Participants:
Series Code: WHO
Program Code: WHO200011S
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00:26 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour.
00:28 We're so glad you decided to spend this time with us. 00:32 You know, I might mentioned 00:33 as the church doors are being closed right now, 00:36 we'd say even locked temporarily 00:38 that, you know, God's people have been crying out, 00:40 they want to worship service and a very special one. 00:42 So I'm very grateful and thankful here 00:44 to say 3ABN has stepped up to the plate 00:46 and they want to make sure 00:47 that you can have worship service in your home, 00:50 they brought it to you. 00:51 And you know it's quite a cost, 00:53 lot of hundreds of man hours and certainly expense. 00:56 But this shows how much 3ABN loves you 00:58 and we're glad to meet that need. 01:00 Praise God for that. 01:01 Our subject for today is our weapons of warfare. 01:05 Before we get into that, 01:06 Brother Tim Parton's going to have something 01:08 I know that's going to bless our heart 01:10 that the Lord has laid on his heart. 01:12 So open your ears and open your heart 01:13 as Brother Tim does 01:15 what God has laid on his heart today. 01:17 Amen. 01:18 Brother Kenny, thank you very much. 01:21 I'm here with a PSA, a public service announcement, 01:27 reminding you to pray. 01:29 I know 01:31 that no matter where you are in life, 01:35 we have things that we can pray about. 01:37 We have people in our lives who need prayer. 01:40 And we have situations that we need God to move in. 01:46 Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to pray. 01:50 In Luke 18, Jesus said, 01:53 "Men are always to pray and not lose heart." 01:58 And in Luke 21, "Watch and pray always." 02:02 In Romans, "Continue in prayer." 02:04 Ephesians, 02:06 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, 02:10 watching with all perseverance." 02:13 In Colossians, 02:14 "Continue in prayer and watch in the same." 02:17 1 Thessalonians, "Pray without ceasing." 02:20 1 Peter, "Watch unto prayer." 02:25 What an awesome opportunity we have to pray, 02:30 to call out to the creator of the universe. 02:37 I love the verse that says... 02:39 Oh, what peace 02:41 We often forfeit 02:46 Oh, what needless pain 02:49 We bear 02:53 All because we do not carry 03:00 Everything to God in prayer 03:07 What is your go to when you have concerns, 03:12 questions in life or a need? 03:17 Do you call out to God? 03:19 I encourage you to do so. So let's pray. 03:22 Father God, we thank You so much 03:25 that You are always listening. 03:30 Father, thank You 03:32 that You are always ready to move on our behalf. 03:37 Father, forgive us 03:38 when we don't come to You in prayer. 03:42 Forgive us 03:43 when we talk about our situations 03:47 with each other 03:48 and we would rather 03:55 just, 03:56 I don't know, 03:57 seek each other's advice than seek Your mighty hand. 04:03 Lord, maybe it's because we lack faith. 04:06 Father, I pray O God 04:08 for those who are lacking faith today. 04:11 Lord, I pray 04:12 that You would help our unbelief. 04:16 Lord, we know that You can do all things, 04:20 nothing is impossible for You. 04:23 So, Father, I just ask that You would let faith 04:26 arise in those who are listening 04:29 and having trouble with faith. 04:33 Father, whatever the need may be, 04:35 I pray that we will reach out to you. 04:43 Father, thank You for hearing our prayer. 04:48 Thank You for loving us so much. 04:52 Thank You for caring so much. 05:01 Hey, you left your room This morning 05:07 Did you think to pray? 05:13 In the name of Christ 05:16 Our Savior 05:20 Did you sooth for loving favor 05:27 As a shield today? 05:34 And when you've met With great temptation 05:39 Did you think to pray? 05:46 By his dying love and merit 05:53 Did you claim His Holy Spirit 05:59 As your guide 06:03 And stay? 06:07 Oh, how praying rests 06:10 The weary 06:14 Prayer will change your night 06:17 To day 06:21 So, when life seems dark And dreary 06:28 Saint, don't forget 06:31 To pray 06:36 When your heart is filled With anger 06:42 Do you think to pray? 06:47 Do you plead for grace, My brother? 06:53 That you might forgive another 07:00 Who may cross your way 07:07 Oh, how praying rests 07:10 The weary 07:14 Prayer will change your night 07:17 To day 07:21 So, when life seems dark 07:26 And dreary 07:30 Don't forget 07:33 To pray 07:42 Thank you, Brother Tim. Praise the Lord. 07:44 I love that you know that a couple of words just, 07:47 you know, stuck out in my head, prayer turns night to day. 07:51 Isn't that what we're looking for today? 07:53 Today's subject is our weapons of warfare. 07:56 What does that really mean? 07:58 Well, we'll get into that in just a moment. 07:59 Want to give you just, maybe pose a few questions 08:02 and then maybe make a couple of comments 08:04 before we pray again. 08:06 They can't pray enough 08:07 for the power of the Holy Spirit. 08:09 Just suppose, let's start with a question. 08:12 Just suppose that today Christ came, 08:17 just suppose He came today, 08:19 how many would be ready to meet Him 08:22 just as we are without any changes? 08:28 Are we working for God or are we working against Him 08:32 because it's one way or the other. 08:36 Are we helping others to find Jesus? 08:39 Are we helping 08:40 as it were those in our own home 08:42 or in our own neighborhood? 08:46 Are we getting ready to meet the King? 08:50 I guess it's easy for us to be overwhelmed. 08:55 You know, in our world today, 08:57 especially with what's going on with the pandemic, 09:01 we call it the, you know, a virus. 09:05 It's staring us in the face 09:07 and many of us don't know where to turn or what to do. 09:11 We are concerned, 09:15 we're concerned about the future, 09:16 we're concerned about our job, 09:18 we're concerned about feeding our families. 09:22 And how are we going to pay the bills 09:24 if we don't have a job? 09:28 We can be stressed to the limit. 09:30 And there are a lot of people that are stressed. 09:32 God has some answers for us. I know He does in His Word. 09:36 So how can this situation be handled? 09:40 Remember, God's eye is on the sparrow. 09:45 And I know He watches me. 09:49 I'm going to ask that you pray with me, 09:51 you're not maybe able to kneel, 09:52 but I'm going to kneel as we pray and ask once again, 09:54 God's blessing. 09:58 Our kind loving Heavenly Father, 09:59 we ask now as we pour our soul out to You. 10:02 Prayer does change things. 10:04 Prayer does change night to day. 10:07 Lord, we ask for the anointing of thy Holy Spirit. 10:09 Lord, not only upon the words that are spoken here, 10:11 but on the ears and the minds 10:13 and the hearts of Your children around the world today, 10:16 they so desperately are seeking Your face. 10:18 May they find it today 10:20 in the word that will be presented, 10:21 because the unction of the spirit 10:23 and the power of the living God, 10:24 not what man might say or do 10:26 but because of the Spirit of the Living God. 10:29 Forgive me of my sins, mistakes in any way, Lord, 10:33 that would somehow hamper 10:35 our communication with You today. 10:37 May we see Jesus in a real way, 10:39 in His precious name we pray and for His sake. 10:41 Amen. 10:45 Again, the sermon title is simply, 10:46 Our Weapons of Warfare, and God does have somewhere, 10:50 we are in a warfare 10:51 I believe that with all of my heart 10:52 and soul. 10:54 I love this passage, 10:55 I always have from a young person, 10:57 you know, in growing up. 10:58 It's a passage 11:00 that has blessed my heart in the past, 11:01 it's blessed it right now in time that we're living in. 11:04 And I know 11:05 it's going to bless me in the future 11:07 and I pray that it will bless your heart also, 11:09 when you've memorized 11:10 is very, very short in Psalms 34:7. 11:13 Already you know it, right? You already have it down. 11:16 It says, "The angel of the Lord encampeth," what? 11:20 "About them that fear Him," notice it, and what? 11:24 "And He delivers them." 11:25 What a promise that is, 11:27 the angel of the Lord encampeth around about them 11:29 that fear that, what? 11:31 That reverence and respects Him, 11:32 willing to be obedient to what He says, 11:35 and I like this word deliver. 11:37 So if you're looking for the mess 11:38 that's going on in the world today 11:40 and you're looking for deliverance, 11:41 we look to God's Word. 11:44 Now this word I will just think about for a moment 11:46 in the original language, 11:48 it talks about equips us for battle. 11:50 He delivers us. What does He do? 11:52 Delivering us, equips us for the battle that lays ahead. 11:57 Strengthens us, He arms us for this battle. 12:02 So you're not in it by yourself. 12:04 Praise God. I'm not in it by myself. 12:07 I love the book The Great Controversy 12:09 and page 632 says this. 12:13 Notice, it says, 12:14 "Stand fast to your allegiance." 12:17 Notice, what is it? "Help is coming." 12:19 What's happening? 12:21 Stand fast to your allegiance 12:22 because the Bible says help is coming. 12:24 Spirit of Prophecy says help is coming. 12:26 Why? 12:27 Because Jesus says, "Lo, I'm with you always, 12:29 even to the end of the world." 12:32 Jesus says, "I'm acquainted with your sorrows, 12:35 I'm acquainted with your griefs." 12:39 That would be something in Isaiah 53 wouldn't it? 12:42 He said, "I borne your griefs. 12:44 I fought the battle," notice this, "in your behalf. 12:49 And in my name," notice, "you are more than conquerors." 12:54 I love it in the Bible, Romans 8:37, 12:56 "We're more than conquerors through Jesus Christ." 12:59 So why should we lay down, 13:00 why should we act like that we're defeated 13:02 because we're in kind of a situation here. 13:04 We don't know which way it's going to go, 13:06 how we're going to come out of it, 13:08 but we know the one that can bring us out of it. 13:11 We're more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. 13:15 Precious Savior, precious Jesus, 13:18 there's something about that name. 13:19 That's all there is to it. 13:20 When you say the name of Jesus, or just, 13:22 there's just power in that name, 13:24 there's no doubt about it. 13:26 And you know what's going to happen 13:27 in this situation? 13:28 Just when we need it, just in the nick of time, 13:32 Jesus, when we need help, 13:34 He's going to be right there for us. 13:35 He sends it just exactly on time. 13:38 There's a passage of scripture 13:40 I remember, I think it's in Psalms 116. 13:42 We won't have it on the screen. 13:44 But I want you to just think it with me, 13:45 it says when I, notice this, when I was brought low, 13:50 You were there to help me. 13:52 If you feel like you've been brought low 13:53 with circumstances and things in this life, 13:55 it seemed to have brought you low. 13:58 Why not, Jesus is going to be there. 14:00 He's going to be there to help you 14:01 and to encourage you. 14:03 After all, this world 14:05 needs encouragement, does it not? 14:07 Surely, it does. 14:08 It needs people to talk about hope. 14:11 There's hope in Jesus Christ, there's hope in His Word. 14:15 And we need to be claiming that 14:16 even during this time of the COVID-19, 14:19 which many people are throwing up their hands 14:21 are running scared, 14:22 they're looking for some place to run to, 14:23 and there's no place for them to hide, it seems. 14:28 But we need encouraging words, 14:29 but we also need the reality of what's happening. 14:33 So we need to put those two together 14:35 by the grace of God. 14:37 And some of the facts that's being presented, 14:39 you know, from program to program. 14:41 These facts as it were, today can change tomorrow. 14:46 They can change because they're ever changing. 14:48 But yeah, I'll tell you this right now, 14:50 the principle of God's Word never changes. 14:52 I'm happy about that. 14:53 The principle, what? 14:55 Good, of God's Word never, never changes. 14:57 Well, you say, well, I don't know about that 14:59 because I keep hearing about changes. 15:01 You know why I know it because the Bible says so. 15:04 Hebrews 13:8, the Bible said, 15:07 for he says, "He is the same, " what? 15:10 "He's the same yesterday, and today and," what? 15:14 "And for ever." 15:16 He's the same yesterday, today and for ever. 15:17 So God does not change, we change, God doesn't change. 15:21 And then if we could just add Malachi 3:6, it simply says, 15:27 "For I am the Lord, and I change not." 15:30 Now you can read all of that verse, 15:32 but I like this, 15:33 "For I am the Lord, I change not." 15:35 So, when people come and say, 15:36 the Lord has changed the situation to change. 15:38 The Bible said God does not change, 15:40 that gives me hope, 15:41 that gives me encouragement in these hours 15:43 that we are living in, 15:46 that our God shall supply all of our needs, 15:49 according to His riches in glory, for sure. 15:53 So because of these promises, 15:55 I believe this that each of us as Christians 15:57 that you've accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. 16:00 Now does that mean all is well? 16:03 Maybe we're still struggling, God still, 16:05 He's still working on me, but we professed His name, 16:09 we've asked Him to come into our hearts, 16:10 into our life and changes are being made. 16:13 But because of these promises, 16:14 He's the same today and for ever. 16:17 I may come boldly to the throne in Hebrews 13:6. 16:21 Notice what the Bible said in Hebrews 13:6. 16:24 It simply says, I love it, "The Lord is my helper." 16:28 The Lord is, what? 16:29 "The Lord is my helper, 16:31 and I will not fear what man shall do to me." 16:34 Isn't that beautiful? 16:36 I'm not going to worry about what man says. 16:38 I can listen to the news 16:39 on one channel and it says this, 16:41 and I listen to news on another 16:42 and it says something else different. 16:44 I'm not going to fear what man may be threatening 16:46 or man may be saying is going to take place, 16:48 because my God is the same every day. 16:50 He loves you, He loves me. 16:54 Now, isn't it good news to think about it? 16:56 We're not too worry, He's my helper. 16:57 What does that mean, He's my helper? 17:00 That simply means, 17:01 He's going to be there to help us in our time of need. 17:05 I pray this gives you some encouragement. 17:06 It just gives me some encouragement, 17:07 it gets me so excited. 17:09 I don't know what to do some time, 17:10 just read the Word of God to say, when you need help, 17:12 I'm going to be there for you. 17:14 The only way that He won't be is if you don't ask Him. 17:17 I'm going to help you, I'm going to meet this need, 17:19 and a lot of times He meets the need, 17:21 not how you think that it ought to be met, 17:23 but how He sees fit for it to be, 17:25 to working out your salvation and my salvation. 17:29 I'm going to be there in your time of need. 17:31 He said, I'm going to come to your aid. 17:34 Did you notice it, I'm going to come to, where? 17:35 To your aid. 17:38 That means when you, what you need help, 17:39 'cause God says I'm going to be there. 17:42 I might just ask a question. Are you a Christian? 17:46 Why that's such a big word. 17:48 Are you Christian, to be a Christian? 17:50 Most of the world, many of them say, yes, 17:51 I am, I am, I'm a Christian. 17:54 But remember a Christian is to be 17:55 and simply put is to be like Christ. 17:58 Are we a Christian? Are we like Christ? 18:02 Listen, if you are a Christian today, 18:05 and that you profess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, 18:08 listen carefully, people are watching you. 18:12 People are watching you more than ever. 18:13 They're always watching, 18:15 but they're watching you more than ever right now 18:16 to see how you're going to handle 18:17 this dilemma that's going on in the world today. 18:20 So how are we going to act? 18:24 Let me just read something to you 18:26 that's found from the Manuscript 61, 18:29 written in 1907. 18:30 My, that's a long time ago. 18:31 But you know if it's truth it's still good, 18:33 it never changes, isn't that right? 18:34 It's always good for us. 18:36 It says all about us, everywhere, in front of us, 18:39 back, round all about us. 18:41 There are those who are watching us. 18:44 There are those who are doing, what? 18:45 Watching us closely to see how we 18:49 who profess to believe in the truth conduct ourselves. 18:54 Isn't that interesting? 18:56 They're watching you to see 18:58 how you're going to conduct yourself 18:59 if you really have faith or you're just a talker, 19:01 if you're just blowing hot air. 19:04 There's a lot of hot air Christians, as you well know, 19:06 as I well know. 19:07 But are we, are more than just, 19:09 you know, hearing, but we're doers of the Word, 19:12 we're putting it into action. 19:14 They're watching those who believe and saying, 19:16 we have the truth for this hour, 19:19 we have the message to give to the world. 19:22 So if you are a child of God, I think maybe we need to be. 19:27 If we are a child of God, we need to be, notice this, 19:30 waging a valiant war against sin. 19:35 After all, this is the big issue, 19:36 is it not? 19:38 Sin is the big issue, 19:39 talk about all these other things 19:40 day in and day out that's going on all the time. 19:42 And we're trying to blame this one and that one, 19:44 but listen, we'll go right back down. 19:46 The great issue is, what? Is the sin issue. 19:50 There's three words I want to just come out 19:52 and jump out when I say this, 19:54 waging a valiant war against sin. 19:56 Three words simply says valiant. 19:58 What does it mean, a valiant war? 19:59 That means you're strong, 20:01 that means God's looking for strong people. 20:03 He's looking for brave people. 20:04 Not within ourselves, we have none of these things. 20:07 He's looking for the courageous. 20:09 Looking for those who dare to be a Daniel, 20:11 those who are willing to face death if necessary. 20:15 Oh, none of us feel like that, 20:16 but we can by the grace of God, can we not? 20:18 We can be exactly what God wants us to be 20:20 if we submit ourselves to Him. 20:21 That's the good news. 20:23 But He's looking for people like this today, 20:25 He's looking for those who realize 20:27 that we are in a warfare. 20:30 We are in a battle royale. 20:33 And as for your very soul, 20:35 oh, if we can only realize this, 20:37 if we only just accept. 20:38 Oh, I know, I know, people say, 20:40 but do you really, really realize 20:42 this is about eternal life here. 20:45 And we talk about warfare. 20:47 It's the action of waging war 20:50 or it's simply about the conflict of any kind. 20:53 Are you going through 20:55 some kind of a conflict right now? 20:57 Oh, I think so. 20:59 Almost every household 21:00 is going through some kind of a conflict. 21:02 Do I have this or am I going to get this 21:03 or you know friends 21:05 or, right, people going to hospital right now, 21:07 bless their heart, they can't even have visitors. 21:12 When people pass away, 21:13 they're going to be a few that attend the service. 21:17 Well, these are troublesome times. 21:20 We need to wage that war, valiant war, 21:22 we need to have courage and faith 21:23 and strength right now against this thing called sin. 21:26 You know, you can look in a dictionary, 21:28 sin, what is sin? 21:30 Well, Webster's dictionary simply defines sin 21:33 as a breaking of one of the moral law of God. 21:36 Oh, man, 21:37 that's a pretty good answer, isn't it? 21:39 I love to go to the Word of God, don't you? 21:40 Because in the Word of God, 21:42 you can find a real definition of what sin is. 21:44 1 John 3:4, the Bible says sin is what? 21:47 Very good. 21:48 Sin is a transgression of what? 21:50 Of God's law, also notice this, is law. 21:53 For sin is the transgression of the law. 21:59 What is sin? 22:00 Sin's the transgression of God's law 22:01 is what it says, 22:03 This is the issue. 22:04 We push God out of everything, the sin issue. 22:07 God's trying to wake up a people 22:08 to be prepared for His coming. 22:10 And this thing called sin is somehow getting in the way. 22:13 And God said, this thing needs to go. 22:15 It is the transgression of my law. 22:18 Yet people say, "Oh, well, with the law is no law. 22:20 Bible says in Romans 6:23, 22:23 we will know that the wages of sin is, what? 22:27 Good, the wages of sin is death. 22:29 That's what the wages of sin is. 22:31 Sin is a transgression of God's law. 22:35 That makes good sense to me. 22:38 But people tell me, well, 22:39 the law of God's done away with. 22:41 Romans 3:20, 22:43 the Bible said by the law is the, what? 22:46 By the law is the knowledge of sin. 22:50 Notice this is a knowledge of sin. 22:51 Now, Ephesians 6:12, 13. 22:54 We have come up on the screen, maybe we'll do it again. 22:56 We're going to read that. 22:57 Ephesians 6, I've turned in my Bible. 22:59 I want you to make sure, you turn in your Bible too, 23:01 it's very, very important. 23:02 We're going to read these two verses, 23:03 Ephesians 6:12, 13. 23:06 And then we'll make a few comments 23:08 on down if you don't mind. 23:09 Notice these verses, they're very, very powerful. 23:12 Because we're talking 23:14 about putting on some armor here, 23:15 something that we so desperately need 23:17 in this hour that we live in. 23:19 Notice what the Bible says and starting with verse, 23:22 we start with verse 12. 23:23 The Bible said, 23:25 "For we wrestle not against flesh and," what? 23:27 "Flesh and blood, good, 23:29 but against principalities, " and what? 23:30 "Against powers, and against," notice this, 23:33 "rulers of darkness of this world, 23:35 against spiritual wickedness in high places." 23:38 Verse 13, 23:40 "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God." 23:43 You say, oh, we know that, we know that. 23:44 You know the problem, a lot of times in this world 23:46 that we live in. 23:47 Every time you mention something, 23:48 somebody already knows it. 23:50 We realize that truth is progressive. 23:53 We realize that we need to be able to listen to truth. 23:56 Truth transforms us and change us 23:59 regardless of how many times we've heard it. 24:01 But it said, we need to put 24:03 the whole armor of God and notice this, 24:04 because we're able to withstand the evil day, 24:08 having done all, to stand. 24:09 Man, I could just do the bottom line right here 24:11 and saying, have we done all the stand? 24:13 Have you done everything that, you know, 24:15 by the grace of God to be able to stand 24:17 during this troublesome period of time? 24:21 Have you done everything that you know 24:23 based on the Word of God 24:25 that you may be able to fight the good fight of faith, 24:28 become more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ. 24:31 And the Bible goes on, 24:32 we're not going to spend much time on it 24:34 but the Bible goes on to say, therefore, 24:35 that we need to have 24:36 we need to have our loins gird with what? 24:38 With truth, 24:40 feet shot with the preparation of the gospel, 24:43 we had that shield of faith. 24:44 Why? 24:46 Because although fiery darts from the old enemy 24:47 is coming at us every moment, every day. 24:50 You might be asleep at night, the devil's not asleep. 24:53 He knows exactly what you're up to, 24:54 what you like to do and what you don't like to do. 24:56 And he's laying a trap just for you. 24:59 He's laying a trap just for me, 25:01 he knows the strong areas of your life. 25:03 He knows the weak areas of your life, 25:05 and that's where he's going to punch you. 25:07 So we need to put on the whole armor. 25:08 The Bible said, our feet shod 25:10 with the preparation of the gospel. 25:12 Man, how we need the gospel preach. 25:14 Jesus said, 25:15 "If I be lifted up from the earth 25:17 will draw all men," where? 25:18 "Unto Me." 25:20 Are we lifting up the name of Jesus 25:21 or we spent all of our time on something else? 25:23 We say that really doesn't matter. 25:25 Or just giving some information 25:26 and then bring it back to Jesus, 25:28 then bring it back to the cross of Calvary. 25:30 Bring it back to the cross 25:31 where I need to be going every day of my life. 25:33 I need those great drops of blood 25:35 as it were falling on me 25:36 to cleanse me from all unrighteousness 25:38 so that I might be material for heaven. 25:40 Boy, I want to be material for heaven 25:42 but I need the cross. 25:44 I need Jesus Christ in my heart and in my life, 25:46 I need this shield of faith. 25:48 Now I need the feet shod 25:49 with the preparation of the gospel. 25:51 I need the helmet of salvation 25:53 because the devil is trying to pound you 25:54 right in the head, ain't he? 25:55 He's trying to take your brain away from you. 25:57 He's trying to take that power of choice 25:58 where you can't make a good choice anymore. 26:02 And then it says praying always, 26:03 pray without ceasing. 26:05 That's always, Brother Tim was talking 26:06 about in the beginning here, 26:08 we need to be praying, praying more than ever before, 26:09 we'll receive power 26:11 from the very throne room of God. 26:14 I'm going to go to a Manuscript, 26:16 here's something, 26:17 it's real good food for thought here, 26:19 Manuscript 32, written in 1900. 26:21 Now remember, 26:23 we just said there was a battle, what? 26:24 Battle royale, if I may say that going on. 26:26 There's a battle 26:28 for each and every soul on this planet. 26:30 And the devil is not happy, 26:32 happy as long as you are trying to be a follower 26:34 of Jesus Christ. 26:35 And so, this battle goes on. 26:37 We have to realize what it says, 26:39 notice what it says here, 26:40 if the curtain could be rolled back. 26:42 "If the curtain could be rolled back, 26:44 we would see the armies of heaven are in continual, " 26:47 what? 26:48 "Warfare with satanic agencies." 26:51 What is it? 26:52 If the curtain could be rolled back? 26:55 There's a battle that's going on. 26:56 Heaven is battling in your behalf. 26:58 Man, oh man, why don't we start 27:00 battling by the grace of God? 27:02 You can't expect heaven do all the work for you 27:04 and do all the work for me. 27:05 We go back, heaven is fighting for us. 27:09 And by the grace of God, we need to fight. 27:12 As we're on our knees with God, 27:13 we need to put on the whole armor of God. 27:16 This is the weapons of our warfare, 27:18 it's a spiritual. 27:20 We can't handle it on our own, we know that. 27:23 The battle going on. 27:26 It's just a couple of thoughts after, you know, Satan, 27:29 and the evil angels were cast out of heaven, 27:31 we know that they were, the Bible tells us so. 27:34 What did they do? 27:35 Notice it, they bound together in this thing 27:38 called all the word 27:39 that we don't want to hear all the time is confederacy. 27:43 I think more you don't want to hear it, 27:45 more I want to say it. 27:47 In a confederacy because there's nothing wrong 27:49 with the word that people try to use it, 27:50 you know, and maybe the wrong way 27:52 and there are some things that's going on, is not, 27:54 that's why we have to know the Word of God, 27:55 hide it deep within our heart. 27:57 But what the devil mean, there's confederacy here. 28:00 Is it just the uniting of some group of people 28:03 on some kind of, listen to words, 28:05 common, common purpose. 28:08 We're hearing an awful lot about this saying, 28:10 coming together for the common purpose 28:12 for the good of the country. 28:14 My, my, you think there's something going on 28:16 that maybe we're not realizing today for the common good. 28:20 The enemy said, well, we've come together 28:22 all the evil angels for this common good, 28:24 that we might do, 28:25 oh, listen to it carefully, 28:26 we might do all the evil 28:28 that we can possibly do to mankind. 28:31 Now why, 28:33 why does the devil want to do everything, 28:35 you know, the evil that he can to a human being? 28:38 You know why? 28:39 Listen, my Bible tells me in Zechariah 2:8, 28:42 because God said, you the people, 28:44 you are the apple of my eye, isn't that beautiful? 28:47 You are the apple of my eye, 28:49 and the only way that the devil can strike God 28:52 is to strike you and me. 28:54 Does that make sense? 28:56 He can't strike God, 28:57 but he can strike you and strike me. 28:59 God allows him to do certain things. 29:01 But God said, O My people, they're the apple of My eye. 29:04 Man, what encouragement that should give us today. 29:08 Until the passage 29:09 we just read there in Ephesians, 29:11 we won't read them again Ephesians 6:12, 13. 29:12 It just simply said, 29:14 there's a real battle that is going on. 29:17 Somebody is going to win and somebody is going to lose. 29:21 What is it going to take? 29:23 What will it take that we can win this battle? 29:28 I like the passage in Proverbs 3:5. 29:31 Just a couple of words here, it says, 29:32 "Trust in God with all," what? 29:35 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, 29:37 and lead not to your own," what? 29:39 Good, "to your own understanding." 29:40 So first of all, we need to come 29:42 into right relationship with God. 29:44 See a lot of people just, 29:45 they see the conditions of the world, 29:47 they don't know what to do, 29:48 they're throwing their hands up. 29:49 They're saying I surrender, 29:51 I give up 29:52 rather than surrender your heart 29:54 and your life to Jesus Christ, 29:55 begin a relationship with Him, 29:56 begin to experience with Him and begin to trust Him. 30:00 I find it it's a shame even myself. 30:02 I tell my, sometimes, 30:04 well, I wonder what God's going to do, 30:05 kind of doubt God sometime. 30:06 Hasn't God been faithful? 30:09 Hasn't He been faithful over the years? 30:13 Has He ever let you down? 30:15 I can honestly say in my own life 30:16 regardless of all the consequences 30:17 and all the seed that sown. 30:19 You know, God has been faithful. 30:22 He's never give up on me. 30:23 You, you may have given up on me, 30:25 but God's never given up on me. 30:27 He's never given up on you. 30:30 That means we come to the point 30:31 where we trust God with all of our heart. 30:34 In other words, there's nothing else left, 30:35 there's no reservations, 30:37 there's nothing that I keep to myself anymore. 30:39 I've just thrown it all out at the feet of Jesus. 30:42 1 Timothy 4:10, 30:45 because we trust in the living God. 30:48 We don't trust in the, right, we don't trust in a dead God, 30:51 we trust in a living God, a God who rules this universe, 30:55 a God who speaks, right? 30:57 And the animals listen, 31:00 we're the only species on this planet, 31:02 we're the only, the people 31:04 is the only one that's not listening. 31:06 Everything else listens to God, they obeys God. 31:11 We trust in the living God 31:14 that He's going to take care of us. 31:16 We trust in the living God 31:17 that He's going to make the house pay. 31:18 I don't know how. 31:20 Man, I can remember over the year 31:22 has God ever let down. 31:23 Really have you ever gone hungry? 31:24 Oh, my, no, not really. 31:28 I remember growing up on Warden Street 31:30 where we had very little food 31:31 and some time we were out of food 31:32 and mom said, well, 31:34 I just don't really have anything left in the cupboard. 31:36 I don't know what we're going to do. 31:38 She said, we just pray. 31:40 Pray that God somehow will answer, 31:41 today we say, as young kid you say well, 31:43 I don't know 31:44 how's God going to answer this prayer. 31:45 Man, everybody's kind of short on food. 31:47 And then there'd be a knock at the door. 31:50 And a neighbor would come over a little sack of groceries 31:52 whatever and say, you know what, 31:53 we just had some extra 31:55 and we just felt like maybe we ought to share it 31:57 with our neighbors. 31:58 God is faithful. 32:00 This is what we need to be looking 32:02 and searching at right now, He is faithful. 32:07 But we need to put on the whole armor of God. 32:12 Now, let me just say this. 32:13 Why are we talking about 32:14 putting on the whole armor of God? 32:16 You know why we're putting on God's armor? 32:18 Because we don't have any armor of our own. 32:22 Did you get that? We don't have any armor. 32:23 Oh, I'm just going to put my armor on, right? 32:25 You're going to go to the closet 32:27 and you're going to reach and get something 32:28 you're going to put up. 32:29 It's not that way at all. 32:31 We put on God's armor. Why? 32:34 Because God has prepared it especially for you and for me. 32:39 It has your name on it. 32:41 They're special armor, 32:42 it's not just everybody has the same piece, 32:44 but it's different. 32:46 And what do you, what do we mean by different? 32:49 Remember, it says to put it on, so there's one catch, 32:53 and this thing working. 32:54 We must by faith put on the armor of God. 33:00 Remember, He's prepared it for us. 33:02 It's especially made for us to repel temptations 33:07 that maybe we are, 33:09 maybe more subject to that, maybe it's someone else, 33:12 or any trick or any deception of the enemy. 33:17 And so, we put it on so that we might be able to, 33:20 whoo, might be able to stand. 33:22 Today is the time 33:24 that we need to be able to stand. 33:25 This is the time we need to hold out. 33:28 This is time where the patience of the saints come in. 33:30 This is the time we need to overcome 33:32 by the grace of God. 33:34 God can help us to do that. 33:35 Have confidence and trust and faith. 33:38 Have faith in God. 33:40 See, the enemy has thousands of ways 33:43 to fool or to trick us. 33:45 You don't want 33:47 the easiest individuals to trick. 33:50 Let me just call it here, we're not calling names, 33:52 but with the unstable soul. 33:56 Now what do we mean about the unstable soul? 34:00 I think the word is pretty good within itself. 34:02 Unstable soul is just mean, one who is easily upset. 34:07 Do you have friends and family, relatives or sometimes it just, 34:10 it didn't take hardly anything and all of a sudden 34:12 we call their feathers are ruffled. 34:14 They just get all upset, they're blown out of shape, 34:17 and they don't act right, they're fickled, 34:19 they become unbalanced so easily. 34:22 And so, if we say that they're unbalanced, 34:24 that means they're not stable at all. 34:26 They're changeable, unstable soul. 34:31 And let me tell you what happened, 34:32 an unstable soul is blown about, 34:34 the Bible said in Ephesians 4:14. 34:37 "They're blown about by every wind of," what? 34:40 "By every wind of doctrine." 34:43 Man, we see that more and more. 34:44 Somebody say, well, the preacher said, 34:45 the evangelist said, how about what God said, 34:48 what did God say? 34:52 What did God say in His Word? That's where we go to, why? 34:57 We shouldn't be unstable. 34:58 This is the hour that God's looking for, what? 35:00 Stable people. 35:01 God's looking for people, why? 35:02 Because Christ is our rock, Christ is our foundation. 35:09 Christ is our hope. 35:10 Christ is our power. 35:12 Christ is our victory. 35:14 I love that old song. 35:16 Whoo, I think it's an evangelistic song. 35:17 There's victory in Jesus. 35:19 I love that song. There's victory in Jesus. 35:21 In other words, 35:23 He sought me and He bought me by His redeeming, what? 35:26 Blood. 35:28 I may not know all the song 35:29 but I don't know the word or whatever. 35:30 I'm just going to, I'm going to hum it. 35:32 I'm telling you because this is good, why? 35:34 He sought me, He sought me while we were yet enemy. 35:37 He bought me by His redeeming blood. 35:40 He never gave up on me 35:42 and He's not going to give up on you. 35:45 Man, He bought you, you're His. 35:47 Commit yourself to Him. 35:50 We must stand against the enemy by the grace of God right now. 35:54 There's no backing down or backing up. 35:56 We've got to move forward right now. 35:58 Now let me say why? 35:59 Why stand against the enemy. 36:02 My Bible says there in 1 Chronicles 21:1. 36:06 Now notice this, in 1 Chronicles 21:1 tells me 36:09 that Satan is going to stand up, what? 36:12 He stands up against us. He stands up against Israel. 36:16 He stands up against God's people. 36:18 So the enemy saying to you, 36:19 I'm going to stand in your face. 36:21 I'm going to tell you how the hog ate the cabbage, 36:23 did you get that one? 36:25 I'm going to tell you how it is 36:26 and what you're going to be doing. 36:28 But you know what? 36:29 God says His people 36:30 need to stand fast in the faith, 36:32 stand fast in His love and in His strength, 36:34 stand against the enemy. 36:36 Notice this, why? 36:37 So that we need not, notice this. 36:39 So right now, we need not back away at all. 36:42 Right now, we need to stand up for Him. 36:44 We need to set up for Him. 36:46 We need to keep up with Him and not shut up. 36:50 It's time to keep up. 36:52 It's time for God's people to have a voice and what? 36:55 The voice is against evil and things 36:57 that are going on in the world. 36:59 Don't sit back and remain quiet. 37:03 We're to fight against the evil one 37:05 and who is evil one? 37:06 Certainly, the evil one is Satan. 37:08 Absolutely. 37:09 His kingdom is the kingdom of, what? 37:11 Of sin. 37:12 You're going to have to choose one or the other. 37:16 Therefore, because we recognize this, 37:18 we need to strive against sin 37:21 that the Bible talks about in Hebrews 12:4. 37:25 That means we need to resist unto blood. 37:28 Guys, I say this every time and I can't help it, 37:30 we talked about resist and the blood strive, 37:33 strive against sin. 37:34 That means listen very simply, 37:36 that we need to by the grace 37:38 and power strength of Jesus Christ, 37:41 that we had rather die than knowingly commit sin. 37:46 That's where God's bringing His people. 37:48 God is bringing His people 37:50 to the point of victory over sin in our life, 37:52 that we might repopulate heaven. 37:54 If you think you're taking that old stuff 37:56 that down here on this earth after heaven with us, 37:58 we need to rethink the issues. 38:01 He's coming after people 38:03 who have given up all these things 38:04 by His grace and strength. 38:06 I can't give up one thing on my own. 38:08 By the grace of God, certainly He can do it. 38:10 Jesus is our example, is He not? 38:13 As it were, Jesus put on the whole armor of God, 38:16 the weapons of warfare, to fight against the enemy. 38:20 So we need to come to that point that we resist. 38:22 Remember what? 38:24 Resist means that we'd rather die 38:25 than commit a, what? 38:27 Knowing sin. 38:28 How many of us done that? 38:30 The Bible have several illustrations 38:32 for sure 38:34 that when sin came, you see some, 38:35 they may had to get up and run some time, 38:37 but a lot of time we get up and run in that direction, 38:40 to participate rather than say, 38:41 I don't want to participate, I don't want to work, 38:44 I don't want God to be disappointed. 38:46 I don't want to sin against God, 38:47 I don't want to sin against my fellowman. 38:50 So really think about this with me. 38:52 We just talked 38:53 about holding back the winds of strife. 38:57 Man, that's repeated so often, but you know, 39:00 you can't help but feel what's going on 39:02 in the world today 39:03 that the winds of strife that angels holding back that, 39:06 you know, four angels in Revelation 7:1-3, 39:10 they're starting to let go of these winds 39:12 or the forces of this world. 39:14 They're ready to let it go. 39:17 Man, where would that put us what's going to take place? 39:21 If they don't hold it back just a little bit longer. 39:26 And we're praying they do 39:27 because the Bible said they're going to hold it back 39:29 until the people of God are sealed in their foreheads 39:33 or till they're made ready to receive the latter rain, 39:38 the preparation for it, 39:41 so that we might go through that great time of trouble 39:43 as outlined in Scripture 39:45 and certainly in the Spirit of Prophecy. 39:49 If we hold on to this thing, 39:51 and you see what's going on here, 39:52 we're going to see day by day by day 39:55 that our freedoms are taken away from us. 39:59 Our freedom of choice is being taken. 40:01 Everything you call freedom, freedom, freedom, 40:05 you have no freedoms. 40:07 Only free freedom that we have is in Jesus Christ. 40:10 All these things are going to be taken away 40:12 because the Bible says so before it's over. 40:14 So we're just entering into a phase 40:18 to where we need relationship with Christ, 40:19 maybe many of us do not have right now. 40:23 If our economy example, if our economy, 40:27 you know, continues to crumble, and that's what it's doing, 40:31 under the weight of this global crisis, 40:34 or the, you know, the COVID-19. 40:38 It's pretty easy. 40:40 And I think most people can see this, 40:41 it's easy to see how those who will be faithful 40:44 and faithful to God will not 40:47 and maybe a short period of time, 40:49 will not be able to buy or sell, 40:50 say they have the mark of the beast. 40:53 Surely God is opening 40:55 these things up to you and to me 40:56 so that we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt 40:59 the way things are all lined out here. 41:01 This could happen, it's a reality. 41:04 And where do you stand? Where do I stand? 41:07 Revelation 13:17, 41:09 if you want to look at and talk and pray about it, 41:11 read about it. 41:13 Maybe if we look at this scenario, 41:16 maybe if we look at this time, we begin to realize, 41:20 now let me just throw this out, 41:21 my, my, Lord, have mercy on us. 41:23 Just throw it, throw it out, 41:24 and you do what you want to do with it. 41:26 But maybe, maybe we might begin to realize 41:28 what we're talking about here 41:29 by those who refuse of this new COVID-19 vaccine 41:36 when it comes out. 41:38 There's going to be one that's going to come out, 41:39 you know that. 41:41 And so, what if they say that it's mandatory 41:45 and that you have to take it if you don't, 41:47 and you have to have papers, 41:48 if you don't, you're not able to travel? 41:50 Oh, do you think that it will quit at that? 41:53 Now, whether it does or whether it doesn't, 41:54 I want you to think what's going on here? 41:57 How easy it's going to be for the other 41:58 to be implemented 41:59 if there is any kind of disaster 42:01 that's going on in the world? 42:03 And what if, we say, well, we've kind of got one. 42:06 Somebody said they're mutated, 42:07 we talked about this virus already 42:09 mutate about eight times already. 42:13 What if we have several different disasters 42:15 in the world all at one time? 42:17 It could crumble so quick and make your head swim, 42:19 make my head swim. 42:22 And you know what it's doing right now? 42:23 It's getting the attention of the religious leaders 42:27 of the world 42:28 and which we realize 42:30 that the attention of the religious leaders, 42:31 you know that they're going to focus 42:33 on this thing, 42:34 and they're going to look around, 42:35 they're going to say, what's going on here? 42:37 Who is it to blame? 42:39 Who is it and you know what they just said, 42:41 that heard saying this, 42:43 when their religious leader said this thing there. 42:45 Lord, You have our attention. 42:49 What? Lord, You have our attention. 42:57 What might that, 42:59 what that might that be saying to us? 43:01 Lord, You have our attention. 43:03 That means they're going to be willing 43:04 to make some necessary changes, wouldn't that need be? 43:11 The Lord wants your attention. 43:14 The Lord wants my attention. 43:17 Should we not give it to Him rather than give it to the, 43:18 you know, the things of this world, 43:20 things of the world that has all of our attention. 43:23 We're too interested in all these other things 43:25 over than be worried about the coming of Jesus. 43:26 Oh, come on. 43:29 We have to be waging this war against the sin issue. 43:33 Why? 43:35 Because we have to realize what's ahead of us. 43:37 Now, again, we're trying to be positive, 43:39 but we also have to look 43:40 at what the Bible says about it, 43:42 so that we might be prepared rather than say, 43:44 we won't have to go through it. 43:46 Bible talks about here in Ephesians 5:16, 43:50 Ephesians 5:16. 43:53 Talks about the days, the days are evil, 43:55 redeeming the time because the days are, what? 43:59 Because the days are evil, notice that. 44:02 This is the time that we're living, 44:04 these are the days. 44:06 Manuscript 95, 1903. 44:09 Manuscript 95, 44:12 written in 1903 says this, 44:13 I think it's very, very important. 44:16 "Unless we are constantly on guard, 44:19 we shall be overcome." 44:23 What is the word? 44:24 Oh, the Bible is clear throughout, 44:25 Spirit of Prophecy is clear throughout. 44:27 Unless we are constantly on guard, 44:29 we cannot afford to lift our guard for one moment, 44:32 the devil is going to take you, he's watching you. 44:35 We have to be constantly on guard 44:37 or we're going to be overcome, don't miss this point. 44:39 Our minds 44:42 are given either to the control, 44:44 given to the control of God 44:45 or to the, we know this to the control of the enemy 44:47 and how often we fight this. 44:49 It's one or the other. 44:52 God's controlling your mind 44:53 or the enemy is controlling your mind. 44:57 Jesus said, "That he who is not with Me 44:59 is against Me, " 45:00 so let's not fight this thing. 45:02 Either you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, 45:05 and you've accepted Him. 45:06 He's come into your heart and your life or you have not. 45:08 If you have not, 45:09 you know where your mind and who has control of it. 45:12 Why not be honest about it? 45:15 It might be well for us today to check out. 45:19 We need some self-examination, there's no doubt about it. 45:22 Check out where we stand. 45:25 Where do you stand with God? 45:26 I think that is such a simple but good question. 45:31 Where do I stand with God? 45:32 Where do you stand with God today? 45:36 You're going to be standing in one place or the other, 45:37 you're going to be standing under the blood-stained banner 45:40 of Jesus Christ 45:42 or you're going to be standing under the black banner 45:44 of the devil, the prince of this world. 45:46 So it's one or the other today. 45:48 You have to choose, 45:50 you get to choose and there's time to choose 45:53 but when the day is going to come 45:54 that there's not going to be time, 45:56 probation is going to close, that's it. 45:58 He says righteous be righteous still, 45:59 he's filthy will be filthy still. 46:03 If you realize this, 46:05 and I'm trying to learn this with all my heart, 46:08 I'm trying to learn that if I, you know, if I, 46:11 if I'm left to my own strength. 46:14 If I'm here to deal 46:15 with all these issues by myself, 46:17 I'm sure to fail. 46:19 I can't handle all these issues that's going on. 46:21 I can't fight the enemy by myself. 46:23 I can't fight the virus by myself. 46:25 I can't fight disease by myself. 46:27 I can't fight unrighteousness by myself. 46:29 I can't fight pestilence by myself. 46:32 I can't fight the plagues by myself. 46:33 I can't fight the economy by myself. 46:37 I can't fight anything by myself, 46:38 I need Christ. 46:40 If we were left to fight 46:42 all of these things by ourselves, 46:44 we would surely fail 46:45 and many of you are going to fail. 46:47 Many of you are going to die and go to Christless graves 46:49 because you won't make that decision 46:50 that choice today. 46:52 What is it in this world that you love so much 46:55 that separates us from God? 46:56 What is it? 46:59 What lies ahead? 47:01 My, what lies ahead? 47:05 What we, will we need 47:06 in order to make heaven our home? 47:10 What do we really need in our lives? 47:13 I found a little article that I like, 47:15 Review and Herald 12/31/1901 47:19 makes this statement. 47:22 Notice it says, "Unless the people of God 47:24 wage a valiant warfare," 47:26 we were talking about, 47:27 "against every species of sin, 47:29 they will never pass 47:30 through the portals of the Holy City. 47:34 We shall have no second trial." 47:37 We have one shot, 47:39 we have one go around here. 47:43 Unless we put up a warfare against every species of sin, 47:47 that's every kind of sin 47:49 we will never make it through the portals of heaven. 47:53 We'll never make it to heaven with one unconfessed sin. 47:56 You want the robe of Christ righteousness, 47:58 you're praying for the latter rain. 48:00 We know the latter rain cannot fall upon anyone 48:02 with sin still in their life. 48:03 We need to be praying to God forgive us of our sins 48:05 and give us victory over those sins. 48:08 So that we can receive of the latter rains. 48:10 So we can go through the times that's just before us. 48:14 Things that are happening right now. 48:15 We need Jesus. 48:20 See, when Christ walked this earth, 48:23 lived on this earth, 48:25 He was engaged in constant warfare every, 48:29 may I say every second, every moment of His life. 48:35 And God's people, you see, walking in Christ's footsteps, 48:40 you're going to be going through some of these things. 48:44 There's a warfare. 48:47 Let me give you an example of Martin Luther. 48:49 You remember Martin Luther, for sure. 48:50 Yeah. 48:51 He was engaged in warfare. 48:55 He was engaged in a warfare 48:56 where he recognized the carnal nature of man. 48:59 See, this is what we're fighting. 49:01 We can't win the battle over our carnal natures, 49:04 unless we have help. 49:08 He spoke about it. Oh, I can't live in the flesh. 49:11 You can't live in the flesh either. 49:13 I can't live in the flesh, we're going to be defeated. 49:16 Living in the flesh simply means 49:17 we living for the devil. 49:19 See, none of us wants to say, oh, I'm living in the flesh. 49:21 We might say that but you don't say 49:23 I'm living for the devil. 49:24 Why don't we just go ahead and call what it is. 49:27 Living for the enemy. 49:31 Living in the flesh, 49:33 then is an opposition to living in the gospel. 49:37 Man, we did not only hear the gospel, 49:39 understand the gospel, but live the gospel. 49:43 Satan works in and through man. 49:46 Things like as you will know, 49:49 lust, fear, uncertainty, 49:54 vain imaginations, carnal reasonings, 50:00 wrong thoughts, pride, jealousy in the world. 50:06 The list goes on and on and on. 50:09 These things that we just mentioned, 50:10 just a few. 50:12 They exalt themselves above the knowledge 50:14 of the living God. 50:16 They keep man from faith, 50:19 they keep men from being obedient 50:20 to the Word of God. 50:24 These are the strongholds of the enemy. 50:28 The enemy has some strongholds, 50:29 and he's bound and determined to keep those strongholds. 50:33 We can only break those strongholds 50:36 as we come to Jesus Christ. 50:37 He breaks those things for us. 50:41 The strongholds of the enemy, my brother and sister, 50:44 they must be pulled down now. 50:48 He's got his walls up, 50:49 he's got us in there as the sinner as in prison. 50:51 And these things have to come down right now. 50:54 The good news, the gospel, 50:55 the good news of Jesus Christ 50:57 by the grace and power of God, 51:01 these are our weapons of warfare. 51:03 God said I'm going to pull these Satan's strongholds down. 51:06 You know, Satan's doing, 51:08 you know what he's doing right now? 51:09 I know what he's doing. 51:11 He's trying to keep this message 51:12 from going around the world. 51:13 He's trying to shut 3ABN down. 51:15 He's trying to shut down other ministries. 51:16 He doesn't want the truth of God's Word 51:19 hitting into the hearts and the minds 51:20 and lives of people right now. 51:21 He's doing all he can. 51:23 But God said these last days, 51:24 I'm not going to let the enemy put up any strongholds 51:26 'cause I'm going to pull him down. 51:28 I'm going to let the gospel go into all the world. 51:31 Isn't that wonderful? 51:33 Isn't that talking about good news? 51:36 We need heaven's help. 51:39 My, how we need heaven's help and we need it now 51:42 by the grace of God. 51:46 Weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 51:49 we realize that, 51:50 2 Corinthians 10:4 talks about it. 51:52 I've time to read all 2 Corinthians 10:4, 51:54 "The weapons of our warfare are," what? 51:57 "Not carnal, but they're mighty through God." 52:00 Did you like that? 52:01 "They're mighty through God 52:02 and the pulling down of our, " what? 52:04 "Of the strong holds." We're strong in Jesus Christ. 52:08 That's what the Bible talks about pulling them down. 52:12 God is promising every one of us 52:14 the desires of our heart. 52:15 What is your desire today? 52:18 Is it gaining victory over sins or those things that so, 52:21 oh, boy, easily Hebrews 12:1 talks about those things 52:26 which so easily beset us. 52:30 Boy, how we can get blown off track. 52:33 Man, how we can get sidetracked. 52:37 But now's not a time to get sidetracked. 52:38 Now's the time to focus. 52:40 Now's the time to recommit. 52:42 Now's the time to rededicate. 52:44 Now's the time to give our lives 52:46 fully and completely to Jesus Christ 52:47 so that we might gain complete victory through Him. 52:52 And I say again, 52:53 where the enemy has set up his stronghold, 52:55 God's going to pull them right down. 53:00 And maybe this plays a little part where he said, 53:02 those of you who have quit attending church, 53:05 those of you who know what the truth is, 53:07 you know the three angels' message, 53:08 you've given up, 53:10 you've walked out the door many years ago, 53:11 God's calling you back. 53:13 You know that it's right. 53:14 Your conscience is telling you it's right. 53:15 Everything you see, it's telling you it's right. 53:18 It's time to get back into, you see, 53:20 into the worshiping God the way that you know 53:22 that you should, 53:24 instead of going some counterfeit way. 53:26 This I believe we can see in Hebrews 10:25. 53:29 This is a time that we don't need to, 53:30 you know, forsake the assembling 53:33 of ourselves together as we see the day approaching. 53:36 Do you see the day approaching? 53:37 Man, I see it, 53:39 I see the day is approaching. 53:42 And the more of the stuff that we see in this world, 53:43 the more we want heaven to be our home. 53:46 This world is not my home. I'm just passing through. 53:51 I pray that you're just passing through today. 53:55 You might think, well, we've, you know, 53:59 things are so bad 54:00 that we seem to be so locked up. 54:02 Maybe there's nothing else that we can do anymore. 54:04 You know how God can take bad things 54:06 and turn them into good things? 54:08 Oh, absolutely. 54:09 I'll give a quick example here before our time runs out. 54:11 Paul said in Philippians 1:12. 54:13 Notice these words, "I would you should understand, 54:16 brother, the things which happened to me, 54:18 " the things that he went through, 54:20 you notice this, what he said, 54:21 "things that I went through here 54:22 and those have fallen out 54:24 rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." 54:28 The things that happened to him, 54:29 he said, you look like they're going to be bad, 54:30 but man, they've turned around, praise God. 54:33 God takes those bad things 54:34 and he turns around into something good. 54:36 Good. Good example, Paul. 54:37 Paul was in prison for two years. 54:40 Oh, it seemed like his usefulness was done. 54:41 You may seem like you're in prison, 54:43 may the prison house of sin and God's calling you out. 54:46 You may say, well, it's too late. 54:47 It's not too late. 54:49 Paul was there in prison, 54:50 seemed like he couldn't do any good. 54:52 But to all appearances, but God came in, 54:54 he pulled down Satan's strongholds. 54:57 Souls were gathered in, 54:58 Paul was able to witness to kings and to princes 55:01 and to rulers and countless others in prison, 55:04 which seemed impossible under the circumstances. 55:06 God works in impossible situations 55:09 with man. 55:10 Please remember this, 55:11 if you remember nothing else today, 55:13 the efforts to retard the progress of truth 55:18 will only serve to exalt it. 55:22 Remember Martin Luther when he penned those... 55:28 on the doors of the church, what did it do? 55:29 Just gave him attention and the gospel went 55:32 and the message went. 55:33 I believe the message is going right now. 55:37 Because of all these stop signs the enemy is trying to put up, 55:40 God has given us the go sign, 55:42 He given us the green signal. 55:44 And He said, this message is going to go 55:46 into all the world. 55:50 But we're bringing the message that we understand 55:52 with all of our heart is the message for this hour. 55:55 It's a message for this day. 55:58 And then God says, "Will go into all the world." 56:00 Do you want to be a part of that? 56:02 Man, I want to be a part of that. 56:03 Regardless of what's happening in the world, 56:05 regardless of what you hear all the time, 56:07 God is still in control. 56:09 Worried about the election, don't worry about it. 56:11 God sets up kings and He takes them down. 56:13 You're worried about who's in control, 56:15 God's in control. 56:16 He does sit on the throne, you know that He does, 56:18 He rules this universe. 56:19 Have faith and trust in God. 56:21 He said I will meet your needs, 56:23 your bread and water shall be sure, guaranteed. 56:26 You turn your life over to Jesus Christ, 56:28 it will change. 56:29 You'll give God permission as it were to come in 56:32 and to sup with Him and Him with you 56:34 and to meet your needs. 56:36 Oh, friends, this is the day, this is the hour, 56:38 don't wait to see like some of us do, 56:40 before I buy gas, 56:41 I'm going to see if the gas price goes down. 56:44 The price is never higher, 56:45 Calvary paid it all, all to him. 56:47 I'm going to pray for you 56:49 to making that decision right now before we close. 56:51 Would you just have a quick prayer 56:52 with me please? 56:54 Our kind loving Heavenly Father, 56:55 we approach Your throne with gratitude and grace, 56:57 and we're thankful for the love that You have for us. 56:59 Thanks for decisions have been made right now, 57:02 for Your honor and for Your glory. 57:03 Those are committing their life into Your care 57:05 and You're keeping right now, they've looked around, 57:07 there seems to be no hope in the world, 57:08 there's not but there's hope in you. 57:10 Lord, accept them. We pray in Jesus' name. 57:12 Amen. 57:15 God bless each and every one of you. 57:16 Remember, this is the hour that we don't look down, 57:18 we look up. 57:19 Why? 57:20 Because our redemption draweth nigh. 57:22 God bless you. We love you. 57:23 We'll see you another time. |
Revised 2020-06-11