May We Be Able to Stand

Eph 6:10-18 The Armor of God

You've heard/read it before many times. Take the armor of God, be a Christian soldier. The reason this strikes me today so hard is because of yesterday's study.


We want to be ready for Christ when He comes. We know some who think they are, won't be. We absolutely do NOT want to be in the group that think they are ready but aren't. It scares us a little bit knowing that those people will be deceived. That WE could be deceived. The deceived don't know they're deceived that's what deception is all about. Those 5 virgins who don't have enough oil fall asleep thinking they have enough. The Bridegroom being delayed wasn't really part of their plan. They had oil, their lamps were burning. Even after they woke up they believed they were Christ's. They hurried off to get what they needed STILL thinking they were Christ's and He would accept them. They ran ALL the way back to the door and it was shut, inside the marriage was going to take place. Those outside STILL believed they were His!!! Even at the door, but… they were DECEIVED.


The Bible tells us how we are to be ready, how we are NOT to be deceived.


Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.


1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.


Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.


Today people have done so much to make sin acceptable that it is no wonder many will be deceived. They won't believe they've done wrong!


They'll be SO caught up in the supposed 'Love' of God that they'll be worshipping a false Christ- one that calls evil good and good evil, one that overlooks their sin allowing them to keep on sinning because they KNOW this false Christ understands it's simply too hard to be like those STRICT Christians caught up in their false belief that they are called to perfection.


We don't want to be called to perfection!


Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.


Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.


Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.


Is it NO wonder at all we are told not to be deceived?


That many shall come in Christ's name?


Think about it… people have made up their own Christ's to follow, they've taken bits and pieces of the one true Christ and molded Him into their own false Christ. Ministers of these false Christ's call their followers to join with them and follow after this false Christ they've concocted. Yes, in the literal sense people from time to time believe they are Christ come again and we are definitely NOT to follow them, but that is obvious to us, right?


Deception is being deceived, having the wool pulled over our eyes, it's truly NOT realizing we're being fooled. We are told the UNRIGHTEOUS will not inherit the kingdom of God and we have NO problem with that because we aren't among them. None of us are fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of ourselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunks, revilers, extortioners right? RIGHT?! We're not deceived, what we sow is good, yes? We're not deceived. We are not deceived we will be ready with extra oil in our lamps, undeceived, prepared doing ALL we can to stand. Is this You? Understanding that MANY will be deceived? Many will believe they are followers and ready to enter into the marriage, but they won't be.


Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


We need to be ready and we're told how to be ready.


Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints


We're told to put on the whole armor of God if we're to stand against the WILES of the devil. The wiles- at least one among the wiles is- deception.



If we want to STAND in the evil day, doing all we can to stand we have to have the armor on, we have to have extra oil to trim our lamps.


We have to have RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We have to have the GOSPEL of PEACE.
We have to have FAITH.
We have to have SALVATION.
We have to have the WORD of GOD.
WE have to PRAY ALWAYS.


CHRIST'S Righteousness
CHRIST'S Gospel of peace
CHRIST'S Faith.
CHRIST'S Salvation
CHRIST'S Word
CHRIST'S Prayer


We have to have all this through CHRIST! In the SPIRIT!


Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.


We can fool ourselves all we want into believing that no matter what we are going with Christ at His second coming, but that self deception will shock many in that day.


We need to be ready, we need to immerse ourselves in the Word of God.


2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.


We need to delve into His word and apply it to our lives- EVERY moment of our lives. We should NEVER set aside our Savior- we should be praying always- in all we do Christ should be with us- LIVING in us, not just visiting us.


May God help us because we need help so badly. May our eyes be opened by the Holy Spirit! May we be clothed in Christ's righteousness! May we have all the faith we need- in quality! May we believe Lord, help our unbelief!


Amen.