In this sermon, Pastor Walker continues his series about putting on the full armor of God.

Read the summarized highlights of the sermon below, or watch it here.

Sermon Highlights

Recap: Ephesians 6:10–18

Pastor Walker opens with a recap of Ephesians 6:10–18, the foundational passage for the series. He reads the full text describing the call to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might" and to "put on the whole armor of God."

Ephesians 6:10: The Foundation

Pastor Walker breaks down verse 10 into two components: what (be strong) and where (in the Lord, in the power of His might). He illustrates this with a story about nearly playing basketball against Michael Jordan overseas, making the point that strength doesn't come from personality or human ability. Even someone as gifted as Jordan would need to humble himself before God. He emphasizes that "there are no experts in God" and that all glory belongs to God alone, not to any particular teacher or personality.

Ephesians 6:11: The How and the Why

Verse 11 provides two more elements: how (by putting on the whole armor of God) and why (to stand against the wiles of the devil). Pastor Walker explains that the devil is subtle and deceptive, often "masking himself" as the believer's own thoughts and habits rather than appearing as an obvious external threat.

Ephesians 6:12: The Real Enemy

Pastor Walker highlights that the battle is not against "flesh and blood" but against spiritual forces of darkness. He notes that Satan's greatest victory is getting believers to fight one another while he remains uninvolved. He connects this to Paul's own context — writing from house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier — and to Paul's time ministering in Ephesus, where he witnessed significant spiritual conflict firsthand.

2 Corinthians 10:3–4: The Weapons Are Spiritual

Turning to 2 Corinthians 10:3–4, Pastor Walker stresses that believers' weapons are spiritual, not carnal, and are made mighty through God. He uses the analogy of fighting someone with a machine gun using only a knife to show why spiritual weapons are necessary for a spiritual enemy.

The Instructions: Submit, Then Resist (James 4:7)

Before detailing the "weapons," Pastor Walker emphasizes the instructions for using them, based on James 4:7: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." He points out that people often try to resist the devil without first submitting to God, which is backwards and ineffective.

The Seven Sons of Sceva (Acts 19)

He illustrates this with the story of the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19, who attempted to cast out a demon using Jesus' name without being submitted to God themselves. The evil spirit overpowered them, and they fled naked and wounded. Pastor Walker notes that though they used the powerful name of Jesus, it didn't work because they weren't submitted. This event led the Ephesians to burn a large quantity of books on witchcraft and the occult after witnessing God's power.

Having vs. Taking: Submission Before Resistance

Pastor Walker draws a distinction in Ephesians 6:13–16 between "having" (submission) and "taking" (resistance/spiritual warfare). He explains that most believers skip the submission step and go straight to resisting, which is why many prayers seem unanswered.

Breaking Down the Armor

The Belt of Truth: Worship

Pastor Walker teaches that the belt (to which everything else attaches) represents worship. He references John 4:24 ("God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth") and shares a personal story of establishing a new habit of solitary morning worship in his garage, describing an emotional, meaningful experience of connecting with God through a specific worship song.

The Breastplate of Righteousness: Being a Watchman

The breastplate represents guarding one's heart as a "watchman." He references Matthew 6:33 ("seek ye first the kingdom of God") and 1 Peter 5:7–8 (casting cares on God, being "sober and vigilant"). He explains that being sober means being careful about what one takes in (media, gossip, conversations), sharing an example of leaving a raunchy comedy show on a cruise because "my witness is too good for that."

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: Being a Witness

Pastor Walker connects "shoes fitted with the gospel of peace" to Romans 12:18–21 and Matthew 5:44, teaching believers to be peacemakers, not peacekeepers: actively loving enemies and doing good to those who mistreat them. He tells two illustrative stories:

• Praying for the fall of the Berlin Wall alongside a neighbor in Germany, drawing a parallel to prayers for Paul's conversion despite his persecution of Christians.

• A ministry member named Kyle who, prompted by the Holy Spirit, mowed his hostile neighbor's lawn, which broke down years of bitterness between them.

He closes this section by pointing to Jesus on the cross forgiving the thief beside Him as the ultimate example of a gospel-of-peace witness.

Altar Call

Pastor Walker closes with an invitation for anyone who doesn't know the Lord or wants a relationship with Him to raise their hand, leading the congregation in a moment of prayer and reflection.

Tune Into the Word With Word of Life Church

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