WEBVTT

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 All right, well, good morning.

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 Thank you, choir.

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 Would you take your Bibles and turn to Ephesians chapter 6?

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 Ephesians chapter 6.

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 I appreciated our children's minister, Sarah Ferris' example of the power of God

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 and the difference that that can make in our lives,

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 and that certainly goes along with our passage today.

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 Anyway, Ephesians chapter 6, we're concluding, just about concluding our series

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 through the book of Ephesians.

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 And just by way of reminder, you see the resources that were used for much of the study in this series.

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 The background of the book was written by Paul in AD 62 from Roman imprisonment

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 to a church with which he was very familiar, having pastored there for three years.

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 And the breakdown of the book, the first part, first half of the book,

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 first three chapters, who we are in Christ, second three chapters, how we live for Christ.

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 So let's stand together if you're able to, and let's read Ephesians chapter 6, beginning in verse 10.

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 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.

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 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.

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 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,

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 against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil spiritual forces in the heavens.

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 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to resist in the evil day,

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 and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

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 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist,

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 righteousness like armor on your chest,

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 and your feet sandaled with the readiness for the gospel of peace.

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 In every situation, take up the shield of faith by which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

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 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

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 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer request.

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 And stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

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 We're going to focus on verses 10 through 17 today,

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 and our topic will be,

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 Are you ready for war?

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 Are you ready for war?

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 Let's pray together.

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 God, I pray that you would speak to us from your word today.

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 I pray that everything that

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 you have for us today

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 would be absorbed by our minds and our hearts,

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 that we would leave here having heard from you,

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 and it's in Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 You may be seated.

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 Floyd, for some reason, I just lost the power of this.

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 It doesn't seem to be advancing through the slides anymore.

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 So I don't know if you can,

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 Lee, if you can click through,

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 maybe as I go along.

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 So this doesn't seem to be connecting anymore.

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 I apologize for that.

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 So number one,

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 in your bulletins today,

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 in your outlines,

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 number one,

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 know your enemy.

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 There are two things we need to understand

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 when we are going to war,

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 and that is our enemy

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 and our equipment.

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 Our enemy and our equipment.

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 It's important to know who the enemy is.

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 Is it not?

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 We certainly don't want to shoot anybody

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 with friendly fire.

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 And so in verses 10 through 12,

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 we see here in Ephesians 6,

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 be strengthened by the Lord and his vast strength.

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 Put on the full armor of God

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 so that you can stand against the schemes of who?

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 The devil.

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 That's right.

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 So he is our enemy.

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 Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,

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 but against the rulers,

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 against the authorities,

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 against the cosmic powers of this darkness.

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 Against evil.

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 Against spiritual forces in the heavens.

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 James.

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 Okay, that just worked.

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 We may be connected again.

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 James 4, 7.

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 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

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 Resist the devil,

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 and he will flee from you.

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 So this is our enemy.

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 It is the devil.

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 And the devil then will flee from us.

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 Now, Jesus has to remind us

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 who the enemy is frequently.

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 John 10, 10.

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 The thief.

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 He calls him the thief.

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 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

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 By contrast,

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 Jesus came not to steal, kill, and destroy,

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 but he came to give life

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 and to give it abundantly.

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 So we can have life.

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 And we can have that abundant life

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 that only Jesus offers.

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 Luke 19, 10.

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 The son of man came to seek and to save the lost.

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 That is the purpose of Jesus coming.

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 Why are we tying this in?

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 Because frequently,

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 you and I can start to see the enemy

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 as flesh and blood.

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 You and I can start to see the enemy

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 as each other.

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 You and I can start to see the enemy

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 as the lost outside these walls.

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 But those are the very lost

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 that Jesus came to seek and to save.

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 So they are not and never will be the enemy.

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 The enemy is very clear.

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 He is the devil.

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 He is the thief.

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 He is the thief of joy.

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 He's the thief of eternal life

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 because he tries as hard as he can

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 to keep people from placing their faith in Christ.

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 That is his end goal.

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 That is what this spiritual war

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 that is waging all around us,

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 that's what it's about.

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 Acts 26.

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 Jesus brings the mission back to us.

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 He says,

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 I am sending you to them, the lost,

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 to open their eyes

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 that they may turn from darkness to light,

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 from the power of Satan to God,

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 that they may receive forgiveness of sins

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 and a share among those

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 who are sanctified by faith in me.

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 Here is the battle.

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 It's between darkness and light.

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 Here's the battle.

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 It's between the power of Satan and God.

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 And the enemy is darkness.

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 The enemy is Satan.

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 And we are warriors in this battle.

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 We must know who our enemy is.

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 So as my way of reminder,

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 our enemy is not those outside the church.

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 It's easy to look and say,

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 we are the sanctified ones,

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 we're the holy ones,

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 we're the chosen ones,

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 and it's us against them.

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 Truth is,

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 that's a very flawed way of looking at it.

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 Truth is,

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 oftentimes you and I

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 do not at all act like

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 the sanctified, holy chosen ones.

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 Often we act just as wicked and lost

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 as anyone else.

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 We have to remember,

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 our enemy is not those outside the church.

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 And secondly,

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 our enemy is not those inside the church.

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 Oftentimes we'll treat one another

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 inside the church like the enemy.

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 If you don't like my decision,

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 or if you don't like

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 my way of doing things,

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 or if you don't like

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 the role that I have

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 and you wish you had,

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 whatever it is that can bring up strife

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 within a church,

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 believe me,

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 our church is not exempt.

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 And we have to continually

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 remind ourselves

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 that the enemy

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 is not inside the church.

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 It's also not outside the church.

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 Our enemy is not politicians,

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 Washington, D.C.,

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 or the media.

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 How many of you are happy?

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 How many of y'all are happy

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 with the last several administrations

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 in the White House in America?

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 How many of y'all would say,

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 we love the job that we're getting

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 out of Washington, D.C. these days?

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 I don't think there's a whole lot of hands

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 that would go up, right?

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 But they are not our enemy.

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 The media,

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 fake news,

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 that's still not our enemy.

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 We don't have to agree

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 with what we hear.

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 We can recognize the harm being done

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 in the political system, etc.,

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 that comes out of Congress

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 and comes through our televisions,

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 through the media.

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 But we must remember,

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 as we vote according to how we believe

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 God wants us to vote,

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 as we make the decisions

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 to lead our families

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 in the way we believe

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 God wants us to lead them,

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 we must remember that those

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 who don't see it like us

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 and those who we believe

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 are not living their lives

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 according to Scripture

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 or making decisions

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 or legislating

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 or reporting according to Scripture,

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 they are not the enemy.

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 They are deceived by the enemy.

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 They are swayed by the enemy.

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 Oftentimes.

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 But they are not the enemy.

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 They are the ones

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 that Jesus came to save.

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 Our enemy is not people.

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 It's not politics.

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 It's not problems.

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 It's not pressures.

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 It's not the liberals in Hollywood.

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 This is not our enemy.

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 Our enemy

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 is the spiritual darkness

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 of lostness.

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 It's lostness.

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 Being lost without Christ.

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 That is our enemy.

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 It's embodied by Satan

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 and all his forces.

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 It's a spiritual battle we are in.

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 It is not a battle against people.

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 That's why we can still pray for the president

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 whether we like what he's doing or not.

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 That's why we can still pray

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 for the lost people in our community

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 who don't live like Jesus

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 and oftentimes oppose

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 what we want

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 to do for God in this community.

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 However,

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 we can still pray for them.

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 We can still love them.

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 We can still show grace

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 and the love of God to them

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 because they are not the enemy.

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 The enemy is lostness.

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 And the eternal fight,

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 the eternal struggle

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 will be God against lostness.

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 Will be God against the dark.

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 Will be God against Satan.

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 And I don't know about you

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 but I don't want to be on team lostness.

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 I want to be on team Jesus.

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 So know your enemy.

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 Number two,

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 know your equipment.

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 Know your equipment.

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 Here's the famed

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 armor of God passage

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 that we've been looking forward to

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 ever since we started Ephesians.

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 One of the most familiar

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 in the Bible

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 if you've been studying the Bible

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 for any length of time.

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 So, number one,

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 the belt.

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 The belt.

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 Let's look back at the scriptures.

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 For this reason,

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 take up the full armor of God

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 so that you may be able

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 to resist in the evil day

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 and having prepared everything

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 to take your stand.

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 Prepared everything.

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 What are we talking about?

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 We're talking about

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 putting on this armor of God

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 and we begin with the belt.

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 Verse 14.

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 Stand therefore with truth

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 like a belt around your waist.

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 The Roman soldier's belt

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 supported his sword,

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 supported his breastplate,

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 and provided these protective plates

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 that hung in front of him.

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 So, the Roman soldier's belt

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 was absolutely crucial

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 to the rest of his armor.

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 Even though it was one of the

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 smaller pieces of armor he wore,

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 everything else hinged on that.

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 If that belt failed,

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 his sword would fall.

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 If that belt failed,

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 his breastplate would fail.

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 So much else hinged on this belt.

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 So, the point for us today,

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 Satan wants to tear down

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 the core truth

00:12:15.839 --> 00:12:18.379
 that holds everything else up.

00:12:18.739 --> 00:12:20.079
 He wants to tear down

00:12:20.079 --> 00:12:21.279
 that belt of truth.

00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:23.059
 What truth are we talking about?

00:12:23.319 --> 00:12:24.599
 The number one truth

00:12:24.599 --> 00:12:26.139
 that holds everything else together

00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:28.179
 that God loves us.

00:12:28.899 --> 00:12:30.739
 If God did not love us,

00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:32.539
 then he would just be

00:12:32.539 --> 00:12:33.859
 a tyrant in the sky.

00:12:35.939 --> 00:12:37.819
 But he loves us.

00:12:37.820 --> 00:12:40.240
 The Bible has been called

00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:42.080
 God's love letter to mankind.

00:12:42.780 --> 00:12:44.540
 The overarching theme

00:12:44.540 --> 00:12:45.740
 from the Old Testament

00:12:45.740 --> 00:12:46.920
 to the New Testament,

00:12:47.060 --> 00:12:47.820
 from creation

00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:49.400
 all the way to Revelation,

00:12:49.820 --> 00:12:52.460
 is that God loves us.

00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:55.440
 The most famous verse in the Bible,

00:12:55.580 --> 00:12:56.540
 John 3, 16,

00:12:56.680 --> 00:12:59.000
 for God so loved the world

00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:01.740
 that he gave his only begotten son.

00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:04.640
 He loves us.

00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.220
 That is the truth

00:13:06.220 --> 00:13:08.639
 that holds everything else together.

00:13:09.419 --> 00:13:10.860
 So, the belt of truth

00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:12.159
 is absolutely crucial.

00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:14.179
 Secondly, the breastplate.

00:13:15.179 --> 00:13:17.000
 The Roman soldier's breastplate

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:19.699
 protected his vital organs.

00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:21.679
 His breastplate protected

00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:22.639
 his vital organs.

00:13:23.019 --> 00:13:24.279
 Obviously, the most vital,

00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:25.480
 the heart, right?

00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:27.899
 But so many other vital organs

00:13:27.899 --> 00:13:29.840
 around that stomach and chest area,

00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:31.819
 the breastplate would protect.

00:13:31.819 --> 00:13:33.340
 The Roman soldier depended

00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:34.740
 crucially on it.

00:13:35.160 --> 00:13:37.080
 When you're in hand-to-hand combat,

00:13:37.420 --> 00:13:38.340
 fighting with the enemy

00:13:38.340 --> 00:13:40.080
 as they did in those ancient times,

00:13:40.800 --> 00:13:42.019
 they wouldn't stand back

00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:44.980
 behind their lines

00:13:44.980 --> 00:13:46.060
 and shoot at one another.

00:13:46.300 --> 00:13:48.200
 Obviously, with swords and spears,

00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:50.019
 they would march forward

00:13:50.019 --> 00:13:50.860
 and intermingle,

00:13:51.019 --> 00:13:52.019
 fighting hand-to-hand

00:13:52.019 --> 00:13:52.740
 with one another.

00:13:53.180 --> 00:13:53.980
 So, the breastplate

00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:55.019
 was absolutely crucial.

00:13:55.920 --> 00:13:56.519
 And for us,

00:13:56.580 --> 00:13:57.139
 for the Christian,

00:13:57.300 --> 00:13:57.820
 for the believer,

00:13:57.980 --> 00:13:59.200
 our spiritual heart

00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:00.300
 is protected

00:14:00.300 --> 00:14:01.620
 by the righteousness

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:02.600
 we have received

00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:03.700
 by faith in Jesus.

00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:04.820
 The breastplate

00:14:04.820 --> 00:14:06.259
 is righteousness.

00:14:07.779 --> 00:14:08.700
 So, number one,

00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:09.519
 the belt of truth.

00:14:09.620 --> 00:14:10.320
 We must remember

00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:11.919
 that God loves us.

00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:12.980
 He is the way.

00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:13.799
 He is the truth.

00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:14.560
 He is the life.

00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:15.620
 But number two,

00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.820
 we must remember

00:14:16.820 --> 00:14:17.840
 our righteousness

00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.940
 comes by faith in Jesus.

00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:21.679
 Our righteousness

00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:22.700
 does not come

00:14:22.700 --> 00:14:24.220
 through anything

00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:25.039
 that we can do

00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:26.200
 or achieve ourselves.

00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:28.019
 Ephesians 2

00:14:28.019 --> 00:14:30.279
 says it is not

00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:31.419
 by works of righteousness.

00:14:32.079 --> 00:14:32.579
 I'm sorry,

00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:33.980
 that there are no

00:14:33.980 --> 00:14:34.879
 works of righteousness

00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:35.759
 that we can do

00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:37.259
 to achieve any grace

00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:37.939
 from God.

00:14:38.100 --> 00:14:39.379
 There is no works

00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:39.899
 of righteousness

00:14:39.899 --> 00:14:41.579
 that we can do,

00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:43.539
 but it is only

00:14:43.539 --> 00:14:44.579
 by God's mercy

00:14:44.579 --> 00:14:46.120
 that He saves us.

00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:47.919
 The Bible actually says

00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:48.539
 God calls

00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:49.960
 all of our righteousnesses

00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:51.620
 filthy rags.

00:14:51.699 --> 00:14:52.620
 He uses that plural.

00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:54.299
 All our righteousnesses,

00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:55.919
 all our righteous efforts,

00:14:56.059 --> 00:14:57.079
 all our righteous deeds,

00:14:57.080 --> 00:14:59.440
 all our best

00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:00.480
 that we can offer,

00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:01.840
 God looks at it

00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:02.480
 and says,

00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:02.980
 no,

00:15:03.259 --> 00:15:04.639
 not good enough.

00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:06.920
 But when you

00:15:06.920 --> 00:15:08.100
 clothe yourself

00:15:08.100 --> 00:15:10.379
 with His righteousness,

00:15:10.940 --> 00:15:11.920
 with the righteousness

00:15:11.920 --> 00:15:12.680
 that comes

00:15:12.680 --> 00:15:14.240
 by faith in Jesus,

00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:17.300
 then God can declare you

00:15:17.300 --> 00:15:18.300
 to be righteousness.

00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:19.940
 It's this doctrine

00:15:19.940 --> 00:15:21.040
 of imputation

00:15:21.040 --> 00:15:23.860
 or God placing over you

00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:25.100
 His righteousness.

00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:25.300
 righteousness,

00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:27.300
 nothing that you

00:15:27.300 --> 00:15:27.940
 can achieve

00:15:27.940 --> 00:15:29.000
 on your own.

00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:32.060
 But our spiritual heart

00:15:32.060 --> 00:15:32.879
 is protected

00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:34.200
 by the righteousness

00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:35.220
 we have received

00:15:35.220 --> 00:15:37.200
 by faith in Jesus.

00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:37.759
 Otherwise,

00:15:38.279 --> 00:15:39.259
 you have no armor.

00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:41.240
 You have no breastplate.

00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:42.519
 You can try

00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:43.320
 to look the part.

00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:44.320
 You can try

00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:45.120
 to dress up

00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:46.320
 like a Christian soldier,

00:15:46.560 --> 00:15:47.519
 but you're missing

00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:48.580
 the breastplate.

00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:49.720
 And the first time

00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:51.779
 the enemy comes at you,

00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:52.700
 you'll crumble.

00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:56.080
 There's no protection.

00:15:57.980 --> 00:15:58.900
 So have you placed

00:15:58.900 --> 00:15:59.759
 your faith in Jesus?

00:16:00.040 --> 00:16:00.800
 Do you have

00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:01.740
 that breastplate

00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:02.740
 of righteousness

00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:05.560
 that His faith provides?

00:16:06.800 --> 00:16:07.340
 Thirdly,

00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:07.940
 the boots.

00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:09.280
 The boots.

00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:11.660
 I like to call this

00:16:11.660 --> 00:16:13.040
 the gospel boots.

00:16:14.040 --> 00:16:15.740
 The gospel boots

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:17.220
 of readiness.

00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:20.139
 The gospel boots

00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:20.740
 of readiness.

00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:22.259
 What are we talking about?

00:16:22.300 --> 00:16:23.660
 The Roman soldier's footwear.

00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:24.600
 His boots

00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:25.639
 kept him

00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:26.340
 ready

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:27.580
 for warfare.

00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:28.399
 I'm probably

00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:29.460
 going to mispronounce this,

00:16:29.540 --> 00:16:30.200
 but they were called

00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:32.120
 the caligulae.

00:16:32.800 --> 00:16:34.120
 Something along those lines.

00:16:34.920 --> 00:16:36.180
 If anybody knows Latin well,

00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:37.940
 you can correct me on that,

00:16:38.040 --> 00:16:38.180
 but

00:16:38.180 --> 00:16:40.080
 it was pretty close to that.

00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:41.019
 And you can see

00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:41.960
 a little picture there.

00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:43.360
 These boots

00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:44.019
 were unusual

00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:44.980
 for their day,

00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:45.899
 and they were unusual

00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:47.319
 throughout the history

00:16:47.319 --> 00:16:48.179
 of warfare, really,

00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:49.199
 but they proved

00:16:49.199 --> 00:16:50.299
 incredibly effective.

00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:51.879
 So you can see

00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:52.899
 they were made of leather,

00:16:53.620 --> 00:16:54.519
 and on the bottom

00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:55.639
 they had this hard,

00:16:55.740 --> 00:16:56.539
 hard sole.

00:16:58.759 --> 00:17:00.000
 And the Roman army

00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:01.319
 would provide these boots

00:17:01.319 --> 00:17:02.179
 for their soldiers,

00:17:02.419 --> 00:17:03.720
 but then the soldiers

00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:04.680
 were on their own

00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:07.759
 to go have these nails

00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:08.740
 put in the bottom.

00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:10.240
 They would have

00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:11.539
 these metal studs

00:17:11.539 --> 00:17:12.559
 or nails hammered

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.200
 through the bottom

00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:14.099
 of their shoes.

00:17:15.900 --> 00:17:17.420
 The bottom layer,

00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:19.519
 that provided grip

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.180
 and traction

00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:21.060
 when they were going

00:17:21.060 --> 00:17:22.320
 over uncertain ground,

00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:23.480
 but then additionally,

00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:25.540
 when they were fighting

00:17:25.540 --> 00:17:26.040
 a battle,

00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:28.320
 sounds a little gruesome,

00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:29.880
 but they would use

00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:30.720
 the bottom of those

00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:31.720
 metal studs

00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:33.280
 to stomp on their enemies.

00:17:35.860 --> 00:17:36.400
 Now,

00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:38.880
 the interesting thing

00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:40.980
 about this footwear

00:17:40.980 --> 00:17:42.500
 is they would be able

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.560
 to walk for miles

00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:44.679
 and miles and miles,

00:17:45.339 --> 00:17:46.659
 and their feet

00:17:46.659 --> 00:17:48.240
 would be sore and hurt,

00:17:49.179 --> 00:17:50.079
 but they would have

00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.679
 no blisters.

00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:53.480
 So what's the difference there?

00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:55.960
 Sore,

00:17:56.279 --> 00:17:57.200
 soreness and hurt,

00:17:57.339 --> 00:17:58.639
 that's a temporary condition

00:17:58.639 --> 00:17:59.839
 that will pass, right?

00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:01.720
 Go stick their feet

00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:02.740
 in the nearest water

00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:05.500
 and let that soreness

00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.019
 ebb away.

00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:07.460
 But a blister,

00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:09.019
 that's going to become

00:18:09.019 --> 00:18:09.579
 a problem.

00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:11.579
 That's a long-term

00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:12.720
 medical problem

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.679
 that then needs

00:18:13.679 --> 00:18:14.379
 to be dealt with.

00:18:15.299 --> 00:18:16.480
 So these shoes

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.359
 were constructed

00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:18.779
 not for comfort,

00:18:19.179 --> 00:18:20.119
 but for durability

00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:21.579
 and for protection

00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:22.899
 of their feet.

00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:24.599
 Because at any moment

00:18:24.599 --> 00:18:27.259
 on that 20, 30, 40,

00:18:27.399 --> 00:18:28.439
 50 mile journey,

00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:31.480
 they might have to stop

00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:32.139
 and fight.

00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:34.119
 So they had to be ready

00:18:34.119 --> 00:18:35.519
 at a moment's notice

00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.279
 to fight.

00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:38.559
 And that's why

00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:40.319
 Paul admonishes us

00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:41.859
 here in Ephesians 6.

00:18:43.940 --> 00:18:45.139
 Your belt around your waist,

00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:46.519
 your belt of truth,

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:47.599
 your righteousness

00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:49.119
 like armor on your chest.

00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:51.160
 And then verse 15,

00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:52.279
 your feet sandaled

00:18:52.940 --> 00:18:53.899
 or shod,

00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:55.119
 your Bible might say,

00:18:55.399 --> 00:18:56.259
 with readiness

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:59.059
 for the gospel of peace.

00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:00.859
 At any moment,

00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.480
 you and I

00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.680
 might be called upon

00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:05.259
 to share the gospel

00:19:05.259 --> 00:19:06.360
 with someone else.

00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:08.519
 And we must have

00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:09.660
 intimate knowledge

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:11.240
 of the message

00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:11.759
 of truth,

00:19:11.799 --> 00:19:12.440
 of salvation,

00:19:12.940 --> 00:19:14.100
 that gospel message,

00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:15.400
 so that we are ready.

00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:16.140
 The Bible says,

00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:17.880
 always be ready

00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:19.279
 to give an answer

00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.420
 for the reason

00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.779
 for that faith

00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:22.840
 that lies within you.

00:19:24.340 --> 00:19:25.660
 Always be ready.

00:19:25.660 --> 00:19:27.279
 So the gospel

00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:28.759
 is both our motivation

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:30.860
 to not grow weary

00:19:30.860 --> 00:19:33.040
 and our message

00:19:33.040 --> 00:19:34.259
 that can break

00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:35.279
 hard hearts.

00:19:36.120 --> 00:19:37.160
 See how we tied

00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:38.120
 in those studs?

00:19:38.740 --> 00:19:40.300
 That's a terrifying thought

00:19:40.300 --> 00:19:41.480
 in hand-to-hand combat,

00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:43.820
 having those metal studs

00:19:43.820 --> 00:19:44.300
 on the bottom

00:19:44.300 --> 00:19:45.080
 of the shoes.

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:47.300
 But the truth is,

00:19:47.380 --> 00:19:48.340
 the gospel message

00:19:48.340 --> 00:19:49.040
 of Jesus,

00:19:49.600 --> 00:19:50.800
 that can break

00:19:50.800 --> 00:19:51.640
 the hardest hearts.

00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:53.860
 I've seen it happen.

00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:55.859
 You might have

00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.559
 seen it happen

00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:58.019
 when someone

00:19:58.019 --> 00:19:58.859
 who for years,

00:19:58.959 --> 00:20:00.000
 for their whole lifetime,

00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:01.579
 said,

00:20:01.659 --> 00:20:02.139
 I don't believe

00:20:02.139 --> 00:20:03.159
 in that Jesus stuff.

00:20:03.539 --> 00:20:05.079
 I'm not a religious person.

00:20:05.479 --> 00:20:06.699
 I've got no interest.

00:20:07.299 --> 00:20:08.139
 And then something

00:20:08.139 --> 00:20:09.259
 happened in their life

00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:10.979
 and God got their attention.

00:20:11.699 --> 00:20:12.579
 Boy, we saw it happen

00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:13.479
 to the Apostle Paul,

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:13.919
 didn't we?

00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:15.039
 He was an enemy

00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:15.740
 of the church.

00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:17.159
 He killed Christians.

00:20:17.859 --> 00:20:18.599
 I dare say

00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:19.819
 that none of the family members

00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:20.959
 that you have

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.019
 that have no interest

00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:24.039
 in God or church,

00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:25.220
 I dare say none of them

00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:25.740
 have been out

00:20:25.740 --> 00:20:27.740
 making it their daily business

00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:28.160
 to go out

00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:28.880
 and kill Christians,

00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:29.259
 have they?

00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:32.059
 And yet we saw

00:20:32.059 --> 00:20:33.059
 that exact thing

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:34.059
 happen with God

00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:36.039
 and His attention

00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:37.920
 that He got from Paul.

00:20:38.620 --> 00:20:39.460
 He shook him.

00:20:39.660 --> 00:20:41.059
 On the road to Damascus,

00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:41.980
 He appeared

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:43.299
 before Paul

00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:44.579
 in a vision

00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:46.220
 and He got His attention

00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:47.279
 and He spoke to him

00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:49.879
 and He changed

00:20:49.879 --> 00:20:51.139
 the entire trajectory

00:20:51.139 --> 00:20:52.139
 of Paul's life.

00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.799
 So the gospel message

00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:57.019
 can break hard hearts.

00:20:58.500 --> 00:20:59.139
 And the gospel

00:20:59.139 --> 00:21:00.059
 is our motivation

00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:01.460
 to not grow weary.

00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:02.500
 Though we walk

00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:03.179
 many miles

00:21:03.179 --> 00:21:04.079
 of this life,

00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:04.939
 of this journey

00:21:04.939 --> 00:21:05.460
 with Jesus,

00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:09.379
 though time and time again

00:21:09.379 --> 00:21:10.659
 it seems like

00:21:10.659 --> 00:21:11.659
 Satan doesn't just,

00:21:12.359 --> 00:21:13.259
 he won't let up.

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:16.619
 our feet

00:21:16.619 --> 00:21:19.799
 sandaled with

00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:21.039
 the gospel of peace

00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:22.980
 can be that motivation

00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:23.439
 to say,

00:21:23.579 --> 00:21:24.039
 I'm going to take

00:21:24.039 --> 00:21:24.799
 another step

00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:26.279
 in Jesus' name.

00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:28.720
 I know that the gospel

00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:29.259
 is enough.

00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:31.139
 I know it's what I need

00:21:31.139 --> 00:21:33.279
 to take another step.

00:21:33.899 --> 00:21:34.659
 I know it's

00:21:34.659 --> 00:21:35.759
 the truth

00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:37.759
 that my sister

00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.519
 or my brother

00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:39.419
 or my parents

00:21:39.419 --> 00:21:40.279
 or my kids

00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:41.319
 or my friends

00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:42.159
 or my co-workers,

00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:43.439
 I know it's what they need.

00:21:44.579 --> 00:21:45.799
 So I'm not going to grow weary

00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:47.099
 in well-doing

00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:49.059
 because I know

00:21:49.059 --> 00:21:49.799
 that when the time

00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:50.240
 is right

00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:51.579
 in due season,

00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:53.299
 I will weep,

00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:54.279
 reap,

00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:55.740
 I will reap

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:57.980
 if I don't give up.

00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:02.279
 The gospel boots

00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:03.899
 of readiness

00:22:03.899 --> 00:22:06.099
 to share

00:22:06.099 --> 00:22:07.279
 the message of Jesus.

00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:08.199
 And then the shield.

00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:09.759
 Then the shield.

00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:12.619
 Verse 16,

00:22:12.619 --> 00:22:13.759
 In every situation,

00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:15.399
 take up

00:22:15.399 --> 00:22:16.279
 the shield

00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:17.519
 of faith

00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:19.939
 with which

00:22:19.939 --> 00:22:21.439
 you can extinguish

00:22:21.439 --> 00:22:23.659
 all the flaming arrows

00:22:23.659 --> 00:22:25.279
 of the evil one.

00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:26.779
 Isn't it that

00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:27.759
 interesting

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.859
 that this passage

00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:29.399
 mentioned

00:22:29.399 --> 00:22:30.759
 flaming arrows?

00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:31.639
 Why do you think

00:22:31.639 --> 00:22:32.139
 that is?

00:22:32.639 --> 00:22:33.399
 We got any students

00:22:33.399 --> 00:22:34.259
 of history out there

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:34.919
 that have an idea?

00:22:35.439 --> 00:22:36.779
 Why flaming arrows?

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:37.539
 Well,

00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:42.920
 the Roman soldier's shield

00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:44.500
 was for personal protection

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:46.039
 but also for group protection.

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:46.899
 What are we talking about?

00:22:46.940 --> 00:22:47.619
 Look at this picture.

00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:50.019
 You see all these shields together?

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:54.240
 The Roman soldiers,

00:22:54.539 --> 00:22:55.240
 their legions,

00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:56.779
 would join together

00:22:56.779 --> 00:22:57.720
 when they were advancing

00:22:57.720 --> 00:22:58.859
 on a city

00:22:58.859 --> 00:23:00.379
 or an enemy battalion

00:23:00.379 --> 00:23:01.899
 and they would group

00:23:01.899 --> 00:23:02.960
 their shields together

00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:03.799
 like you can see

00:23:03.799 --> 00:23:04.399
 in front

00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:05.560
 and on the sides

00:23:05.560 --> 00:23:07.460
 and even on top.

00:23:08.019 --> 00:23:08.920
 So the guys in the middle

00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:10.259
 would hold their shields up.

00:23:10.620 --> 00:23:10.820
 Why?

00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:12.320
 Because from the castle

00:23:12.320 --> 00:23:13.140
 in front of them

00:23:13.140 --> 00:23:14.100
 they would be shooting

00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:15.259
 flaming arrows

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:15.900
 at them.

00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:17.920
 So those shields,

00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:19.620
 those large,

00:23:19.880 --> 00:23:20.800
 long shields,

00:23:21.280 --> 00:23:22.860
 almost the full body height

00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:24.519
 of a Roman soldier

00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:24.940
 and they would

00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:26.240
 carry them this way,

00:23:27.840 --> 00:23:28.880
 they would then

00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:29.360
 form

00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:32.360
 this protective shell

00:23:32.359 --> 00:23:34.799
 around the Roman soldier

00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:35.759
 and his brothers.

00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:39.119
 So you see

00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:39.519
 where we're going

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:39.979
 with this?

00:23:41.879 --> 00:23:42.819
 This was actually

00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:43.740
 called a tortuga,

00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:47.659
 basically a tortoise shell.

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:51.399
 Our common faith

00:23:51.399 --> 00:23:54.079
 is what binds us together

00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:55.559
 for protection

00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:56.679
 from the evil one

00:23:56.679 --> 00:23:58.279
 and for the advance

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.019
 of the gospel.

00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:01.359
 our common faith

00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:02.240
 is what actually

00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:03.359
 provides us

00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:04.039
 this protection.

00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:06.559
 Now if one Roman soldier

00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:07.579
 would break off

00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:08.700
 and try to advance

00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:09.519
 on his own,

00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:11.279
 then he was exposed.

00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:12.720
 He was vulnerable

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:14.460
 to attack

00:24:14.460 --> 00:24:15.039
 from the enemy.

00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:18.279
 Brothers and sisters,

00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:19.359
 can I remind you

00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:20.559
 that if one of you

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.619
 breaks off

00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:22.639
 from the body

00:24:22.639 --> 00:24:23.200
 of Christ

00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:24.359
 and tries to live

00:24:24.359 --> 00:24:24.900
 this life

00:24:24.900 --> 00:24:25.539
 on your own,

00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:27.539
 you are vulnerable

00:24:27.539 --> 00:24:28.539
 to attack

00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:29.099
 from the enemy.

00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:31.139
 Far more vulnerable

00:24:31.139 --> 00:24:32.519
 than if you stay

00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:33.619
 in the fellowship

00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:34.399
 of the believers.

00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:36.000
 God commanded

00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:36.879
 that for us.

00:24:37.220 --> 00:24:38.200
 He designed us

00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:38.899
 that way

00:24:38.899 --> 00:24:40.420
 to need each other

00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:41.700
 in this Christian

00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:42.259
 community

00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:43.359
 of faith

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.019
 and fellowship

00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:45.920
 and it is our

00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:46.740
 common faith

00:24:46.740 --> 00:24:47.579
 that unites

00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:48.519
 us together.

00:24:50.139 --> 00:24:50.759
 Jude

00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:51.440
 in verse 3,

00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.019
 would you turn

00:24:52.019 --> 00:24:52.619
 very quickly

00:24:52.619 --> 00:24:55.019
 to the book

00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:56.019
 right before Revelation,

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.539
 second to last book

00:24:57.539 --> 00:24:58.039
 in the Bible.

00:24:58.619 --> 00:24:59.419
 Look at Jude,

00:24:59.500 --> 00:25:00.299
 only one chapter.

00:25:00.479 --> 00:25:01.319
 Look at verse 3.

00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:02.539
 Dear friends,

00:25:02.879 --> 00:25:03.979
 although I was eager

00:25:03.979 --> 00:25:05.000
 to write to you

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:06.159
 about the salvation

00:25:06.159 --> 00:25:08.479
 we share,

00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:11.819
 I found it necessary

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:12.899
 to write appealing

00:25:12.899 --> 00:25:13.459
 to you

00:25:13.459 --> 00:25:14.579
 to contend

00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:15.439
 for the faith

00:25:15.439 --> 00:25:16.399
 that was delivered

00:25:16.399 --> 00:25:17.239
 to the saints

00:25:17.239 --> 00:25:18.399
 once and for all.

00:25:18.739 --> 00:25:20.119
 To all saints,

00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:21.359
 this faith,

00:25:21.479 --> 00:25:22.599
 this common faith,

00:25:22.619 --> 00:25:23.459
 was delivered

00:25:23.459 --> 00:25:24.159
 to us

00:25:24.159 --> 00:25:25.099
 and he says,

00:25:25.159 --> 00:25:26.059
 he reminds us,

00:25:26.679 --> 00:25:27.479
 we share

00:25:27.479 --> 00:25:29.179
 a common salvation.

00:25:30.399 --> 00:25:31.079
 We share

00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:32.379
 a common salvation.

00:25:34.599 --> 00:25:35.579
 Philippians 1.

00:25:36.239 --> 00:25:37.139
 Next book over

00:25:37.139 --> 00:25:37.859
 from Ephesians.

00:25:38.699 --> 00:25:40.239
 Probably from Ephesians 6,

00:25:40.299 --> 00:25:40.959
 you can just turn

00:25:40.959 --> 00:25:41.459
 the page.

00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:43.079
 Philippians 1

00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:44.019
 in verse 27.

00:25:44.679 --> 00:25:45.500
 Just one thing,

00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:47.279
 as citizens of heaven,

00:25:47.859 --> 00:25:48.759
 live your life

00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.959
 worthy of the gospel

00:25:49.959 --> 00:25:50.539
 of Christ.

00:25:50.539 --> 00:25:51.460
 Then,

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:52.460
 whether I come

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:53.159
 and see you

00:25:53.159 --> 00:25:54.000
 or am absent,

00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:55.539
 I will hear about you

00:25:55.539 --> 00:25:57.680
 that you are standing firm.

00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.359
 Here we go.

00:25:58.819 --> 00:26:00.299
 In one spirit,

00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:02.339
 in one accord,

00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:04.319
 contending together

00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:06.579
 for the faith

00:26:06.579 --> 00:26:07.680
 of the gospel,

00:26:08.159 --> 00:26:09.139
 not being frightened

00:26:09.139 --> 00:26:10.139
 in any way

00:26:10.139 --> 00:26:11.519
 by your opponents.

00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:12.399
 Boy,

00:26:12.460 --> 00:26:13.059
 that sounds like

00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:14.059
 a Roman soldier,

00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:15.559
 a legionnaire,

00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:17.579
 joined together

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.460
 with his brothers

00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:19.019
 in arms,

00:26:19.159 --> 00:26:19.740
 advancing,

00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:21.740
 protected by his faith

00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:22.699
 from the front,

00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:23.799
 from the top,

00:26:24.039 --> 00:26:24.919
 from the sides.

00:26:25.139 --> 00:26:25.359
 You know,

00:26:25.419 --> 00:26:26.220
 the only spot

00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:27.240
 that they weren't protected

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:29.119
 was from behind.

00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:29.460
 Why?

00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:31.460
 Because there was

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:32.000
 no retreat.

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.079
 There was never

00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:34.699
 any plan

00:26:34.699 --> 00:26:35.559
 for retreat.

00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:37.199
 They were always

00:26:37.199 --> 00:26:37.659
 advancing.

00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:41.240
 When you and I

00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:42.319
 break away

00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:45.079
 from the family

00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:45.720
 of faith

00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:48.319
 and you quit

00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:48.939
 going to church

00:26:48.939 --> 00:26:50.339
 and you quit

00:26:50.339 --> 00:26:50.919
 your class

00:26:50.919 --> 00:26:52.559
 and you quit

00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:53.179
 fellowshipping

00:26:53.179 --> 00:26:54.579
 with your fellow

00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:55.500
 brothers and sisters

00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:57.379
 in Christ,

00:26:57.899 --> 00:27:00.500
 then you are vulnerable.

00:27:01.179 --> 00:27:02.619
 You are unprotected

00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:04.439
 by that body

00:27:04.439 --> 00:27:04.960
 of believers

00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:06.240
 that God designed

00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:07.179
 for you

00:27:07.179 --> 00:27:08.119
 to be a part of

00:27:08.119 --> 00:27:09.240
 and designed you

00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:11.299
 to be a part of.

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:14.000
 We rely

00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:16.220
 on each other.

00:27:16.339 --> 00:27:16.939
 We need

00:27:16.939 --> 00:27:17.899
 each other.

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.079
 It's what

00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:20.859
 binds us together

00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:21.500
 for protection

00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:22.720
 from Satan

00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:23.919
 and

00:27:23.919 --> 00:27:25.079
 for the advance

00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:25.659
 of the gospel.

00:27:28.099 --> 00:27:29.159
 This is Southern

00:27:29.159 --> 00:27:29.859
 Baptist Church.

00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.500
 We're part of

00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:32.159
 Texas Baptist.

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:32.799
 We're part of our

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:33.779
 local Wichita

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:34.379
 Archer Clay

00:27:34.379 --> 00:27:35.079
 Association.

00:27:35.079 --> 00:27:35.279
 Christian,

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:38.779
 we have this idea,

00:27:38.919 --> 00:27:39.579
 we believe it,

00:27:39.639 --> 00:27:40.539
 we ascribe to it

00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:41.039
 that we are

00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:43.179
 better together.

00:27:43.619 --> 00:27:44.299
 Let's say it

00:27:44.299 --> 00:27:44.519
 together.

00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:44.759
 Ready?

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:47.119
 Better together.

00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:48.019
 That's right.

00:27:48.539 --> 00:27:49.319
 We do believe

00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:49.799
 that we are

00:27:49.799 --> 00:27:51.000
 better together.

00:27:51.199 --> 00:27:51.679
 So what does

00:27:51.679 --> 00:27:52.099
 that mean?

00:27:52.099 --> 00:27:52.879
 That means

00:27:52.879 --> 00:27:53.519
 that joining

00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:54.419
 our forces,

00:27:54.639 --> 00:27:55.319
 our resources

00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:55.980
 together,

00:27:56.159 --> 00:27:57.099
 we can accomplish

00:27:57.099 --> 00:27:58.019
 so much more

00:27:58.019 --> 00:27:58.599
 for God

00:27:58.599 --> 00:27:59.500
 than we could

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.799
 all by ourselves.

00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:02.279
 One church

00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:03.019
 all by itself

00:28:03.019 --> 00:28:03.759
 can do great

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.519
 things for God.

00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:05.500
 But if churches

00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:06.160
 get together,

00:28:06.379 --> 00:28:07.259
 if they unite

00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:08.319
 in one accord

00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:08.920
 and doctrine

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:09.759
 and say this is

00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:10.440
 what we believe

00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.140
 about the Bible

00:28:11.140 --> 00:28:12.660
 and this is

00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:13.579
 what we believe

00:28:13.579 --> 00:28:14.259
 about the message

00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:15.079
 of Jesus Christ

00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:16.180
 and that message

00:28:16.180 --> 00:28:16.799
 is what we are

00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.440
 going to take.

00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:18.259
 And even though

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:18.799
 we disagree

00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.740
 about other things,

00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:20.539
 we're not going

00:28:20.539 --> 00:28:20.980
 to let that

00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:21.640
 divide us

00:28:21.640 --> 00:28:22.539
 from the greater

00:28:22.539 --> 00:28:23.220
 good,

00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:24.319
 the greater message

00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:25.400
 of sharing Jesus

00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:26.059
 with the nations.

00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:27.339
 So that is why

00:28:27.339 --> 00:28:27.900
 our church

00:28:27.900 --> 00:28:28.480
 and that is why

00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:29.140
 individually

00:28:29.140 --> 00:28:30.859
 we decide

00:28:30.859 --> 00:28:33.059
 to not live

00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:33.599
 this life

00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:34.339
 on our own,

00:28:34.419 --> 00:28:35.000
 to not live

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:35.439
 this life

00:28:35.439 --> 00:28:36.279
 as a maverick

00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:37.259
 just going out

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:37.919
 by ourselves

00:28:37.919 --> 00:28:38.539
 and trying to

00:28:38.539 --> 00:28:39.019
 accomplish

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:40.099
 whatever we can.

00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:41.219
 We need each other.

00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:42.579
 We rely on each other

00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:43.539
 and then nothing

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.699
 can stop us.

00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:45.980
 Nothing can stop

00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:46.639
 the advance

00:28:46.639 --> 00:28:47.639
 of the gospel

00:28:47.639 --> 00:28:48.879
 when God's people

00:28:48.879 --> 00:28:49.519
 get together

00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:50.299
 united

00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:51.619
 by our common

00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:52.139
 salvation,

00:28:52.339 --> 00:28:52.939
 by our common

00:28:52.939 --> 00:28:53.379
 faith,

00:28:53.959 --> 00:28:54.899
 striving together

00:28:54.899 --> 00:28:56.679
 with one faith,

00:28:56.759 --> 00:28:57.480
 with one accord

00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:59.179
 for the gospel.

00:28:59.180 --> 00:29:02.299
 and then the helmet.

00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:03.580
 Let's look back

00:29:03.580 --> 00:29:04.420
 at Ephesians 6.

00:29:05.060 --> 00:29:05.860
 Take the helmet

00:29:05.860 --> 00:29:07.560
 of salvation.

00:29:08.580 --> 00:29:09.500
 The Roman soldier's

00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:10.259
 helmet provided

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:11.560
 full protection.

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:12.060
 You see,

00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:12.920
 in the front,

00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:14.200
 in the back,

00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:14.720
 they had this

00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.799
 extra back plate

00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:16.860
 so nobody could

00:29:16.860 --> 00:29:18.080
 come up behind them

00:29:18.080 --> 00:29:18.560
 while that

00:29:18.560 --> 00:29:19.799
 hand-to-hand

00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:21.340
 fighting was happening.

00:29:21.460 --> 00:29:22.000
 It would protect

00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:22.600
 their neck

00:29:22.600 --> 00:29:24.779
 all the way down

00:29:24.779 --> 00:29:25.580
 to their breastplate.

00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:28.539
 Not only did it

00:29:28.539 --> 00:29:29.339
 provide protection,

00:29:29.659 --> 00:29:30.559
 it also provided

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.539
 identification.

00:29:32.379 --> 00:29:32.919
 There were many

00:29:32.919 --> 00:29:33.699
 different types

00:29:33.699 --> 00:29:34.839
 of these red plumes,

00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.740
 these red feathers

00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:36.599
 that would come

00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:37.279
 out of their hats,

00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:38.419
 their helmets.

00:29:39.639 --> 00:29:40.799
 But that was

00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:42.079
 the sight

00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:43.599
 that made

00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:44.139
 the enemies

00:29:44.139 --> 00:29:44.899
 of Rome

00:29:44.899 --> 00:29:46.240
 made their blood

00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:46.859
 run cold,

00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.379
 struck fear

00:29:48.379 --> 00:29:49.119
 in their hearts,

00:29:50.119 --> 00:29:51.159
 seeing those

00:29:51.159 --> 00:29:52.240
 gleaming metal

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:52.619
 helmets

00:29:52.619 --> 00:29:53.899
 with the red

00:29:53.899 --> 00:29:55.000
 feathers advancing

00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:55.680
 toward them.

00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:59.140
 No army was feared

00:29:59.140 --> 00:30:00.599
 like the Roman army.

00:30:02.339 --> 00:30:03.339
 And those feathers

00:30:03.339 --> 00:30:03.819
 were there

00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:04.460
 to provide

00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:05.339
 identification,

00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:07.299
 I am a Roman soldier,

00:30:07.940 --> 00:30:09.420
 I am a Roman legionnaire.

00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:13.539
 Friends,

00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:15.200
 God's gift

00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:15.920
 of salvation,

00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:16.980
 His free gift,

00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:19.279
 it identifies us

00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:20.180
 as His children

00:30:20.180 --> 00:30:22.180
 and it secures us

00:30:22.180 --> 00:30:22.720
 from the enemy.

00:30:23.339 --> 00:30:23.880
 That is what

00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:24.920
 the helmet of salvation

00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:26.260
 does for you

00:30:26.260 --> 00:30:27.180
 and for me.

00:30:28.080 --> 00:30:28.920
 When God

00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:29.980
 sealed us,

00:30:30.820 --> 00:30:32.160
 He provided us

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:34.000
 with eternal

00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:34.620
 assurance

00:30:34.620 --> 00:30:36.320
 that no one,

00:30:36.580 --> 00:30:37.200
 as Romans 8

00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:37.780
 reminds us,

00:30:37.840 --> 00:30:39.260
 can ever pluck us

00:30:39.260 --> 00:30:40.940
 out of the Father's hand.

00:30:42.020 --> 00:30:43.620
 No one can harm us

00:30:43.620 --> 00:30:44.800
 once we are

00:30:44.800 --> 00:30:45.360
 signed,

00:30:45.700 --> 00:30:46.000
 sealed,

00:30:46.140 --> 00:30:46.720
 and someday

00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:47.460
 will be delivered.

00:30:47.460 --> 00:30:51.500
 on this earth,

00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:53.660
 the Bible says

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.319
 you will have

00:30:54.319 --> 00:30:54.960
 tribulation.

00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:57.000
 But then Jesus

00:30:57.000 --> 00:30:57.340
 said,

00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:57.980
 fear not

00:30:57.980 --> 00:30:59.380
 because I

00:30:59.380 --> 00:31:00.220
 have overcome

00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:00.779
 this earth,

00:31:00.840 --> 00:31:01.460
 I have overcome

00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:02.120
 the world.

00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:04.980
 So you walk

00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:06.000
 as a child

00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:06.519
 of the King.

00:31:06.700 --> 00:31:07.420
 You walk

00:31:07.420 --> 00:31:07.940
 not only

00:31:07.940 --> 00:31:08.519
 as a child

00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:09.059
 of the King,

00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:10.100
 but as a soldier

00:31:10.100 --> 00:31:10.700
 of Christ.

00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:12.100
 You walk

00:31:12.100 --> 00:31:12.840
 surrounded

00:31:12.840 --> 00:31:13.740
 by His armor

00:31:13.740 --> 00:31:15.000
 and that helmet

00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:15.860
 of salvation

00:31:15.860 --> 00:31:17.019
 protects your head.

00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:18.579
 It protects

00:31:18.579 --> 00:31:19.400
 anything

00:31:19.400 --> 00:31:20.380
 that Satan

00:31:20.380 --> 00:31:21.259
 can throw at you.

00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:22.940
 And it identifies

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.400
 you.

00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:24.819
 I am

00:31:24.819 --> 00:31:25.400
 a child

00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:25.960
 of the King.

00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:27.779
 There's a song

00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:28.420
 that says,

00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:29.340
 I am

00:31:29.340 --> 00:31:29.980
 who you

00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:31.160
 say I am.

00:31:32.579 --> 00:31:33.140
 Everybody

00:31:33.140 --> 00:31:34.039
 has their opinions

00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:34.660
 on you,

00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:35.100
 don't they?

00:31:35.660 --> 00:31:36.740
 We have our opinions

00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:37.400
 of ourselves,

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:37.880
 don't we?

00:31:38.819 --> 00:31:39.640
 Sometimes we're

00:31:39.640 --> 00:31:40.380
 high on ourselves,

00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:41.160
 sometimes we're

00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:41.620
 kind of low

00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:42.160
 on ourselves,

00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:42.600
 aren't we?

00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.440
 Sometimes there

00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:45.079
 might be dark

00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:45.860
 days or nights

00:31:45.860 --> 00:31:46.380
 when we look

00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:46.840
 in the mirror

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:47.579
 and say,

00:31:47.679 --> 00:31:47.939
 man,

00:31:48.619 --> 00:31:51.139
 how could you

00:31:51.139 --> 00:31:51.939
 be such an idiot?

00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:54.279
 What were you

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:54.559
 thinking?

00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:56.500
 Why won't you

00:31:56.500 --> 00:31:57.079
 ever change?

00:31:59.339 --> 00:32:00.099
 We can be

00:32:00.099 --> 00:32:00.639
 our own worst

00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:00.859
 enemy.

00:32:01.399 --> 00:32:02.000
 We can beat

00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:02.639
 ourselves up

00:32:02.639 --> 00:32:03.439
 mercilessly.

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:05.039
 And others

00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:05.599
 are certainly

00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:06.199
 good at that

00:32:06.199 --> 00:32:06.439
 too.

00:32:07.959 --> 00:32:08.779
 But despite

00:32:08.779 --> 00:32:09.399
 all that,

00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:10.779
 our identity

00:32:10.779 --> 00:32:11.619
 should not come

00:32:11.619 --> 00:32:12.159
 from our own

00:32:12.159 --> 00:32:12.459
 mind.

00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:13.899
 Our identity

00:32:13.899 --> 00:32:14.740
 should not come

00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.259
 from the lips

00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:15.700
 of others.

00:32:15.900 --> 00:32:16.559
 Our identity

00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:17.319
 should only

00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:18.519
 come from

00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:18.900
 the King

00:32:18.900 --> 00:32:19.420
 of Kings

00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:20.319
 who bought

00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:20.740
 us,

00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:22.460
 who saved

00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:22.920
 us,

00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:23.940
 who is our

00:32:23.940 --> 00:32:24.579
 master,

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:25.940
 and he says,

00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:27.400
 you are my

00:32:27.400 --> 00:32:27.779
 child.

00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:29.180
 You are valued.

00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:31.220
 You are an

00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:32.059
 heir to my

00:32:32.059 --> 00:32:32.460
 throne.

00:32:34.180 --> 00:32:35.160
 God says,

00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:36.539
 you

00:32:36.539 --> 00:32:39.559
 are mine.

00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:40.920
 You belong

00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:41.379
 to me.

00:32:41.380 --> 00:32:43.080
 just like

00:32:43.080 --> 00:32:43.540
 Rome

00:32:43.540 --> 00:32:44.120
 practically

00:32:44.120 --> 00:32:44.680
 owned

00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:45.060
 those

00:32:45.060 --> 00:32:45.440
 soldiers.

00:32:47.340 --> 00:32:48.000
 God

00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:49.900
 owns us,

00:32:50.540 --> 00:32:51.000
 but it's

00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:51.440
 such a

00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:51.960
 wonderful,

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.100
 joyous

00:32:53.100 --> 00:32:53.720
 relationship

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:56.000
 when he

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.320
 is our

00:32:56.320 --> 00:32:56.660
 master.

00:32:59.660 --> 00:33:00.460
 So it

00:33:00.460 --> 00:33:01.160
 identifies us

00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:01.440
 as his

00:33:01.440 --> 00:33:01.720
 children,

00:33:02.100 --> 00:33:02.600
 and it

00:33:02.600 --> 00:33:03.300
 secures us

00:33:03.300 --> 00:33:04.000
 from the

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.220
 enemy.

00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:04.920
 And then

00:33:04.920 --> 00:33:05.220
 finally,

00:33:05.340 --> 00:33:05.560
 we have

00:33:05.560 --> 00:33:05.900
 the sword.

00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:08.640
 Verse 17,

00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:09.320
 take the

00:33:09.320 --> 00:33:09.980
 sword of

00:33:09.980 --> 00:33:10.500
 the spirit,

00:33:11.040 --> 00:33:11.759
 which is

00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:12.340
 the word

00:33:12.340 --> 00:33:12.759
 of God.

00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:14.000
 The Roman

00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:14.880
 sword,

00:33:15.300 --> 00:33:15.780
 it was a

00:33:15.780 --> 00:33:16.480
 small sword.

00:33:16.580 --> 00:33:16.860
 They used

00:33:16.860 --> 00:33:17.400
 to use the

00:33:17.400 --> 00:33:18.080
 broad swords,

00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:18.460
 and pretty

00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:18.900
 quickly,

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:19.680
 the broad

00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:20.060
 swords were

00:33:20.060 --> 00:33:20.580
 those huge

00:33:20.580 --> 00:33:21.420
 long swords

00:33:21.420 --> 00:33:22.060
 that you

00:33:22.060 --> 00:33:22.440
 would see

00:33:22.440 --> 00:33:22.800
 back in

00:33:22.800 --> 00:33:23.020
 the old

00:33:23.020 --> 00:33:23.480
 King Arthur

00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:23.880
 days,

00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:24.220
 etc.

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:25.200
 But pretty

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:25.520
 quickly,

00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:25.900
 they went

00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:26.380
 away from

00:33:26.380 --> 00:33:26.840
 those,

00:33:27.220 --> 00:33:27.460
 and as

00:33:27.460 --> 00:33:28.259
 the legionnaires

00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:29.440
 would advance

00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:30.120
 and take

00:33:30.120 --> 00:33:30.900
 over countries

00:33:30.900 --> 00:33:31.440
 and their

00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:32.340
 empire would

00:33:32.340 --> 00:33:32.900
 grow and

00:33:32.900 --> 00:33:33.220
 grow,

00:33:33.460 --> 00:33:34.020
 it became

00:33:34.020 --> 00:33:34.700
 very apparent

00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:35.400
 quickly on

00:33:35.400 --> 00:33:35.740
 that they

00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:36.140
 needed a

00:33:36.140 --> 00:33:36.720
 small,

00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:37.960
 agile,

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:39.779
 fierce weapon,

00:33:40.140 --> 00:33:40.539
 and so the

00:33:40.539 --> 00:33:41.319
 gladius was

00:33:41.319 --> 00:33:41.660
 born.

00:33:42.180 --> 00:33:42.559
 It was

00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:43.480
 double-edged,

00:33:44.059 --> 00:33:44.680
 and it was

00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:45.579
 easy to wield

00:33:45.579 --> 00:33:46.160
 in combat.

00:33:47.940 --> 00:33:48.740
 What are we

00:33:48.740 --> 00:33:49.220
 saying with

00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:49.480
 that?

00:33:50.200 --> 00:33:50.980
 Our Bible

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.519
 is the

00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:52.640
 living word

00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:53.160
 of God.

00:33:55.120 --> 00:33:55.740
 Would you

00:33:55.740 --> 00:33:56.140
 go with me

00:33:56.140 --> 00:33:56.579
 to Hebrews?

00:33:56.579 --> 00:33:56.740
 Hebrews?

00:34:07.059 --> 00:34:07.759
 The book

00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:08.400
 of Hebrews,

00:34:08.799 --> 00:34:11.920
 chapter 4

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:12.199
 and verse

00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:12.559
 12.

00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:13.980
 The word

00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:14.500
 of God

00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:15.380
 is living

00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:16.819
 and effective

00:34:16.819 --> 00:34:18.840
 and sharper

00:34:18.840 --> 00:34:20.360
 than any

00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:21.500
 double-edged

00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:22.019
 sword,

00:34:22.219 --> 00:34:22.819
 sharper than

00:34:22.819 --> 00:34:23.739
 any gladius,

00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:25.679
 penetrating as

00:34:25.679 --> 00:34:26.480
 far as the

00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:27.259
 separation of

00:34:27.259 --> 00:34:28.019
 soul and

00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:28.480
 spirit,

00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:29.659
 the joints

00:34:29.659 --> 00:34:30.259
 and marrow.

00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:31.699
 It is able

00:34:31.699 --> 00:34:32.940
 to judge or

00:34:32.940 --> 00:34:33.639
 discern the

00:34:33.639 --> 00:34:34.559
 thoughts and

00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:36.000
 intentions of

00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:36.559
 the heart.

00:34:38.919 --> 00:34:39.980
 God's word

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:40.859
 is our

00:34:40.859 --> 00:34:41.460
 gladius.

00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:42.159
 It is our

00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:43.480
 double-edged

00:34:43.480 --> 00:34:44.000
 sword.

00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:45.399
 Nothing can

00:34:45.399 --> 00:34:46.339
 stand before

00:34:46.339 --> 00:34:46.619
 it.

00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:47.500
 Nothing can

00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:48.399
 stand against

00:34:48.399 --> 00:34:48.679
 it.

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:49.440
 You might

00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:50.099
 have someone

00:34:50.099 --> 00:34:50.980
 resist and

00:34:50.980 --> 00:34:51.759
 resist and

00:34:51.759 --> 00:34:52.239
 resist,

00:34:52.759 --> 00:34:54.179
 but God's

00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:54.599
 word will

00:34:54.599 --> 00:34:54.899
 win.

00:34:54.900 --> 00:34:57.139
 The spirit

00:34:57.139 --> 00:34:57.800
 of God

00:34:57.800 --> 00:34:58.680
 is alive

00:34:58.680 --> 00:34:59.320
 and well

00:34:59.320 --> 00:34:59.940
 and present

00:34:59.940 --> 00:35:00.559
 with us

00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:01.380
 in,

00:35:01.720 --> 00:35:02.380
 within us.

00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:03.320
 The Bible

00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:04.099
 says for those

00:35:04.099 --> 00:35:04.700
 who place

00:35:04.700 --> 00:35:05.139
 their faith

00:35:05.139 --> 00:35:05.559
 in Christ,

00:35:05.680 --> 00:35:05.900
 we are

00:35:05.900 --> 00:35:06.940
 indwelt by

00:35:06.940 --> 00:35:07.340
 the Holy

00:35:07.340 --> 00:35:08.099
 Spirit of

00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:08.340
 God,

00:35:08.440 --> 00:35:09.079
 but also

00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:09.780
 he is

00:35:09.780 --> 00:35:10.599
 present in

00:35:10.599 --> 00:35:11.200
 the living

00:35:11.200 --> 00:35:11.920
 word of

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.160
 God.

00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:13.180
 We believe

00:35:13.180 --> 00:35:14.440
 that this

00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:15.000
 book is

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:15.460
 alive.

00:35:15.700 --> 00:35:16.180
 It is not

00:35:16.180 --> 00:35:17.440
 just paper

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:18.220
 and ink

00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:19.900
 with a pretty

00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:20.340
 binding.

00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:22.340
 God's

00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:24.380
 word of

00:35:24.380 --> 00:35:25.280
 God.

00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:27.220
 It can

00:35:27.220 --> 00:35:27.720
 puncture

00:35:27.720 --> 00:35:28.120
 us,

00:35:28.700 --> 00:35:29.079
 it can

00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:29.840
 reveal to

00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:30.740
 us the

00:35:30.740 --> 00:35:31.320
 truth about

00:35:31.320 --> 00:35:31.820
 ourselves,

00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:32.579
 and it can

00:35:32.579 --> 00:35:32.960
 do the

00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:34.019
 same to

00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:34.280
 those.

00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:34.660
 So we

00:35:34.660 --> 00:35:35.380
 must learn

00:35:35.380 --> 00:35:36.019
 to wield

00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:37.220
 God's word

00:35:37.220 --> 00:35:38.039
 skillfully,

00:35:38.579 --> 00:35:39.579
 just like a

00:35:39.579 --> 00:35:40.660
 Roman with

00:35:40.660 --> 00:35:41.400
 his gladius.

00:35:42.180 --> 00:35:42.860
 Our Bible

00:35:42.860 --> 00:35:44.059
 is our

00:35:44.059 --> 00:35:44.420
 weapon.

00:35:45.700 --> 00:35:46.380
 But let's

00:35:46.380 --> 00:35:47.240
 not use the

00:35:47.240 --> 00:35:48.000
 Bible as a

00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:48.500
 weapon to

00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:48.700
 hurt.

00:35:48.699 --> 00:35:49.799
 Let's not

00:35:49.799 --> 00:35:50.319
 use it as

00:35:50.319 --> 00:35:50.919
 a weapon to

00:35:50.919 --> 00:35:51.239
 harm,

00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:52.039
 because that

00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:52.599
 was never

00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:53.000
 God's

00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:53.339
 intention,

00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:53.779
 was it?

00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:56.159
 There are

00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:56.739
 ways that we

00:35:56.739 --> 00:35:57.319
 can take

00:35:57.319 --> 00:35:58.839
 individual

00:35:58.839 --> 00:35:59.679
 verses out of

00:35:59.679 --> 00:35:59.980
 Scripture,

00:36:00.359 --> 00:36:00.839
 and we can

00:36:00.839 --> 00:36:01.839
 try to use

00:36:01.839 --> 00:36:02.359
 scriptural

00:36:02.359 --> 00:36:03.659
 principles to

00:36:03.659 --> 00:36:04.500
 attack others,

00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:05.579
 to make them

00:36:05.579 --> 00:36:06.119
 feel worse

00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:06.899
 about themselves,

00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:08.039
 to try to

00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:08.559
 hurt, to

00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.079
 harm, to

00:36:09.079 --> 00:36:10.019
 undermine, and

00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:10.779
 that is not

00:36:10.779 --> 00:36:11.579
 what God

00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:11.980
 intended.

00:36:12.960 --> 00:36:13.639
 God intended

00:36:13.639 --> 00:36:14.519
 to reveal to

00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:15.599
 us our own

00:36:15.599 --> 00:36:16.279
 sin nature,

00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:17.319
 the truth about

00:36:17.319 --> 00:36:18.199
 our own sin,

00:36:18.199 --> 00:36:19.359
 but then to

00:36:19.359 --> 00:36:19.899
 offer us

00:36:19.899 --> 00:36:20.579
 hope, to

00:36:20.579 --> 00:36:21.339
 show us that

00:36:21.339 --> 00:36:22.039
 He loves us,

00:36:22.379 --> 00:36:22.919
 to show us

00:36:22.919 --> 00:36:23.239
 that He

00:36:23.239 --> 00:36:23.599
 cares.

00:36:25.899 --> 00:36:26.699
 So that's

00:36:26.699 --> 00:36:27.259
 why we must

00:36:27.259 --> 00:36:27.679
 learn to

00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:28.099
 wield it

00:36:28.099 --> 00:36:28.939
 skillfully.

00:36:30.419 --> 00:36:30.859
 Some of the

00:36:30.859 --> 00:36:32.199
 most knowledgeable

00:36:32.199 --> 00:36:33.379
 Bible scholars

00:36:33.379 --> 00:36:35.639
 have done some

00:36:35.639 --> 00:36:36.059
 of the most

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:38.939
 damage in the

00:36:38.939 --> 00:36:39.679
 name of Jesus.

00:36:41.279 --> 00:36:42.059
 Hurt more

00:36:42.059 --> 00:36:44.159
 people than

00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:45.199
 those who

00:36:45.199 --> 00:36:45.719
 don't know a

00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:47.199
 tenth about

00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:48.199
 Bible.

00:36:48.199 --> 00:36:50.299
 about the

00:36:50.299 --> 00:36:51.639
 Bible as

00:36:51.639 --> 00:36:52.379
 those wise,

00:36:52.379 --> 00:36:53.139
 learned men,

00:36:53.139 --> 00:36:53.259
 who aren't

00:36:53.259 --> 00:36:53.980
 living wisely,

00:36:54.699 --> 00:36:55.119
 who aren't

00:36:55.119 --> 00:36:56.719
 living with

00:36:56.719 --> 00:36:57.099
 the wisdom

00:36:57.099 --> 00:36:57.500
 that comes

00:36:57.500 --> 00:36:57.939
 from God.

00:36:59.019 --> 00:36:59.679
 So just

00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:00.159
 because you

00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:00.859
 know a lot

00:37:00.859 --> 00:37:01.379
 about the

00:37:01.379 --> 00:37:03.480
 Bible doesn't

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.079
 mean that you've

00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:04.559
 learned to

00:37:04.559 --> 00:37:05.739
 wield it skillfully

00:37:05.739 --> 00:37:07.239
 as God

00:37:07.239 --> 00:37:07.619
 intended.

00:37:09.539 --> 00:37:11.299
 So, by way

00:37:11.299 --> 00:37:11.879
 of conclusion,

00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:13.159
 I want to share

00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:13.739
 this quote with

00:37:13.739 --> 00:37:13.879
 you.

00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:15.700
 God, we

00:37:15.700 --> 00:37:16.320
 just got done

00:37:16.320 --> 00:37:16.760
 talking about

00:37:16.760 --> 00:37:17.220
 the armor of

00:37:17.220 --> 00:37:17.579
 God, didn't

00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:17.760
 we?

00:37:18.380 --> 00:37:18.940
 We went

00:37:18.940 --> 00:37:19.400
 through every

00:37:19.400 --> 00:37:20.260
 piece listed

00:37:20.260 --> 00:37:20.940
 here in Ephesians

00:37:20.940 --> 00:37:21.340
 6.

00:37:21.880 --> 00:37:22.400
 It was an

00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:23.460
 outstanding summary

00:37:23.460 --> 00:37:24.220
 from Paul.

00:37:25.559 --> 00:37:26.579
 After giving us

00:37:26.579 --> 00:37:27.280
 all this

00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:27.820
 instruction,

00:37:28.200 --> 00:37:28.820
 here's who you

00:37:28.820 --> 00:37:29.500
 are in Christ,

00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:30.380
 here's how you

00:37:30.380 --> 00:37:31.260
 should live in

00:37:31.260 --> 00:37:31.720
 Christ.

00:37:32.280 --> 00:37:33.640
 Now, here's how

00:37:33.640 --> 00:37:34.559
 you equip yourself

00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:35.320
 for the battle.

00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:36.119
 Here's who the

00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:37.180
 enemy is, and

00:37:37.180 --> 00:37:38.220
 here's how to

00:37:38.220 --> 00:37:39.039
 win the battle

00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:39.920
 that God's

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:40.539
 already won.

00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:44.239
 But I want to

00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:44.779
 share this quote

00:37:44.779 --> 00:37:45.139
 with you.

00:37:46.039 --> 00:37:46.699
 We must not

00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:48.300
 confide in the

00:37:48.300 --> 00:37:49.159
 armor of God,

00:37:49.579 --> 00:37:50.880
 but in the God

00:37:50.880 --> 00:37:51.779
 of this armor,

00:37:52.219 --> 00:37:54.019
 because all our

00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:55.460
 weapons are only

00:37:55.460 --> 00:37:56.800
 mighty through

00:37:56.800 --> 00:37:57.159
 God.

00:37:58.900 --> 00:37:59.460
 That was said

00:37:59.460 --> 00:38:00.019
 by William

00:38:00.019 --> 00:38:01.440
 Gurnall, wrote

00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:01.779
 one of the

00:38:01.779 --> 00:38:02.460
 greatest books

00:38:02.460 --> 00:38:02.900
 called The

00:38:02.900 --> 00:38:03.539
 Christian in

00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:04.300
 Complete Armor,

00:38:04.800 --> 00:38:05.300
 one of the

00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:05.840
 greatest books

00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:06.480
 on this topic

00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:06.860
 that's ever

00:38:06.860 --> 00:38:07.239
 been written.

00:38:08.099 --> 00:38:08.480
 How many of

00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:08.739
 you all have

00:38:08.739 --> 00:38:09.079
 ever heard the

00:38:09.079 --> 00:38:09.599
 name Charles

00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:10.039
 Spurgeon?

00:38:10.980 --> 00:38:11.420
 Anybody?

00:38:12.300 --> 00:38:12.679
 Yeah, if you've

00:38:12.679 --> 00:38:12.940
 been around

00:38:12.940 --> 00:38:13.480
 church for a

00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:13.980
 while, he was

00:38:13.980 --> 00:38:14.779
 a great pastor

00:38:14.779 --> 00:38:15.420
 in England,

00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:16.460
 wrote a lot of

00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:16.739
 books.

00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:17.460
 They called him

00:38:17.460 --> 00:38:18.099
 the Prince of

00:38:18.099 --> 00:38:18.579
 Preachers.

00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:20.259
 Very, very

00:38:20.259 --> 00:38:22.559
 famous, and

00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:23.559
 well, well

00:38:23.559 --> 00:38:24.400
 used by God.

00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:25.679
 Charles Spurgeon

00:38:25.679 --> 00:38:26.739
 said, the man

00:38:26.739 --> 00:38:27.300
 who said this

00:38:27.300 --> 00:38:27.940
 quote, wrote

00:38:27.940 --> 00:38:28.400
 this book,

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:28.880
 The Christian

00:38:28.880 --> 00:38:29.340
 in Complete

00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:30.279
 Armor, he

00:38:30.279 --> 00:38:31.059
 said that that

00:38:31.059 --> 00:38:31.800
 was the most

00:38:31.800 --> 00:38:32.880
 thought-provoking

00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:33.739
 book in his

00:38:33.739 --> 00:38:34.179
 library.

00:38:36.340 --> 00:38:37.259
 So if Spurgeon

00:38:37.259 --> 00:38:37.800
 says something

00:38:37.800 --> 00:38:38.320
 like that, I

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:38.820
 want to sit up

00:38:38.820 --> 00:38:39.460
 and take notice.

00:38:40.539 --> 00:38:42.679
 And I took

00:38:42.679 --> 00:38:43.340
 that, I

00:38:43.340 --> 00:38:43.880
 actually found

00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:44.259
 that book

00:38:44.259 --> 00:38:44.860
 online this

00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:45.599
 past week and

00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:46.880
 read quite a

00:38:46.880 --> 00:38:47.259
 bit of it in

00:38:47.259 --> 00:38:47.880
 preparation for

00:38:47.880 --> 00:38:48.320
 this sermon.

00:38:50.219 --> 00:38:51.000
 And I took

00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:51.679
 this quote out

00:38:51.679 --> 00:38:52.159
 and wanted to

00:38:52.159 --> 00:38:53.219
 share it with

00:38:53.219 --> 00:38:53.619
 you today.

00:38:53.619 --> 00:38:57.359
 it is easy to

00:38:57.359 --> 00:38:58.480
 find bits and

00:38:58.480 --> 00:38:59.519
 pieces of

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:01.799
 scripture and

00:39:01.799 --> 00:39:02.739
 make that bigger

00:39:02.739 --> 00:39:03.400
 than God in

00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:03.880
 our minds.

00:39:04.839 --> 00:39:09.259
 Sometimes we

00:39:09.259 --> 00:39:09.839
 can take

00:39:09.839 --> 00:39:12.739
 something that's

00:39:12.739 --> 00:39:13.859
 not God and

00:39:13.859 --> 00:39:15.099
 elevate it to

00:39:15.099 --> 00:39:15.880
 the place of

00:39:15.880 --> 00:39:16.159
 God.

00:39:16.960 --> 00:39:17.559
 We do that

00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.139
 with our family

00:39:18.139 --> 00:39:18.659
 sometimes.

00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:19.199
 We do that

00:39:19.199 --> 00:39:19.859
 with our careers.

00:39:19.860 --> 00:39:22.019
 Do that with

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:22.519
 our love of

00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:22.920
 money or

00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:23.599
 success or

00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:23.940
 comfort.

00:39:25.460 --> 00:39:26.039
 But I'm

00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:26.720
 telling you it's

00:39:26.720 --> 00:39:27.599
 also possible

00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:31.360
 to depend so

00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:33.220
 much on

00:39:33.220 --> 00:39:33.920
 something that's

00:39:33.920 --> 00:39:35.579
 not God that

00:39:35.579 --> 00:39:36.240
 it begins to

00:39:36.240 --> 00:39:36.800
 take the place

00:39:36.800 --> 00:39:37.880
 of God in

00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:38.360
 your life.

00:39:38.880 --> 00:39:39.440
 And these

00:39:39.440 --> 00:39:40.440
 very weapons,

00:39:41.700 --> 00:39:42.380
 this very

00:39:42.380 --> 00:39:43.200
 armor that is

00:39:43.200 --> 00:39:44.240
 supposed to

00:39:44.240 --> 00:39:45.260
 protect us,

00:39:46.980 --> 00:39:47.820
 they're only

00:39:47.820 --> 00:39:48.720
 mighty, they're

00:39:48.719 --> 00:39:49.739
 only empowered

00:39:49.739 --> 00:39:52.279
 when God is

00:39:52.279 --> 00:39:53.000
 behind it all.

00:39:53.959 --> 00:39:54.659
 When our

00:39:54.659 --> 00:39:55.719
 focus is on

00:39:55.719 --> 00:39:57.279
 him and not

00:39:57.279 --> 00:39:59.239
 so much these

00:39:59.239 --> 00:40:00.339
 weapons or

00:40:00.339 --> 00:40:01.059
 this armor.

00:40:02.219 --> 00:40:03.239
 We must not

00:40:03.239 --> 00:40:04.459
 confide in or

00:40:04.459 --> 00:40:05.239
 place all of our

00:40:05.239 --> 00:40:06.480
 trust in this

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:06.739
 armor.

00:40:06.839 --> 00:40:07.159
 What are we

00:40:07.159 --> 00:40:07.459
 saying?

00:40:07.779 --> 00:40:08.099
 Look at

00:40:08.099 --> 00:40:08.719
 Romans 13.

00:40:09.199 --> 00:40:09.899
 Romans 13,

00:40:10.019 --> 00:40:10.480
 it's on the

00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:10.839
 screen.

00:40:11.199 --> 00:40:11.539
 Let us

00:40:11.539 --> 00:40:12.379
 discard the

00:40:12.379 --> 00:40:12.839
 deeds of

00:40:12.839 --> 00:40:13.799
 darkness and

00:40:13.799 --> 00:40:14.719
 put on the

00:40:14.719 --> 00:40:15.239
 armor of

00:40:15.239 --> 00:40:15.480
 light.

00:40:15.619 --> 00:40:16.139
 That's great.

00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:16.899
 That's the

00:40:16.899 --> 00:40:17.239
 armor we're

00:40:17.239 --> 00:40:17.779
 talking about.

00:40:17.780 --> 00:40:18.720
 Let us walk

00:40:18.720 --> 00:40:19.300
 with decency

00:40:19.300 --> 00:40:19.740
 as in the

00:40:19.740 --> 00:40:20.680
 daytime, not

00:40:20.680 --> 00:40:21.220
 in carousing

00:40:21.220 --> 00:40:21.920
 and drunkenness,

00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:22.720
 not in sexual

00:40:22.720 --> 00:40:23.360
 impurity and

00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:24.540
 promiscuity, not

00:40:24.540 --> 00:40:25.300
 in quarreling and

00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:26.340
 jealousy, but here

00:40:26.340 --> 00:40:27.360
 we go, verse 14,

00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:28.980
 put on the

00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:29.980
 Lord Jesus

00:40:29.980 --> 00:40:30.780
 Christ.

00:40:30.980 --> 00:40:31.820
 That is the

00:40:31.820 --> 00:40:32.560
 overarching command

00:40:32.560 --> 00:40:32.860
 here.

00:40:34.160 --> 00:40:34.860
 That is what

00:40:34.860 --> 00:40:35.720
 putting on the

00:40:35.720 --> 00:40:36.440
 armor of God is

00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:37.460
 all about, putting

00:40:37.460 --> 00:40:39.840
 on Jesus and

00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:40.540
 make no provision

00:40:40.540 --> 00:40:41.680
 for the flesh to

00:40:41.680 --> 00:40:42.280
 gratify its

00:40:42.280 --> 00:40:42.660
 desires.

00:40:43.340 --> 00:40:43.980
 So the takeaway

00:40:43.980 --> 00:40:44.700
 for this morning,

00:40:44.699 --> 00:40:45.899
 we prepare for

00:40:45.899 --> 00:40:47.159
 war by putting

00:40:47.159 --> 00:40:48.059
 on Jesus.

00:40:48.279 --> 00:40:48.939
 Say, man, that's

00:40:48.939 --> 00:40:49.679
 quite a checklist

00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:50.219
 that I have to

00:40:50.219 --> 00:40:50.699
 run through.

00:40:51.079 --> 00:40:51.639
 I've got to do

00:40:51.639 --> 00:40:52.179
 the belt and I've

00:40:52.179 --> 00:40:52.579
 got to do the

00:40:52.579 --> 00:40:53.259
 breastplate and I've

00:40:53.259 --> 00:40:53.659
 got to do the

00:40:53.659 --> 00:40:54.619
 shield and the

00:40:54.619 --> 00:40:55.639
 helmet and the

00:40:55.639 --> 00:40:56.519
 shoes and the

00:40:56.519 --> 00:40:57.179
 sword and all

00:40:57.179 --> 00:40:57.719
 these things.

00:40:58.000 --> 00:40:58.919
 You've got to put

00:40:58.919 --> 00:40:59.519
 on Jesus.

00:41:00.299 --> 00:41:01.980
 Every day, put on

00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:02.500
 Jesus.

00:41:03.119 --> 00:41:04.199
 This breakdown in

00:41:04.199 --> 00:41:05.679
 Ephesians 6 shows

00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:06.460
 what that looks

00:41:06.460 --> 00:41:06.819
 like.

00:41:07.699 --> 00:41:08.379
 You can do an

00:41:08.379 --> 00:41:09.000
 inventory.

00:41:09.559 --> 00:41:10.399
 Have I put on

00:41:10.399 --> 00:41:10.719
 Jesus?

00:41:11.460 --> 00:41:13.000
 Well, am I putting

00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:13.880
 my faith in him?

00:41:14.780 --> 00:41:15.460
 Am I reminding

00:41:15.460 --> 00:41:16.199
 myself of the

00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:17.260
 truth that God

00:41:17.260 --> 00:41:17.860
 loves me?

00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:20.480
 Have I picked up

00:41:20.480 --> 00:41:21.159
 the word of God

00:41:21.159 --> 00:41:22.099
 and used it today?

00:41:23.300 --> 00:41:24.059
 There are many

00:41:24.059 --> 00:41:26.860
 ways to discern

00:41:26.860 --> 00:41:27.619
 whether or not we

00:41:27.619 --> 00:41:28.059
 have put on

00:41:28.059 --> 00:41:28.840
 Jesus, but our

00:41:28.840 --> 00:41:30.360
 command is to

00:41:30.360 --> 00:41:32.000
 put on Jesus.

00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:32.820
 That's how we put

00:41:32.820 --> 00:41:33.179
 on the whole

00:41:33.179 --> 00:41:33.760
 armor of God.

00:41:35.099 --> 00:41:35.900
 So our question

00:41:35.900 --> 00:41:37.840
 for ourselves

00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:39.960
 in our homes,

00:41:41.099 --> 00:41:41.739
 have we put on

00:41:41.739 --> 00:41:42.400
 Jesus today?

00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:43.739
 Let's pray

00:41:43.739 --> 00:41:44.079
 together.

00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:45.599
 God, I pray that

00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:46.179
 we would put you

00:41:46.179 --> 00:41:46.440
 on.

00:41:48.880 --> 00:41:49.559
 Thank you for

00:41:49.559 --> 00:41:50.440
 simplifying it for

00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:50.719
 us.

00:41:53.699 --> 00:41:54.460
 We understand

00:41:54.460 --> 00:41:55.179
 that we are in a

00:41:55.179 --> 00:41:55.400
 battle.

00:41:58.420 --> 00:41:59.400
 Sometimes it

00:41:59.400 --> 00:41:59.960
 might feel like

00:41:59.960 --> 00:42:00.420
 we're losing.

00:42:02.440 --> 00:42:02.940
 But as that

00:42:02.940 --> 00:42:03.760
 songwriter said,

00:42:03.820 --> 00:42:04.440
 we're fighting a

00:42:04.440 --> 00:42:05.039
 battle you've

00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:05.639
 already won.

00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:10.400
 God, I pray that

00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:11.019
 we would put on

00:42:11.019 --> 00:42:12.179
 the victor, put on

00:42:12.179 --> 00:42:13.239
 Jesus every day.

00:42:14.859 --> 00:42:15.960
 It's so clear when

00:42:15.960 --> 00:42:16.559
 we haven't.

00:42:17.899 --> 00:42:19.000
 Our spouses know

00:42:19.000 --> 00:42:19.759
 it, our kids know

00:42:19.759 --> 00:42:20.440
 it, our friends

00:42:20.440 --> 00:42:22.480
 know it, our

00:42:22.480 --> 00:42:23.480
 employees or our

00:42:23.480 --> 00:42:24.179
 bosses know it,

00:42:24.219 --> 00:42:25.119
 everybody knows when

00:42:25.119 --> 00:42:25.799
 we haven't put on

00:42:25.799 --> 00:42:26.059
 Jesus.

00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:28.339
 God, I pray that

00:42:28.339 --> 00:42:29.460
 every morning when

00:42:29.460 --> 00:42:30.859
 we wake up, every

00:42:30.859 --> 00:42:31.579
 night before we go

00:42:31.579 --> 00:42:34.839
 to bed, we would

00:42:34.839 --> 00:42:35.500
 fall to our knees,

00:42:35.619 --> 00:42:37.000
 we would take the

00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:39.219
 time to put on

00:42:39.219 --> 00:42:39.500
 Jesus.

00:42:40.339 --> 00:42:41.039
 Whatever that looks

00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:43.399
 like for us, we'll

00:42:43.399 --> 00:42:43.939
 give you the glory

00:42:43.939 --> 00:42:44.359
 for it.

00:42:44.779 --> 00:42:45.519
 In Jesus' name we

00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:45.759
 pray.

00:42:46.319 --> 00:42:46.579
 Amen.