The Position - Your Equipment
It is a good bet that you would not attempt a task without the proper equipment to do the job. To do so would be foolish, leading to ineffectiveness at the very least if not a full blown train wreck with a great deal of collateral damage to yourself and others or worse.
You are smarter than that . . . right?
So, why do believers habitually attempt life improperly equipped and out of position? This section is about the equipment you need to live and work effectively in position with Jesus.
Lock onto this progression of truth.
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. . . and this is the secret: Christ lives in you. Colossians 1:27
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. . . for apart from me, you can do nothing. John 15:5
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. . . the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John 4:4
Because of the remarkable truth that Christ lives in you, you are equipped in specific ways for effectiveness in the doing of life in all its many frames. The equipment is described at the end of Paul's instruction to a group of Christians in Ephesus. Ephesians 6:10-18.
The bulk of that letter is composed of instruction in living God's way. . . in position. The equipment is presented as essential to the protection of the believer living in a culture actively resistant to the way of Christ. Paul's rehearsal of the various pieces of equipment assumes not only cultural resistance but a much more powerful opposing force, evil itself. "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
You live in a similar culture, and you face the same enemy. Learn how to use this equipment in the context of the three bullet points above! It is the key to survival and effectiveness.
We will deal with the attack of our spiritual enemy later in this study. Here the focus is upon your protective equipment or to use Paul's metaphor . . . the believer's armor. He used an illustration well known to the audience of his day, the Roman soldier . . .
his belt, his breastplate, his shoes, his shield, his helmet, and his sword.
I have elected to link you to the best teaching on the subject of the believer's equipment that I know. Dr. John MacArthur is a noted Bible scholar and in-depth teacher. His handling of this subject is excellent.
Your job is to acquaint yourself with and master the use of your equipment. Invest the time. You will appreciate the result.