R402 The Believer’s Commission, Pt.4

We have an exciting conclusion to this multi-part series on the Believer's Commission, coming up next with Dr. Don Wilton. This is The Encouraging Word featuring the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton, well-known author, evangelist, seminary professor, pastor, a dear friend and pastor to Dr. Billy Graham over 20 years.

If you haven't read the book called Saturdays with Billy with Dr. Don, I pray you'll consider getting a copy. It's powerful, and you can actually get it on audiobook as well, wherever you find books, but also on our website at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org. Right now, the resource that everybody's asking about is Fortified and the Strategy of Satan, two powerful resources, again, right there on the front page of www.tewonline.org. Now let's open God's Word to the book of Ephesians with Dr. Don Wilton. Turn with me this morning to the book of Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10, and there is so much that God would lay upon our hearts as we try to understand His Word. I want to read to you again this great passage of Scripture, perhaps for the last time these few verses for some time till God leads us back to them again.

But they are so important. You see friends, what the Lord is doing here is He is trying to show us how special we really are, not because of ourselves. None of us are special. We are special, not within ourselves, but within Christ Jesus. God has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and God loves us and He loves you. The most marvelous thing about knowing the Lord is that He not only commissions us and prepares us, but He equips us. He tells us how to handle the trials of life.

He tells us how to anticipate what to do and where to go. Many years ago, I found myself in a very horrible situation. Many of you probably have been in similar situations. I was on a battlefield literally, and I was in a tank, and there were many other tanks with me, and many other foot soldiers and support troops. And I remember so well coming over this hill through all this bush and jungle, and being so afraid, and looking ahead through the periscopes and binoculars, my whole heart began to just sink. Because about one mile ahead of us were five Stalin's organs. You don't know what a Stalin's organ is.

It's named after Joseph Stalin, the communist dictator and oppressor and murderer. And it is an instrument of war that is horrific. They were used in Desert Storm, probably by a different name. And basically, it's a missile carrier that stands by itself or on the back of a truck, and it has 12 heat-seeking missiles in it. And when you push a button, those high-explosive anti-tank missiles take off, and there is nothing you can do to get out of the way.

It is almost guaranteed that they will find their target. Now, jet fighter pilots have a similar experience. And today's modern technology, a jet fighter pilot, if he is locked in on by the enemy and the button is pushed, it is almost impossible for a jet fighter pilot to avoid being taken out by a missile because it has a heat-seeking unit in it that will follow the heat that comes out of the back end of a jet fighter. And so they've devised methods today that jet fighter pilots actually drop distractions.

They are trained to push buttons that pop out other heat-seeking devices so that it deceives the pathway of the enemy that is about to destroy them. And I remember 26, 27 years ago knowing that probably my life was about to end, and we all did. But something happened. No missiles came at us. And as we approached the positions, firing and doing whatever else we could do, these missiles were never fired.

And finally we overtook this particular section. And the enemy began to flee, and we discovered what was wrong. What was wrong was very simple, was that the enemy had five Stalin's organs, but they didn't know how to operate them. And in fact, the commanding general of our unit, our battalion, got on one of them, turned it around in the direction the enemy were going and pushed one button.

And all 12 missiles went in the direction of those that were trying to send them in our direction. Here the Apostle Paul, in these final words in Ephesians chapter 6, is trying to say to us, Dear friends, I want you to know that God cares enough about you, that He's not only going to provide you with the wherewithal and the means to counteract the enemy's attack in your life, but He's going to show you how to operate that counter-offensive. Let's read it again. Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

That's what we're dealing with today. And then in verse 12, we have an adjectival clause, if you please. We have a description of the devil's schemes.

Some very important questions with regard to his activities are answered in verse 12. But it seems to me that in the preamble that Paul is saying to us, Sharon, this is vital. Paul says, I want you to know that you must put on the full armor of God, not because you may be attacked by the devil's schemes, but because what?

You will be. He gives us a guarantee. And what Paul is saying here is he is saying that not if you come under attack, but when you do come under attack, I want you to know that God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. God provides the counter offensive. God gives us the strength. God gives us the way with all. God gives us the grace to be overcomers. God is the one who provides us with his enabling power. That's what Paul says. He says, I want you to put on the whole armor of God so that when the devil and his schemes come against you, you are going to be able to stand. Look how he puts it. He says, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, therefore put on the full armor of God. Here it is again. Know that you may be able to stand your ground. And then I love this little parenthetical comment, don't you?

And then after having done everything, you'll still be able to stand. Now, why does Paul say it twice? Does he think we're ignorant? Yes. He knows how hard it is to be a human being. Does Paul think we take a long time to understand these things?

Yes. You see, Paul knows because he was one of us and the Spirit of God was speaking through him. Paul knows that we are human beings. So what does that mean? It means that I wake up sometime on Monday morning and I feel awful. I've been diagnosed with cancer. I have family problems.

I have this need, I have that need. Whatever my circumstances are and everything comes crashing down on me and God begins to move in my heart. And so Paul says, when that happens, you're going to be able to stand. But what about Tuesday morning?

You see, Paul understood that by the time I get to Wednesday, knowing me and knowing himself, I'm probably going to be attacked by something else. Don't talk to your dentist. If it's not this tooth, it's that tooth.

I mean, I've never been able to understand why all my teeth just can't be well all at the same time. And if it's not this attack, it's that attack. Have you ever just become almost exasperated? This just never seems to stop. Well, what does Paul say? Look at this.

He says here, it's absolutely marvelous before he gets in to a description of the equipment that he makes available to us. He says, so that you may be able to stand your ground and then after you have done everything, to stand. In other words, God is not going to give up. So don't you give up. Please don't give up. Please don't give up. Don't give up praying for your son. Don't give up praying for your wife, my dear brother. If you're in hospital today, please don't give up.

God is with you. And so what he does at this juncture, he says, I want to just tell you something. You need to know about your enemy. You're never going to be able to stand against him if you don't know who he is. I love reading history, as some of you know, and I love to read about the great battles.

You know, you can go and study the commanding generals of the world. Many a great battle was won, not because the power that defeated them was insurmountable, but rather that the commanding general understood his enemy before he attacked him. That's why Gideon did so well. That's why David was able to overcome Goliath with just a little pebble.

Because he knew God was on his side and he knew the enemy. Don't talk to basketball coaches and football coaches. The best head coaches are not just those who have good players in their team. The best head coaches are those who understand the opposition before they play them. That's why a head coach, when he goes and he scouts and he looks at the opposition, he's able to say, listen, I'm going to match this forward with that forward or this center with that center.

Why? Just because this player is good? No, but because he's the best offensive weapon to use against the opposition. Maybe he's got a special way of maneuvering that ball that is going to bamboozle the opposition. Maybe he's tall enough that he can get all over everybody. Maybe he can throw touchdowns in certain circumstances.

And so he switches his quarterback at a key play, not because that man is the best quarterback, but because he's the best person to stand ground under those circumstances. So our question is, who's the devil? Let's look at this just for a moment.

Just for a moment. Who is he? The Bible says he's the chief angel, the anointed cherub, the star of the morning. The Bible tells us that Satan sparkled before the fall. But what was his problem in Isaiah chapter 14 and Ezekiel 28? The Bible says that this enemy, this one, that he tried to usurp God's power and glory and God will not tolerate that. God has told us thou shalt have no other gods before me. He told us, I am the Lord your God. I am who I am. And Satan himself, the sparkling angel said, wait a minute, I'm going to become the great I am.

God said, you are? That's how Satan became Satan. He appeared as a serpent in Genesis chapter three. In Luke chapter 10 and John's gospel, Jesus not only spoke about him, but in Matthew's gospel chapter four, he spoke with him. And the Bible tells us more about him, that he's got many names, this enemy. We must understand, he was the anointed cherub in Ezekiel chapter 28, the ruler of the demons in Luke 11, the ruler of the world in John chapter 16, the god of this world in 2 Corinthians chapter four, the prince of the power of the air in Ephesians chapter two that we looked at a year ago, the great dragon, the roaring lion of 2 Peter chapter two, seeking whom he may devour, the vile one, the attempted, the accuser in Revelation chapter 11.

By the way, I hope that you do not miss the study in the book of Revelation at 6.15 tonight. I mean, folks, have you ever wondered what the number 666 means? Look at Revelation chapter 13 in the last verse. The Bible tells us that Satan, the word Satan appears over 52 times. And by the way, if you've ever wondered what Satan means, it means adversary. But then over 35 times, the word devil appears.

Here's one of those in Ephesians 6 and verse 11, the devil schemes. Do you know what the word devil means? Slaunderer. That's what the word devil means, slaunderer. You ever call someone a devil? You're calling them a slaunderer.

Why? Because that is someone who is systematically about the business of destroying another person's character. A slaunderer is someone who systematically and deliberately sets about the task of breaking down this beautiful personality that God has created. Called Satan, called the devil. And you know, Satan has been corrupting ever since the fall. He's evil, he is formidable, he is powerful, he is active and the Bible says he is an invisible foe. So what does Satan do? If we need to understand Satan, what does he do? Well, there's a lot of things that he does.

Let me share a few with you. Number one, he opposes God's work. Zechariah chapter three and verse one, he opposes God's work.

Listen to this. If you are doing what God wants you to do in the work of God, Satan's against it. Now you don't need a deacons meeting for this. Satan's against it. As someone said to the preacher one time, preacher, what do you think of sin? And the preacher said, I'm against it. Tremendous, tremendous sermon right there.

Massive. I mean, that's got so many points behind it. Satan opposes God's work. But number two, he perverts God's word.

Read about that in Matthew chapter four and verse six. He takes God's word and he twists it. He perverts it. He turns it to suit his own end. Number three, he hinders God's servants. First Thessalonians chapter two and verse 18. He gets in the way.

Now by the way that word hinder, do you know what it means? It means he trips him up. When I was a boy, I have brothers in my home. My absolute favorite thing to do with my brothers, especially my older brother, is one way that I could get to him. We'd be walking down the road, all of us, I'd just fall back without anybody knowing. And then just at a key moment, I'd just stick out my toe and just go, You know what I'd do? If you can catch a person's foot, watch this now young people, if you can catch a person's foot while they walking at about there and just nudge it. You know what happens to them?

Kaboom, boom, boom, they're over. And if it's your big brother, he's on his nose. Now, I don't recommend this for anybody here. Do you know that that's what Satan does? That's the word hinders. When Satan hinders God's people, he walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. And quite literally and figuratively, he walks behind God's people and he waits for your foot to be in the right position. And when it's in the right position, guess what he does? Sometimes it's the most subtle unnoticed thing, but he just sticks out his foot and he just trips you. And he hits you at your most vulnerable point.

And what he wants to do is he wants you to land flat on your nose. Forgive the interruption, but as we understand that truth that Satan wants us to fall flat and he knows our vulnerability. One of the joys of our ministry is to pray you through those moments of temptation. The great thing about 866-899 word, that's our connection line, our prayer line, our encouragement line 866-899-9673 is that we can be there for you on those odd hours that maybe you wouldn't bother a friend.

Dr. Don says we all need 2 a.m. friends. That's what's so important about being in a small group in your local church. But when you can't reach someone, we're always available at 866-899-9673, 2 a.m. in the morning, anytime, day or night, to talk with you, to pray with you, to encourage you, that's 866-899-9673. Or if you'd rather go keyboard to keyboard, meet us on our website, www.tewonline.org. It's also a great place to share a prayer request or praise report.

Just know that we're available to connect with you online at www.tewonline.org or that phone number, 866-899-9673. Now back to today's teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. And when you get up, he does it again. And when you get up, he does it again. That's what the Bible says. Satan hinders God's servants. He interrupts their flow. Number four, he prevents God's gospel. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, that means that he puts up roadblocks to the flow of God's gospel.

And number five, he confuses receptive hearts. That's what happens. You see, not only does Satan trip us up all the time and try and get us to stumble, but he prevents the gospel from getting into our hearts. And what he does is he confuses our hearts right at the point of impact. That's what he does.

He sends out flares and he sends out deceptive devices and he sends out things that would distract and cause detours. Every time the gospel is preached, there are people who come right to the point of saying yes to the Lord Jesus Christ and right there at that moment, Satan gets in and says, now you don't want to do that, do you? Can you imagine what all those people are going to think if you walk down that aisle?

You're a businessman in the community. They might see you. And what's your family going to think? You've been going to church for 20 years and now all of a sudden you say you need to give your heart to Jesus.

What do you think they're going to think of you? And you don't need to believe everything that that preacher said. Take it a little bit with a pinch of salt. Or what you need to do is you need to take God's word and you need to translate it figuratively. Everything is figurative, it's symbolical and it doesn't actually mean what it's saying but you know, if you dig enough, you might come out with some. You see, Satan confuses receptive hearts. Number six, he raises false Christs.

We're looking at that in Revelation. Matthew chapter 24, no different. He raises false Christs, people who talk like the Lord Jesus and who claim to have a walk with Jesus but they are the embodiment and the personification of Satan himself. He snares the wicked. He puts them in snares and in chains according to 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 7. He propagates individual beliefs and lifestyles that are not of God. He causes doubts and questions. He leads people into temptation and how does he do this and where does he do this? The Bible tells us about that in verse 12. It's not always things that we can see. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but those things, dear friends, that we cannot see and what is he saying here about powers of this dark world and spiritual forces in heavenly places?

He is saying, beloved friends, listen to me carefully, that each one of these is a category of demon activity followed by a category that carries with it a level of demonic authority and Paul here says, you want to know the enemy, you want to know the devil, you've got to understand that he has a specific activity and that he carries a specific authority. You know something? He has been defeated. He has been defeated. I don't want to get to the end of the book before we there but Jesus Christ has completely defeated Satan. You and I can have the victory.

Oh, and that victory is so sweet. I pray that you are a part of the family of God that can rest in the assurance of that victory to know that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you belong to Jesus Christ. But if that's not the case, you've got questions, let us pray with you, 866-899-WORD is the phone number. That's 866-899-9673. We'd love to talk to you about anything, especially giving your life to Christ.

How do you do that? Here's Dr. Don next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? I'm so happy to hear that. Why don't you pray this prayer with me today? Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on a cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today, I repent of my sin. I confess my sin to you and I invite you to come into my heart and into my life, I pray. In Jesus' name I pray. If you prayed that prayer, let me be the first one to welcome you to the family of God.

This is wonderful. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important this is for me. Call us so that we can talk to you and connect you in the right place so you can begin this wonderful journey. So exciting to see how God is at work. I pray that in these last few moments, the Lord has to do business with you. Perhaps moments ago, you prayed along with our pastor, Dr. Don Wilton, and gave your life to Christ for the very first time.

If so, welcome to the family of God. We're really so excited for you, want to help you in the next steps or perhaps you just rededicated your life and it's time for a brand new beginning. We have new resources for you as well to help develop the roots of your faith and then help you grow and stretch out the branches so that you will be bearing fruit for God in a fresh new way. Why don't you give us a call for those free resources at 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673. There are also great free resources on our website. You can sign up for the daily encouraging word email from Dr. Don. Sign up and every morning about 6 o'clock Eastern, you'll get an email with encouraging words with great teaching, wonderful application of Scripture. You can do that online at tewonline.org. You can even sign up for a hard copy, a quarterly version we send out every quarter.

That's all online at tewonline.org. Are you spiritually dressed for today's battles? As Christians, the Word of God equips us on how to prepare and fight spiritual battles.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6-12 that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, spiritual forces of evil and heavenly places. Join Dr. Wilton as he unpacks Fortified, a powerful four-message series to help you understand the spiritual battle we are in and teach you how to put your spiritual armor on. Plus, to further equip you, you will receive the bonus book, Strategies of Satan, How to Detect and Defeat Him by Warren Wiersbeek. Call us at 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673 and request Fortified and the Strategies of Satan for a gift of $25. Thank you for supporting The Encouraging Word as we continue to proclaim the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. We've had tremendous teaching from Dr. Don Wilton in this series on the Believer's Commission.

Perhaps you didn't get to hear it all. It's all available on our website. You can watch it or listen to it at tewonline.org. Jot it down, tewonline.org is the place you can sign up for Dr. Don's wonderful daily encouraging word devotional and so much more. That's tewonline.org.