Joshua and Judges: The doctrine of leadership part 93 - Essential qualities of leadership: The filling of the Spirit; Overcoming the power and influence of Satan; Eph 6:10-18.

Title: Joshua and Judges: The doctrine of leadership part 93 - Essential qualities of leadership: The filling of the Spirit; Overcoming the power and influence of Satan; EPH 6:10-18.

 

Announcements / opening prayer:  

 

 

EPH 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 

Helmet of salvation = protection of the mind, soul, spirit, and heart that is accomplished through our overcoming the sin nature by means of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord.

 

This goes quite a bit further than just knowing that you're saved, though it certainly includes that truth. Remember, the armor is for the function of power in the midst of conflict, therefore it is about application of the position in Christ that every believer has been given.

 

Not all saved people pick up and put on the full armor of God. It is a command to the saved and so not automatically fulfilled. For instance, we are never commanded to be indwelt by the Spirit since that gracious fact is a constant for all believers, but we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit and to not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit. The helmet of salvation, the application of our position to our experience by faith and obedience, is the protection of my soul so that it is not continually polluted and defiled by the sin nature, the world system, and the lies and deceit of the kingdom of darkness.

 

1CO 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ.

 

1CO 3:2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

 

1CO 3:3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

 

1CO 11:29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly.

 

1CO 11:30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

 

1CO 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

 

1CO 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

 

A saved person who lives a lifestyle of carnality does not have a healthy mind, soul, and spirit. He is deceived, weak, and sick. He has the helmet of salvation, but has been deceived from arrogance or lust that he need not wear it. Such a believer does not live the justified life that was given to him by God at salvation, but rather clings to the old life and believes the old nature is his first principle of life.

 

We have not only been delivered from the sin nature and unto the reign of grace and righteousness, but also from death unto eternal life.

 

ROM 5:21

that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

The old nature fears death because it fears anything more powerful than itself. It wants to rule the universe. It wants to conquer death. This is why there are medical researchers today who are trying to find a way to turn off the 'aging gene' so mankind can live forever, and why some have their remains cryogenically frozen in the hope that one day they may be awakened. These attempts to conquer death are fruitless.

 

GEN 3:22 Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever" — 

 

GEN 3:23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

 

GEN 3:24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.

 

The way to the Tree of Life is only by the altar at the east gate of the garden, between the cherubim where the first blood sacrifices would be offered; the first ark of the covenant - the cross.

 

The believer living as the new creature does not desire to remain on the earth forever.

 

The citizen of heaven desires to be home with his Lord.

 

JOH 13:36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow later." 

 

JOH 13:37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You."

 

JOH 13:38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a cock shall not crow, until you deny Me three times.

 

JOH 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

 

JOH 14:2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

 

JOH 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

 

JOH 14:4 "And you know the way where I am going." 

 

JOH 14:5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"

 

JOH 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

 

Just like at the east gate of the garden, the way to the Tree of Life was only through the blood sacrifice, so now that the true sacrifice is here, no one comes to the Father, but through Him.

 

Every Christian is to have Paul's attitude concerning death:

 

Php 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 

Php 1:22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

 

Php 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;

 

Php 1:24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

 

The helmet also refers to having no fear of death. Fear stifles movement and cripples thinking and courage.

 

MAT 10:28

"And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

A church is commissioned to reveal what these pieces of armor are. Every believer is in possession of them. Unfortunately, many churches are far more concerned with attendance, revenue, placating, entertaining, etc. rather than revealing how a believer may equip himself with this armor and learn to wear it comfortably. False or watered down teachings on righteousness, salvation, the gospel, and the role of faith in the Christian way of life is the greatest assistance to Satan and the kingdom of darkness. The church has a tendency to blend worldly anthropocentric views with revealed scripture and the result is that any saints in attendance are not equipped to wear the armor of God. As a church, we must resolutely endeavor to teach the truth of the scriptures and equip believers and never get distracted by finances, numbers, opinions, or approbation.

 

EPH 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

 

EPH 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

 

EPH 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.