Prepare for Battle

[0:00] What should we consider at this threshold of a new year? A new season? I put to you we should prepare for what lies ahead. I know people are thinking 2020 I'm glad that's over.

[0:18] ! How can they identify with that? 2020 is over. We're in 2021 already. I put you in a sign to prepare, not just prepare but prepare.

[0:29] For battle. Prepare for battle. Be prepared. This is the final hour. The book of the revelation is unfolding before our eyes. The revelation of Jesus Christ. Freedoms are under attack. Values are eroding. People are afraid.

[0:52] Do you think 2020 is bad? You wonder what lies ahead, don't you? It seems like the world's gone crazy. There's a growing unrest. There's economic collapse in so many areas of the world.

[1:07] Some people are touting that the answer is a great reset. A great reset to usher in a communistic system right across the globe. Wouldn't that be good?

[1:21] Things are weird and getting weirder, aren't they? Who knows if there won't even be some kind of civil war breakout in the US of A? There's talk of that. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? The way things are going.

[1:35] Friends, prepare. Prepare for war. I'm not meant to be alarmist in the sense of some inappropriate scaremongering.

[1:49] But I put to you this moment. But I put to you this need to prepare. Our Lord is coming. And friends, there's many signs we've seen. 2020 has been quite different, hasn't it? And who knows what 2021 will bring.

[2:08] And we see these scenes of riot in America. Things hotting up. Thankfully not in Australia so much. But it seems like there's an escalation and there's a need to be ready. Things are hotting up, people.

[2:29] What is the message for this hour? What is the message for this hour? For you and me? For our families? For our futures? Whatever lies ahead for us, I want to urge you to make preparation. Prepare.

[2:41] And I'm talking about spiritual preparation. Spiritual preparation. There's a call to prepare. Prepare for battle. Let's consider where is this battle? Why we need to prepare? And how? How do we prepare?

[2:58] We have need, I put to prepare. We have need, I put to you, to prepare a battle plan. A battle plan, like a coach would scheme how to move the players around on the field.

[3:09] As the generals would discern where to put their forces, where to marshal their resources. We are in need of a battle plan for 2021.

[3:20] Now let's be prayerful as a church. Now let's be prayerful as a church. Our committee and our ministry, our various ministries in this church. How can we plan for 2021?

[3:32] What is the battle plan? What is God's plan that we ought to have in mind? Friends, we are in a battle right now. A battle for souls. It's where we are. It's where we are. And God calls us, each one, to prepare. Personally prepare. It's time to rally the troops.

[3:51] We need a heightened sense of the desperate times that we are living in. We have need of a militancy. You know, there's a doctrine, the militant church.

[4:01] We have need of a militancy, of a waking up. There's a need to wake up. To rise up as the army of the living God. As soldiers of the Lord.

[4:12] To meet the challenge of the hour. And friends, the Bible, this book, you could call it war and peace. Couldn't you? There's wars and there's peace. War and peace. This is the war and peace.

[4:23] This is a militaristic book. It's full of that language of defense, of offense. And Bible Christianity is far from boring. Bible Christianity is aggressive.

[4:36] It's passionate. It's called the fight of the faith. The battle lines I put to you are being drawn. You may ask, where is the battle?

[4:50] You're in it. We're in it. It says, as Peter, Paul charged Timothy, in 1 Timothy 6 verse 12, he says, Fight the good fight of faith.

[5:01] Lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. Paul said, Timothy, fight the good fight of the faith.

[5:15] We need to be arming for war, I put to you. Now, I'm not necessarily here talking, as I kind of reflected on, about a war between nations, necessarily.

[5:27] But who knows if that may come. China is getting increasingly powerful. Are we on the brink of an actual war? It could be.

[5:41] It could be. I've not seen war so much in my time, but I know I was talking with Julie's mum. And Julie's mum grew up with the sound of the air raid warning sirens, of having to black out the windows so the bombers wouldn't see the lights from their homes.

[5:58] Friends, we haven't seen, my generation, the younger generation, haven't seen such times. Could it be that they will be upon us?

[6:13] It could be. But we all see times of hardship and conflict. But what I'm talking about here, what I'm trying to relate today, is not so much some national conflicts, but about a spiritual war.

[6:26] Because that is happening. That is not some imagined conflict. It's a real present conflict. Spiritual war is happening now.

[6:38] And friends, it is a battle worth fighting. Men of God, you've got a family to fight for. We have a fight on our hands. Women of God, rise up, be the godly one.

[6:48] We've got a fight on our hands, a fight for truth, a fight for families. And for the great captain of our salvation. That's one of his names. The ultimate fight is the fight to be valiant for the truth versus the foul forces of Satan.

[7:05] He is public enemy number one. So prepare for battle. Why? Why, you may ask, why should I prepare for battle? It doesn't look like anything so that, you know, serious, you know, that Aussie kind of, life be in it, you know, she'll be right, kind of relaxed Aussie kind of attitude.

[7:27] It's easy to adopt, isn't it? But friends, we should prepare for battle because God tells us to. He tells us to. Themes of war and peace, forces are hostile to the gospel.

[7:41] The Bible tells us of such, of where the message is supposed by many. The message of the Bible, the Christian ethos.

[7:53] The world hates this. What time is it? This new year, 2021. It's time to fight back.

[8:03] To fight back. To get some spiritual muscle. We're in the midst of a combat, a conflict. And the Bible's filled with these repeating themes of war, of battle, of conflict, of defeat, and of victory.

[8:22] We need to press the fight. So I'm putting to you some scriptures that talk about this kind of militants thing. We need to press the fight. The Bible's filled with such pictures.

[8:34] And it's more than just pictures, friends. Joel 3 verse 9 says, Proclaim you this among the Gentiles. Prepare war. Wake up, the mighty man.

[8:48] Let all the men of war draw near. Let them come up. Joel says this. He says, wake up. Wake up, the mighty man.

[8:59] Get out of your hammocks. Get your shoes on. Wake up, he says. Arise from your slumber. Wake up, the mighty man.

[9:13] He says, prepare. Prepare war. Friends, this Bible is filled with many war stories. Many war stories. Many accounts of battles and battlefields.

[9:26] How did the people of God take to the battlefield? One such war story is related in 2 Chronicles 13. 2 Chronicles 13, where there's a fight there between Judah and Israel.

[9:39] And it shows us God's battle plan, I'll put to you. Judah under Abijah was faithful. But they were outnumbered 2 to 1. Israel was under King Jeroboam.

[9:54] And Israel under King Jeroboam was compromising, worshipping golden calves. Judah continued faithful. Judah continued faithful. They had not forsaken God.

[10:06] But Israel had. And now they faced each other in battle. Abijah spoke for Judah and he gave warning to Israel.

[10:18] In 2 Chronicles 13, 12. He says, Abijah speaking. And behold, God himself is with us. With Judah for our captain.

[10:31] God is our captain, he says. And his priest was sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you, O children of Israel. God is our captain.

[11:11] They were surrounded on all sides. Here was Judah. Outnumbered 2 to 1. Israel was surrounding them. Behind them, before them. It looked like it was over.

[11:25] Verse 14. 2 Chronicles 13, verse 14. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind. And they cried unto the Lord.

[11:37] And the priest sounded with the trumpets. Notice God's battle plan. Notice what they did. They cried unto the Lord. They were surrounded by the enemy.

[11:49] Do you ever feel like that? You're in the thick of it. Everything's against you. It seems like you're a goner. They cried unto the Lord.

[12:00] When you're in the thick of it, cry unto the Lord, people. When the battle is all around you, cry unto the Lord. The battle was before and behind. What are you going to do?

[12:12] Cry unto the Lord. Verse 15. Then the men of Judah gave it shout. A bit like this little one. The men of Judah gave it shout. They were noisier than that little.

[12:24] Bless the baby. Praise the Lord. No, we want to hear some children shouting, don't we? We want to hear some babies shouting in this church. We want to see some people of God shouting, don't we? We need that.

[12:35] Shout! Baptists are allowed to shout, aren't we? You know, as the men of Judah shouted, it says. And it came to pass that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

[12:48] This was the shout. The shout of faith. The cry of prayer. God's battle plan. To be shouting. There's great sound effects there.

[12:59] But honestly, people of God should shout. Shout by faith. Shout. Cry unto the Lord. Shout. With a shout of faith. The cry of prayer. Verse 16, then it goes on.

[13:09] That the children of Israel fled before Judah. And God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter. So there was, they fell down, slain of Israel, 500,000 chosen men.

[13:25] This was a massacre, wasn't it? And verse 18. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time. And the children of Judah prevailed because, because what? They relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.

[13:39] They relied upon God. There's a battle plan for you people of God today in 2021 that we can learn from Abijah. Is that they cried unto the Lord. They shouted.

[13:50] And they relied upon the Lord their God. It might feel for us like there's a battle. Maybe 2020 has been bad enough. There's a battle behind and before.

[14:02] Friends, who are we going to cry to? That's the question. The people of God, it says they prevailed. They got the victory. Why? They followed God's battle plan. People of God.

[14:14] He was their captain. They confessed to him as captain. They looked unto him and they cried unto him. And they gave a victory shout of praise. Praise the Lord. Are we going to shout the shout of faith?

[14:26] Now sometimes it's easier to whimper and to be quiet. But we need to get loud, as it were, for God. How are we going to win the battle? It depends on who you rely on.

[14:38] Notice what it says. They relied upon the Lord. Who are you going to rely on when the battle gets thick and strong? When it's tough, hard going? It says they prevailed.

[14:48] Notice because they relied upon the Lord God. Surely God will give us victory. It's God's battle plan. Now it seems like more and more there's like these strongholds that are raised up against the gospel.

[15:04] This culture, you know, Aussie culture is sick. It's morally corrupt. It rejects Christians and what they stand for. Now Christians are opposed in the media.

[15:17] Any Christian message is mocked and derided. And meantime, many Christians are falling into line with the world. They're not shouting. They're whispering.

[15:30] It's that. They're falling into line. They've got no message for the world. And they're just like compromising Israel. What is Israel doing? They were worshippers of other gods.

[15:42] Which are really no gods at all. Friends, we're in a community full of false god worshippers.

[15:53] That's what they are. And we love them. We want to reach them. But for the grace of God, we'd be amongst them. And the strongholds, it says, to pull down.

[16:06] We read that in 2 Corinthians 10. It tells how, Though we walk in the flesh, we do not walk after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty through God.

[16:17] To the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

[16:32] Friends, God's battle plan calls for deliberate action. The strongholds, these garrisons, these fortresses.

[16:42] You know, as a young man, growing up, and for a time, we had a family holiday. And I love to see the castles of England, and Scotland, and Wales.

[16:55] Strongholds, they still stand today. And friends, these strongholds of the enemy of our soul, the Bible says we need to tear them down, brick by brick.

[17:07] Cast them down. God's battle plan calls for us to stand up, to rise up. Our nation stands at the crossroads. Look at the nation of Australia.

[17:19] You see, what do our politicians stand for? It's all about votes. They don't care about truth, about biblical morals, about Christian principles.

[17:31] It's about getting re-elected. They're deceived and in darkness. See what our government stands for, the government of South Australia, when it would sponsor and fund, with our taxpayers' money, something as abhorrent as the feast festival, celebrating sodomy.

[17:50] God help us. Our nation is in dire straits, darkness. God wants us to tear down the strongholds, to stand against that which is false, and ungodly, and antichrist.

[18:02] War is happening right now. It's been declared. Spiritual war was declared way back, before the Garden of Eden, at Satan's rebellion, as there was a war in heaven.

[18:14] Friends, war is happening now. You're in it. There's a famine in the land. Deception abounds. False religion.

[18:26] The church, as the world sees it, it's a laughing stock. It's failing. There's a rising up of a counterfeit church. False signs and wonders.

[18:37] Flaky preaching. No gospel. No salvation. Everything watered down and weak. This anemic kind of Christianity. It's true, as a nation state, that we have to defend ourselves against enemies, foreign and domestic.

[18:56] A nation can be in peril within its own borders. When its own citizens are disloyal. We see the US fighting within itself.

[19:07] As back in history it did. In the Civil War times. As we see these rioting in the streets. A breakdown of law and order. There's a sense where the nation is under attack from within.

[19:20] And that can happen in the church. I'll put to you. When you see churches like this. When you see churches that cave in to the world.

[19:34] To sin itself. It's like there's been this covert invasion. This weakening. The enemies are inside the gates. It's like the Trojan horse.

[19:48] The counterfeit is all around us. The enemy has joined the church. And he is a member in good standing. In some churches.

[19:59] The preachers are compromising with false doctrine. And are in effect in league with the angel of light. The prince of darkness. Nothing. Makes this right.

[20:11] It's wrong. Friends. Many are swayed by the gainsayers. And the false gospel. The world laughs at these people. They know they're a sham.

[20:21] A fraud. A fake. And they utter lies. Meanwhile the world watches on. It shapes its head. It says what is going on.

[20:33] What is popularly called the church. They look at it and it's nothing but a sham. And falsehood. No wonder they're shutting their ears.

[20:43] When we try and share the good news gospel. Friends. What is going on? Who are these people? A kind of madness has taken over.

[20:54] Friends. Friends. This is not to criticise. For the sake of criticism. But. Let's open our eyes.

[21:05] And honestly look. The church is corrupt. Some churches are led by new revelations and signs. Not by the word of God. It's not to say God cannot reveal things to us.

[21:20] But this is not the focus. It has to be biblical. That's what matters. Some pastors are falling into grievous sins. And there's little stand for holiness or truth.

[21:32] And that's not to say it can't happen in this church. In any church. We're not immune to anything. I don't point fingers.

[21:43] Without considering. What can we do right? What are we doing wrong? How can we. Be more. Biblical.

[21:57] We must prepare for war. The point is that. The enemies join the church. In some quarters. And we are living in enemy occupied territory.

[22:09] The enemy is taking souls captive. He wants to dilute the gospel message. He wants to weaken the church such that. There is no church. But friends.

[22:20] We have the message that sets people free. This is the word of God. We have the gospel. The message of salvation. The message our world desperately needs to hear. And it must hear it from our lips.

[22:32] I believe hard times lie ahead. For us. As a church. Talking globally really.

[22:43] The Bible tells of the fellowship of his sufferings. Where's that? They don't talk about that. Often times do they? Fellowship of his sufferings. We Christians.

[22:54] We need to toughen up. For what lies ahead. We really do. I'm not meaning to. Make you a panic. Or afraid here. But to tell you the truth. The reality.

[23:06] We are. Not toy soldiers. We are real soldiers. In a real war zone. An active war zone. You know. I used to. For a short season. A couple of years.

[23:17] I was in the army reserves. I was a kind of part time soldier. A kind of. A pretend soldier almost. But no. We're not in the reserves. We're in active duty.

[23:29] We are on active duty. In an active war zone. We're not playing soldiers. This world's culture is toxic. Against Christianity. And. We are going to have to go through the fire.

[23:42] I put to you. We are going to be tested. And. Some. Are just going to show that they're. Not real. We have to get ready.

[23:56] The world hates. Bible believing Christians. It hates you guys. It hates you. Hates the message. That you would dare to bring to it. And I was watching some.

[24:07] Open air preacher. Video. And. There's a man. Attacking him. Saying you know. Keep it inside the. Church building. You know. We need to dare.

[24:18] To take it outside the church building. That's what we need to do. We need to dare. To get outside of these four walls. And tell someone. Friends. If we don't. Who will. A propaganda war.

[24:31] Is being wasted against. What is right and godly. In the world's media. Look at it. Look at what the world media tells you. And they'll say something's fake.

[24:43] Who are they to say what's fake. And true. And confusion abounds. Doesn't it. It's like. As you could imagine. As you picture. On a battle front.

[24:54] Where the enemy creates cover. Throw smoke. A lot of smoke. There's many smoke screens. That the devil uses. Such that people can't discern truth from error.

[25:06] It's all smoking. Deception multiplies. And it seems like many false teachers are on the rise. Many Christians are gullible. And swept along by this tide of evil.

[25:17] Not even aware of it. May we see. What. The COVID. Has done. Churches locked down. Shut down.

[25:27] There's some places on the planet. Where the government says. You're not allowed to. Meet. God forbid that you should sink. The devil wants to shut down.

[25:42] He wants to shut us down. Not talking about this building. But he wants to shut your mouth. He wants to shut the church. He wants to lock down the church. To close down the church of God.

[25:52] And by and large the church has lost its fight. And needs to get it back. But what are we doing? It's all about tolerance now. We've been so silenced.

[26:04] Conditioned. To cower. To hide. To retreat. Lest we offend. Or be thought too controversial. After all they say. Tolerance. Is now the greatest virtue.

[26:17] Many people think so. Keep your religion within your four walls. Don't bother us. We want to stay in our darkness. It's actually ratcheted up a notch now.

[26:28] It's not tolerance now. Tolerance is not enough. Now the call is to go beyond mere tolerance. To a full on acceptance. And wholehearted agreement.

[26:40] With what the world wants. It's not enough just to have tolerance now. We've got to actually celebrate. And accept wholeheartedly. What the Bible calls sin.

[26:54] I put to you this time we're living in. Calls for an uprising. A cause for a resistance movement. And it's called biblical Christianity. That's what we need. Biblical Christianity.

[27:06] Yes. We need to mount the offensive. The truth offensive. The truth matters. And the truth hurts. Oh. That preacher said something that offended me.

[27:16] But it's biblical. Well I've got to receive it then. The truth can offend. Yes. It offends me sometimes. But it's true. And that's what counts.

[27:27] Friends. All around us. Are the Baal worshippers. You might think Baal worship was right back in the. I don't know. Thousands of years ago.

[27:38] But Baal worship is happening all around us today. The Baal worshippers are all around us. The modern day followers of Baal. They are just like they always have been.

[27:51] Fornicating. Filling their lives with vanities. And trivialities. And emptiness. Dancing around the golden calf. They're enthusiastic about their religion.

[28:03] They might cut themselves. And shout. And scream. And have a rock concert. To their false god.

[28:14] The followers of Baal still worship him. They still worship their idols. Who will you follow? You can't stay with them. There's a sense where.

[28:25] Actually we need to. Switch on and think. Yeah. That's Baal worship. These ones who don't follow the Lord. They're actually following a false god. And we need to speak up.

[28:38] To care enough. To say something. To reach out. Reach out to others. Australia is in trouble.

[28:49] There's a virus. And it's spreading like wildfire. I'm not talking about the coronavirus. It's the virus of sin. And unbelief. That's the virus we should be concerned about.

[29:02] And we have the remedy. Don't we? The answer though. Is there not a cause? Friends. There's no greater cause. There's no greater cause. There's no greater call.

[29:14] We have to dare to be different. To challenge the status quo. David up to these telling words. In 1 Samuel 17. He said. As he came to the battle front. He said.

[29:24] What have I now done? Is there not a cause? Here was the occasion. Where David had gone to the front lines. An offensive was being mounted. Against the enemy. Oh certainly.

[29:36] The enemy was mounting the fence against them. And Israel was broken. They lost courage. They cowered before Goliath. They were dismayed. They were greatly afraid.

[29:47] David posed a question. To his brother Eliab. Is there not a cause? Friends. Giants are. Fighting against. Our families.

[30:00] We're under attack. Goliath is a picture for us. Of the giant that we face. In our time.

[30:11] And we can be like the vast multitude. That coward. And. You know when. Saul was looking out. Mind you. He was the one who should have stood up.

[30:22] He was looking out for a volunteer. And everyone was kind of. Looking at their shoelaces. And. The giant.

[30:34] Was mocking the nation. Mocking the living God. Mocking the armies of God. And. Friends. It's like that today. The very foundations of our faith. Are under attack.

[30:45] Our children are being raised by godless educators. To question the very creation of God. And the world's media is bombarding youth.

[30:57] With messages of sin and compromise. There's a constant. Barrage of anti. God.

[31:08] Material. Through every form of media. And. And meanwhile. Our nation grows more and more godless. Doesn't it? More and more wicked.

[31:20] David. Didn't look at his shoelaces. David said. I will make a stand. The enemy was at the gates. These happenings were just 16 miles southwest of.

[31:31] Jerusalem. In the very homeland of God's people. The promised land. The enemy was at the gates. And it's the same. Today. The enemy is at the gates.

[31:44] Intent on our destruction. Friends. I'm not meaning to just paint this as some poetic language. As some kind of a. A rousing call. That you'll just think. He's just being.

[31:56] Creative. But. We must. Stand and fight. It's true. What I'm telling you is the truth. We are in this fight. Together. Every believer.

[32:08] Australia is broken. The church at large is broken. It's a laughing stock. Of course. The true church will prevail. And that's not to big note.

[32:22] Our church or any other church. But the true people of God. The true men and women who love the Lord. Who see the truth. Who stand for it. The true church will prevail.

[32:33] But the false church is filled with devils. David was mocked and criticized by Eliab the older brother. Here he was David rushing to the front with the lunches for his brothers.

[32:46] And Eliab says. Who are you? David. You upstart. You're full of pride. Here was David doing the right thing. But he was knocked back.

[32:57] He was knocked down. But he would not be deterred. He would not back down. And he was ready for the fight. He would not retreat. Are we going to be like David? Here was Goliath defying the armies of Israel.

[33:11] The very living God. Well David chose faith instead of fear. In 2021. Will we choose faith instead of fear?

[33:23] And this faith. It moved into action. There's giants in the land. And there's a cause. There is a cause. That should move us. If the church weakens.

[33:35] All is lost. It's been said. As the home goes. So goes the church. And as the church goes. So goes the nation. There's a need of watchmen. Who are worn.

[33:47] And watch. And we could do it with some mighty men. Couldn't we? Man of God. Man of God. Woman of God. People of God.

[33:58] Saints of God. It says in Joshua 10. Verse 7. That there were some mighty men of valor. With Joshua. Men of war. Where are the mighty men of valor of our day?

[34:11] It's interesting. It's interesting this phrase. Mighty men of valor. Soft repeated. In the word. There's a message here. It's a rallying cry for the mighty man of valor. In other words. Men of courage.

[34:22] Men of substance. Men with spine. The message today is a rallying cry. A battle cry. Be prepared. Prepare yourself for battle.

[34:33] Now we could consider. Look. What's going to happen next? The Bible tells us it's going to get harder. It's going to get tougher.

[34:44] It's going to get more serious. Ultimately the Antichrist. I believe we'll be gone before the heat of the battle. But friends. We've got to get ready. War is happening.

[34:54] War is happening now. And it's time to sound the trumpet. With a certain sound. A trumpet has to be heard clearly. In a time of battle. In the old days. They didn't have walkie talkies.

[35:06] They had trumpets. And they had to listen for what the trumpet was saying. As so you know what to do. And friends. This is the trumpet. Isn't it? A trumpet has to be heard clearly.

[35:17] In a time of battle. As is the communication. The orders from the high command. And 1 Corinthians 14.8. It says. If the trumpet give an uncertain sound. He shall prepare himself to the battle.

[35:29] The devil wants to create a lot of noise. So you don't hear the trumpet. We need to clear trumpet blast. We need to get the word. And take it to heart.

[35:41] The significance of the word of God. It shows us his strategy. His battle plan. His directions for victory. His marching orders. The trumpet calls us.

[35:53] To advance. It's not sounding a retreat. It's sounding an advance. It's saying. Go forth. The trumpet calls us to worship.

[36:05] We hear of the shofar. Oft times. It's got much meaning. Through the word of God. We need a certain sound. When there's so much confusion. A grounding. When there's so much disorder.

[36:16] We need a clear sound. A clear word. And go to the word. If you can't trust a preacher. Go to the word. Go to the word. And get that certain sound.

[36:29] It's time to prepare for battle. And I urge you today. There is a war on. It is a war. A war for the souls of men. It has been happening.

[36:40] Since Satan's downfall from heaven. And the devil wants to cloud things. He wants to create. Smoke screens on the battle front. He wants to create.

[36:51] A noise. Such that. We won't hear the word of God. He wants to create. A lot of static. He wants to cloud. Your thinking. He wants to take away the clarity.

[37:03] He wants to make things unclear. And friends. These are days when. There's so many voices out there. So many preachers. You can tune in on the internet.

[37:14] Including this one. And you've got to discern. What are they saying? Is it true? Is it biblical? Is it sound? There are many Jesuses.

[37:24] False gods. There's so many. teachings that you've got to think. They're contradictory. Which one's right?

[37:36] We need to hear the clear call of God's word. God's trumpet. His voice. And friends. The enemy comes in many guises. Including religious ones. Let's not forget.

[37:47] He is disguised as an angel of light. And he'll con us. Sweet talk us. he'll reveal things to us and make us believe things that are not biblical we've got to get back to the clear sound of the trumpet the Bible really it does not matter what you think what you believe or what your opinion is when it comes to scriptural teachings and I was talking with a dear one saying she didn't believe in an eternal hell well what matters is what is thus saith the Lord that's what matters it doesn't matter whether we like it or not whether we believe it or not it's what the Bible says is what goes and friends what the actual scriptures teach defines what we ought to believe the Bible says hell is eternal that's it no question that's what it says what we may think is irrelevant what the word says is what matters this is the clear sound and we must heed it so friends we're about to enter into battle 2021 is a new battle zone for you and your family we must pray like Jehoshaphat's day when the people drew near to battle we follow their battle plan the truth is God will fight for you in the time of battle just another reference to another battle scene it's 2 Chronicles 20 and it says he said hearken ye all Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem and thou king Jehoshaphat thus saith the Lord unto you be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the battle is not yours but God's isn't that enheartening for you as you think of this battle you're facing that actually he's the one who's going to fight it he will fight for you it goes on verse 17 as it says they go down against them this is 2 Chronicles 20 verse 17 it says

[39:59] Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord worshipping the Lord so the word shows God's battle plan how to prepare for battle what ought we to do trust in the Lord faith the battle is the Lord's he shall fight for you there's a sense where we should just stand still that almost sounds contradictory doesn't it we're going to fight but he just says stand still and see the salvation of the Lord there's a sense where our trust is in him such that he is the one who will fight our battle and it says fear not he is with you the battle plan says

[41:08] Jehoshaphat bowed his head he prayed he worshipped oughtn't we to pray when we enter into battle we ought to have some praise as well it says that verse 21 that Jehoshaphat appointed singers to praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army to say praise the Lord for his mercy and Joroth forever interesting isn't it that one of the great weapons of the army of God was praise it says following this the Lord set ambushments against the enemy and they were destroyed brothers and sisters we've got a battle we can go forward like the singers unto the Lord we can say praise the Lord why for his mercy and Joroth forever brothers and sisters we're about to answer into battle and let's not give an inch let's not give ground

[42:09] God will fight for us think as we shortly come to a close be prepared our Lord cometh it says and in his charge to the people as he departed he said occupy till I come there's a job for us to do this is no game this is war and we are in the Lord's army you and me you might say well when did I enlist when you got saved you joined the army and he is the Lord of hosts it says in other words he's the Lord of armies that's an interesting thought isn't it that he is militant the commander in chief our Lord and we are his army and an army is meant to fight you know the army kind of looks after people gives them housing and food and clothes but the army goes and fights and

[43:26] God has called us to be such an army not just the army that stays at home but the army that goes into battle and he has chosen you to be a soldier it says this is these are telling words just reflect on that if you would for 2021 he has chosen you to be a soldier we're talking about our commander in chief the Lord Jesus Christ and reflect on these words if you can just let these words sink in this morning 2 Timothy 2 3-4 there's a hardness ahead I'd like to tell you that 2021 is going to be a wonderful time of blessing and it will be but there will be hardness I put to you there will be hardness people there's hardness ahead I'm telling you get ready be prepared Paul tells Timothy thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ no man that warreth entangleth himself in the affairs of this life that he may please him but have chosen him to be a soldier as a Christian don't let hardness stop you don't let the hardness stop you it's all the more reason to be a soldier isn't it and as this battle rages and sometimes it rages within us sometimes we are our own worst enemy the Bible tells us this fleshly lust which war against the soul there's a war on the inside of us the battlefield of our soul follow God's battle plan commit to prayer to resolution to withstand the enemy and friends the battle is the Lord's that's the most encouraging thought

[45:22] David confessed that victory by faith even before it happened 1 Samuel 17 before he went and knocked Goliath down it says David said let all this assembly know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands as he was addressing Goliath there for you in this new year know that the battle is the Lord's who knows what difficulties face us and I'm not meaning to cause you any stress by saying this but it's the reality that hardness is our lot as a soldier he didn't say you're going to get softness he said you're going to get hardness but don't let the hardness make you hard don't let the hardness make you bitter angry trust the Lord the battle is the

[46:36] Lord's the commander is right there with you in the hardness in the very thick of the fight and he's totally committed to you think of that as you enter into battle the commander in chief he's not back at HQ he's right there by your side fighting for you and he has already won the victory and his awesome armour covers you fully he's armed you as you enter into battle and it says put on the Lord Jesus Christ he is the armour Our Lord is our armour!

[47:11] And we also always wear the armour sometimes you hear I suppose occasions where Christians don't have all the armour on we get a bit slap dash it was said of the Roman soldier that they were always in their armour because they were living in a country that wasn't their own and they were living in a country that was hostile to him and to all that he stood for it's the same with you as a Christian soldier you're living in hostile territory keep your armour on know that the Lord has given you his all-powerful weapon his word Satan and his hordes cannot stop you from doing God's assignment what he's called you to do it tells of one of the parts of the armour have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace it's saying be ready with the gospel always keep your shoes on keep walking with

[48:14] God soldier is always ready I think, as I've heard it said, of the real soldiers, of the real military of our nation, they could get called to the front at a moment's notice.

[48:30] They have to be ready to go. My niece is in the Australian Army. She has to always be ready to go, anytime, anywhere.

[48:47] That's true for you, as a Christian soldier. Be a prepared soldier. There's an urgency. The battle cry has gone out. God's marshalling his forces.

[48:57] And friends, you're either a member of God's army or Satan's army. You can't be on both. You've got to be on one. And if you're in the devil's army, you must change sides.

[49:15] Be prepared. The battle is ongoing. It's continual. This battle will continue until your last breath. Always be prepared for the fight.

[49:29] There's a need for constant vigilance, for alertness. Be assured victory is yours. You know, the Bible tells us how. What shall separate us from the love of Christ?

[49:40] Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, sword. We're accounted as sheep for the slaughter. But in all these things, it says, we are more than conquerors.

[49:53] Through him that love does. Nothing can separate us. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature. From the love of God. And friends, there's a song that says, I'm on the winning side.

[50:04] I'm on the winning side. In part, it says, along the way of life are many foes that daily war against the soul. But constant victory my Saviour gives to me as I press on to the goal.

[50:17] On the winning side. I'm on the winning side. I'm on the winning side with Jesus. Though hot may be the fray, my soul can boldly say, I'm on the winning side with Jesus.

[50:30] The battle may be long and hard to win. And Satan's host may press me sore. But though I may be tried, I'm on the winning side. I shall triumph evermore.

[50:42] What lies ahead? There's battles there. There's battles. There's hardness there. There's hurts. But be assured, there's victory there.

[50:54] There's victory there. Let's pray. Our God and King, the Lord of hosts, you've chosen us to be your soldiers. Lord, there's hardness ahead.

[51:06] We pray for our nation, for our community, for our city, for our state, for our church, for every church. For all the godly biblical churches in their land.

[51:16] In this land. In this globe. That we would be an army of God. That we would be soldiers. That you would be pleased with, Lord God.

[51:26] That we'd please you. Our commanding officer. Lord, that we'd see your battle plan. It's prayer. It's praise. It's trusting. It's faith. It's standing still. It's seeing the salvation of God.

[51:38] Lord, we see it's the knowledge that the battle is not ours. But you have fought it and won it already. Let us be as David and see, is there not a cause?

[51:51] Nothing supersedes this, the ultimate. Lord, our marching orders, Lord. We pray, steal us, Lord, for what lies ahead.

[52:05] Help us to be encouraged, not to panic or to fear, but to stand still and see the salvation of our God. And we pray for us here present.

[52:16] Yeah, to know that salvation. To know your saving. To know truly you have died and taken our sin in our place. You bore our shame.

[52:28] The very penalty of it. And we can trust you as our living Saviour and Lord. And know that saving grace. It's real today. And will keep us until you come for us.

[52:44] Lord, we pray that we fight the good fight of the faith. Lay hold on eternal life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.