1
00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,440
So please turn with me to 
chapter 6 of Ephesians, and we 

2
00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:07,760
will be looking at verses 10 
through 20. 

3
00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,840
So give me one moment to turn 
there in my own Bible. 

4
00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,239
All right? 
This is the passage about the 

5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,280
whole armor of God, which is 
probably one of the most famous 

6
00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,360
passages in the Bible. 
And there's a reason for that, 

7
00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,000
because it is so important for a
Christian to remember the 

8
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,600
defense that God has given to 
him, to fight the battles that 

9
00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:37,600
will come to him every single 
day, and his walk with Christ. 

10
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,800
I'm grateful to be able to share
a message here at Mount Victory 

11
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,640
once more, and I have been in 
prayer to the Lord that this 

12
00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:50,040
message will help all of us, 
including myself, arm ourselves 

13
00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,200
with everything we need for the 
spiritual battle, not only in 

14
00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,320
all of our lives, but also the 
battles that we face together as

15
00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:00,720
a church. 
Let's read this passage 

16
00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,360
together. 
And then I want to focus down on

17
00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,480
2 particular verses. 
So once again, it's Ephesians 

18
00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:13,440
chapter 6, verses 10 through 20.
Finally, my brethren, be strong 

19
00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,560
in the Lord and in the power of 
His might. 

20
00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:22,640
Put on the whole armor of God, 
that ye may be able to stand 

21
00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:27,720
against the Wiles of the devil. 
For we wrestle not against flesh

22
00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:32,320
and blood, but against 
principalities, against powers, 

23
00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,920
against the rulers of the 
darkness of this world, against 

24
00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,200
spiritual wickedness in high 
places. 

25
00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:46,920
Wherefore take unto you the 
whole armor of God, that ye may 

26
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:51,960
be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all to 

27
00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,720
stand. 
Stand therefore having your 

28
00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:00,400
loins girt about with truth, and
having on the breastplate of 

29
00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,680
righteousness, and your feet 
shod with the preparation of the

30
00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:09,120
gospel of peace, above all 
taking the shield of faith, 

31
00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,400
wherewith you shall be able to 
quench all the fiery darts of 

32
00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:18,200
the wicked, and take the helmet 
of salvation and the sword of 

33
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:23,560
the Spirit, which is the Word of
God, praying always with all 

34
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,960
prayer and supplication in the 
Spirit, and watching thereunto 

35
00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:32,200
with all perseverance and 
supplication for All Saints. 

36
00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,480
And for me that utterance may be
given unto me, that I may open 

37
00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:42,120
my mouth boldly to make known 
the mystery of the Gospel for 

38
00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,640
which I am an ambassador, and 
bonds, that therein I may speak 

39
00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:53,040
boldly as I ought to speak. 
The reason this passage is so 

40
00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:58,080
powerful is because it outlines 
everything we need to be 

41
00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:03,200
competent and ready soldiers of 
Jesus Christ, ready to serve Him

42
00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:07,760
at a moment's notice. 
Verse 10 shows that we need the 

43
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,520
Lord's might, not our own. 
Verse 11 shows that we need the 

44
00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,360
whole armor of God, not an armor
we made or just pieces of His 

45
00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:20,440
armor, in order to stand against
our ancient foe, the devil. 

46
00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:26,520
Verse 12 shows that we need to 
keep in mind our enemy is the 

47
00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:31,560
devil and his angels, not the 
flesh and blood men and women 

48
00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:36,440
that stand before us. 
Verse 13 shows that we need to 

49
00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:41,520
stand no matter how evil the day
is and not back down. 

50
00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,240
For if we as Christians do not 
stand, who is? 

51
00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,080
Who is going to stand? 
Because we're the only ones that

52
00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:49,800
have the truth in this world of 
lies. 

53
00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,920
As verse 14 shows, we need to 
gird ourselves with that truth 

54
00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,440
and make it a point to be 
truthful in all that we do. 

55
00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,760
This same verse teaches us that 
we need to be righteous with the

56
00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,560
righteousness of Christ because 
this world has gone about to 

57
00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:10,200
make its own righteousness that 
falls woefully short of God's 

58
00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,840
standard. 
Verse 15 shows that we need to 

59
00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,839
be ready to share the gospel of 
peace at a moment's notice, 

60
00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,720
which is why it's the feet that 
are shod, because we need to 

61
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,360
firmly stand on the gospel and 
be quick to share it with others

62
00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,760
without compromise. 
Verse 17 shows that we need the 

63
00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,520
helmet of salvation because we 
can never forget the great 

64
00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,480
salvation the Lord gave to us 
when we put our faith in His Son

65
00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,560
Jesus Christ and how much the 
Law centers all around us and 

66
00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,200
our family, our friend groups at
work, how much they need it. 

67
00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:52,000
Then verses 1819 and 20 show us 
that we need to stay in prayer 

68
00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,760
with our fellow Saints, just as 
some of us did tonight our 

69
00:04:55,760 --> 00:05:00,640
fellow soldiers of Christ. 
Otherwise the gospel will be 

70
00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:04,960
hindered because it is the 
prayers of Saints filled with 

71
00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,520
the Holy Ghost that open up the 
mouths of our preachers and 

72
00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,360
evangelists that they may boldly
share the gospel with others. 

73
00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,800
Now you may or may not have 
noticed that I skipped over 2 

74
00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:21,000
parts of the whole armor of God,
the Shield of Faith and the 

75
00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:25,680
Sword of the Spirit because 
these two armaments, the shield 

76
00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,840
and the sword, are what I want 
to talk about tonight. 

77
00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:32,720
And thus my message is titled 
The Lord's Armaments. 

78
00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:37,000
This message came to me when I 
was listening to Pastor Simeon 

79
00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,440
Western's preaching when he was 
with us a week and a half ago. 

80
00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,200
Particularly his message during 
the Sunday morning service. 

81
00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,840
His message from Isaiah 6 and 
the vision that Isaiah had of 

82
00:05:48,840 --> 00:05:51,520
the Lord stirred the Spirit 
inside of me. 

83
00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:56,000
Especially his final point about
Isaiah's Commission that he 

84
00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,680
received from the Lord and 
Isaiah 6. 

85
00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:03,600
It says this in verse 8. 
Also I heard the voice of the 

86
00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:07,720
Lord saying, Whom shall I send, 
and who will go for us? 

87
00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,800
Then said I. 
Here am I send me. 

88
00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,920
This was a powerful question 
from the Lord, because it was 

89
00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:20,960
him asking who he was going to 
personally send to speak to his 

90
00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,480
people. 
And Isaiah answered the call 

91
00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,960
with a simple Here am I send me.
And the Lord used Isaiah 

92
00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:31,600
mightily afterward to deliver 
all that he had to say to his 

93
00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:36,040
people, Judah and Jerusalem. 
But what stirred the Spirit in 

94
00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,640
me so much was when Brother 
Simeon spoke about why aren't we

95
00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,200
seeing more people following 
this same call from the Lord. 

96
00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,200
He asked, did the Lord stop 
calling people? 

97
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,480
Did he stop sending people to 
speak to the masses? 

98
00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,160
And of course, he answered his 
own questions. 

99
00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,600
It's not that the Lord stopped 
sending messengers, it's that 

100
00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,440
the people who are supposed to 
be His messengers of this age, 

101
00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:09,440
Christian men and women in the 
21st century, are so full of sin

102
00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,120
and unrighteousness that they 
cannot hear the voice of the 

103
00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,400
Lord any longer. 
Now that is a powerful rebuke 

104
00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,520
and is aimed toward all of us, 
including myself. 

105
00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,840
We live in an age of temptations
with abominable sins that are a 

106
00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:26,560
few swipes away on our cell 
phones. 

107
00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:30,920
Simeon talked about that and 
sadly, the church has been taken

108
00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:36,000
captive by these horrible sins. 
It is one thing if a lost Sinner

109
00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,440
can't hear the voice of the 
Lord. 

110
00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,720
Their heart is hardened. 
They don't have the Spirit of 

111
00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,200
God. 
The devil keeps snatching the 

112
00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,120
seeds of the gospel out of his 
heart. 

113
00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,960
Now that makes us sad because 
this lost Sinner won't hear the 

114
00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,960
Lord's voice, but in a way we 
understand because of his 

115
00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,240
condition. 
You know, I was that lost Sinner

116
00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,520
for 28 years and sometimes I 
feel conviction. 

117
00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,560
You know, there was one 
Christian in my life that did 

118
00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:01,800
try to share the gospel, my 
grandfather, Johnny. 

119
00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,360
But I got very uncomfortable 
sometimes talking to him because

120
00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,520
I'd feel that conviction. 
I know that was the Lord 

121
00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:11,200
speaking to me through him. 
But at the same time, you 

122
00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,040
understand, I was lost. 
I didn't want to feel that 

123
00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,520
conviction. 
So you'd say it's sad, but we 

124
00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:18,200
get wise. 
Ignoring the Lord's voice. 

125
00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,960
Right, because he loves his. 
Sin more than he wants to turn 

126
00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,360
to the Lord, more than he wants 
the blood of Jesus Christ. 

127
00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:31,400
But when a saved child of God 
has been so beguiled and 

128
00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:36,200
hypnotized by the temptations of
the world and holds out his 

129
00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,720
arms, begging the world to put 
the chains of sin back on his 

130
00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:45,120
wrist, we have a problem. 
That child of God is not going 

131
00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:49,720
to hear anything the Lord wants 
from him because he is too busy 

132
00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,920
listening to all the other 
voices of the world and all the 

133
00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,760
sin that is waiting for him to 
dive into now. 

134
00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:02,000
I believe the Lord gave Simeon a
great message for us, a great 

135
00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:06,040
rebuke of how we need to reject 
the sins of the world and get 

136
00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,160
right with our Savior God again 
so that we can answer Him when 

137
00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,160
He calls us. 
But that part of the message 

138
00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:16,760
made me think about a 
Christian's defense against 

139
00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,360
temptation and against falling 
into sin. 

140
00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:24,160
What does a Christian have to 
fight back against the lies and 

141
00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,440
deceptions of this world, so 
that when the Lord calls, He is 

142
00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,960
not only ready to answer the 
call, but has already been 

143
00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,320
trained and equipped to fight 
the battle the Lord has called 

144
00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,680
him to. 
What a Christian has and needs 

145
00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:43,560
is the Lord's armaments. 
Understand, we must wear the 

146
00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:46,840
helmet of salvation on our head,
the breastplate of righteousness

147
00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:50,600
on our body, the truth on our 
loins, and the gospel on our 

148
00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,400
feet. 
If we reliably wear these pieces

149
00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:57,400
of armor every day, it will help
us stand against the enemy's 

150
00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,640
attacks and to resist giving in 
to the temptations that are 

151
00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:05,440
directed against our flesh. 
Then we can be sanctified and 

152
00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,920
walking properly with our Lord, 
so that when He does call us, we

153
00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,160
can answer without our ears 
being stopped up with our sin. 

154
00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:17,640
But these pieces of the Lord's 
armor are passive. 

155
00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:21,640
They're worn on your body, but 
technically you don't use them 

156
00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,560
in combat. 
You don't swing around your head

157
00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:27,240
as a weapon like that. 
You don't attack. 

158
00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:32,760
Someone with your breastplate. 
They are passive pieces of 

159
00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:39,440
armor, but a shield and a sword 
are attached to your arm and 

160
00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,640
your hand. 
Your arms are what you use 

161
00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:44,600
during a fight to do all the 
work. 

162
00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,560
In battle, you have to direct 
your shield in order to defend 

163
00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:51,160
yourself. 
It doesn't automatically block 

164
00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,880
an attack if it's hanging at 
your side like this. 

165
00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,440
If you have an attack coming 
from your right, this isn't 

166
00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:57,720
going to do anything to help 
you. 

167
00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,200
You're going to take that the 
brunt of that attack head on. 

168
00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:05,960
The same is true for the sword. 
You can't do anything with the 

169
00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:07,840
sword if it's attached to your 
hip. 

170
00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,640
Now if an enemy sees that sword 
in the sheath on your side, 

171
00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,400
maybe they'll be intimidated, 
Maybe they'll stop from 

172
00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:16,760
attacking. 
But the second your enemy 

173
00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,920
decides he might be able to 
defeat you, he's not really 

174
00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,160
going to pull out that sword and
he decides to launch an attack. 

175
00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,040
That sword can do nothing for 
you unless it comes out of the 

176
00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,400
scabbard and you use it to 
counter attack. 

177
00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:33,360
And the sword is even more set 
apart from the shield and the 

178
00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,320
rest of the armor of God because
it is the only piece that can be

179
00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,160
used truly offensively. 
You can't attack someone with a 

180
00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:45,560
helmet or a pair of shoes. 
You can try to throw the shoes 

181
00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:48,480
of the gospel at somebody and it
might hit them on the head and 

182
00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:49,480
sting. 
For a bit. 

183
00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:51,240
But it's not an effective 
weapon. 

184
00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,720
It's the gospel of peace. 
You can tackle someone with the 

185
00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,640
shield of faith, but that's just
going to knock them down for a 

186
00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,600
few seconds. 
They might be astounded by your 

187
00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,440
faith for a few seconds, but the
only way to truly defeat your 

188
00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,080
enemy for good is with the. 
Sword. 

189
00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:10,160
It is your exclusive offensive 
weapon in the fight against 

190
00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:14,160
darkness, and it requires you to
actively attack the darkness 

191
00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:17,320
back. 
All this said, I want to speak 

192
00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,920
on the Shield of Faith 1st and 
then we will discuss more about 

193
00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,720
the Sword of the Spirit. 
Let's pray together and then we 

194
00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,760
will look more closely at this 
pair of armaments the Lord has 

195
00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:30,400
given to us. 
Heavenly Father, I pray to thee 

196
00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,080
in the name of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

197
00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,960
Lord, I'm so thankful for the 
message you've given me tonight,

198
00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,000
Lord, and I pray that through 
the power of your Holy Spirit, I

199
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:39,320
preach it effectively. 
Lord. 

200
00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:43,560
You've given us these weapons, 
Lord, these armaments, the sword

201
00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:45,360
of the Spirit and the shield of 
faith. 

202
00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,160
O Lord, please help us. 
Help your children, O Lord, in 

203
00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:49,840
this dark age that we're living 
in. 

204
00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:54,800
Use these armaments effectively,
O Lord, to attack and to defend,

205
00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,200
O Lord. 
To attack and to defend, Lord, 

206
00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,800
if we don't use these weapons, O
Lord, the enemy wins without 

207
00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,080
having to fire a shot, Lord, 
without having to fire a shot, 

208
00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,000
Lord. 
So please help us, O Lord, to 

209
00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,160
use the the sword of the spirit 
and the shield of faith, O Lord,

210
00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,600
So all these things I ask in 
your wonderful name, my Lord 

211
00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,880
Jesus Christ, please be with us 
tonight, Amen. 

212
00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:17,360
Now let's read again about the 
shield of faith from this 

213
00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:21,560
passage in verse 16. 
So once again Ephesians chapter 

214
00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:29,000
6 verse 16, above all, taking 
the shield of faith, wherewith 

215
00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,720
ye shall be able to quench all 
the fiery darts of the wicked. 

216
00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,560
Now when it comes to the shield 
of faith, the strength of this 

217
00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:40,800
first armament is directly 
proportional to our faith for 

218
00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,600
which it is named. 
With how important faith is to 

219
00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:48,200
God, we need to make sure we are
constantly taking stock of the 

220
00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,840
condition of our shield. 
How can we make sure it is 

221
00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:57,000
tempered and strong and it won't
crack the second we come into 

222
00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,240
battle? 
We can start by asking the Lord 

223
00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:03,960
the same simple prayer the 
apostles did in the gospel of 

224
00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:05,880
Luke. 
And if you want to turn over to 

225
00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:10,720
Luke 17 verses 5 and 6, we can 
do that all together. 

226
00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,800
So give me one moment while I 
turn to my own Bible. 

227
00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,000
So once again, that's Luke 17 
verses 5 and 6. 

228
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:27,280
So I'll start at verse 5. 
And the apostles said under the 

229
00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:32,760
Lord, increase our faith. 
And the Lord said, if he had 

230
00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,920
faith as a grain of mustard 
seed, you might say, under this 

231
00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:40,800
sick of mine tree, be thou 
plucked up by the root, and be 

232
00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,440
thou planted in the sea, and it 
should obey you. 

233
00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:49,480
The Lord's people asked him to 
increase their faith. 

234
00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,120
And he did exactly that. 
He told them just how powerful 

235
00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:58,800
that true faith is, even if it's
just a small bit of true faith. 

236
00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:04,200
We need to come to our God in 
the name of Jesus and ask Him to

237
00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,920
increase our faith as well. 
We need to put aside our fear of

238
00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:13,600
asking the Lord because we know 
that many times when we ask the 

239
00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,880
Lord to increase our faith, He 
will likely do it through a 

240
00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,560
trial or a test. 
It's just as James said. 

241
00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:22,880
You receive not because you ask 
not. 

242
00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:25,480
We need to ask to increase our 
faith. 

243
00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:27,960
We need to ask the. 
Lord, to put something in our 

244
00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,760
way that's going to make us rely
on Him and increase our faith in

245
00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,480
Him and His promises from His 
Word, and we need that to make 

246
00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:38,480
our shield stronger. 2 verses 
from Hebrews illustrate the 

247
00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,880
importance of strengthening the 
shield of faith when it comes to

248
00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,680
us personally and toward God. 
They are both in Hebrews Chapter

249
00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:47,320
11, if you would like to turn 
there. 

250
00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,560
So let's turn there together. 
It's going to be in Hebrews 

251
00:15:49,560 --> 00:16:01,740
Chapter 11, verses 1 and 2. 
All right, so Hebrews Chapter 

252
00:16:01,740 --> 00:16:04,300
11, and we'll start at the very 
beginning with verses 1 and 2. 

253
00:16:05,340 --> 00:16:10,180
Now faith is the substance of 
things hoped for, the evidence 

254
00:16:10,220 --> 00:16:14,520
of things not seen. 
For by it the elders obtained a 

255
00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,640
good report. 
This is what sets apart the 

256
00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,880
shield of faith from the Shields
made by mortal men. 

257
00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,760
You cannot see it with your 
mortal eyes, but it's completely

258
00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:29,080
based on your hope and trust and
God and His promises towards 

259
00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:31,520
you. 
Many times you won't even know 

260
00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,760
how strong your faith truly is 
until it is tested. 

261
00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,240
Imagine having a shield on your 
arm that you've been asking the 

262
00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:43,440
Lord to make stronger, but you 
can't see how big it is, how 

263
00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,280
thick it is, and what material 
it's made out of. 

264
00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,480
But you still have to hold it up
when the attack comes and trust 

265
00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,160
that is going to stop that 
attack. 

266
00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:56,320
That is faith. 
You can't take a measuring cup 

267
00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:58,960
and pour your faith in it to see
how much you have. 

268
00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,960
Many times the only reason we 
know we have any faith at all is

269
00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,440
because someone else sees our 
faith and tells us the condition

270
00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,119
of it. 
But we can have confidence even 

271
00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:14,440
though we can't see our faith 
because of verse 2, for by it 

272
00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,760
the elders obtained a good 
report. 

273
00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:21,240
Now the rest of Chapter 11, as 
many of you know, is called the 

274
00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:25,680
Hall of Faith because of the 
many Saints like Enoch and Noah 

275
00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,480
that are named here for their 
mighty acts of faith. 

276
00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,840
But we don't need to go that far
back in history to see the 

277
00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,440
reward of faith. 
If you want to know the power of

278
00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,760
faith, just look around at the 
elders in this very church. 

279
00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:44,520
There are men and women in here 
who have walked with the Lord 

280
00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,480
for decades, some of them since 
they were children. 

281
00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,120
You want the Lord to increase 
your faith. 

282
00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,960
You want your field, your shield
of faith to be stronger, Then 

283
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,240
look to the faith of these men 
and women that sit around you. 

284
00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,560
They are your fellow soldiers in
Christ, and you can see just how

285
00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,080
strong faith can be if you 
looked at them as an example. 

286
00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:12,040
You see, we are soldiers, and 
any soldier worth his salt knows

287
00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,560
that the only way he is going to
be effective is to learn from 

288
00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,360
soldiers with much more 
experience in the field of 

289
00:18:18,360 --> 00:18:22,440
battle than he has. 
When your General Jesus Christ 

290
00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:27,000
assigned you to this church, He 
gave you experienced men and 

291
00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,720
women you can turn to in order 
to increase your faith and give 

292
00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,280
you a stronger shield than the 
one you have. 

293
00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,360
If you're a young Christian, 
your shield is not going to be 

294
00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:40,720
able to handle the biggest 
attacks this world assaults you 

295
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,400
with. 
And when I say young Christian, 

296
00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,280
I mean age or since you were 
born again. 

297
00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,800
You need older Christians who 
have been through the battles 

298
00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:55,120
before to share their 
experiences, the miracles the 

299
00:18:55,120 --> 00:18:59,600
Lord has done in their life, the
trials that the Lord has brought

300
00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,160
them through, and the mighty 
answers to prayer that God has 

301
00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:05,520
given them. 
This is how you. 

302
00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,800
Increase your shield of faith to
resist the temptations that the 

303
00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:14,200
devil sends against you. 
We know that the elders received

304
00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,640
a good report from God by their 
faith. 

305
00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,400
We'll look around at the elders 
that God has given you to fight 

306
00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,880
side by side with and see the 
report of their faith. 

307
00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:28,760
They prove that the shield of 
faith is not like Saul's armor 

308
00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,920
he tried to give to David. 
That was not tested or proven in

309
00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:36,760
spiritual battle. 
But there is a real shield that 

310
00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,760
can stand the test of every 
battle that comes against you. 

311
00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,440
I know that's one of the biggest
ways to strengthen my own faith.

312
00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:45,680
You know, especially when you 
feel weak in your faith. 

313
00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:49,120
Talk to your brothers and 
sisters, talk to them and say, 

314
00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:50,760
hey, I'm going through a tough 
time. 

315
00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:54,040
I I just need to something to 
remind me that the Lord's hear 

316
00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:57,920
from you and many times it's 
hearing a dark time in your life

317
00:19:58,280 --> 00:19:59,560
when maybe you didn't even think
the. 

318
00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:02,160
Lord was there. 
Until you got on the other side 

319
00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,800
of the trial, until you got on 
the other side of the temptation

320
00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,880
and the Lord saw you through it.
And that's exactly what you need

321
00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,840
to hear. 
I mean, it helps me so much. 

322
00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:13,400
I mean, I remember when I first 
got saved, the one thing that 

323
00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,560
helped me realize just how 
amazing and wonderful what 

324
00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:19,600
happened to me was, was I was, I
was so addicted to watching 

325
00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,600
testimonies online of how people
got saved. 

326
00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,120
It just made me marvel and it 
made me want to share the gospel

327
00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:28,000
some more, much more with other 
people. 

328
00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:29,840
I'm like, I know people in my 
life. 

329
00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,960
I want that to be them with 
tears in their eyes, talking 

330
00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:34,400
about how the Lord plucked them 
out of. 

331
00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,000
Darkness. 
Now let's read verse 6 together 

332
00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:39,960
in Hebrews Chapter 11. 
So we're going to skip down a 

333
00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:43,280
few verses to Hebrews chapter. 
Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 6. 

334
00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,560
But without faith it is 
impossible to please him, for he

335
00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:53,280
that cometh to God must believe 
that He is and that he is a 

336
00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,480
rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him. 

337
00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,080
So This is why it is so 
important to strengthen your 

338
00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,920
shield of faith because you 
cannot please God without faith.

339
00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:09,000
It is not pleasing to God if the
only time you exhibit any faith 

340
00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,040
is when you're sitting here in 
church. 

341
00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:16,760
If you're like Solomon and you 
make these golden, beautiful 

342
00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:21,520
Shields and you hang them up in 
your house and you walk outside 

343
00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,000
without it, then you are useless
in battle. 

344
00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:28,080
That shield does you no good if 
you only put it on while you're 

345
00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,520
in the House of God and then 
take it off before you step 

346
00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,280
outside. 
That means your shield is just a

347
00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,200
decoration, like the glittering 
Shields of gold of Solomon. 

348
00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:40,680
It is not meant for the battle 
only to make your fellow 

349
00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:42,240
soldiers think you're one of 
them. 

350
00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:46,400
There is the phrase stolen valor
that we use when someone 

351
00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:50,040
pretends to be in the military 
or pretends that they saw a live

352
00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,240
combat when really they were 
just a civilian or they worked 

353
00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,040
on a military base and here in 
America and never saw a live 

354
00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,680
combat. 
That's what having a golden 

355
00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:00,800
shield of faith that you never 
use is. 

356
00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,560
You can show it off, claim that 
you have a great faith in God 

357
00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,440
and his promises, and maybe you 
can impress all of us. 

358
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,320
We're just flesh and blood 
people, and we can't see with 

359
00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,000
their two eyes if the faith you 
have that you're wearing on your

360
00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,720
arm is even there. 
But God knows. 

361
00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:21,320
He knows the difference between 
a real thick steel shield and a 

362
00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,840
golden shield that's just meant 
for decoration. 

363
00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,120
And I will warn you that if you 
do not seek after God. 

364
00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:32,360
As this verse states. 
If we do not ask our Lord Jesus 

365
00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:36,440
to increase our faith, our faith
as his disciples did, that your 

366
00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:40,040
faith will be weak and your 
shield of faith will crack clean

367
00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:45,720
in half when the battle comes. 
When that atheist asks you why 

368
00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,920
do you even believe in God and 
your mouth is stopped up, you 

369
00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,080
can't think of a single reason 
why you even have faith. 

370
00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:55,800
That's your shield cracking in 
half. 

371
00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:58,200
Your shield wasn't ready for the
battle. 

372
00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:02,280
When monetary issues come and 
you panic and your first 

373
00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:06,160
solution is to find any way you 
can solve them, Putting it on a 

374
00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:09,400
credit card, taking a second job
and asking other people for 

375
00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:13,600
money rather than coming to God 
and prayer and continuing and 

376
00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,360
hoping His deliverance and 
waiting for His answer. 

377
00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,360
That's your shield cracking in 
half. 

378
00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,560
Your shield wasn't ready for the
battle. 

379
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,320
And that's just two examples. 
But why was your shield not 

380
00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,280
ready for those battles? 
Why didn't you have a good 

381
00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,280
answer for that atheist when he 
tested your faith? 

382
00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,840
Why did you have zero trust in 
God to save you from that 

383
00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:38,000
terrible financial situation? 
It's because you have not asked 

384
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,920
God to increase your faith. 
You didn't seek after that faith

385
00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,880
that you see in your brothers 
and sisters around you, nor did 

386
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,600
you seek after the faith that 
the men and women the Bible 

387
00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,960
speaks of had, like Abraham and 
Sarah realize. 

388
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:56,400
That when you read the amazing 
promises that God gave to people

389
00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:01,160
like Abraham and Sarah, when he 
gave them Isaac, that happened. 

390
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,400
That was a literal miracle that 
happened. 

391
00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,600
It's an amazing miracle. 
And if God can give Abraham and 

392
00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:13,000
Sarah and a child at that age, 
he can deliver you in whatever. 

393
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,680
Situation you're in, whether it 
is a personal issue, it's a 

394
00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,160
personal battle. 
It's it's, it's a trial. 

395
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:19,560
It's a test the Lord is giving 
you. 

396
00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,760
If he can do that for them, he 
can do it for you. 

397
00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,200
He can deliver you out of that 
situation, saying when you face 

398
00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:30,400
the atheist or the Mormon or the
Muslim, whoever it is that's 

399
00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,560
questioning your faith and 
saying why do you believe this? 

400
00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:35,560
Why do you think Jesus died on 
that cross? 

401
00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,320
Is there any historical evidence
of that? 

402
00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:41,800
When you get asked that, just 
immediately think God, you can 

403
00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,200
give me the answer because a lot
of times they're testing your 

404
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:46,960
faith. 
And if you give that answer, you

405
00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,320
might just plant that seed of 
the gospel in their heart. 

406
00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,400
But when you're too scared to 
answer, when your shield of 

407
00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,200
faith falls off, think about it.
Now that's a soul that's going 

408
00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,800
to stay in that darkness. 
They're going to keep believing 

409
00:24:57,800 --> 00:24:59,880
there's no God. 
They're going to keep believing 

410
00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:01,960
in a false God. 
We have to be ready with the 

411
00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,720
real shield of faith to 
withstand that attack. 

412
00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,520
You let your faith be nothing 
more than a decoration for 

413
00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,520
others to see, but had no real 
faith of your own. 

414
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,400
And not. 
I'm not only talking about 

415
00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:17,440
saving faith here. 
Obviously, if you don't even 

416
00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:21,160
have saving faith, that if you 
don't really believe that the 

417
00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:24,680
Lord Jesus Christ died a 
terrible death on the cross for 

418
00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,480
your miserable sins so that you 
could be saved from the death 

419
00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,480
and how you deserve, then you're
definitely not going to be able 

420
00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,120
to have a real shield of faith 
because you're still a member of

421
00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:38,480
the Kingdom of darkness and the 
Lord does not give his shield of

422
00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,000
faith to his enemy. 
But there are countless, 

423
00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,960
countless Christians who have 
saving faith, yet do not have 

424
00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:49,440
the faith to stand in any of the
battles that the Lord allows 

425
00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:52,000
them to participate in. 
Why is that? 

426
00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,800
Is it because you have just that
shield of gold on your arm that 

427
00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,400
sparkles in the light but snaps 
in the fight? 

428
00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:02,760
When the enemy comes, will he 
take that shield away and show 

429
00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:07,520
everyone that it was pretty but 
worthless, Just as when Shishak 

430
00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,440
came and took away the Shields 
of gold from the King's house? 

431
00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:13,000
And you don't have to turn here,
but here's the verses from First

432
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,840
Kings chapter 14, verses 25 and 
26. 

433
00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,720
And it came to pass in the fifth
year of King Rehoboam that 

434
00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,320
Sheshak, king of Egypt, came up 
against Jerusalem, and he took 

435
00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,760
away the treasures of the House 
of the Lord, and the treasures 

436
00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:31,440
of the King's house. 
He even took away all, and he 

437
00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,800
took away all the Shields of 
gold which Solomon had. 

438
00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,280
Made he proved that they were 
just Shields of gold. 

439
00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:38,520
They weren't made for the 
battle. 

440
00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,160
You need to strengthen your 
faith in God and to temper your 

441
00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:45,560
shield of faith. 
Ask God to increase your faith. 

442
00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:48,640
If you find that you can't 
remember all the good things 

443
00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:52,160
that God has done for you and 
it's making your faith weak, 

444
00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:56,120
then write them down. 
I keep a note on my phone called

445
00:26:56,120 --> 00:27:00,560
Holy Spirit Moments with a long 
list of answers to prayer or 

446
00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,240
times when I got filled with the
Holy Ghost of God and was able 

447
00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,880
to witness to someone. 
If you feel weak, look at that 

448
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:12,000
list and remind yourself that 
you serve a real God, a real 

449
00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,200
Savior, and then he is present 
with you and that. 

450
00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,440
You have a real shield of faith.
You just, maybe you forgot to 

451
00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:19,360
put it on that day and you just 
need to put it on. 

452
00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:21,200
Or maybe you forgot it was your 
arm. 

453
00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:23,400
Or maybe your arm fell asleep. 
It's there. 

454
00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:26,880
This will keep your shield of 
faith strong, and it will help 

455
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,840
you to resist the temptations of
this evil world that threatened 

456
00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:35,840
to swallow you up if you fall to
every temptation. 

457
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:38,840
To get wrathful. 
To get envious. 

458
00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:44,360
To gossip, to drink alcohol, to 
look at pornography, to lust 

459
00:27:44,360 --> 00:27:48,440
after a woman. 
To lie at your job, To get money

460
00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:52,160
dishonestly. 
To tell a dirty joke, To spew 

461
00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,960
curse words, to smoke 
cigarettes, to watch dirty 

462
00:27:55,960 --> 00:28:00,800
movies, to play violent video 
games, and to worship the idols 

463
00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:02,960
of this world with your time and
energy. 

464
00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:06,480
Then, my friend, I don't believe
you have a very strong shield of

465
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,560
faith. 
No, it seems like you're not 

466
00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:12,080
even wearing the rest of the 
armor of God either, because 

467
00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:16,520
those temptations are the 
attacks of the enemy and if you 

468
00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,160
fall to any one of them. 
Or to every. 

469
00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,560
Single one of them, then you 
have been defeated in the battle

470
00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,680
and you have proven that. 
Either your shield was weak or 

471
00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:28,960
just a decoration and you were 
not a real soldier of Jesus 

472
00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,720
Christ. 
And we all lose battles. 

473
00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,720
I lose battles too. 
But if you're losing every 

474
00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:37,840
single battle and every time the
Lord gives you an opportunity to

475
00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:41,120
fight in the battle to raise 
that shield of faith and show, 

476
00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,440
hey, I'm a Christian, I'm going 
to stand on the word of God. 

477
00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:47,360
And many times there's attacks 
come and a place we're not 

478
00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:49,280
comfortable with defending 
against them. 

479
00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,280
I'll tell you, at my job, I see 
them. 

480
00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,280
Somebody says something very 
unbiblical and I just have the 

481
00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:56,960
perfect answer and I don't say 
it. 

482
00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,880
And we're alone. 
It's not like there's anybody 

483
00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:02,960
around to hear us except for 
that man myself and God. 

484
00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:05,640
But he just gave me an 
opportunity to block that attack

485
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,760
and be a witness for him. 
He even gave me the words to 

486
00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:09,880
speak. 
And if I don't? 

487
00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:11,960
Speak them then. 
I just lost the battle. 

488
00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:14,120
The enemy came and I wasn't 
strong enough. 

489
00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,480
Beg God to strengthen your 
faith. 

490
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:23,080
If you had even a little bit of 
faith, then you have a very. 

491
00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,200
Large shield. 
You can resist the tempters call

492
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,440
to return to the filth of this 
world. 

493
00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,040
You don't have to listen to that
garbage music in your car. 

494
00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,880
You don't have to put those 
disgusting videos from the 

495
00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:38,280
Internet in front of your eyes. 
You don't have to speak lies 

496
00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:40,880
because you think it's the only 
way to protect your job. 

497
00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:44,680
You will lift your shield and 
block the fiery darts of the 

498
00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:49,200
wicked, as it says in Ephesians 
chapter 6, verse 17, and take 

499
00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:54,520
the helmet of salvation. 
Oh, sorry, above all, sorry. 

500
00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:56,440
It's verse 16 of Ephesians 
chapter 6. 

501
00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,160
Excuse me. 
Above all, taking the shield of 

502
00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:03,880
faith, where with ye shall ye? 
Shall be able to quench all the 

503
00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,560
fiery darts of the wicked. 
Not only are God's promises 

504
00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:12,440
sure, but His shield of faith. 
Is sure it says shall be able to

505
00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:14,440
quench all the fiery darts of 
the wicked. 

506
00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,120
Now I quickly want to talk about
the sword of the Spirit, which 

507
00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,160
is the word of God. 
So you don't have to turn back 

508
00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:23,240
to Ephesians chapter 6. 
I'm going to go ahead and read 

509
00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:26,360
it. 
Ephesians chapter 6 verse 17 and

510
00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:31,800
take the helmet of salvation and
the sword of the Spirit, which 

511
00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:36,000
is the word of God. 
Now a sword is an amazing 

512
00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:40,240
armament because it can be used 
defensively and offensively as 

513
00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:42,800
well. 
You can parry and block attacks 

514
00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:47,680
with it, but still it is the 
only armament of the Lord's 

515
00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,440
armor that can be used 
offensively. 

516
00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,760
To fully understand the 
offensive power of this weapon, 

517
00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:57,800
we must return to the book of 
Hebrews, this time to chapter 4 

518
00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:01,760
and verses 12 and 13. 
So go ahead and turn over there.

519
00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,120
Hebrews chapter 4, verses 12 and
13. 

520
00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:10,320
So I'm going to start with verse
12. 

521
00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:17,600
For the Word of God is quick and
powerful and sharper than any 2 

522
00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:23,400
edged sword, piercing even to 
the dividing asunder of soul and

523
00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:27,840
spirit, and of the joints and 
marrow, and is a discerner of 

524
00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,280
the thoughts and intents of the 
heart. 

525
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:35,520
Neither is there any creature 
that is not manifest in His 

526
00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:41,240
sight, but all things are naked 
and opened unto the eyes of Him 

527
00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:49,720
with whom we have to do. 
These two verses demonstrate why

528
00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:55,120
the sword of the spirit is the 
most feared weapon in the world.

529
00:31:55,480 --> 00:32:01,200
A gun can't Pierce your soul and
spirit, neither can a bomb see 

530
00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,800
the very intent of your heart. 
This weapon, the sword of the 

531
00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:09,600
spirit, is spiritually razor 
sharp and the two edged swords 

532
00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,400
that men make are like butter 
knives next to it. 

533
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:17,640
This is a weapon we have to 
respect and learn to wield and 

534
00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,840
to do it with discipline and 
safety, because this weapon can 

535
00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:25,000
not only cut open our enemy, but
cut open ourselves if we do not 

536
00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,680
use it properly. 
Above all, notice in verse 13 

537
00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:34,000
that it says neither is there 
any creature that is not 

538
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:38,240
manifest in His sight. 
That is the power of the Word of

539
00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:41,080
God, which is the sword of the 
Spirit. 

540
00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:47,640
There is no creature, no, not 
man, woman, nor Angel that is 

541
00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:52,320
not manifest in His sight. 
That is the power of the Bible 

542
00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:56,480
of the Word of God, which is the
sword of the Spirit, that even 

543
00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:00,680
the fallen angels of Satan can 
be defeated and battled by this 

544
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:02,680
weapon. 
They're not scared of a nuclear 

545
00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:08,680
weapon they're scared of. 
This They want this to stay on 

546
00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:12,640
your dashboard, they want it to 
stay on your shelf, they want it

547
00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:14,840
to stay open in your house. 
But you never. 

548
00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,360
Read it. 
They are terrified that you will

549
00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:19,960
pick up this weapon and use it 
against them. 

550
00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:24,360
There is a reason why James 
wrote this in his epistle and 

551
00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:26,960
you don't have to turn to James.
But this is from James chapter 2

552
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,480
verse 19. 
Thou believest, there is one 

553
00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:32,560
God. 
Thou doest well. 

554
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,640
The devil's believe also and 
tremble. 

555
00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:41,200
The devil's tremble not only 
before the one true God, but 

556
00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:45,400
they tremble before the. 
Might of His word I believe 

557
00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:49,400
someone recently said I think 
it's from Psalm, Psalm 138 verse

558
00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:53,160
2 that the Lord has said He has 
exalted his word above. 

559
00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:56,000
His own name. 
Now think about it. 

560
00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,320
If at the name of Jesus every 
knee shall bow, and every tongue

561
00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:02,600
shall confess, if Jesus has been
given a name above every name, 

562
00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:07,000
God's word is exalted above 
everything above His. 

563
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:08,920
Own name. 
There's a reason. 

564
00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:11,320
Why the devil? 
Fears this, this, this word, 

565
00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:14,120
because God says it's above 
everything in this world. 

566
00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,440
Remember that when Christ was 
tempted in the wilderness by 

567
00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:20,320
Satan, and actually I love it 
because Brian mentioned this in 

568
00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,280
his own message this past 
Sunday. 

569
00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:25,480
Remember that when Christ was 
tempted in the wilderness by 

570
00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,800
Satan, he unsheathed the sword 
of the Spirit, which is the word

571
00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,719
of God at every temptation of 
Satan. 

572
00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:36,679
And remember, Satan is the 
commander of the armies of hell 

573
00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:42,159
that our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
is the Almighty commander that 

574
00:34:42,159 --> 00:34:45,120
leads the armies of heaven that 
Jesus met. 

575
00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:49,560
This foe with the Bible, the 
Bible is the sword of the spear 

576
00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,360
and our Lord Jesus Christ this 
was his weapon of. 

577
00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,840
Choice against the devil. 
And in fact, he quoted it in 

578
00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:58,240
Matthew chapter 4, verse four. 
And this is what he said to 

579
00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:01,480
Satan. 
But he answered and said, it is 

580
00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:06,680
written, man shall not live by 
bread alone, but by every word 

581
00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:08,920
that proceeded out of the mouth 
of God. 

582
00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:14,280
This powerful verse of Scripture
packed a double punch because 

583
00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:19,080
not only is it a verse from the 
Bible that he used, but it's a 

584
00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:23,000
verse that commands us to live 
by every other verse of the 

585
00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:27,280
Bible. 
And notice Satan had no answer. 

586
00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,440
What did he do instead? 
He just moved on to the next 

587
00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:35,640
temptation, the next attack, 
because he could not withstand 

588
00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:37,840
the assault from the sword of 
the Spirit. 

589
00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:42,240
Learning to use this powerful 
weapon the same way our Lord 

590
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:46,280
Jesus Christ did is key if we 
are going to answer the Lord's 

591
00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:48,920
call. 
You have the shield of faith and

592
00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:52,600
you can have the armor of God, 
and you can survive temptations.

593
00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:57,000
You can get through trials and 
you can resist lies because your

594
00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,800
faith is grounded in the Lord 
and in His prominence, promises,

595
00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:04,880
and in His Word. 
But we know the goal of a 

596
00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:07,440
soldier is not just to survive a
battle. 

597
00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:12,080
When the Lord Jesus Christ made 
us all soldiers in His army, He 

598
00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:16,480
doesn't expect us to just sit 
here in our castle and defend 

599
00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:19,800
ourselves. 
No, just like any king, his 

600
00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:24,000
armies are used for both defense
and offense. 

601
00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,360
We have to leave. 
The castle eventually, and I'm 

602
00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,320
not just talking about 
physically, I'm talking about 

603
00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:32,240
spiritually. 
We can't just let our armor and 

604
00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:35,400
our sword and our shield stay 
here in church and then we walk 

605
00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:37,440
out there. 
People don't even know we know 

606
00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:39,520
the Lord. 
We've got to carry it with us so

607
00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,000
that everyone, when they see us 
coming, when the devil see us 

608
00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:44,720
coming, they say that's a 
soldier of Jesus Christ. 

609
00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:49,200
We got to be ready. 
Eventually we have to attack the

610
00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:51,400
enemy. 
We have to leave the castle and 

611
00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:54,560
launch our own assaults. 
The fortresses and strongholds 

612
00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:58,000
of the enemy eventually turn to 
2nd Corinthians. 

613
00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,800
Chapter. 10 and look at verses 3
through 6. 

614
00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,160
So once again, that Second 
Corinthians. 

615
00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:09,840
Chapter 10 and we're looking at 
verses 3 through 6. 

616
00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:16,560
So I'm going to start at verse 
3. 

617
00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:18,560
In chapter 10 of Second 
Corinthians. 

618
00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:23,760
For though we walk in the flesh,
we do not war after the flesh. 

619
00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:28,800
For the weapons of our warfare 
are not carnal, but mighty 

620
00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:33,320
through God to the pulling down 
of strongholds, casting down 

621
00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:37,840
imaginations, and every high 
thing that exalteth itself 

622
00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:41,720
against the knowledge of God, 
and bringing into captivity 

623
00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:45,360
every thought to the obedience 
of Christ, and having in a 

624
00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:48,760
readiness to revenge all 
disobedience, when your 

625
00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:52,920
obedience is fulfilled. 
We do not war after the flesh, 

626
00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:57,640
but we war against all the high 
things in this world that exalt 

627
00:37:57,640 --> 00:38:01,440
themselves against the knowledge
of God as revealed in the Holy 

628
00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,040
Scriptures. 
We see those. 

629
00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,440
Things every day What? 
Exalts itself against the 

630
00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:09,120
knowledge of God. 
The entertainment industry, they

631
00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:12,560
make no mention of God. 
In fact, most of those actors 

632
00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:15,200
and actresses, they live lives 
contrary to God. 

633
00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,600
We know they live wicked lives, 
and yet many of us continue to 

634
00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,880
go watch their movies. 
And even though they exalt 

635
00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:24,120
themselves against the knowledge
of God, their movies make no 

636
00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:26,160
mention of them. 
It's like in those movies, it's 

637
00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:28,080
a reality where God doesn't 
exist. 

638
00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:30,440
And if they do make mention of 
them, it's to blasphemy His 

639
00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:32,520
name. 
Or what about soap science, 

640
00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:35,440
falsely so-called today we 
talked about it in this church. 

641
00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:38,120
You know, I know no one in this 
church would profess to believe 

642
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:42,240
in The Big Bang and evolution. 
But think about the entire world

643
00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:44,760
is beguiled by those things. 
The entire world. 

644
00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:48,760
There are whole nations that 
believe that That's fact, even 

645
00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:51,440
though we know it's not. 
The evidence doesn't bear it 

646
00:38:51,440 --> 00:38:53,200
out. 
We can see the hand of our 

647
00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:57,080
Creator and everything, and yet 
that exalts itself against the 

648
00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:00,760
knowledge of God. 
And it's our job to take this 

649
00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:02,680
mighty. 
Spiritual weapon that. 

650
00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:06,400
God has given us and cast down 
that stronghold of the enemy, 

651
00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:10,600
this sword. 
Of the Spirit is mighty to the 

652
00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:15,080
pulling down of strongholds, and
this sword is a revenger against

653
00:39:15,240 --> 00:39:18,000
all disobedience to the Word of 
God. 

654
00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:20,840
What are the? 
Strongholds of the. 

655
00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:23,840
Enemy What and. 
Where are we supposed to be 

656
00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:26,080
attacking? 
Well before we. 

657
00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:28,920
Run off to the war. 
We have to make sure our sword 

658
00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:30,240
is sharp. 
So I'm going to answer those 

659
00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:32,320
questions, but let's sharpen our
sword a bit. 

660
00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:35,400
You have to make sure you know 
how to use your sword too. 

661
00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:41,520
So Second Timothy 2 verse 15 
says this study to show thyself 

662
00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:45,560
approved unto God, a Workman 
that needeth not to be ashamed, 

663
00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:47,680
rightly dividing the word of 
truth. 

664
00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:49,960
You, you have to study the word 
of God. 

665
00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:54,720
You have to understand salvation
by faith in Jesus Christ and by 

666
00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:58,040
the grace of God. 
You have to understand the need 

667
00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:00,760
to be born again. 
You can't share half the gospel 

668
00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:02,920
with somebody. 
You have to understand the 

669
00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:06,880
difference between the baptism 
of the Holy Spirit at salvation 

670
00:40:07,040 --> 00:40:09,440
and the baptism by water that 
shows publicly you are a 

671
00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:12,120
follower of Christ. 
Because that's another law 

672
00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:15,240
that's going around today that 
baptism saves that. 

673
00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:17,360
Oh look, that's what washes away
your sins. 

674
00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,800
You have to study these verses 
that people come against you 

675
00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:22,880
with. 
And that's one that I saw just 

676
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,200
today. 
I meant I go online, I get an 

677
00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:27,960
Internet arguments with people 
because it sharpens my sword of 

678
00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:29,960
faith. 
So I know how to counter these 

679
00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:31,720
things. 
And that's something someone 

680
00:40:31,720 --> 00:40:35,360
said today. 
Acts chapter 22, verse 16, when 

681
00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:39,080
Paul was recounting his 
salvation, you know, I believe 

682
00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:41,440
it was before some other 
believers and he was, he was 

683
00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:45,760
talking about how Ananias, he 
was recurring what Ananias said 

684
00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:49,440
about how he put his hands upon 
the Apostle Paul and how and, 

685
00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:51,800
and the and the person only 
quoted part of it where it where

686
00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:55,440
it said and wash your sins away.
And the person was saying, see 

687
00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:59,760
Paul's sins were washed away 
after he got baptized, but they 

688
00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:03,000
didn't read the whole verse 
where it said calling upon the 

689
00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:05,920
name of the Lord. 
That's what Wash just sends 

690
00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:08,320
away. 
He called upon the name of the 

691
00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:11,920
Lord and the and then he felt as
it were scales fall from his 

692
00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:13,800
eyes, the blindness he was 
under. 

693
00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:16,920
He was saved. 
He was now a man of God born 

694
00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:19,240
again. 
And that's just one of the many 

695
00:41:19,240 --> 00:41:22,040
lies that we're up against. 
That's a stronghold of the 

696
00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:24,040
enemy. 
And maybe you can. 

697
00:41:24,040 --> 00:41:26,160
Withstand it, but if you don't. 
Attack it back. 

698
00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:28,600
Guess what? 
It's going to fool other people.

699
00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:32,200
And the more and more confused 
that someone is about how they 

700
00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,480
can come to the Lord Jesus 
Christ, that it's by faith and 

701
00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:39,240
that's by the grace of God, the 
less and less likely they are to

702
00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:41,920
come to the Lord. 
They're going to get baptized 

703
00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:44,520
and think that that was 
salvation, even though they 

704
00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:46,240
never really had a true faith in
the Lord. 

705
00:41:46,240 --> 00:41:48,280
We've got to stand against those
things, those. 

706
00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:51,760
Are the strongholds of the enemy
and we have to study the Word of

707
00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:55,000
God to understand that. 
You have to understand the deity

708
00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:59,960
of Christ, that He is God, 
manifest in the flesh, and is 

709
00:41:59,960 --> 00:42:02,200
one with the Father and the Holy
Spirit. 

710
00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:05,880
You have to understand the 
difference between the holy and 

711
00:42:05,880 --> 00:42:09,640
the profane and know what the 
Lord considers to be sin. 

712
00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:12,240
So you can avoid, that's another
example. 

713
00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:15,560
A lot of people are falling into
a lot of sins because people are

714
00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:19,200
going around and saying, well, 
that specific sin is not 

715
00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:22,000
mentioned in the Bible. 
The Bible never mentions 

716
00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,840
marijuana in it, right? 
I mean, that's the Lord's 

717
00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:27,480
healing herb. 
He, he, he sent it here to heal 

718
00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:30,040
us of our diseases, right? 
Someone could say that. 

719
00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:31,360
And you, and what are you going 
to do? 

720
00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:33,160
How are you going to fight them 
with the Bible? 

721
00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:36,920
What verse are you going to use 
against that to show them what 

722
00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:39,320
you're mistaken? 
That is not how we're supposed 

723
00:42:39,320 --> 00:42:42,880
to abuse God's creation. 
Right, And I can think of one 

724
00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:45,240
verse off the top of my head. 
That's one I've been memorizing 

725
00:42:45,240 --> 00:42:47,600
recently. 
Second Thessalonians from 

726
00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:51,960
chapter 5 to prove all things. 
Hold fast to that which. 

727
00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:54,600
Is good, right? 
Well, we can see the effects. 

728
00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:57,200
Of that drug on society. 
I can use that one verse. 

729
00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:59,200
The Lord commands me to prove 
all things. 

730
00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:00,600
The Lord also. 
Commanded me to. 

731
00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:02,760
Test fruits, you shall know them
by their fruits. 

732
00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:06,320
What all something does is bear 
horrible fruit and turn people 

733
00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:09,720
into drug addicts and get them 
addicted to more drugs and tear 

734
00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:12,280
apart their families and cost 
them their jobs. 

735
00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:14,560
No, that's not something sent by
the Lord. 

736
00:43:14,760 --> 00:43:16,560
OK, that's you're using it the 
wrong way. 

737
00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:19,080
That plant, whatever it is, 
you're using it the wrong way 

738
00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:21,760
and you have to be ready to 
stand against these things. 

739
00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:25,320
And the only way you can do it 
is to study the Word of God. 

740
00:43:25,720 --> 00:43:27,960
That is how you sharpen your 
sword. 

741
00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:31,040
You memorize verses about all 
these subjects. 

742
00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:34,800
Not just memorizing them, by the
way, but understanding them. 

743
00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:38,680
Not just so you can explain them
to others, but so that you can 

744
00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:42,600
use them to attack the lives of 
the enemy that in this day and 

745
00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:47,720
age are practically everywhere. 
Another way to sharpen your. 

746
00:43:47,720 --> 00:43:50,880
Sword, and make sure you know 
how to use it, is to study with 

747
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:52,520
your brothers and sisters in 
Christ. 

748
00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:59,280
As it says in Proverbs 2717, 
iron sharpeneth iron, so a man 

749
00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:01,560
sharpeneth the countenance of 
his friend. 

750
00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:04,600
You have to discuss the 
scriptures with your fellow 

751
00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:07,320
soldiers. 
You have to sharpen each other 

752
00:44:07,600 --> 00:44:10,640
and encourage each other not 
just to memorize, but to 

753
00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:13,040
understand the verses you are 
memorizing. 

754
00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:15,640
And this is funny because I 
think once again, Brian 

755
00:44:15,640 --> 00:44:18,160
mentioned Johnny Junior, but I 
have him here too. 

756
00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:21,160
This is why aspiring Marines 
like Johnny Junior, he went to 

757
00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:25,080
boot camp and and it's why. 
He trained with his fellow. 

758
00:44:25,080 --> 00:44:27,720
Soldiers. 
It's to strengthen his skills 

759
00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:29,680
for combat. 
It is the. 

760
00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:31,720
Same for those of us in the 
Lord's Army. 

761
00:44:31,720 --> 00:44:35,560
And I'm happy that Johnny Junior
is not only a Marine, but more 

762
00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:39,760
importantly, A fellow soldier. 
In the Lord's Army, the same 

763
00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:43,400
principles apply. 
If you do not train and sharpen 

764
00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:46,360
your swords together with your 
friends and the Lord, with your 

765
00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:49,760
fellow soldiers and the Lord, 
then you are going to falter 

766
00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:52,360
when you go to attack the enemy 
and fight. 

767
00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:56,280
In fact, you might walk into an 
enemy stronghold thinking it's a

768
00:44:56,280 --> 00:44:59,720
safe castle to hide in. 
You have to study the Word of 

769
00:44:59,720 --> 00:45:03,640
God and keep your sword sharp to
identify the strongholds of the 

770
00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:08,680
enemy and to attack them. 
And you must attack them. 

771
00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:13,680
You can't just walk, watch from 
a distance and hope one day that

772
00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:15,240
that stronghold is going to 
fall. 

773
00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:17,400
Oh, Lord, I'm just watching from
a distance. 

774
00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:20,120
You know, you can send them. 
They can attack that stronghold.

775
00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:23,760
I'm going to stand back here. 
I'll just watch the battle you 

776
00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:26,360
have. 
To attack using the weapon that 

777
00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:30,360
God gave you, his sword of the 
Spirit, which is the word of 

778
00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:33,800
God. 
Ephesians states this in chapter

779
00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:36,720
5 and verses 10 through 12, so 
you can turn there if you like. 

780
00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:40,200
I've got the verses here. 
So it's Ephesians chapter 5, 

781
00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:42,360
verses 10 through 12. 
Actually, I'm going to turn 

782
00:45:42,360 --> 00:45:47,920
there in my Bible as well. 
So once more, I'm going to start

783
00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:51,760
at Ephesians. 
Chapter 5, verse 10 proving what

784
00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:55,720
is acceptable unto the Lord. 
And there it is once more, by 

785
00:45:55,720 --> 00:45:57,840
the way. 
Proving what is acceptable under

786
00:45:57,840 --> 00:45:58,680
the Lord. 
We have to. 

787
00:45:58,680 --> 00:46:02,200
Prove things according to the 
Word of God, verse 11 and have 

788
00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:05,920
no fellowship with the 
unfruitful works of darkness, 

789
00:46:06,080 --> 00:46:10,160
but rather reprove them. 
For it is a shame even to speak 

790
00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:12,520
of those things which are done 
of them in secret. 

791
00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:19,000
We have to know the Word of God 
to prove what is acceptable to 

792
00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:23,760
the Lord, and this is how we 
identify these unfruitful works 

793
00:46:23,760 --> 00:46:28,360
of darkness, that we are 
commanded to reprove these 

794
00:46:28,360 --> 00:46:30,680
shameful things that are done. 
By wicked men. 

795
00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:33,240
And day by day more and more of 
those things come to light. 

796
00:46:33,960 --> 00:46:35,840
We are commanded to. 
Reprove. 

797
00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:38,640
That means expose. 
Them it's a command. 

798
00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:40,600
The Lord's not. 
Just suggesting we do it. 

799
00:46:40,600 --> 00:46:42,360
We have. 
To attack the enemy. 

800
00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:45,960
And remember our verses from 
Hebrews chapter 4 and I'll read 

801
00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:48,200
them again. 
It's Hebrews chapter 4, verses 

802
00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:51,800
12 and 13. 
For the Word of God is quick and

803
00:46:51,800 --> 00:46:56,840
powerful and sharper than any 2 
edged sword, piercing even to 

804
00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:01,240
the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit and of the joints and 

805
00:47:01,240 --> 00:47:04,440
Morrow, and is a discerner of 
the thoughts and intents of the 

806
00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:06,960
heart. 
Neither is there any creature 

807
00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:11,320
that is not manifest in His 
sight, but all things are naked 

808
00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:16,080
and opened under the eyes of Him
with whom we have to do. 

809
00:47:16,720 --> 00:47:21,240
It is the Word of God that 
slices so sharp through these 

810
00:47:21,240 --> 00:47:24,560
works of darkness and makes them
manifest in our sight. 

811
00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:29,000
We have to fight as soldiers 
against these works of darkness 

812
00:47:29,320 --> 00:47:33,360
and the Word of God will reveal 
what those works of darkness are

813
00:47:33,360 --> 00:47:36,600
to you, but only if you stay in 
His Word. 

814
00:47:36,840 --> 00:47:39,760
You pray to the Lord to give you
understanding by the power of 

815
00:47:39,760 --> 00:47:44,080
His Holy Spirit, and if you 
resist that sin, that is 

816
00:47:44,080 --> 00:47:46,800
stopping up your ears from 
hearing the Lord's call to 

817
00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:50,320
battle. 
Now I am almost done, and I wish

818
00:47:50,320 --> 00:47:54,400
I could expand much more about 
these works of darkness that the

819
00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:57,120
Lord has given us the shield of 
faith to resist. 

820
00:47:57,480 --> 00:47:59,320
And the sword of the Spirit to. 
Attack. 

821
00:47:59,800 --> 00:48:01,400
But I will briefly speak on 
them. 

822
00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:07,160
These works of darkness that you
must actively attack. 

823
00:48:07,160 --> 00:48:09,560
And these and, and keep in mind,
these works of darkness are 

824
00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:13,200
everywhere today in our country.
America feels like a madhouse. 

825
00:48:13,480 --> 00:48:16,440
There's so many lies, so many 
false ways, so much evil. 

826
00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:20,800
These works of darkness that you
must actively attack are 

827
00:48:20,800 --> 00:48:24,960
apostate religions that claim 
the name of Christ, like 

828
00:48:24,960 --> 00:48:29,440
Catholicism, Mormonism, the 
Jehovah's Witnesses, and even 

829
00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:33,240
Islam that claims Christ was a 
prophet of Allah. 

830
00:48:33,600 --> 00:48:35,440
We have all that here in 
America. 

831
00:48:35,720 --> 00:48:37,720
And we're meeting more. 
And more of those people every 

832
00:48:37,720 --> 00:48:39,360
day. 
I know the Mormons are very 

833
00:48:39,360 --> 00:48:42,000
active in this area. 
I've talked to them before, I've

834
00:48:42,000 --> 00:48:44,240
gotten in little debates with 
them and tried to share the Word

835
00:48:44,240 --> 00:48:46,040
of God. 
And I'm grateful that sometimes 

836
00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:48,760
they do take a gospel tract. 
I just have to pray that the 

837
00:48:48,760 --> 00:48:51,560
Lord has them look at it and 
they don't just throw it away. 

838
00:48:51,840 --> 00:48:54,080
But you have to have your sword.
Of the Spirit. 

839
00:48:54,080 --> 00:48:56,400
Ready. 
Because remember those people 

840
00:48:56,400 --> 00:48:59,480
who's really behind them, that 
Mormon that's standing there? 

841
00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:01,680
He's standing outside of Wawa. 
Or he approached you at a 

842
00:49:01,680 --> 00:49:04,440
shopping mall and he starts 
asking you, hey, do you want to 

843
00:49:04,440 --> 00:49:07,400
come to church with me? 
You have an opportunity. 

844
00:49:07,560 --> 00:49:10,840
It's being served up on a 
platter, but you got to have a 

845
00:49:10,840 --> 00:49:13,280
strong shield of faith. 
You can't give into fear and 

846
00:49:13,280 --> 00:49:14,760
think my faith is not strong 
enough. 

847
00:49:14,920 --> 00:49:17,440
What if he says something I 
can't counteract from the word? 

848
00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:19,680
You know what the Lord will give
you the words to speak. 

849
00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:22,960
If you've been in the word of 
God, He'll bring those things to

850
00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:25,800
your remembrance. 
I've seen it with my own eyes. 

851
00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:29,240
It happened to me. 
I, I, I've seen, I remember this

852
00:49:29,240 --> 00:49:31,480
was two years ago. 
I had a Mormon walk up to me on 

853
00:49:31,480 --> 00:49:34,760
the East End and at that very 
moment was the fight or flight. 

854
00:49:35,040 --> 00:49:37,360
Am I just going to let him talk 
to me for a few seconds and say 

855
00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:40,840
I'm not interested to walk away?
No, I was able to witness to him

856
00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:42,760
and his partner that was out 
there. 

857
00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:45,920
Now, they weren't happy with me,
but I know the true gospel of 

858
00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:48,560
Jesus Christ was planted and he 
gave me the words to speak. 

859
00:49:48,760 --> 00:49:51,560
I didn't have to worry about it.
Everything that Mormon said, he 

860
00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:54,560
gave me a verse of scripture to 
say, and I wasn't doing it to 

861
00:49:54,560 --> 00:49:56,120
score points against that 
Mormon. 

862
00:49:56,480 --> 00:49:59,400
I was doing it because he's a 
captive of the devil and he 

863
00:49:59,400 --> 00:50:01,280
doesn't know the real Jesus 
Christ. 

864
00:50:01,920 --> 00:50:05,680
These works of darkness that you
must attack are evil 

865
00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:11,440
entertainment like vile rock 
songs, sexual pop songs, rap 

866
00:50:11,440 --> 00:50:15,000
songs that celebrate 
criminality, wicked movies 

867
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:19,040
filled with all sorts of vices, 
and video games full of 

868
00:50:19,040 --> 00:50:23,840
witchcraft, demonology, 
necromancy, violence and 

869
00:50:23,840 --> 00:50:26,480
sensuality. 
And I know all about those 

870
00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:29,160
before I was saved. 
I was a video game addict. 

871
00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:31,840
I loved escaping into those 
fantasy worlds all the time. 

872
00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:34,160
I spent so much of my week doing
that. 

873
00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:36,920
And then when the Lord freed me,
when he opened my eyes, I 

874
00:50:36,920 --> 00:50:39,280
realized it's not just that it 
was a waste of time. 

875
00:50:39,280 --> 00:50:42,280
It was much worse than that. 
It was putting a lot of evil 

876
00:50:42,280 --> 00:50:44,760
things into my head. 
When I realized that in some of 

877
00:50:44,760 --> 00:50:48,160
those video games, I'm summoning
demonic entities. 

878
00:50:48,480 --> 00:50:51,920
I'm casting witchcraft spells. 
I remember when I first read the

879
00:50:51,920 --> 00:50:54,960
Word of God and I read 
Deuteronomy 18 where it talks 

880
00:50:54,960 --> 00:51:00,840
about and have to avoid Wizards 
and witches and necromancers and

881
00:51:00,840 --> 00:51:03,920
diviners and and don't don't be 
defiled with them that have 

882
00:51:03,920 --> 00:51:06,440
familiar spirits. 
I'm thinking I did all those 

883
00:51:06,440 --> 00:51:09,040
things on those video games. 
I was doing all of them. 

884
00:51:09,040 --> 00:51:12,480
I was defiling myself with them 
and I had even met one face to 

885
00:51:12,480 --> 00:51:14,640
face. 
I was doing it in this virtual 

886
00:51:14,640 --> 00:51:17,280
reality. 
We have to tell the truth about 

887
00:51:17,280 --> 00:51:19,240
that. 
We have to stand against it. 

888
00:51:19,400 --> 00:51:21,440
And yes, we're going to be 
mocked and shamed. 

889
00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:26,120
When Paul was in Athens and he 
was grieved because of all the 

890
00:51:26,120 --> 00:51:29,720
idolatry around him, when he saw
the statues, no doubt he saw 

891
00:51:29,720 --> 00:51:34,280
statues to Athena, to Zeus, to 
these other Greek gods. 

892
00:51:34,280 --> 00:51:36,960
And these people were 
worshipping them as if they were

893
00:51:36,960 --> 00:51:40,520
real gods and goddesses, as if 
they had any power to help them 

894
00:51:40,520 --> 00:51:43,000
in their life. 
They were living in a fantasy 

895
00:51:43,000 --> 00:51:45,400
land, just like I was. 
And what did Paul do? 

896
00:51:45,400 --> 00:51:47,240
He got up even though he was 
mocked. 

897
00:51:47,640 --> 00:51:49,560
When he was done preaching and 
they heard about the 

898
00:51:49,560 --> 00:51:53,520
resurrection, most of them 
mocked, but a few followed him. 

899
00:51:53,960 --> 00:51:55,920
And that's who we're out there 
to save. 

900
00:51:56,120 --> 00:51:58,600
People are going to mock you 
when you say these things. 

901
00:51:59,080 --> 00:52:02,240
Decades ago, when you had things
like Dungeons and Dragons coming

902
00:52:02,240 --> 00:52:04,520
out, and I played that, by the 
way, I played Dungeons and 

903
00:52:04,520 --> 00:52:06,800
Dragons. 
People mocked Christians. 

904
00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:08,880
Why? 
Because they said it was evil. 

905
00:52:09,280 --> 00:52:12,200
Oh, it's got witchcraft in it. 
Oh, it's from Satan. 

906
00:52:12,200 --> 00:52:15,040
And you know what's crazy? 
I used to mock that stuff going 

907
00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:16,440
up. 
I used to play Dungeons and 

908
00:52:16,440 --> 00:52:18,120
Dragons. 
I said, you know, it's just a 

909
00:52:18,120 --> 00:52:19,360
game. 
They don't get it. 

910
00:52:19,680 --> 00:52:22,320
It's just little figures. 
The spells aren't real. 

911
00:52:22,920 --> 00:52:25,240
But then now that I'm saved and 
I've been walking with the Lord 

912
00:52:25,240 --> 00:52:28,880
for four years and I stay in his
word and I pray to him, I say, 

913
00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:31,400
you know what? 
Those Christians may not have 

914
00:52:31,400 --> 00:52:34,480
had the best way of explaining 
it, but they were absolutely 

915
00:52:34,480 --> 00:52:37,000
right. 
And that's why you have to be 

916
00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:40,040
able to know the works of 
darkness without defiling 

917
00:52:40,040 --> 00:52:42,440
yourself with them. 
We have to pure ourselves, 

918
00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:45,520
purify ourselves with the blood 
of Jesus Christ, but we've got 

919
00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:48,880
to expose these things. 
There are people my age and 

920
00:52:48,880 --> 00:52:51,320
younger that are addicted to all
of these things. 

921
00:52:51,320 --> 00:52:54,200
I've got them in my family and I
see what it does to their life. 

922
00:52:54,600 --> 00:52:58,720
The depression, the confusion. 
They don't understand anything. 

923
00:52:58,720 --> 00:53:00,960
They've been completely blinded 
by these things. 

924
00:53:01,120 --> 00:53:02,680
And it's not just the video 
games. 

925
00:53:02,680 --> 00:53:04,960
I'm harping on about that 
because it was a big part of my 

926
00:53:04,960 --> 00:53:07,240
life. 
But it's all the horrible movies

927
00:53:07,240 --> 00:53:09,840
they watch. 
It's all the horrific songs they

928
00:53:09,840 --> 00:53:12,720
listen to. 
We need to stand up against 

929
00:53:12,720 --> 00:53:15,120
those things and we need to do 
it wisely. 

930
00:53:15,320 --> 00:53:18,320
We do need to do it wisely. 
We need to have compassion on 

931
00:53:18,320 --> 00:53:20,680
people. 
I know I do. 

932
00:53:21,200 --> 00:53:23,080
I know I do. 
I used to be one of them. 

933
00:53:23,320 --> 00:53:26,440
I used to listen to those songs.
I used to waste my time with 

934
00:53:26,440 --> 00:53:29,040
those games to fill my head and 
my heart and my soul with all 

935
00:53:29,040 --> 00:53:31,920
that evil garbage. 
So I love those people and I 

936
00:53:31,920 --> 00:53:34,400
know what they're under and I 
know that it's not really them. 

937
00:53:34,720 --> 00:53:36,480
I know they're accountable for 
their sins. 

938
00:53:36,480 --> 00:53:39,080
I know that. 
I know it's the devil and his 

939
00:53:39,120 --> 00:53:42,080
angels that are behind that, 
that are putting these 

940
00:53:42,080 --> 00:53:44,000
sensations, these things in 
front of them. 

941
00:53:44,280 --> 00:53:46,440
I know that. 
And that's why we have to be 

942
00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:47,960
witnesses and fight. 
Against it. 

943
00:53:48,200 --> 00:53:51,160
And I'm going to tell you these 
works of darkness that you must 

944
00:53:51,160 --> 00:53:55,920
expose are societal ills like 
the mass murder of babies in the

945
00:53:55,920 --> 00:54:00,680
abortion industry, wholesale 
addiction to pornography that is

946
00:54:00,680 --> 00:54:05,000
fueling international sex. 
Trafficking the celebrated use 

947
00:54:05,000 --> 00:54:10,600
of drugs like marijuana. 
Or opioids and the perversion of

948
00:54:10,600 --> 00:54:13,960
the sodomite LGBT. 
Movement that is now 

949
00:54:13,960 --> 00:54:17,480
brainwashing our children in 
public schools and that is some 

950
00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:20,760
harsh language I'm using. 
And that stuff when I was in 

951
00:54:20,760 --> 00:54:22,720
school was not as bad as it is 
now. 

952
00:54:22,920 --> 00:54:27,280
It is so terrible now, and I 
know many of the children in 

953
00:54:27,280 --> 00:54:29,240
here. 
I thank the Lord that you don't 

954
00:54:29,240 --> 00:54:32,040
have to go to public school. 
You don't have to deal with 

955
00:54:32,040 --> 00:54:33,720
those things. 
I did. 

956
00:54:33,720 --> 00:54:36,640
I was exposed to all of it, all 
of those things. 

957
00:54:36,800 --> 00:54:40,360
And I know it's even worse now, 
15 years after I graduated. 

958
00:54:40,360 --> 00:54:42,520
It's even worse now in the 
schools. 

959
00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:46,400
And so that's why I'm just so 
thankful and I pray for the 

960
00:54:46,400 --> 00:54:50,240
children and the young people in
our church because it is so much

961
00:54:50,240 --> 00:54:53,880
better that you never know what 
it what it's like to be enslaved

962
00:54:53,880 --> 00:54:57,200
to those things. 
You need to appreciate what your

963
00:54:57,200 --> 00:55:00,080
parents are doing for you. 
It's one of those things. 

964
00:55:00,840 --> 00:55:02,720
Gary's message the other night 
really touched me. 

965
00:55:02,720 --> 00:55:04,320
That's why none of this is 
written in my notes. 

966
00:55:04,320 --> 00:55:09,040
I'm, I'm just saying it because 
when he was talking about being 

967
00:55:09,040 --> 00:55:12,040
lost, you know, I'm thankful 
that so many of you were saved 

968
00:55:12,040 --> 00:55:13,880
when you were young. 
I'm grateful. 

969
00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:18,600
I, I, maybe I'm hoping it's a 
godly envy that I'm so thankful 

970
00:55:18,760 --> 00:55:20,320
that so many were saved when 
they were young. 

971
00:55:20,320 --> 00:55:24,000
I think of, of pastor and his 
wife saved at five years old and

972
00:55:24,000 --> 00:55:26,920
four years, four years old, 
Praise the Lord, because I know 

973
00:55:26,920 --> 00:55:29,160
they face temptations. 
They're in this world, but they 

974
00:55:29,160 --> 00:55:33,400
had the Holy Spirit helping them
the whole time to resist and 

975
00:55:33,400 --> 00:55:37,000
fight those temptations. 
For 28 years of my life, many of

976
00:55:37,000 --> 00:55:40,120
the things on this list I've 
named, I was a slave to them. 

977
00:55:40,760 --> 00:55:45,360
And it is so much more evil and 
dark than you can imagine when 

978
00:55:45,360 --> 00:55:47,760
those things are the gods of 
your life. 

979
00:55:47,920 --> 00:55:51,000
They're false gods, but they are
the gods of your life. 

980
00:55:51,280 --> 00:55:53,800
And that's why we have to attack
it. 

981
00:55:54,040 --> 00:55:56,640
Be compassionate. 
We have to attack these things. 

982
00:55:56,800 --> 00:55:59,680
They're not going to go away. 
And one problem with the church 

983
00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:02,600
today, and I'm a young 
Christian, I am, so I don't want

984
00:56:02,600 --> 00:56:05,080
to speak out of turn, but one 
problem I see with the church 

985
00:56:05,080 --> 00:56:07,640
today, as someone who was saved 
from those things, is people are

986
00:56:07,640 --> 00:56:10,840
too scared to expose them. 
They're too scared because a big

987
00:56:10,840 --> 00:56:13,040
part of it is, you know what 
people are going to say. 

988
00:56:13,360 --> 00:56:16,000
I've got it for myself. 
I've talked about these things 

989
00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:18,360
with my family, especially 
entertainment, and they do not 

990
00:56:18,360 --> 00:56:21,040
like to hear it. 
They do not like to hear me 

991
00:56:21,040 --> 00:56:24,400
attack the idols that they have.
And I try to do it in a loving 

992
00:56:24,400 --> 00:56:27,000
and compassionate way. 
But I'm trying to tell them 

993
00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:30,120
because I know those things are 
destroying their lives and not 

994
00:56:30,120 --> 00:56:33,040
just their lives. 
Because sin doesn't just stop at

995
00:56:33,040 --> 00:56:35,840
that. 
One Sinner in the book of 

996
00:56:35,840 --> 00:56:40,440
Ecclesiastes says 1 Sinner 
destroyeth much good. 

997
00:56:40,760 --> 00:56:42,760
That's sin. 
That's why things are so bad 

998
00:56:42,760 --> 00:56:45,880
today, because it's not just one
center, it's a lot of people 

999
00:56:45,880 --> 00:56:49,920
falling prey to all of these 
things, and this is just a taste

1000
00:56:50,120 --> 00:56:52,480
of the works. 
Of darkness, that the word of 

1001
00:56:52,480 --> 00:56:57,320
God not only commands us to have
no fellowship with, but to 

1002
00:56:57,320 --> 00:57:01,520
reprove you have to rebuke it 
and expose it with the word of 

1003
00:57:01,520 --> 00:57:04,240
God. 
This is one reason why the 

1004
00:57:04,240 --> 00:57:08,520
strongholds of darkness, the 
fortresses of Satan, seem to be 

1005
00:57:08,520 --> 00:57:10,800
everywhere in our country. 
It is. 

1006
00:57:10,800 --> 00:57:16,200
Because Christians not only 
indulge in many of these same 

1007
00:57:16,200 --> 00:57:21,080
sins themselves, but because 
they are too cowardly to oppose 

1008
00:57:21,080 --> 00:57:24,760
these works of darkness, they 
are afraid to face Satan. 

1009
00:57:25,120 --> 00:57:26,480
And their fellow. 
Man. 

1010
00:57:26,720 --> 00:57:30,160
And so instead Christians hide 
in their castles with their 

1011
00:57:30,160 --> 00:57:33,600
Shields raised up and their 
sword sheathed and hanging off 

1012
00:57:33,600 --> 00:57:38,480
their hips. 
We have to learn the word of God

1013
00:57:38,520 --> 00:57:43,640
and use it to attack the enemy. 
Please pray that I would do it. 

1014
00:57:44,360 --> 00:57:48,360
Please pray that your husbands 
and your sons would do it. 

1015
00:57:48,640 --> 00:57:52,480
We can't shrink back from the 
battle now because know this, 

1016
00:57:52,480 --> 00:57:55,680
nothing I've sent in this. 
Message is to discourage you, or

1017
00:57:55,680 --> 00:57:58,840
even to discourage myself. 
It's to encourage you. 

1018
00:57:59,200 --> 00:58:03,320
David brought down Goliath, the 
walls of Jericho. 

1019
00:58:03,320 --> 00:58:07,840
Fell, and the mighty armies of 
the Canaanites were scattered 

1020
00:58:07,840 --> 00:58:11,400
before the children of Israel, 
who seemed weaker and fewer in 

1021
00:58:11,400 --> 00:58:14,080
number. 
Even when the day seemed dark 

1022
00:58:14,080 --> 00:58:17,840
during the time of the Judges, 
over and over again God raised 

1023
00:58:17,840 --> 00:58:20,400
up deliverers. 
I mean, some of their oppressors

1024
00:58:20,400 --> 00:58:22,920
like the Philistines even 
forbade them from making weapons

1025
00:58:22,920 --> 00:58:25,120
of war. 
All they had was farming 

1026
00:58:25,120 --> 00:58:27,600
instruments and they defeated 
the enemy. 

1027
00:58:27,840 --> 00:58:30,960
And the same applies to us with 
our spiritual weapons. 

1028
00:58:31,320 --> 00:58:33,560
And we've got something better 
than a farming instrument. 

1029
00:58:33,920 --> 00:58:36,600
We've got the most powerful 
weapon in the world. 

1030
00:58:36,800 --> 00:58:39,880
This is why the world mocks us 
when we try to expose these 

1031
00:58:39,880 --> 00:58:44,000
things, because it stings. 
I remember I used to be one of 

1032
00:58:44,000 --> 00:58:46,400
those lost people when I would 
talk to my granddad. 

1033
00:58:46,400 --> 00:58:48,520
And believe me, he was very 
compassionate toward me. 

1034
00:58:48,880 --> 00:58:52,920
His stung when the sword even 
brushed against me, grazed me. 

1035
00:58:52,920 --> 00:58:56,520
I could feel that sting. 
It's why Hebrews chapter 4 says 

1036
00:58:56,720 --> 00:59:00,000
it slices even to the joints and
marrow is a discerner of the 

1037
00:59:00,000 --> 00:59:01,160
thoughts and intents of the 
heart. 

1038
00:59:01,320 --> 00:59:04,400
That's real. 
It's not just words, That's real

1039
00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:06,920
life. 
God's. 

1040
00:59:06,920 --> 00:59:10,400
People of today. 
Might be covered in sins, we 

1041
00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:13,200
might have a weak shield of 
faith and a sword of the Spirit 

1042
00:59:13,200 --> 00:59:15,440
that we don't really know how to
use anymore. 

1043
00:59:15,800 --> 00:59:20,200
But God is almighty, He is 
omnipotent, and He is stronger 

1044
00:59:20,200 --> 00:59:23,200
than every man, woman and Angel 
combined. 

1045
00:59:23,400 --> 00:59:28,280
We have to trust that God is 
going to give us His church, the

1046
00:59:28,280 --> 00:59:31,240
victory, not only at His coming,
when He returns. 

1047
00:59:31,320 --> 00:59:34,640
Returns for us, but right now 
that we are still in the world, 

1048
00:59:34,640 --> 00:59:37,600
and I know pastor has said this 
and many other great preachers, 

1049
00:59:38,040 --> 00:59:40,280
we're all looking forward to the
return of the Lord. 

1050
00:59:40,280 --> 00:59:43,440
I know I am. 
That's when finally the battle's

1051
00:59:43,440 --> 00:59:46,560
over for us, at least this 
battle in this flesh, right? 

1052
00:59:47,040 --> 00:59:49,760
But the Lord said occupy till I 
come. 

1053
00:59:50,000 --> 00:59:52,440
We're not supposed to just think
we're going to escape this 

1054
00:59:52,440 --> 00:59:55,480
battle if we just keep waiting. 
The Lord's going to return. 

1055
00:59:56,560 --> 00:59:59,600
And that's The thing is maybe 
it's all by design that the Lord

1056
00:59:59,600 --> 01:00:02,560
has not returned yet. 
He's expecting us to fight this 

1057
01:00:02,560 --> 01:00:05,400
battle. 
I think of Steven right before 

1058
01:00:05,400 --> 01:00:08,000
he was martyred. 
I mean, the Lord knew that he 

1059
01:00:08,000 --> 01:00:09,320
was. 
Soon, Steven was going to see 

1060
01:00:09,320 --> 01:00:11,480
him face to face. 
That's amazing. 

1061
01:00:11,680 --> 01:00:14,000
But I think of when Stephen, 
Stephen stood up in the 

1062
01:00:14,000 --> 01:00:16,480
spiritual battle and when he 
looked up to heaven and saw it 

1063
01:00:16,480 --> 01:00:19,360
open, what did he see? 
Did he see Jesus sitting down at

1064
01:00:19,360 --> 01:00:22,720
the right hand of God? 
No, he saw Jesus standing at the

1065
01:00:22,720 --> 01:00:25,400
right hand of God. 
Jesus was standing. 

1066
01:00:25,560 --> 01:00:28,480
He loved what Stephen was doing.
He was answering the Lord's 

1067
01:00:28,480 --> 01:00:31,160
call, and Jesus couldn't wait to
receive him into his glory. 

1068
01:00:31,400 --> 01:00:33,720
That's how I want to see Jesus 
when he returns. 

1069
01:00:34,080 --> 01:00:37,040
I don't want to have to look 
away in shame because I'm hiding

1070
01:00:37,040 --> 01:00:40,000
somewhere when he returns. 
I want Him to, when he returns 

1071
01:00:40,000 --> 01:00:42,040
to see me in the thick of the 
battle. 

1072
01:00:42,280 --> 01:00:45,320
That I didn't put down the sword
of the Spirit, That I didn't 

1073
01:00:45,320 --> 01:00:47,560
hang up my shield of faith. 
That I was in the battle. 

1074
01:00:47,560 --> 01:00:50,440
That I was fighting for souls. 
And not only fighting for souls,

1075
01:00:50,440 --> 01:00:52,440
but fighting for my brothers and
sisters too. 

1076
01:00:53,120 --> 01:00:55,960
I think of Pastor Simeon's 
message, you know, about how we 

1077
01:00:55,960 --> 01:00:57,960
are covered in sins. 
We need to fight for each other 

1078
01:00:57,960 --> 01:00:59,640
too. 
The enemy has some of us 

1079
01:00:59,640 --> 01:01:01,920
captive. 
The enemy captures people 

1080
01:01:01,920 --> 01:01:04,840
sometime and he leads them away.
We need to have compassion on 

1081
01:01:04,840 --> 01:01:06,640
those people. 
They're not our enemy. 

1082
01:01:06,640 --> 01:01:09,160
We need to lead them back to the
Lord and get them back in the 

1083
01:01:09,160 --> 01:01:11,360
fight. 
So. 

1084
01:01:11,880 --> 01:01:14,200
Please. 
Ask the Lord to strengthen your 

1085
01:01:14,200 --> 01:01:17,640
shield of faith and to sharpen 
your sword of the Spirit, these 

1086
01:01:17,720 --> 01:01:20,680
armaments that the Lord has 
given you to use. 

1087
01:01:21,280 --> 01:01:25,920
And remember that no matter how 
great the darkness is in front 

1088
01:01:25,920 --> 01:01:31,160
of us, no matter how numerous 
the armies of Satan are, that 

1089
01:01:31,160 --> 01:01:36,160
our great commander Jesus Christ
spoke these words to his people 

1090
01:01:36,160 --> 01:01:40,560
of all ages. 
And Mark 1027 and Jesus looking 

1091
01:01:40,560 --> 01:01:45,400
upon them, saith with men. 
It is impossible. 

1092
01:01:45,880 --> 01:01:51,080
But not with God, for with God 
all things are possible. 

1093
01:01:51,800 --> 01:01:53,600
I want to end there. 
Please join. 

1094
01:01:53,600 --> 01:01:56,480
Me in prayer to the Lord 
Heavenly Father, I pray to thee 

1095
01:01:56,480 --> 01:01:57,680
in. 
The name of our Lord Jesus 

1096
01:01:57,680 --> 01:01:59,640
Christ. 
Lord, thank you so much for your

1097
01:01:59,640 --> 01:02:01,640
word this evening. 
Lord, we all needed it. 

1098
01:02:01,640 --> 01:02:04,320
I need it. 
Lord, this battle gets so hard 

1099
01:02:04,320 --> 01:02:06,960
sometimes. 
Sometimes we feel so full of 

1100
01:02:06,960 --> 01:02:09,040
your Holy Spirit. 
One day and we wake up and it 

1101
01:02:09,040 --> 01:02:12,160
feels like we're at square 1 
again, like we can't even. 

1102
01:02:12,320 --> 01:02:13,880
Bear to face that anyway. 
We can't. 

1103
01:02:13,920 --> 01:02:15,280
We're not. 
Ready for the battle? 

1104
01:02:15,680 --> 01:02:17,520
We don't want to come before you
and ask. 

1105
01:02:17,520 --> 01:02:20,280
Lord, give me someone to share 
the gospel with because we know 

1106
01:02:20,280 --> 01:02:23,080
it might be a battle. 
We're scared to even ask that 

1107
01:02:23,080 --> 01:02:25,320
Lord. 
No, don't let us fear anymore. 

1108
01:02:25,480 --> 01:02:26,600
I. 
Know we're stronger. 

1109
01:02:26,600 --> 01:02:29,800
Than the enemy, not because of 
anything we have, not because of

1110
01:02:29,800 --> 01:02:31,800
our flesh and blood, Lord, 
because of the sword of the 

1111
01:02:31,800 --> 01:02:34,520
Spirit, because of the Holy 
Spirit you've given us and the 

1112
01:02:34,520 --> 01:02:37,320
faith in your name that we have.
We know the devils tremble 

1113
01:02:37,320 --> 01:02:40,200
before your name, Lord, Your 
disciples could cast out the 

1114
01:02:40,200 --> 01:02:43,640
demons with your name alone. 
So please fill us with the same 

1115
01:02:43,640 --> 01:02:46,040
faith you gave to your disciples
to your apostles. 

1116
01:02:46,040 --> 01:02:49,240
Lord, let us remember that all 
we need is the smallest grain of

1117
01:02:49,240 --> 01:02:52,280
faith and we can throw down the 
strongholds of the enemy, Lord, 

1118
01:02:52,440 --> 01:02:55,200
not only out there in the world,
but even in our own families. 

1119
01:02:55,400 --> 01:02:57,800
So Lord, please let us go home 
tonight. 

1120
01:02:57,800 --> 01:03:00,440
Lord, let us go home tonight. 
Thankful Lord, that you're with 

1121
01:03:00,440 --> 01:03:01,760
us, that you're with us in this 
battle. 

1122
01:03:01,760 --> 01:03:04,280
Lord, please let this message 
work in all of our hearts. 

1123
01:03:04,280 --> 01:03:07,200
This I pray, in your holy name, 
our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. 

1124
01:03:07,800 --> 01:03:14,360
Thank you everyone. 
If you will, please stand with 

1125
01:03:14,360 --> 01:03:15,480
your. 
Heads bowed and your eyes 

1126
01:03:15,480 --> 01:03:17,480
closed. 
And I'm not going to add 

1127
01:03:17,560 --> 01:03:21,760
anything to his message, but 
that's, you know, man speaking 

1128
01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:24,200
from his heart. 
And I hope that it touched yours

1129
01:03:24,640 --> 01:03:28,680
and it excites you to increase 
your faith. 

1130
01:03:28,680 --> 01:03:32,520
Ask God to increase your faith 
and also to sharpen your sharpen

1131
01:03:32,520 --> 01:03:34,160
the sword that's God has given 
us. 

1132
01:03:34,720 --> 01:03:37,600
So she plays the piano couple 
verses. 

1133
01:03:37,880 --> 01:03:39,280
God spoke to you how you come 
forward.

