Warrior - The Dark Valley

Today, as we conclude Warrior, our sermon series on Spiritual Warfare, we are going to walk through one of the most recognized passages of scripture in the world.

For the last 11 weeks, we have been training for war. We have talked about armor. We have talked about standing firm. We have talked about casting out demons and fighting our battles in prayer. But today we are ending this series with the words of the greatest warrior in the Old Testament. A man who killed a giant, led armies, and lived through scandal, grief, and betrayal. The warrior is David.

Whether you are already a follower of Jesus or not, you most likely have heard the words written by David in Psalm 23 quoted in movies, funerals, or even pieces of it woven into popular songs.

Coolio’s “Gangsta Paradise” from 1995 even quotes the Psalm. But, rather than focusing on the peace that comes from following God, Coolio sings about the cycle of fear and hopelessness from street life and gang violence.  His “Valley of the Shadow of Death” are the streets he grew up in. His song struck a chord with the heart of the world.  So many people connected with the emptiness, hopelessness, and pattern of pain found in the lyrics.  Coolio even won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo in 1996 for his song.  And, unfortunately, we can all relate to the pattern and cycle of pain in life.  We go from one battle to another and often fight battles on many fronts.

Pain and suffering are inevitable in this world.  In one way or another, if you are a follower of Jesus, you will face battles that will leave scars. Some battles are demonic. Some battles are because of our own decisions. Some are fighting battles in their marriage, in their finances, with their children, with their health. Some are recovering from past battles with churches and are still overcoming church hurt.

But Psalm 23 is NOT a Psalm written for funerals or for the dead.  Psalm 23 is a daily battle plan for those who are alive. So today I want you to leave with Psalm 23 in your heart that you will carry forward in life as your daily plan for battle.

Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT2)
The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3  He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

To help understand the power of this Psalm, it is important to understand that at the time he wrote this Psalm, David was an older King of Israel and he was reflecting back on his life.

As a teenager, he fought lions and bears and killed them with his bare hands. He stood toe-to-toe with Goliath when trained soldiers cowered.

David had seen the battlefield. He had led men into war. He had lost people he loved. He had run for his life. He had slept in caves. He had been betrayed by friends and hunted by a king he once served. He led armies. He failed publicly. He buried children. He faced every type of battle possible, and as an older King, he writes this “Battle Plan” for other people who desired to be people after God’s own heart.

The first thing we need to remember about spiritual warfare and the battles that we face might sting a little bit.

FOR WARRIORS, THE DARK VALLEY IS THE RIGHT PATH

Through this Psalm, David is painting a picture of God as our caring Heavenly Father, leading us and guiding us.

Psalm 23:1-3 (NLT2)
The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3  He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

As David looked back and reflected on his life, he remembered running from the wicked King Saul in the wilderness.  He thought of how God guided him through the wilderness.  How God guided every step, located every cave for David to find shelter, and led David to streams to quench his thirst, to lay down, and rest even though he was being hunted down. Then, David acknowledged something that all of us need to remember:

The same God that protected Him, renewed his strength, and quenched his thirst, also led him led him to the dark valley.   Because, as David already acknowledged, the Dark Valley is the right path.

Psalm 23:4 (NLT2)
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

God, who led David beside the right path in verse 3, is still leading David through the darkest valley in verse 4.  David said, “even when I walk through the darkest valley…you are close beside me.”

When we walk through dark valleys, as followers of Jesus, we often assume we have taken a wrong turn. We presume that pain equals punishment. We assume that struggle means something is broken. We assume we are being punished for sin. We whisper prayers like, “God I don’t know what I did, but please help me to learn from this.” But David says, “This valley of the shadow of death - it is a right path.”

If you are walking through the valley right now, it may not feel right. It may not look right. But if the Shepherd is leading you, it is right. You do not have to second-guess every hardship. You do not have to wonder if God left you behind. The Battle you are facing hurts.  But it is the right path.

How dare I say that to you?  How could I possibly suggest that the pain you experience in life is the right path for you?

Well, I was sexually abused by my alcoholic father until I was 13 years old.  He called me names, put me down, and terrified our home.  Kristy and I faced six years of infertility.  We had a miscarriage.  I have been betrayed by followers of Jesus.  I have experienced church hurt from trusted friends. I watch three of my children fight an autoimmune disease every day.  We face hardships that we whisper to God about. And, I can honestly tell you.  The Dark Valley is the Right Path.

We live in a broken world that has been impacted by sin.  And, sin broke the painless and perfect life that God planned for us. So, the Dark Valley is the right path…now.  And, as you fight battle after battle. As you fight health battles. Marriage Battles. Finance Battles. Dating Battles. Work Battles… In time, you will understand that…

SEASONED WARRIORS LEARN NOT TO FEAR

The reason David said, “I will not be afraid” is because David had learned that the Shepherd never abandons during the battle. He learned that God never retreats. God never waves a flag of surrender. God never ducks and runs when you have been cut deep in the battle. David had learned to expect God’s presence in the valley. He remembered what it felt like to walk out onto the battlefield with nothing but a sling and five stones and to feel the presence of God steady his hand.

He remembered being in the back of a cave while Saul was breathing down his neck to murder him, and knowing that it wasn’t just David and Saul in that dark cave – but God was there shielding him and protecting him.

He remembered the cry of heartbreak after the death of his newborn, and how he experienced the comfort of God holding him up. David was a seasoned warrior. Seasoned warriors do not learn to fear less because the battles get easier and are less painful. They learn to fear less because they experience God’s presence in the middle of pain.

And Kristy and I are learning that, too. Some battles we have experienced together really don’t feel right.

If you are in a valley today and fear is gripping you, please understand…You will not always feel like this. Fear will visit you and your household, but it does not get to move in with you. You may feel afraid, but you are not abandoned.

And that is why seasoned warriors learn not to fear—Not because we are strong, but because He is close. And, when you feel like you go from bad to worse.  When you go from one battle to the next…David did, too. And, even when David was going through a Valley of the Shadow of Death…Saul kept on chasing him to kill him!

We see in this Psalm that…

THE ENEMY IS RELENTLESS—BUT SO IS GOD

While David was in that Dark Valley – it wasn’t just he and God. His enemy was there, too.  In fact, many of his enemies were there.  Enemies who wanted to end his life and destroy him.  But look how God showed off!

Psalm 23:4-5 (NLT2)
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

In the presence of David’s enemies, look what God did. Right smack dab in the middle of the darkness, death, and fear.  God pulled out a picnic blanket, spread it on the ground, picked up his rod and staff, faced David’s enemies, and said:

“Sit down, David. You are safe. I’ve got this.”

Even while the battle rages, God is honoring you, anointing you, and blessing you. He does not get intimidated. He does not hide. God walks right into the presence of your enemies, looks them in the eye, and spreads out a feast for you. You may feel surrounded. You may feel like the battle is raging. You may feel like you are not winning. But God is honoring your faithfulness, even while the enemy watches. So, sit down. Stuff your face. And, surrender.

Surrender because…

SURRENDERING TO YOUR ALLY BRINGS REST FOR YOUR SOUL

Psalm 23:6 (NLT2)
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

David understood that God’s unfailing love would pursue him all the days of his life.  He didn’t live in fear that his enemies would continue to pursue him…He lived with confidence that God’s love would pursue him – through the battles, through the valley, through the fields of life. David had lived long enough to realize that real rest comes from surrendering to the One who is in control. And surrender is not weakness. Surrender is not giving up and throwing in the towel.  It actually requires a great deal of humility to surrender to God. Surrender is saying, “I cannot fight this battle in my own strength anymore. I am laying down my weapons and placing my trust in my Shepherd.”

So here we are at the end of our Warrior Series. Thirteen weeks of armor, strategy, truth, and battle. I hope you walk away from this series with the understanding that this life is not easy. But you are not powerless. And you were never meant to fight alone. Begin to live transparently with a sermon-based life group.  Battle for yourself with others. And invite others to battle for you. And, remember.  When you walk through the darkest valley…when you fight battles…He walks with you. He leads you. And He defends you. You never battle alone. You have a Savior. A Warrior King. A Shepherd.

So, you can keep trying to carry your own burdens. You can keep trying to win your own battles.

Or…

You can surrender to your Ally. And you can give your life to Jesus.

Romans 10:9 (NLT2)
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

That is it. It is about surrender. It is about saying,

Jesus,

I am ready to surrender to you. Thank you for paying the price for my sin on the cross. I trust and believe You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross and rose from the dead. I believe you went up to Heaven, and one day you will return. And today, I surrender my life to you.

Amen.

Warrior - Faith-Shaking Battles

If you grew up in the ‘90s, you probably remember Church Lady from Saturday Night Live. Dana Carvey played this over-the-top, judgmental Christian woman who interviewed celebrities, politicians, and dictators like Saddam Hussein. And when she criticized them for wrong, then asked why they did it…she would squint her eyes, purse her lips, and ask in a high pitched voice “Could it be… Satan?” That phrase, along with “Well isn’t that special…” became one of the most iconic catchphrases on television at the time.

Honestly, we blame the Devil for a lot that goes wrong in our lives…If you are running late and hit every red light on the way to work? The devil is testing my patience. You forgot your anniversary, and your spouse is upset? The enemy is attacking my marriage. We often play the "The Devil Made Me Do It" card.

We all know, that not every battle we face is caused by the devil.

Mark 9:14-29 (NLT2)
14  When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15  When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him. 16  “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. 17  One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18  And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” 19  Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20  So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. 21  “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22  The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23  “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24  The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” 25  When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” 26  Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27  But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. 28  Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” 29  Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

Jesus addresses two battles in this story: the demon and the lack of faith.

NOT ALL BATTLES ARE CAUSED BY THE DEVIL

Notice what happens. The father assumes this is a demonic issue, and the disciples assume they have the power to fix it. But Jesus doesn’t rush to conclusions—He asks questions.

And alternatively, sometimes, we assume a battle is purely spiritual when, in reality, it’s something else entirely. Think about how often we do this in our own lives. Something goes wrong, and we immediately assume that the devil is attacking us.

If your marriage is struggling, it must be spiritual warfare.
If your finances are a mess, the enemy must be stealing your blessing.
If you feel exhausted, the devil must be trying to wear you down.

But, what if your marriage is struggling because you stopped making time for each other?
What if your finances are a mess because you spend more than you earn?
What if you are exhausted because you don’t have healthy boundaries?

Yes, Satan attacks. But sometimes, the battle we are in is the result of life in a fallen world.

James 1:14-15 (NLT2)
14  Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15  These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

James does not say, “Satan drags us away.” He says our own desires drag us away. This means the battle we are fighting isn’t always demonic—it’s often a battle against our own flesh. Sometimes, the real enemy isn’t the devil—it’s our own decisions. Sometimes, what we call a “spiritual battle” is just reaping what we’ve sown.

Now, look what Jesus addressed initially.  First, he focuses on the people’s faith.

Mark 9:19 (NLT2)
19  Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

Can you hear the frustration in his voice? Jesus was frustrated with the people because the demon wasn’t their biggest issue.  They were sitting around arguing because their biggest issue was their imperfect faith.

When Jesus asked the dad about his boy’s condition, the father told him exactly what was going on, then said:

Mark 9:22c (NLT2)…Have mercy on us and help us, if you can…

IMPERFECT FAITH CAN GROW

The father in this story had faith. He wouldn’t have brought his son to Jesus if he didn’t believe something could happen. He had hope. He had seen or heard enough about Jesus to believe a miracle was possible.  But, he had his doubts. And, it is important that we all understand that Faith is almost always mixed with some level of doubt.  We do not have perfect faith, we have imperfect faith.  And the good news is that imperfect faith can grow…and imperfect faith can still see a miracle happen.

We see in verse 24 that this father had faith, but it wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t unwavering. It was faith that struggled. Faith mixed with doubt. Faith that said, “I believe, but I still have questions.” Jesus didn’t rebuke him. Jesus didn’t tell him to come back when his faith was stronger. Jesus didn’t say, “You need 100% certainty before I will work in your life.” Jesus didn’t demand perfect faith before He healed his son and worked a miracle.

Some people think they need a flawless, doubt-free faith before they can trust God. They believe that if they have even the smallest amount of uncertainty, God won’t move in their lives. But that is not how faith works. Faith is about trusting God even when you don’t. Trusting God even when I don’t… what? Even when I don’t see results? Even when I don’t feel it? Even when I don’t understand?

Yes. All of the above.

Faith isn’t about having everything figured out. It is about trusting God when you don’t have all the answers. When you don’t know how He is going to work things out. When you don’t see the progress. When you don’t feel strong. When you don’t understand why things are happening the way they are.

Jesus took the imperfect faith the man had and brought a miracle anyway. Faith is trusting God even when you don’t have all the answers, don’t see how things will change, and even when you don’t feel strong. God isn’t waiting for you to have perfect faith. Just bring what you have. If you feel like your faith is weak, bring what you have to Jesus. Because faith, even when mixed with doubt, is still faith. And God can grow it.

Now, as we see in this story, faith doesn’t always lead to instant answers. Sometimes, it actually feels like things are getting worse before they get better.

BATTLES CAN FEEL WORSE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER

That is exactly what happened. When Jesus commanded the demon to leave, the boy didn’t immediately sit up, healed and whole.

Mark 9:26 (NLT2)
26  Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.”

Imagine being that father. At that moment between faith and waiting – he thought his son had died. The boy isn’t moving. He isn’t speaking. He looks dead. The crowd murmurs, people whisper, and the father is standing there. He brought his son to Jesus to heal him, Jesus took action, and now his son is dead.

Have you ever been there? You trust God with a situation, and for a moment, it looks like it got worse instead of better. You pray for healing, but the symptoms intensify. You trust God with your finances, but an unexpected bill comes. You step into a new occupation, and get hit with unexpected obstacles.

We assume that if God is in it, things should immediately get better. We assume that the presence of struggle means the absence of God. BUT, if we stop trusting God in that moment, you might walk away before you see the miracle.

The boy looked dead. The crowd thought it was over. But Jesus wasn’t finished.

Mark 9:27 (NLT2)
27  But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

One touch from Jesus, and the battle that looked like a loss, became a victory.

What if you are in that moment right now? What if things are feeling worse because the enemy wants you to give up before you see what God is about to do? Maybe today, your faith is being tested. I know for some of you the battle has been long, and you feel like things are getting worse instead of better. Do not walk away before a miracle happens.

Hold onto your imperfect faith. Keep praying. Keep trusting.

PRAYER ACTUALLY WORKS

When Jesus is finally alone with His disciples, they ask the question that has been bothering them…

Mark 9:28b (NLT2) 28  Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?

Jesus points them to something they had neglected.

Prayer.

He says:

Mark 9:29 (NLT2) 29  Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

This means the disciples had been trying to cast out the demon without praying. Think about that for a moment. They had done this before, so they thought they knew what to do. They had experience. They had seen results. They likely thought, “We’ve got this. We don’t need Jesus. But their past success made them overconfident in themselves. And Jesus calls them out for it.

This wasn’t about using the right words. It wasn’t about trying harder. It wasn’t about saying the name of Jesus louder. This was about dependence on God.

How many times do we make the same mistake? We try to fix the situation on our own before we ever take it to God. We step into the battle in our own strength and wonder why we are exhausted. We treat prayer like an emergency button instead of our first move.

Jesus reminds us today, some battles will never be won without prayer. Not because prayer is a ritual. Not because prayer is magic. But because prayer keeps us dependent on God.

When we pray, we are acknowledging, “God, I cannot do this without You.” When we pray, we are shifting the battle from our strength to His.

PRAYER ACTUALLY WORKS!

Maybe today, you feel like the disciples—you have tried everything, but you keep hitting a wall. Maybe you are in a battle, and nothing seems to be working. Maybe you have been relying on your own strength, your own wisdom, your own ability—and you are exhausted.

It is time to stop fighting in your own strength. It is time to stop trying to handle it on your own. It is time to pray. Because prayer actually works. So, I invite you to come forward to pray.  To cast all your anxiety, all your fears to God, because He cares for you. To Pour out your heart to God because he is a refuge for you.

Warrior - known in heaven, feared in hell

Have you ever noticed how unoriginal Hollywood is when it comes to movies about demons and the devil?

It is almost always the same formula:

• The room gets cold.

• Lights flicker.

• The priest walks in, armed with a crucifix and a bottle of holy water.

• Some Latin chanting starts.

• A creepy child voice says something backwards.

And then they expect you to believe that waving a cross, lighting candles, and reciting a Rosary sends the demon packing. It's funny that movie writers all think that demons are scared of a King James Bible or a silver cross. Hopefully, you now understand that Spiritual Warfare is real, and our enemy does not care about props.

Spiritual power does not come from rituals…power comes from relationship. And if you do not have a real relationship with Jesus, you can say all the right words and still get wrecked. That is exactly what happens in Acts 19, where seven guys thought they could fake their Armor and ended up running through the streets naked.

Acts 19:11-20 (NLT2)

11  God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12  When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. 13  A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” 14  Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15  But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16  Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered. 17  The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. 18  Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19  A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. 20  So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

We have all heard the expression, “Fake it until you make it.” And in some areas of life, that might work. You can fake confidence in a job interview. You can fake knowing the lyrics to a song. You can even fake liking your mother-in-law’s green bean casserole. But there’s one thing we think we can fake, but can’t.  “Wearing the full armor of God.”

The Seven Son’s of Sceva thought they could fake the power of God. These men had been watching Paul. They had watched him cast out demons. They saw how crowds reacted as people were being healed. And at some point, they may have thought: What an amazing way to make a little money!  Let’s just say the name of Jesus, and the demons will leave! And people will give us their money to be healed. So, they begin working the name of Jesus into their incantation. Maybe they came up with a rhyme, maybe they patterned it after a children’s Jewish song, but they created an incantation and they used the name of Jesus.

Now, initially when they recited this incantation, they must have had some “actors” playing the part of people who were demon-possessed – but then they encountered the real deal.  They encountered a man who was possessed by the devil, and this is where the wheels fell off their wagon. They say: "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!"

They said the right name.  They used the name of Jesus.  But they were overpowered, beat up, and embarrassed in the village because they did not understand something that many of us often forget:

AUTHORITY COMES FROM WHOSE FAMILY YOU BELONG TO
(Acts 19:15, Luke 10:19, Romans 8:15-17)

Authority over evil is not about saying a prayer correctly, or having the right attitude.  Spiritual warfare is not wrestling against an equal and opposite force. Jesus has already won the war. The enemy tries to deceive, discourage, and destroy, but in Christ, we are standing in victory (Colossians 2:15). Authority over evil comes from belonging to the family of God through a relationship with Jesus. The demon said,

Acts 19:15b (NLT2) … ‘I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?’”

These men may have been known in the community, but they were not known in the spiritual world, because they did not belong to the Family of God. They were invoking the name of Jesus without having a relationship with Jesus. They knew about Jesus, but they did not know Jesus. The sons of Sceva tried to use the name of Jesus like a formula. They thought if they just said the words, the power would show up. But spiritual authority does not come from magic words. It comes from being part of the family of God.

In the Gospel of Luke, (Luke 10:19) Jesus gave authority to his disciples to work miracles in his name, then he sent them out and they brought the life-changing message of Jesus to people who were broken, hurting, and needed a miracle. But, Jesus did not give authority to random people passing by, he gave authority to his disciples, people who surrendered their lives to Him. The enemy does not just recognize the name of Jesus, the enemy recognizes those who belong to Jesus. That is why Paul had authority. Paul belonged to Jesus. Paul was known in heaven. Paul was known in hell. The seven sons of Sceva? The demon said, “Who are you?” Authority does not come from what you say. It comes from whose you are.

Maybe your marriage is struggling. Maybe your kids are hurting. Maybe you are facing addiction, bad habits, or the weight of your past. So you turn to religion. You ask others to pray. You try to clean up your life. You go to church. You learn the right phrases. You memorize a verse or two. But spiritual battles are not won by showing up at church or repeating Christian words.

They are won by belonging to Jesus.

So, the question is not "Are you religious?” The real question is "Are you His?"

Romans 8:15-17 (NLT2)

15  So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17  And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

When you gave your life to Jesus, you were adopted into His family. You carry His name. You stand in His authority. You rely on His power. That means when you do step into a spiritual battle, you do not stand there in your own strength, you fight that battle under the banner of the name of JESUS. The devil does not fear people who attend church. The devil and his demons fear the children of God who walk in the authority of Jesus. The sons of Sceva got beat up and humiliated because they were spiritually powerless.

RELIGIOUS WORDS DON’T DEFEAT SATAN, OBEDIENCE DOES
(Acts 19:13, Acts 19:14-16, Matt. 7:21-23)

Paul wasn’t chasing status. He wasn’t trying to build a brand or make a name for himself. His only goal was to make Jesus known.

Today, some people try to commercialize faith—selling prayer cloths, miracle water, or anointing oil as if God’s power could be bought instead of received through faith. Some have motives that try to make financial profit off the name of Jesus.

But that wasn’t Paul’s attitude.Paul simply wanted to live in obedience, follow the one who paid the price for his sins on the cross, and tell other people about him. When he wrote to the Corinthian church he said,

2 Corinthians 4:5 (NLT2)

5  You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.

And, Paul could have attempted to make his ministry about him.  At the beginning of this passage we see that God chose to use Paul in unusual ways:

Acts 19:11-12 (NLT2)
11  God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12  When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

How crazy is this?  When you see televangelists on TV asking you to send them money and they will send a prayer cloth to you to heal you or others of their disease, it is an attempt to claim the authority that God gave to Paul. Paul could have created a dynamic ministry all about him. Like a barker at a Carnival, he could have pitched a large tent, charged admission, and made money. “Bring your sick. Bring your diseases. He will heal them all…” But, Paul kept his ministry focused only on Jesus.  That’s why the devil knew who Paul was. Paul lived unselfishly with a ministry that was never about him.  He lived in humble obedience to make everything about Jesus. And, because of his OBEDIENCE, the devil knew who Paul was.

Wouldn’t you love to live in such a way that hell takes notice when you wake up in the morning Because of your obedience. Because of your relationship with God. Because of your faith? When you wake up each day, the powers of hell say, “Oh crap.” Not because of how loud you pray. Not because of how many Bible verses you can quote. Not because of religious words. But because you belong to the King. You are growing in your relationship with Him, and you strive to live for Him every single day.

So, if you want to live victoriously, you can’t borrow someone else’s relationship with Jesus. You need your own faith. You need your own relationship. You need to wear your own ARMOR.

DON’T GET CAUGHT WITHOUT YOUR ARMOR
(Ephesians 6:11, Acts 19:16)

The sons of Sceva went into battle unprepared, and they got wrecked. They tried to take on a demon, and it stripped them, beat them, and sent them running for their lives. They weren’t just overpowered. They were humiliated. And that’s what happens when you step into a battle without the armor of God.

If you enter into a marriage without the armor of God, you are vulnerable to bitterness, resentment, and temptation. If you go to work every day without the armor of God, you are wide open to pride, greed, and compromise. If you parent without the armor of God, you may find yourself reacting in frustration instead of leading with wisdom. You cannot go up against the enemy unarmed. You need your armor.

Maybe you are thinking, "Wait a second. The Seven Sons of Sceva weren’t followers of Jesus. That’s why they were defeated.” That’s true. But just because you belong to Jesus does not mean you are automatically prepared for battle. Even as followers of Jesus, if we live like disobedient followers of Jesus, we will be defeated, too. That is why Paul tells us to put on all of our Armor!

Ephesians 6:11 (NLT2)
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

The Seven Sons of Sceva only had an incantation. They threw the name of Jesus into their man-made formula and expected power. And if we are honest, we do the same thing. We sprinkle a little Jesus into our dating relationships but ignore purity. We sprinkle a little Jesus into our finances but refuse to trust Him with our giving. We sprinkle a little Jesus into our parenting but do not model real faith at home. We rub Jesus like a lucky charm instead of wearing the full armor of God, holding up our shield of Faith, and moving forward into the battle. Too many followers of Jesus are not putting on the armor, we are just quoting the name.

If you have been trying to fight spiritual battles in your own strength, without the armor of God, you already know how that ends. You feel exhausted. Defeated. Discouraged. But it does not have to be that way. Today is the day to make a change. Put on the armor. Walk in His strength. And stand firm.

Warrior - Firepower

Last weekend I was in Washington DC to ask lawmakers to fast-track cell therapies proven effective in other countries against Type One Diabetes. I shared with them the stories of my three warrior daughters who battle against T1D every minute.  Before insurance, the cost of insulin, and their supplies is over $24,000 for a three-month supply.  So, I also asked them to help get the cost of prescription drugs lower. I hate saying these words, but I am going to say them:

Without insulin, my children will die.

And, without Prayer, followers of Jesus grow cold and ineffective. We can wear all the armor, hold the sword, and carry the shield, but if we do not pray — we are just standing there waiting to get hit. And for many, they believe in Jesus. They try to do what is right. But they do not pray. And prayer is where the firepower is.

Paul wraps up his teaching on the armor of God with a command to pray.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT2)

 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT IS OUR AMMUNITION
(1 John 5:14-15, Rom 8:26-27)

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:18, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.” This phrase "praying in the Spirit" has been widely misunderstood.  Some believe it refers to praying in tongues, while others think it means praying with strong emotion. However, if we look closely at the Greek text and the context of Ephesians 6, we see a clearer meaning.

The phrase “in the Spirit” comes from the Greek words which means to be under the direction or influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul is not introducing a separate kind of prayer but rather describing how we are to pray, prayer that is Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered, and Spirit-aligned. This fits within the larger context of Ephesians 6.  In the previous verse, Paul calls the Bible “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). The Spirit operates through the Word of God, which means praying in the Spirit is prayer that aligns with God’s Word, and God’s will.

I want to be clear: When I say prayer is our ammunition, I do not mean that prayer is just about firing back at the enemy, or we pray just to attack.  Prayer is not a weapon we launch, prayer is how we stay connected to the One who holds all power. Prayer is not just ammunition, prayer is how we stay supplied, how we communicate with our Heavenly Commander, and how we remain alert on the battlefield.

The Apostle John explains this in 1 John.

1 John 5:14-15 (NLT2)

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

He will give us what we ask, if what we ask for aligns with his perfect will. Praying in the Spirit means praying according to God's will—not just listing our own desires, but seeking His purposes. The Holy Spirit will not lead us to pray selfishly, but always according to God’s will. Prayer is powerful because it aligns us with what God has already promised, and that is why prayer is our firepower in Spiritual warfare.

When the enemy tempts us with fear, we fire back with prayer. When the enemy whispers lies, we fire back with truth-filled prayer. When the enemy attacks those we love, we fire back with intercession. And when we do not even know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.

Romans 8:26-27 (NLT2)

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27  And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

The phrase “helps us in our weakness” comes from the Greek and it means to take hold of something together with someone else, to assist by sharing the burden. This means the Holy Spirit does not pray instead of us, He prays with us. He strengthens our prayers when we are weak, and aligns our prayers with God’s purposes.

This is crucial in spiritual warfare because the enemy works through lies, fear, and confusion. Without Spirit-led prayer, we may end up praying in the flesh, reacting emotionally instead of seeking God’s will. A Christian who does not pray in the Spirit is like a soldier carrying a weapon but never loading it. Prayer is how we advance. It is how we stand firm. So let me ask you…are you praying in the Spirit? Are you praying with an open Bible, allowing God’s Word to shape your prayers? Are you relying on the Holy Spirit to guide your prayers instead of just praying what you want? Are you engaging in spiritual warfare through persistent, Spirit-led intercession?

If we want to walk in victory, we must be people of prayer.

PRAYER STRIKES THE ENEMY BEFORE HE STRIKES YOU
(2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

Most people wait until the attack comes before they start praying. When life falls apart—then they pray. When the doctor gives bad news—then they pray. When their marriage is in trouble—then they pray. Prayer was never meant to be a last resort, it was meant to be your first strike.

Too many followers of Jesus are fighting defensive battles when they should be fighting offensive battles. We get comfortable in our relationship with Jesus and fall out of the routine of having a daily prayer time, and open up the door for the enemy to attack. But consistent daily prayer is how we go on the attack before the enemy even has a chance to strike.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NLT2)

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4  We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

Did you catch that? We do not fight with human weapons. We do not battle in the way the world battles. We do not rely on strength, strategy, or willpower.

But let me be honest with you…I struggle with this. I have taken so many personality tests over the years, and do you know what they all say about me? Joe is a problem solver. Joe is a strategist. Joe is an activator. Joe gets things done.

I am wired to see the problem, analyze the situation, and execute a solution—fast. That is how God designed me. I can walk into a room, spot what is broken, and immediately start thinking of how to fix it. I understand that this is a gift.  Not a lot of people are wired this way.

And here is where giftedness gets in the way. Because I am so wired to solve problems, my first instinct is to “fix” not “pray.” I think I can move mountains through my own wisdom. I think I can figure it out on my own. I think I can strategize my way through anything.

But if I am not careful, I can remain stuck in “Joe Fix-It” mode and fail to be dependent on the Spirit of the Living God. That is why “Praying in the Spirit” is so important. When I rely on my problem-solving ability without prayer, I fight battles in my own strength. But when I pray in the Spirit, I am fighting with the power of God.

If you want to solve the problems in your life, pray. If you want to fix the problems you are facing in life, pray. If you want to overcome the attacks of the Devil, pray. And, your prayer will tear down the strongholds of the devil.

A stronghold could be anything that has a grip on your life. A stronghold could be any lie that the enemy has convinced you is true. A stronghold could be any sin, addiction, fear, or shame that keeps you from walking in victory. And Paul says when we pray, we knock them down.  So, go on the offense and prevent those strongholds from ever developing in the first place.

Prayer does not remove every battle, but it gives you the power to overcome. When you pray in advance, you are ready before the attack comes. When you pray consistently, you are not caught off guard by the enemy. When you pray without ceasing, you are not waiting for an emergency to seek God.

So, pray for your marriage before it starts falling apart. Pray over your children before they wander away. Pray for our church before problems ever arise. Pray for the city of Myrtle Beach before the enemy takes more ground.

PRAYER KEEPS US LOCKED IN FORMATION
WE STAND STRONG TOGETHER
(James 5:16)

None of us are in this battle alone. If you are a follower of Jesus, you belong to the most supplied army in history. There is nothing our Father does not own. There is no resource He cannot supply. There is no battle too great for Him.

But the enemy loves isolation. If he can separate you from other believers, he can weaken you. And one of the most effective ways he does this is through unconfessed sin. Some sins you may confess easily. But there are other sins—the ones that have taken root, the ones that have become strongholds—that feel impossible to talk about.

Strongholds do not just happen overnight. They start as a temptation, a struggle, a moment of compromise. Then, before you realize it, they become chains. You feel stuck. You feel powerless. And over time, you start to believe the lie that this is just who you are. That change is not possible. That freedom is out of reach. And if that stronghold remains, you will never be free.

But James 5:16 tells us how to destroy strongholds at their foundation.

James 5:16 (NLT2)

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Confession is your path to freedom and victory in spiritual warfare. The enemy wants you to believe that if people knew the real you, they would reject you. That if you were honest about your struggles, you would be alone. That if you admitted your weakness, people would think less of you. But the moment you drag that sin into the light of confession, you win because strongholds cannot survive in transparency.

At Beach Church, we believe God desires us to be real, open, and honest about who we are and allow others to do the same. That is why Transparent Living is one of our guiding values. Transparent Living does not mean calling out people’s sin. Transparent Living means creating a culture where confession leads to healing, not shame. When we pray, we tear down strongholds together. When we pray for each other, we stand in formation. We carry one another’s burdens.

The enemy wants you isolated. Prayer locks you into formation with others. The enemy wants you ashamed. Confession sets you free. So let’s be a people that confesses, prays, and stands strong together.

Warrior - Praying for Your Pastor and Church Leadership

In this impactful message, Guest Pastor Kevin Thompson emphasizes the importance of praying for your pastor and church leadership. He shares biblical insights on how prayer strengthens church leaders, supports their mission, and fosters a healthier church community. Be encouraged to lift up your leaders in prayer and be part of God’s work in your church!

Warrior - Battle Ready

We are in week eight of our Warrior: Spiritual Warfare series, and today, we are talking about the Helmet and the Sword. I don’t have any experience wielding a sword, but I once had a beautiful pocket knife. A Case XX, with a wooden handle and pearl swirl. It was so sharp I could cut the hair off my arm… I showed it off every chance I got.  And one day in 9th grade, I showed it to the wrong person. Shawn—the biggest, meanest guy in school. Shawn was six-foot-four, nearly three hundred pounds, and at the time, I weighed about 120 pounds soaking wet. I showed him my knife, and he took it. Put it in his pocket and walked away. And there was nothing I could do about it! Just like that, my knife was gone.

One year later, during history class, he turned around and teased me by showing me my own knife! He had the knife opened, I reached for it, and as I pulled it back, I sliced his thumb from the center tip down to the knuckle.  The side of his thumb flopped like a piece of bacon. Shawn did.not.even.flinch. He turned to face the front of the class, tore off the tail of his shirt, wrapped it around his bleeding thumb, and looked back at me.

Without a word, I gave my knife back to him.

He left class, went to the office, then drove to a small clinic near the school. Two hours later, the intercom buzzed, and the office asked me to come to the office. The clinic that Shawn drove to had called the school and relayed that Shawn had left the clinic and he said he was coming back to the school to kill me. The office staff barricaded me in a small room, pushed a desk up against the door, and the reception lady and I waited for his return. Even though there was a desk and a door, I felt defenseless, helpless, and vulnerable.

Many of us know what it feels like to feel vulnerable to something bigger and stronger than we are. And sometimes, when we talk about Spiritual Warfare, followers of Jesus feel vulnerable and exposed to the strategies of the devil.  We live in fear, waiting for the next shoe to drop, rather than living with a sense of purpose and mission. That is why we have spent so much time on this passage from Ephesians.

If you are a follower of Jesus, you cannot afford to feel vulnerable, because you certainly are not unarmed. As followers of Jesus, we never know when the enemy is going to attack, so we must always be ready for the battle.   Once again, let’s read how God has equipped us to be engaged in spiritual battles.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT2)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

A soldier can survive wounds to other parts of the body, but if the head is struck, the battle is over. The helmet protected the head, the place where decisions were made, where strategies were formed, and where every command was processed. A soldier without a helmet was a soldier vulnerable to instant defeat. Paul chose this imagery intentionally…because…

SALVATION TRANSFORMS AND PROTECTS YOUR MIND
(Romans 12:2, Isaiah 26:3)

The primary battleground for followers of Jesus is the mind. If the devil can strike a fatal wound to your thoughts…if he can shape how you see yourself…if he can shape how you see God…if he can shape how you think God works…Then, he has already won the battle.

In other words, if you see yourself as “worthless,” you will never be engaged in a spiritual battle worthy of putting on the spiritual armor.  A person who believes he is already defeated will not even attempt to go into battle – because he believes he will be defeated. But if you are a follower of Jesus, and you understand you are a co-heir with Christ. If you understand, you belong to God’s family. If you understand the Spirit of God lives in you…And you understand that the Devil has been stripped of his power, and all he has left is his bag of lies…then there is nothing on this planet that can prevent you from living a victorious life through Jesus Christ.

When we become a follower of Jesus, we are born again and given a new way of thinking, a new perspective, a new identity. That is why Paul calls salvation a helmet—because it protects the way we think, the way we make decisions, and the way we respond to attacks. The devil knows that if he can influence your thoughts, he can control your life. His fiery arrows—distraction, deception, and fear—are aimed at your mind. That is why his first attack is always against your thoughts. If he can make you doubt God's Word, question God's goodness, or believe lies about yourself, he does not even have to fight you—he can make you fight yourself.

Romans 12:2 (NLT2)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

When you trust Christ as your Savior, you are given the ability to see life through the lens of truth instead of lies, faith instead of fear, and clarity instead of confusion. A mind transformed by salvation is not shaken by fear, not controlled by doubt, not consumed by distraction. It is secure. So the question is, are you wearing your helmet? Are you allowing salvation to shape your thinking, or are you letting the enemy have free access to your mind?  Are you going into battle with your mind protected, or are you leaving your mind exposed to the devil's attacks?

And, we protect our mind with our Shield of Faith (God is who he says he is, and He will do what he says He will do) and with the one weapon he provides, the Sword of the Word of God.

And, it is important to understand that…

THE WORD OF GOD IS A WEAPON, NOT A DECORATION, DESIGNED TO CUT YOU
(Hebrews 4:12)

For many, the Bible is just a religious decoration.  It sits on a shelf, untouched. It’s displayed on a coffee table, collecting dust. Some people even carry it under their arm every Sunday, but never actually open it. They treat it like a lucky charm, as if having a Bible in their home brings some kind of spiritual protection.

Yet, Paul calls the Bible a sword—not a relic, not a decoration, not a sentimental keepsake. A sword is a tool, meant for battle, and meant to inflict harm. But, what makes this sword unique—what makes it unlike any other weapon—is that it is not a weapon to use against someone else. It is a weapon God uses against me. Listen to how the author of Hebrews describes the Word of God:

Hebrews 4:12 (NLT2)

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

God’s Word cuts through me before it can ever cut through anything else. It exposes my heart. It reveals my sin. It convicts me long before I can even think about using it against someone else. The danger is that many followers of Jesus want to swing the sword at others while never allowing it to cut them first. They want to use the Bible to judge other people’s sin but ignore their own. They want to quote scripture to condemn someone else’s choices but refuse to let it challenge their own heart. They want to wield the Bible as a weapon against the world while avoiding the way it cuts them open and exposes their own brokenness.

That is not how this weapon works.

Jesus did not give us His Word so that we could win arguments. He gave us His Word so that we could die to ourselves.  He gave us the Word, to cut us deep and to go to battle against the sinful person we used to be.

1 John 2:16 (NKJV)

For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.

God isn’t as concerned about other people.  He is concerned about your personal relationship with God and how you represent him to the broken world around us. He is concerned about your desires, your lusts, your cravings, your pride, your heart more than he is with those around you. If every follower of Jesus were convinced of this perspective, we would see radical change and transformation happening across the planet.

The role of the Holy Spirit is to bring conviction to the world. The role of the Word of God is to bring conviction to me. It is not your job to walk around pointing out the sins of unbelievers.

The Bible is a weapon, but it is not a weapon for me to attack others with. It is a weapon that keeps me humble. It is a weapon that keeps me repentant. It is a weapon that keeps me following Jesus. It is our job to make sure we each are reading the Word, applying the Word, and allowing it to shape us into the image of Jesus. To whittle us into the shape of Jesus with the purpose to love God with all our hearts, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

SINCE WE HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED, WE STAY FOCUSED ON THE MISSION
(Romans 10:14-15, Acts 1:8)

If God has transformed us—if we are wearing the helmet of salvation and his Word is cutting us and whittling us into the image of Jesus – then – the mission of Jesus becomes our mission too. The moment we surrender our life to Jesus, we are drafted into His Army, and we are sent out on His mission.  The same grace that saved us now sends us to save others.

When Paul was writing to the Roman church about inviting other people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus, he asked this about those who had not yet surrendered:

Romans 10:14-15 (NLT2)

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Once again, look down at your feet!  You are wearing Shoes of Peace, to move forward, crush the enemy, and to bring the hope of Jesus to other people. This is not someone else’s job. This is our mission. God did not save us so that we could keep this good news to ourselves. He saved us, changed us, and equipped us so that we could bring the message of salvation to the people around us. And, the MOST effective way you can bring the good news of Jesus is to invite people you interact with to worship with you at church.

The enemy will try to convince you that inviting people to church does not matter, that it is not your responsibility and that someone else will do it. Don’t listen to his lies! The Lord has equipped you to advance into enemy territory and take back the territory that the enemy has stolen.  You have the armor of God on the outside, and you have the Spirit of God on the inside.

When Jesus left his mission in the hands of his followers, he said:

Acts 1:8 (NLT2)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to advance His mission. And as a church, we are stepping into a brand-new season of reaching people.

On Easter weekend, we are launching Saturday Night Worship. We are creating another opportunity for people to hear about Jesus. We need to invite people to experience the life-changing love of Jesus on Saturday nights.

So today, we are providing you with invite cards: On one side, they invite people to our Easter Services. On the other side, they invite people to our brand-new Saturday Night Worship Experience. So, take a bundle. Pass them out. Be intentional. Hand one to your server at lunch. Give one to a coworker. Leave one at the gym. Share one with a neighbor.

Do not assume that someone else will do it. Do not let the enemy distract you from this mission. If we believe Jesus changes lives, then we should be doing everything we can to bring people into a culture where they can experience Him. There are people in our city—your friends, your family, your coworkers—who are one invitation away from meeting Jesus.

So let’s stay focused. Let’s advance the mission. Let’s invite, let’s share, let’s be followers of Jesus who lead people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.

Warrior - Shield of Faith

WARRIOR WEEK 7

THE SHIELD OF FAITH

EPHESIANS 6:16

February 16, 2025

Today, we are in the sixth sermon of our Warrior Series, focusing on Spiritual Warfare from Ephesians 6.  If you have missed any of the sermons, I encourage you to go back and watch the sermons you may have missed.

For the last couple of months, Naomi, Jessie and I have been playing Fortnite. Fortnite is an online game of battle where you fight other people from around the world on a Battle Island. Games have changed since the days of Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt! On this Battle Island, there are Treasure Chests filled with all types of weapons, ammunition, and shields.

I love the shields.  When the game begins, the first thing I do is load up on weapons and shields – because I am not very skilled at the guns – and when I start to battle others – I need to be protected by the shield to help me last longer and ultimately win. If you are a follower of Jesus, whether you see it or not, you have a shield, and your shield is made up of a substance called Faith.

Let’s read about that shield in Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT2)

10  A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

As a follower of Jesus, our shield of faith is supposed to stop the fiery arrows of the devil – so why do we sometimes get burned?  Why do we get hurt?  If we have a shield of faith – why do we have so many wounds and scars from past battles? I am not trying to victim shame or blame, but I think the main reason so many followers of Jesus get wounded and carry scars is because we often get in front of our shield.

So – the first point I want to make today is…

FAITH IS A SHIELD WE MUST STAY BEHIND
(Hebrews 11:6, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Proverbs 3:5-6)

First, let me define faith in a practical way: The internal conviction that God, as revealed through the Bible, is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will do.

Faith is more than a feeling, a hunch, or a guess. Faith is a deep conviction rooted in the confidence of the character of God. Faith doesn’t begin with my thoughts, my feelings, or my ideas. Faith is generated from the character of God.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT2)

For we live by believing and not by seeing.

That means we do not go through life making decisions based on what we feel, what we see, or what we understand. We make decisions based on our confidence in the character of God.

Battle wounds and hurts usually come when I begin making decisions on what I feel or see. I get hit by the fiery arrows of the devil when I start trusting my own wisdom instead of God’s character.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT2)

5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

We get hit by the fiery arrows of the devil when we make decisions and live depending on our own understanding, not God’s character. When you make decisions about dating, marriage, retirement, children, parenting…When you make big decisions or small choices…without faith rooted in the character of God, you are tossing your shield of faith to the side and saying, “I can do this on my own.”  It’s like saying, “Shields? We don’t need no stinkin’ shields!”  If you desire to repel the fiery arrows of the Devil – you must stay behind your shield.

So, how can you tell when you have placed your shield to the side and run on ahead of God? You know. Trust me.  You know. So many people in this room and watching online have been wounded and scarred by the fiery arrows of the devil.

THE FIERY ARROWS ARE DISTRACTION, DECEPTION, AND FEAR
(Luke 10:40-42, 2 Tim 1:7)

One of the ironies of spiritual warfare is that as followers of Jesus, we are battling the devil, who does not have any real power. The devil is a liar, a thief, and a deceiver. He has no real power—only strategies to make you believe he does. He is defeated—but if he can distract you, deceive you, or paralyze you with fear, he can make you live like you are defeated..

See, when Jesus paid the price for our sin on the cross, he stripped the devil of his power.

Colossians 2:15 (NLT2)

15  In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Jesus disarmed the devil and his demons.  Jesus took away the Devil's power – that is why he shoots the arrows of distraction, deception, and fear; that is all he can do! He has the appearance of power because he is a LIAR and wants you to be intimidated and live powerlessly.

Answer these questions about the Devil…
Did he create the universe? No!
Is He the author of Life? No!
Does he hold the universe in his hands? No!
Did he form you in your mother’s womb? No!
Did he know every one of your days before they ever happened? No!

The Devil’s strategies of distraction, deception, and fear only give him the appearance of power.

Distraction is one of the enemy’s most effective weapons because it does not look dangerous—it just looks like life. If you are stretched too thin to serve other people selflessly, you have an arrow of distraction sticking out of your head.  The devil will keep you scrolling, keep you chasing, keep you grinding—as long as it keeps you from getting into the presence of Jesus and loving your neighbor as yourself.

The second fiery arrow is deception.  Speaking of the devil, Jesus said he was "the father of lies."

John 8:44b (NLT2)

44  …He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Lying is the devil’s native language. He lies to you about who you are. He lies to you about who God is. He lies to you about what will bring you happiness, peace, and purpose.If we are not careful, his lies and deception can creep into our minds and hearts.

You walk through a trying season and think things like…
Maybe God is not really with me.
Maybe God does not really care about my problems.
Maybe this one sin is not that big of a deal.
Maybe I am always going to struggle with this, so why fight it?

If the arrow of distraction does not work…If the arrow of deception does not work…Then, maybe the arrow of fear will. Fear will paralyze you. It will make you hesitate when God tells you to move. It will make you question what you know to be true. It will make you assume the worst about others. When we are paralyzed by fear, our problems always loom larger than what they actually are. We “hold our spiritual breath,” waiting for the next disaster to happen. Rather than living by faith, we live in fear, waiting for the next shoe to drop. The devil uses fear to stop you from moving forward into what God has called you to.

And quietly, because of fear, you may wind up saying things to yourself like…
I am alone.
Nobody else understands.
I am not strong enough.
I am too broken for God to heal.
I am too weak.
I am too far gone.

And if you wrestle with these fiery arrows, as I talked about last week, look down at your feet.  God has given you shoes of peace to wear to keep you moving forward.

Ephesians 6:15 (NLT2)

15  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

The shoes that the Roman Soldiers wore had cleats that curved forward so soldiers could always get a grip when they were moving forward.  The cleats were useless if they were moving backward…Our shield of faith…our deep conviction in the character of God…repels every fiery arrow from the

FAITH CRUSHES EVERY ATTACK OF THE ENEMY
(Romans 16:19-20)

Now remember FAITH is our conviction that God is who He says He is, and He will do what He says he will do. Well, if you are a follower of Jesus, take a look at what God says he will do.

Romans 16:19b-20a (NLT2)

…I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. 20  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet…

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. God does the crushing, but it happens under your feet. God does the crushing, but it happens under your Shoes of Peace! That means you are not paralyzed by fear, you are moving forward. Satan wants you to drop your shield, lower your guard, and believe his lies. Satan wants you to think you are weak, outnumbered, and defeated. Satan wants you to see the battle and forget the victory. But he is already defeated. He has already been disarmed.

All he has left are lies, distractions, and fear to try and keep you down. And for too long, followers of Jesus have let him get away with it. For too long, we have let distractions pull us off course. For too long, we have listened to his lies. For too long, we have let fear hold us back.

But because we believe God is who he says he is, and He will do what he says He will do – The distractions, the deception, and the fear stops today. It stops right here. Right now. I want you to picture that lying, conniving, deceptive devil on the floor in front of you. I want you to think about all the years you have allowed that no-good liar to speak into your life.

Think about the damage he has done.
Think about the hurt he has caused in your family.
Think about the distance he has tried to create between you and Jesus.

And now, think about all those lies he has whispered to you:
You are worthless.
You will never get it together.
You are a failure and always will be.
God could never really love someone like you.
You are stuck.
You will never change.

TODAY, the arrows of distraction, deception, and fear lose their power and get crushed. By faith, let’s believe that “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” That devil that is on the floor in front of you needs a good crushing, doesn’t he?

By faith, I want you to claim the promise of Romans 16:20 and crush every lie, fear, and doubt under your feet.
Crush that devil under your feet!
Crush every time you almost walked away from God.
Crush every time you wondered if God still saw you.
Crush every time you wondered if your prayers even mattered.
Crush for every moment you felt abandoned and alone.
Crush for every time the enemy made you believe you had no future.

Crush, Crush, Crush, because God will do what he says he will do and God says he will crush the devil under your feet.

FAITH CRUSHES EVERY ATTACK OF THE ENEMY

Starting TODAY—crush distraction.
Starting TODAY—crush lies.
Starting TODAY— move forward and stay behind your shield of faith.

And, as we walk by faith, the powerless defeated devil will move out of our way and flee.

Warrior - Shoes of Peace

Today, we are in the 6th Sermon of our Warrior Series, focusing on Spiritual Warfare from Ephesians 6.  If you have missed any of the sermons, I encourage you to go back and watch the sermons you may have missed.

When I was a child, I loved getting a new pair of shoes. Because the bones in my legs were turning, I walked on the inside of my shoes and wore out the inside soles faster than the outside – and it always felt like I ran a little awkwardly. But when I would put on a new pair of shoes – I felt a spring in my step, a cushion when I walked – and it felt like I could run ten times faster than I could in my old shoes. I would take off running outside, and stare down at my new shoes running so fast to make them blur. I felt like I could run faster, jump farther, and change direction more easily.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT2)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Like many kids back in the Seventies and Eighties, I had one pair of shoes at a time for my growing feet.  It didn’t matter what I was doing or where I was going; I had one pair of shoes to do it in. I wore the same shoes with dress pants, shorts, jeans, playing kickball, fishing, hunting, to go to school, and for PE.

My dad was an abusive alcoholic, we lived off of food stamps,  we had a family with 6 children, and shoes were expensive.  So, when the treads on the shoes started flapping before my feet grew out of the shoes, my mom would take my shoes to the little country shoe store, and Ms. Dill would hot glue the treads of my shoe together. The only time we got new shoes is when our feet had grown so much that our toes poked out.

As the Apostle Paul describes the shoes that Warriors are supposed to wear, it is important to understand first that…

THE SHOES HAVE BEEN PAID FOR, BUT YOU MUST PUT THEM ON. (Rom. 5:8, Eph. 2:8-10, Rom. 10:9)

The shoes you see on my feet right now are not the only shoes I have on.  I actually have two pairs of shoes on my feet.  These worn-out, $30 Under Armor running shoes are worn in, comfortable, and I have had them for at least five years. But the other pair of shoes, are shoes of Peace.  They were given to me when I surrendered my life to Jesus and received Christ as my Savior.

I have been wearing these shoes of peace since 1991 when I was saved, born again, forgiven for my sin, and made new. You can’t see them – but I wear them every single day. You can’t buy these shoes. You can’t tithe for these shoes. You can’t earn these shoes by doing good works. The only way to put on these shoes is by repenting of your sin, and surrendering your life to Jesus, and by receiving Him as your Savior.

Earlier in the book of Ephesians Paul said…

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT2)

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

You and I cannot earn forgiveness for our sin. We can’t love other people enough to be forgiven for our sin. We can’t distribute enough food to hungry people to be forgiven for our sin. We can’t give enough money to pay off our mortgage enough to be forgiven for our sin. We can’t care enough for people in the Western Carolinas. There is NOT one thing you and I can do to earn forgiveness for our sin from God. All we can do is accept forgiveness, we cannot earn it.

God loves us, and he has forgiven our sin, because Jesus has already paid the price for our sin and given forgiveness to us.

Romans 5:8 (NLT2)

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

You can’t put on the Armor of God unless you first invite Jesus to be your Lord.   You can’t be a Warrior for God, if you aren’t a soldier of God. And you can’t be a soldier, unless you are part of God’s family. The Bible is very clear on how a person can receive forgiveness for their sin and become a follower of Jesus:

Romans 10:9 (NLT2)

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So – confess. Confess that you are a sinner. Confess you can’t earn forgiveness. Confess Jesus is LORD. Repent of your sin. Receive Jesus as your Savior. You can do this right now:

God, I confess I am a sinner, and I can’t earn forgiveness for my sin. But I understand I can be forgiven for my sin, if I repent and turn toward you. So, I do. I repent and confess that Jesus paid the price for my sin on the cross – and I receive Jesus as my Savior and Lord.

I am so glad that YOU chose to put on the Shoes of Peace. So, when I was younger I had one pair of shoes for all occasions - but now that I'm older, I have boots, tennis shoes, golf shoes, black dress shoes, brown dress shoes, Jordans, Adidas, and Chuck Taylor’s. I have specific shoes, for specific events.  And, if you are a woman, you have shoes to match every shade of color in the world. If you are going to spend all day shopping, you will want to wear comfortable shoes. If you are going to spend the day playing golf, you will wear shoes for the greens. If you are going to be dressed up in a suit, you will most likely wear dress shoes. We all have felt the pain in our feet at the end of the day, and we wish we had put on different shoes that morning.

In order for you and I to stand firm in spiritual warfare, we are told to wear specific items for war. In this passage, we are told to wear:

The Belt of Truth

The Body Armor of God’s Righteousness

The Shield of Faith

The Helmet of Salvation

The Sword of the Spirit.

The belt, armor, shield, helmet, sword…these all support this idea that we are entering a conflict, a battle, and a war. The first five pieces of armor make sense in battle, but the sixth—"Shoes of Peace"—stands out as unusual…

If we are in a war, why would we put on shoes of peace?  Shouldn’t we put on COMBAT BOOTS?  Why would we put on shoes of peace? Why is that? It’s because…

PEACE MOVES US FORWARD IN MISSION

We read through this passage and think – I am ready to FIGHT!  We get inspired to FIGHT the enemy, put on the armor, and use the weapons…The mission for the Warrior is not COMBAT! The Mission is not to fight. The Mission is determined by the type of shoes that God has placed on our feet.  He didn’t put Combat boots on us because our purpose is not to be combative. Our mission in Spiritual Warfare is to bring PEACE.

Now, some followers of Jesus are mistaken and think they are supposed to be combative and confrontational with others. But they are wrong. Followers of Jesus wear Shoes of Peace because our mission is not just to fight battles and engage in warfare but to bring the peace of Jesus into enemy-occupied territory. We are not fighting to prove we are right. We are not fighting for a victory. We are moving forward in our mission because we are compelled to bring PEACE.

When you became a follower of Jesus, you became a Warrior assigned to bring peace to the world around you. Paul ties this mission of peace into our salvation in 2 Corinthians 5.

RESURRECTION POWER SENDS US TO BRING PEACE TO OTHERS. (2 Cor. 5:17-20)

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NLT2)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20  So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

God has given us the task of reconciling people to Him.  This means, the whole purpose of spiritual warfare is to spread the life-changing message of Jesus to the world around us.  He wants us to be known as Peace bringers, not fighters.  He has equipped us with the Shoes of Peace that come from the Gospel because he wants you, engaged in spiritual warfare, to bring the life-changing message of Jesus to others. You and I have been set free from sin, so that we can help set others free from sin too. And because we wear Shoes of Peace, that is why we are launching a new Saturday night service in April.

We are not launching this service because we need another option for people who already go to church. We are launching this service because there are people in this city who need Jesus, but Sunday morning is not an option for them. There are workers in the hospitality industry, restaurant servers, grocery store clerks, hotel staff, and emergency responders who cannot be here on a Sunday morning. There are young families juggling sports, school, and weekend shifts, and they need a place where they can encounter Jesus without the weight of their schedules keeping them away.

There are thousands of people in Myrtle Beach who are completely disconnected from church, not because they do not want to come, but because no one has invited them into a time that works for them. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.”

The harvest is not the problem. The lost are everywhere. The problem is whether we will show up and do something about it. And let me be really clear: this is not just another service—this is a mission. This is a beachhead in enemy territory. This is an opportunity to take back ground the enemy has claimed.

And now, I am asking you—will you step up? Will you get in the fight? Because,we cannot do this  without you.

If you serve on a team, I am asking you to consider shifting to Saturday night for six months to help us build momentum. If you are not serving anywhere yet, this is your moment to jump in.

We need kids team members to pour into children who will walk through our doors for the first time. We need First Impression teams to welcome every person. We need prayer team who will cover this service and every person in it. We need worship team members, tech teams, production teams, life group leaders, and people willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus. And we need people who are willing to personally invite the lost, the disconnected, and the searching to come and experience the peace that only Jesus can bring.

There are people in this city who need to hear the Gospel—but will they?There are people in this city whose lives could change forever—but will they? That depends on us.

We wear Shoes of Peace, and that means we do not sit back and hope people find their way here on their own. We go. We serve. We invite. We make it impossible for them to miss it.

Will you step forward? Will you be part of this? Will you help carry the Gospel into enemy-occupied territory? Because this is what spiritual warfare looks like - not just standing your ground, but taking ground back. You have been set free, so you can help set others free.

Let’s do this together.

Warrior - Belt of truth

Warrior - Stand Your Ground

A few years after I became a follower of Jesus, I began dating a young woman who was also a follower of Jesus, very active in her church, and a student at a local Bible College in Ohio. We met at a Christian coffee house through mutual friends. I was flattered that she demonstrated interest in me, so we went on a few dates. I ended the relationship with her quickly after I understood a bit more about her view of God’s grace and mercy regarding physical intimacy between a man and a woman.

Shortly after I became a follower of Jesus, I attended a “True Love Waits” weekend with our student ministry. I made a commitment to keep myself pure until marriage so that I could give myself to my wife and my wife alone. I had already messed up once in this area, and I committed to the Lord I would not fall in this area again.

Would you like to know the reason I ended the relationship with this woman who was a follower of Jesus, active in her church, a student at a Bible college, and who actually thought I was attractive? Granted, it wasn’t a long relationship, but would you like to know why I ended the relationship? When we were alone together, she pressured me to sleep with her. I told her about my commitment to abstain until marriage. I explained to her that I believe “True Love Waits” and that it would be a sin if we slept together before marriage. The line she said to me that caused me to end the dating relationship was something like: “God has already forgiven us for all of our sins at the cross, so it is okay if we are sexually active. God has forgiven us.” Shortly after that, I ended it.

What she said was true: God has indeed forgiven us for all of our sins—past, present, and future. That’s true. But that doesn’t mean she was correct.

And that leads us to our sermon today, “Stand Your Ground” from Ephesians.

Ephesians 6:10-14 (NLT2)

10  A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

Regarding spiritual warfare, one of the strategies that the devil and his demons employ is to deceive through false teaching, false teachers, and false shepherds. His strategy is to create deceptive teaching that appeals to our flesh and looks like the truth. The old expression shared for hundreds of years is true:

THE DEVIL PUTS A QUESTION MARK WHERE GOD PUTS A PERIOD.
(Matt 4:3)

Satan, false teachers, false teaching, and false shepherds design lies to have the appearance of the truth. After all, if lies looked and sounded like lies, nobody would believe them. But to deceive and attack the people of God, deception must appeal to our sinful nature and have the ring of truth to it. To be honest, there was part of me that wanted to put a question mark where God put a period.

The young woman I had been dating was attending a Bible College, and one of her Bible teachers actually taught the principle that since God has already forgiven us for all of our sins, we may as well enjoy what sin has to offer. I know because she placed me on a phone call with him, and we had a very long discussion. He tried to present it as right, but I knew, based on my relationship with Jesus, it was wrong.

He quoted scripture like:

Romans 8:1 (NLT2)

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

Romans 5:20 (NLT2)

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

Galatians 5:1 (NLT2)

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

Every verse he shared with me was accurate, but it was out of context. What about in context? Well, I told him flat out he was wrong. Then I started flipping through my Bible and quoted these scriptures to him:

Romans 6:1-2 (NLT2)

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2  Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

1 Peter 2:11 (NKJV)

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

He couldn’t believe that I, an untrained new believer, was repelling his false teaching by standing firm in the truth. He continued to attempt to make me question the truth of God’s Word. He wanted me to begin placing question marks where God had already placed periods. Finally, I ended the conversation with one final scripture:

Galatians 5:13 (NLT2)

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

Look, there are no loopholes when it comes to following God in obedience. You can bet as a young 20-year-old man, I wanted physical intimacy with a woman, but I knew that God planned for physical intimacy to happen inside the boundary of marriage. That situation I faced as a young believer helped me realize the incredible power of knowing and applying God’s Word. I realized this simple truth that has become one of our guiding values today:

WHEN WE APPLY GOD’S WORD TO OUR LIVES, WE REPEL ATTACKS
(2 Tim. 3:16)

When we apply the Word of God to our lives, we repel attacks of the enemy.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

When Paul wrote these words to Timothy, it was instruction on how to teach others, but also instruction on how to live. If you want to live your life in a way that repels the enemy’s attacks, you must know how to apply God’s Word to your life. It is one thing to know what the Bible teaches about some things. The woman and the man who challenged me to question God’s Word knew a lot of scripture and Bible passages that could cause me to question God’s Word. And the very first thing that happens when you begin to question God’s Word is that you stop applying His Word to your life. Then you become a target for the evil one to attack, discourage, and destroy. Applying God’s Word to our personal battles, struggles, and relationships is the only absolute way to repel the attacks of the evil one.

When Jesus was tempted in the desert by the Devil in Matthew 4, He quoted scripture and spoke of the scripture as application. Since God’s Word says this, then I will live this way. Although the Devil misused and twisted the meaning of scripture that he threw at Jesus, Jesus understood the heart of God’s Word, its meaning, and precisely how to apply it to His life. All scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.

When you apply God’s Word to your life, you demonstrate that Jesus is the LORD of your life. When you do this consistently, you repel the attacks of the Devil.

When you live your life consistently in this manner, you discover that…

LIVING IN THE TRUTH MAKES YOU BRAVE
(Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10)

Living in the truth doesn’t just help us stand our ground and stand firm in the midst of a spiritual battle. Living in the truth makes us brave and gives us courage we never imagined we could experience.

Let’s take a look at two passages that teach this.

First, let’s look at something God said to Joshua.

Joshua 1:9 (NLT2)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Now, let’s understand the context: Joshua had just taken over the leadership of Israel after Moses. He was tasked with leading God’s people into the Promised Land, a land full of enemies, battles, and unknown challenges. God wasn’t telling Joshua to muster up his own strength or bravery. He was telling Joshua that as he moved forward in obedience and lived in the truth, “I will be with you. My power and My presence will go before you.”

That kind of bravery is what you and I will experience when we live in the truth and follow God in obedience. Not bravery because of who we are, but because of who God is.

When Kristy and I accepted God’s call on our lives in December of 2022 for me to serve the Lord as the Lead Pastor of Beach Church, I did not want to be here! The church faced division in 2021, and tackling the challenges was far too much for me to handle. But I knew that if I stayed out of God’s way and let Him work, God would work great miracles… and He has.

Now, I no longer feel that way about Beach Church. I am grateful to be a part of the movement of God that we have seen. And maybe there are roles and things that God is calling you to do right now that are frightening and scary for you. Like Joshua, when we stand in the truth and live in obedience to God, we will not be alone. God is with you.

Memorize the promise of God from Isaiah 41:10:

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT2)

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

This is a direct promise from God. You will find bravery because of three things. God says:

“I am with you.” That means you will never face any situation alone.
“I will strengthen you and help you.” When you feel weak, overwhelmed, or out of options, God steps in with His strength.
“I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.” The “right hand” in biblical times symbolized strength, power, and authority. Kings and rulers often held scepters or made decrees with their right hand.

So, when God says, “I will hold you up with My right hand,” He is telling us that He is using His full strength and authority to sustain us. The word “victorious” is key!

God has already won every battle. He doesn’t operate from a place of uncertainty or defeat. He is not wringing His hands and worried about your future. God is holding us in the same hand of power that parted the Red Sea, defeated death on the cross, and raised Jesus from the grave. We are secure in His strength, sustained by His authority, and protected by His victory. Even when we feel weak, discouraged, or overwhelmed, if we walk in obedience, God holds us steady, and He will not let us fall.

OBEDIENT LIVING MAKES US BRAVE!

Whatever you are facing today, you can trust that His mighty right hand is holding you up. You are not alone, and you will not be defeated. Living in the truth makes us brave because we stand in God’s strength, not ours. His presence gives us confidence, His power gives us strength, and His promises give us peace.

So let me ask you: what are you afraid of today? What battle are you facing? Maybe it’s a temptation, a relationship, or a fear about the future. Whatever it is, God is with you.

He hasn’t left you.

He hasn’t forgotten you.

Stand in His truth and live with courage.

Warrior - Demons & Jesus

As a child, I was afraid of the dark many times. It wasn’t a common thing. It wasn’t an everyday thing. But at night sometimes, my imagination would wander, and fear would override my common sense.

We slept on a school bus, and at night, the faces of Freddy Kruger. Jason Vorhees. Mike Myers…and Norman Bates…would float out of the shadows and shapes at night, and sometimes, the darkness would paralyze me to the point I barely breathed.  I believed that they were going to leap out at me and kill me.

Today, this sermon may begin a bit unsettling for some of us.  The truth is, If we could tear a hole in the air around us, we might see the "dark world" where evil operates and reigns. We are continuing in our sermon series called WARRIOR from Ephesians 6.  And today, we will focus on an unseen “dark world” just beyond the tip of our five senses that impacts the world around us.

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT2)

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

In this one verse, we learn that there is an unseen world, a dark world, where evil rulers, evil spirits, and mighty powers reign. We don’t talk about this world much. We don’t talk about demonic influence much. We kind of stuff it down and hide the idea of demonic spirits as things of myth…And, when we observe things like human trafficking, abusive powers, child slavery, and hate, we tend to blame the evil of people rather than looking into the world we cannot see for the bigger picture.

We hold people accountable without trying to understand the larger picture of spiritual warfare and how the unseen world around us impacts our present reality. To understand how this dark world operates and the authority Jesus has over it, let’s look at one of the most dramatic encounters in the Bible.

Luke 8:27 (NLT2)

As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.

Mark 5:5 (NLT2)

Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

Luke 8:28-35 (NLT2)

As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29  For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power. 30  Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31  The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit. 32  There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission. 33  Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned. 34  When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35  People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.

We clearly see the impact of the demonic power of the dark world through this encounter.

Demons are not something to play around with.  Ouija Boards, Seances, and Fortune Tellers seem to communicate that demonic activity is innocent. But the Bible teaches us that…

DEMONS ARE DESTRUCTIVE AND TROUBLING

These DEMONS brought destruction and loss to this man’s life.

Because of the Demons:

• He was naked, homeless, and lived in a cemetery. (v. 27)

• He howled and cut himself with sharp rocks. (Mark 5:5)

• People didn’t know what to do with him so they CHAINED and SHACKLED him to the rocks (v. 29)

This man was tormented and bound, and his life was a mess. And he was possessed by hundreds, maybe thousands of demons.

So, can a follower of Jesus be Demon-possessed? No. I don’t believe so. Once a person has become a follower of Jesus, once they have surrendered their life to Jesus, received Jesus as their savior, and have committed their lives to Him, they have been made NEW. They have been born AGAIN, and the Holy Spirit is living in them. So, I do not believe that a follower of Jesus can become DEMON possessed because the Holy Spirit of God already possesses them.

But, I do believe that…

DEMONS CAN INFLUENCE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS

I believe that a follower of Jesus can begin to believe the lies of the devil and live as confused and feel as isolated and powerless as this man. In verse 30, Jesus asked the man a very simple question.

“What is your name?” This man had lived under the influence of the devil for so long that he could not answer the question correctly. His name was NOT Legion. His real name was a good Jewish name.  Thomas, Matthew, Peter, or John…  He had lived under the influence of Demons for so long, he forgot his identity.

As a follower of Jesus, you cannot be demon-possessed, but you CAN BELIEVE LIES that prevent you from living a Spirit-Filled, resurrection power life. You may be a believer in lies, discouragement, harsh words, and whispers of hopelessness that have been spoken into your thoughts. You may have allowed demonic lies about your identity to steal away your love for the Lord, your joy for life, and your faith in God.

Maybe like this man… You are overcome by evil in this world. Maybe you are overwhelmed with an addiction to anxiety. Maybe your relationship with your spouse is crumbling, and you feel like you will never experience a HEALTHY relationship with them. Maybe you have a hidden addiction to drugs…an addiction to alcohol…or hopelessness. Like this man, perhaps you feel like you have been cowering and hiding in the darkness for so long that you have forgotten who you really are and who you belong to. And like this man, you too can be set free from your past, forgiven for your sin, and experience a life-changing relationship with Jesus. And, there are beings from the unseen world that are very interested in seeing humans set free from sin. There are beings in the unseen world that will celebrate and worship God as you step out of the darkness.

When you step out of darkness into the light of Jesus, not only does heaven rejoice, but God has also provided supernatural helpers to care for you—His angels.

God has provided Angels to help us that most of us take for granted and never mention. In the unseen world…

THERE ARE MILLIONS OF ANGELS

I don’t have all the answers when it comes to ANGELS, but just as demons are real, ANGELS are real as well. Angels are referenced roughly 300 times throughout the Bible. They appear in both the Old and New Testaments as messengers of God, warriors, and servants of His will. And, there are millions of them.

Revelation 5:11 (NLT2)

Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders.

There are thousands and millions of Angels. So, if we were to tear a hole in the air around us, not only would we see demons – we would see Angels, too. And, all those millions of Angels have a pretty incredible responsibility… If you are a follower of Jesus…

GOD SENDS ANGELS TO CARE FOR YOU

While demons aim to destroy, God has sent His angels to protect, guide, and minister to us. This means you are never alone in the battle, no matter how dark it feels.

Hebrews 1:14 (NLT2)

Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Psalm 91:11-12 (NLT2)

For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12  They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

In this unseen world, while demons are fighting to destroy, angels are actively fighting for God’s purposes and protecting His people. This means that even when you can’t see it, God is working for you. His angels are actively involved in protecting you, guiding you, and fighting for you in the unseen battle.

While most of us, myself included, may never have seen an angel or had an encounter with an angel, that doesn’t mean angels aren’t at work. The Bible shows us that God’s angels are constantly working in a world we cannot see.

So, when you face challenges or feel overwhelmed, remember that God has not left you alone. His angels are guarding you, and He is working for your good in every situation. Trust Him.

And, if you feel overwhelmed today – let me end with a Biblical understanding that no matter what you are in bondage to…

JESUS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SET YOU FREE

Throughout the Gospels, JESUS demonstrates AUTHORITY…

Over nature: by calming the storm, walking on water, and multiplying food.

Over death: by raising the dead and conquering sin through His resurrection.

Over spiritual forces: by casting out demons and defeating the evil one through the cross.

Over creation itself: by ascending into heaven and demonstrating power over the laws of physics.

He demonstrates AUTHORITY over sin by paying the penalty for sin through his death and rising from the dead. THERE IS NOTHING THAT MY JESUS CANNOT DO!

Jesus is standing at the edge of your darkness today, and he is calling your name. So, step out of the shadows of shame and darkness.  And begin to live how this man did.

Jesus cast the demon out of the man, people who witnessed it ran to the town and told everybody and when they all came running back, the man was clothed, sitting calmly and in his right mind. He wanted to follow Jesus at this point, but Jesus would not let him.

Luke 8:38-39 (NLT2)

The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39  “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.

He told everybody about what Jesus had done for him. So, go and do the same.

Warrior - The Strategies of the Devil: Equipping Yourself for Spiritual Battle

In High School, one of my best friends' dad was one of the leaders of a Biker club—Not a Huffy Biker club: a Harley-Davidson Biker club. They drank a lot, smoked a lot of marijuana, and were a pretty rowdy and violent group to run with…

One weekend, my friend and I were camping out at Saline Creek Boat Dock, fishing and minding our own business, when two groups of people from different worlds showed up: Chad’s dad, with all of his Harley Club buddies, and soldiers on leave for the weekend from Fort Campbell.

Clean-cut, disciplined, and ready-to-party soldiers mingling with long hair, long beards, Harley riders. There was a heated argument over where vehicles could park and where tents would be set up.

So, to settle it…Mark said, “I tell you what. Any one of our guys can whip any of your guys.  The first one to pin for three seconds wins.” They agreed, and I was eager to see this fight! Then, Mark looked at me and said, “Joe – go get him.”

Before I could say anything, a circle of soldiers and bikers gathered around me, and a GI about my size and height.  I thought, “I can beat this guy.” We lunged at each other. And, I held my own for about 2 seconds.    Before I knew it, my legs were swept out from under me; I was thrown down into the gravel, out of breath, and pinned. Then, I heard the bikers and the soldiers all count out my pin.  “1 – 2 – 3.” It ended faster than it started.

I was not prepared or ready for this battle. He had gone through 6 weeks of basic training. He was skilled and trained in hand-to-hand combat. And I…was not. I was fifteen years old and unprepared to fight a person who fought with strategy.

As followers of Jesus, many of us are unprepared for daily spiritual battles.  We fight an enemy who is strategic, disciplined and knows our weaknesses. The Devil has been studying humankind for a long time.  He understands our weaknesses and has developed strategies to attack us and destroy our lives. But prayerfully, at the end of this sermon series, you will be more prepared for the strategic attacks of the Devil.

Ephesians 6:10-18

10  A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

At the beginning of this passage, we are told to put on all of God’s armor so we will be able to stand firm against the strategies of the devil. Today, I will give you four strategies of the Devil found throughout scripture, along with four suggestions that followers of Jesus can do to protect you and your family.

HE DECEIVES & DISTORTS; STAY ANCHORED IN TRUTH

We see his deception in the Garden of Eden. God had just created all the animals, looked around, and called them GOOD.  And the first thing the Devil did was disguise himself as GOOD to bring destruction.He became a serpent, part of God’s GOOD creation, to deceive. God gave Adam and Eve the freedom to eat from any tree except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He warned them that eating its fruit would lead to death. The Devil, in the form of a serpent, deceived Eve and distorted God’s command, saying they wouldn’t die but instead become like God. Tempted, Eve ate the fruit and gave some to Adam, who also ate it.

Their disobedience led to separation from God. This act of rebellion gave birth to sin, and sin brought death, disease, and destruction into the world.  This changed humanity’s relationship with God forever. And it all started because the devil first disguised himself as something that Adam and Eve had known as GOOD. They didn’t know it was the devil. They were convinced that the serpent was part of God’s GOOD creation. When God asked Eve why she disobeyed him, she said, “The serpent deceived me…” In other words, “God – the creature YOU put in the Garden with us, deceived me.”  She blamed God.

Similarly, thousands of years later, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul exposed false teachers to the church in Corinth.  He said this:

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (NLT2)

14  …Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15  So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, angels served as messengers of God, sent at special times to communicate His will to His people. God sent these Angels out as his messenger to deliver Truth. The devil disguised himself as God’s messengers to deliver LIES. Paul warns that the devil often disguises as good to deceive and mislead.  Never forget that a clever lie will look like the truth. A counterfeit bill is passed because it looks like the real thing.

So, stay anchored in the truth. Know the Word of God. Memorize scripture. Spend time in the Lord’s presence. Be Growing in your relationship with God.

Another strategy of the devil we see throughout scripture is that…

HE TEMPTS THEN CONDEMNS; FORGIVE YOURSELF AND OTHERS

The Devil TEMPTS, and he CONDEMNS.  We have already established that the devil disguises himself as good to tempt us.  But the Devil doesn’t just tempt us; he also condemns and accuses us.

The Apostle John describes the devil as our ACCUSER in Revelation:

Revelation 12:10 (NLT2)

10  Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night.

The Devil is a TEMPTER and an ACCUSER – and these two traits create a pretty nasty strategy of what I call the Devil’s “One-Two” combination punch. He tempts people to sin by deception and distortion.  He whispers things like:

• It’s not really cheating if you do it online.

• It’s just this once, nobody could possibly find out.

• You have already messed up, what’s the point in stopping now?

• God will forgive you anyway, so why not?

• If you don’t do this, you will never be happy.

That temptation is NORMAL!

1 Corinthians 10:13a (NLT2)

13  The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience…

Every single follower of Jesus experiences temptation. Every single one of us has been lured by these whispers. And - every single follower of Jesus has given in to temptation and chose to sin at some point. And – it is in that place after a follower of Jesus has chosen to sin, where we experience the Devil's second punch. After he tempts us with his left jab, he follows it up with the right hook of condemnation and accusation. After sinning, he whispers to you:

• “I can’t believe you did that.”

• “What kind of follower of Jesus are you?”

• “You’re a hypocrite.”

• “You’re a pathetic excuse for a Christian.”

• “You better keep this hidden because others will be disappointed with you if they find out.”

When those accusations come, remind yourself of this truth:

Romans 8:1 (NLT2)

1  So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Write it down, memorize it, and declare it every time the Devil whispers lies about your identity. Let the Devil ACCUSE you all HE wants! Let the Devil condemn you all He wants! But understand that you are a child of the most high God. The shed blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed you. You have been forgiven for all your past, present, and future sins. So, forgive yourself.

Don’t hold your sin against yourself. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, God has forgiven you, and he is not rubbing your nose in your sin.  So, stop doing that to yourself.  Forgive yourself.

Another strategy of the Devil that we see throughout scripture:

HE DIVIDES;
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND BEACH CHURCH

After tempting and accusing us, the Devil will begin to create division in the church because a divided church is a dying church, and the devil knows it. We see an example of the dividing work of Satan in a man named Diotrephes from the third letter of John.

3 John 1:9-10 (NLT2)

9  I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10  When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

The Apostle John was sending out traveling teachers of God’s word to churches, and at one of the churches, a man named Diotrephes: refused to have anything to do with the Apostle John… refused to welcome the teachers…and if any followers of Jesus did help them, he kicked them out of the church! Diotrephes loved to be the leader.  He did not like the Apostle John, and he created division in the church as a result. The Devil prefers to see a dysfunctioning, divided church because a healthy church threatens his Kingdom!

Humans are more prone to lean into division, gossip, lies, and deception than we are to forgiveness, grace, and the power of the Spirit of the Lord. When things don’t go how we think they should – especially in church – we complain. We gripe. We cause division. So, we prevent division and protect our church and our families by demonstrating UNCOMFORTABLE GRACE:

Colossians 3:13 (NLT2)

13  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

When people in your family or church offend you, forgive them. Make allowance for each other. Don’t create division because you don’t like a decision I made, and make allowances for my faults, too.  The reason why the Devil deceives, tempts, condemns, and accuses is because…

HE OPPOSES GOD’S WORK; STAY FOCUSED ON GOD’S MISSION

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he explained why it had taken him so long to visit them:

1 Thessalonians 2:18 (NLT2)

18  We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us.

We are unsure what was happening, but the Devil prevented Paul from visiting the church to strengthen the church…The Devil does not want Beach Church to lead people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus. The Devil does not want us to launch a Saturday night service to reach people who can’t get to church on Sunday. The Devil does not want us to be debt-free and able to invest $16,400 into our mission every single month. The Devil does not want those 200+ people who were baptized in 2024 to grow in their faith. The Devil does not want our church or your family to be actively leading people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.

So, we stand firm in the power of the Lord. We overlook the faults of others. We forgive ourselves and learn to stand firm against temptation by memorizing the Word of God. The Devil deceives, tempts, divides, and opposes, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can stand firm. Anchor yourself in the TRUTH. Resist temptation. Protect unity. And stay focused on God’s mission.

Warrior: Overcoming Spiritual Battles Through Obedience and Faith

We are kicking off the new year with a thirteen-week emphasis on Spiritual Warfare in a series called Warrior.

A few months after I became a follower of Jesus, I got into a fistfight with 4-5 local bullies from my high school.

Do you want to hear the rest of the story? It was Halloween night and I had just left a Halloween Party at the church I surrendered my life to Jesus in.  As I was driving through town, a truck passed me coming the opposite direction and somebody threw eggs at my car and my windshield.  I slammed on my brakes, threw the car into reverse squealing tires, caught up with the truck, pulled the truck over, jumped out of my car, and demanded that whoever egged my car get out and clean it up.The 4-5 guys, jumped out from the back of the truck, surrounded me, and began throwing punches.

I was hit several times in the head, knocked out momentarily, and came to when they jumped in their truck and left as the police were pulling into the parking lot. I had two black eyes, knots on my face, and a bruised ego.

In my naivety, I didn’t realize that these boys were out looking for a fight. I thought that when they realized who I was, they would apologize, clean the car, and drive off down the road.  But, they were out looking to jump somebody, attack them, and whip the snot out of them…and that is what they did.

I never imagined that all 7 of these guys would jump me. (Every time I tell this story – the number of bullies grows.) I was left slumped into the front passenger seat of my car, humiliated, embarrassed, and left wondering, “What the heck just happened?”

As followers of Jesus, we often fail to understand that we are in a fight right now.  Even as we are sitting here in this worship center, even while some are listening online, we are engaged in a battle and quite possibly being attacked. And, we are not just in a fight, we are in a battle.  And, the battle has real consequences. Now, don’t jump up and start throwing haymakers. You are not in a fight with the people around you. You don’t have to take on our safety-team…

But, our fight is far more frightening. You and I are in a battle with the devil and his evil demons.  This is not a physical fight. It is a spiritual battle with real-life consequences.

Ephesians 6:10-18

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

As followers of Jesus, we have been forgiven for our sins, we have been given a relationship with God, and we have become a target of the evil one.  The devil was defeated when Jesus rose from the dead, and since the devil has learned he cannot overtake God, he will do his best to attack and destroy those who belong to the family of God.

THE BATTLE IS REAL

Ephesians 6:10

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”

When we fail to stand firm in the Lord, the fallout can be devastating. Marriages fall apart because selfishness replaces love, and bitterness goes unchecked. Parents get so consumed by their own struggles that their children grow up feeling lost, insecure, and disconnected from God. Families stop praying together, and before long, they stop fighting for one another. In the workplace, compromises lead to ethical failures that destroy careers. Stress and burnout take over as we chase success, thinking it will satisfy us, only to find ourselves empty and exhausted. Our finances tell the same story. We give into greed, overspend to fill a void, or hoard out of fear, leaving no room for generosity.

The American church doesn’t escape the enemy’s attacks either. Division, gossip, and complacency infect the body of Christ across America. American Christians focus on petty issues instead of the mission God gave us, and our opportunity to reach the community is destroyed.

Spiritually, many of us are barely holding on. Unchecked sin like lust, addiction, or anger takes root, and we wonder why we feel distant from God.

Satan’s goal is clear: to destroy everything good in your life—your faith, your family, your purpose, and your hope. This is the cost of not standing firm. But, we are not powerless. Through His strength, we can stand firm in the Lord, so that when the battle is over, we are still strong, and we can reclaim what the enemy has stolen.

We are going to talk more about this next week, but this passage also shows us that…

THE DEVIL IS REAL AND YOUR ENEMY

Ephesians 6:12

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

We have an Enemy.  He is the Devil. The Evil One.  He is the Father of Lies.  Since the beginning, he is a hater of God, a hater of all things God loves. He hates creation, he hates Christianity, and if you are a follower of Jesus, he hates your guts. He is not a symbol or a myth. He is real. Jesus spoke about him in the gospels:

Jesus called the Devil a murderer, a liar, and the father of all lies:

John 8:44

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

In the beginning of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the Devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness.

In Matthew 13:19, Mark 4:15, and Luke 8:12, Jesus describes the Devil as the one who snatches away the TRUTH of God’s Word from the hearts of believers…

In Luke 22, Jesus warns Peter that Satan desires to “sift him like wheat.”

In Matthew 25 Jesus says that hell is an eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons…

The Devil is real, and he wants to do all he can to bring destruction to believers and turn the world away from following Jesus. Jesus described him as a destroying thief…

John 10:10

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

The devil wants to steal your joy, kill your hope, and destroy your hope in Jesus.  He is ruthless and seeks to devour you.

That’s why Peter warned followers of Jesus to be on the lookout for the devil, he writes:

1 Peter 5:8

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

But – followers of Jesus do not need to curl up in fear, weep, or live terrified.  Rather, if followers of Jesus simply live in obedience, God will be glorified and an already defeated Satan will be threatened. Every day, we make choices to follow God in obedience or yield ground to the Devil. When we choose sin, we give Satan influence over our lives.

So, If you want to begin to live in freedom in 2025.

If you want to walk in the power of the Lord in 2025.

If you want to experience victory and the power of the Lord 2025.

Then you need to begin living in OBEDIENCE in 2025 – because…

VICTORY BEGINS WITH OBEDIENT LIVING

Jesus is LORD over the last minute.  He is LORD of the nick-of-time and LORD of the its-already-too-late.  He is able to turn a hopeless situation into something incredible. When you feel as though all hope is gone.  When you feel like you have really messed up your life and made one poor decision after the next, Jesus is able to bring you back to life.

There is never a time when it is too late for Jesus. I know it feels that way at times. I know that there are dark valleys and pits of despair you have walked through. I know you are walking through depression, and sadness, and confusion. Even though it feels as though it is too late – it is not too late for Jesus! There is never a place that you have gone that is beyond his mercy, grace and compassion. There is never a problem that you have dealt with or are dealing with that is too difficult for him to overcome. He will turn your mourning into joyful dancing…because He is LORD and that is what He does!

When I think of the Lord’s power I always think of the time in the Gospels when Jesus stood at the entrance to a tomb - and shouted: "Lazarus come out!"  And Lazarus came out!  The dead man sat up, walked out of the grave wrapped in dead man clothes and Jesus told those standing there: Unwrap him and let him go!

This morning, Jesus stands at the edge of your darkness and calls your name!  He calls you to come out from the edge of your darkness.  From the edge of your depression.  From the edge of your despair.  He stands at the entrance peering into the darkness and says to you, "Come out!"   “Come out of the darkness.” Are you being held back by insecurity and fear?  He calls you to let it go!  Are you bound by depression and anxiety?  Let it go!  Believe HE CAN.  Admit you CAN'T.  Believe he is able!  Trust in him completely!

Have you thought the distance between you and your spouse has become so great that the relationship is broken and beyond repair?  He can restore life to your marriage!

Your children may have traveled far down the wrong path.  So far it seems - the cold reality of their decisions are dragging you down in spirit.  Jesus can bring them back from the brink!  Believe and ask and seek!

Jesus does desire to turn your mourning into dancing and great joy - he loves you completely and totally.  But we are not guaranteed to experience the joy.  If we want to experience the VICTORY we must live in OBEDIENCE.

Just because you were walking closely with the Lord last year, last week, or yesterday does not mean that you are walking closely with the Lord today.  Personally – your faith from yesterday is not enough to keep you walking in step with the Spirit of the Lord.  If you want to experience the joy of walking with the Lord again, continue to live in obedience to Jesus.