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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Stand Your Ground!

Notes: Stand Your Ground!
Ephesians 6:10–13
Pastor Greg Laurie
Sunday, June 28, 2015 — 12:00 p.m.

Our country needs prayer, and our church is under attack. However, God is still on the throne and the mission of the church has not changed. In today's message, Pastor Greg Laurie addresses the recent Supreme Court decision, urges Christians to stand their ground, and stresses the importance of prayer.

The church is under attack all over the world, believers killed inside churches in America and mass killings in the Middle East.

2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV
[12] Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Traditional values are being challenged, but more importantly Biblical truths are being challenged.

God created marriage, he invented it, and it was His idea.

The first marriage was by God.

Mark 10:6-9 NKJV
[6] But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.' [7] 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, [8] and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. [9] Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

Malachi 2:15 NKJV
[15] But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

God expects Godly children from a Godly marriage.

If things aren't done God's way, then things can't expect to workout.

As things seem to fall apart, then we need to recognize they are coming together as the Bible has described.

1. Don't panic! God is still on the throne.

God and faith often appear to thrive in times of attack.

Genesis 50:20 NKJV
[20] But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.


The church out lives, out prays, and out loves the non-believer.

Keep calm and carry on!

2. Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible!

Romans 8:28 NKJV
[28] And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Psalm 119:91 NKJV
[91] They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants.

Psalm 76:10 NKJV
[10] Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.

3. We need to show this culture what a Biblical marriage looks like.

Your marriage should be a great witness to nonbelievers.

We don't need to worry about others redefining marriage. We need to worry about showing God’s love in our marriage.

4. We need to show the love of Christ to everyone!

We need to love everyone, no matter where they are in life.

Matthew 7:1 NKJV
[1] "Judge not, that you be not judged

1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV
[13] And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

We don't have to except everyone’s decisions, but we are to love everyone.

Proverbs 27:5-6 NKJV
[5] Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. [6] Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

5. We need to engage all people with the Gospel.

It doesn't matter if you are gay, straight, drunk, sober, mean or nice, God can work in your life.

Greg is reading us a letter from a woman who wrote him about living her life as a man. She is a born again Christian now and thankful and saved.

6. We need to pray!

For our church, each other and our country.

We are a church moving forward, we need to reach out and we need to pray.

War has been declared on us by the devil.

It started at your birth and intensified on the day of your conversion.

Conversion has made our hearts a battlefield.

The devil won't waste his time on someone who is not a threat to his kingdom.

Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We need to arm ourselves.

Wiles means method. Like stalking pray with a methodology.

It's not a sin to be tempted. You must reject the temptation.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
[13] No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

There is always a way out!

Sometimes and usually the simplest solution is the best one.

Genesis 39:12 NKJV
[12] that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

Flee youthful lust.

Satan doesn't want you to know that Satan was defeated at the Cross.

Colossians 2:14-15 NKJV
[14] having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. [15] Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

We are not fighting for victory; we are fighting from God’s victory.


Thursday, June 25, 2015

This is War!

Notes: This Is War!
Ephesians 6:10–13
SPEAKER:
Greg Laurie
WORSHIP TEAM:
Harvest Worship Band
SERIES:
Live, Love, Fight
Thursday, June 25, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.

Most of us would agree that the church is under attack.

The church in South Carolina being attacked.

Marriage being redefined.

If you are living a Godly life then you will be persecuted.

War has been declared on me by satan. What am I going to do?

Spiritual warfare begins when you first believe. Satan and his followers are attacking.

What will our life look life if we don't fight back.

The Christian life is not a playground it is battleground.

We win in the end! I have read the end of the Bible.

1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV
[12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

You may be facing a lot of temptation right now.

Temptation comes in attractive packages. You still must resist.

What am I doing wrong to be tempted? The real question is if you are being tempted... What are you doing right?

Job was doing things right, not wrong!

We don't have to be a victim.

To be warned is to be forearmed.

The devil doesn't want us to hear this sermon.

Ephesians: is split up into, wealth, walk and warfare. Chapters 1-3 is wealth.

Ephesians 1:5-8 NKJV
[5] having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, [6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. [7] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace [8] which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

God loves you regardless of you.

This is the wealth God has given you.

John 17:22-23 NKJV
[22] And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: [23] I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Ephesians: chapter 4 to 6:9 is the walk part.

Ephesians 6:10 on is the fight part.

Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Put on the full armor of God. Meaning once and for all.

The devil doesn't take a minute off, so we must always wear our armor.

The devil is the obvious root of all the problems of our world today.

There is a devil and he is running rampant in our world.

Some people laugh off satan, when he needs to be taken very seriously.

Why would a God of love put a devil in the world?

Satan was once a high ranking angel, Lucifer.

Ezekiel 28:12-18 NKJV
[12] "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. [13] You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. [14] "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. [15] You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. [16] "By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. [17] "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. [18] "You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you.

Satan was once a guardian cherubim.

Satan is also referred to be the "model of perfection"

Lucifer allowed his perfection to be his corruption.

Isaiah 14:12-15 NKJV
[12] "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! [13] For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' [15] Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

Lucifer became Satan when he fell to the earth.

Though satan is in a fallen state, he still has access to God in Heaven.

Satan has to ask permission to attack a Christian's life.

Next time Satan knocks at your door. Let God answer for you.

The devil is not God's equal.

God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. The devil is not.

Ephesians 6:11 NKJV
[11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11 NKJV
[11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Definition:
Wile:
noun
plural noun: wiles
1.
devious or cunning stratagems employed in manipulating or persuading someone to do what one wants.
synonyms:    tricks, ruses, ploys, schemes, dodges, maneuvers, subterfuges, shenanigans, artifices; More

If you believe in Jesus, then the devil will do what he can to immobilize you.

Matthew 12:24 NKJV
[24] Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

Matthew 25:41 NKJV
[41] "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

1 Thessalonians 2:18 NKJV
[18] Therefore we wanted to come to you-even I, Paul, time and again-but Satan hindered us.

Demons work two fold: they seek to hinder the work of God and to extend the power of Satan.

When God blesses someone, you can be assured that they are under spiritual attack.

The devil can hassle and tempt you, but he can not control you.

The believer has a hedge of protection around them. The nonbeliever has no protection around them.

Satan works with two close allies: the world and the flesh.

1 John 5:19 NKJV
[19] We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.


1 John 2:16 NKJV
[16] For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world.

Satan doesn't tempt us with junk.

1. Recognize you are in a spiritual battle and must fight with spiritual weapons.

2. Satan is a super being and is more than I can ever handle.

That is why I must stay close to God.

3. Stand in God's strength, not your own.

Ephesians 6:10 NKJV
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

In my strength I'm weak, in the Lord's strength I am strong.

God will never give you more than you can handle.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
[13] No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

There is always a way out of every temptation.

James 4:7 NKJV
[7] Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Resist the devil!

Flee temptation and don't leave a forwarding address.

Romans 8:39 NKJV
[39] nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The devil was soundly defeated at the cross.

1 John 3:8 NKJV
[8] He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Colossians 2:14-15 NKJV
[14] having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. [15] Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.


I am not looking for victory, I am living in God's victory. I am not fighting for victory, I am responding from God's victory.

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