Joshua and Judges: The doctrine of leadership part 89 - 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 89 - Essential qualities of leadership: The filling of the Spirit; Overcoming the power and influence of Satan; EPH 6:10-18.

 

Announcements / opening prayer:  

 

 

Principle:

Overcoming the power and influence of Satan demands the filling of the Spirit. Since he is a supernatural foe, human power cannot overcome him.

 

EPH 6:10 Finally, be strong [keep being clothed with strength] in the Lord [not self effort], and in the strength of His might.

 

EPH 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

 

EPH 6:12 For our struggle [wrestle: close quarter contest] is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places [Satan's demon organization which has the sole purpose of opposing God].

 

EPH 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor [emphasis on the entire armor] of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day [pernicious attack], and having done everything, to stand firm [hold your ground - don't become spiritually lazy or apathetic, but be alert].

 

This takes mental discipline and alertness.

 

EPH 6:14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

 

The belt held other parts of armor in place and allowed freedom of movement. It was essential.

 

It is essential that the truth be in us. It is the first thing that we put on and must get comfortable wearing it.

 

The truth is like a great T-cell for the immune system of the soul. Since it is alive and powerful, if learned in humility, it will pierce to the division of soul and spirit and will judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. In this many corrections and reproofs will be felt by the believer. He must accept them in humility. If he is a superficial, arrogant learner, then he is not allowing the word to destroy the cancerous thoughts and conclusions in his soul.   

 

In the analogy, the word of God holds everything in place and allows us freedom of movement or spiritual freedom in Christ.

 

To be deceived is to be enslaved. The truth sets us free. It is equally important that we be true deep within ourselves - to the core of us. Truth cannot be acted. It must be the reality of who we are.

 

The breastplate protects the soldier from a fatal wound by protecting the major organs.

 

Righteousness, which in the context is obviously experiential righteousness, protects the believer from a spiritual fatality.

 

Hence, in order to overcome the enemy, we must apply the truth in life and not just be academics. We are to know the light and also walk in the light by means of the Holy Spirit.

 

The Roman soldier wore sandals which were bound by thongs over the instep and around the ankle, and the soles were thickly studded with nails. This would give him a firm footing in case of attack.

 

EPH 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 

The believer will not stumble when the gospel is his mind's occupation, in that, he has peace with God eternally. He will not fall away or lose his grip on grace. He will sin, but he will not condone sin or self-justify it. The gospel is the foundation of his life.

 

The gospel of peace gives us to the courage to firmly face our foes, who are God's foes. It is extremely difficult to face an enemy on a shaky foundation, but with the gospel of peace, our foundation is rock solid as if we had spikes in our shoes that went deep into the ground.

 

With the gospel as my mind's occupation, heaven is always on my horizon, unshakable and eternal. My enemy cannot shake me from such a foundation.

 

HEB 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. [as they did at Mt. Sinai when they refused to hear Him] For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

 

The contrast is between earth and heaven, in which the same contrast is found between Moses and Christ.

 

HEB 12:26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying [HAG 2:6], " Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven."

 

We live between the shaking at Sinai and the great shaking at the Second Coming. In our age, God is speaking softly and graciously to mankind.

 

HEB 12:27 And this expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

 

The birth pangs of this shaking have already begun.

 

The unshaken are all the eternal things.

 

From this the writer draws the conclusion.

 

HEB 12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show [echo = have] gratitude [charis = grace], by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

 

Because of what we have received we should show gratitude, but that is not exactly what the passage is talking about.

 

"Since we receive this kingdom, let us have grace…"

 

We have received God's kingdom due to His grace. We have done nothing to merit it or to count ourselves worthy of it. So then, let us live this way, as those who are recipients of God's goodness and eternal, unshakable gifts. If we do we will serve Him with godly fear, reverence, and awe, and in so doing, we will serve His people in the same way.

 

Grace here is in contrast to Law and works. We have received grace just like we have received freely the armor of God. We must appropriate grace just like we must continually wear the armor while we serve God in reverence and awe. 

 

And God will shake the life of any of His children who do not appropriate grace with divine discipline.

 

HEB 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire.