Sunday Service

Everybody, we want to take a second and pray for miss Helen, Gomez, who is going to become more bionic this week. And and so let us take a second and let us take some time and pray for her. You can be seated. Lord. We thank you for Helen Lord. We thank you Lord for how she is Minister in our midst administered to those So Close To You. Lord, that you said that the fact that the children, the kingdom of God is there is Lord. And we We pray for her blessing and with the surgery Lord, that it will be quick and easy board. And then always pray for a quick recovery and Lord for more movement and all the blessings that are supposed to be come with us for what we thank you for her. We thank you for the miracle of medicine that you have blessed us with in Jesus name. Amen. And I'll still like to take some time to pray. My parents are supposed to be here today, but their flight got cancelled, and they're on their way back. So they send their apologies.

Up there somewhere and Bobby was not able to be here today. And so we are still praying for him, praying the Lord blessing on his life. And so, will you join me right now? I'm pray for Bobby, and the loop floor. We thank you for Bob and we thank you for Crystal. We thank you for their children. Lord. We thank you for their lives. Lord. We pray and overwhelming blessing for them today. And for the weeks to come Lord, we pray for his healing. And is strengthening, and courage in their lives, or we pray for courage and our prayer or remind us of them often Lord. So we can bring them at your feet, nor may you move in their testimony, in Jesus name? Amen.

Wow, what a week. I have learned something as I am. Now part of a general education school that now that we have a full year and don't have all that covid. Restraint that may is really, really really, really, really busy. And so I am trying to to make it and make it here till the end. So we will make it. Lord's strength will carry us through So if I fall asleep or you, fall asleep during the sermon, it's totally. Okay. We need to rest. All right, you know, there's a lot of stuff going on. That's not just about school. Not just about, you're so there's a lot of stuff. It's still a war in Ukraine right now. And still, people are still dying on the front lines. There. Are we still here from our President? We hear from the Russian president. We know that these two countries have nuclear weapons and we're talking about NATO and other stuff you see on the news. It's kind of scary and it's pretty intense, and I threw a friend, a friend, a gun following a friend. I've never met on Facebook, who describes what life is like in a war zone. Daily. Bombs going off, starting to I think about us with covid and how we kind of got over it, you know, kind of in our heads are like I don't want to do that anymore and to think about that with missiles in your neighborhood and getting over it all. Well, there goes another bomb blowing up. But that is true. Not just in Ukraine and many other parts of the world. There is there are small battles that but I think that the only definition of a small Battle of the battle of your end because if you're in that battle of the huge battle, right? And their War taking place. Do you know that? Yes, our troops are pulled out of Afghanistan, but they're still battles happened in there and there's all kinds of places, but our language doesn't just have just Wars in that are fought with bombs and guns. We talked about, wars has all kinds of things. We talked about a War on Drugs. We talked about a war on covid, right out of War, on climate change. Or we're starting to go into Political voting season. We got all the stuff going on with the sprinkler and all the other stuff and, and you know that everybody's going to be hitting us with. This is the most important election ever and which is what they said last time, too, but it's get the Bourne to start paying attention to our our voting other and our election as the votes about to come up here in June. And so,

There's all these different things and you know that a war is fought in countries with bombs and guns and stuff, but we didn't fight our war. On covid-19 and guns. That would have been rather inefficient use of War. Hey, we're trying to save your life. So we're going to shoot you now and you can't really fight a war on climate change with moms. You're just going to make it worse. So, we other things have to get done other things, have to get done, but we use that term War. And then there's things that happen in our lives. When we talk about feeling like there's a war going on, right here, right now, right? We got a big picture out there yet. All these things are going on. But you know, I will be praying and the Lord will hear my prayer. And in that way. I have impact on the Big World situations, but beyond that, I don't have that much of an impact.

What about you? Maybe some of you walking right now. And you like I feel like I was going to war this week. I feel like I was fighting some battles this week. Feel like there were definitely some skirmishes.

God names this war. Team named the war you described. as this present, Darkness, This present Darkness you can see all around you. The effects of Santa Ana. On all people everywhere in our companies and our politics and drug abuse and materialism. All the major problems. You see everyday, all the life decisions. You can see the effects of sin and packing, all kinds of different things, the anger in our families, the difficulty that happens, the misuse of Alcohol, and Other Drugs gossip. Bossiness. Thinking better than others. Failure to admit were wrong. It's all that. Galatians 5 19 through 21. Does it end this way? It is obvious. What kind of Life? Hey, Andrew. Can you bring it up for me? It is obvious. What kind of Life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time. Repetitive. Lovelace. Cheap sex. Stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage. Frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness.

Trinket gods.

Trinkets, if you don't know those a little you know, when you're on a Taurus thing and you buy some little tiny thing and then you're like why the heck did I buy that? Cuz now I got to store it and I have no idea where it is and you know trinket no trinket God. Making gods out of things that aren't real. And then the real God.

Magic show, religion.

Magic show, religion.

Magic. Is you have to say it, right? In order for it to happen. The who's in control of that? The person who does the potion, the action. Sometimes, we treat our trinket gods. Like there have to be in Canton. We have two in can't God and the exact right prayer or the exact right motion. So that God will do what we need him to do that. Magic. That's not worship of God. That's not a relationship.

Magic show. Religion paranoid loneliness. Cutthroat competition, a brutal Temple. As a brutal temper and impotence to love or be in. Love divided. Homes in divided live small-minded and lopsided for suit suit suit, The Vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions ugly parodies of community. I could go on

Pretty intense and it's in the Bible written over 2000 years ago. How many of you saw this or experienced it this week?

This isn't the first time I've warned you, you know, if you use your freedom, this way, you will not inherit God's Kingdom.

Describes a lot of, like, some of you said, I saw it this week. I know I saw it. I know I have experienced it. But did you catch the last line God's Kingdom?

Jesus said, first seek first, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. There is a kingdom. And where there is a kingdom. There is a battle.

There's a side of distraction, the things that we just talked to her things. We just read about the things that are going on in the life, all around us. And there's a side of construction. Aside of a kingdom of God that build that lifts up, that brings blessing to God into us and a side that seems like it's all about us, but actually destroyed and ruin. Two sides and God describes it as a battle in Ephesians 6:10. Finally be strengthened by the Lord and his by his last drink. How many of you like that verse? Food Street. We are listening to table yesterday and we need his strength.

and I went through a week, this week got my I was dealing with some some, some behaviors as we call it, and I needed some strength. How many of you were dealing with some things? Were you needed some strength? Okay. be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast vast that

Someone was saying that God didn't care about their game today, but he sure care about them. And I would say what about word vast? There is no limit to God's care. There's No Limit, there's no limit to his strength. None. None.

What you doing when you read this verse? And when I study the scripture, there's something that has to happen in this verse for it to happen in your life. Be strengthened its in passive tense. Meaning who's got to be the active person. You. You have to accept this. It's Christmas right now. Not really in case you didn't know, you didn't miss that many days overnight. Okay, but it's a gift. If you do not take it and accept it, you do not have it. You must be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast, and you can act like you got this. And watch the world slap you down.

Be strengthened by his vast strength. I was a little brother. I like the one my brother fought my battles for me. I like the one, my parents fought my battles for me on my little on my older brother. Can I get an amen on that.

When someone when a boss goes before you and takes care of the problem. When your attorney takes care of it? When the contractor does it, when someone uses their strength for you, you like that, right? Be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast drink.

So we got to take it in. Are you willing to take it in? Because if you're willing to take it in you, give up your strength. And you say this is the Lord's strength. I can tell you how I got through this week. The lure.

We will make it.

The next verse. If there's strength, there's a reason to use it. Put on the full armor of God. So that you can stand against the schemes of the evil one. The devil. Sorry. Use the different version. They're in my head than what I have printed up there. What's take a look at that? That means the devil is scheming?

Other translations, like I said, evil one, schemed, not one all out there. There's an old old play. Not that old, but way older than Eli. Call Faust. And you see this over and over and over done over all the time. It's just on a different, you know, whatever your favorite show is, and it's a deal with the devil. This guy makes a deal with the devil. He write the contract on his soul. First of all, that's fun fiction has nothing to do with anything.

You already made the deal. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is no contract that needs to be made with the Devil. The devil only comes to to destroy. He already screwed it up. He is like that. Kid in class who was already getting in trouble, but wanted to have somebody to go to the office with

They're all busted. It's that place, it's over.

It's done. The schemes of the devil are to get you anything. And anyway to take you away from the kingdom of God. A contract does not need to be made. I told Victor I said, watch out dude. Soon, as you get a job. You will be tempted to take a job that takes you away from worshipping God regularly. I need to provide for my family. Yes, doesn't wonder. God knows that too.

And you have every legal, right? Thank God. For a blessing in this country is always true in all places. Then I have to work on Sunday except for a few jobs and even those can work around your schedule. You have to be inconvenience. But you can worship.

Get many of us will not put the inconvenience before God would have us do.

The schemes of the devil. We have to put on the bass strength, and I don't know about you, but I got to be reminded of the vast strength. So when do migrate one of the great themes on my Grace music, but one of the things the devil's to let you forget of your vast strength. And said that I have to handle it. I got to do this, it's me. It's all up to me. The responsibility of yourself is to to realize that you have to get in touch with God vast strength. So why you can stand now everybody? Let's look at that stand. Okay, let's try it. Let's see if you understand this definition. Okay, buddy, do that word stand. Okay, Lori. Got it, alright. Alright, maybe some of you can, it's okay. But who can, if you can, if you understand yet, look around. Look around. This is what you're supposed to do right now. Good. And that's what the word means stand. It's an action stand. Go ahead and sit down. Thank you. You must stand against the schemes of the devil. And you have to take an action again, huh? Your action at first was to accept the strength of the lord. Your next action is to stand against. The schemes of the devil. To resist.

But you're not alone. He didn't strengthen you to make you stand alone.

Eva. I work in a setting where sometimes I have to place my body between a student and danger or a place. They're not supposed to go. I must stand. Now, there's a problem. Getting bigger. I keep growing. And it's kind of helped out healthy work and so for some of them I can just do this. But for some of them, I got to do this.

For some of us stuff we just got to do that. In fact, I have never preached a sermon about things like, Don't. Have a marriage with your sister. Or don't. Own people. I've never had to tell people that I got that one. Phil. No problem.

But for other things.

Like not self-medicating.

Oh.

How do I do that? But oh, well, you accept the vast strength of the Lord. And not your own strengths. Now, I have to put my leg back on stand. Scripture keeps going verse 12. For our struggle is not against verse 12. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. But against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness of the Virgin State. This present Darkness against evil spiritual forces in the heavens. All, I wish you memorized this verse because every time you're ready to tear someone's head off. Every time. You're ready to drive someone over because I don't know how to drive and every time you're ready to scream at someone at work because they are wrong in you or every time you're ready to to destroy a family member every time you're ready to rip a politician on the TV. Every time someone tries to tell you that we got to bring the kingdom of God through politics every time. You start to see the things I want you to remember this verse. Our battle is not against flesh and blood point to flesh and blood.

There you go. There you go. Good. You guys are good at this flesh and blood or people. My battle is not against you. My battle is not against Putin. Or any Republican or any Democrat? My battle is not against anybody who disagrees with me, not battle is not against the Satanist and atheist or any other title. You can give a person. My battle is to join God in his battle against the cosmic powers of this Darkness against evil spiritual forces in the heaven.

Some people are just instruments of that.

Who are those people remember. The ones your appointment? Remember we talked about when I read the first verse against all those things? You like. I saw that this week. That was the cosmic forces entering the Physical Realm, creating more evil. But my battle is going to give that person doing it. My battles against the spiritual forces behind it.

And whose battle is it? I'm joining god battle. Because the victory is also in that same person who's doing the battle.

We're praying. We're looking, we're trying. To go in and do some worship at side soon, the summer and we picked a spot and it's right next to a big homeless, encampment. Only want to worship there just for an hour or so. It's going to be it's going to be cool.

Do you think there's some people that are having some problems out there? Just the fact that it's a homeless, encampment is a physicality of evil. But if anybody in that place, what would the victory be that? They give their life to Christ and they began to walk with the Lord. Does that mean that these people are no good people? No. there is no one good, but God. It means that God can save people and change people.

We are being. We are saved. Being saved and we will be set.

So, if I go against these people, like they are evil and not doing evil that I will miss the victory of them coming to know the law against the spiritual forces against the spiritual forces. And that's what they don't want. That's their destruction. That's the most. What's the most important event in your life.

It wasn't a wedding. It wasn't even your birth. It was your spiritual rebirth. It was the fact that you accepted the Lord, your God as your savior. And that's when you could take on this, vast drink and that's when the victory is won. And that's when the victory is continuing to be one because you are here and you are growing in the Lord. That is the most important part. So if in the midst of your own evil and you know, your own evil. Those who came against you as if you are. The only problem is if you are the enemy. Then you cannot be saved.

You would reject them. You would fight them. But there were others. Okay, my dear life given the Lords of a strength. Who guided you to what the Lord would have, you do? And the Lord claimed the victory. Our battle is not against people.

No matter how screwed up they are. Our battle is not against people. It doesn't mean we didn't, I send. Doesn't mean there's not Material physical consequences in this world that the government who is ordained by God of have a layout. Are they were cautious? Our battle is not against people. It's against the spiritual forces of the, in the heaven. For this reason. The scripture goes on. Take up the full armor of God. All we got, we got to stand, we got to take up the full armor of God over. This is interesting with the armor really is why so we can resist stand and resist. Write the armor is going to allow us to resist.

And having prepared everything, take your stand. It's a made-up movie, based on some historical events, which is the most you guys are old. So you might remember it feel well, but you're like me or whatever, but remember that Mel Gibson movie Braveheart. Oh, wow, you said you weren't old enough to watch that. And soldiers all those citizens and they were going to take up and fight against the English one. And he and Mel Gibson was sitting there going to hear the truth is like an awesome movie thing. It's probably realize it would more than work. But whatever is going to call them.

Resist in the evil day. If the present Darkness, it's an evil day. Will you take up the full armor of God? With his vast strength and stand. Will you hold hold. Hold?

May 1st.

Stand. Therefore. And now we're getting in the armor with truth, like about a metaphor metaphor like like right.

A belt around your waist. What is the thing that keeps your? Well, we wear pants. They wouldn't wore pants with the thing that keeps everything tied together.

Truth. So what I said, be part of your life truth. Don't lie to people. Truth. Also stop talking so much.

Truth.

Truth.

Speak truth. Even when you can't control it. Even when it doesn't necessarily benefit you speak truth. But I always want to remind people that. Jesus didn't open his mouth. Just doing some of that is the question.

When I asked him, if he was the son of God, he said it is. As you say.

It was a lot of times Jesus did not answer the question.

But in all things speak truth. Truth.

Righteousness. What's your armor? Righteousness, what's it protecting your chest? This is a Kill Zone.

You're not going to survive much. If we hit this very much with swords or spears or arrows. You're not going to take much. Do you need armor that right? What's your armor? Righteousness. What does that mean in your life? If you act rightly defined by God, not by culture, culture is defined by God.

then when the arrows come, when the schemes of the devil come, You got her armor?

That's a lie. That's a lie. That's a lie. They are brightly. They acted rightly. They tell the truth lately.

Next.

And your feet sandals. Remember, the time this is written, they were sandals. And that, that was one of Rome's greatest weapons was their foot care, they could move fast and they had great sandals. Beat Battle of Readiness for the gospel of peace. To tell the story of peace to tell God's Story. How do you move your move with the gospel? You move with the story of Peace. You move with God way in your life and not afraid to say it.

This is God's way in life. This is how God has blessed me. This is how God has given me. Peace. Now, I want you to move from place to place to place. And your feet are protected. Truth brightness. Peace. The gospel of peace. Next. Got to know. You're got to know. Got to know. and in every situation, take up the shield of

Armor, right nipple. Shield faith.

What's blocking it safe? What's an example of Faith? Accepting the Lord's best strength?

Accepting God's blessing accepting that God is for you accepting that God told you don't believe that person of the enemy, but that the present darkness in the evil forces. Are there accepting that? God is for you and not against you accepting the God, loves you accept him to the cross with enough to pay the forgiveness for your sins. These are all examples of Faith. Something you have to trust and believe in you have faith right now. I can see it demonstrated out there cuz you have faith in that chair.

None of you came in here with some measurement devices. So you could test the physicality of the chairs. None of you. Did you just sat down with faith? Do you have that kind of faith when you're dealing with other people when you're dealing with your world? When you're dealing with? Should I choose right? And when you're dealing with, should I tell the truth? When you're dealing with? Can I love a person who is unlovable? What does it do that face? What does it do? Look what it does. Look with that kind of thing, which is all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

You know, that's a great way to kill somebody in ancient war, right? Not just shoot an arrow, but light it on fire. Kind of like ancient hand, grenade, the only place where close is fine.

But the shield of Faith extinguishes, think about it. Healthcare. God's got me. I'm Healed. Either way.

I'm either healed in this life, or I'm Healed in the next.

Think about children, can pray about that and something will be done. Think about the shield of faith. Think about the things going on in your life and see how those are flaming arrows coming in.

God, got this.

God's got this. His best friend.

Finally. Take the helmet of salvation.

And the sword of the spirit verse 17, that helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. Oh, head is a very important thing to protect. Let me tell you. Right. We're going to concussion. You know that.

What protects it? Salvation.

The fact that Jesus did it and you accepted it and it's yours. You're protected. You are protected and now you finally have an offensive weapon. What is it? The sword of the spirit.

Which is both. Which is the word of God and do not forget this too, which is the spirit.

The Holy Spirit. The word of God. Now, if you are taking in the word of God, the Lord will bring back the word of God when you need it. What is the word of God? It is the scripture in the Bible that

and we live in an amazing time. Where you can hear the Bible in Afrikaans? Or some other language that I have no idea how to speak. But you can read it. And if you can't read it, you can listen to it. You even going to get pictures of it. You can even watch movies of it. We live in an amazing time. Will you take it? But then you're ever talking to somebody if you're ever praying, if you ever go in about your day. And you remember that verse? You've just drawn your sword.

and think of it as epically is that is you can when you give somebody the word of the Lord, Just drawn your sword. You were cutting through all the other stuff into the real battle of this world and you are conquering. You are, conquering.

Take the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, and then we're going to wrap it all up. And verse 18. Pray at all times in the spirit with every prayer request. Everything. Remember that, remember back when we used to do you think you're going to show you that that that that little girl, who would say? I thank you for the bubble gum and for the divider flies and for the, there's nothing wrong with that.

and therefore the wrong way, God help me with the bills and help me with the With that bill. That's on my way, for those, with whatever. This is not a potion. This is a relationship. Adjust as a child comes and talked and talked to the incredible patience. He just wants to hear its share. Pray at all times and stay alert. Stay alert if your soldiers going to stay alert. Got to stay alert. With all perseverance and intercession. What does intercession mean to pray for others? What we just did today, but also to pray against their evil forces that are attacking them. Maybe it's their own addictions. Maybe it's their own poverty. Maybe it's their own wealth and materialism. Maybe it whatever it is. Give it to them. And give it to the Lord.

Rodger would tell me this. There are producers and there are consumers.

Producer, does something consumer takes in something? Little babies. Think about him, their consumers. They consumed from the mother. They consumed from everybody around them because that's who they are and they're going to grow. But when they grow their supposed to become, Producers.

Use some of you have been spiritual babies. Need to be nursed, it'll be taken care of needs needed your other brothers and sisters in Christ to show you all the little life to go. And now it's time. Britax. And how do you produce?

Stand. Take up the full armor of God because his strength is fast.

in whatever you're doing, whatever space you're out this week, even if you're Stay mostly at home. You can do that verse. Intercession. And prayer. All of you have a role to play in this battle.

Will you stand?

Let us pray. Thank you. Lord.