Latest / HBCWestminster / 3.6.22 Ephesians 6:10-20 Pastor Danny Gardner

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3.6.22 Ephesians 6:10-20 Pastor Danny Gardner · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  Well, good morning, church. We are thankful to have you here. And if you're new with us, especially, we're so glad that you could join us for worship this morning. I pray that you're encouraged as we look to God's Word. If you have your Bibles open to Ephesians 6. Ephesians 6 and verse 10. As you know, we have been going through the Gospel of Luke, a verse at a time, a paragraph at a time. We've taken about two years or so to do that. We're now actually right at the end. We will finish in the next couple of months. But this morning, we take a break from the Gospel of Luke and look to Ephesians 6. This morning, we are talking...
• 0:29
  about spiritual warfare which i'll explain in just a moment the reasoning behind that but ephesians chapter 6 verses 10 to 20 is our text and when you've found it if you're able to stand in honor of god's word as i read and then we'll pray and begin ephesians 6 and verse 10 finally be strong in the lord and in the strength of his might put on the whole armor of god that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil
• 0:59
  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand firm. Stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
• 1:27
  In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. And also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak.
• 1:57
  And Lord, be pleased, be blessed by the preaching of your word. May it be rightly divided. We ask, Lord, that you would make us not only hearers of your word, but doers also in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you, church. Well, as you know, I have coached baseball for many years. I've coached baseball at many different levels. I've had winning seasons and losing seasons. I've coached elementary kids, junior high kids, and high school kids.
• 2:25
  I've had the privilege of coaching some pretty good teams along the way, but there is nothing, nothing like coaching T-ball. It is by far my favorite age to teach because there is nothing like coaching five-year-olds for a number of reasons. First, and maybe foremost, because God never made an ugly one. You ever notice that? Every five-year-old is adorable. Now, as we grow, those paths begin to diverge, right?
• 2:54
  But when we're five, we're all adorable when we're five None of us were any good at baseball and five-year-olds seem to know it They just don't really care. It's just everything is just the greatest in the world And when you're coaching t-ball all of the parents also know that none of their kids are any good
• 3:16
  right there's no expectation from parents there are no umpires there is no score and a majority of the kids have no idea how to play anyway when you say hit the ball and then run to first they have no clue what you're talking which one is first it's not like they're numbered you just took pieces of white rubber you threw them out there in the grass and i'm supposed to know which one to run to and you get them running all over the place they have no clue what's going on it is the greatest when my son
• 3:45
  Zach, who is now 17, is a junior in high school. When he and all of his little buddies were all five, they were all in kindergarten, a whole group of little boys signed up to play t-ball on the same team from the church. And so I was their coach. And so I'm coaching all of these little five-year-olds, my son included, one of his best buddies in the whole world. In fact, still one of his best friends in the world. I told to go play second base. Second base, I said, just stand in between first base and second base. And when a ball is hit to you,
• 4:14
  Pick it up and throw it to first base. And again, I had to explain, that one comes first, right? That's the one. You pick it up, you throw it to first base. But on this particular Saturday morning, it was a warm and sunny Saturday morning. And I don't know why, if he didn't sleep well or he was just a little bit crabby, but this little five-year-old kindergarten, my son's little buddy, comes to me, Coach Danny, I'm so tired. I'm so tired. It's going to be okay. We're going to make it. Just stand there. And when the ball gets hit, pick it up and throw it.
• 4:44
  to first base. And when our team was on defense, we all grab our gloves. All of these little five-year-olds go running out there to take the field. He's standing in his spot and I can see him standing there like this. Not two minutes goes by and he just decides he is too tired for any of this. So he decides what is best for him is to take a nap. He takes off his glove. He walks over to second base. He sets his glove on top of second base and I can see him fluffing it like it's a pillow.
• 5:11
  It's his baseball glove, but it's on second base and he's kind of doing this, you know, and then he lays down on the grass and sets his head on top of his glove on second base and just decides, I'm done and so are all of you. We're not playing anymore. It's nap time. There was a baseball game happening around him and he either didn't seem to know it or he didn't seem to care. The world is back to talking about war.
• 5:42
  When on February 24th, just a couple of weeks ago, Russia invaded Ukraine again, it plunged the nations back into war again, became the focus of the world's attention again. And I've been asked many times this week, emails and text messages, just what do you think about the war? What do you think about the actions of Russia? And honestly, church, perhaps I'm just a cynic. I wasn't surprised at all. Neither were any of us, right? We weren't surprised at all that Russia invaded Ukraine. It was clearly going to happen.
• 6:11
  None of us were taken by surprise that they lied about their intentions the last several months. Of course they were going to invade. You say, well, why? Why does that seem inevitable? And I'll tell you this, it's not that hard. Because the world is full of angry and evil and selfish men. Want to know why? That's why.
• 6:31
  how anyone denies that is beyond me how people look at the world and say it's not full of evil and angry and selfish people i don't understand that denial and yes i actively pray against the actions of such depraved and selfish men as the russian president i pray against him a man who would cause such devastation and heartache for his own selfish gain but don't get me wrong church
• 6:57
  Those same types of men, angry, evil, and selfish, also reside in the Ukraine. They also reside in Europe and Africa. They reside in South America. They reside here in the U.S. as well. Because President Putin is the aggressor, he will be deemed as the wicked tyrant, and no doubt he is. The defending nations will be cast as innocent, but Scripture says that no one is innocent. Not really. President Putin is no more debauched than anyone else.
• 7:27
  who refuses to acknowledge the Lord Jesus. Like Pharaoh, who hardened his heart against the Lord, so also has this man, his defiance against God, has seared his conscience to the point that he's willing to kill thousands upon thousands with the snap of a finger. People have asked me at times why I have such a passion for God's people and for God's church. Why, Danny, is it such a big deal to you? Why is the church such...
• 7:55
  a big deal to you why are you so passionate about it my answer is always the same because the church is at war that war is nothing new every single one of us sitting here right now is at war and many of us either don't seem to know it or don't seem to care it's like we've taken off our little baseball glove and set it on second base and just decided it's a good time for a nap and if there's something we can learn about this
• 8:26
  latest earthly war which will not be the last one it's this you don't have to declare war to be at war war can happen to you you don't have to go looking for it you don't have to declare it yourself in order to be at war there is no peace here war has been declared against you church allow me for a moment to pull back the veil on reality to see in the scriptures what our eyes cannot see for themselves but there are many passages
• 8:57
  Which teach the reality of spiritual warfare 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 4 the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world Why because it's not a conventional war that we're fighting on the contrary. They have divine power to demolish strongholds 1st Peter 5 and verse 8 be self-controlled and alert your enemy You have an enemy He's declared war on you
• 9:19
  Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 2 Timothy 2.3. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. You are all soldiers in the Lord's army. 1 Peter 2.11. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul. In the second half of the letter to the Ephesian churches, to our church as well, it could have easily been written to Highland Baptist Church.
• 9:50
  The Apostle Paul had been encouraging the believers to holy conduct because of the life-transforming power of the gospel. He explains in the book of Ephesians, in chapters 1 through 3, what is the gospel. And then in chapter 4, in verse 1, he says, Therefore, because all of that is true, therefore walk in a manner worthy of your calling. Don't just hear the gospel and believe it. Rather, hear the gospel, believe it, and allow it to transform your life.
• 10:18
  The gospel is more than just something we sing about and pay lip service to. It's actually something that we live. He reminds his readers that they are privileged by their faith in Christ and should therefore live according to that privilege. They should abstain from a pagan lifestyle, not because they have to, but because they now understand the futility of life apart from Christ. You guys remember what it was like before Jesus? What a waste.
• 10:48
  Could anybody testify in this room, if we had time, just a hand around the microphone. Could anybody testify to the futility of life apart from Christ? What a waste. When the Bible says that he saved us out of the miry clay, that he saved us from the pit, there are some people that that's not a metaphor for. That it was very literal, that the Lord saved us out of depression, out of despair, out of addictions. And listen, church, praise God.
• 11:20
  Praise God for all those little kids on the other side of the building who are hearing the gospel from their youth. That they would believe it from their youth. Start when you're three. Don't wait until you're 30. Amen? Start when you're three. What a joy it would be. Can you imagine in your own... Maybe this is you. Maybe you were saved at a very early age.
• 11:42
  that the Lord spared you from all of those things. But can you imagine a life where you look back in your own memory and you can't even think of a time when you didn't go to church, when you didn't know the Lord, where you weren't surrounded by believers? Can you imagine what a joy that would be? What a privilege. And so here the Apostle Paul in the book of Ephesians says, don't just abstain from sin because you have to, abstain from sin because anything else is futile. Now in this final section of the letter,
• 12:09
  In chapter 6, Paul gives the reason for the urgency of the letter. He says here in chapter 6 that we are, every one of us, the church is embroiled in a cosmic war. He says that victory is available only to those who decide to get in the fight. And he says that opposition is certain. The Apostle Paul acknowledged the existence of evil.
• 12:34
  he reminded his readers that they have an enemy who hates them desperately who wants them to fail this final challenge was meant to inspire and motivate his readers to action it's like he's saying the doctrine is now over let's get in the fight and what becomes clear from the outset is that the battle cannot be won without help in other words verse 10 says if we are to achieve victory in this spiritual battle we need the lord's power look at verse 10 finally he says
• 13:04
  Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Strong strength might. But notice, strong in the Lord. Now, if any of you are students of the human condition, if you've just paid attention in your own life, you'll know that that phrase in the Lord could have just been implied. Be strong. We're like, well, of course in the Lord, because there is no strength anywhere else. It's like the older you get,
• 13:34
  Is this not true in your own life? The older you get, the more you realize how actually you're weaker than you thought you were. Not stronger. There's a phrase that I hear bounce around the church a little bit. It's this phrase, I can handle it. I can handle it. I can handle it. You know what's interesting about that phrase? I only ever hear young people say it. I never hear somebody old. I never hear a gray hair say, I can handle it. Never. You know why? Because they've realized.
• 14:07
  that they can't handle it. They have failed enough times. They have tried enough times. They have made that effort enough times that they've said, I can't handle it. The only hope that I have is that the Lord jumps in with me. That's it. Church, listen, if it relied on our own strength, if all he said was be strong in yourself and in the strength of your might, would anybody succeed? Does anybody want to stand up this morning and say, I can handle it?
• 14:37
  Like, no, nobody would. I can't handle it. Listen, I've been walking with the Lord for over 30 years. I'm the pastor of a church. I've got degrees in the Bible, right? I mean, there are some things I'm supposed to know at this point. And I'll tell you right now, I will be the first one to admit, I cannot handle it. There is no strength in my own willpower, in my own flesh. I will not win without the Lord's power.
• 15:05
  Steve Lawson has said, put your weak life into God's strong hands. He will uphold you even through the valley of the shadow of death. King David, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Can you just imagine if that was a period instead of a comma? I'm not afraid. Why? Because I'm King David. I'm a king. I mean, the mighty men work for me, right? I will fear no evil. Why does he fear no evil? For you are with me. It was the Lord's.
• 15:35
  presence that gave him confidence your rod and your staff he says they comfort me we will not win apart from the lord's power but notice also we will not achieve victory in this spiritual war without the lord's protection look at verse 11 put on the whole armor of god that you may be able to withstand the schemes of the devil you need the lord's protection it is not sufficient to simply put on some
• 16:05
  The armor of God perhaps the most important word in verse 11 and he says it again just a few verses from now verse 13 Perhaps the most important word in that text is the word whole put on the whole armor of God Not just one piece or two pieces. He says you need all of it I think sometimes we imagine the onslaught of the enemy as if we're involved in this water balloon fight
• 16:30
  Like he's taking a water balloon, and he's filling it up over there by the hose, and he's tying it off, and he's taking this one single water balloon, and he's throwing it at you, and you're like, well, you know, even if I get hit, I mean, it's not going to get me that wet, right? I mean, it's just a water balloon. Chances are it's going to bounce off me anyway. You know, like, you know, I can handle it. It's a water balloon. Well, don't think of the onslaught of the enemy as a water balloon. It's more like a fire hose.
• 16:56
  You're going to get drenched. There's no coming out of this one dry. So he says, if you want to succeed, you've got to go head to toe in the armor of God. When nations go to war, we know the citizens of those nations change their lives, the way that they live, in order to ensure victory. And in the same way, if we begin to view the world as a battleground, and if we begin to view our own souls as at stake, it should change the way that we live. You think of it this way, it will change the way.
• 17:25
  you get dressed in the morning why because we're in the middle of a cosmic wrestling match look at verse 12 for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the authorities against the cosmic powers over this present darkness against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places whether you recognize it or not you are in a wrestling match we are wrestling
• 17:51
  I got a nephew who many of you know, he attends the church here, when he was just a little, little, little squirt, just two-year-old little version of himself. We went out to visit their family. They lived in West Virginia at the time. And so I'm playing with these nephews and getting to know them and whatever, just little two-year-old version. And he would often look at me. And what was so funny about him, if I'm sitting on the couch or I'm talking in the kitchen or whatever I'm doing, he would often look at me and he's just this big and he would say, Uncle Danny.
• 18:18
  let's wrestle you know and and oftentimes when he would say it he was already wrestling like it wasn't it wasn't a one two three go you know it was i mean it was on you know and so some of the times he would even say you know he'd get down in this little crouch and he would say let's wrestle he's already in mid-air you know he's coming this wrestling match is happening i know that's exactly what it describes it as the wrestling match has already begun
• 18:47
  right the rulers spiritual rulers authorities cosmic powers or the present darkness these spiritual forces in the heavenly places have already said let's wrestle they're already in motion and he says if you want to stand you have to put on the armor of god look at verse 13 therefore because this wrestling match is happening because war has already been declared therefore take up the whole armor of god that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand firm
• 19:16
  First word of verse 14, stand. Withstand, stand, and stand. In other words, only those who have taken up the armor of God will be standing when the battle is over. Only those who are wearing the provisions that God has given will be able to stand on that evil day. Notice that phrase in verse 13.
• 19:45
  To withstand in the evil day. I don't think it's talking there about one single evil day. I think it's probably talking about all of our days. All of our days where the enemy will come against us. Every time the enemy focuses his attention on us, that is the evil day that you have to be prepared for. After the last service, after the 930 service, one of our young moms came to me and,
• 20:15
  She's been involved here at the church since she was in kindergarten, I think. She's been involved here her whole life, but now she's about 30 years old. She's got a couple of little girls, and she came to me. Before she had her daughters, she was a boxer. That's what she did. It's kind of a hobby, and she was involved in boxing. Her whole family, her dad too, was a boxer, and so he trained his sons and daughters how to box, and so she knows how to box. She could definitely wail on me if she wanted to. She was also one of our children's directors here for many years.
• 20:44
  But she said, you know what's interesting? I was talking about this idea last service, obviously. She came to me afterwards. She said, whenever I knew I had a match, if I knew there was a boxing match three, four months from now, she said, the girl that I was going to fight, and I went and watched her box a couple of times. I went to these fights. You know, like our children's director comes, Pastor Danny, you've got to come watch me beat up this girl. I'm like, okay. It's a funny thing for your children's director to say. You know, but she says, if I know I've got to fight.
• 21:13
  She says, the girl that I'm fighting does not care if I'm not prepared. She said, and I was always very careful. If I knew that I had a fight scheduled, I was careful. I had to eat right. I had to train at least three times a week. And I had to spar at least three times a week. And if I didn't do those things going into the fight, the girl that my opponent was not willing to take it easy on me. Oh, I'm sorry that you weren't prepared. I'll pull my punches. She said, I was going to get my brains beat in.
• 21:42
  and so she said if i knew that that fight was coming i had to make sure that i was ready because i know that my opponent is going to be what a great analogy for what we just described there will be a day church there is an evil day coming where the enemy will will come at you full force and he's not going to care if you're ready or not he is not going to pull his punches and so notice what he says start putting on your armor verse 14 stand therefore
• 22:12
  And he just goes through. Here are the things that you should put on every morning. Having fastened on the belt of truth. The belt of truth. Everybody in here knows what a belt does. Right? When we're young, belts are an accessory. Right? When we're young and still relatively flat stomached, you make sure that your belts match your shoes. You don't really care about what it's doing.
• 22:43
  You just make sure that it matches. It's an accessory. The older you get, the more you realize what? That belt definitely serves a purpose. If I forget to wear a belt on Sunday, I don't get to preach. You see what I'm saying? Like I wear a belt every week for your sake. Can I get an amen? That's a good spot for one. Belts serve a purpose. And we know that belts actually hold everything together. No matter what else you put on.
• 23:13
  Belts go over the outside and they hold everything else in place. And what is it that the apostle says is our belt? What is it that holds everything else in place? The truth. The truth is our belt. The truth holds everything in place. The New Testament is replete with commands. Like 2 Timothy 1 verse 14, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Guard the truth.
• 23:43
  first peter 3 15 always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you be prepared to defend the truth titus 1 9 he referring to an elder an elder must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught so that he may be able to give instruction and sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it proclaim the truth we are to
• 24:09
  hold the truth but like a belt not only are we to hold the truth the truth is supposed to hold us colossians 3 15 let the word of christ dwell in you richly jesus said in john 15 and verse 7 if you abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you abide in the truth and the truth should abide in you and so let me ask is the truth
• 24:37
  dwelling richly in you does it abide in you and think about what that means when jesus said the truth should abide in you what he meant is it should move in it should live in you and you in it the truth doesn't just come for vacations it doesn't just come to visit and then leave rather the truth should make itself at home and when we have new people into our houses
• 25:04
  You have visitors come over and have lunch at your house. You say this phrase, make yourself at home, right? We say that. It's to be hospitable. Make yourself at home. It's an invitation, right? An invitation to do what? What do we mean? When we say make yourself at home, what do we mean? Be comfortable. Take off your shoes if you'd like. Help yourself. The glasses are right above the sink, right? Grab a glass. Help yourself to water. Anything in the fridge. I mean, make yourself at home. What do we not mean? Don't start going through the closets.
• 25:37
  Right? Can you imagine if you said make yourself at home? They're like, okay, cool. And they walk upstairs and they go to your master closet and they start rummaging through stuff. Like, what are you doing? You said make yourself at home? Like, that's not what I meant. But let me tell you, church, that's exactly what Jesus meant. That's exactly what he meant. When he said abide in the truth and the truth should abide in you, that's exactly what he meant. The truth is going to go through your closets. There will be no dark corners where the light of the truth does not.
• 26:06
  shine that's exactly what he meant every dark corner every closet that the truth would abide in us notice he continues verse 14 having fastened on the belt of truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness more than anything the soldier's breastplate and modern equivalent would be a bulletproof vest your bulletproof vest was meant to protect you from attack and nothing
• 26:35
  Nothing will protect you from attack better than righteous living. The breastplate of righteousness. Can you imagine for a moment the freedom of having nothing to hide? Man, what a nice life that would be. Can you imagine? Whatever sin is kind of tickling the back of your brain right now where you're like, man, I'm glad nobody knows that. Whatever sin that is, can you imagine the liberation you would feel if you had no guilt, no shame, where you could just live your life.
• 27:08
  Wide open. That's what he's talking about. There is no better defense than a righteous life. 1 Peter 2 and verse 11. We've already read the first verse, but I'll tack on verse 12 as well. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable. Live honorable lives among the pagans.
• 27:34
  Among non-believers, that's what he's talking about. Keep your conduct among non-believers honorable so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Their bullets will bounce off of your bulletproof vest. That is righteousness in the life of a believer. Put on the bulletproof vest of righteousness. Continue in verse 15, my favorite one. And as shoes for your feet.
• 28:02
  having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. For your feet put on the shoes of the gospel. There are two ideas attached to this. I love them both. The first one is this. What does it mean that the gospel is our shoes? First, only people with their shoes on are ready for a trip. Only people with their shoes on are ready to walk out the door. You who have raised kids, you got a little three-year-old in your house, you know.
• 28:31
  Your three-year-old will come to you at some point. Daddy, I'm ready to go. And he will be standing there wearing nothing but underwear. Like, that's not what I was talking about. When I said get ready to go, when I gave you that 10 minutes, that's not what, I mean, I'm thankful for it, right? Good job. But there are some other things that are involved. It's not, you used to come to me with bare feet. No, you're not ready to go. He comes to you with flip-flops on. No, you're not ready to go to church. It's snowing. You can't be wearing flip-flops today. Put on your shoes.
• 29:00
  and socks. And only people who are ready with the gospel, he says, are wearing their shoes. Church, do you have your shoes on? Are you ready to share your faith? Does the gospel ever come out of your mouth? Why would we think we are ready to share the gospel if we never practice the gospel? You ever think about this? Practice saying the gospel. Why? So that when the day comes that the Lord really does provide you with that opportunity, words will come out of your mouth.
• 29:33
  Words will come out. The gospel is a weird thing. It's one of the only things I can think of in our lives that we expect to be good at with no practice at all. And so when that day comes that the Lord really does open a door, sometimes we fumble it, we botch it, we chicken out. In fact, we see that in our own text. Verses 19 and 20, the apostle Paul says, pray for me, pray for me that I may have courage to speak the word of God boldly as it should be declared. He was a chicken.
• 30:04
  He struggled with courage. Church, be ready to go with the gospel. That's the first one. Only people with their shoes on are ready for the trip. The second idea is this, and this is a cool picture. This seems to imply that if we are not actively sharing our faith, then we aren't actually moving. If we're not actively sharing our faith, we aren't actually moving. We aren't actually growing in our faith, and we will be stunted, both in our own spiritual maturity, but also,
• 30:35
  in the kingdom's advance if we are not ready with the shoes of the gospel look at verse 16 in all circumstances he says take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one the shield of faith faith here can be defined as firm confidence in the lord and in his word
• 30:58
  Although opposition to spiritual progress is constant, our enemy is vigilant, there will be times when the attacks will be especially focused. And it's at times like those that we will need to lean on the depth of our faith in the same way that Job leaned on the promises of God in times of confusion. So also we as believers must take up the shield of faith.
• 31:27
  He says, the shield of faith, verse 17, take the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation. One of my best friends calls his motorcycle helmet his brain bucket. It's his brain bucket. I can't forget my brain bucket as he's putting on his motorcycle helmet. Now, Paul's teaching could not be any clearer. Salvation involves your brain. It is the helmet of salvation. Right thinking preempts.
• 31:54
  right action if we are to gain victory in the battle it will be because we have renewed and transformed our minds romans chapter 12 and verse 2 do not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewal of your minds then you will be able to discern the will of god his good and pleasing and perfect will if we are to win spiritually church it is because we have put on the brain bucket of salvation
• 32:23
  Because of right thinking. If we lose, it's because we have lost the war of right thinking. My wife's very favorite verse, Philippians chapter 4 and verse 8. It says, finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Dwell on what is true. Dwell on what is pure and honorable.
• 32:53
  In other words, don't dwell on how you got skipped over. Don't dwell on the mean words somebody said to you. Don't dwell on those negative things. Instead, he says, dwell on what is true. Think about those things. Put on the helmet of salvation. And notice, finally, the last one, verse 17. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
• 33:18
  Now the Lord himself, Jesus, exemplified this statement perfectly during his threefold temptation. Three times he quoted the word of God in response to the enemy's temptation. And notice, they weren't just random statements. They were verses that fit the occasion. And in the end, he gained victory over the devil. If you want just a very simple phrase to sum it up, it would be this one. If you want to know the will of God,
• 33:46
  You must know the word of God. If you want to know the will of God, you must know the word of God. I'll bet six months ago, none of us probably could have named the president of Ukraine. But now, I'll bet we all know his name. President Zelensky. And he made, just a couple of weeks ago, as that Russian invasion was imminent, he made this statement.
• 34:17
  as world leaders including ours the president of the united states contacted him knowing that the invasion was imminent he contacted him and he said you need to get out of the country do you need help you want us to send somebody to grab you and get you out of the country and he replied with a phrase that no doubt is going to be on t-shirts and hats it will be people's campaign slogans if he survives this fight
• 34:44
  No doubt it will be his campaign slogan in the next presidential election when he replied with, I don't need a ride. I need ammunition. I don't need a ride. I need bullets. Send help. I'm in a war and I'm not retreating. I'm at war. Send ammunition. Church, we are also at war. Based on how you're currently living.
• 35:15
  Do you act like you just need a ride? Do you act like you're actually involved in the fight? Do you need more ammunition? Let us not be like those little five-year-olds in the midst of the battle, taking off our gloves, deciding it's a good time for a nap. Lord, thank you for your word, which speaks so clearly. And God, I pray. I pray, God, that we would be a people who act as though that war is real. Lord, we know it is real.
• 35:44
  So, God, may we on a daily basis put on the armor, the whole armor of God, so that we can stand firm in Jesus' name. Amen.