Sunday – September 1, 2013 “The Armor of Righteousness”

September 1, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of Righteousness from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Satan is the great hypocrite. He is the advocate of unrighteousness incarnate and when we have failed to live the righteous standard for which we have been called is the first to accuse us before God. Day and night he accuses men before God, but not just any men- the saints themselves. How is it that the prince of unrighteousness can accuse the righteous before God, day and night? The Scriptures make clear the assault of Satan is not only against the righteous (saints) but attacking righteousness. That is why the breastplate of righteousness is so essential to the Christians armor.
Join us as we continue our study of spiritual warfare and the armor God has given to every believer. This week we examine “Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of Righteousness”.


Word On Worship – September 1, 2013 Download / Print

Ephesians 6:13-41
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS …”

Satan is the great hypocrite. He is the advocate of unrighteousness incarnate and when we have failed to live up to the righteous standard for which we have been called, Satan is the first to accuse us before God. Day and night he accuses men before God, but not just any men – the saints themselves. How is it that the prince of unrighteousness can accuse the righteous before God, day and night? The Scriptures make clear the assault of Satan is not only against the righteous (saints) but is also attacking righteousness. That is why the breastplate of righteousness is so essential to the Christian’s armor.

When we sin, Satan is quick to accuse us because that is his nature. Our defense against such accusation is found in the breastplate of righteousness. It is in Christ’s righteousness that we stand. In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, little Christian meets Satan shortly after receiving his armor. In the enemy’s attack on Christian, Satan hurls his accusations reminding Christian of his failures to live up to his name. He reminds him of his wickedness, how he fell into the Slough of Despond and how he left his roll behind him when he rested too long. Bunyan understood how well Satan attacks the Christian. It is our sins that condemn us and it is Christ’s righteousness that saves us. Even when the evil one accuses us, it is only the imputed righteousness we have in Jesus Christ that allows us to stand.

Satan looks for points of weakness where he can capitalize. The devil recognized the attitude of Peter regarding suffering and prompted him to rebuke the Lord Jesus and try to turn Him from the way of the cross. Satan recognized David’s pride and led him to count the number of the Israelites that were his to command. He took advantage of Judas’s greed and frustration to gain power to control his life as an unbeliever. And the adversary recognized the tainted motivation of Ananias and Sapphira that filled their hearts so as to lie to the Holy Spirit. From the most righteous to the wicked, we all are attacked at our weakest point.

Our enemy watches for any sign of weakness and then capitalizes on it. To give into sin through the weaknesses of the flesh is to give Satan an inroad into our spiritual lives. While sin causes a gap in our armor, Righteousness provides no openings for Satan, no handles for him to get a grip on our lives to pull us back. Righteousness is a part of our defense because the best defense is a good offense. By the filling of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to press forward in righteousness against the unrighteous charges of the evil one.

What do you think?