Faithful to Pray in the Name of the Lord

Faithful Praying

1 Timothy 2:1-15

The truth is, most all people in church and many outside the church think they know how to use the wonderful gift of prayer!

Prayer in its simplest form is just talking to God, through the Holy Spirit, by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Believe it or not, we can just talk to God without asking Him for a thing!

We are to end our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ because He is not only our Savior but also our Intercessor.

Those who believe they can lose their salvation are saying that the Lord Jesus Christ is a failure, which is impossible!

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

And for those who are still confused, The Lord Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible and there is no other God!

Knowing this, our own prayer life is the most important tool in our arsenal when it comes to dealing with everyday life in this world or anything else!

Prayer is so important, that the Lord Jesus taught us to pray with the model prayer.

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ prayed constantly and everything He did was an example for us!

The subject of is this lesson is more about public prayer rather than closet prayer, even though both type prayers can be very similar in content at times.

Another thing, in fact a major part of our prayer life, is that God expects us to put aside our own needs, which He already knows, and pray for others, so that can show that we are not just about self.

It should also be clear to us in this quarter, God is teaching us about the organization of the Church, that has Jesus Christ as the foundation.

The Church is formed from all those who are faithful in following the lead of the Lord Jesus Christ which was the message of Chapter 1.

It is only the "faithful" who can truly expect to get the help of God!

There are people praying all around this world, some many times each day, but they are wasting their time if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and the only God, and they are yet sinners in need of this Savior!

This may hurt but it is still the truth!

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Chapter 2 Verse 1

*****1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty".

As we ended last week’s lesson, we know that Paul had delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan, because they were still his children and had no part in the Church at Ephesus other than cause problems.

Immediately after this Paul begins his instruction for public prayer or some would say corporate prayer.

Supplications, are those prayers imploring the help of God in a time of need.

Intercessory prayers, are when believing people pray for others including those who do not know our Savior.

The giving of thanks, is a prayer directly to our Heavenly Father, to thank Him for the things He has already done and for the things He is about to do, if you pray in a heart of faith!

That phrase "for all men" does not leave any one out!

In fact, "it is our duty" to pray for the Church and the lost, no matter who they are!

It is our duty to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

It is our duty to pray for our national leaders and our nation!

We cannot refuse to do the things that Jesus Christ did on earth and now in Heaven, if we are to be like Him!

That word "exhort" can mean "to encourage" but it can also mean a "desire" that, as Christians and the Church, that we do not neglect, do not ignore, and do not bypass any living human being when we pray.

It is sin to bypass anyone in our prayers!

When we pray for the helping the hand of God, we are acknowledging that God is the source of all power!

If we do not have faith that God is able fulfill our request, then we are wasting our time praying!

Every person needs prayer and those who are lost cannot reach into the throne room of God, unless they are praying for their own salvation first, which He will hear and answer immediately, if prayed in faith!

There are many people who humble themselves before some false deity many times a day, but if they all knew the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior they would be heard.

Even if just God's people would get serious about prayer, this world would take notice of the power behind our prayers!

We should certainly pray for those who are in authority, that they would make the right decisions and they would have good councilors.

It would certainly be hard to pray for evil rulers but even they can be saved!

We must consider that when the Holy Spirit gave these words to Paul, it was Nero, a most evil Roman ruler who ruled much of the world at that time and the Christians were to pray for even him.

Why should we pray for rulers? That we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty.

We should pray that we would always have the freedom to worship our God, the Lord Jesus Christ

1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

We could ask ourselves why would be pray for evil rulers? The answer is that God said so, Jesus Christ died for every human being who has ever lived and because it is good and acceptable in the sight of our God, our Savior.

*****1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

We should pray for our nation and its rulers because we know who sits on the throne in Heaven and it is He that moves this world according to His own will!

We should pray for all people to be saved!

God would have all mankind to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth of the Gospel".

If they all do not want to be saved, then they would have least had the choice to be saved!

The most wonderful thing we know as Christians is that we have a God who saves because He is a God of "Mercy"!

This most amazing plan of God is that His will for all the world to be saved is the motive behind all His actions in this world!

Therefore, God will never change His actions because it would go against His will.

Anything that God did against His plans for this world would be sin and God simply cannot sin.

God can never go against His written Word!

We may never understand why God does the things He does, but we should understand that He has our best interest in mind at all times!

God not only loves those who come to the knowledge of His saving "Grace”, but we must be aware that our Lord died for His enemies which we all were before we understood the "Mercy" and the "Grace" of our God, The Lord Jesus Christ!

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

The thing that religions hate the most is not that there is a God, but the fact that our God, is the Lord Jesus Christ!

This truth that is rejected by this world, but it is the only truth that you can reach if you study the Word of God!

*****1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

If there were in fact many Gods as the world chooses to believe, then there would be many ways to get to Heaven but in fact this to goes against the Word of the true God!

In Christianity when we speak of God we speak of the Supreme Majesty of this universe, the Creator, the Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ.

When we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ then we will know His plan of salvation!

Jesus Christ is God our Savior who gave Himself, a ransom for all, to physical death therefore we are redeemed by His blood!

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The key then to salvation is not only be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ but also to be wash in the "Word" of God!

1Jn_5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, "the Word", and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh_1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

And this means we are washed in the blood of Jesus.

Since all these things are true and there is only one God, then there is only one way to reach Him and only one way to be saved!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Co 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and "that there is none other God but one".

Since all these things are true and they are, then it is only those who are ordained by the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ that we should listen to in this world and not any other who would all be false!

*****1Ti 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

The Apostle Paul was called specifically to reach out to the Gentiles with this amazing plan of God and there were others who helped him.

Most of the other Apostles were sent to the Jews with this same message of Jesus Christ they were all martyred early except the Apostle John who died of old age, still preaching the "Gospel" on his death bed.

There are no truer words than the Word of God!

Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

Ecc 12:10 "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth".

Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

The truth is as humans who need God just to live in this world, then because of our sin we needed a Mediator if we are to be saved when we approach God and be acceptable to God.

Since not one of us were perfect then we needed someone of perfection to reach out to our Holy God who can only know those who are also holy!

The only way to be acceptable of God is then for us to reach that perfection and be just and righteous. God will reject all imperfect beings!

To solve this problem then a perfect God had to become man in order for those who could believe such a thing could be saved!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who solved that sin problem for us all!

God takes the faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and credits this faith as righteousness and therefore acceptable to Him!

Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Jesus Christ gave Himself a ransom for all! Jesus Christ exchanged His life for the life of all mankind!

Jesus arose from that death to the astonishment of the world!

It is this same message that we as Christians are to take into the world.

Not only this but we are to pray that those who hear the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ will believe and be saved!

God instructs all those He calls to carry the message of Christ to the world, but God also instructs us to pray for good results, fruit for their labor!

*****1Ti 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Praying is just having a conversation with God. The one most important thing in our prayer life is to pray without doubting! We must pray in faith!

We can also say that we do not have to have every word to be perfect because God looks into the heart of the believer.

Sometimes we have a hard time putting into words, what we really want to say.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit who prayed for me!

As believers we can pray everywhere, in any posture. In fact, as Christians we are be like Jesus Christ, so let’s look at the prayer life of Christ.

**Jesus prayed while He was being baptized:

Luk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

**Jesus prayed in public:

Joh 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Joh 11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

**Jesus prayed in private:

Joh 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

**Jesus Prayed on the mountain:

Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

**Jesus prayed in the wilderness:

Luk 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

**Jesus got up early to pray:

Mar 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

**Jesus prayed all night:

Luk 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Jesus prayed for children:

Mat 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

**Jesus prayed for Peter's faith and He is no respecter of people:

Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

**Jesus prayed for every believer:

Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

**Jesus had a favorite place to pray:

Luk 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Luk 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

**Jesus prayed even while He was on the cross:

Luk 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

**Jesus is praying for us every day:

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is our example, then we can see that our prayer life is the most important thing we must build upon!

We need to be in constant contact with our God!

1Th_5:17 Pray without ceasing.

The Lord is teaching us that we should never stop praying!

The phrase "lifting up holy hands means we must always come before God with a clean heart!

As I have already said, there is no need to pray if we do not think God will hear us and answer our prayer!

Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The fact is, God will give us anything that corresponds to His will if we ask in faith!

Were these things written just for men? No but also to the women.

*****1Ti 2:9 "In like manner" also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

In a like manner the women were to also pray without ceasing!

Another Scripture we must also be clear on is this one:

Gal_3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: "for ye are all one in Christ Jesus".

And we must keep in mind that Paul is writing to Timothy and Timothy is pass these instructions to the church.

Christian women are to dress modestly which means clean, neat, and decent, and that word adorn means to add to this modesty, behavior, and demeanor, that is, the way a woman is to carry herself.

We could simply say for a woman to be dressed in simple elegance.

When this same woman was outside the church, no one would interpret her to be in any sinful way by the way she dressed or the way she acted.

All men and the women are to bring honor and glory to the Lord at all times, inside and outside the church!

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

We all agree that true beauty is on the inside and not on the outside!

The truth is, God takes a godly woman and floods her with a beauty that is far beyond any such beauty of just flesh and clothing!

*****1Ti 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

Just like the men, the women are to be silent during the preaching of the Word of God!

Once she gets home with her husband who is the head of the house and she, subject to him, then they can discuss the message that God gave them on that day.

We already know that God is no respecter of persons, but He is a God of order.

1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

In a greater sense, every woman who is a child of God and a true believer, must learn all she can about Jesus Christ just as the men!

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This Scripture was written for all men, all women, and all children!

Since God is a God of order, then there are some things a woman must not do in the church and we must use the home as the example.

The man is to be the head of the home, "if he is following the Lord"!

*****1Ti 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Christ is the head of the home and Christ is the head of the Church.

The Christian man is the head of the wife at home and at church, because God is still a God of order in the Church.

So, a woman is not to teach a man, and this would include the job of the Pastor not being available to the woman.

The woman is to never usurp the authority of the godly man!

Just as in the home, the woman should always be involved with the teaching of the children, but this does not relieve the same responsibility for the man, who is also to help with the teaching and the discipling of the children in the church.

We must always remember, it is God's love that is, passed down to the man and the woman, who are also to live in the love for each other in every instance!

God simply says that Adam was first formed before Eve and this settles the order of the godly home and the true church!

God then says, remember that it was Eve who was deceived and not the man, and that it did led to the sin of Adam's disobedience, because of the love he had for his wife, he forsook the commands of the Lord.

This is what God demands.

This is what Paul preached.

This is what Timothy was to teach this church!

We cannot allow the love of another human being to come between us and God, period!

Order is then based on the facts. The man is more subject to forsake God, if the woman becomes the head of man!

Again, we must never forget that God is no respecter of persons, but the woman is to never usurp the authority of the man, who is dedicated himself to the Lord!

The woman is never to be in competition with the man, because she is the counterpart of man and together they are "to be one" just as in the marriage!

1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

The world does what the world does, but we as Christians are told to come out from the world and be subject to the law of God!

This is what we agreed to, when we asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into our heart!

Women have always played a great part in the close nit family.

Women have always played a great part in the church.

Women will have to play a great part in both as long as we are in this world!

There is one more thing that may be considered. If a man is made to sit before a woman for a long period of time, then the man may take his mind off the message and place His eyes upon that woman and temptation may overcome the man!

God knows us better than we know ourselves!

Mat_5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Remember our lesson is about faithful prayer and when things are out of the order of God, it will seriously hinder our prayers!

*****1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

We should remember the curse of Eve.

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

I believe we can say that the woman’s primary intention has never been about teaching in the church but primarily about bearing children and teaching them in the home and then teaching in the church if they are called of God to do so, just as the man who is called of God!

We can be sure that the Holy Ghost placed that Holy seed in Mary, but it was Mary who bore that child for those 9 months and then mothered the Lord Jesus Christ until He reached the Jewish age of maturity!

The woman will always have a special place in the family and in the church.

Our own prayer life will guide us in all these things!

Amen

Let's Pray

Wearing the Armor of God

The Blessing of Standing for the Truth

Book of Ephesians 6:10-24

We are advised many times in the Scriptures to be strong. As Christians our character must have two sides.

We must cease to do evil and have a hatred of all evil while not hating those who do that evil.

We must also learn to do good before all those that hate us.

As we struggle daily between these two things we will realize that the Christian life is a battlefield.

As Christians we will realize we are in a constant struggle in this evil world!

As long as we are in our flesh we will also be in a constant battle with our flesh!

It takes a brave Christian to always do right in every situation.

What is the one thing we must understand? We have a Father that this world can never overcome!

*****Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

We think of the Apostle Paul as the greatest of all Christian missionaries but when he says brethren he comes down to our level.

The Apostle Paul became a very humble man once he came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

We should also understand that as believers we become Christian soldiers. There are foes outside the church that will seek to cause us harm but there are also foes within the Church who seek to destroy it.

We are at peace with God and we have the peace of God, knowing what lies in our future but day to day we are in a war with evil!

It is the brethren who make up the army of God!

We can be strong because our Lord is strong!

We can be strong because of the power of His might!

Deu 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

If we become weak Christians, we will perish in this war. When our strength lies in the Lord, we are never alone at any time and we can never perish because he will never forsake us!

We must overcome the battle we have with our flesh, while we battle with the evils of this world.

We have seen that we must be mature Christians.

We have a renewed mind.

We have a changed behavior.

We understand God's will for us.

We understand our relationship with all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We have been prepared and it is time we get into this battle! We must stand for the truth!

We are on the road to Heaven, Satan will try to stop us, but our power comes from on high and our Lord witnessed the time when Satan was tossed out of Heaven.

Luk_10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Satan is on the losing side, but we must dress right, we must wear the armor of God!

*****Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

As I was taught in the military, we must know the strengths of our enemy and prepare to counter act his strengths.

Without the armor of God, we will not be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. This is a simple enough reason to be obedient to the entire Word of God!

God has prepared us armor for every part of our bodies except the back, we are to always face our enemy because to turn and run from the devil means he has won you as his servant.

There are many times in the Scriptures where we are told to wait on the Lord but even while we are waiting on a specific answer from God, we are still to be moving forward in this war with our flesh and this war with the devil.

We already know this armor has been tested and proven because it is the devil who will flee.

Jas_4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The armor of God is another gift of God's "Grace" because there is no weapon of our own that can defend us!

This may seem to be a form of works to those on the outside, but it is only living the life of the Christian.

The Christian armor is not designed for show but to be put in use for our own safety and God says to take the whole armor which means we are not safe when we just wear the part of the armor that we choose to wear!

Satan does not possess the strength to take on the Lord for he would surely loose and he has already lost every battle, but we do not have the strength to face Satan alone without the armor of God.

Why do we need God's armor? God also gives us this answer. It is because are war is not really with any human being even those that are enemies to the Church.

*****Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

If we cannot obey the Lord in this thing, we will never conquer the greatest enemies of our life!

We must understand we are in a spiritual battle!

To wrestle is to struggle, to strive, to contend and we can add resist.

As we know Paul has used athletic forms many times and to wrestle is a contest between two people, one trying to overcome and pin the other to the ground. We are never to allow Satan or those who possess supernatural powers to pin us down!

What is it that each of us who believe must wrestle and win?

Principalities, the power of that Satan uses to control those that reject the Lord.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

As we war with the darkness of this world we must not get entangled with the affairs of this life.

2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

As Christian soldiers we must always listen to our God our Father in Heaven.

Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

We should understand it is not any man who teaches the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ, it is Christ Himself through the Holy Spirit.

As we look at our world we can see that the forces of evil are very powerful.

The forces of evil are very numerous.

The evil in our world is organized!

These forces of evil are also those who rule the darkness in our world!

Those in the Light of Jesus go to Heaven.

Those who are in the darkness of this world go to Hell and then on to the Burning Lake of Fire.

Those who are in darkness do not know this or they are willingly ignorant of these things!

There are also those who do not know where they are, but they refuse to believe that there are spiritual forces behind the evil in this world!

Most of these are to so-called intellectuals who highly educated.

It is these that say that Christians live in the "Dark Ages".

Satan can only be in one place at a time, but he is constantly moving about in this world.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

We must understand that God, just because He is God, must always tell the truth!

God would not say there was an evil force in this world if it was not true!

God would not say that this evil force has access to the spirit of mankind if it were not true!

It is Satan that rules over this evil force and his followers.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Satan rules all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ, but he cannot touch the child of God without God's permission and God will allow this from time to time, but Satan cannot take away the salvation of any child of God at any time!

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

God knows what He is doing!

God provides the necessary armament for each of His children and this armament comes with instructions!

*****Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The war that we face as Christians is a spiritual warfare, but God will equip us even for this war.

Holy Spirit by the hands of Paul has given us the material we need to remain strong in this war.

We need the armor designed by God, no other armor will keep us safe!

In all the great armies of this world there were deserters and they received heavy punishment in most all cases.

In all great armies there was a time of retirement.

We must clearly understand that in the Army of God there is no retirement date. Every soldier in God's Army is to stand upon His truth!

It is our duty as God's children to put on the armor of God every day. We must with stand this day of evil!

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

The phrase "having done all" refers the armor of God.

*****Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

We could say we must where the belt of truth! We do not wear the belt of truth unless we understand that it is all the Word of God that is relevant and not in bits and pieces.

2Ti 3:16 "All scripture" is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The belt is used to hold the soldiers clothing close to his body just as we are to hold the truth of God close to us! The truth of God must be so solid in our inward parts that it shows in our outward parts!

How is our Lord described?

Isa 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Luk 12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

We must also wear the breastplate of righteousness.

The righteousness of God is the perfection of His nature.

Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

By ourselves we will never be perfect, but we have the perfect Holy Trinity living within us, if we belong to the Lord.

Righteousness is doing things right and all the right things are listed for us in the truth of the Word of God.

But we must also protect our feet!

We must trust in "Gospel" enough that the "Gospel" will direct our every step which is needed considering the journey we have to go and this race that God has given us to run.

When we stand on these things that time we walk in the valleys will be short and we can spend more time on the mountain top!

The breast plate of righteousness is designed to protect our heart, which holds to the truth of the Lord.

2Co_3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Above all these other things we have the shield of "faith".

It is our "faith" which will quench the fiery darts of Satan.

It is our "faith" that will cause us to avoid temptations.

It is our "faith" that will give us the strength to just tell the devil to go back where he came from!

When know the truth of God we will never question our salvation.

We will never question the call of the Holy Spirit.

We will never doubt God's ability to save.

We will never become defeated Christians, because we are on the winning side!

We must also realize that our head is that part which must carefully needs to be defended!

One heavy stroke to our head can be fatal.

Our thinking ability is our greatest tool to claim victory and reject defeat!

We must have so much confidence in the promises of God that they become a reality within us!

These all the things that we need to defend against the attack of the devil, but God also equips us to go on offence.

The sword of the Spirit

Satan may know some of the Word of God having been around for so long. He may be even able to quote part of the Scriptures, but the truth is Satan cannot withstand a continuous assault of the Word of God.

When take our shield which covers us head to toe and our sword, the Word of God, Satan will go a running.

It is true that we must defend ourselves against Satan, but we must also attack Satan and hit him where it hurts with the Word of God.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

We attack Satan, when we stand on the Word of God and do not compromise with the ways of the world.

We attack Satan, when we battle our flesh and win every day.

The Word of God is our greatest weapon, our "Faith" is our greatest defense but our prayer to our Holy Father is our greatest tool and will lead to our greatest resource.

It is just a great honor and privilege to step right in to the throne room of our Holy, All Powerful God!

*****Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The Lord by the Holy Spirit has just described to us in words that are easy to understand saying that as Christians and the Saints of God, we had better wake up to the fact that we are in a war with the evil in this world. Our war is not with flesh, those who partake of this evil.

We first must overcome the evil in our own lives and we do this by giving our complete self over to the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we grow in the "grace" of God and face the battles ahead we are to tell the story of Jesus to all whom we contact, while defending ourselves against the evil in this world.

We can have no strength without the Holy Spirit, we cannot have the Holy Spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot have the Lord Jesus Christ without acknowledging the plan of salvation from our Father in Heaven.

Every child of God is equipped for this war, but the question remains, will you get into this battle.

These things start with prayer and it will be prayer that will carry us through to victory!

We must pray and then we must pray and then we must pray again, and this prayer must be in the Spirit!

Remember prayer is not always about asking, in most cases we just need assurance. Many times, we just need to talk but every time we need to take the time to listen.

We must realize there is nothing we can say to God that He does not already know. The Lord just wants us to be sure about what we are asking Him to do. and how it is going to affect others.

An answered prayer carries the force of the Almighty God!

Take a look at Paul's request.

Paul said "put me on your prayer list because we must always pray for one another.

We must always pray that the Word of God will reach all this world.

We must pray that the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ reaches all those who are lost so they will get the opportunity to make a choice about accepting the "Gospel" as the truth that it is.

We must pray for all our brothers and sisters in Christ who are all in the same battle with evil that we are!

Act 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

What exactly is our job as Christians? "To boldly make known the mystery of the "Gospel". The same job that Paul had!

The same job the other apostles had!

The same job our pastor has!

Even while Paul was chained to Roman soldiers, he professed the "Gospel".

Even while Paul was locked up in jail, he professed the "Gospel"

Even throughout all the sufferings of the Apostle Paul, he never once stopped professing the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

Even Paul could not go himself with his "good news" he sent others that he trusted to proclaim the "Gospel".

*****Eph 6:21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

Eph 6:22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

When we face the war with our own flesh every day we occasionally need some encouragement

Notice that Tychicus was a beloved brother.

Notice that Tychicus was a faithful minister.

This is all the information that this church needed if they truly trusted the Apostle Paul.

To this day not much more is known about this godly man. In fact, what else does anyone need to know about any of us other than we are brothers or sisters in Christ and faithful ministers of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

What else needs to be known of any of us?

Even God has chosen not to remember our past. It is the New Man Tychicus that these Ephesians will get to meet.

Tychicus would inform these Ephesians about the Apostle Paul for sure but he would also know if this church was true to the "Gospel" and take that information back to the Apostle Paul.

If we are not faithful to the Word of God, it will show when we have those who come to visit our places of worship.

We can always learn many things from Paul as he closes his epistles.

*****Eph 6:23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Paul is a spiritual brother to every believer and Paul gave no consideration of himself, but he would always give consideration to all brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul loved the Church and it showed!

The Apostle Paul was a prayer warrior for the Church.

Paul prayed for the peace of the brethren in this church and we should also do this.

Paul prayed for all to now the love of Jesus Christ.

Paul prayed that love for Christ would come because of their faith in His promises.

Paul prayed that each one of them knew the "Grace" of God that could come only by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you know the "Grace" that comes by Jesus Christ?

Amen

Let's Pray!

Understanding God and His Plan For Us All

Understanding God's Plan

Book of Ephesians 1:13-23

We could ask ourselves what is God's plan for humanity? God's plan first starts with salvation.

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

We must first know who God is.

Isa 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

We can understand from this passage that our God is Jehovah and He is also Elohim, the One True God!

The Jews considered God's name so Holy they would pronounce His name Adonai meaning the unchanging, eternal, self-existing God.

The "I Am", the covenant keeping God.

It is a shame we do not have that kind of reverence for our Savior today! "Praise His Holy Name"

Let's begin:

We finished last week with verse 12 but let's include it again today.

*****Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Eph 1:13 In whom "ye" (you) also trusted, after that "ye" (you) heard the word of truth, the gospel of "your" salvation: in whom also after that "ye" (you) believed, "ye" (you) were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Remember God wants this entire world to know His truth!

The Word of Truth, it is the "Gospel" of our salvation!

Once we believe the "Gospel", then and only then can we be sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise!

What is the "Gospel"?

Let's look at the short version by the Apostle Paul:

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures";

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

It is very important that we hear the truth of our existence!

Without hearing the truth of our existence, we will never understand the salvation plan of God.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

God's plan revolves around someone (The Preacher, The Missionary) presenting the "Gospel" to someone who has not heard it (the Lost).

It is not just the job of the preacher but "the job of every believer" to tell others about the truth of the "Gospel" and the truth of God's plan!

There is a great importance in hearing the Word of God.

The reading of the Scriptures was a great part of worship in the Jewish synagogues and still is.

Many so-called churches today make very little reference to the Scriptures but teach man-made lessons.

But the hearing must be constant, it must be attentive, it must be with reverence, it must be in faith, and we must try our best to retain what we hear and apply it to our daily lifestyle.

What we do not understand can be learned through much prayer, also in faith.

One advantage of hearing the Word of God is that it brings Holy Ghost conviction.

The Holy Ghost will work in each and every individual who hears the Word of God until they make a choice, so He can also choose to stay or leave.

The Holy Ghost will also work on individuals before they have heard the Word of God as God prepares a place to send His missionaries!

Therefore, the world is trying to silence the Word of God today.

Holy Spirit conviction that can also bring conversion!

Conversion brings commitment and commitment brings the sealing of the Holy Spirit of promise. (sealed in Jesus Christ)

2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

The Holy Spirit sealed within us, is just a down payment for our redemption!

*****Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Earnest means a pledge between us and our God. A down payment with a promise, (a guarantee) of full payment.

In the day of Jesus Christ, it was used as the bridegroom's betrothal gift to the bride.

Some would say it was the money used to strike a bargain which is false.

In this Scripture it means the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to the saints of God as a part payment of our future glory!

By accepting the gifts of God, we are rescued from condemnation and adopted in the family of God and knowing what our future holds.

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

As Christians we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ and we belong to God.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

That word "peculiar" means that we are God's "personal property", being set aside for God's purpose!

Without hearing the truth of the Gospel and believing, (having "faith in its truth"), we can be gloriously saved and adopted into the household of God, by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

*****Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

As Christians we must grow in the Lord and God gives us this opportunity by getting up close and personal with all His adopted children.

Faith and love are the first signs of the "Babe in Christ" and it should be obvious to others.

No one will know about our faith until we have persevered by the "Grace" of God and actually increased our faith!

No one will know about our love until they have seen it in action. "Love is an action word, not a passive word and certainly not lust".

That word "wherefore" is another word that teaches us how to study the Bible.

Wherefore means, because of what we have learned from the previous Scriptures (verses 3-14), because as believers, we abide in Christ and we are sealed by His Holy Spirit.

This Church had a strong testimony and the evidence of this truth had reached the apostle Paul.

Being in Christ means we accept all the Doctrine of the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ and that salvation, being restored in harmony with God, can come only Him.

Our faith must be based upon the Word of God and the truth of His promises, "taking God at His literal Word"!

When we understand what faith is, then we can understand what God says about love.

Luk_10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

God's love toward us must produce a corresponding love toward Him and all others!

We are members of the same family, redeemed by the same blood and filled with the same Holy Spirit!

As Christians we have the same friends but also the same enemies!

We have the same hope and the same fears.

We also have the same promises of the precious things to come! Amen

We will all go to the same New Heaven!

The one thing we all must do is to grow. Standing still is the same as going backwards.

Paul had just explained the blessings of God and these Ephesians were encouraged to grow in the Lord.

2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Sometimes we fail as Christians when we see the bad things of each other before we see the good things we all have as Christians.

Our faith in Christ Jesus is not only to know Him and worship Him, and we can certainly rely on Him!

Faith in Jesus Christ justifies and saves but it is also by His hand we receive God's pardon and God's "Amazing Grace".

It is these things that should bring us to our knees in prayer and it should be obvious that we should first offer thanksgivings to the God of our salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ!

If we never ask of God, then how will we ever receive!

Mat_21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

We get foolish most times when we pray for we ask of material things when we should first ask for wisdom.

We should remember the prayer of Solomon.

1Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

1Ki 3:10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

Solomon prayed for wisdom and it pleased the Lord.

So, what did Paul teach these Ephesians?

*****Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

We must understand as young believers, these things are much more important than any other thing.

We need a clearer and deeper knowledge of the things that brought us to salvation. We need to grow in the knowledge of God, so we will not be misled by those who would cause us to fall from God's favor.

Faith grows by using faith to reach out to the things of God!

The God we know is the same God that the Lord Jesus Christ worshiped when He walked upon this earth.

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

We have this access to Divine knowledge, why would we not take advantage of it. The unbeliever will never get this opportunity!

God wants us to know Him in a very personal way if not He would never fill us with His Holy Spirit!

As unperfect as we are, we have something perfect living within us!

We serve a God so loving and so wonderful that He wants to hold our hand as we go through this life, so we can be free!

We can never know too much about Jehovah God and He will teach us all that we can handle for there are many things far beyond our comprehension as long as we live in these bodies of flesh.

We can be nothing without God's wisdom in us!

*****Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

The eye might be the most elegant organ in our human bodies.

If we will undertake to know the wisdom of God, we will begin to see His image in our own eyes!

In reality the eye has direct contact with the soul and it is the soul that needs to be enlightened to the wisdom and understanding of God.

God our Creator is calling out to that eternal soul to take control of that body of flesh.

The eyes of our understanding must first be opened and then God will enlighten them.

Enlighten is to illuminate. God wants us to have a clear picture, to be able to understand the truth of salvation.

That light is the glorious love of Jesus Christ.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

God has called each believer to stand before Him in righteousness, but that righteousness can only be in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the perfect Son of God and God expects that same perfection which we will never reach without knowing His Son.

The day is coming when we will be perfect. This is the hope of His returning that then we will be made perfect and acceptable to our Holy God.

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

As Christians we are God's inheritance provided to Him by His Son. We are God's very own possession!

And as Christians we will share in the inheritance of His Dear Son!

We have a very big God who is also a most powerful God!

*****Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

If we think that there is anything out of the reach of Jehovah God, then we are simply fools.

God cannot sin because He would be less than perfect, and our God is not only powerful, but He is Perfect!

Powerful and Perfect are two of His many names!

It is a fool who rejects the power of God in their lives every day!

To be a Christian is to know and understand the power of God, at least as much as we can understand.

God's power is far exceeding any power of humanity.

God's power is far greater than any power of humanity.

That enormous, exceeding, great power is extended to each believer, through the Lord Jesus Christ. This thing we will realize when we join our Lord in Heaven, but we also have part of that power while we yet live on this earth.

Because of what Jehovah God did for Jesus Christ, by raising Him from death, He will through Jesus Christ do the same for each believer!

Yes, by faith we are saved, and our soul will never see death but in the coming of the Lord, He will then raise that old body of flesh to a new body such as He did to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This is the power of God that comes only through and by the Lord Jesus Christ!

We can see that God will extend His power to each and every believer.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

God intends for us to know life, not death!

What do we give up? Nothing but our death!

**When Jehovah God raised Jesus from the dead, He demonstrated that it is He who holds the power of life!

As God held the power of our old life, God holds the power of our New Life!

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

**When God raised the Lord Jesus into Heaven, He demonstrates that He holds the power to raise us up into Heaven.

Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

**God has transferred that same power to His Dear Son who will raise all believers into Heaven!

Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Where the Lord is at, this is the same place we will be one day soon!

*****Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

It is only by the power of God that these things can happen.

Php_3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Heb_7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

God has given The Lord Jesus Christ the power to rule over all the things in creation old and new.

The truth is, God will give the believer the power to rule with Him!

The truth is, all the kingdom of God has He given to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

As believers we first experience the power of God at salvation.

We then become members of the "Body of Christ", the Church.

The Lord Jesus Christ paid the supreme price in order for the Church to have life. Therefore, the Church cannot die!

The Head cannot function without the body and the body cannot survive without the Head!

The Church needs Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ needs the Church to deliver them to His Father.

If God has the power to create the church and it is through creation that God makes a new life, then God certainly has the power to work in our lives!

It is God that has opened our eyes to the gross sin of this world and has given us the tools to combat evil, and witness for the good of Christ, the Good News, the Gospel!

The Church is the Body on this earth that God uses to combat evil!

We fail when we do not use the power God has given us to take His Word to the world, every way we can possibly do this.

Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church gives guidance, life, influence on every member.

To make things right He adopts us into His own family, so we can draw our strength from Him.

It is the family where the strength comes for each single individual to go out in faith with the Sword of the Lord (the Word of God).

We must remember we are at war with evil and God provides the things we need!

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

We are no good to Christ until we get into this war with evil.

God has a plan and every Christian is a major part of that plan!

Amen