Sermon Tone Analysis

PRAYING ON THE ARMOR

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*EPHESIANS 6:14-18 (NIV)*

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*THE TOP 10 REASONS *

*YOU ARE TOO BUSY TO PRAY TODAY:*

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*1.

YOU WAKE UP FEELING RESTED, THEN REALIZE YOUR ALARM SHOULD'VE GONE OFF AN HOUR AGO.*

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*2.

YOUR SPOUSE IS AWAY ON A TWO-DAY BUSINESS TRIP THAT'S LASTED ALL WEEK.*

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*3.

NONE OF THE CLEAN CLOTHES YOU WERE ABLE TO FIND MATCH.*

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*4.

YOUR TEENAGER SHAVED…THE LEFT HALF OF HIS HEAD.*

*5.

YOUR BILLS ARE DUE, AND YOUR TODDLER HID THE CHECKBOOK.*

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*6.

A STRANGE FLUID IS DRIPPING FROM YOUR CAR.*

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*7.

YOU ACCIDENTALLY DELETE YOUR QUARTERLY REPORT TEN MINUTES BEFORE A MEETING WITH YOUR BOSS.*

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*8.

YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF GAMES FOR THE CHURCH YOUTH NIGHT TONIGHT.*

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*9.

YOUR DOG IS THROWING UP.*

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*10.

YOUR TOILET'S OVERFLOWING, *

*BUT AT LEAST YOU FOUND THE CHECKBOOK.*

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*THE FACTORY CHRISTIAN*

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*THE WHOLE STORY: EPHESIANS 6:11 –18*

*EPHESIANS 6:11-13 (NASB95)** 11 PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.

12 FOR OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST THE RULERS, AGAINST THE POWERS, AGAINST THE WORLD FORCES OF THIS DARKNESS, AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL /FORCES/ OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY /PLACES./ 13 THEREFORE, TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM.*

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THERE ARE FORCES IN THIS LIFE THAT ARE OF A SPIRITUAL OR SUPERNATURAL NATURE.

SATAN IS OUT TO TRIP UP AND BRING DOWN EVERY CHRISTIAN THAT HE CAN.

ONE OF THE TACTICS HE USES IS WHAT I CALL ‘MIND GAMES’ HE WANTS TO GET US TO THINK ABOUT THINGS WE SHOULDN’T BE THINKING ABOUT.

IF WE ALLOW THESE THOUGHTS TO TAKE UP RESIDENCE IN OUR MIND AND HEART THEN IT WON’T BE LONG BEFORE THEY BECOME THE THINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO. 

SO HOW DO WE KEEP FROM THINKING ABOUT ‘WRONG THINGS’?

HERE IS SOMETHING THAT I DO EVERY MORNING.

I HOPE IT WILL BE OF HELP TO YOU TOO.

I PRAY THESE WORDS;

          *I PRAY ON THE HELMET OF SALVATION.

I PRAY ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY WHICH I CAN LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE.

I PRAY ON THE BELT OF TRUTH, JESUS YOU ARE THE TRUTH.

I PRAY ON THE SHOES OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.

I PRAY ON THE SHIELD OF FAITH BY WHICH I CAN EXTINGUISH THE FIERY ARROWS OF THE DEVIL.

I PRAY ON THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD./ /*

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          THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THINKING ABOUT EACH PIECE OF ARMOR THAT FOCUS’ MY MIND ON THE PROTECTION THEY GIVE AND TAKES MY MIND OFF OF THE OTHER THOUGHTS.

THERE IS ALSO SPIRITUAL POWER IN BEING DRESSED IN SPIRITUAL ARMOR.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS IN YOUR LIFE AND HELPS YOU TO LIVE ABOVE THE TEMPTATIONS THAT SATAN WOULD TRY TO FOOL YOU WITH.

PRAYING ON THE ARMOR IS ONLY ONE SOURCE OF POWER TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE.

BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALSO VITALLY IMPORTANT.

MY DESIRE IS TO PLEASE GOD IN EVERYTHING I DO.

I KNOW THAT I MAKE MISTAKES SOMETIMES, BUT I NEVER WANT TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO PURPOSELY SIN AGAINST MY LORD AND MY GOD.

I BELIEVE THAT YOU AS A CHILD OF GOD, FEEL THE SAME WAY TOO.

THIS MORNING WE'RE GOING GET DRESSED.

WE'RE GOING TO GET DRESSED FOR BATTLE,

AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT BY PRAYING,

 

SO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND REPEAT AFTER ME.

 

*O LORD GOD*

*I PRAY ON YOUR ARMOR.*

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*I PRAY ON THE HELMET OF SALVATION, *

*BY WHICH I CAN PROTECT MY MIND FROM ALL THE THINGS SATAN WOULD PUT IN IT.*

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*I PRAY ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,*

*SO THAT I CAN LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE BEFORE YOU LORD.*

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*I PRAY ON THE BELT OF TRUTH, *

*JESUS YOU ARE THE TRUTH, THE WAY AND THE LIFE.*

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*I PRAY ON THE SHOES OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.*

*THAT I MAY BE READY TO GO AND SHARE YOUR SALVATION.*

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*I PRAY ON THE SHIELD OF FAITH *

*BY WHICH I CAN EXTINGUISH THE FIERY ARROWS OF THE DEVIL.*

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*I PRAY ON THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT *

*WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD.  *

*I WILL HIDE YOUR WORD IN MY HEART THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST YOU O LORD MY GOD.*

 

AMEN!

WHEN PAUL WAS WRITING THIS LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS,

HE WAS IN PRISON.

HE WAS GUARDED EVERY DAY

BY A ROMAN GUARD.

HE HAD TO STARE AT THE ROMAN SOLDIER'S ARMOUR

DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.

SO, HE HAD A GOOD PICTURE IN HIS MIND

OF THE ARMOUR THAT THE ROMAN SOLDIERS WORE.

THEREFORE IT WAS AN EASY THING FOR HIM

TO CROSS OVER THE ROMAN ARMOR

 

TO THE ARMOR THAT WE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS NEED

TO COMBAT THE FORCES OF EVIL IN THIS WORLD.

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*EPHESIANS 6:14-18 (NIV) \\ \\ *

*14 **STAND FIRM THEN, WITH THE BELT OF TRUTH *

*BUCKLED AROUND YOUR WAIST, *

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*WITH THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN PLACE, *

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*15 **AND WITH YOUR FEET FITTED WITH THE READINESS *

*THAT COMES FROM THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.

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*16 **IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, TAKE UP THE SHIELD OF FAITH, WITH WHICH YOU CAN EXTINGUISH ALL THE FLAMING ARROWS OF THE EVIL ONE.

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*17 **TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION *

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*AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD.

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*18 **AND PRAY IN THE SPIRIT ON ALL OCCASIONS WITH ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS.

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*WITH THIS IN MIND, BE ALERT *

*AND ALWAYS KEEP ON PRAYING FOR ALL THE SAINTS.

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*PRAYING ON THE HELMET*

 

THERE IS A QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL MANED

BEN ROETHLISBERGER.

BEN LOVED  TO RIDE HIS MOTOR CYCLE.

ONE DAY IN JULY OF 2005, HE WAS INTERVIEWED,

 

THE ESPN REPORTER ANDREA KREMER ASKED BEN TO EXPLAIN WHY HE NEVER WORE A HELMET WHEN HE RODE HIS MOTORCYCLE.

*BEN *SAID*:            * IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

 

IT'S NOT THE LAW.

IF IT WAS THE LAW,

I'D DEFINITELY HAVE ONE ON EVERY TIME I RODE.

BUT IT'S NOT THE LAW AND I KNOW I DON'T HAVE TO.

 

*YOU'RE JUST MORE FREE WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE WITH NO **HELMET** ON.*

 

IN JUNE OF THE NEXT YEAR,

BEN WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT

 

A 62-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY