Just "stand"

[now faith]

Its a blessing to hear these post,we all have battles and part of the road to victory is knowing when your being attacked.
Reminds me of the old hymn Standing on the promises of God.

 

[PastorMike]

Its a blessing to hear these post,we all have battles and part of the road to victory is knowing when your being attacked.
Reminds me of the old hymn Standing on the promises of God.

Whenever I hear that old hymn Standing on the promises of God... I remember the question...

Are we standing on the promises or just sitting on the premises...

 

[Scottmcc1]

Whenever I hear that old hymn Standing on the promises of God... I remember the question...

Are we standing on the promises or just sitting on the premises...

 

[now faith]

I had never thought of prayer as a part of His armor and was surprised to see some who thought it was. Certainly know it's a powerful weapon as the result of having on His armor.

I would consider prayer part of the armorEphesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

 

[now faith]

Whenever I hear that old hymn Standing on the promises of God... I remember the question...

Are we standing on the promises or just sitting on the premises...

Well I would say that standing on the promises of God,is the core of WOF.
If God said it we believe it,simple right.
But the church world does not want to hear anything out side there comfort zone.
Most Churches you can set your watch by the ceremony,and if it was on video you could not tell this years from last.
They think by having a church is the great commission, they are just as broke,sick,and lust full as their neighbors who are sinners.
They don't need the armor of God cause they have nothing Satan wants anyway.

 

[PastorMike]

We used to say... God said it... I believe it... That settles it...

Amos 3:3 says Can two walk together except they be agreed... The problem is most Christians are trying to get God to agree with them that they are sick and broke but God is trying to get us to agree with him that we are blessed and healed and over comers...

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

ABM
Why is it important to make the distinction between prayer as a weapon and not prayer as armor?

Maybe this should be moved to a new thread?

The armor of God is listed explicitely. Prayer is not in the list. Prayer certainly is a weapon that can be wielded. Perhaps (I haven't thought this next statement through, but) the armor are reactive (defense) attributes and prayer is our proactive (offense) weapon.

As far as "important to make the distinction" ... I guess, to me, it is because armor is used biblically to mean something, so I balk at turning that meaning (by adding to/subtracting from the list) into something else. It's probably just me and my mindset, though.

 

[Scottmcc1]

ABM,
Armor vs prayer. Some hide behind prayer and don't walk with the armor. We are to walk in prayer and walk in the armor.
Helmet - Live with our minds set on Christ and life in the Spirit. In prayer with God as we move forward through the day.
Breastplate - Live knowing we are saved, cleansed and have a new heart with the Holy Spirit within. In prayer for His direction.
Girdle - Live full of the Scriptures in confidence that God will work with us.
Shield - Rejecting the darts of the enemy with the Word of God.
Sword - Moving forward against the gates of hell and garbing people out of there.
Shoes - Not just sitting on the premises, but going forth with the good news of salvation.

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

ABM,
Armor vs prayer. Some hide behind prayer and don't walk with the armor.

This is true.

We are to walk in prayer and walk in the armor.

Not sure what you mean by "walk in" with these two statements. If you simply mean to use, daily, all the time ... then ok, I agree.

Helmet - Live with our minds set on Christ and life in the Spirit. In prayer with God as we move forward through the day.
Breastplate - Live knowing we are saved, cleansed and have a new heart with the Holy Spirit within. In prayer for His direction.

You add prayer statements to these two. Prayer is not the helmet, though, and it is not the breastplate. While it is a true statement that "in prayer with God we move forward through the day;" and "In prayer for His direction" certainly is something desirable; these two additions have little directly to do with the helmet and the breastplate as armor.

You see even without prayer, the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness will do their job if we "put on the full armor of God"

Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
​

Put it on....when the day of evil comes....you'll stand...and after all else, you will stand.

So where does prayer come into this? Prayer is not mentioned in the armor (it is not armor itself). But it is not left out completely either:

Ephesians 6:18
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
​

Wrong question because we are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:16-18 -- "16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."). So prayer is a given. All the tools that God has given us, from prayer to armor to authority to righteousness are to be used as intended for their intended purposes. Some give us blessing, some give us power and some give us covering.

Bottom line: we are to be complete.

 

[Shepherd1]

Whenever I hear that old hymn Standing on the promises of God... I remember the question...

Are we standing on the promises or just sitting on the premises...

LOL

 

[now faith]

This is true.


Not sure what you mean by "walk in" with these two statements. If you simply mean to use, daily, all the time ... then ok, I agree.


You add prayer statements to these two. Prayer is not the helmet, though, and it is not the breastplate. While it is a true statement that "in prayer with God we move forward through the day;" and "In prayer for His direction" certainly is something desirable; these two additions have little directly to do with the helmet and the breastplate as armor.

You see even without prayer, the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness will do their job if we "put on the full armor of God"

Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
​

Put it on....when the day of evil comes....you'll stand...and after all else, you will stand.

So where does prayer come into this? Prayer is not mentioned in the armor (it is not .armor itself). But it is not left out completely either:

Ephesians 6:18
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
​

Wrong question because we are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:16-18 -- "16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."). So prayer is a given. All the tools that God has given us, from prayer to armor to authority to righteousness are to be used as intended for their intended purposes. Some give us blessing, some give us power and some give us covering.

Bottom line: we are to be complete.

What I consider for a Christian,to, be the most complete weapon peter used.
In the name of Jesus of rise and walk.
He used the authority of Christ,given to him on the cross.
Not to take from the whole armor,but the armor is based on our putting it on.
We were given Christian authority when we accepted Christ.
Even though some never become complete enough in faith to command in the name,nor do they understand what great power is within their grasp.
The lord rebuke you Michael said to Satan when contending for the bones of Moses.
You would think as powerful as Michael is he would have loved to engage in a epic battle.
No need just the authority of the name.

 

[Scottmcc1]

What I have heard many teach, is to say, "I put on the armor." But that is not effective. It is not the saying that is useful alone. It is the using that is useful. Prayer is using the armor. We can't have the armor if we ignore it during a trial.

Prayer is not a given. Many go throughout the day without any prayer. Prayer is communion with God. Prayer is relying on God in the midst of unsure circumstances. Just today as I was helping a homeless man get some food, I was in prayer to see his openness to hearing what I should share to Him. My use of the shoes and the sword. I didn't feel I should use the sword for he was not open to much input. But I did use the shoes to help him.

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

What I have heard many teach, is to say, "I put on the armor." But that is not effective. It is not the saying that is useful alone. It is the using that is useful. Prayer is using the armor. We can't have the armor if we ignore it during a trial.

Prayer is not a given. Many go throughout the day without any prayer. Prayer is communion with God. Prayer is relying on God in the midst of unsure circumstances. Just today as I was helping a homeless man get some food, I was in prayer to see his openness to hearing what I should share to Him. My use of the shoes and the sword. I didn't feel I should use the sword for he was not open to much input. But I did use the shoes to help him.

Well .... no.

hee hee.

Except for the sword, the armor is defensive. The sword, while being the Word of God, is not talking about evangelizing. It is a weapon against the enemy:

Ephesians 6:11-13
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
​

The armor is explicitly laid out after these verses. But the REASON for the armor is explicitly laid out here. It is so that we can be ABLE to stand against the devil. It is to WITHSTAND the onslaught of evil.

Now is this mutually exclusive of prayer? Of course not. So in your account above prayer is absolutely necessary for you to walk in God's will. Your evangelizing to the homeless man is more powerful with a prayerful action. The armor that you put on that day protects you from the devil's attacks that would have stopped you from proselytizing as such.

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

What I consider for a Christian,to, be the most complete weapon peter used.
In the name of Jesus of rise and walk.
He used the authority of Christ,given to him on the cross.
Not to take from the whole armor,but the armor is based on our putting it on.
We were given Christian authority when we accepted Christ.
Even though some never become complete enough in faith to command in the name,nor do they understand what great power is within their grasp.
The lord rebuke you Michael said to Satan when contending for the bones of Moses.
You would think as powerful as Michael is he would have loved to engage in a epic battle.
No need just the authority of the name.

Hmm. It almost appears that you are saying that authority trumps armor. In other words, I can leave the armor laying on the floor as long as I have my authority.

Is this what you mean?

If so, you will question your authority when the first dart hits. And when the second finds its mark you'll be begging for an explanation from God. And with this faultering of authority you will soon drop it and run. (btw, this is one reason why bad things happen to good people and Christians dies prematurely every day!)

Imagine a soldier who goes into the village to tell the crowds that he's been given the king's authority to double the taxes. Will this soldier succeed better with or without his armor?

It is a whole package, nf. We're back to....

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
​

Prayer, armor, fruits of the Spirit, ...wholeness....

 

[now faith]

I am not discounting the armor, without salvation we would have no authority.
With out the Word no knowledge, of our part in the body and our right to use the Name.
Without the shield we would be living in fear and defeat.
We have the armor by understanding kingdom principal, and believing it.
We have the Glorious Name by The gift on the cross,that we can never earn or repay.
I'm not saying the armor is works based but its strength is conditional to our faith.
But when we are all but gone we cry out Our Father in the name of Jesus.
Our authority over our environment is a mighty gift,this is in us to our measure.
We control our own destiny if we walk by faith,we can rebuke the one sending the darts,he must go in the Name.
We can deny the right for something to invade us or sickness to enter our body.
All by the Name of Jesus. But I agree we must be complete in Christ,like warriors clad with armor standing the name of king of kings.

 

[TasManOfGod]

Like I said All the armor is Jesus