Ephesians 6

So people saw the word.

which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life this is apostle john talking paul said we declare to you the word of life john said we touch the word of life he was talking about jesus impersonata they touch it so the word of faith is a person Christianity is not a religion it is a person we are not following a set of rules we are following a person we are not serving organizations we are following a person we are not following dogma and and and what do they call philosophy no we are following a person and he is called the word of faith now so when you hear the word when you feed on the word it builds your faith and faith is a shield Ephesians 6 16 taking the shield of faith so you become a champion in life when the word of faith comes into you not when you graduate as a policeman or life is spiritual above all taking the shield of faith what what will you do you quench all the fury that's of the wicked all the arrows that are being shot all the wicked are sinners you only survive them when you have the word of faith so now therefore we are looking at some points the word is the source of faith romans 10 17 you can never have faith without the word and faith is what makes all things possible so you want to live in a world of all round possibilities then you need faith you want your health to be intact you want your life to be intact then you need faith but faith has a source the bible is the source of faith when you hear the word it builds your faith so strong that you can walk through life cheaply as if trouble does not exist you walk through life as if trouble anywhere can break loose your spirit is in that abarimo you have a bad dream your spirit is in that they say people are coming for you your spirit is in that why you become stronger than the one in the world say he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world now you sound so strong against every contrary wind that is brewing because you have eaten the word of faith the only way to go through life with confidence and dominate all the affairs of life is to feed on the word of faith feed on the word of faith You see people say, I am afraid.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Such things don't happen to you.

We're also told, Nathan, to put on the full armor of God.

This is in Ephesians 6, verse 12.

Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood.

We have to remind ourselves of that.

And as Jesus says in Matthew 6, verse 6, your father who sees in secret will reward you.

And as Paul says in Ephesians 6, we should all work not with eye service as pleasers of men, but as to the Lord.

Now this might seem costly, stepping out of human honors and glories and riveting our attention and affections on God, on whom our glory rests, but remember what this psalm tells us about human and worldly glories.

Those of low estate are but a breath.

We know what comes out.

I think it's interesting during the Halloween season where people, often unknowing it themselves, start to say the quiet part that Paul's talking about in Ephesians 6 out loud.

It's sobering that even, I think, the most wicked Halloween costumes, they're only a strange caricature or just a little hint of the evil that is warring against God's people in the heavenly realms that we cannot see.

So I want to bring you up to speed on the spiritual battle that we find ourselves in.

Territory is being gained.

And as we've seen recently in this church, souls are being won and brought into the family of God.

But as noted in Ephesians 6, we need to be mindful.

The war is not over.

It's like that song says, I go to battle and I fight on my knees.

I'm going to tell you something, church, whenever you begin to pray always with all prayer and supplication, Ephesians 6 and 18, listen to me.

You're not wasting time.

You're not wasting volume in your voice, but you are touching the kingdom of God, and there's something about giving yourself to prayer.

I'm afraid that there's too many of us that sometimes we wait to attack evil.

Instead, we ought to be attacking it from the get-go.

Why is that? Because the Bible tells you in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 27, it says, "...neither give place to the devil." Whenever you start feeling that dark kingdom encroaching in on your life, there ought to be something that you do.

You ought to say, I'm fixing to stand up to this opposition.

Jude commanded us to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints, Jude 3.

And we are likely familiar with the armor of God passage of Ephesians 6, verses 10-18, in which the Christian is described as a Roman soldier, armed from head to foot, and a sword in hand.

So we are in a fight, and we must carry out this warfare as the Lord has directed us.

First, we must realize that our warfare is not fleshly, but spiritual, and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal .

The second thing to clarify is that by addressing bond servants and masters, Paul is not endorsing slavery.

In fact, what Paul says here in Ephesians 6 undermines it significantly.

And there are plenty of other passages in the New Testament where Paul speaks against it and condemns it.

For example, 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9, Paul says the enslavers, people who profit from the buying and selling of people, are unholy, profane, contrary to sound doctrine, and contrary to the gospel of God.

But today we're looking at the last piece of armor, which is the sword of the Spirit.

And it's found in Ephesians 6, verse 17.

And so it says, "...and take the helmet of salvation," that was the message I did two weeks ago, "...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." right? And there's an implication, right? So when it says to take it, take the sword of the Spirit, what does that mean, right? It means that you actually take it up.

You actually hold it.

They might not see it in your countenance or your face, but internally you're like this again.

Um, or you can say like in your heart, like I told you so, or why didn't you listen? Um, but you have to guard your heart of like, and the, and the best way to do that is looking at a mirror of yourself and recognizing who you are, uh, going to your needs because, uh, I like to think of like Ephesians 6.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood.

I think sometimes we can look at the physical and forget the spiritual dimensions of things.