THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 8-2-15<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE:  “BE STRONG IN THE LORD!”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      “…BE STEADFAST, IMMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD,…” 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58!  HOW ABOUT IT, ARE YOU STANDING UP FOR GOD?  ARE YOU STANDING STRONG IN HIS WILL AND PROMISES?  AND ARE YOU ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN HIS WORK!  <br> <br>

      I WELCOME YOU AS FELLOW LABORERS THIS DAY IN THE SERVICE OF OUR GOD.  I FURTHERMORE THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE JOINED US, WHO HAVE NOT YET FULLY SUBMITTED TO THE WILL OF GOD.  MY HOPE AND PRAYER THIS DAY IS FOR YOU AND YOUR OBEDIENCE.  AS GOD SAID, “TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.”  ARE YOU WILLING TO SUBMIT TO THE THINGS OF GOD AND OBEY?     WHAT BETTER WAY TO BEGIN OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING, THAT IN SPEAKING WITH OUR GOD IN PRAYER.  WILL YOU BOW WITH ME AT THIS TIME! <br> <br>      

      PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH - FOR YOU ARE A GREAT AND MIGHTY GOD. FATHER, YOU ARE THE GIVER OF ALL PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL. AND FATHER, WE HAVE MORE THAN WE NEED. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR TIMES LIKE THIS THAT WE MIGHT COME TOGETHER, THAT WE MIGHT ASSEMBLE, THAT WE MIGHT DO ALL IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH TO PRAISE AND LIFT UP YOUR HOLY NAME. HELP US TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT - THAT WE MIGHT ALWAYS DO YOUR WILL AND ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOOD PLEASURES. AND WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER FATHER, GIVE US THAT PROMISED REWARD OF HEAVEN WHICH AWAITS FOR THE FAITHFUL THROUGH YOUR GRACE, LOVE, AND MERCY. THESE THINGS WE PRAY THROUGH JESUS NAME, AMEN. <br> <br>

      I HOPE EVERYONE IS READY TO WORSHIP GOD IN SONG AT THIS TIME!  WE WILL BEGIN TODAY WITH A HYMN WHICH FOCUSES OUR THOUGHTS ON OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE THE MESSAGE OF GOD TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD.   SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, “SEND THE LIGHT”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      AS WE LOOK AROUND OUR WORLD TODAY, WE REALLY DON’T FIND A LOT OF HUMILITY ANYMORE.  ON THE OTHER HAND, THE UNGODLY PRIDE, ARROGANCE, AND PUFFED UP SPIRIT OF MANY IN OUR DAY, IS CERTAINLY IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO WHAT GOD HAS COMMANDED THROUGH HIS WORD.  IN FACT, IN THE GREAT LOVE CHAPTER OF 1 CORINTHIANS 13, WE FIND THAT TRUE GODLY LOVE DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE SUCH TYPES OF ATTITUDES.<br> <br>

      NO DOUBT THIS IS WHY WE READ SUCH TEACHINGS FROM JESUS HIMSELF.  ONE SUCH VERSE IS FOUND IN LUKE 14:11, THERE WE READ, “FOR WHOEVER EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND HE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED.”  JESUS MAKES THIS STATEMENT AFTER GIVING AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT OUR HUMAN NATURE OFTEN CAUSES US TO DESIRE TO GO TO THE BEST SEAT OR TO GET THE MOST VISIBLE PLACE AT THE WEDDING FEAST.  THE SAD REALITY IS, TOO MANY OF US ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT APPEARANCES AND KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES’S, THAN IN REALLY HUMBLING OURSELVES BEFORE OTHERS IN THIS WORLD. <br> <br> 

      BUT I MIGHT ALSO ASK, JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS PRINCIPLE?  WELL, READ WITH ME THE WORDS OF JESUS TO HIS DISCIPLES FOUND IN MATTHEW 18:3-4.  THERE WE READ, “ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS YOU ARE CONVERTED AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YOU WILL BY NO MEANS ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.  THEREFORE, WHOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF AS THIS LITTLE CHILD IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” WHAT IS IT THAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN CONSIST OF?  HERE THE VERSE CONFIRMS THAT THE HUMILITY OF CHILDREN EXEMPLIFIES THAT ATTITUDE AND CHARACTERISTIC OF ONE WHO IS WORTHY OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. <br> <br>  

      SO HOW ABOUT IT, DO YOU WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN?  WELL, WE ALL BETTER LEARN TO DO A BETTER JOB IN HUMBLING OURSELVES BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD, AS WELL AS BEFORE THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD - “FOR SUCH IS AS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD!”<br> <br>

      AS FAR AS OUR STUDY, WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ENTITLED, “STAND FAST IN THE LORD.” THE SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY IS ENTITLED, “BE STRONG IN THE LORD!”  SO STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL BE LEADING US IN THE MAIN THOUGHTS OF THE DAY.   BUT FOR NOW LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE MORNING.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “SING TO ME OF HEAVEN.”<br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      STAND FAST IN THE LORD - THAT HAS BEEN OUR SERIES NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND TODAY WE'LL BE CONCLUDING OUR DISCUSSION ON THIS THEME - STAND FAST IN THE LORD. AND WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS GO THROUGH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WE'VE LOOKED AT PASSAGES TOGETHER WHICH TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CHRISTIAN NEEDS TO DO TO SHOW THEMSELVES WORTHY BEFORE GOD, AS THOSE WHO STAND IN THE THINGS OF GOD. AND WE'VE TALKED TOGETHER ABOUT THE NEED TO HAVE PROPER FAITH AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE STAND FAST IN THE SPIRIT IN GOD HIMSELF, THAT WE STAND FAST IN THE LIBERTY THAT CHRIST HAS GIVEN US THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE. THAT WE STAND FAST ALSO IN THE TRADITIONS LAST WEEK AS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US ACCORDING TO HIS DOCTRINE AND HIS WORD.<br> <br> 

      AND SO TODAY AS WE CONCLUDE OUR THOUGHTS I THOUGHT IT WAS FITTING TO GO TO THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6. AND AS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED WE HAVE TO STAND I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT OUT HERE BY PAUL IN THIS TEXT THAT EQUALLY IS CHALLENGING IN WHAT WE STAND IN THAT DOESN'T JUST SAY THAT WE STAND FAST BUT THAT WE ARE TO BE STRONG IN THE LORD. AND REALLY WHERE I THINK A LOT OF OUR MINDS GO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT STRENGTH IN THE LORD IS BACK TO JOSHUA CHAPTER 1. AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PASSAGE BECAUSE GOD, AS HE TALKS TO JOSHUA - JOSHUA NOW HAVING ALL THIS TIME BEEN UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES SECOND IN A SENSE IN COMMANDER OR BEING IN TRAINING TO BE THE LEADER OF ISRAEL, HE EVENTUALLY IS TOLD BY GOD IN JOSHUA CHAPTER 1 THAT IT'S HIS TIME. IT'S HIS TIME TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TO STAND AND TO BE FIRM AND TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT GOD ASKED OF HIM. SO TO STAND FAST IN HIS LEADERSHIP ABILITIES AND IN THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. AND GOD SAID IF YOU'LL DO THAT AND IF YOU'LL STAND IN MY COMMAND AND IF YOU'LL FOLLOW ME AND IF YOU'LL DO WHAT THE BOOK OF THE LAW SAYS AND IF YOU'LL OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS HE SAID I'M GONNA BLESS YOU AND I'M GONNA BLESS YOU AND I'M GONNA BLESS YOU. <br> <br>

      BUT HE KEEPS MAKING THIS STATEMENT IN CHAPTER 1. HE SAYS BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, BE STRONG, STAND UP, STAND FAST, BE STRONG, BE COURAGEOUS DO WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO DO AND OBEY NO MATTER WHAT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS OF OBEDIENCE ARE? NOT JUST FAITHFULNESS AND AFFECTING THOSE AROUND US BUT PLEASING GOD. AND WHEN WE PLEASE GOD YOU KNOW THE RESULTS OF THAT ARE FOR SURE! BLESSINGS - NOT ONLY BLESSINGS TODAY BUT BLESSINGS ETERNALLY. <br> <br>

      AND SO THERE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6, SPECIFICALLY IN VERSE 10 BEGINNING, WE FIND SOME ENCOURAGING WORDS THAT PAUL GIVES THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AS HE IS BEGINNING TO WIND DOWN WE MIGHT SAY THE BOOK THAT HE IS WRITING HERE TO THEM. AND HE SAYS, “FINALLY, MY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.” WHAT I REALLY LOVE ABOUT THE IDEA OF STANDING HERE FOR GOD OR THE STRENGTH OF GOD IN THIS TEXT AS IT BEGINS IS IT REMINDS US OF WHERE STRENGTH COMES FROM. IT COMES FROM GOD! YOU KNOW SOMETIMES WE GET THE ARROGANT FEELING OR WE BECAUSE OF SOCIETY AND OUR OWN MAYBE ABILITY TO BE THOSE WHO THINK WE'RE SOMETHING WHEN REALLY WE'RE NOT, WE GET THE IDEA THAT WE DON'T NEED GOD AND WE DON'T NEED OTHERS. AND WE BEGIN TO THINK WE'LL, YOU KNOW WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES OR I CAN HANDLE IT MYSELF. WHAT DOES THIS SAY? HE SAYS BE STRONG IN THE LORD. BE STRONG IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. THE IDEA OF THE STRENGTH HERE IS TO BE EMPOWERED WITH WHAT GOD HAS. HIS POWER....GOD IS AN ALL-POWERFUL GOD. GOD HAS GIVEN US TOOLS TO USE ON THIS EARTH WHICH SYMBOLIZE AND SHOW FORTH POWER. THE WORD OF GOD, ROMANS 1:16, IS THE POWER OF GOD AND SALVATION. THIS BOOK IS THE POWER OF GOD. THEREFORE, IT IS THAT STRENGTH THAT WE NEED. IT IS THAT WHICH EMPOWERS US. <br> <br>

      NOW, IF AND WE THINK ABOUT THAT THEN - BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT, DOESN'T THAT THEN ENCOURAGE US TO REALIZE WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH ANYTHING, WE CAN ENDURE ANYTHING, WE CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING BECAUSE GOD'S THE POWER. GOD IS THE KEY. YOU KNOW, THE WORLD CAN BEAT ME DOWN. THE WORLD CAN DEFEAT ME, IT CAN OVERCOME ME IN MANY WAYS. IT MIGHT TURN AWAY FROM ME. IT MIGHT REJECT ME, IT MIGHT BELITTLE ME. BUT BOY, WITH GOD I'M NEVER ALONE. AND WITH GOD I KNOW THAT I'M ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THE STRENGTH...THE POWER..THAT I NEED. BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. YOU SAY WELL, HOW DOES THAT AGAIN TIE TO STANDING? <br> <br>

      WELL, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WHAT HE THEN GOES ON TO SAY - AFTER WE REALIZED THE POWER THAT IS AVAILABLE IN GOD AS WE ARE HIS FAITHFUL CHILDREN HE THEN SAYS THIS ( VERSE 11 ), “PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAYBE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN HEAVENLY PLACES. THEREFORE, TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND. STAND THEREFORE, HAVING GIRDED YOUR WAIST WITH TRUTH.” WHAT IS IT THAT WE CONTINUE TO LEARN HERE MULTIPLE TIMES? THE SAME WORD USED OVER AND OVER WITHIN THOSE FEW VERSES? STAND...STAND - TO BE STRONG WITH HIS POWER AND MIGHT. WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT POWER? WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT STRENGTH? I STAND FOR GOD, AND I STAND FOR GOD SO THAT I MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE. AND HE MENTIONS HERE IN TWO WAYS THAT I MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE IN WRESTLING AGAINST THE EVIL AND DARK AND WICKED THINGS OF THIS WORLD. BUT ALSO OBVIOUSLY THAT I MIGHT HAVE THAT POWER, NOT ONLY MYSELF TO BE SAVED BUT TO HELP OTHERS TO BE SAVED. <br> <br>

      NOW REALLY IF WE SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT THE PASSAGE HERE HE SEEMS TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE ATTACKS OF WICKEDNESS, THE ATTACKS OF DARKNESS, THE ATTACKS OF SATAN. HE MENTIONS THERE AS YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED WITH ME IN VERSE 11 THE DEVIL. IN VERSE 12 HE MENTIONS THE IDEAS OF THOSE PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS OF DARKNESS. IN VERSE 13 HE MENTIONS THE EVIL DAY. IF YOU DROP ON DOWN TO VERSE 16 HE MENTIONED THE IDEA OF THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED ONE. OVER AND OVER THIS PASSAGE IS TALKING ABOUT THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE SPIRITUALLY OF OUR LIVES THAT IS AGAINST EVIL AND WICKEDNESS - SATAN, AND SO WELL THAT'S WHAT WOULD BURDEN US. THAT'S WHAT WOULD BRING US DOWN AND THAT'S WHY HE'S FOCUSED ON THAT. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE ARMOR, THAT WE WILL CONSIDER BRIEFLY IN JUST A MOMENT, IS INEFFECTIVE FOR US TO DO ALSO WHAT GOD WANTS US IN A POSITIVE WAY, TO GO ON THE OFFENSE AND TO SHARE THE GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS, AND BRING JOY AND HAPPINESS, AND TO HELP PEOPLE TO FIND SALVATION. IT DOESN'T REALLY NEGLECT THAT OR REALLY SAY THAT THAT'S NOT A PART OF IT. WHAT HE'S REALLY FOCUSED ON HERE THOUGH IS TRYING TO HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN WITHSTAND THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE. IT'S SATAN AND THE WICKEDNESS OF THIS WORLD AND THE FLESH THAT MIGHT PULL US AWAY FROM GOD. SO WATCH OUT! IS WHAT HE'S SAYING. BE STRONG IN THE LORD - BE STRONG IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT - AND DO ALL YOU CAN KNOWING THAT SATAN IS OUT THERE. KNOWING THAT THE POWERS OF DARKNESS ARE OUT THERE, DO ALL THAT YOU CAN TO STAND AND WITHSTAND AND ACCOMPLISH WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WOULD HAVE YOU TO DO.<br> <br> 

      SO HOW DO I STAND HAVING THAT STRENGTH IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT WHAT HAS GOD EQUIPPED ME WITH THAT I MIGHT STAND STRONG AND I MIGHT BE ABLE TO KEEP THE DEVIL AT BAY AND I MIGHT BE ABLE TO KEEP AWAY FROM ME AND STAY AWAY FROM SIN AND REMAIN FAITHFUL? WELL, HE SAYS YOU PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD. AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE MULTIPLE TIMES ALREADY IN THESE FIRST 4 VERSES HE SAYS THE WHOLE ARMOR. YOU KNOW SOMEBODY MIGHT COME TO YOU AS YOU WELL KNOW IN THE DENOMINATIONAL MAYBE CLIMATE OF THE DAY AND THEY SAY WELL, I HAVE A GREAT FAITH IN GOD. WELL, THEY HAVE A GREAT FAITH BUT AS YOU LOOK HERE THEY'RE NOT LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY. THEY ARE NOT PEACEABLE. THEY'RE NOT THOSE WHO ARE AGAIN STRIDING FOR SALVATION. IT SAYS THE WHOLE ARMOR - YOU CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE. YOU CAN'T SAY WELL I THINK I WANT THIS KIND OF ARMOR BUT YOU KNOW I STILL LIKE TO DO A FEW THINGS OVER HERE I SHOULDN'T DO SO I DON'T WANT THAT PART OF THE ARMOR THAT'S GONNA KEEP ME FROM DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR MY FLESH. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR. IF YOU WANT TO BE STRONG, IF YOU WANT TO FIND POWER AND STRENGTH IN THE LORD AND IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO STAND YOU HAVE TO PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR BECAUSE IT'S THE ARMOR THAT IS INTRICATELY TIED TOGETHER AND WOVEN TOGETHER AND CONNECTED TOGETHER THAT GIVES YOU THAT STRENGTH AND POWER TO BE ABLE TO STAND FROM HEAD TO TOE. THAT'S THE POWER THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. <br> <br>

      AND SO THAT'S WHY THERE IN THE SAME TEXT, VERSE 14 HE SAYS, “STAND THEREFORE,” IN THE FIRST PART OF THE VERSE, “GIRDING YOUR WAIST WITH TRUTH.”HE SAYS PUT THAT TRUTH AS A GIRDING. IT'S THAT PART THAT REALLY HOLDS THE GARMENTS AND KEEPS EVERYTHING ENTACT AND TOGETHER. THAT FOUNDATION IF YOU WILL, AND WE KNOW WHAT THE TRUTH IS. EVEN JESUS SAID YOUR WORD OH GOD IS TRUTH. THE WORD OF THE FATHER, THE WILL OF GOD IS TRUTH. THAT ABSOLUTE TRUTH FROM GOD GIVEN TO US AND FOUND IN HIS WORD THAT WE MIGHT KNOW AND FOLLOW. HE SAYS, GIRD YOURSELF WITH THAT AS A SOLDIER AND PUT THAT ON SO THAT WHEN YOU GET ALL THE OTHER HEAVY STUFF ON YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT TRUTH IS AT THE BASIS, TRUTH IS AT THE FOUNDATION, THAT WHICH IS RIGHT, THAT WHICH IS PURE, THAT WHICH IS HOLY, THAT WHICH IS OF GOD. AND SO I'M GOING TO LOOK TO THAT TRUTH, TO AGAIN NOT ONLY TO USE THE SWORD, BUT TO KNOW ABOUT SALVATION - THE HELMET - OR TO HAVE THE FAITH. TO HAVE ALL THOSE PARTS THERE HAS TO BE TRUTH AT THE FOUNDATION...TRUTH AT THE BASE OF THESE THINGS. <br> <br>

      THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AS 1 JOHN 3 SAYS. GOD IS RIGHTEOUS AND WE ARE TO DO WHAT? PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS AS HE IS RIGHTEOUS. SO I STRIVE NOT TO BE LIKE THE WORLD BUT TO BE WHAT? DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD - TO BE RIGHTEOUS AS GOD IS RIGHTEOUS. I PUT THAT OVER MY BREAST AND THEREFORE IT PROTECTS THE HEART AND THOSE VITAL ORGANS, THE LUNGS, SO THAT EVEN IF SOMETHING TRIED TO PENETRATE OR KILL ME IT HAS NO HOPE BECAUSE I'M ABLE TO STAND WITH THAT BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS. <br> <br>

      BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FEET? ON THE FEET IT SAYS HERE THOSE SHOES OF THAT, “PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE,” - THAT YOU TAKE THAT GOSPEL. SO THERE'S THAT ABILITY TO TAKE THAT TRUTH AND TO SHOW FORTH THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT THE WORLD MIGHT KNOW GOD AND KNOW SALVATION, THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE IN AN OFFENSIVE WAY, THAT TRUTH. AND STAND UP AND BE STRONG AND BOLD AND SHOW WHAT GOD CAN DO FOR ANYONE IN THIS WORLD WHO NEEDS TO FOLLOW HIM.<br> <br> 

      HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE SHIELD OF FAITH, VERSE 16. ON ONE HAND  I'M RIGHT-HANDED SO I WOULD DEFINATELY HAVE THE SWORD IN THE RIGHT HAND SO THE LEFT HAND THAT SHIELD, WHICH AGAIN WOULD DEFLECT THE DARTS, AS IT GOES ON TO SAY. WHICH WOULD DEFLECT THE SIN, WHICH WOULD DEFLECT THE SWORD, WHICH WOULD DEFLECT ANYTHING THAT SATAN WOULD BRING AT ME. BUT YET AS THAT FAITH, AS THAT SHIELD, THAT I STILL HAVE THAT ABILITY IN THE RIGHT HAND AS WE'LL SEE IN JUST A MOMENT TO HAVE THAT WORD. THAT WORD THAT I'M CARRYING WITH THOSE FEET - WITH THAT GOSPEL OF PREPARATION OF PEACE TO A WORLD THAT NEEDS IT. BUT AS I'M CARRYING THAT GOSPEL, GUESS WHAT SATAN IS TRYING TO DO? GUESS WHAT THE WORLD'S TRYING TO DO? BRING ME DOWN! DESTROY ME! STOP WHAT I AM DOING THE SAME WAY IT TRIED TO STOP THE APOSTLES. THE SAME WAY IT TRIED TO STOP JESUS HIMSELF. <br> <br>

      THE HELMET IS MENTIONED THERE ON THE HEAD AND CERTAINLY WHAT COULD BE MORE VITAL THAN THE HEAD THAN THE BRAIN? AND REALLY THAT CENTRAL COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS ALL THE REST OF OUR BODY AND REALLY THAT ESSENCE OF WHO WE ARE, THE HEART OR MIND ITSELF. WELL, YOU SEE HERE THAT HELMET ON HIS HEAD, SALVATION AT THE TOP. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS WORKING FOR TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD. AND THEN THAT SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - THAT WORD OF GOD - THAT ABILITY TO AGAIN DEFEND. <br> <br>

      DO YOU REMEMBER JESUS IN MATTHEW 4? WHENEVER SATAN TRIED TO DECEIVE HIM OR CAUSE HIM TO SIN, WHAT DID HE USE? HE SAYS: IT IS WRITTEN. THE WORD SAYS, THE BIBLE SAYS. YOU SEE THE POWER TO DEFEND THE DARTS OF SATAN? EVEN WITH THAT SWORD, AS WELL AS THAT SHIELD OF FAITH? BUT AS WELL THE ABILITY, AS WE WOULD SAY HERE TO TAKE THAT WORD TO THAT LOST AND DYING WORLD. OH HOW EQUIPPED WE ARE AS SOLDIERS OF GOD. HOW MUCH GOD HAS LOVED US TO SAY, WELL, HE'S NOT ONLY GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO BE EMPOWERED BUT HE IS THAT KEY TO EMPOWERMENT SPIRITUALLY, THAT WE MIGHT BE PUTTING ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD - PROPERLY PREPARED TO GO OUT INTO BATTLE. TO DEFEND AND TO TAKE THAT GOSPEL TO THE WORLD THAT IS LOST AND DYING. AND AMONGST ALL OF IT.....STANDING, AND STANDING, AND STANDING FOR OUR GOD,<br> <br>

       HE REALLY DOESN'T END THERE BECAUSE THE FINAL THINGS THAT HE DEALS WITH IN THIS SECTION IS THE IDEA ALSO OF THE TOOL OF PRAYER. HE SAYS EVERY SOLDIER HAS THE ABILITY TO SPEAK WITH THOSE THAT HE WOULD NEED TO GET MAYBE INFORMATION FROM THOSE COMMANDERS OR THOSE WHO ARE OVER THEM SO THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEIR DIRECTION OR IF THEY ARE DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE OUR REQUEST MADE KNOWN TO GOD - TO SPEAK WITH OUR GOD ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION OF THE SPIRIT, IT SAYS HERE. AND NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES, AS VERSE 18 SAYS, BUT FOR ALL SAINTS. ARE WE SPEAKING TO GOD? ARE WE ASKING FOR THAT HELP AS WE EQUIP OURSELVES? ARE WE KNOWING THAT HE IS WITH US DAILY IN THAT BATTLE AND THAT HE NEVER LEAVES OUR SIDE BUT HE MAKES SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUALLY BE ABLE TO DEFLECT THOSE SINS AND THOSE WICKED THINGS COMING OUR WAY? <br> <br>

      BUT ALSO THAT HE'S EVER THERE TO HELP US TO ACCOMPLISH HIS TASK. WHAT IS HIS TASK? VERSE 19 SAYS THAT WE MIGHT SPEAK BOLDLY THE GOSPEL, THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, AND THAT WE MIGHT BE AMBASSADORS - AMBASSADORS FOR OUR GOD! AND SO WE ARE AMBASSADORS WHO HAVE EQUIPPED OURSELVES, CHOSEN BY GOD, TO GO IN HIS STEAD AND TO PROCLAIM HIS TRUTH....TO STAND STRONG, FIRM, TO BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS, TO BE EMPOWERED NOT ONLY WITH THE AUTHORITY THROUGH GOD'S WORD BUT THE POWER FROM ON HIGH. SO THAT WE MIGHT IN THAT ROLE BE ABLE, NOT ONLY TO COMMUNICATE WITH GOD AND TO KNOW WHAT HE WOULD HAVE US TO DO ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS, BUT THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TOCOMMUNICATE WITH OUR GOD AND ULTIMATELY EVEN TO DEFEND HIS TRUTH AS WELL AS TAKE HIS TRUTH TO A WORLD THAT NEEDS IT.<br> <br>

       ARE YOU WILLING TO BE THAT KIND OF SOLDIER? ARE YOU WILLING TO BE THAT STRONG? ARE YOU WILLING TO BE EMPOWERED BY GOD? BUT IN DOING SO ARE YOU WILLING TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS THE HEAD. HE IS THE GENERAL. HE IS THE ONE WHO IS EMPEROR AND KING. HE CONTROLS ALL THINGS. AND THAT GUIDE THAT HE GIVES US AS THE SOLDIER - TO KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHEN THEY DO, HOW TO DO IT, AND WHAT TO ACCOMPLISH IS IN HIS PERFECT WORD, THE BIBLE. THIS MORNING I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BECOME A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS. A SOLDIER OF JESUS, ONE WHO IS READY AND WILLING TO STAND FAST, FIRM, AND STRONG. TO NEVER WAIVER, KNOWING THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE ABILITY, NOT ONLY IN THIS LIFE TO LIVE AS YOU NEED TO, BUT THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE ABILITY AND THE REWARD IN THE LIFE TO COME TO LIVE FOREVER WITH HIM IN ETERNAL LIFE.<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY, IN GIVING THIS TIME TO GOD.  I HOPE AND PRAY THAT OUR TIME AND SACRIFICE HAS BEEN ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.  WE INVITE YOU BACK EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THE WONDROUS TRUTHS OF OUR GOD! <br> <br> 

      BUT FOR NOW, LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>

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      THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS SAVING GRACE, WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COMING OF LORD TO THIS WORLD.  MAY WE ALL LOOK TO JESUS AND BELIEVE THAT TRULY HE IS THE CHRIST AND THAT HE WILL DELIVER US IN THE END.<br> <br>