repent (make it right with someone if you can). Repudiate (meaning reject the sin and determine to do what is honoring to the Lord). Relate (tell 2 people close to you. Ask for their prayer support and encouragement.) And rely. (On the Holy Spirit to guide you).

The Full Armor of God

I wrote a Sunday School lesson from the book The Full Armor of God by Larry Richards. I thought I'd share it over the next half dozen or so posts. The book goes into much more detail and I highly recommend reading the whole thing.

The author uses Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to explain to his readers how God provides protection from every attack of Satan and his demons. He tells us how we can put on the full armor of God every day. Ephesians has been called Paul’s handbook on spiritual warfare.

In the 1st century, Ephesus was the third most prominent city in the Roman Empire. It had a quarter of a million inhabitants and it was both an economic and a religious center in Asia. Thousands of religious pilgrims came to the city every year to worship the goddess Artemis. (Also known as Diana.)

Paul went there in 53 AD as a missionary for Jesus Christ.

Ephesus wasn’t just a center of pagan religion; it was a center of demonic activity. A place where magic and sorcery were practiced in an effort to control the powerful spirits that people believed ruled their destinies. Ephesians 6:12 talks about the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Paul was going to war!

In Acts 19 Luke gives an account of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus.

Acts 19:11-12 11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

Paul is described as casting out evil spirits and healing the sick. He did the miracles publicly so everyone in the city knew he was casting out demons. In Acts 19:13-16 Luke tells about the 7 sons of Scevin who were exorcists. 13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

And Acts 19:17 17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

Because they had no relationship with Jesus they had no authority over evil spirits.

The third story is in Acts 19:18-20 and indicates how powerfully Paul’s defeat of demons influenced the Christian community. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Before Paul came a lot of the new Christians practiced sorcery to protect themselves from the demons. Now they brought out their books of spells and magic and burned them publicly. Luke says the books were worth 50,000 drachma. (50,000 days’ worth of income!)

So from Acts we know Ephesus was a center of satanic activity. This gives us a clue to understanding the purpose and value of the book of Ephesians. Ephesians has more references to demonic activity then any other New Testament letter.

We are told in the Bible that there is spiritual warfare going on. But we don’t think about it much. Except maybe as entertainment in books and movies. But in the 1st century people were well aware that the Spirit world was real. And there were all types of spirits. There were spirits of the dead. Spirits of heroes of old. Spirits who were gods and goddesses. And there were demons: evil spirits. All of these spirits were thought to interact with and have an impact on living people. So everything – success in business, in love, health, etc. depended on whether the spirits were pleased or displeased with an individual. And the spirits were capricious. They didn’t care about the person. Mostly people just made offerings to placate angry or hostile spirits. Or resort to magic to try to control them.

No one in Ephesus had ever seen a person dominate demons the way Paul did. Paul wrote the letter after he left Ephesus to reassure the young Christian church and tell them plainly how to defend themselves against the attacks of evil spirits who were armed with strategies devised by Satan himself.

Many people today are hooked on the occult. I mentioned books and movies, but Tarot cards, Ouija boards, horoscopes, witchcraft and even people who believe in reincarnation go against Christianity. And the numbers are growing every year.

One of the differences between modern belief and 1st century belief is today many people think the spirits want to help them! So they go to palm readers, psychics and mediums. And ask for help! This opens the door to demons.

Many Christians today are ignorant of demons. They don’t realize that they might be the cause of their spiritual, emotional and even physical problems. Satan works best behind the scenes.

In the Bible there were only 3 time periods when the struggle against demons broke out into the open.

1.  The Exodus. The plagues God sent were judgment on the gods of Egypt. (Who were demons presenting themselves as deities.)

2.  The time of Elijah and Elisha in the 8th century BC. Elijah and Elisha performed miracles that demonstrated that the Lord, is God.

3.  The time of Jesus and the apostles. There were a lot of demons when Jesus walked the earth wanting to do battle with Him.

Today they are still active. But hidden. So Christians discount their influence. Paul knew this would happen and left this letter so we would recognize and combat demons. To recognize them we need to realize Satan is trying to cripple believers to make them miserable and ineffective. And that they are always looking for an open door to get in.

Demons created a lot of misery in the Old Testament, but in the gospels every time they ran into Jesus the demons lost.

Paul wrote “our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” And while demons are spiritual they are also personal beings. The Gospels use personal pronouns when reporting dialog with demons. They have emotions. And groups of demons have team names. Luke 8:27-30 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.

Most Bible students believe demons are angels who followed Satan when he rebelled against God. Revelation 12:4 suggests that 1/3 of the angels God created went with Satan.

Demons are hostile to God and hate humans. They can get inside our personalities. Jesus threw demons out of people. The author says though that demons do not possess people. The Greek word used in scripture means demonized. They influence us. They tempt us, twist our thinking, cloud our understanding. They lie about Christ. They tell us we are hopeless. They encourage bitterness and anger. They push us toward addictions that can ruin our lives.

The Full Armor of God by Larry Richards

I just finished reading Larry Richard’s new book, ‘The Full Armor of God’ and it changed most of what I thought about the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians has been called Paul’s book on spiritual warfare. Richards explained how Paul wrote the letter after he left Ephesus to reassure the young Christian church and tell them plainly how to defend themselves against the attacks of evil spirits who were armed with strategies devised by Satan himself. But then he brought spiritual warfare into the twenty-first century.

Many Christians today are ignorant of demons. They don’t realize that they might be the cause of their spiritual, emotional and even physical problems.

Today they are still active. But hidden. So Christians discount their influence. Paul knew this would happen and left this letter so we would recognize and combat demons. To recognize we need to realize Satan is trying to cripple believers to make them miserable and ineffective. And they are always looking for an open door to get in.

The author shows us how to recognize demons and demonic activity, how to look at our lives and see how we are “inviting them in”, how we can shut the door to them and also cast them out.

This is a fascinating and enlightening read. I was given a free copy to review, but was told my review could be good or bad so long as it was honest. I highly recommend this book.

Mark 5:1-20

Mark 5:1-20 1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Jesus and His disciples were now on the other side of the lake. This was a Gentile region where the people wouldn’t have heard about Him and the miracles He was doing yet. Jesus was beginning to extend the Gospel beyond the Jews.

The demon possessed man was violent and very strong. A legion is a Roman garrison of 6000 soldiers so the reference here shows how vast and strong in number the demons inside this man were. Human effort would be no match for them.

The man ran to Jesus as He came ashore. He needed to be rescued! We ALL need to be rescued!

Ephesians 2:1-3 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

All non-believers are given over to the flesh and controlled by Satan.

The demons actually showed honor to Jesus here. When He showed up they began to be tormented. They ran to Him and bowed down. They confessed who He was. (They knew!) They responded obediently when He asked them their name. And they begged Him for grace.

The Demons are forced to act this way by His presence, His sheer power and because they really know who He is. We bow down, confess who He is, respond obediently and beg for grace because we love Him.

Sometimes people ask why Jesus said yes to the demons and sent them into the herd of pigs. It was because it would show the people who was in control and therefore honor Him the most. In doing this, He cleansed the man from the demons, He cast out the powerful legion with one word commanded and showed how powerful the demons were because they got 2000 pigs to react in a split second. He performed this miracle so they would make no mistake who He was!

The townspeople were very afraid and asked Him to leave. He said yes to this request also. The request He didn’t say yes to was from the man who wanted to go with Him. Jesus told him to stay and tell his story to his own people.

In His mercy, Christ left a missionary to the people who rejected Him. This also tells us not to be discouraged by His “no” answer. If He says no it’s because His plan is better: for His glory and for our good. He has all the pieces of the puzzle. And it commands us to tell our own story. We all have a testimony. We need to share with others how God has had mercy on us.

Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.

Knowing Christ

Mark 1:21-31 21They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil[a] spirit cried out, 24"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
25"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
27The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

Our Pastor, Kurt Gebhards, is preaching on the Gospel of Mark this year and yesterday's sermon on 1:21-31 had some especially interesting thoughts.

In verses 23 – 28 Jesus commands the demon out of a man. The demon knew who Jesus was and he feared him and then he obeyed him! We need to know who He is, fear Him and obey Him! The difference is, the demon does this grudgingly and with great frustration, while we need to do it with great joy! Just “knowing” is useless! The demons know! Our knowledge is unto salvation! Our faith is of the heart, not just with the head. Demons say He is the Savior. We say He is MY Savior!

And in verses 29 – 31: what we take from these verses is when Peter’s mother-in-law got sick; they immediately turned to Jesus, even though He hadn’t healed anyone yet. When we are in trouble or sick, the first thing WE need to do is turn to Jesus. Through prayer and through the resources in His Word.

And when she was healed, she got up to serve Him. We are saved to serve. Jesus brings healing not as an end in itself, but as our beginning to serve. Our freedom from sin is for us to bear fruit. Being born again is the start of our ministry. The strength He gives us isn’t for us, but to glorify Him!