Can you hear me?
All right, there. Now I think it's working. It's good to be here with you this morning.
We're going to be looking into God's Word and Before that I'd like to open up with a word of prayer
Are heavenly father thank you that we can gather together we gathered in the name of your son the Lord Jesus remembering him in the first meeting and Now we pray that your your spirit would teach us all through your word.
That you would help us to remember the things that you are teaching us this morning in the days ahead that they would be a source of strength.
Your word would strengthen us in our Christian walk. I just pray that the things that come out of my mouth will be according to your word and that you would.
Encourage us all and challenge us all. In Jesus name Amen.
So there are about. Somewhere around 8 billion people. In this world. Right now and we all have something in common.
We're all born sinners, right? Born to this world as sinners. You know the moment someone who is convicted of their sins and knows that they are deserving of hell.
The moment that person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. When the person believes in Christ Jesus who died for his sin was buried and rose again.
The moment that sinner believes that is the moment of spiritual birth.
I heard at once said if you're born twice. In this twice. You will only die once.
If you're born once, you're going to die twice. Paul describes a spiritual birth in Colossians chapter one.
You don't have to turn there, but he says he has delivered us from the power of darkness.
We talked about that this morning. The power of darkness. And conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His Love and whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins.
If you are here as a believer in Jesus Christ, aren't you thankful? That Jesus Christ has delivered you from the power of darkness.
Aren't you relieved that you have redemption through his blood that your sins are forgiven and that you're not going to end up in the lake of fire.
I know I am. No matter how bad your day, You're week, your month, your year, or even your life goes.
The fact that Jesus Christ has forgiven you of your sins, has forgiven me of my sins.
Rescued me from eternal judgment and given me eternal life those truths give me complete peace and contentment We need to speak those truths to ourselves and to one another daily so that we do not become discouraged.
How can we become discouraged? When we are heaven bound. Well, because we have an enemy.
Right? There is a false teaching out there that tells unbelievers, just believe on Christ in your life.
Will be wonderful Jesus will solve all your problems and will You'll be very prosperous. You're going to get.
Rich, just name it, claim it. You'll live happily ever after. Well, this is a false gospel.
You know, what is the initial purpose of the need to get saved? It it's because we are under God's judgment.
We are sinners on the way to the lake of fire, but God does not want us to go there.
He is not willing that any should perish, right? And that's why he sent his son Jesus to be born into this world.
Just like you and me, but one thing different, he was without sin. Jesus Christ became our substitute on the cross and sinners need to have their sins forgiven and receive eternal life from the only one who can save them.
And the only one who can save them is Jesus Christ, our Lord. And the moment we receive the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we become a child.
Of God. Born from above. Do you notice that when you got saved, if you're here as a believer, God doesn't just zap us into heaven.
He doesn't do that at the moment we're saved. He leaves us in a world that is under the control.
Of an enemy, a world that does not Love the Lord Jesus. And we need to recognise who.
The real enemy is. You know, I have a question. Is there any person living on this earth?
Who we should regard as our enemy.
The answer is no. But you might say, There are so many wicked people in the world. Really wicked people.
Who do so many evil things. Aren't they our enemies as Christians? Well, yes, there are many evil wicked people throughout this world, some of whom maybe even have caused heartache.
Pain for us in our lives, but we need to ask ourselves Again, who is our real enemy? Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 6.
Ephesians chapter 6.
Ephesians chapter 6. In these verses, Paul is telling The believers in Ephesus to be strong in the Lord and to put on the whole armour of God.
And we're gonna read verses 10 and 10 to 12. Ephesians chapter 6 starting in verse 10.
Finally, my brother and be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age.
Against spiritual hosts of wickedness. In the heavenly places.
So who is our real enemy?
Well, it's the devil. The principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age.
The spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Those are our real enemy. You know, behind every evil and wicked person in this world.
Are these forces of darkness?
You know, Satan and his demonic forces, and we see them all kind of rained. I don't quite totally understand all the rankings.
Of Satan's demonic forces. But one thing I do know is they hate our Lord Jesus Christ.
They hate His name. They don't want the Lord Jesus Christ to get glory. And likewise, they do not.
Want our lives to glorify. The Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, what do they want to do?
They want to neutralize any power of the Spirit of God working in our lives. So we as believers in Jesus Christ need to know that we have an enemy.
In our lives. We as believers in Jesus Christ need to know our enemy. We need to know that this moment of spiritual birth into God's family.
We are here in this world that is under the influence of Satan. You know, spiritual birth through Jesus Christ does not bring us to heaven right away.
I just said that before we don't get zapped into heaven. We are left in a spiritual battlefield.
And tell Jesus Christ calls us home through either death. Or the rapture of the church. That's a little different message than the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel.
Isn't it? That were here in a spiritual battle. So we need to know our enemy and know that he is the one influencing the evil.
In this world. When someone wrongs us, we need to remember that they are either being controlled or influenced by the evil one.
We as believers entered spiritual warfare. The moment of our spiritual birth. You know, thank God for the body of Christ.
A new believer, you know, you just think of a baby. Think of a little baby on a battlefield.
We wouldn't leave them there, would we? Maybe helpless. A new believer. Needs love and care, don't they?
Thank God for the body of Christ and we need to make sure new believers understand the gospel.
In depth. The gospel of their salvation at the moment of salvation we gain all the benefits of what Christ did on the cross.
He removed the penalty of our sin.
Jesus Christ's death on the cross for our sins saved us from being judged. For our sins in eternity.
It's called the Great Exchange. Jesus took our sins upon himself. And he bore the punishment in our place for our sins in his body.
And in exchange, what does he give us his very own life, his eternal life? So Jesus Christ delivered us from the penalty of our sin at the cross and now since we have been given this gift through faith in Him, this gift of eternal life.
Satan knows that he can't take away. Our eternal life. You know, eternal security is one of those truths that give us so much confidence, doesn't it?
That were eternally secure in the Lord Jesus. We are reminded of this in Romans chapter 8.
If you want to turn there, Romans chapter 8.
Versus 38. And 39.
Romans chapter 8 Verse 38 and 39. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Isn't that great? That nothing, not death or life, nothing in life. Not these angels and demons that we were talking about in Ephesians 6.
No principalities or powers. They don't have power over the Lord Jesus salvation that he's given us, this so great salvation.
Nothing can separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Satan knows he cannot take away.
Eternal life and Satan cannot cause the gates of hell to prevail against a church. Satan cannot, we said that we have been conveyed into the kingdom of the son of his love.
As from the kingdom. You can't do that. We are in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son whom he loves, the one who redeemed us.
Satan cannot snatch us from the hand of God. He is not that powerful.
So instead, what does he do? He tries to stop us. From utilizing the power of God the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Jesus Christ wants to live his life through in us through his spirit. That is the stage we are in.
This is the spiritual battle we are in. We don't wrestle against people in this world.
They are not the enemy. Did not Christ die for all? All are saveable. If we think that people are the enemy we are forgetting which dispensation we're living in.
We are living in what time the time of the church age. Which is composed of both Jew and Gentile in one body.
We make up the body of Christ. Jesus Christ is the head. And we are the members of his body.
When was it in time past that God's people had physical enemies. Remember in the Old Testament?
God used his people Israel to represent him. There to be a light to the Gentiles. God often used Israel to be even his instrument of wrath.
Being called to wipe out complete people groups. Because of their wickedness. But then when Israel disobeyed, God did the same to them.
Judge them. You know, but is that our calling? Is that to wipe out people groups? Absolutely not.
We as believers in this current church age are called to do what? To love. Our enemies. We are called to turn the other cheek.
We are called to do good to those who hate us. To pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us.
Is this something that we can do in our flesh? Absolutely not. This is something that we can generally tell God.
Lord, this is impossible for me to do. And he says, I know that's why I want to do it through you.
He wants to do the work through us. He, he was wants to work in us that love for people that hate us.
That use us. To represent him in this evil world. Don't you think that Stephen the first martyr for Jesus Christ had an impact by praying for those who were being used by the enemy at his death.
Do you think he had an impact? What were the words he prayed at his death? He said, Lord, do not charge them with this sin.
Lord, do not charge them with this sin. Does that sound familiar?
What did Jesus pray? Father forgive them. For they know not what they do. I'll bet the Apostle Paul remembered Stephen's prayer.
You think he did? Before Paul was saved when his name was Saul, he was there at the stoning of Stephen.
Those those stoning Stephen laid down their clothes. At the feet of Saul while they stoned Stephen.
You know, Stephen, what was he? He was an imitator of Jesus Christ. His Lord in his life.
And in his death. Do we realize that everything that Jesus Christ did when his enemies mistreated him.
He gives us the power to do all through his spirit.
How is this possible? Because Jesus Christ lives out his life through the power of his spirit when we are walking in fellowship with him.
Didn't he say it's better that I go and he's gonna send the comforter?
No, when Jesus was here, he was in one spot, right? Now just imagine all around the world all the believers he's working through each one.
If we let him. Is working.
Were the body of Christ. Remember that verse, I think. My brother Joel shared it a couple weeks ago and it's one of my favorite You don't have to turn there, but it's Galatians 220.
Where Paul says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live. But Christ lives in me.
And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. Who loved me and gave himself.
For me. So no longer I who live but Christ lives in me.
What a privilege to have the Lord Jesus working through us.
It is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
We live in this weak human flesh, don't we?
That still has this in nature in it. But we do not walk according to it. If we do, we will become miserable.
I think the most miserable people in this world are not actually the unbelievers. I believe it's believers.
Who are walking. Out of fellow fellowship with their Savior. Perpetually. You know, when we're out of fellowship with God and we don't confess our sin, we will not be content.
Because we are under God's discipline. We won't be content and if and if you're like me you've probably been there and done that.
And it's not a happy thing, is it?
It's not happy to, it's not a content thing to be out of fellowship with the Lord for a long period of time.
So how are we to walk then? While we're to walk in our new nature. Says in scripture that we are a new creation.
In Christ Jesus. Turn with me. To second Corinthians. Second Corinthians chapter.
10.
Second Corinthians chapter 10 verses 3 to 6 where Paul is writing to the Corinthian Christians telling them that he does not walk a according to the flesh.
And he says in verse 3.
Oh, I'm sorry. Did I say first Corinthians second Corinthians? Yes, second Corinthians 10 starting in verse 3.
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 mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience. Of Christ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
So again, verse 3 says for though we walk in the flesh We are in these bodies with the sin nature.
What does it say? We do not war a according to the flesh. We don't fight flesh with flesh, that doesn't work.
We are not waging a physical war. But we are in spiritual warfare. Don't think of all the people around you.
That are trying to make your life miserable. As your enemy. You know, oftentimes when we go through different things.
What can set in when we when we experience all the the evil in this world. What, what is something that can can creep in to our.
Thinking. It's bitterness. If you ever see that root of bitterness, you know, the scripture says that the root of bitterness springing up causing trouble and by this many become defiled.
We have to pray the Lord to just take that root out of us when we have something. When someone has wronged us and we think about it over and over and over, it's probably a little tiny root of bitterness developing.
You know, I've always thanked the Lord for for brothers who have pointed out that To me, if they see a root of bitterness in me.
That they've pointed out to me. I've really appreciated that. Because that is something that will just
Neutralise our spiritual walk. Because not only does it cause problems for us in our relationship with God, that bitter root.
It says that many become defiled. Everyone around us, we become a toxic. Bitterness around people and it makes us our relationships with everything everyone does is is defile.
So when we come across people and maybe people even close to us and maybe even believers who we know that are walking out of fellowship, what do we need to do?
We need to pray for them. Verse 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.
But mighty in God.
You have a mighty god. They're not caring about Mighty and God for pulling down strongholds.
The Holy Spirit wants to give us victory. In our lives by pulling down strongholds. Pulling down strongholds.
That word for pulling down has also the idea of tearing down. For destroying. The word for stronghold.
Can also mean fortress and I looked up the word stronghold and it said that in the papari the word also had the meaning of prison.
Whatever the stronghold is, it's something negative. That God the Holy Spirit wants to tear down.
To pull down, to destroy.
God doesn't want his people to remain in prison. Now Jesus Christ has set us free, hasn't he?
He's set us free. That is our position. But sometimes our experience. In our experience, we need to have some stronghold.
Some prison, some fortress, maybe it's a besetting sin. There is something that needs to be.
Torn out, torn down, destroyed from our lives. Hindering us from walking in the spirit. And glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ as a strong stronghold and God wants to help pull those strongholds down.
Then verse 5, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience. Of Christ. Our sinful flesh. Has all kinds of arguments, doesn't it?
Reasons that oppose the spirit. And the knowledge of God. You know, how do we bring every thought?
Every thought into obedience of Christ. Well, we need. Our thinking transformed. Scripture says that we need to be transformed.
By the renewing of our mind. How do we get our mind renewed? In this sin filled world.
By sitting at the feet of Jesus, just like Mary did.
Hearing his word by letting the word of God dwell in us richly.
We are always in the transformation process. We are either being renewed.
In the mind of Christ through his word. Or we are being conformed to this world. We don't just stay.
The way we are. We're going one way or the other. We are either walking a newness of life in our new nature or we are walking in the flesh.
We cannot serve. The Lord and feed the flesh at the same time. Are spirit and flesh are at war.
With each other. We need to remember this as believers. The spirit is against the flesh and the flesh is against the spirit.
There is a battlefield inside of us. It says it like this in Galatians for the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish.
You know we as believers are in this spiritual battle not only from without in this world.
But also from within in our mind.
We as believers through the power of the Spirit are called to offer. Our lives as a living sacrifice.
Turn with me to Romans 12.
Romans 12.
One of the things they say about a living sacrifice You know, is They have free will and they can crawl right off that altar.
I heard that said once. What does Paul say to the brethren here? He says, I beseech you Romans 12 verse one.
And 2, I beseech you there for brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice.
Wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable surface. And do not be conformed to this world.
But be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may be may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
So do not be conformed to this world. But be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We need our minds renewed.
We need to be in the word. In fellowship and prayer.
What is a living sacrifice? Well, whenever our sinful flesh wants to have its way. And instead of giving in we surrender to the Lord trusting in His Word.
And letting him show us the way of escape. That's a type of worship.
Jesus used the word during temptation, didn't he? Now of Jesus, the Son of God.
Use the word. In temptation. We should too. The word of God says submit to God resist the devil and he will flee from you.
He's afraid of the Lord Jesus and we're in Christ. We're on the winning team.
We're on the winning side.
It's an offering of worship to the Lord when we look to Jesus in faith. Even though we feel extremely weak.
Helpless. That is worship. You know the Lord helps the helpless. He doesn't help those who help themselves.
He helps the helpless. Those are the type of believers that he likes to help. Those are the type of unbelievers Jesus wants to save.
If people don't need help. Jesus can't help them. If people don't. See they're a sinner, they're not going to need a savior.
You know, we may. Feel completely surrounded by the enemy on all sides at some times. But when we are weak like this, who is our strength?
What's the Lord Jesus? When I am weak then I am strong.
I can do all things to Christ who strengthens me.
Yes, Jesus Christ he loves when we look in faith to Him. In the midst of our weakness. He loves it.
Jesus Christ loves to feel empty vessels. Do you feel like an empty vessel today?
Do you feel beaten down by the enemy who is constantly accusing you? The accuser of the brethren, what's his name, Satan.
Satan maybe the accuser of the brethren day and night but We have an all powerful defense attorney whose name is the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he is our advocate. He is our defence attorney. He, Jesus Christ says yes. About his children.
Yes, they're guilty, but I died for those sins.
Those sins are already paid for. We sang it this morning. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe.
Synod left a crimson stain. He washed it. White as snow. We are free.
There is no condemnation. To those who are in Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ wants to fill you and I with so much of his love.
His grace, his mercy. And when he does that, that's when it overflows from us to others.
This is how we can be a blessing to others. In Sam, 23 it says, thou anointest my head with oil my cup runneth over.
As believers there are 3 things that are vitally important. To know. First we need to know that we have that threefold enemy of our soul.
Who was it? The devil, the world in our own sinful flesh. Satan the one walking about seeking whom he devoured like a like a roaring lion and he uses this world system.
Our other enemy. Satan infiltrates everything in this world. There's nothing he does not try to infiltrate.
Everything in this world system he tries to infiltrate. He, his desires to destroy the family unit.
Of a dad and a mom and children.
He and infiltrates the government.
Don't ever.
Take confidence in any political party. Our confidences in who. In the Lord Jesus Christ. If we until he reigns in this world as King of Kings and the Lord of Lords every other
Political party. Organisation is going to and disappoint us. Even though we vote, yes, we vote, but Our confidence is in the Lord.
He and Phil, the Satan infiltrates social media.
Destroying. So many people.
He infiltrate entertainment. Then entertainment of this world. It's there's so much evil entertainment It's really, it shouldn't be part of our.
Our life. He infiltrates the news. You hear about this word fake news. Well, he likes to infiltrate everything.
Get us sidetracked.
He infiltrates education. Don't get me started here.
The health profession.
Legalizing the murder of children. How wicked is that? No different than what they did. In the Old Testament of sacrificing children to those idols.
We have our own idols in this country. He wants to corrupt everything that God said, it is good.
He He corrupts it. He wants to even corp the food we eat. You know, the worst thing though is he tries to infiltrate the church.
Through false teachings, through division. Why do we have so many? Different denominations. It's not of the Lord.
But there's so much, so much false teaching out there. So the threefold an enemy is the devil, the world, and then our own sinful flesh.
So we need to know our enemy, right? Then 2, we need to know and remember that we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our delivery deliverer from the penalty of our sin.
He's our deliverer also. From the power of sin. So from the penalty, from the power of sin and someday he will deliver us from the presence of sin.
When he will call us to be physically with him. I know you can't wait for that. I can't wait for that day.
He will call us with a shout. When even at that time Our bodies will be redeemed completely stripped of the sin nature.
Won't that be a glorious day?
And number 3, we need to remember the third thing we need to remember is our true identity in Jesus Christ.
We as believers are in Christ. That is our position. We are in Christ. Once in Christ.
Forever in Christ. We are in Christ forever. Jesus. Is our Savior, he's given us eternal life and how long does eternal life last?
It's eternal. It's forever. You know, because of this we are also said to be coerced with Christ.
That seems impossible to me and almost. Blasphemous if it were not in the Word of God, I would never believe that I am a co-air with Christ.
But God's word says it. It's true. Now if it is true that we are in Christ and it is true, then why would we want to walk?
In our flesh. You know, the things that the flesh only give us something temporary. They don't last eternal.
The unbeliever They can only have their identity. In their sin. You know, the unbeliever is named in scripture by their sin.
But how are we identified as believers? Even though we have a sin nature, how does the Lord look at us?
He identifies us with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And our Lord Jesus Christ produced in us things that last forever that give eternal glory to his name.
Do we still have our sinful flesh? Yes, we do. Are we still tempted? Yes, we are.
But we need to view temptation in a different way. It's an opportunity to worship. God, let me repeat that.
We need to view temptation as an opportunity. To worship God. But how does the enemy want us to view temptation?
That's natural for you. That's how you were born.
It's OK. Everyone does it. It's not a big thing. It's your God-given identity.
You know, whenever the enemy tries to get us to think of our sin. As our God-given identity, we are viewing ourselves according to the flesh instead of a according to the spirit.
The unbelievers in scripture are viewed according to their sin. Patterns. There's lots of lists.
I'll read some. It says fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners.
You know, the list can go on and on and Proverbs. It reads a proud look. These are things that the Lord hates.
A proud look, lying tongue. Hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to run to evil.
False witnesses who speak lies and one who sows discord among the brethren. This list could go on and on.
Our flesh.
Left to itself is what does the scripture say? It's deceitful. Above all else and desperately wicked.
But there is a verse that says in such where some of you but you were washed. You were sanctified, you were justified by the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit.
Of our Lord. Aren't you glad? That Jesus Christ washed your sins away. I am so thankful.
Aren't you glad that you can have Jesus Christ as your new identity? And not have the sins that he washed you from as your identity.
Or the sins that tempt you as your identity. But that is the trick. Of the enemy. He starts out His trick is to he starts out by getting us to tolerate sin.
Tolerate sin in the church. Then he gets us to fall into sin without confessing it, repenting.
Then he gets us to live in sin. And say it's our identity. Then he gets us to celebrate sin.
I'm afraid in America that is something that's happening in so many churches throughout the world. What a tragedy.
Shame on the Church of God when we participate in this. You know, the Lord Jesus Christ needs to have the preeminence.
We have that written. In our entryway. The preeminence in the church. He's the head.
Know Jesus Christ is our deliverer from sin. He suffered on the cross of Calvary for all sin.
Even the darkest deep ugliest sins that have ever been committed. He bore the penalty of those sins.
And the cross. Let's not ever. Expect him to tolerate, to condone. To overlook.
Or to celebrate our sin. Let's keep Short accounts with God. You know, when the Holy Spirit is grieved within us because of a personal sin, Let's confess and forsake our sin.
Let's be quick to confess our sin. I'm not, I never was a wrestler or a boxer.
Any of you, is there any box or a wrestler in the house? No one's raising their hand.
Oh, really? How many want it to be? How many watched it? You know when when a person's down on the ground, what is it is the ref or whatever they call them?
Don't they do a count? How much do they count? How long do they count? To 3 or 10?
I always think it's 10. Boxing is 10. OK, let's go with the boxing illustration.
That wrestler, they're trying to Get up or the boxer wants to get up. They don't stay down for the count.
Well, I think oftentimes in our spiritual walk We just give up. We stay down for the count.
We say this is it's hopeless. But the Lord Jesus Christ won for us not only victory from the penalty of sin but from the power of sin in our lives.
And he's given, he says in, I think it's second John, I write these things to you so that you will not sin.
But if anyone does, and we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one.
All the provisions for us when we fall short of the glory of God, his glory, we can get back up.
We don't have to stay down for the count.
He leads us in victory in this Gcripture says that if we confess our sin, key that is God.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We have everything we need to walk. In newness of life. Even when we fail we got to get right back up and keep moving.
Jesus has taken our sins. What does it say in the Old Testament? As far as the East.
Which ways east? The east is from the west.
Let's not think. Of our sin as our identity but let's be proud of the fact that our identity is in nobody else but Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is our life.
The scripture says we died in our life. Is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears then we also.
All of us here that believe on Jesus, we are going to peer with Him in glory.
We as believers need to remember that our true identity is in Jesus. Christ. It's not in our job.
It's not in our children. It's not a nurse spouse.
It's not in our relatives. It's not in our local church. It's not in our hobby.
Our identity is not in our physical abilities. Our talents. Our money. Our health, none of those things.
All these things are temporary.
They're here to get day and go on tomorrow.
But our identity in Jesus Christ lasts how long? Forever. He's given us eternal life for ever.
Let's boast about our true identity in Jesus Christ. Let's take pride in Jesus Christ.
Let's not be ashamed of him. There may be areas in our life.
That we don't have the boldness. I know I have this, we all go through this.
There might be a certain person that we're we don't have the boldness to share. We don't know how to share and what way we should share.
Pray about it. We need to pray about it. And God will give us an opening. Let's not be ashamed.
In this wicked world to stand for truth. David that worship, he's looking for worship, that worship in spirit.
And in truth we don't forsake truth.
We love all sinners, but we don't forsake truth. We demonstrate love to every type of sinner in this world.
Every type, just like Jesus did. He hung out with all kinds of notorious sinners.
The people, the Pharisees couldn't believe who he was eating with.
But Jesus didn't leave them like that, did he? He saved people and then he said, go and sin no more.
We sing that song just as I am. I come to the We sing that song, but. You know, it's not that Jesus, we come.
In our state of ungodliness at salvation. We don't. Clean up our life and then come to Jesus.
No, in our state of ungodliness he saves us. He justifies the ungodly, it says in scripture.
But then he doesn't leave us like that. You know, Jesus is a full service Savior.
Full service. He saves us to what the uttermost. He doesn't want to leave us where we're at.
He has a high calling for us. A high calling for each and every one of us. There are people Each of us have people in our life that no one is reaching that we can.
You and I can.
Turn with me back to Ephesians. Chapter 6.
Asians chapter 6. And I'm just going to close.
Close with these verses. We need to remember in this spiritual battle who the real enemy is, we need to rely on the Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, who the real enemy is, we need to rely on the Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, and we need to remember who we are in
Jesus Christ and we need to remember who we are in Jesus Christ and find our identity in Him. I'm just going to remember who we are in Jesus Christ and find our identity in Him.
I'm just going to close with this and then I'll pray and then we have a closing hymn.
Finally, brethren, be strong in the Lord and then the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore, take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand, stand therefore having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation. And the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication. In the spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father. We thank you. For sending your son.
To save us completely through what he did on the cross, dying for our sins, he was buried, he rose again.
We have eternal life. Thank you for giving us. Power over your strength. In the midst of sin to to walk a newness of life.
Even though we feel weak. Or it help us to put on the your armor. To use your word in the day of temptation to call upon you.
And find deliverance. To eyes be ready to share that gospel of peace wherever we go. With the people around us.
To pray for one another as we go about this work. Thank you for giving us salvation. And Lord, we pray that in the remainder days that we have in this world and until you call us home We pray that we would Be bold with your strength.
To share and represent your son. To this world that so desperately needs you. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.