Fathers: Put On the Whole Armor of God

Genesis begins fathers in the beginning, where God says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” and that word is not God joking in heaven. God makes mankind a thinking, spiritual being, not something that climbed out of the water or swung down out of a tree. The image of God means life is not supposed to be lived any kind of way, with a little sin, a little apology, and then back to the same road.

Psalm 8 asks, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” and that question puts honor back on men, women, sons, and daughters. God made mankind a little lower than the angels, precious and made for a purpose. Christ came all the way down to show how to walk this world and talk this time, because the young brothers and young sisters need more than jokes. The call to fathers asks what has been done in the house and in the pulpit when boys are being shaped by style, flesh, and confusion instead of truth.

Job says a man born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble, and that short time will be held accountable. God sees what is done when people are looking and what is done when people are not. The soul is worth more than a joke, and foolishness in God’s house cannot train soldiers for battle.

Ephesians 6 brings the battle into the open: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” The whole armor of God is needed because Satan is clever, deceitful, seductive, and not playing. The wiles of the devil touch the flesh, the pocket, the appetite, and the pride until wrong begins to feel good no matter what it costs. The wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness.

The armor calls for truth around the loins, righteousness over the heart, peace on the feet, faith as a shield, and salvation over the mind. The truth must be held up to the light, because if it is truth, “it won’t have holes in it.” The shield of faith quenches the fiery darts when laughter, mockery, pressure, bills, sickness, and family trouble start flying. The battlefield is the mind, where God and Satan contend, and the church must stand after having done all to stand.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s image demands holy examination [01:12:02] God’s likeness is not a religious label placed over a life still ruled by the flesh. The image of God calls a man, woman, boy, and girl to ask what is right and what is wrong before God. Self-examination becomes mercy when it tells the truth before judgment has to tell it louder. [72:02]
• 2. Fathers must train what God created [01:13:37] The call to fathers is not just about being present in the house, but about refusing to bless confusion by silence. A young man learns from what a father allows, laughs at, ignores, or corrects. Training up a child means faith speaks before the streets, the music, and the flesh finish the lesson. [73:37]
• 3. The soul is worth more than jokes [01:15:47] God’s house is not strengthened by foolishness when souls are standing in danger. Humor cannot replace Scripture when demons are not joking and sin is not playing. A hungry soul needs truth strong enough to fight with, not entertainment soft enough to forget. [75:47]
• 4. Satan seduces before he destroys [01:17:17] The wiles of the devil rarely announce themselves as evil at first. Satan touches desire, rhythm, appetite, attention, and pride until the cost is hidden behind the pleasure. Discernment learns to recognize the hook while the bait still looks harmless. [77:17]
• 5. Faith shields the wounded mind [01:31:47] The shield of faith is not decoration for easy days, but protection when fiery darts come through people, bills, sickness, shame, and fear. The battle often lands in the mind because the mind is where trust, accusation, memory, and surrender wrestle. Faith does not pretend the darts are not real, but it refuses to let them decide who God is.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [68:04] - Fathers Begin in Genesis
• [69:44] - God Made Man in His Image
• [71:20] - Satan Attacks God’s Assembly
• [72:40] - What Is Man to God?
• [73:37] - Fathers and the Household Example
• [74:55] - Few Days and Full of Trouble
• [76:14] - The Battle Requires Armor
• [77:17] - The Wiles of the Devil
• [80:16] - Wrestling Principalities and Powers
• [82:25] - Walking by Faith, Not Sight
• [84:39] - Truth Girded Around the Life
• [89:09] - Holding Truth Up to the Light
• [91:47] - The Shield of Faith
• [94:28] - The Battle in the Mind

Bible Reading

Genesis 1:26-27
“Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” [01:09:00]

Psalm 8:4-5
“What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” [01:12:40]

Job 14:1
“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.” [01:15:07]

Ephesians 6:10-17
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” [01:16:57]

Observation questions

1. In Genesis 1:26-27, what words are used to describe how God made mankind, and what responsibility is mentioned along with that creation?
2. In Psalm 8:4-5, how is mankind described in relation to God’s care, honor, and place in creation? [01:13:03]
3. In Job 14:1, what two things are said about a person’s life on earth, and how does that shape the tone of the passage?
4. In Ephesians 6:10-17, what pieces of armor are named, and what is the believer told to do with them? [01:24:50]

Interpretation questions

1. If mankind is made in God’s image, what does that suggest about how a person should view the body, the mind, and everyday choices? [01:11:47]
2. Psalm 8 says mankind is crowned with glory and honor. How does that challenge the low view of people that comes from confusion, sin, or careless living?
3. Ephesians 6 says the struggle is not against flesh and blood. How should that change the way conflict is understood in the home, the church, and the mind? [01:20:16]
4. The belt of truth is spoken of as something that holds everything together. What does it mean in real life to “hold truth up to the light,” and why does falsehood leave a person exposed? [01:29:38]

Application questions

1. God’s image calls for honest self-examination. What is one area of life right now where there needs to be a plain answer before God about what is right and what is wrong? [01:12:18]
2. Children are trained not only by words but by what is allowed, ignored, laughed at, or corrected. For those helping raise children or influence younger people, what example is being set right now? What might need to change at home this week? [01:14:00]
3. The soul is worth more than jokes. Are there ways spiritual life has become too casual, entertaining, or distracted? What helps keep the heart serious about God without losing joy? [01:16:14]
4. Satan often seduces before he destroys, touching desire, appetite, pride, or the flesh until wrong starts to feel normal. Where does temptation usually begin for you? What does it look like before it becomes full-blown trouble? [01:17:17]
5. “Having done all, to stand” means faith does not collapse when pressure comes. When bills, family strain, sickness, or disappointment hit, what usually happens first in your thoughts and reactions? [01:23:01]
6. The shield of faith is meant to quench fiery darts. What darts have been flying lately—mockery, shame, fear, pressure, loneliness, old habits? What does taking up faith look like in that exact struggle? [01:31:49]
7. The battlefield is often the mind, where trust and accusation wrestle. What thoughts have been pressing hardest lately, and what truths from God’s Word need to be put in front of them? [01:34:28]