Thank you, Lord. Yeah. We’re going to get right into this. Pull no punches and hit it hard. Today, I just want to declare to you.

I heard during worship God, her eyes and his enemies be scattered. Let God arise and his enemies be scattered. Let God arise and His enemies be scattered. Yes. Yes. Psalm 144 says, Blessed be the Lord. My rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers to battle my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the one in whom I take refuge.

We’re launching into a series of messages over the next coming couple of weeks on spiritual warfare. I’m so greatly honored that the pastors asked me to lead off this endeavor. I have two three verses to cover today, and I. I just continue to say, let God arise and his enemies be scattered. If you have your Bible would you please turn to Ephesians six?

We’re going to start off with verse ten today. I’m going to read through verses ten, 11 and 12, and then we’re going to go through and we are going to break down what these verses are saying to us in their context, in their power, in the potency of what Paul was preaching to the Ephesians, so that it may infuse our life with strength and power and hope and bravery and courage to stand in the face of whatever the enemy may throw our way, and that we will declare like God to rise and His enemies to be scattered.

Verse ten in the King James version. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might put on the whole armor of God that He may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against wickedness in high places.

That is our text for today. And we are going to break down starting at verse ten, Right? Paul speaking to the Ephesians, of course, he led with a six chapters we’ve gone through in the previous previous messages over the past several weeks or months where Paul is talking to the Ephesians church and he’s wrote, he wrote to them and he first addressed it in the first three chapters.

He had addressed our redemptive identity in Christ. He talked about spiritual blessings in Christ. He talked about how we’re made alive in Christ, and he talked about the mystery of the gospel, which is revealed to us and in us and through us. He then went on in chapters four or five in the first part of six, to talk about the unity in the maturing of the body of Christ, talking about living in love and in light, and also then about family and in general relationships.

And that is all bringing to the point, bringing to bear walking worthy of our new identity in Christ. So there’s this strong emphasis of our Christ identity that Paul is speaking to us, but he was writing to the Ephesians about and then we end up in verse of Ephesians chapter six, and in verse ten he says finally, which is this idea of in lieu of everything I just said, or in light of all I just presented to you, in conclusion of all I just presented to you, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

It seems like such a simple short phrase. yeah, be strong. Okay. And then the power is my. Got it. There’s a little bit more depth to this in verse ten, so let’s break it down a little bit. Be strong, this phrase, be strong. First of all, it’s a command. It’s not a suggestion. He’s not saying maybe be strong.

If you think you can be strong, he’s saying be. It’s a charge and he’s giving you a charge. But he’s saying how you will be able to endure and accomplish that charge because it’s be strong in the Lord, be strong. It’s a it’s a combination of a couple of Greek words. The main emphasis of this word and doing a male is to empower, to enable to increase in strength.

It means to receive power or to increase in your strength or to be made strong. Right this word. And if you break it kind of down, it means in and then the word Jeremiah’s comes from the word dunamis. That’s where we get dynamite. It’s where we get the description of a power, a force, an explosive strength or an ability.

So when you combine these two words, the picture that we’re supposed to get is that there’s an explosive power that is being deposited into some type of vessel. And that vessel was actually created to contain that power, be strong. Now in the Lord, again, there’s this word in it’s a tiny little word, but it has a really interesting implication.

It means local. It means a place proper or a proper place, which could mean a rightful, specific and intended location, deep meaning for such two letters. Right. So a rightful, specific and intended location. And of course, the Lord referring to Lord Jesus Christ. So if you put those together, be strong in the Lord as defined. It reads Be empowered in your intended location within the life of Jesus Christ and in the great dominion of His ability. I receive it to in the amplified effusion. 610 says in conclusion, Be strong in the Lord draw your strength from him and be empowered through your union with him and in the power of his boundless might.

It’s endless to what dominion means. It’s supreme. He reigns supreme over all things he created all things so he rules all things. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Now we’ll circle back. Diverse ten because that’s not all the Lord has for us there. But moving on to verse 11, he says, Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

All right, put on means to clothe oneself or to sink into a garment. It means to end do. Which is the idea that you have been provided with a quality or an ability. So if you are endowed with power, you’ve been provided the quality of ruling or the ability to exercise power and so we could say the first part of this in verse 11, put on the whole armor of God, which would be clothe yourselves in the quality and, the ability of God’s complete defensive covering.

Romans 1314 says be but clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh. Don’t even give a single thought to gratifying the flesh. Don’t give it a second of your time because all it cares about is improper desires. Now, second part of verse 11 that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil first, stand against, Stand against.

Here is the idea of a fixed position that means to stand, but then against means facing a certain direction. All right. So we stand against the wiles of the devil. It’s like a boxer’s stance if he’s going to stand against an opponent or a wrestler, if he’s going to stand against an opponent, he is in a posture, in a in a in a position and dude with power, with an ability to withstand and overcome his adversary, it’s a position we have to put ourselves in.

And let me submit to you that looks a little like this. Maybe perhaps like this. Yeah. Fully surrendered to the Lord. So stand against again, there’s this emphasis. Remember in the Lord in a rightful, specific and intended location. We’re called as priests, kings, intercessors, prophets, and we all a position to stand in and not be moved and continue to face in the direction of where by he is called us unto and not step back or get off balance or walk away or turn away now wiles of the devil.

This is a fun word. Wiles sounds kind of like, that’s of a funky word. We don’t really say that at all. Have you heard anybody say Wiles lately? Just checking. Okay. Wiles Interesting. Wiles In the Greek means method. I probably said that wrong, but essentially it’s where we get our English word methods so that you may be able stand against the methods of the devil.

What are his methods? Wiles means cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery. It means schemes. It can mean system like a system of schemes. It can mean a procedure. His modus operandi, the way he operates. So putting this verse 11 together, closing yourself in the quality and ability of God’s complete defensive covering, that you may be able to remain in a fixed position facing towards the direction God has called you to withstanding the cunning arts schemes and hindrances of the devil.

Now, today is not about getting in the armor. We’re going to get into armor in later messages, but the emphasis here is to put on the whole armor, clothe yourselves, be in dude. Now, let’s take a minute and let’s talk about those wiles. This is what I feel is my primary assignment. And so this whole section I’m going to call exposing the wiles.

Now we define wiles as cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery, schemes, system procedure. That’s all kind of an overarching conceptual look what he does. Here’s the specifics. Number one, the enemy is it insinuation? Master insinuation. And he uses intimidation. Now, insinuation first means the act gaining favor or affections by gentle or artful means a creeping or winding in sneaky or cunning subtle.

It also means the art or power of pleasing and stealing on the affections. It’s like the modern day con man, except he’s not a man. We see this insinuation nature of the enemy in his description in Genesis, when Eve says The serpent beguiled me, it’s a synonym for insinuation an beguiles, means to charm or flatter or trick or deceive.

But it’s cunning. It doesn’t seem like a deception. It it almost poses as a really great idea. It almost poses as something I didn’t. I didn’t know that really whole. At the end of the day, though, beguiling means lying. It’s pride. He flatters and he tries to pull you into an unholy affection called idolatry. He beguiles with lust, he beguiles with gossip, speaking things about somebody like I don’t really want to talk about about them, but did you hear that?

I don’t care how you set that up. Just as a quick aside, it’s gossip. If you’re talking about somebody else and it’s in a slander, is cunning, deceitful, elevating you, depressing them, That’s called gossip. It can be likened to someone who bears false witness. He also beguiles with doubt and he brings doubt through disappointment, disappointing circumstances. Did God really say beguiled?

Eve was beguiled. The serpent said, You won’t surely die. God knows that you’ll be expanded in knowledge. Wisdom started to paint a picture of Won’t it be great to be like this? The marketing master second third Corinthians 210 through 11, says When you forgive this man, I forgive him too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit so that Satan will not outsmart us.

For we are familiar with his evil schemes. Little context there. This is in second Corinthians. There is some pretty serious sin going on in the Corinthian church. Paul sent a letter and confronted it and said such a person doing these things, pull them out of your midst. I can’t believe this is happening. But then later he says, Restore, seek, restore, seek to restore.

And he also says, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit. Like forgive them. There’s a benefit in forgiving them so that Satan will not outsmart us, for we are familiar with his evil schemes, right? Be not ignorant of his devices. The connotation there is that he’s sneaky, he’s slithering, he’s cunning, and if you’re not sharp and sober, you could fall to one of his charms.

Second Corinthians 1114 through 15, says And no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness. When Paul saying this, he’s saying the con man also has other little con men and they come in, they sound sweet and they’re offering great things, but they’re swindlers, they’re charlatans, they’re hijackers.

Their true intention is to kill, steal and destroy. So be aware, watchful. Do not be beguiled. All right. Exposing the wiles. The second thing that the enemy brings is intimidation. Now, I would say that the latter. The insinuation is a little bit more difficult to navigate at times because the Bible says that we’re drawn away of own lusts.

Now, the enemy puts bait out there. Maybe they’ll be enticed by this. Maybe they’ll be enticed by that. They will be enticed by this people to be enticed by that. And all of those things like Eve said, or the Bible accounts in Genesis looked pleasing to the eye. It looks good. What’s the harm in it? I don’t see any harm in it.

To me, all I see is this part of the picture and there’s no harm in it. But then the Lord says through the Word of God, which is they discern or I’m able to see the larger scope of what’s going on instead of just this narrow picture. And when I see the larger scope and I actually exercise biblical discernment, I will be aware of where that leads and where it came from and how I can avoid and dis arm that device.

Insinuation is sneaky, but then there’s one tactic of the enemy that is not sneaky at all. It’s overt, it’s blunt, it’s aggressive, and that is through intimidation. Intimidation is the act of making one fearful. It’s the state of being embarrassed. Our modern day term for this is bully. Bully means to intimidate, oppress, accuse, abuse, belittle when the enemy intimidates and bullies us, the number one thing he does it with is fear.

Fear of loss, fear of the future, fear of what could happen. Most of it all steers into a ditch of death. He preys on human nature because a lot of people are afraid of death, bad things, this, that and the third. It’s the world we live in. The world it breeds death and destruction. The Bible says the world is passing away.

So that means there is a ever present continuation of decay happening right in front of us. It’s the environment that we are navigating through. It’s why we have to stand against firmly planted in the Lord Jesus. So he brings fear to intimidate. He brings fear for us too. I’m Going to clam up to back off, to run away With that he brings shame because this is interesting.

As soon as he scares you, he goes, What kind of Christian are you that you’re scared of? A little boop. So there’s fear and there’s shame. Then he bullies us with afflictions. Afflictions is like the intense mental and physical that a bully or an enemy, a foe could bring against somebody. Right? A bully on the schoolyard. Where’s my lunch money?

Soon as he says that fear. What happens to kids who get bullied? Yeah. Extremely stressed, full of anxiety, full of apprehension. Might feel shame that they can’t stand up to the bully. Probably do. Also, they end up not being able to stand against. They go around and they divert. I’m telling you right now, by the spirit of the Lord, there are some that the Lord has set you on a course and a path.

And he said, Walk way according to this way. And then the enemy stands in the gates of that journey where you’re walking and. He stands there like, Are you seriously think you’re going to come through here? Intimidation or And the Lord says, No, be strong in the Lord in in the power of his might put on, put on clothe yourself and stand against his wiles, against his trickery, against his deceptions, going further into afflictions, afflictions.

Also, like I said, they’re mental and physical, so they can attack the body and they can attack the mind. The word affliction is used quite a bit to talk about sicknesses, actual afflictions in the body, the body in turmoil, the body not operating correctly, the body being disrupted. It’s both personal, physical, and it can be body of Christ, corporate.

You all following me. So there is an individual opposition and there is a corporate opposition. So he attacks with afflictions, mental and physical in the mental arena. He brings confusion, depression again, all offshoots of fear and shame. And also part of his tactics is slander. Now, we it may not directly come into contact with this, but he’s a slander.

The enemy. He’s an accuser. He accuses us day and night before God, I’m going to put the accuser over here. But then we have our advocate, Jesus Christ, the righteous, and he intercedes on our behalf. He pleads our case and he pleads his blood over our case. So when we are in the Lord, he pleads our case and we are found innocent or justified by the atoning blood of the LAMB of God and the accusations, whether they keep coming as fiery darts, arrows, whatever picture you want to paint it as, those lies, deceits accusations, slander rings, come slamming against us.

This stronghold of God that is in Christ Jesus will withstand every single blow. John ten, ten says the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. But I have come that they might life and live it to the fullest. A man now going over the the wiles of the devil. It’s really important to understand one really, really key thing.

This is super important. Learning about the wiles of the devil, understanding his strategies is part of what Paul is calling. Being not ignorant. Ignorant means I ignore and I kind of like la la la la la la la. I hope it goes away. I hope it doesn’t bother me. I hope things just kind of get better on their own.

Like that’s being ignorant. Yes, sometimes we’re ignorant because we don’t. We have no clue like what was prophesied today. There is no awareness. We are not awake to this thing. And I pray that God opens your understanding and the Holy Spirit teaches you and awakens you to what is actually going on right within your own situation, within relationship with husband, wife, within the family unit.

And then, of course, our brothers and sisters as our local body. And then it extends out. There’s battles all over the place. But we have to be aware that there is a battle. So part of that is a let’s call it innocent ignorance, because we’re not aware that that’s even a thing. But on the other side of this, there is a intentional ignorance where we see the bully and go, my God, I hope he doesn’t take my bunch my money today.

I hope this gets better. Maybe I can pray that the Lord will just like make him go to another school and I will just not stand in the place that God has appointed me to with the power He has given me to exercise authority over the territory that he is infiltrating, but that I’m supposed to take. It’s a switch from a defensive mindset to an offensive, and we will be fully armored, out and covered with defensive tools, tactics, weapons from the Lord.

He doesn’t send us into battle naked and and and you know, vulnerable. The only time we’re in a battle vulnerable is when we’re ignorant. Maybe the enemy won’t attack me. And you’re walking right into arrows. Sometimes it’s hard to see the tactic. I understand this very well. Personally. I understand that there can be situations and then emotions and then decisions and then all these things stack up and all of a sudden they build a little bit of a wall and it can be to see through that situation.

And I would suggest to you once again, we need the Word of God to expand and discern between forts and intense what is actually happening here. Lord, what are you doing in this situation? Give me the strength to stand, to be strong, to be courageous as to be brave, to show myself true and solid in the face of certain death.

Second, Timothy one seven. We take it one step back. We discuss these beguiles and the bullying and the intimidation, the insinuation, all the of the devil. The reason why we need to bring them up is to be prepared. We don’t discuss them to be scared. We discuss them to be prepared. Yeah. Rick Renner, that’s a quote from Rick Renner.

We don’t discuss these things. He’s done extensive, detailed research and deep theological study on spiritual warfare. And one of his key things he always says is we don’t discuss these things to be scared, but to be prepared, we have to be prepared, be not ignorant of the enemy’s devices. Our primary preparation is in the word of God. We have be in the word of God every single situation.

We have to be in the Word of God. We have to know the Word of God. The Word of God is a sharp two-edged sword. It pierces, it divides. It grants discernment so that we can see the enemy, see the tactic, see the beguilement, see the sneaky slithering, cunning snake, or see the bully and not back up.

Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” I’m not going to go too deep into the study of that, but just here’s the paraphrase. He’s given us a spirit of power, that is the most miraculous supernatural power that’s in the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s the same power that was in Jesus that raised him from death, brought him back to life, and put him in a place where he overcame death, hell, and sin. That’s in every single one of us here.

He’s also given us a spirit of love. That love casts out fear. It throws it down, strips it of its power. Love also covers a multitude of sins. That is the essence of forgiveness. And lastly, he’s given us a sound mind. This is probably one of the most important, especially today. All three of these are essential. Obviously. But this one God wants to emphasize, He has given you a mind that has been, listen, a mind sound mind, a mind that is delivered, heard, rescued, revived, protected, brought into a place of safety and security and is no longer affected by deceitful, insinuating, and intimidating thoughts. And that’s what he has done when he is giving you a sound mind because there’s a whole lot more depth to that. But just for today, whom the sun is set free is free indeed. Some of us need not need. You must, must use the word of God as your weapon of warfare. You cannot cast it down with positive thinking or ignoring or any other humanistic psychological tactic. It won’t work. It’s natural. This is a supernatural battle. So you must use supernatural means and God has provided all of them.

Verse 12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Now, first this word wrestle. The word wrestle means parlay in Greek. It’s a derivative of a location called a Palestra. In Greek culture, this was also a smaller portion of what they call the gymnasium in Greek culture. Right. We’re all familiar with a gymnasium or gym. Most of the time. That’s like a basketball place or a volleyball place, a place of indoor sports contests. But the gymnasium was much broader in scope. In Greek culture actually was kind of a centerpiece. That’s where the Olympics kind of originated out of. There was all these athletic competitions happening inside the gymnasium. Within the gymnasium, there was a Palestra, this Palestra was a place. It was a square, like a boxing ring or modern-day boxing ring. But that was where people boxed and wrestled. And then there were some more aggressive more ancient things that were more vicious, probably akin to what we would know as gladiators. Like when gladiators fought in the Roman era, the Greeks did this a little bit, but they more were about the sport because they were very much about strong mind, strong body. That was their philosophy, strong mind, strong body. Okay. So they were very into sports. I won’t dive into this too much, but a lot of that had to do with the worship of their gods running through that very lightly. They did and demonstrated these things. They praised human flesh body. You ever heard of the Mr. Olympian? That’s the bodybuilding competition. All of that derives from Greek culture, ancient Greek culture, right. Where they put so much emphasis on the body and its beauty and its image and all the idolatry that goes with. And then they put a lot on the mind, wisdom, knowledge, intellect, brilliance, mind and body. So that’s the picture that we get now back to wrestle the Palestra or parlay. In ancient Greek, it it was the picture of this was and we all know what kind of modern day wrestling looks like and there’s kind of a lot of derivatives of it, like Greco-Roman wrestling. Sambo jujitsu, like all these derivatives of wrestling. Kind of paint a picture of what this looks like. But the idea here is that it’s a contest between two people. They’re set against each other, and the goal is to throw the other person down. Also, in some of their contests, they would have to throw them down and hold them down and sometimes hold them down and put into a compromising position whereby your opponent submits to you. And we think about this in the context of the enemy. He desires to throw us down, hold us down, submit us into a way of thinking, twist it up, mangle it deform it, and press it and press it down and keep it there and then intimidate it to stay down. The word wrestle and a very simple explanation means to struggle, to strive, to contend. Now that’s wrestle.

Then it talks about principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places. Just real quickly, like we’re not going to go into demonology and getting all their ranks and hierarchy and all that stuff. And to be honest, unless the Lord really is like calling you in that direction, it’s not that important. What is important is to understand that there is an enemy that he has ranks, right? Principalities are chief rank powers. Those are kind of a next level down rank, if you will. It’s not a perfect hierarchy here, but that’s kind of what it’s starting to outline Paul is speaking to. There’s a lot of depth to this, but I wanted to just kind of fly over this. So there’s chief principle ranking wicked entities, personalities, there’s powers, enemy forces that are highly organized. Somehow they’re organized. They cause so much chaos, but they have to be organized to do it. There’s rulers of the darkness of this world that is speaking to the devil and his demons. And then there’s spiritual wickedness in high places. This is supernatural, evil purposes and desires by Bill would call it iniquity, right?

We have to be aware of his devices. We have to be aware that those devices are working through principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places. The word high places is referring to Bible says heavenly places, but it’s really referring to like the air over the earth within the atmosphere, right? Like between the ground and space. Somewhere in there, the enemy is allowed to operate. Still, he’s a beaten foe, but he’s not going quietly. It’s like he’s been evicted, but he’s still squatting until Jesus Christ returns and vanquish is him off of the earth. All right, so verse 12, we could say it this way. We can tend to throw down and subdue every supernatural top ranking force, every supernatural enemy force, the devil in

his demons and all forms of of spiritual evil purposes. And that is what we do.

Again, the Bible or verse 12, it emphasizes we wrestle not against flesh and blood our fight. Pastor Pat is preached on this so many times. As soon as I read it, I was like him in my mind. We’re not fighting people. We’re not. I’m not fighting you. You’re not fighting me. We’re not fighting people in the Democratic Party or the Republican Party or from other countries. We’re not fighting the people. That’s what it means by flesh and blood. But we are fighting principalities, rulers, wicked evil entities, devices that are deployed through individuals or over territories making sense. So when we start to be drawn into a battle with another human, that’s what we have to we got to pull we got to pull back and go, Whoa, wait a minute. This isn’t the fight. This isn’t the fight. I’m getting tricked into something here. If I’m not careful, if I’m not careful, this is going to end in some sort of division or some sort of disappointment or some sort of offense, because I’m being tricked into a battle against a brother or against the sister or against the mother or against the father or against a parent. That’s not the battle. We’re battling against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Second Corinthians 10:3-6 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, throw them down, wrestle them to the ground, subdue them, make them submit to the obedience of Christ. Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity. That is the grasping of the thought and putting it down, bringing it to the obedience of Christ. Pulling down means to deconstruct or demolish, bring a wrecking ball to the works of the enemy and strongholds. They’re both physical, like a castle or fortress. Mentally, this is mindsets, arguments and reasonings. Again, here is the physical force of Greece, and here is the intellectual force of Greece, all which was glorified, by the way, a quick little fun fact in the Palestra This is bizarre. I didn’t realize this. You’d think that a gymnasium was only reserved for sport right in the Palais Stara. It’s surrounded by columns and. There’s walkways and in the Palestra, where all the intellectuals who were standing around the physical wrestling arena verbally arguing, verbally wrestling. Plato was one who was frequently in the Palestra. Modern-day philosopher gave way to some interesting things and good things where we kind of founded our Western culture, but a whole lot of doctrines of devils and humanistic philosophies. They were argued, wrestled with, contended within the perimeter of the actual physical wrestling arena. So when he says wrestle, we have to understand the picture is not a physical fight. The picture is mentally. I am wrestling. A thought comes in and I have to take hold of it. I have to hold on to it and go, Wait a minute, I’m not going to just let thoughts come streaming into my mind. I’m not going to let the enemy just run me over. I’m not going to let my emotions bubble up and quench my spirit. I’m going to shut it all down and grab hold of the Lord, and I’m going to look at this thing and examine it. And if it doesn’t line up with the scriptures, I’m going to throw it down. I’m going to subdue it. I’m going to hold it down and keep it under my feet. That’s what he means by that. He has put all things under his feet. We are the church. All those things are put underneath the church. First John 3:8 says, “But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.” All his acts, all his deeds, all of what?

His activity produces. Jesus came to demolish them to conclude, for today, it’s like Pastor Jonathan had the end of my notes when he prophesied, Number one, prepare for battle. There is a spiritual war, a supernatural conflict that we must be aware of and prepared for. We can’t be innocently ignorant. We need to get the word of God implanted into our hearts.

We need to get equipped and trained. That’s why we have church. That’s why we have spirit school of ministry. That’s why there are elders here and deacons here and pastors that take time to do small groups like This is why we do this. It is our preparation as good soldiers to ready make ourselves ready for the battle at hand.

First, Peter five says, Be sober minded, be watchful. I’m going to add with discernment big picture your adversary. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour first. Peter, 113, says, therefore, your minds for action and being sober minded set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus.

Number two We must persevere against all opposition. Persevere means that we persist and we steadily continue in a course of action we stand against, even in the face of difficulty. And I would most especially in the face of dire, difficult, horrendous, possibly disastrous news or outcomes. Isaiah 4031. But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up with wings like, eagles, they shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. First Corinthians 1558 says, Therefore, my beloved brothers be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your rifle intended place, your labor is not in vain. James 112 says Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial for when he has stood the test.

He will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. And lastly, number three prevail, fail in the fight. We’re not just fighting to fight. You’re not just enduring the fight to lose. We are enduring to prevail and win. We are charged by the Apostle Paul in the beasts, wrong in the Lord and in the power of his might.

We’re commanded by the Lord Jesus to engage, to contend with, to resist, and to overcome. First Corinthians 1557 says, But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And lastly, James, for five through ten, do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate, that the spirit He is placed within us should be faithful to Him What kind of spirit is he given us?

Power, love and a sound mind. God is passionate that the spirit He has placed within us should be faithful to him, and he gives Grace generously. As the Scripture said, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So Church of God humble yourselves before God. This is the number one key in spiritual warfare. It’s not to think it all through.

It’s not to consult Google. It is to humble yourself before God. That’s why I laid on my face obedience, humble, worship him, submit to him. When you submit to him, you will be able to subdue your enemy. If you do not submit to him, your enemy will subdue you? You humble yourselves before God resists the devil and He will flee from you.

Stand against his wiles and He will fully stand against the lies and he will flee. Stands against the Depression and it will flee stand against the shame and it will go verse eight Come close to God, draw nigh to Him and God will come close to you wash your hands sinners, purify your hearts for your loyalty is divided between God in the world.

Those are those sneaky affections that the enemy is trying to steal away. He wants to rob God of the affection that we were created to give you. So wash ourselves, purify our hearts. God create in us a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within us. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief.

Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up in honor. Can we all stand now? I know the end of that Scripture, and James is like, that’s a real kind of downer. But we have to people of God, we got to look at the Scriptures differently when we read the Scriptures.

If it hits us in the soul and in our flesh, we go, Wow, that’s really sad or That’s really hard. That’s really a down point. We have to throw that down because what God’s actually saying is the secret. It’s the secret. Humble ourselves, cleanse ourselves, purify ourselves, draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to us. We found in Christ.

If you want to read more about being in Christ, read the first chapter of Ephesians again, He talks about, being in Christ. You were put in Christ, this was put in you, but you were put in Christ. Your rightful a thought at authorized position. So I would just like to take a moment because I feel Spirit of God just going move upon individuals and people listening online that deliverance is at hand.

Deliverance is the bread of the children. And if you ask for bread excuse me, deliverance is the bread of the children. If you ask for bread, God won’t give you a stone, but you have to come to him humbly. We have to take down the high way of thinking. That’s why the Bible says it’s not by might or power, but it’s by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.

So, Father, right now, we thank you for your word today. We thank you for the call to engage in the battle. We thank you that you have giving us everything that pertains to life and godliness that you empowering us with your supernatural strength, that you are exposing the lies and the wiles, the tactics of the enemy. And you are showing us that through Jesus Christ and through the work that He did when he overcame all form of principality and power, he came against and overthrew every wicked ruler and every high thing.

He tore it down that he overcame. And we too can overcome by his blood and by the word of our testimony. So, Lord, give us a ready tongue to speak and to pray, to intercede, to go before you all, God humbly seeking your face and asking for you to move from on high. God move in my life, Lord, show me where I have exalted self, show me where I have exalted idols and I have affections towards things that are not godly.

Show me where I have succumb to lust. Show me where I have been beguiled and I’ve been tricked and I am walking in deception create in us so God a clean heart every new within us The steadfast spirit This in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray and we receive from you today God, We receive your empowering. We receive your supernatural strength, Your sword.

We receive might through the spirit that is within us and upon us. We worship you and

glorify you in Jesus name.