My kids have a weapons rack. It consists of things like nerf guns, wooden and foam swords, sling shots, cardboard shields and armor, everything a little boy needs to defend his kingdom, storm the castle, slay the dragons, defeat the bad guys and rescue the princess. Even at their young ages they understand the battle between good and evil, heroes/superheroes and villains, light and darkness. They know the bad guys are selfish, mean and greedy while the good guys fight for what’s right and help the weak.
In our Christian lives God has given us the Weapons of Righteousness to fight for what’s right and help the weak. Let’s take a look at these weapons. We need them for ourselves and our children because the world isn’t getting any safer these days.
2 Corinthians 6:3-13
“We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.”
Weapons are offensive and we must learn to wield them with skill when the enemy comes at us. Paul gives us these 8 weapons “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God,” and he says they are for the right hand and the left. We often face hardship both from outside and sadly from within the church. We must help each other, stand with each other. The same Spirit that has called us into the sheepfold has already equipped us with these weapons of righteousness. Let’s see how to use these weapons to defend ourselves on the right hand and encourage each other on the left hand.
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Purity
Purity is the opposite of hypocrisy, and isn’t that the main complaint of the world toward the church these days? We know we will never achieve sinless perfection this side of heaven but we should be growing in these things. In our sanctification process it looks like living in a way that we believe our lives are meant for more than the gratification of our own physical pleasures. As Christ becomes more beautiful to us our sins will lose their luster.
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Knowledge
Knowledge is so powerful because it silences ignorance. Do you know what the bible says? About sin? Salvation? Redemption? Jesus? Do you know what Jesus said in the bible? Jesus said some amazing things, and a lot of what he said was quoting the old testament. Jesus knew his bible. He also knew how and when to use the word of God. He shut down the enemy with skill when he was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Satan doesn’t care about your opinions but if you know the Word then Satan can’t deceive you. The word is the sword! We must know it.
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Patience
Patience is a great weapon in our “Have it your way right now” culture. Patience is also learned. We are born as babies and the first thing we do is cry until our needs are met. Hungry, cold, wet, tired, gassy. Our plump baby cheeks quivered until every little thing we wanted was given to us. And rightly so to helpless babies. The two’s are so terrible because in the maturing process it is when we must begin learning patience. Regular mealtimes, bedtime, potty training… It is the process of learning submission and obedience, but all for our own good. Grown ups with unmet expectations that refuse to exercise patience are truly the most miserable people and they make everyone around them just as miserable as a colicky baby that keeps everyone up all night. We sin when we look for shortcuts to our goals and desires. Use patience to show people you care about them enough to give them the time and space they need to function.
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Kindness
Kindness opens doors that brute force will only shut tighter. The bible says it this way in Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Kindness is the opposite of being mean. At every turn of the corner Christ was showing kindness to the weak and exhausted people he met with. The apostles often got this wrong while Jesus was with them, trying to keep away children, hush the cries of blind men and send hungry people away to fend for themselves. By the time the book of Acts rolls around they got it. Every miracle in the new testament was birthed out of the kindness they learned from walking with Jesus. In a recent sermon Pastor Ron Ohst reminded us the kindest thing we can do for someone is put a hand on their shoulder and say, “Can I pray for you?” This can melt the hardened heart like wax.
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The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the helper. Let’s face facts. We all need help. We look at this laundry list of afflictions and the endurance we need and say “Who can do this?!?” When Jesus left for heaven he said he wasn’t leaving us orphans but sending a helper, his Holy Spirit, to dwell in us. The Holy spirit is a lot like a light switch, the power is always there but not always “on.” We make a mistake thinking we can find our own way in the dark until we bang our shins on the proverbial coffee table of life and end up on the floor writhing in pain. Turn the lights on! Every day when you wake up, take a moment to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help. He delights to help you.
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Genuine Love
Genuine love is a rare gem. I could give you my opinion of what “genuine love” looks like but Paul lays it out perfectly for us in Romans 12:9-18,
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
This attitude of genuine love applies in every aspect of life, in our families, workplaces, churches, and even the freeway. The strongest Christians I know are characterised by what Paul says, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation and constant in prayer. -
Truthful Speech
Truthful speech. How does truthful speech give us endurance in afflictions? Again we must look at it as a weapon of righteousness. Jesus tells us where lies come from in John 8:44 as he address the religious leaders,
“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
The pharisees were unwilling to tell the truth about who Jesus was. Truthful speech calls us to the discomfort of telling people they have it wrong when they say Jesus was “just a good teacher” or “just a prophet.” There is power in telling the truth about Jesus, the power that leads to salvation. Paul was a pharisee bent on murdering Christians but he was converted to the truth of Jesus. He tells this truth clearly in 1 Cor 15:3-4,11
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”
The truth of the gospel sets captives free and turns enemies into brothers. -
The Power of God
The power of God is the Gospel. Paul experienced this first hand when he was blinded on the Damascus road and he ultimately gave his life for it. Let’s hop scotch through his letters to the churches and see what he says about this power and the gospel…
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
1 Cor 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God
1 Cor 2:5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
2 Cor 13:4 For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.
2 Tim 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
One of my favorite quotes is that “Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, he came to make dead people alive.” -Ravi Zacharias. This is what the power of God working through the gospel of Jesus Christ does. Day in, day out.
I hope this has been an encouragement to you. Sometimes I feel like there is so much to do and I get so caught up in my own plans and my own little kingdom. I forget that God has saved me to be about his business. I forget that he’s already given me everything I need to do his will and his work. I forget that I’m in the Lord’s Army and I leave the house without my weapons and then I’m taken by surprise when the enemy comes at me. I want to be more intentional about having these weapons at the ready. Will you pray for me? I’ll be praying for you.