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The Secret of God_s Armor_ Every Christian Needs to Know This · truthunedited

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  Speaker 1: In a world invisible to our eyes, A fierce battle
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  Speaker 1: takes place every single day, a war that began before
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  Speaker 1: time itself in the heavenly courts and continues to this day,
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  Speaker 1: affecting every aspect of your life, whether you realize it
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  Speaker 1: or not. Just imagine you are under attack at this
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  Speaker 1: very moment. Fiery arrows of doubt, projectiles of fear, crushing
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  Speaker 1: blows of discouragement, all aimed directly at your heart and mind.
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  Speaker 1: And the most surprising part, you might be completely vulnerable
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  Speaker 1: without even knowing it. But what if I told you
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  Speaker 1: that God himself designed a special protection just for you,
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  Speaker 1: an armor so perfect that no blacksmith in history has
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  Speaker 1: ever been able to replicate it, a protection so complete
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  Speaker 1: that not a single weak spot was left exposed. The
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  Speaker 1: apostle Paul, chained to a Roman soldier in his prison cell,
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  Speaker 1: received an extraordinary revelation as he observed every detail of
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  Speaker 1: his guard's armor. The Holy Spirit opened his eyes to
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  Speaker 1: one of the deepest secrets of the spiritual realm, the
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  Speaker 1: armor of God. But this is not just another lesson
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  Speaker 1: on Ephesians six. What I'm about to reveal goes far
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  Speaker 1: beyond anything you've ever heard on this topic, I'm going
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  Speaker 1: to take you on a journey from the gates of
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  Speaker 1: Eden to the streets of Rome, from the battles of
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  Speaker 1: the Old Testament to the struggles you face every day.
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  Speaker 1: So are you ready to uncover the secret every Christian
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  Speaker 1: needs to know about the Armor of God. Get ready,
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  Speaker 1: because after today your spiritual life will never be the same.
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  Speaker 1: To truly understand the importance of the Armor of God,
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  Speaker 1: we need to go back to the very beginning, when
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  Speaker 1: the universe was still young and the heavens were filled
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  Speaker 1: only with the glory and worship of the Creator. At
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  Speaker 1: that time, before the creation of the earth and mankind,
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  Speaker 1: the heavenly realm was a place of perfect harmony. The
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  Speaker 1: angels celestial beings created by God served in his presence
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  Speaker 1: with joy and complete devotion. Among all these magnificent beings,
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  Speaker 1: one stood out for his beauty and special position. The
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  Speaker 1: prophet Ezekiel reveals in Chapter twenty eight, verses twelve to
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  Speaker 1: fifteen that this being was an anointed cherub, perfect in
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  Speaker 1: his ways from the day he was created. He was
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  Speaker 1: called Lucifer, the bearer of Light. Covered in precious stones,
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  Speaker 1: his beauty was unmatched, and he held a position of
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  Speaker 1: great honor on God's holy mountain. Lucifer's original role was
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  Speaker 1: to lead heavenly worship. He was like the conductor of
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  Speaker 1: divine praise, adorned with musical instruments, as shown in the
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  Speaker 1: Book of Ezekiel. His wisdom was extraordinary and he had
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  Speaker 1: direct access to the presence of God. Every movement of
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  Speaker 1: his was like a symphony of worship, and his light
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  Speaker 1: reflected the very glory of the Creator. However, something began
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  Speaker 1: to change in the heart of this magnificent being. The
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  Speaker 1: prophet Isaiah reveals in Chapter fourteen, verses twelve to fourteen
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  Speaker 1: the process that took place within him. The beauty and
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  Speaker 1: wisdom that God had given him became a source of pride.
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  Speaker 1: He started admiring his own light instead of reflecting the
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  Speaker 1: light of his Creator. In his heart, five fatal desires emerged,
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  Speaker 1: five ie wills that forever changed the course of history.
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  Speaker 1: Lucifer said in his heart, I will ascend to the heavens.
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  Speaker 1: I will raise my throne above the stars of God.
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  Speaker 1: I will sit enthroned on the mount of Assembly, on
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  Speaker 1: the utmost heights of Mount Zophon. I will ascend above
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  Speaker 1: the tops of the clouds. I will make myself like
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  Speaker 1: the most high. This was the birth of sin in
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  Speaker 1: the universe, the pride that led to rebellion against the Creator.
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  Speaker 1: But this pride did not remain confined to his heart.
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  Speaker 1: With his influence and exalted position, Lucifer began to so
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  Speaker 1: doubt among the other angels. He subtly questioned God's authority,
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  Speaker 1: suggested that there was injustice in divine rule, and insinuated
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  Speaker 1: that the angels could be more than they were. His
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  Speaker 1: words were like sweet poison seeping into celestial hearts. The
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  Speaker 1: Book of Revelation gives us a striking revelation in chapter twelve,
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  Speaker 1: verse four, when it mentions that a third of the
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  Speaker 1: stars of Heaven were swept away by the Dragon's tale.
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  Speaker 1: This is a symbolic reference to the angels who were
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  Speaker 1: seduced by Lucifer and joined his rebellion. A third of
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  Speaker 1: the celestial beings created by God and witnesses to his glory,
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  Speaker 1: chose to follow the rebellious Cherub, and so for the
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  Speaker 1: first time, Heaven knew war. What was once a kingdom
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  Speaker 1: of perfect harmony became a battlefield. Michael and his angels
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  Speaker 1: fought against the Dragon and his angels as described in
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  Speaker 1: Revelation chapter twelve, Verses seven and eight. This was not
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  Speaker 1: a battle with physical weapons, but a conflict of truth
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  Speaker 1: against lies, loyalty against betrayal, true worship against self exultation.
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  Speaker 1: The result was Lucifer's expulsion from heaven along with his followers.
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  Speaker 1: The one who was the bearer of light became Satan,
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  Speaker 1: the adversary. The anointed Cherub became the accuser of the brethren.
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  Speaker 1: His precious stones were replaced by dragon scales, his light
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  Speaker 1: turned to darkness, and his place on God's holy mountain
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  Speaker 1: was lost forever. But the war did not end with
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  Speaker 1: the expulsion. In fact, it only changed locations. When God
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  Speaker 1: created the Earth and placed man in the Garden of Eden,
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  Speaker 1: Satan saw a new opportunity. If he could no longer
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  Speaker 1: attack God's throne directly, he would attack his image on
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  Speaker 1: earth humanity. In the Garden of Eden, we find the
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  Speaker 1: first battle of this war on our planet. The strategy
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  Speaker 1: he used was the same one that had worked in heaven,
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  Speaker 1: sowing doubt about God's character. In Genesis chapter three, we
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  Speaker 1: see how the serpent, the craftiest of all creatures, approached
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  Speaker 1: Eve with an apparently innocent question, did God really say
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  Speaker 1: the same tactic of questioning God's word, suggesting that he
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  Speaker 1: was hiding something good from his creatures, insinuating that his
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  Speaker 1: rules were too restrictive. The fall of man expanded the battlefield.
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  Speaker 1: What began in the heavens now spread across the earth.
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  Speaker 1: The conflict that was once invisible to human eyes now
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  Speaker 1: affected every aspect of creation. Death entered the world, Suffering
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  Speaker 1: became a reality, and the spiritual war took on a
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  Speaker 1: new dimension, the battle for the soul of every human being.
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  Speaker 1: This is the war we are part of to day.
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  Speaker 1: It is not a distant battle or a mythical conflict.
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  Speaker 1: It is a daily reality that affects every aspect of
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  Speaker 1: our lives. The enemy we face is not just any adversary.
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  Speaker 1: He is a skilled strategist who knows our weaknesses and
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  Speaker 1: exactly where to strike. His tactics may have modernized, but
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  Speaker 1: his essence remains the same. To make us doubt God,
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  Speaker 1: his word and his love for us. That is why
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  Speaker 1: the apostle Paul warns us in Ephesians chapter six, verse
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  Speaker 1: twelve that our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
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  Speaker 1: but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this
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  Speaker 1: dark world against the spiritual forces of evil in the
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  Speaker 1: heavenly realms. This is a real, constant, and intense battle
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  Speaker 1: that requires special protection, a suit of armor designed by
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  Speaker 1: God himself to defend us in this cosmic conflict. And
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  Speaker 1: this is precisely where we begin to see the brilliance
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  Speaker 1: of God's plan. The same God who saw Lucifer's fall,
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  Speaker 1: who witnessed the seduction of a third of the angels,
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  Speaker 1: who observed the temptation in the garden, also provided us
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  Speaker 1: with complete protection, an armour not made of metal or leather,
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  Speaker 1: but of eternal and unshakable spiritual truths, a protection that,
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  Speaker 1: when understood and properly used, makes us invincible against the
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  Speaker 1: enemy's schemes. This divine protection that God has prepared for
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  Speaker 1: us was not revealed by chance through the image of armour.
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  Speaker 1: The timing and context in which Paul received this revelation
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  Speaker 1: show us God's perfect wisdom in using symbols that we
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  Speaker 1: can deeply understand. Paul was imprisoned in Rome when he
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  Speaker 1: wrote the letter to the Ephesians. As a prisoner, he
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  Speaker 1: was constantly chained to a Roman soldier in a rotating
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  Speaker 1: system that changed every six hours. Day after day, Paul
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  Speaker 1: had before his eyes a living example of what would
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  Speaker 1: become one of the most powerful analogies in scripture. The
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  Speaker 1: armor of the Roman soldier. Roman arts was not just
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  Speaker 1: any military equipment. It was the result of centuries of
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  Speaker 1: development and refinement. The Romans had studied and improved upon
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  Speaker 1: elements from every culture they had conquered. They took the
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  Speaker 1: best of Greek armor, adapted elements from the Persians, incorporated
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  Speaker 1: techniques from the Germanic tribes, and created what would be
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  Speaker 1: considered the most efficient and complete military equipment of the
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  Speaker 1: ancient world. In the Old Testament, we already find references
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  Speaker 1: to God as a warrior. In Exodus fifteen three, Moses declares,
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  Speaker 1: the Lord is a warrior. The Lord is his name.
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  Speaker 1: This image of God as a warrior appears repeatedly in
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  Speaker 1: the psalms Incearm eighteen thirty two thirty four. David singhs,
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  Speaker 1: it is God who arms me with strength and keeps
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  Speaker 1: my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet
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  Speaker 1: of a deer. He causes me to stand on the heights.
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  Speaker 1: He trains my hands for battle. My arms can bend
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  Speaker 1: a bow of bronze off Its also frequently used imagery
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  Speaker 1: of armor and battle in their messages. In Isaiah fifty
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  Speaker 1: nine seventeen, we find a striking description. He put on
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  Speaker 1: righteousness as his breastplate and the helmet of salvation on
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  Speaker 1: his head. He put on the garments of vengeance and
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  Speaker 1: wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. This passage
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  Speaker 1: is particularly significant because it shows God himself wearing elements
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  Speaker 1: that would later be described as part of spiritual armor.
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  Speaker 1: But it was in a Roman prison that Paul received
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  Speaker 1: the full revelation of the spiritual significance of this armor.
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  Speaker 1: Imagine the scene. Paul chained to a Roman soldier, carefully
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  Speaker 1: observing every detail of his equipment. He watched how the
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  Speaker 1: soldier maintained each piece, how he cleaned and adjusted them.
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  Speaker 1: He noticed the order in which they were put on,
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  Speaker 1: the specific function of each one, and how they worked
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  Speaker 1: together to provide total protection. The Roman soldier was not
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  Speaker 1: just a warrior. He was part of a highly efficient
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  Speaker 1: military machine. Every piece of his armor had been tested
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  Speaker 1: in countless battles, perfected over generations. There was not a
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  Speaker 1: single superfluous or poorly designed element. Everything had a purpose,
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  Speaker 1: Everything had a reason for being. The belt, for example,
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  Speaker 1: was not just an accessory. It was the piece that
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  Speaker 1: held the entire armor together and functional. Without it, the
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  Speaker 1: other pieces would be loose and ineffective. The breastplate protected
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  Speaker 1: not only the chest, but extended enough to cover vital organs.
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  Speaker 1: The shoes had nails on the soles, allowing the soldier
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  Speaker 1: to stand firm on any terrain and advance without slipping.
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  Speaker 1: The Roman shield, known as the scutum, was a masterpiece
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  Speaker 1: of military engineering, large enough to protect the entire body.
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  Speaker 1: It was made of multiple layers of glued wood, covered
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  Speaker 1: with leather, and re enforced with metal ledges. When soaked,
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  Speaker 1: it could extinguish flaming arrows. One of the most feared
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  Speaker 1: weapons of the time, the Roman helmet protected not only
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  Speaker 1: the top of the head, but also the back of
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  Speaker 1: the neck and the sides of the face. Some versions
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  Speaker 1: included special guards for the nose and cheeks. It was
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  Speaker 1: designed not only to defend against blows, but also to
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  Speaker 1: deflect projectiles. The Roman sword, the gladius, was a versatile
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  Speaker 1: and lethal weapon. Shorter than many swords from other her cultures,
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  Speaker 1: It was perfect for both thrusting and cutting strikes. In
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  Speaker 1: trained hands, it was one of the most efficient weapons
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  Speaker 1: ever created. Capable of penetrating the joints of an enemy's armor.
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  Speaker 1: Paul saw in this equipment a perfect analogy for the
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  Speaker 1: spiritual truths we needed to understand. Just as each piece
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  Speaker 1: of Roman armor had a specific and vital function, every
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  Speaker 1: aspect of our spiritual detection has a unique and essential purpose.
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  Speaker 1: The symbolism was not just a convenient comparison. It was
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  Speaker 1: a divine way of teaching us deep truths through images
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  Speaker 1: we good grasp. The Christians of that time, living under
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  Speaker 1: Roman rule, were very familiar with these images. They saw
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  Speaker 1: soldiers every day and knew how well equipped and trained
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  Speaker 1: they were. But the symbolism goes beyond mere physical comparison.
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  Speaker 1: Each piece of spiritual armor represents an eternal truth, an
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  Speaker 1: aspect of God's character and our relationship with him. The
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  Speaker 1: belt of Truth speaks of the fundamental importance of truth
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  Speaker 1: in our spiritual lives. The breastplate of Righteousness represents both
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  Speaker 1: the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and our own
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  Speaker 1: pursuit of sanctification. The shoes of the Gospel of Peace
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  Speaker 1: remind us that we are on a mission of peace
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  Speaker 1: even in the midst of spiritual warfare. The shield of
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  Speaker 1: Faith shows us how our trust in God can extinguish
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  Speaker 1: all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The helmet
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  Speaker 1: of salvation protects our minds with the certainty of our redemption,
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  Speaker 1: and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word
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  Speaker 1: of God, is our only offensive weapon. In modern times,
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  Speaker 1: using the image of ancient armour to talk about spiritual
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  Speaker 1: warfare might seem strange. After all, we live in an
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  Speaker 1: age of technology, guided missiles and digital warfare. But the
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  Speaker 1: symbolism of Roman armor remains perfectly relevant because the spiritual
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  Speaker 1: truths it represents are eternal. The enemy's tactics may have evolved,
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  Speaker 1: but their essence remains the same. He still attacks our
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  Speaker 1: minds with doubts, our hearts with temptations, and our peace
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  Speaker 1: with worries. And just as a Roman soldier would never
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  Speaker 1: dare to enter battle without his full armor, we too
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  Speaker 1: cannot face our spiritual battle with our being fully equipped
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  Speaker 1: with the armor God has provided for us. And this
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  Speaker 1: is where we begin to understand the vital importance of
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  Speaker 1: the belt of truth, the first piece of this divine armor.
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  Speaker 1: Just as the Roman soldier's belt held all the other
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  Speaker 1: pieces in place, Truth is the foundation that upholds all
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  Speaker 1: our spiritual protection. The Roman soldier's belt was much more
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  Speaker 1: than just a decorative accessory. It was the key piece
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  Speaker 1: that held the entire armour together and kept it functional.
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  Speaker 1: Without it, the other pieces would be loose, misaligned, and vulnerable.
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  Speaker 1: In the same way, truth in our spiritual life is
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  Speaker 1: not just another element, it is the foundation that upholds
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  Speaker 1: our entire protection in spiritual warfare. When Paul observed the
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  Speaker 1: Roman soldiers during his imprisonment, he noticed that they always
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  Speaker 1: started by putting on the belt before any other piece
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  Speaker 1: of armor. It was called a singular military and it
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  Speaker 1: had multiple functions. Besides keeping the tunic secured for greater mobility,
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  Speaker 1: the belt held the sword sheath and helped distribute the
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  Speaker 1: weight of other armor pieces. Without it, a soldier would
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  Speaker 1: be clumsy and vulnerable in battle. This image of the
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  Speaker 1: belt brings to mind several passages in scripture where being
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  Speaker 1: girded carries a special meaning. In Exodus twelve eleven, when
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  Speaker 1: God instructed the Israelites on how to eat the Passover,
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  Speaker 1: he said, this is how you shall eat it, with
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  Speaker 1: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your
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  Speaker 1: staff in your hand, and you shall eat it in haste.
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  Speaker 1: Being girded meant being prepared ready for action. In Psalm
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  Speaker 1: forty five three, we find gird your sword on your thigh,
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  Speaker 1: O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty. The act
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  Speaker 1: of girding the sword symbolized preparation for battle, takeing up authority,
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  Speaker 1: and assuming responsibility. It was a gesture that demonstrated readiness
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  Speaker 1: and commitment to the mission. But what does it mean
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  Speaker 1: to have truth as our spiritual belt. To understand this,
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  Speaker 1: we first need to grasp the biblical concept of truth.
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  Speaker 1: In John fourteen six, Jesus declares, I am the Way,
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  Speaker 1: the Truth, and the Life. Truth is not just an
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  Speaker 1: abstract concept or a set of correct facts. Truth is
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  Speaker 1: a person. Jesus is the embodiment of truth. When we
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  Speaker 1: know him, we know the truth that sets us free.
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  Speaker 1: As he himself said in John eight thirty two, then
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  Speaker 1: you will know the truth, and the truth will set
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  Speaker 1: you free. This freedom is not just from deception and lies,
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  Speaker 1: but from every kind of spiritual bondage the enemy tries
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  Speaker 1: to impose on us. Truth in our spiritual life functions
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  Speaker 1: exactly like the Roman soldier's belt, just as the belt
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  Speaker 1: held all the other pieces of armor, in place. Our
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  Speaker 1: understanding of and commitment to truth keep all other aspects
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  Speaker 1: of our spiritual life aligned and functional. Without a solid
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  Speaker 1: foundation in truth, our faith becomes unstable, our righteousness is compromised,
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  Speaker 1: and our peace is shaken. In the world where the
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  Speaker 1: concept of truth is increasingly relativized, where everyone seeks their
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  Speaker 1: own truth, the belt of Truth becomes even more essential.
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  Speaker 1: The enemy, whom Jesus described in John eight forty four
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  Speaker 1: as a liar and the father of lies, constantly works
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  Speaker 1: to distort our perception of truth. His tactics have not
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  Speaker 1: changed since the Garden of Eden, when he asked Eve,
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  Speaker 1: did God really say? He was trying to plant doubt
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  Speaker 1: about the truth of God's word. Today he continues using
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  Speaker 1: the same strategy, subtly questioning the reliability of scripture, the
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  Speaker 1: nature of God, and our identity in Christ. The belt
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  Speaker 1: of Truth protects us from these distortions in several ways. First,
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  Speaker 1: it keeps us firmly anchored in the word of God.
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  Speaker 1: Psalm one nineteen one sixty says, the sum of your
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  Speaker 1: word is truth. When we know and live by God's word,
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  Speaker 1: we develop discernment to recognize the enemies lies. No matter
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  Speaker 1: how subtle they may be. This belt also protects us
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  Speaker 1: from hypocrisy and self deception. In First John one six
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  Speaker 1: and seven, we read, if we claim to have fellowship
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  Speaker 1: with Him, yet walk in darkness, we lie and do
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  Speaker 1: not practice the truth. But if we walk in the
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  Speaker 1: light as He is in the light, we have fellowship
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  Speaker 1: with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son
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  Speaker 1: purifies us from all sin. Truth keeps us on a
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  Speaker 1: path of authenticity and transparency before God and others. Truth
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  Speaker 1: also protects us from the enemy's accusations. In Revelation twelve ten,
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  Speaker 1: Satan is called the accuser of the brethren. He tries
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  Speaker 1: to condemn us with half truths and distortions of our
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  Speaker 1: reality in Christ. But when we are rooted in the
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  Speaker 1: truth of who we are in Christ, these accusations lose
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  Speaker 1: their power over us. The belt of truth serves yet
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  Speaker 1: another vital function. It enables us to effectively serve in
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  Speaker 1: God's kingdom. In Ephesians four point fifteen, Paul exhorts us
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  Speaker 1: to speak the truth in love. Our effectiveness in ministry,
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  Speaker 1: in witnessing, in counseling, all of it depends on being
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  Speaker 1: grounded in truth and being able to communicate it with love.
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  Speaker 1: This truth must start within us. King David understood this
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  Speaker 1: deeply when he wrote in Psalm fifty one six, surely
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  Speaker 1: you desire truth in the inner parts. God wants truth
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  Speaker 1: to be an integral part of who we are, not
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  Speaker 1: just something we know or speak. It is a call
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  Speaker 1: to absolute integrity. Truth also protects us from fear. In
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  Speaker 1: Psalm ninety one four, we read his truth shall be
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  Speaker 1: your shield and butler. When we know the truth about
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  Speaker 1: God's character, his love for us, his promises, and his power,
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  Speaker 1: the fears the enemy tries to use against us lose
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  Speaker 1: their grip. Truth becomes our shield against anxiety and worry.
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  Speaker 1: In our current culture, where fate news spreads rapidly and
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  Speaker 1: misinformation is everywhere, the belt of truth becomes even more crucial.
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  Speaker 1: We must be so grounded in truth that we can
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  Speaker 1: immediately recognize and reject falsehood, no matter how convincing it
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  Speaker 1: may seem. This belt also gives us emotional stability. When
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: we know the truth about our identity in Christ, about
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: God's unconditional love, and about his plan for our lives,
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: we are no longer at the mercy of circumstances or
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: the opinions of others. Truth anchors us in something far
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: more solid than our emotions or experiences. And just as
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: the Roman soldier's belt needed to be adjusted daily, our
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: relationship with truth must be continually cultivated. Through studying the Word,
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: through prayer, through fellowship with other believers, we become increasingly
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: grounded in the truth revealed to us in Christ. But
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: the belt of truth does not work alone. It functions
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: in conjunction with the other pieces of armor, especially the
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: breastplate of righteousness, which protects our heart. For it is
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: precisely when truth and righteousness meet that we experience the
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: fullness of the protection God has designed for us. Just
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: as truth in our spiritual lives acts as the belt
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: that holds everything in place, righteousness functions as a breastplate
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: that protects our hearts. The Roman soldier's breastplate, known as
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: the Lorica segmentata, was a masterpiece of ancient military engineering.
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: Made of overlapping and articulated iron strips, it provided maximum
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: protection without compromising the soldier's mobility. This breastplate safeguarded the
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: soldier's vital organs, especially the heart and lungs. It was
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: designed to withstand both direct blows and side attacks. The
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: overlapping strips allowed the soldier to move freely while maintaining
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: essential protection. In battle, a blow to the heart would
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: be fatal. This is why the breastplate was one of
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: the most important pieces of armor. In spiritual warfare, our
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: hearts also need special protection. In the Book of Proverbs,
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: Chapter four, verse twenty three, we find this vital warning.
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: flows from it. In Biblical language, the heart is not
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: merely the physical organ, but the center of our emotions,
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: will and decisions. But what does it mean to wear
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: the breastplate of righteousness? To fully understand this, we must
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: recognize that Scripture speaks of two aspects of righteousness, the
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: righteousness imputed to us by Christ and the practical righteousness
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: we live out daily. The first aspect is the righteousness
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: we receive at the moment of salvation. In tewod Corinthians
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: five twenty one, we read God made him who had
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: no sin, to be sin for us, so that in
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: him we might become the righteousness of God. This is
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: imputed righteousness. When we accept Christ, his perfect righteousness is
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: credited to our account. This truth is revolutionary because it
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: means that our protection does not depend on our own
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: ability to be righteous. In Isaiah sixty four to six,
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: the prophet declares, all of us have become like one
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: filthy rags. Our own righteous bousness would be an inadequate defense,
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: like a breastplate made of fabric. But Christ's righteousness is
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: perfect and impenetrable. In Romans three twenty one twenty two,
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: Paul explains, but now apart from the law, the righteousness
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: of God has been made known, to which the law
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: and the prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: in Jesus Christ to all who believe. This righteousness protects
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: us from the enemy's accusations, condemnation, and guilt. The second
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: aspect is the practical righteousness that we develop in our
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: walk with God. This is not the basis of our salvation,
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: but the result of it. In First John three seven,
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: we find, dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray.
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  Speaker 1: The one who does what is right is righteous, just
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: as He is righteous. Our lives should reflect the righteousness
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: we have received. This pactical righteousness manifests in our daily decisions,
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: our behavior and how we treat others. In Mica six weight,
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: the prophet summarizes, he has shown you, o mortal, what
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: is good? And what does the Lord require of you?
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: humbly with your God. The breastplate of righteousness protects us
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: in several ways. First, it defends us against the enemy's accusations.
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: Satan is called the accuser of the brothers, and he
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: often tries to make us doubt our standing in Christ.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: But when we are clothed in Christ's righteousness, we can respond,
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: as Paul does in Romans eight thirty three. Who will
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: is God who justifies. This breastplate also protects us from
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: bitterness and resentment. When we know that God is just
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: and that He will execute justice in his perfect timing,
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: we do not need to carry the burden of seeking
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: justice ourselves. In Romans twelve nineteen, we are instructed, do
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: God's wrath. For it is written it is mine to
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: avenge I will repay, says the Lord. Righteousness also shields
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: us from discouragement when we face injustice. In Psalm thirty
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: seven five six, we find this comforting promise. Commit your
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: way to the Lord. Trust in him, and he will
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: do this. He will make your righteous reward shine like
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: the dawn, your vindication like the noon day sun. A
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: crucial aspect of the breastplate of righteousness is that it
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: protects our hearts from the corrupting influences of the world.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: In James one twenty seven, we read religion that God,
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: our Father accepts as pure and faultless, as this to
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: look after orphans and widows in their distress, and to
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: keep oneself from being polluted by the world. This protection
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: is especially important in our digital age, where we are
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: constantly bombarded with content that can contaminate our hearts. The
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: breastplate of righteousness helps us maintain a pure heart amid
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: an increasingly corrupt culture. As Jesus taught in the Sermon
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: on the Mount in Matthew five eight, Blessed are the
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: pure in heart, for they will see God. Righteousness also
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: protects us from spiritual pride. When we understand that our
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: righteousness comes from Christ and not from ourselves, there is
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: no room for boasting. Paul expresses this clearly in Philippians
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: three eight nine, be that I may gain Christ and
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: own that comes from the law, but that which is
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God.
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: On the basis of faith, this breastplate must be maintained
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: and cared for daily. Just as the Roman soldier regularly
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: cleaned and adjusted his breastplate. We must keep our lives
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: in constant alignment with God's righteousness. This involves regular confession
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: of sins, as found in First John one nine. If
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: The breastplate of righteousness also gives us confidence to approach God.
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: In Hebrews ten nineteen twenty two, we are encouraged therefore,
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: most holy place by the blood of Jesus. Let us
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: draw near to God with a sincere heart and with
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: to cleanse us from a guilty conscience. And just as
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: the Roman breastplate was most effective when worn together with
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: the other pieces of armour, our righteousness in Christ, works
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: in harmony with truth, peace, faith, and all the other
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: other spiritual protections God has provided. To keep this protection effective,
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: we must have our feet firmly fitted with the readiness
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: of the Gospel of Peace. The shoes of the Roman
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: soldier were much more than simple footwear. They were an
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: essential tool of war known as kaligai. These were sturdy
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: sandals made of durable leather, with thick soles and strategically
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: placed nails to provide traction on any terrain. These nails
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: not only prevented the soldier from slipping, but also allowed
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: him to move confidently over rough ground and maintain a
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: firm stance in battle. When Paul observed these shoes on
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: the feet of Roman gods, he saw in them the
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: perfect symbolism for another vital aspect of our spiritual armor,
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. In Ephesians six
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: point fifteen, he instructs us to have our feet fitted
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace.
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: But what does it mean to be fitted with the
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: Gospel of Peace. To fully grasp this, we first need
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: to understand what this Gospel is In Romans one sixteen,
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: Paul declares, for I am not ashamed of the Gospel
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: of Christ, for it is the power of God for
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: salvation to every one who believes. The Gospel is not
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: just a message, it is God's transformative power in action.
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: This message is called the Gospel of Peace because its
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: first and most fundamental effect is to establish peace between
• 31:32
  Speaker 1: God and man. In Romans five one, we read therefore,
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: since we have been justified by faith, we have peace
• 31:42
  Speaker 1: with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This peace with
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: God is the foundation that enables us to stand firm
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: in any circumstance. The shoes of the Gospel provide stability
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: in various ways. First, they allow us to stand firm
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: on God's promises even when the ground beneath us feels unsteady.
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: In Isaiah twenty six, p. Three, we find this assurance.
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: steadfast because they trust in you. This peace is not
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: superficial or temporary. In John fourteen twenty seven, Jesus makes
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: an important distinction peace I leave with you my peace
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: I give you. I do not give to you as
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled,
• 32:28
  Speaker 1: and do not be afraid. The peace that the Gospel
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: brings is deep and enduring, capable of sustaining us even
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: in the most difficult circumstances. Just as the nails in
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: the Roman Sandals allowed soldiers to maintain their footing on
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: slippery ground, the peace of the Gospel keeps us steady
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: when facing life's challenges. In Philippians four six, p. Seven,
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: Paul teaches, do not be anxious about anything, but in
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: requests to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: Christ Jesus. But the shoes of the Gospel are not
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: just for our own stability. They also equip us to
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: carry this message of peace to others. In Isaiah fifty
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: two seven, we find this beautiful description, how beautiful on
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation,
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: who say, to Zion, your God reigns. This readiness to
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: share the Gospel is crucial in our spiritual battle. In
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: Prins Peter three point fifteen. We are instructed, but in
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: give an answer to every one who asks you to
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: give the reason for the hope that you have. But
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: do this with gentleness and respect. The shoes of the
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: Gospel also protect us as we walk through hostile environments
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: in a world increasingly opposed to Christ's message. We must
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: be well equipped with the assurance of our peace with God.
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: In Matthew ten sixteen, Jesus warns, I am sending you
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as serpents,
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: and as innocent as doves. The peace that the Gospel
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: brings does not mean the absence of conflict. In fact,
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: Jesus warned us in John sixteen thirty three, I have
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: told you these things so that in me you may
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: have peace. In this world you will have trouble, But
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: take heart, I have overcome the world. The shoes of
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: the Gospel enable us to face these struggles without losing
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: our inner peace. This peace also empowers us to be
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: peacemakers in a world full of conflict. In the Sermon
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: on the Mount recorded in Matthew five nine, Jesus declares,
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: children of God. When we are firmly grounded in our
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: peace with God, we can help others find that same peace.
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: The shoes of the Gospel keep us steady when we
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: face persecution for our faith. In verse Peter four fourteen,
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: we read, if you are insulted because of the name
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: of Christ, you are blessed, for the spirit of glory
• 35:21
  Speaker 1: and of God rests on you. Our inner peace does
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: not depend on the world's approval, but on our position
• 35:29
  Speaker 1: in Christ. Just as Roman soldiers needed to keep their
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: shoes in good condition, we must keep our readiness in
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: the Gospel fresh and strong. This involves continually studying God's word.
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: As Paul instructs Timothy and two Timothy two fifteen, do
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: your best to present yourself to God as one approved,
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: a worker who does not need to be ashamed, and
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: who correctly handles the Word of truth. This preparation also
• 35:58
  Speaker 1: includes actively practicing peace in our own lives. In Colossians
• 36:03
  Speaker 1: three point fifteen, we are exhorted let the peace of
• 36:06
  Speaker 1: Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body,
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: you were called to peace and be thankful. The more
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: we experience this peace in our own lives, the more
• 36:18
  Speaker 1: effectively we can share it with others. The shoes of
• 36:22
  Speaker 1: the Gospel allow us to move forward with confidence into
• 36:25
  Speaker 1: enemy territory, as Paul declares in Second Corinthians ten three four,
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: for though we live in the world, we do not
• 36:33
  Speaker 1: wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary,
• 36:40
  Speaker 1: they have divine power to demolish strongholds. And just as
• 36:45
  Speaker 1: the Roman soldier's shoes were essential for both offense and defense,
• 36:50
  Speaker 1: our readiness with the Gospel of Peace serves both to
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: keep us firm in our faith and to advance with
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: the message of Christ. This firmness becomes even more effective
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: when paired with our next piece of protection, the shield
• 37:05
  Speaker 1: of faith, which defends us against the enemies direct attacks.
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: The Roman soldiers shield, known as the scutum, was a
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: masterpiece of ancient military engineering. Measuring approximately one point two
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: meters in height and seventy five centimeters in width, it
• 37:23
  Speaker 1: was large enough to protect the soldier's entire body. Its
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: construction was meticulous, multiple layers of wood glued in different
• 37:31
  Speaker 1: directions for added strength, covered with leather and reinforced with
• 37:35
  Speaker 1: metal edges. Before battles, soldiers would soak their shields in water,
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: a technique that helped extinguish the dreaded flaming arrows of
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: their enemies. Paul uses this powerful image to teach us
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: about the shield of faith. In the Book of Ephesians,
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: chapter six, verse sixteen, he writes, above all, taking the
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: shield of faith, with which you will be able to
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. The
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: phrase above all is significant. It highlights the supreme importance
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: of this piece of armor. But what exactly is this
• 38:10
  Speaker 1: faith that protects us like a shield? In Hebrews chapter eleven,
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: verse one, we find a clear definition. Now, faith is
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things
• 38:22
  Speaker 1: not seen. This faith is not a vague feeling or
• 38:26
  Speaker 1: mere positive thinking. It is an unwavering conviction based on
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: God's promises. The shield of faith is our first line
• 38:35
  Speaker 1: of defense against the enemy's attacks. Just as the Roman
• 38:39
  Speaker 1: shield was mobile and could be quickly positioned to intercept
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: strikes from any direction, our faith must always be active
• 38:47
  Speaker 1: and ready to defend us. In Verse Peter, chapter five,
• 38:50
  Speaker 1: verse eight, we are warned be sober, be vigilant, because
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion,
• 38:59
  Speaker 1: seeking whom he may devour. The fiery darts of the
• 39:03
  Speaker 1: enemy come in many forms. One of the most common
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: is doubt. Since the Garden of Eden, when the serpent asked,
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: has God indeed said? The enemy has used doubt to
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: try to penetrate our spiritual defenses. But the shield of
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: faith protects us when we remember what is written in Numbers,
• 39:21
  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty three, verse nineteen. God is not a man
• 39:26
  Speaker 1: that he should lie, nor a son of man that
• 39:29
  Speaker 1: he should repent. Has he said and will he not do?
• 39:34
  Speaker 1: Or has he spoken? And will he not make it good?
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: Another flaming dart is fear. In times of uncertainty and danger,
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: fear can seem like a natural response, but our faith
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: reminds us of what is written in Psalm ninety one,
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: Verses four and five. He shall cover you with his feathers,
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: and under his wings you shall take refuge. His truth
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be
• 40:00
  Speaker 1: afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow
• 40:03
  Speaker 1: that flies by day. Temptation is another powerful dart that
• 40:07
  Speaker 1: the enemy uses against us. But the shield of faith
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: reminds us of what is written in First Corinthians, Chapter ten,
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: verse thirteen. No temptation has overtaken you, except such as
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: is common to man. But God is faithful, who will
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: But with the temptation will also make the way of
• 40:29
  Speaker 1: escape that you may be able to bear it. Discouragement
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: is a particularly dangerous dart. When circumstances seem overwhelming and
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: problems pile up. The enemy tries to make us give up,
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: But our faith reminds us of the words of the
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: prophet Habakuk in Chapter three, verses seventeen and eighteen. Though
• 40:51
  Speaker 1: the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on
• 40:54
  Speaker 1: the vines, though the labor of the olive may fail,
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: and the fields yield no foods. Food, though the flock
• 41:02
  Speaker 1: may be cut off from the fold, and there be
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: no herd in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation.
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: Condemnation is another dart the enemy frequently uses. He tries
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: to make us doubt our salvation and God's forgiveness. But
• 41:20
  Speaker 1: the shield of faith reminds us of what is written
• 41:22
  Speaker 1: in Romans Chapter eight, verse one. There is therefore now
• 41:27
  Speaker 1: no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. A
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: unique feature of the Roman shield was its ability to
• 41:35
  Speaker 1: be used in formation with other shields. Soldiers could join together,
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: creating an impenetrable wall of shields, a formation called the
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: testudo tortoise. Similarly, our faith is strengthened when we stand
• 41:51
  Speaker 1: together with other believers. In Hebrews Chapter ten, verses twenty
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: four and twenty five, we are encouraged, and let us
• 41:59
  Speaker 1: consider one another in order to stir up love and
• 42:02
  Speaker 1: good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as
• 42:07
  Speaker 1: is the manner of some, but exhorting one another. Faith
• 42:11
  Speaker 1: also grows through trials. In First Peter chapter one, verses
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: six and seven, we read in this you greatly rejoice,
• 42:19
  Speaker 1: though now for a little while, if need be, you
• 42:22
  Speaker 1: have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of
• 42:27
  Speaker 1: your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes,
• 42:31
  Speaker 1: though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise,
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our
• 42:38
  Speaker 1: faith must be nourished daily through the word of God.
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: In Romans chapter ten, verse seventeen, Paul explains, so then
• 42:46
  Speaker 1: faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: The more we feed on God's word, the stronger our
• 42:54
  Speaker 1: shield of faith becomes. The shield of faith also protects
• 42:58
  Speaker 1: us from anxiety and worry. In Philippians chapter four, verses
• 43:03
  Speaker 1: six and seven, we are instructed be anxious for nothing,
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. Let
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: your requests be made known to God. And the peace
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: and minds through Christ Jesus. This faith is not static.
• 43:24
  Speaker 1: It grows and strengthens with use. Every time we face
• 43:28
  Speaker 1: a challenge and choose to trust in God, our faith
• 43:32
  Speaker 1: becomes more robust. As Paul testifies in Two Timothy chapter four,
• 43:37
  Speaker 1: verse seven, I have fought the good fight. I have
• 43:40
  Speaker 1: finished the race. I have kept the faith. The shield
• 43:43
  Speaker 1: of faith also protects us from discouragement when our prayers
• 43:47
  Speaker 1: seem unanswered. We remember what Jesus taught in the Gospel
• 43:51
  Speaker 1: of Luke chapter eighteen, verse one. Then he spoke a
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: parable to them that men always ought to pray and
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: not lose heart, And just as the Roman shield needed
• 44:01
  Speaker 1: to be maintained in good condition to be effective in battle.
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: Our faith must be constantly strengthened and exercised. This happens
• 44:10
  Speaker 1: through prayer, studying the Word, fellowship with other believers, and
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: actively obeying God's commands. But this protection is not complete
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: without the next vital piece of our armor, the helmet
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: of salvation, which guards our minds against the enemy's attacks.
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: The Roman soldier's helmet, known as the galaia, was a
• 44:31
  Speaker 1: sophisticated piece of military engineering made of bronze or iron.
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: It protected not only the top of the head, but
• 44:39
  Speaker 1: also the back of the neck and the sides of
• 44:42
  Speaker 1: the face. Some versions included special guards for the nose
• 44:47
  Speaker 1: and cheeks. It was designed not only to defend against
• 44:51
  Speaker 1: direct blows, but also to deflect at tax that could
• 44:54
  Speaker 1: be fatal. Paul uses this image of the helmet to
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: teach us about the vital protection of our minds through salvation.
• 45:02
  Speaker 1: In the Book of Ephesians, chapter six, verse seventeen, he
• 45:05
  Speaker 1: instructs us to take the helmet of salvation. This is
• 45:09
  Speaker 1: not the first time salvation is compared to a helmet
• 45:12
  Speaker 1: in scripture. In the Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty nine,
• 45:16
  Speaker 1: verse seventeen. We find God himself wearing the helmet of
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: Salvation on his head, showing the antiquity and importance of
• 45:25
  Speaker 1: this symbolism. The mind is one of the primary battlefields
• 45:29
  Speaker 1: in spiritual warfare. It is where our decisions are made,
• 45:33
  Speaker 1: where our faith is challenged, and where our perception of
• 45:37
  Speaker 1: reality is formed. In the Book of Romans chapter twelve,
• 45:41
  Speaker 1: verse two, Paul emphasizes the importance of the mind. Do
• 45:46
  Speaker 1: not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
• 45:49
  Speaker 1: transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: be able to test and approve what God's will is,
• 45:56
  Speaker 1: his good, pleasing and perfect will. The helmet of Salvation
• 46:01
  Speaker 1: primarily protects us through the assurance of our redemption. In
• 46:06
  Speaker 1: the Book of First John chapter five, verse thirteen, we
• 46:08
  Speaker 1: read I write these things to you who believe in
• 46:11
  Speaker 1: the name of the Son of God, so that you
• 46:14
  Speaker 1: may know that you have eternal life. This assurance is
• 46:18
  Speaker 1: our defense against the doubts the enemy tries to plant
• 46:21
  Speaker 1: in our minds about our position in Christ. Salvation has
• 46:25
  Speaker 1: three temporal aspects that we need to understand, past, present,
• 46:29
  Speaker 1: and future. In the past, we were saved from the
• 46:33
  Speaker 1: penalty of sin at the moment we believed in Christ,
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: as Paul declares in Ephesians chapter two, verses eight and nine.
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: For it is by grace you have been saved through faith,
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift
• 46:48
  Speaker 1: of God, not by works, so that no one can
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: boast in the present. We are being saved from the
• 46:56
  Speaker 1: power of sin through the process of sanctification. In Philippians
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: chapter two, verse twelve, Paul exhorts us continue to work
• 47:04
  Speaker 1: out your salvation with fear and trembling. This is an
• 47:10
  Speaker 1: ongoing salvation that we experience day by day as we
• 47:14
  Speaker 1: grow in Christ. In the future, we will be saved
• 47:17
  Speaker 1: from the very presence of sin when Christ returns, as
• 47:21
  Speaker 1: Paul states in Romans chapter thirteen, verse eleven. And do
• 47:25
  Speaker 1: this understanding the present time. The hour has already come
• 47:30
  Speaker 1: for you to wake up from your slumber, because our
• 47:33
  Speaker 1: salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The
• 47:37
  Speaker 1: helmet of salvation protects us from thoughts of condemnation. In
• 47:41
  Speaker 1: Romans chapter eight, verses thirty three and thirty four, Paul argues,
• 47:46
  Speaker 1: who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
• 47:50
  Speaker 1: It is God who justifies, who then is the one
• 47:53
  Speaker 1: who condemns no onn Christ. Jesus, who died more than that,
• 47:58
  Speaker 1: who was raised to life, is at the right hand
• 48:00
  Speaker 1: of God and is also interceding for us. This protection
• 48:05
  Speaker 1: is vital because the enemy often tries to use our
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: past failures against us. But the helmet of salvation reminds
• 48:12
  Speaker 1: us of what is written in Second Corinthians chapter five,
• 48:16
  Speaker 1: verse seventeen. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, the
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: new creation has come, the old has gone, the new
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: is here. The helmet also protects us from the fear
• 48:29
  Speaker 1: of the future. In tewod Timothy chapter one, verse seven,
• 48:32
  Speaker 1: we read for the spirit God gave us does not
• 48:36
  Speaker 1: make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self discipline.
• 48:41
  Speaker 1: The certainty of our salvation gives us confidence to face
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: any future situation. Our minds must be constantly renewed by
• 48:51
  Speaker 1: the truth of salvation. In Collosians chapter three, verses one
• 48:55
  Speaker 1: and two, Paul instructs us, since then you have been
• 49:00
  Speaker 1: raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where
• 49:05
  Speaker 1: Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set
• 49:09
  Speaker 1: your minds on things above, not on earthly things. The
• 49:12
  Speaker 1: helmet of salvation also protects us from anxiety about our
• 49:16
  Speaker 1: eternal security. Jesus assures us in the Gospel of John
• 49:21
  Speaker 1: chapter ten, verses twenty eight and twenty nine. I give
• 49:25
  Speaker 1: them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one
• 49:29
  Speaker 1: will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who
• 49:33
  Speaker 1: has given them to me, is greater than all. No
• 49:36
  Speaker 1: one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. This
• 49:39
  Speaker 1: protection extends to thoughts of despair and depression as well.
• 49:43
  Speaker 1: In Psalm forty two, verse five, David speaks to himself,
• 49:47
  Speaker 1: Why my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
• 49:51
  Speaker 1: Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,
• 49:54
  Speaker 1: my savior and my God. The helmet of salvation helps
• 49:58
  Speaker 1: us maintain this eturn perspective even in difficult moments. Salvation
• 50:03
  Speaker 1: also renews the way we think about ourselves. In First
• 50:07
  Speaker 1: Peter chapter two, verse nine, we are reminded, but you
• 50:12
  Speaker 1: are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
• 50:17
  Speaker 1: God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of
• 50:21
  Speaker 1: Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
• 50:24
  Speaker 1: The helmet must be kept firmly in place through the
• 50:27
  Speaker 1: constant renewal of our minds. In Philippians chapter four, verse eight,
• 50:33
  Speaker 1: Paul gives us practical guidance. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever
• 50:38
  Speaker 1: is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
• 50:43
  Speaker 1: whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent
• 50:48
  Speaker 1: or praiseworthy, think about such things. This mental protection is
• 50:52
  Speaker 1: especially important in our era of constant information and mental overload.
• 50:58
  Speaker 1: The helmet of salvation helps us filter what we allow
• 51:02
  Speaker 1: into our minds. As Solomon warns in Proverbs chapter four,
• 51:06
  Speaker 1: verse twenty three, above all else, guard your heart, for
• 51:12
  Speaker 1: everything you do flows from it. And just as the
• 51:15
  Speaker 1: Roman soldier's helmet was the last line of defense for
• 51:19
  Speaker 1: his head, the helmet of salvation is our final protection
• 51:23
  Speaker 1: against the enemy's mental attacks. But to be truly effective
• 51:28
  Speaker 1: in spiritual warfare, we also need an offensive weapon, the
• 51:31
  Speaker 1: sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: The Roman sword, known as the Gladius, was an extraordinary
• 51:40
  Speaker 1: weapon in its simplicity and effectiveness. Measuring about fifty to
• 51:45
  Speaker 1: sixty centimeters in length, it was shorter than many swords
• 51:49
  Speaker 1: from other cultures. This characteristic made it ideal for both
• 51:53
  Speaker 1: thrusting attacks and cutting strikes. In trained hands, it could
• 51:57
  Speaker 1: pierce through the joints of an enemy's armor with lethal precision.
• 52:03
  Speaker 1: Paul identifies our spiritual offensive weapon in the Book of Evisions,
• 52:07
  Speaker 1: chapter six, verse seventeen. Take the sword of the Spirit,
• 52:11
  Speaker 1: which is the Word of God. It is significant that
• 52:14
  Speaker 1: this is the only offensive weapon in the entire armor.
• 52:18
  Speaker 1: Just as the Roman Gladius was precise and effective, the
• 52:21
  Speaker 1: Word of God has the power to penetrate deep into
• 52:25
  Speaker 1: the human soul. In the Book of Hebrews chapter four,
• 52:28
  Speaker 1: verse twelve, we find a powerful description of this power.
• 52:32
  Speaker 1: For the Word of God is living and active, sharper
• 52:36
  Speaker 1: than any double edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing
• 52:40
  Speaker 1: soul and spirit joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts
• 52:45
  Speaker 1: and attitudes of the heart. This is no ordinary weapon.
• 52:49
  Speaker 1: It is alive and powerful. Jesus himself demonstrated the effective
• 52:53
  Speaker 1: use of this sword during his temptation in the wilderness.
• 52:57
  Speaker 1: In the Gospel of Matthew chapter four, we see how
• 53:00
  Speaker 1: how he responded to each of Satan's temptations with it
• 53:03
  Speaker 1: is written quoting the Word of God with precision and authority.
• 53:08
  Speaker 1: He did not argue, he did not philosophize. He simply
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: wielded the sword of the Spirit with mastery. The Greek
• 53:16
  Speaker 1: word Paul used for word in Ephesians six seventeen is reema,
• 53:21
  Speaker 1: which refers to the spoken word declared and applied to
• 53:25
  Speaker 1: a specific situation. This teaches us that it is not
• 53:29
  Speaker 1: enough to simply know the word of God. We must
• 53:32
  Speaker 1: know how to apply it in every situation we face.
• 53:36
  Speaker 1: In Psalm one hundred nineteen, verse eleven, David declares, I
• 53:40
  Speaker 1: have hidden your word in my heart that I might
• 53:43
  Speaker 1: not sin against you. This sword has the power to
• 53:47
  Speaker 1: destroy mental and spiritual strongholds. In the Book of Said
• 53:51
  Speaker 1: Corinthians chapter ten, verses four and five, Paul explains, for
• 53:57
  Speaker 1: the weapons of our warfare are not of the flots,
• 54:00
  Speaker 1: but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments
• 54:06
  Speaker 1: and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,
• 54:11
  Speaker 1: and take every thought captive to obey Christ. The word
• 54:15
  Speaker 1: of God is our defense against deception, Jesus warns us
• 54:19
  Speaker 1: in the Gospel of Matthew chapter twenty four, verse twenty four,
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: for false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform
• 54:27
  Speaker 1: great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible,
• 54:31
  Speaker 1: even the elect our. Protection against deception is a deep
• 54:34
  Speaker 1: knowledge of the truth found in the scriptures. In the
• 54:37
  Speaker 1: Book of Psalms, chapter nineteen, verses seven to eleven, we
• 54:41
  Speaker 1: find a beautiful description of the benefits of God's word.
• 54:46
  Speaker 1: The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
• 54:55
  Speaker 1: The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to
• 54:58
  Speaker 1: the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving
• 55:02
  Speaker 1: light to the eyes. They are sweeter than honey, than
• 55:05
  Speaker 1: honey from the comb. By them, your servant is warned
• 55:09
  Speaker 1: in keeping them. There is great reward To effectively wield
• 55:13
  Speaker 1: this sword. We must follow the example of the Barians
• 55:17
  Speaker 1: mentioned in the Book of Acts, chapter seventeen, verse eleven.
• 55:22
  Speaker 1: Now the Barians were of more noble character than those
• 55:26
  Speaker 1: in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness,
• 55:31
  Speaker 1: and examine the scriptures every day to see if what
• 55:34
  Speaker 1: Paul said was true. Diligent study of the Word prepares
• 55:38
  Speaker 1: us for the challenges we will face. The Power of
• 55:41
  Speaker 1: this sword manifests in various ways. In the Book of Isaiah,
• 55:46
  Speaker 1: chapter fifty five, verses ten and eleven, God declares as
• 55:51
  Speaker 1: the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and
• 55:54
  Speaker 1: do not return to it without watering the earth and
• 55:57
  Speaker 1: making it bud and flourish, so that it yield seed
• 56:01
  Speaker 1: for the soeren and bread for the eater. So is
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: my word that goes out from my mouth. It will
• 56:07
  Speaker 1: not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I
• 56:10
  Speaker 1: desire and achieve the purpose for which I scent it.
• 56:14
  Speaker 1: This sword also has the power to bring life and restoration.
• 56:18
  Speaker 1: In the Book of Ezekiel chapter thirty seven, we see
• 56:21
  Speaker 1: the power of the prophetic word transforming a valley of
• 56:25
  Speaker 1: dry bones into a living army. The word of God
• 56:28
  Speaker 1: has the power to bring life where there is death,
• 56:32
  Speaker 1: hope where there is despair, and order where there is chaos.
• 56:36
  Speaker 1: Jesus emphasize the vital importance of the word when he
• 56:39
  Speaker 1: quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy chapter eight, verse three.
• 56:44
  Speaker 1: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
• 56:47
  Speaker 1: word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The word
• 56:51
  Speaker 1: is our spiritual nourishment, as essential for our spiritual survival
• 56:56
  Speaker 1: as food is for our physical life. The Apostle also
• 57:00
  Speaker 1: highlights the importance of the word in his First Letter,
• 57:04
  Speaker 1: Chapter one, verses twenty three to twenty five, for you
• 57:08
  Speaker 1: have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of
• 57:12
  Speaker 1: imperishable through the living and enduring Word of God. But
• 57:16
  Speaker 1: the Word of the Lord endures forever. To wield this
• 57:20
  Speaker 1: sword effectively, we must follow Paul's instruction to Timothy in
• 57:24
  Speaker 1: the Book of Tewo Timothy chapter two, verse fifteen. Do
• 57:28
  Speaker 1: your best to present yourself to God as one approved
• 57:32
  Speaker 1: a worker who does not need to be ashamed, and
• 57:35
  Speaker 1: who correctly handles the Word of truth. The term correctly
• 57:40
  Speaker 1: handles in Greek means to cut straight, a reference to
• 57:44
  Speaker 1: the precision required in using the word. The sword of
• 57:47
  Speaker 1: the Spirit is especially powerful when used alongside prayer. In
• 57:52
  Speaker 1: the Book of Ephesians chapter six, verse eighteen, immediately after
• 57:56
  Speaker 1: mentioning the sword, Paul adds, and pray in the spirit
• 58:00
  Speaker 1: on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests.
• 58:05
  Speaker 1: The word and prayer are inseparable companions in spiritual warfare.
• 58:10
  Speaker 1: In our digital age, where we are constantly bombarded with
• 58:13
  Speaker 1: information and opinions, the sword of the Spirit helps us
• 58:17
  Speaker 1: discern truth from falsehood. As Paul warns in the Book
• 58:21
  Speaker 1: of Tewo Timothy chapter four, verses three and four. For
• 58:25
  Speaker 1: the time will come when people will not put up
• 58:28
  Speaker 1: with sound doctrine. They will turn their ears away from
• 58:31
  Speaker 1: the truth and turn aside to myths. This sword is
• 58:34
  Speaker 1: not only for our personal defense, it is also for
• 58:37
  Speaker 1: the building up of the body of Christ. In the
• 58:41
  Speaker 1: Book of Second Timothy, Chapter three, verses sixteen and seventeen,
• 58:45
  Speaker 1: Paul declares all scripture is God breathed and is useful
• 58:50
  Speaker 1: for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that
• 58:55
  Speaker 1: the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
• 58:58
  Speaker 1: good work. This is the full armor of God, from
• 59:03
  Speaker 1: the truth that girds us to the word that arms us.
• 59:07
  Speaker 1: Each piece is essential. Each element has its specific purpose,
• 59:12
  Speaker 1: and when used in its entirety, it makes us invincible
• 59:15
  Speaker 1: in the spiritual battles we face daily. As Paul states
• 59:19
  Speaker 1: in the Book of Romans, Chapter eight, verse thirty seven,
• 59:23
  Speaker 1: know in all these things we are more than conquerors
• 59:27
  Speaker 1: through Him who loved us. Beloved brother, dear sister, you
• 59:31
  Speaker 1: now not only know each piece of the armor of God,
• 59:35
  Speaker 1: but also the power it holds to transform your spiritual life.
• 59:40
  Speaker 1: This isn't a message to be kept to yourself. It's
• 59:43
  Speaker 1: a truth that needs to be shared. If this teaching
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: has touched your heart and given you a new perspective
• 59:49
  Speaker 1: on your spiritual battle, don't keep it to yourself. Share
• 59:54
  Speaker 1: this video with those you love. Who knows someone right
• 59:58
  Speaker 1: now might be in need of exactly this word of
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 1: hope and strength. If you haven't subscribed to our channel yet,
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: now is the time. Click the subscribe button and turn
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 1: on the notification bell so you won't miss any of
• 1:00:10
  Speaker 1: our upcoming in depth Bible studies. Also leave a comment
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 1: sharing which piece of the armor impacted you the most.
• 1:00:18
  Speaker 1: To day, your experience could encourage other brothers and sisters
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 1: in the faith. Made the Lord bless you and clothe
• 1:00:26
  Speaker 1: you with his full armor. See you in the next video.