| Broadcast Date |
Topics |
Passages |
Link |
| Tuesday January 27, 2015 |
- Jill Briscoe story about travelling during 911.
- This is a battlefield experience.
- We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers of the air.
- We must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
- Friend of Christ implies an enemy of Satan.
- The good fight of Faith.
- The flesh wars with the spirit.
- We must give no place to Satan.
- We battle on the domestic front, the personal front, the church front, and society front.
- Ananias and Sapphira and their deception because Satan tempted them.
- Doctrines of Demons.
- Satan is the god of this world.
- Ephesians Chapter 6 is a field manual for spiritual warfare.
- Passage intended to make us combat ready.
- The soldier’s uniform, courage, hardship, obedience, submission, teamwork, and tough living conditions.
- This is the soldier’s enlistment.
- Elijah’s confrontation with prophets of Baal - “Choose your sides!”.
- Jesus drew a line, “If you’re not for Him, you’re against Him”.
- “I didn’t come to bring peace, I came to bring a sword, mother against daughters, fathers against sons”.
- We were with the world, but Jesus allowed us to change sides, to cross over.
- Becoming a soldier involves renunciation. Saying goodbye to old friends.
- No turning back, no turning back.
- A soldier’s environment is usually challenging. hostile, hard, muddy fields, steaming jungles, arid desserts, rocky mountains. Ours is no less friendly.
- The terms “stand” or “withstand” is repeated 6 times in Ephesians Chapter 6
- The man without Christ - their mind is with enmity with Christ.
- To be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of Christ.
- Quotes from David Jeremiah’s book I Never Thought I’d See the Day
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see atheists so angry”.
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see Jesus so profaned”.
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see Marriage so obsolete”.
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see Morality so free”.
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see The Bible so marginalized”.
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see The Church so irrelevant”.
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see Islam so strong”.
- “I thought I’d never see the day to see Israel so betrayed”.
- We’re called upon to live the life of the new age that has burst upon us through The Gospel, and we’re to do it in this evil age.
- Robert Shirey quote, “To do best of things in the worst of times”.
- A soldier lives life in harm’s way. Soldiers cannot be cowards.
- Gideon against the Midianites.
- A soldier is always ready to suffer and sacrifice.
- Walk with gallantry with our walk with God.
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This Means War - Part A |
| Wednesday January 28, 2015 |
- When we make a friend of Christ, we make an enemy of Satan.
- A Christian life involves a good fight of faith. A Christian life means war.
- We battle with flesh, we battle with the world, and we battle with the devil.
- Satan goes about like a roaring lion seeking who he might devour.
- A soldier lives in harm’s way.
- A life of suffering and sacrifice, hardship and heroism.
- Story of Epaphroditus from Philippians Chapter 2, in which Paul refers to him as “A fellow worker, a fellow soldier for the work of Christ, he came close to death, not regarding his life to supply what was lacking in your service toward me”.
- Don’t regard your life as dear.
- When was last time you took a risk for Christ? - everything at His disposal and without regard to your money, your time, your energy, and your life.
- We will have tribulation, but we can be of good cheer. Through much tribulation, we enter the Kingdom.
- Story of Navy Seal training.
- When we got saved, we joined the ranks of the redeemed - the elite troops that fight under the banner of The Cross.
- The enemy has too many opportunities to rejoice for The Church not giving 100 percent.
- We must be a man on a mission.
- Committed 100 percent to the task at hand and our call as soldiers of Christ.
- The soldier must remove himself from everyday life, and the affairs that occupy most men, and give himself to the task at hand.
- The good soldier of Christ refuses ally the things, the issues, the affairs, and treasures of this world to to distract him.
- No distractions. Easy to get distracted from those things that matter.
- John MacArthur spoke at De Courcy’s Installation when he related the story of this quote to a political-minded newspaper man who wanted him to use his position for societal gain, “I have only one job in this world, and that is to make the Voice of God audible”.
- Fight the good fight of faith.
- Be strong in The Lord and the power of His Might.
- Might through His strength.
- Napolean quote, “God is on the side that has the heaviest artillery”, then came Waterloo, then he stated, “Man proposes, but God disposes”.
- Exceeding greatness of His power to us.
- Power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us.
- We don’t fight for victory - rather, we fight from victory.
- Stand in His victory.
- Quote from Max Anders’ book, What You Need to Know About Spiritual Warfare: 12 Lessons That Can Change Your Life
- “Spiritual Warfare: You cannot control a flood with a flamethrower, cannot douse a forest fire with floodlights, you cannot stop a hurricane with bullets, and you cannot fight supernatural battles with natural strength”.
- Moral is important in order to win.
- Christ leads us in a triumphal procession.
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This Means War - Part B |
| Thursday January 29, 2015 |
- Knowing your enemy is vital to conquering your enemy.
- Intelligence of opposition plays a key role in defeating those who wish to defeat us.
- Underestimate your enemy is perilous.
- Paul explains the enemy’s strategies and strengths.
- Don’t be ignorant of the devil’s plots and plans.
- The Christian life is not a walk in the park - it’s a wrestling match according to The Apostle Paul.
- We do not wrestles against flesh and blood but principalities and powers.
- Picture of two foes locked in hand-to-hand combat and in some cases to the death.
- Satan is committed to our destruction - goes about seeking whom he may devour.
- Commitment to Christ results in conflict, war, fighting, not your best life now.
- We have the, 1) internal struggle with self, 2) the external struggle with the world, and 3) the infernal struggle with Satan.
- Paul’s audience in this book were well aware of Satan’s activity in Ephesus.
- The unseen does not mean it’s unreal.
- There is an evil force at work in this world.
- Jesus prays that we would be protected from “the evil one”.
- The devil is a liar and his greatest lie is convincing people that he does not exist - then he can do his diabolical work under the cover of anonymity.
- We have a supernatural enemy, we have a subtle enemy, and we have a strong enemy.
- We need to understand the nature of our enemy - not against flesh and blood, we have a supernatural and unseen enemy.
- “Flesh and Blood” implies “human nature” - ie our fight is typical not with people, but with the supernatural.
- We must understand target acquisition - not really people, but the menacing figure and the menacing forces that stand behind them.
- History unfolds against the backdrop of a cosmic conflict involving the forces of darkness and God.
- An invisible war is going on with spiritual intelligences fighting over the souls of man.
- Satan is a created, non-physical, finite being who’s original purpose was to serve and glorify God as a cherub. Cherubim were gatekeepers of heaven, but Satan betrayed his glorious calling, and rose up in boldfaced pride. He was the original sinner.
- He is a malignant, malevolent spiritual power.
- The church was not at war with a pagan, godless Roman government. That was not the calling of the church. The fight was about The Gospel - centered in the heavenlies, against demonic intelligences, over the supremacy of Christ within the Church and over the world.
- The weapons of warfare are not carnal - not fashioned by human wisdom. Our weapons are prayer, faith, truth, integrity, righteousness, hope, and evangelism - these are the weapons according to Paul with which we must fight.
- We tend to target to certain political figures, certain trend setters in our culture. We need to get behind them because the fight is wider than that. The true enemy is not the abortionist, gay rights activists, it’s the one who stands behind them. People are not the enemy, they’re the victims of the enemy.
- Satan blinds, cheats, and he kill - he’s the godfather of sin.
- We need to see people as sheep without a shepherd.
- Ray Stedman’s book Spiritual Warfare - Story about a mental hospital that used a procedure to test a patient’s awareness of reality and compared with the approach many Christians have with dealing with the enemy.
- Each Christian can only help in the world if we have enough intelligence to conquer first the evil which is pouring into our hearts from those world rulers of present darkness.
- Our enemy is subtle, cunning, deceptive, and clever.
- A military picture that embraces an idea of a well-planned attack that poses a real threat.
- He’s been sharpening his diabolical skills for millennium.
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Know Your Enemy - Part A |
| Friday January 30, 2015 |
- When we commit ourselves to Jesus Christ, it means war. We’ve stepped across the line. We’ve turned our back to our old life.
- We’ve got a subtle enemy.
- We wrestle against spiritual entitles and intelligences. And we are up against his wiles.
- He’s cunning, deceptive, and clever.
- His playbook is thick and well worn.
- He’s been at it for a long time.
- His tactics? He’s got many.
- He uses sex. Paul tells us, if you abstain from sex with your wife for a period of fasting and prayer due to some crisis in your life, he warns not to do it for long, come back together lest the evil one temp you.
- He uses false doctrine, he can turn himself into an angel of light.
- He uses hardship and opposition.
- He’ll use guilt - he’s an accuser of the brethren.
- He’ll use temptation, the evil one could temp the Thessalonians that their work is in vain - to give up, roll over, play dead in the face of opposition.
- He’ll use hardship - opposition.
- He’ll use lies - lies about your, lies about God, and lies about himself.
- He’ll use sickness.
- He’ll use bitterness - instead, find forgiveness among the people of God.
- He’ll use unequal unions.
- He’ll use hypocrisy, fortune telling, counterfeit miracles, division, idol gossip, harshness, and questions.
- He’ll use affliction as in Job where Satan labors behind the scenes to bring Job to a place where he disowns his love for God.
- While we’re idol and lazy - David, when he should have been with his troops, he lets his guard down when he’s in his bedroom instead of his armor and he falls.
- When we are at a low ebb - emotionally or physically. For instance, the temptation of Jesus after 40 days of fasting, then the devil comes to tempt him.
- When we are near death the evil one tries to visit us. That’s why we need to stay near the shepherd, where we fear no evil, for You are with us. He visits the bed to rob us of our faith in Christ and our righteousness we have by faith in Him.
- If one approach does not work, he’ll try another.
- We have a strong enemy. Our fight is not with humans - rather, with demonic intelligences, principalities, powers, world rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places in places of authority and rule.
- Hell’s hierarchy, an organizational chart of the underworld we are against.
- Focus is on the word “against” 5 times in 3 verses.
- He’s an expert in evil why rule over a kingdom of darkness.
- He hates all thing righteous.
- We were once the children of disobedience, now we are enjoying the mercy of God. We’re walking as children of light.
- We don’t run, we don’t tremble, and we don’t play dead. We are to stand together, strong in The Lord and the power of His might.
- 4 times we’re told to stand, this is a defensive posture. Stand in The Gospel.
- The armor is all about Christ. We’re to put on Christ. Christ is out righteousness, Christ is the truth, Christ is the example of faith, He give us our hope, Christ is the living word.
- One Lord, one faith, one baptism - unity is a big issue in this book.
- Unity discourages the devil and encourages us.
- Faithful on Sundays, be in a small group - life unto life, we get courage by being near others who are strong. We’re to stand together. Standing in the strength of The Lord.
- We’re inside Christ and the devil is outside. In Christ we are safe. The power that raised Him from the dead has raised us to new life in Christ. That new nature can overcome that old nature. That new life overcomes the old.
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Know Your Enemy - Part B |
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| February 2, 2015 |
- Story about Satchel Pagie - Reminding us that preparedness is half of the battle. Part of life is just showing up, ready to play.
- Paul reminds us we need to be dressed and ready to do battle each and every day.
- Put on the whole armor of God so that we might be might be able to withstand the wiles of the devil.
- Take up the whole armor of God that you might be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.
- Calling Christian’s to readiness and preparedness.
- The day is at hand - Jesus’ coming is over the horizon, therefore put off the works of darkness, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ - making no provision for the flesh.
- Paul calls the Thessalonians to put on the armor of light, to be marked by faith, and to put on The Helmet of Salvation.
- We have to put on the whole armor of God.
- Put each piece on, and keep it on.
- Because we are engaged in a relentless, real battle against a fierce and formidable foe.
- There is a complicating factor in the Christian life, and that is Satan himself.
- When we got saved, we got a new friend in Jesus, and a new foe - Satan himself.
- Winning souls will never be easy, moving forward in our sanctification will never be easy. We’ve got to remind ourselves of that, and we’ve got to teach our children that. We’ve got to present that in The Gospel in our evangelism.
- No picking and mixing the armor - must be in it all, from head to foot.
- Be careful that your strength does not become a weak point. Moses, a man of great meekness became angry. Abraham, a man of great faith, lied in a moment of fear. Peter, a man of great courage, became cowardly. All of this points to the fact we need the whole armor of God.
- We seek to know our equipment, as any warrior would also do.
- The Belt of Truth.
- Truth defines reality, and guides our minds, shapes behavior, and is the antithesis of the devil, who trades in lies.
- Standing for truth against the tempter’s falsehood was the issue of the first man and woman.
- Truth was the crux for Jesus in his conflict with the tempter before his public ministry.
- Truth was the issue when the deceiver captured Ananias and Sapphari.
- Truth is the issue in the Christian’s struggle against the devil.
- What kind of truth is Paul speaking about?
- Truth as a body a doctrine or an attitude of truthfulness, sincerity, integrity - a doctrine or disposition?
- Is it objective truth, The Holy Scriptures, The Gospel, The Person of Christ?
- Speaking the truth in love, put away lying.
- A life of integrity is a great bulwark against the assault of the evil one.
- Fighting the good fights and the importance of clear conscience.
- Without integrity, we’re open to the devil’s blackmail, who likes to play with a guilty conscience.
- Not enough to carry The Sword of The Spirit. It must be part and parcel of our lives.
- Truth that’s practical, transparent, and honest gives us energy, firmness, decision and confidence, and puts us beyond the accusations of the evil one.
- Don’t fall into a trap that this is some kind of series of actions, or some kind of technique to master, these are a series of imperatives. Put on the whole armor of God. We should do this from the moment we’re saved. That which is required to live a victorious life is ours in Jesus Christ.
- The evil one who wants to stymie our growth in grace.
- Spiritual warfare is not a technique.
- Spiritual warefare’s about sanctification, not fighting territorial demons, exercising demons, and doing prayer walks, and spiritual mapping in a city. It’s about being a holy, sanctified, consistent Christian.
- It’s an invisible war. We need to be in a constant state of readiness, stand therefore having girded your waist with The Belt of Truth. The soldier mnust be marked with alertness, preparedness, and watchfulness.
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The Belt of Truth - Part A |
| Tuesday February 3, 2015 |
- Some overlap with the second half of the previous session.
- We must know our equipment.
- A soldier or warrior wants to know not only his enemy, but also his equipment.
- As we realize what we are up against, not flesh and blood, but a whole alliance of evil figures and forces, let’s start with the importance of true.
- The imagery presented by The Belt of Truth.
- A good belt is an important piece of equipment for a soldier, as it holds other pieces of equipment, and stops opponents from grabbing his tunic in hand-to-hand combat.
- The belt holds it all together, that’s the imagery presented by Paul.
- Paul use images and illustrations in his sermons. Farmers, merchants builders, ambassadors, soldiers, athletes, and slaves are used as illustrations by Paul.
- Jesus used illustrations, the prophets and apostles used illustrations. God often presents himself in an illustrations - like the potter in Jeremiah 18, as a warrior in Exodus 15, and as a shepherd in Psalms 23.
- Paul compares soldiers to the life as Christians, the helmet is like hope, the belt like truth, the shield like faith, and the sword like The Word of God.
- Paul’s comments represent a call to arms.
- As Christians we’re like soldiers but not against flesh and blood, we’re involved in an invisible war where truth is on the line, The Glory of God is the spoils, like a soldier we must be in a constant state of readiness, stand therefore having girded our waist with The Belt of Truth.
- We must be marked by alertness, preparedness, watchfulness, being watchful to this end.
- “Stay alert, Stay Alive” - Words posted at a police station weapons bay where De Courcy worked prior to becoming a pastor.
- A Roman soldier preparing for battle would tuck his tunic into his belt, not to be caught up in his clothes - ready for battle and anticipating vigorous action.
- Peter tells us to gird up the loins of our minds.
- There’s intensity in this imagery - an idea of being ready and prepared because our enemy goes about seeking whom he may devour. Must be ready for Satan’s temptations, his lies, and ready to serve The Lord, ready for the second coming, ready to give a reason for The Hope that lies within us.
- Quote from William Gerald - “In heaven we shall appear not in armor, but in robes of glory. But here, they, the pieces of the armor specified, are to be worn night and day. We must walk, work, and sleep in them or we’re not true soldiers of Christ”.
- Paul’s not speaking of the content of a creed - rather the content of a character.
- He’s looking for what God is looking for - truth in the inward parts, and he wants to remind us of Satan’s deception. He loves to get people to play the hypocrite, if we deal with him, our lives must be marked with integrity, honesty, loyalty, not scheming, not intrigue, because if we do, we’re playing into the devil’s hands and that’s his game, and we cannot win that game. We need to be marked by integrity.
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The Belt of Truth - Part B |
| Wednesday February 4, 2015 |
- Paul says he’s an ambassador in chains, “That in it, I may sleep boldly as I ought to speak.”
- Paul had seen Roman soldiers in full battle armor. A good belt is an important piece of a soldier’s equipment.
- Most of fighting was done with hand-to-hand combat. This passage is a call to arms by Paul. As Christians we are like soldiers. We’re involved in an invisible war where truth is on the line, and The Glory of God is the spoils. We need to be in a constant state of readiness, having girded our waist with The Belt of Truth, exercising alertness, preparedness, watchfulness, and anticipating vigorous action.
- The idea of being ready, prepared, because our enemy goes about seeking who he may devour. We need to be ready for his temptations, his lies, and be ready to serve The Lord.
- A man of integrity walks uprightly.
- A man who enjoys fellowship with God walks in integrity.
- He does what is right, works for righteousness. He doesn’t just talk a big game, he plays a big game. Does not just talk about righteousness and theology, but practices the character of God, and does not just talk about it, he actually does it.
- He plays by the rules, is a man of high ethical standards, keeps the laws of God, keeps the laws of man, seeks to please God, and seeks to obey man.
- Story of Golfer Tom Watson - As a young man and in a state tournament, confessed he accidently moved his ball slightly. Honesty cost him a point. Said he’d rather lose a tournament than to lose his integrity.
- A man of integrity watches his words, he walks uprightly, speaks the truth. He does not do evil to his neighbor, doesn’t speak with a flattering tongue, doesn’t speak with a forked tongue, does not shame others with his language, does not discredit others with his language, he understands the index to a healthy heart is a clean mouth.
- A gossiper says something behind a neighbor’s back, but never to his face due to his shameful words. Flattery is what one says to a neighbor’s face, but never behind his back because he really doesn’t mean what he says to his face.
- He watches his words, wears his words, he does what is right. He has the right heroes, he has discernment, and he honors those who fear The Lord. A man of truthfulness.
- Despises those who make light of sin, despises the vile person, and believes in church discipline, separating himself from others because of their behavior. The pop stars, the glamorous Hollywood types, and athletes who glamorize sin - they are not his heroes.
- Clings to what is good, do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
- Keeps his promises. He who swears to his own heart, and does not change - that’s the upright man who dwells in God’s tent. Enjoys fellowship with God and the power of The Holy Spirit. Let your yes be yes and your no be no.
- Honor is more important than his wallet. Pays his bills, keeps his word, makes good on his commitments.
- In marriage for better or worse, sickness and in health, richer or poorer, until death separates him from his wife.
- Story of Dr. J. Robertson McQuilkin, President of the Evangelical School, Columbia Bible College & Seminary (now Columbia International University) in South Carolina. His wife of 40 years, Muriel contracted Alzheimer’s disease that required his attention. Staff members offered to help with his wife so he could concentrate on the needs of the university. He resigned, saying, “No”. Others thought that must have been a difficult decision, but he said, “No, he made the decision many years earlier before a minister and before God, ’In Sickness and in health.’” Article here and his book Living by Vows.
- Fair in his dealing with others, does not cash in on the hardship of others, does not take a bribe to testify against the innocent in court.
- The enemy’s game plan is duplicity, prevaricating, half-truths, hypocrisy, deception, disguise, and tries to separate us from what we say from what we do. Shore up your integrity daily.
- Douglas Southall Freeman’s book R. E. Lee: A Biography. Chapter entitled, The Pattern of a Life. From the book, “What he seemed, he was?”
- Start each day by putting on The Belt of Truth.
- Book by Dr. Erwin Lutzer, The Cross in the Shadow of The Crescent
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The Belt of Truth - Part C |
| Thursday February 5, 2015 |
- The Christian life is one of war.
- You and I are caught up in an ongoing war between God and Satan, and heaven and hell.
- Becoming a Christian means putting on the uniform of Christian commitment and character.
- Through The Gospel, you and I have been called to fight the good fight of faith.
- Quote by Isaac Watts: “We do not get to go to heaven on flowery beds of ease, we must fight to win the prize, and sail though bloody seas.”
- We must be armed and dangerous.
- Put on the whole armor of God.
- Take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand in the evil day.
- Our lives must be marked by truth and truthfulness.
- Holiness of life. We are called to live a godly life and a life of holiness.
- As a breastplate protects the Roman soldier’s vital organs, a pure heart and a clean life narrows the field for the devil to work.
- A lack of moral godliness, leaves us vulnerable to the enemy’s assault.
- We were dead in our trespasses and sins in which we walked, … carrying out the desires of the flesh, but God, rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ, by grace we have been saved.
- In John 3 we’re given a new birth.
- Put off the former conduct the old men, be renewed in spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.
- The old man survives. We still have the capacity to sin. The old self is not completely dead. Satan has someone on the inside that he likes to appeal to.
- Give to Satan no beachhead, no landing zone, no toehold, no foothold.
- Righteousness is given to us by God, it’s not something we can manufacture. Righteousness comes from God through faith, and does not come from us.
- Not our own righteousness, it comes from God by faith.
- Some think we can work our way to heaven. We cannot work our way to heaven. Our hope is based on the merit and righteousness of another - Jesus Christ. Justification.
- When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, God declares us righteous, he puts to our account, the righteousness of another - Jesus Christ.
- Abraham believed God it was accounted to him for righteousness. He believed, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
- For one who works, the wages are not counted as Grace but a debt. If Salvation is about us working, it’s a wage. And if God gave us heaven based upon that, we would not spend time praising Him, because it would be us doing the work and not him. Paul says this is a fallacy - Salvation is based on Grace.
- Salvation is based on Grace, a gift that we have nothing to boast about.
- We thank the one who has given the gift. For by grace are we saved through faith, and not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.
- God imputes righteousness apart from our works. God transfers our sin to Christ, who was made sin for us, who knew no sin.
- The perfect life of Christ is imputed to us. God looks upon us through Christ.
- In The book of Romans, Luther found the just shall live by faith - led to The Reformation.
- It’s what Christ did on our behalf. God accounts to us, the perfection of Christ.
- My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand.
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The Breastplate of Righteousness - Part A |
| Friday February 6, 2015 |
- Some overlap with the second half of the previous session.
- Armed and dangerous is what God wants us to be in a spiritual sense.
- Put on the whole armor of God. Take up the whole armor of God.
- Doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone - the accrediting of his righteousness to us is an essential defense against an accusing conscious and against the evil one who himself is the accuser.
- Right actions, right attitudes that are part and parcel of daily living.
- Right behavior, godly actions. Paul says, “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fasting; by purity … by the power of God and by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.”
- We have put off the old man and put on the new man created by God in righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.
- Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, and patience.
- Righteousness is given to us in perfect obedience of Jesus Christ and is credited to us. We do not have to pursue that. We are made perfect in Christ - done!
- We are to pursue righteousness, ethical righteousness, right behavior, conformed to The Will and Law of God. Find out what is acceptable to the Lord.
- The old things pass away, and all things become new. This is called sanctification - set apart, separated from sin unto God.
- This brings us into union with Christ. We are sealed by The Holy Spirit until the day of Redemption. As we abide in Chris, the fruit of the spirit shows in the branches of our lives.
- Patience, purity, godly living. Justification leads to sanctification.
- Quote by Wayne Grudem: “Sanctification is the progressive work of God in man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Jesus in our actual lives.”
- We want to be found in Christ.
- “I’m on a journey” says Paul. I am Saved - Justification. I’m being saved - Sanctification. I will be saved - Glorification. God has removed the penalty of my sin - justification. God is breaking the bondage of my sin - sanctification. God will remove me from the presence of sin - glorification.
- In justification, God cleans us from sin. In sanctification God separates us from a natural love of it.
- Pursuing righteousness, godliness, and holiness.
- We are to outrun the reach of the devil into our lives.
- From David Hegg’s book The Obedience Option: Because God Knows What’s Good for Us: “The only way to overcome a passion for sin is with an overwhelming passion for righteousness.”
- The importance of the breastplate of the Roman soldier. It covered the torso, made of leather with slices of animal hooves or pieces of metal embedded. Maybe metal beaten into shape so it hugged the soldier’s body. It protected the heart and vital organs, and was an indispensable part of the soldier’s armor, and without it, the soldiers was greatly exposed. Without righteousness, without holiness, without pursuing godliness, we’re greatly exposed. The old man rises, the new man falls, and we give the devil a place to launch an attack.
- Jesus says, “For the ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in me” Paraphrase: There’s no landing zone for him, no back door, no open window, no place he’s gonna find an appetite in my life for what he’s about to sell.
- The devil wasn’t going to get anywhere with Christ because there was no sin to exploit, no weakness. The more we look like Jesus, become like him, putting off the old man, putting on the new man, created by God in righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, the less harm Satan can do to us. We need to give him less to work with. That’s the barrier, that’s the bulwark against his tactics and against his temptations. A godly life, a Christ-like character is the best defense in the struggle with the rulers of darkness and the prince of the power of the air. We need to put on the breastplate of righteousness.
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The Breastplate of Righteousness - Part B |
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| February 9, 2015 |
- We’ve been called to fight the good fight of faith. A life of military engagement, conflict, struggle, and warfare.
- Quote by Isaac Watts: “We do not get to go to heaven on flowery beds of ease, we must fight to win the prize, and sail though bloody seas.”
- Armed and dangerous.
- Our lives must be marked by truth and truthfulness.
- The devil is “the father of lies.”
- Having put on The Breastplate of Righteousness.
- Personal holiness, and the integrity of life forestalls the devil’s wicked intentions toward us, be on guard with The Breastplate of Righteousness.
- Watch for areas in our lives with moral compromise, those things that diminish holiness and godliness taking root in our lives,
- Guard against the sin of pride: Example, Peter’s denials.
- Guard against the sin of bitterness: Anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness.
- Guard against the sin of hypocrisy : Ananias and Sapphira lie to The Holy Spirit.
- Guard against the sin of material greed: Example, Judas Iscariot sold out Jesus for silver.
- Guard against the sin of sexual license.
- Guard against the sin of false doctrine: Be a man of The Word, read good theological books, listen to great leaders of church history, because Satan is peddler of false doctrine.
- Guard against the sin of ease: Take up your cross, ease, indifference, and apathy is dangerous.
- Parable of the seller of a house who maintained ownership of a single nail on the front door. Lesson: Leave the devil a single peg on the door of our lives, he will hang his garbage on it, making our lives unfit for God’s Kingdom.
- A righteousness we possess - a gift from God, not ours, but Christ’s righteousness credited to us, justified declared before God, but the righteousness we pursue, sanctification - our continued efforts.
- Holiness requires effort - holy sweat.
- Work on our faith, don’t neglect our spirit, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in us.
- Must never rest in the battle against the flesh.
- Holy habits promote holiness.
- Story of John MacArthur and the boxer.
- Expulsion: Consciously turning away from sinful actions, situations, and thoughts.
- Holiness implies separation, putting on The Breastplate of Righteousness involves consciously guarding ourselves from sin, images, people, or places that lead to sin.
- The evangelist Billy Sunday made the following two quotes, “We’ve got to stop treating sin like a cream puff and treat it like we would a rattlesnake.” and “We can not get rid of sin by brushing it with a feather duster.”
- Put off our former conduct, put on the new man, put off lying, put on truth, put off bitterness put on forgiveness.
- We stop being what we were, and start being what God has called us to be.
- Expectancy: The pursuit of holiness must be fueled by the promise of future grace. Prohibition is never enough, we must fight the promise of the pleasure of sin with the promise of a greater pleasure in Christ.
- Moses anticipated treasures God would give him. Riches of Egypt was nothing compared to what God had promised him.
- Warning our Children against consequences of sin is not enough, a sense of gratitude for what God has done in the fight against sin is not enough. We have longings and the passions that need to be met, and the struggles of against sinful passions is not resolved by running from passions, but by finding our greatest passions satisfied in the passion of knowing God.
- Robert Murray M’Cheyne, “My people’s greatest need is my personal holiness.”
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The Breastplate of Righteousness - Part C |
| Tuesday February 10, 2015 |
- In the movie Glory, Sergeant Major John Rawlins, played by Morgan Freeman prays, “O Heavenly Father, we want you to let our folks know that we died facing the enemy! We want ’em to know that we went down standing up.”
- We would be a body of men, who will not end our days whining, who will not end our days winded or whipped, but who will end our days winning. Like the brave soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts Army, may we go down standing up.
- Standing up against the temptations of the tempter. Standing up against the pressures of the world to conform to its way of thinking and behaving. Standing up to the treasonous suggestions of our own flesh, which would cause us to betray our love and loyalty to Jesus Christ.
- Stand fast in the faith. Be brave, be strong, let all that you do, be done with love.
- Stand fast in the liberty in Christ has set you free, do not become entangled again in bondage.
- You stand fast and the Lord.
- Our lives and our legacy are all about standing up against sin and for loyalty to Christ.
- Just as a Roman soldier must stand firm and hold his ground in the face of the enemy, so the Christian must dig their heels in and live gallantly for Christ.
- Without the armor we can’t stand, but we’re called to stand, therefore we’ve got to put on the whole armor.
- To stand his ground, the soldier required a good pair of shoes or boots.
- The Roman legionnaire often had a good pair of hob-nailed shoes. Leather half-boots were called caliga (caligae). They were open-toed, with souls studded with nails, tied round the ankles, with protective leather straps tied around the shins, giving the soldier traction, balance, and ease of movement.
- Relates a conversation with a friend, a Navy Seal, who tells him about the importance of a soldier’s boots due to different environments. They’re important, down to the laces.
- Commentator Matthew Henry said, “They who would approve themselves to have true grace must aim at all grace the whole armor.”
- Knowing that we have peace with God through faith, and knowing that we have the peace of God through prayer, the believer is able to withstand the troublesome and meddlesome activities of the evil one. That’s The Gospel of Peace.
- Sin has alienated God from us, and alienated us from God, and Jesus Christ came to bridge that chasm.
- Jesus Christ satisfied The Law of God, extinguished the holy wrath of God, bringing peace between man and God through faith in Him.
- We have peace with God through faith in The Lord Jesus, but we can experience the peace of God through prayer to The Lord Jesus.
- When we grasp The Gospel of Peace, the benefits of knowing Jesus Christ, when we are gripped by The Peace of God, which is that holy sequel to peace with God, then we almost have a sense of invincibility. In Romans 8 theme - Therefore, there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ. We have peace with God. If God is for us, who can be against us? What will separate us from God? Nothing present, and nothing to come. Therefore, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
- Peace with God, and promises peace with God, we’re not going to be easily deceived.
- Dr. Harold Horner says, Paraphrase: This passages (Ephesians 6:15) is all about standing. It’s not a church on offense, but a church in defense. A defensive posture on not allowing the evil one to rob us of the victory we have in Christ.
- Adherence to The Gospel and the assurance from The Gospel is a powerful spiritual weapon. The devil hates The Gospel. Why does he hate The Gospel? Because it spells his defeat. The fix is in. He’s done.
- If the devil hates The Gospel, we should love it all the more. What they don’t like we love.
- This call to stand against the powers of darkness and the strongholds of wickedness - it’s a joint effort. The body of Christ pulling together for each other in the face of this axis of evil.
- The plurality of the word “You” in the entire chapter.
- The nations raging implies the kings of the earth setting themselves and the rulers take counsel together against The Lord and against His Anointed.
- Enemies in the world become friends against The Gospel.
- The alliances that take place in the world against The Gospel and Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel, whom God has an eternal love for. Our enemies are united. That’s why our stance must be united. A stance with The Gospel and for The Gospel must be plural.
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Standing Firm - Part 1A |
| Wednesday February 11, 2015 |
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Standing Firm - Part 1B |
| Thursday February 12, 2015 |
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Standing Firm - Part 2A |
| Friday February 13, 2015 |
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Standing Firm - Part 2B |
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| February 16, 2015 |
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Firewall Protection - Part 1A |
| Tuesday February 17, 2015 |
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Firewall Protection - Part 1B |
| Wednesday February 18, 2015 |
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Firewall Protection - Part 2A |
| Thursday February 19, 2015 |
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Firewall Protection - Part 2B |
| Friday February 20, 2015 |
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Heads Up- Part A |
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| February 23, 2015 |
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Heads Up- Part B |
| Tuesday February 24, 2015 |
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Weapons Drawn - Part A |
| Wednesday February 25, 2015 |
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Weapons Drawn - Part B |
| Thursday February 26, 2015 |
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Weapons Drawn - Part C |
| Friday February 27, 2015 |
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Hit the Dirt - Part 1A |
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| March 2, 2015 |
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Hit the Dirt - Part 1B |
| Tuesday March 3, 2015 |
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Hit the Dirt - Part 2A |
| Wednesday March 4, 2015 |
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Hit the Dirt - Part 2B |