Address—E. Ensign
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100 and 56156.
Praise the Lord again. Again the Spirit strikes the chord, Nor touches He our hearts, and vain we praise we praise the Lord. Could somebody start there?
I'd like that to turn with me tonight to 1St Corinthians 16.
And before I read these the verses that that I have in my heart.
Just to think for a moment what it is that.
That we've had, if you'll think about the contents of this this letter, the file wrote to these dear ones, that's the corn they were, they were recommended, we might say, by Paul, for several things that were that were problems there.
They were allowing some unjust people and they were not very respectful of the remembrance of the Lord.
There were several other things that he had to speak to these ones about. There are many things that were said in the chapter 1213 and 14 about about the the regulation in the Assembly as we as we come together and then a special word of encouragement in the 15th chapter.
And as he comes to the end of the 16th chapter, there's some final instructions and some greetings. And then he and he closes the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be with you, my love, be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. And so this this book inspired by God and given to the Apostle Paul, it's it's for Christians of all time if you just look on the 1St chapter for a moment.
And notice the.
The second verse.
If the official was dressed, addressed under the Church of God.
Which is at current to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus. Proud Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. And so while there was some special instruction to the the Saints back there in the 1St century at Corinth, why it's still meant for you and me today.
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So then in the last chapter where I had to turn the 16th chapter.
I'd like to read verse 13 and 14.
Watching stand fast in the face.
Quit you like men. Be strong. Let all your things done. Let all your things be done with charity. Now that charity there is divine love. Another translation puts it beyond your guard. Stand firm in the faith, even of courage. Be strong. Do everything in love.
There were many, many adversaries. Notice a father in the 16th chapter.
File says in verse 9.
For a great door and effectually is open unto me. And there are many adversaries. We all here we sit tonight in the 20th century, and it's still true, isn't it? There are many, many adversaries. There are many forces at work to to prevent our going on for the Lord. But the Lord is greater than all the adversaries.
Watchy, stand fast in the faith, Put you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done to cherish what I'd like to do Now, in the time that remains, I'd like to expand on There's four things in the 13th verse, and I believe there are some things that can be a real encouragement to us and real help for us. So as we think of the first one, watch you or be on your guard or be vigilant.
Alert the Lord have us to know what's going on around about us. Not that we need to know every detail. I get immersed in the did, immersed in the evil, but the Lord would have us to be to be watchful and to be to be diligent. I already already read the verse what Paul said in that ninth verse, that there are many adversaries. There are many that are that are against us. Turn over to first Peter, the 5th chapter. We'll be turning to several places, and I'll try to allow plenty of time to turn into different places.
First Peter final.
And verse 8.
Here, Peter writes to those he's writing too. He says he's sober. Be vigilant, he.
Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.
Now we'll read the ninth verse. We're going to look at that a little bit later. Who resists steadfast for the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world?
Verse 8. Be sober. That's the In one sense, sober is the Be willing for me to be willing for you to be willing to take the inward load.
The serious, the serious look at what really, really is happening roundabouts. And there's that word. Be vigilant. Be watchable, be vigilant. And so then we're told that who our adversary is your adversary is the devil.
As a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may develop, there's the adversary. There is the one who's against this, who is going to be against the things of the Lord and against Christianity. Everywhere that he can, He will heal, but he won't heal until he has to. And so the Lord have us to be very much in prayer. Concerning the fact that there is an adversary, there is one. There is one against us. And so beyond your guard, beyond your guard, he says.
In First Timothy Three, we won't turn to this, but there is a word to those that would have the oversight from the assemblies, the bishops if you will, or their overseers, the neighbor to be vigilant, they were to be watchful.
Then turn over to the 20th chapter of Acts.
X20.
In this chapter there is a departing parting message that Paul gives to the the the elders, the overseers and necklaces.
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Sort of his final, final word to them. I don't know that you ever saw him again.
Verse 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers.
To feed the Church of God, which he had purchased with his own blood.
For I know this that after my departing shall grievous woes.
Enter it among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own self shall men arise.
Speaking perverse things to Broadway disciples after them. Therefore watch. Watch says be vigilant. And so here he tells us clearly. And we look over the history of the church, and we can see that indeed there were those that came in from the outside to try to spoil things, and there were those on the inside that did the deadly work too. And so the word to us ringing down through the centuries.
Is lost.
Verse 31 Continuing. And remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone. Night and day is tears. And then he commenced them to God and to the word of His grace. And that's what we have today. Here once we have the same thing that the dear ones in the 1St century had when the apostles died on We have God, and we have the word in the toothbrush.
Well, turn to.
First Thessalonians and the 5th chapter.
1St Thessalonians 5.
And verse 6.
Now this is right in the middle of.
Of several verses that speak about different kinds of sleep 30 verse 6.
Paul says, therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. So there it is again. Let us watch and be sober, saying two things that we write about in first Peter 5. There's three different kinds of sleep mentioned here. Notice.
Verse six says let us not sleep and do others, so let us want to be sober. Verse 7 for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunk and are drunken in the night.
And then?
Let's see.
Verse 10.
Our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us that whether we wait or asleep, we should live together with Him. Well you have you have physical sleep. You have moral sleep and you have the sleep of death. And I'll mention I'll mention here the Lord doesn't want you and me to be sleepy Christians. He wants us to to be very much awake and to know what's to know what's going on around the bars. And so he invites us to to want to be sober. Well, then I was I was trying to think of an example we might have.
One in the scripture. Maybe you can think of many yourself, but it seems to me that in the Nehemiah we have an interesting example. So let's turn to Nehemiah. Over there, the Old Testament. Just a few verses.
Now the book of Nehemiah. We're going to look at the 4th chapter, by the way, the Nehemiah.
The subject in the early part of the book.
That it dwelt on is the.
Is the rebuilding of that well that Jerusalem? And when you think of a well, you think of something that that separates, wow, that wall of separation.
And you remember the story how it was that the Nehemiah was really exercising about the state of affairs in Jerusalem. You know he was a tough player for the king over there and and the Avalon and the Lord opened up the way. So that's your man in the in response to his prayers and his exercise for him to go over and to be a help and encourage for his brethren. And there's one chapter of devoted to the building of the wild and it names names of people that that help and their concerns are exercise.
Every step of the way, the rebuilding of that wall that is opposition. Now why would there be opposition? We're building a wall. Why would the devil oppose?
If we take this and apply it to ourselves, why would the devil oppose you and me in the sense putting up a wow of of separation? Well, he knows that that if we can be careless on that by he, he's able to come in with his terrible suggestions of evil and the people from going on with the Lord. And so Nehemiah was one who was alerted. Now notice in verse seven of chapter 4.
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It came to pass that when Sam Ballot and Tobiah.
And the Arabians and Ammonites and the Astrodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being were made-up, and that the breaches began to be stopped. Then were they very raw, and conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night. Because of them there's the word watch again. And Judah said, the strength of the bearers of virginity came, and there was much rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall.
And our adversary said they shall not know.
Neither see till we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work deceased. So you see, here are some coming in from the outside that we would look and read carefully. We find that there were problems on the inside also. So here are the enemies they're trying to commit from the outside in a very secretive way. Verse 12. And it came to Pence that when the Jews which got by them came, they said unto us 10 times.
From all places which when shall you return unto us, they will be upon you. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall. And on the higher places I even sent the people after their families with their swords, and their Spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people. Be not afraid of them. Remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to not that we returned all of us to the wall, everyone to his work, And it came to pass from that time For that behalf of my servants brought in the work, and the other half of them held both the Spears and the Shields and the bows. And the Herburgians and the rulers were behind all the House of Judah, and they which they would build it on the wall, and they would bear burdens with those that laid it, were loaded, and carried it every one of them.
With his hands around the world and with the other hand held a weapon for the builders. Everyone had to serve girded by his side and so building and and he that sounded the trumpet was by name. Now I'm just a a few words you can see that that here was here was the thread of enemy coming in by stealth but we can see the nehemiah because of his his habit of prayer and he had very much discernment he was he was alert to what was going on.
And he realized what their plan was, and he was able to spark the enemy by rallying his president that they would watch and they would come together on the wall, places where they were, where they were needed. And I just think that's so instructive and so helpful for us. And, you know, if you haven't read the book of Nehemiah recently, I would encourage you to go through it and see here a man who who started in that wonderful freshness of the Lord, and when he ended his course, there was still that freshness. And we see that that all during his course.
He had a real concern for his brethren, for the for the people of God.
Well, back in. Don't turn to him. Back in First Corinthians 16, the next item was stand fast or stand firm in the face.
So let's turn back now to first Peter 5. We've mentioned the part of the verse there. First, Peter 5.
And verse 9, speaking about the adversary the devil. First Peter 59 who resists steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. And if we turn to James, we find aversive and say resist the government and he will plead he will flee from you. So here's here's the devil and the character of the roaring lion and works in order to to resist. Well, how can we resist? Well we're told the equipment that we have in Ephesians 6. So let's turn over there.
Think about standing firm in the face.
Ephesians 6.
Verse 11.
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Put on the whole armor of God.
Be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil. And so here's something that is depicted to us as the armor. We'll read these next verses shortly so that we are able we are able to stand against the wicked 1A. Notice that says here now the wild over first Peter it was the devil and his character as a roaring one and now here it is, the lyles and the deceptions. You know Satan.
We'll try to, we'll try to declass, if you will, to set us up to deceive us and we need everything that we have available to us in order to stand against this sort of thing.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, with the margin says spiritual wickedness in heavenly places or in the heavenlies. We gather from what the Lord is telling us here that between where we are and where Now it is in the Lord Jesus that there is some kind of a round in between.
Where these powers of darkness are challenging and doing everything in their power to stand against Christianity, to stand against us as Christians, to stand against the spread of the gospel.
And if only if only we could really realize what this is all about.
You know, whatever these principalities and these powers are, these rulers of gardens, they are highly intelligent, as we say in today's language. They're sharp, they're they are, and they're wicked, and they're opposed to God every step of the way, and to the Lord.
If we just read through the Gospels, we'd see how every step of the way there was opposition against the Lord Jesus, and several times we see Satan come right out in the open and tempt the Lord.
And trying to get him off the path of obedience to God's father in the wicked one will try that with you and me too. And the only way that we can stand against such such intelligent and powerful evil beings is by having the armor that God tells us about.
Verse 13 says, Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand an evil day, and having done all to stand.
I remember some of them explaining that verse.
Similar to the way it was in the last war, when the United States and Japan were in war with each other.
And that was a very strange type of warfare. There were there were days and weeks that there was no, no benefit or no confrontation at all.
But we had to be ready because we never knew where there would be another strike, you see, and that's the way it is. And I believe that's an explanation of this verse, that you may be able to withstand an evil day. And having done all to stand, there may be times when we're not under a particular attack from the adversary, but we have to be ready because we don't know when he's going to start.
Stand therefore, having your lines beared about with truth, that would be.
My life and those things that the government is the very inmost parts of my being governed by the word of God.
Having a breastplate of righteousness in the.
Breastplate being local, part of the body, and it might, it might say that the that the affections might be directed in the right in the right way for the Lord and your feet chop with the preparation of the gospel of peace, that that my rock and my footsteps might be sent. That would commend the gospel so that Satan wouldn't be able to to have anything against me. If I were trying to speak to someone that could be there would be that that quality of life above all taking the shield of faith.
Wherewith he shall be able to quench all the fiery guards.
Of the wicked. And it seems that one of the one of the ways that the devil tries to get in and penetrate that shield of faith is with discouragement those darts of discouraging to get us to to disbelieve the goodness that God has in his heart for you and me. And we need the shield of faith for that. Take the helmet of salvation. The helmet guards the head and the head is the up there. It's it's the brain and it controls all all of my movements and your movements and so.
We need that that protection, the helmet of salvation, and then the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and here is the word of God.
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Really. And I think in connection with with, you know, for us, sometimes we think of using the sword on others, but no, we need the word of God as protection, as protection for for ourselves and then finally praying, always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
Watching thereunto allow perseverance and supplication from all sinners. And there is the the provision, you might say, the armor that that God has given us. You know, the military may have been reading this.
Well, he might expect that verse 18 to say And then fighting always the note for the Christian we have all the parts of the armor described. And then it summed up praying, praying always. And so that is yours and my weapon the most powerful weapon against the forces that are that are arrayed against us. And I hope that I hope that you don't think I'm overly emphasizing something that that that shouldn't be emphasized. But I really believe that if we can get it firmly fixed in our hearts and our souls.
But there is there is this, this adversary character against us in the form of the devil, and all of his legions by it might give new impetus to our to our prayers, and the things that the Lord tells us here, that we might stand firm in the faith as Paul exhorts us over there in the Corinthians.
There is 2 verses in Philippians. Let's take a look over there in the first chapter. First of all Philippians 1.
Verse 27.
Only let your conversation or manner of life, We might say, let your manner of life be as it becomes the gospel of Christ, That whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. Stand fast of 1 Spirit that over the 4th chapter.
And the first verse.
Therefore my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for my joy and my crown souls stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. So there is a a real heartfelt fleet that followed his to these dear ones that that felt there was some problems there was with the Vainglory and conflict and all that, but he just pleads with him, He would stand stand fast in the world.
Now it looks like an example. Turn over to Second Samuel 23.
Second Samuel 23.
I think as we look at these examples.
The Bible is full of wonderful examples so that we might be encouraged that these were real people, people just like you and me, that lived and walked and breathed down here in this world. The world was maybe a little bit different in some ways, but.
These people had a desire to stand for the Lord.
It's on Second Samuel 23.
Verse 11 about this man Shannon. He was one of the mighty men.
The Philistines with the enemy and the Philistines.
With the enemy in the land.
And so this seems to maybe depict.
You know, the lounge of the world coming in and amongst us, whatever whatever it might suggest to us that they're the enemy and they were very much against the Israelites, in verse 11 Says. After him was Shaman, the son of Maggie, the heroine.
And the Philistines are gathered together into a truth where it was a peaceful ground, part of language, that the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it, and slew the Philistines. And the Lord brought a great victory. The Lord brought a great victory. Now this might not seem a very big thing, but in one sense you might say he was defending. Defending, where there was some of the food for God's people.
We think of the word of God is our is our food. In Jude, the writer suggests that there should be that contending for the faith that's delivered to the same. And so here is a man who stood his ground and it took a lot of courage for him to do that. The odds were quite heavy against him. But Shama stood his ground as he defended his place, approved for God's, for God's people. And it says the Lord won great victory.
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Think of Daniel in the first chapter of Daniel.
Here he was, a young man. He might not. He might have been just a late teenager. He'd been uprooted from his his country, his his parents, And there he was in the land of Babylon, surrounded by all their terrible customs and the heat of worship and everything that there was. And there was this pressure, terrible pressure on Daniel to confirm the way things were evaporated.
And Daniel he he requested. He very wisely requested they were listening in his calculator as he used wisdom and how he requested that he might not be filing himself. It says he was going to be required to eat a lot of his food that had been offered up to the heathen idols. And Daniel felt before the Lord that he shouldn't do it. And so he pleaded that they be given that he be given some very.
Coarse, plain food and, he said true.
10 days. Give us a chance. And so the angels, Daniel, God, listen to that prayer and they're given this this chance to see whether the school would be nursing enough for them and.
They were allowed them to go on and to eat this plain chair without having to defile themselves, Daniel and his friends. And when the examination time came by, it tells us that Daniel and his friend for 10 times wiser than anyone else in the realm of when I came into the things that the Babylonians tested them in. And so there was one, you see, who stood by his faith, stood by the courage of his convictions in a terrible, difficult situation. And I suspect that that that was probably.
Probably a lot more difficult than maybe situations that a lot of us are in.
And so he stood fast. And then think of Daniel on the 6th chapter, where he was a man of prayer. There was accustomed to pray to God three times a day, so the windows open towards Jerusalem.
And.
The other ruler, see, Daniel was only the second only to the king. And there was some other, some other men who were called presidents. And you remember, they were jealous of Daniel because of his position. They conspired to get the king to write a law that said it was unlawful for anyone to work with anybody or create anyone except the king for 30 days. And so the doctor came to sign this.
And Daniel tells us plainly, new what the law was. And even though he knew what the penalty was, the penalty.
Be cast into the dead of lion. And even though Daniel knew what the penalty was, he prayed just like he always did for his windows over towards Jerusalem. And we would read back from chronicles when Solomon prayed that prayer at the dedication of the temple that that was that the Lord would answer the prayer of his people from the land of their captivity. And so even though there was a stiff penalty but Daniel was caught framing God, he did it anyway. And so he stood firm for the faith.
And the Lord indicated that dear man, because when he was putting that down of lines, the Lord of those lines no longer told.
He was come up. He came up harmless. Well, that's Daniel Six. We're all familiar with the story. So here are some people that stood firm, stood firm for the Lord.
Well then, in the 1St Corinthians 16, the third, the third thing in that verse was it says quickly like men will be men of courage and.
It's presumed you see that, that men act in a courageous way. And you know, I suspect we don't always do it, but the courage was associated with the way men, men generally acted. But these people are curious. Maybe we can say we can say that.
Well.
I was thinking of some examples we might have here.
So let's turn back to Second Samuel 23 again.
And we look at the ninth verse this time.
And here's Eliezer and.
23 Dinosaur Second Samuel, the son of Dodo. He's another one of the mighty men.
Says one of the three mighty men with David.
When they defied the Philistines that were gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away, he arose and smoked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand played to the sword. And the Lord brought a great victory that day. The people returned after him only to spoil. I've enjoyed associating that little example. His hand, you know, he hung fast. His hand just felt fast to his sword. And you think of how the scripture speaks about the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
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And God's word is like A2 edged sword, His hand held chance. And are we holding fast to God's word in the revelation of the two?
Very short risk 2020 it says that which you have hold fast so I come hold fast till they come and so shameless or any easier he held thanks to this sword.
And you want to grade 50? I took a lot of courage. There's one man again standing against all these facetimes that were coming upon him. So he certainly behaved himself like a Atlanta courage.
Think of David and Goliath.
Turn to it First Samuel 17.
Here's a nine foot tall giant arm to the teeth with another man to carry his the shield, I guess. And here's David. Just a young man. A strip club.
And they meet together, you might say, for the showdown this day, because the the.
The challenge was that if the Israelites man won, the Philistines would be servants to them, but as the Philistines made one, then the Israelites would be servants to them. And so here was a battle that seemed like it was way out of proportion between these two men.
And after an exchange between Goliath and and David.
Notice and verse.
Horrifying.
Then said David to the Philistine.
That comes to me with a sword and with a spear with a shield.
Will I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, who now has to be fired?
This day when the Lord deliver thee into my hand.
And I will smite thee, and take thy head someday. And I will give the carcass of the host of the Philistines this day under the fowls of the air, and of the wild beasts of the earth. So all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sorrow and spirit, for the battle is the Lord, and he will give you into our hands.
I love that and I think there's a just a wonderful example for us, not only of courage but one had confidence in the Lord.
As I said the if anyone up on the hill could be looking down the the giant and Gable there, it might say why the battles over before it starts. It's it's nonsense. Turn with me if you will. I'd like to make a little gospel application here.
During the First Corinthians chapter one.
Verse 18.
Now I'd like to read these, keeping in mind what we just said about David and Goliath and the.
Strange match up there between those two.
For the preaching of the cross.
Used to them to perish foolishness.
Whatever else we are saying to power.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the rise. This is First Corinthians 119. For it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the rise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that and the wisdom of God? The world by wisdom knew not God. They please God by the foolishness of preaching. Now I believe we might say, of the preaching. It's the message. It's in view the foolishness of the message the world looks on the message of the Lord Jesus dying on the cross as foolishness. You see, just like someone might look on.
The battle between David and Goliath before the battle is over.
As foolishness.
But he says it please God, for the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
We preach Christ crucified under the Jews is stumbling block, and the Greeks of the Gentiles foolishness. But then to them which are called don't Jews and Gentiles Christ, The power of God and the wisdom of God, because of the foolishness of God, is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
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And so just a little perversion that maybe there's someone here tonight that you're not saved yet. Maybe you think the Falcon, something that happened 2000 years ago possibly affect me today. Well.
It does according to the truth of God's word that God sent his Son into this world, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he went to that cross of Calvary, a terrible death of torture. And we read in the scripture that in a way that we can't explain that the Lord Jesus Christ or our sins in his own body and cross on the tree. And that's what the world considers foolishness Once we believe it, why we realize that it's the power of God. It's the power of God.
Regardless of what's the the man of the world might say, that's the way anyone is going to get to heaven. And they're all going to get there by the same way, by believing that the Lord Jesus Christ.
And getting back to our example here, there was a, as I say, a tremendous example of of Curry, John Davids Park. But really David had confidence in the Lord. He had he had known in the sense test of the Lord and experienced his faithfulness with the lion, the bear. As we would read that he knew that God was going to be faithful when it came to fighting this this close by.
Another example again Daniel, remember when the third chapter?
When the king made the image, he built this power image, whatever it was.
And the Word was you hear the music, bow down and worship, worship the image.
And there were amongst the people over there, these Jewish Jewish men, and it tells us in the account of Daniel three about three of them, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
And they did not bow down for this image. Again, they have the courage to stand for the world. They were men of courage. They they felt that the Lord could deliver us. But when they were asked, they said, even if the Lord won't deliver us, nevertheless you're not going to bow down to the image. And the penalty there was to be thrown into the fiery furnace. And you remember the story? The furnace was heated up. The king was furious. The furnace was heated up.
Seven times hotter than had ever been heated before.
And.
They would take each man or they cast him, it says. Cast into that fiery furnace. Even the men that that did the casting were killed because of the terror of terrible heat.
And the King looked into that furnace.
And he saw a four men walking in the midst of the fiery furnace. And he said, well, that forest was like the Son of God. And so here were these men that that were men of courage. They stood for the Lord even if the Lord would deliver them. They were willing to take the penalty rather than bow down to something else except God. And the Lord Jesus was with him in the trial.
It is that wonderful even for you and me, that we may have to go through some kind of difficulty or trial for the Lord. I know some people today in our own assembly that maybe there are some here too, that you're having some difficult immediate work and your stand for the Lord.
But you know the Lord is promised to stand by you in the child. I'll never leave it or forsake, he said. And what a wonderful promise that is. So the Lord is one that we can have full confidence in. He can be relied upon.
Well then, the last the last item in that one verse was the strong.
Be strengthened.
So let's look at a few things as we think about that. Let's turn back again to Ephesians 6, where we were.
Versus before the armor of God is brought in.
10 Ephesians 610 After all the things that he's brought before the people.
There's the exhortation, not the walk, is the Gentiles walk that we shouldn't be walking in darkness, we should walk in the light. And then all the wonderful instructions to be cousins and wives and the children and the workers, the masters. Verse 10, he says Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his mind in both those words. Power and might come from the Greek word that we get our word dynamite from. And so God's power and God's might is God's sentiment.
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Just like the gospel is the power of God, it's God's dangling.
Strong in the Lord. We're never told to be strong in ourselves because we'll see some verses in a moment where we realize that we don't have any strength but be strong in the Lord.
File exhorted that Timothy. We won't turn to the second Timothy. He says be strong and of grace. That's in Christ Jesus. Now let's turn over to 1St John. That little epistle away back there just before Revelation. First John in the second chapter.
Right after.
Second Peter and First General.
We kind of alluded to this last night for the Reading meeting.
But in Risk 14, the first John 2.
In the middle of the verse.
He says. I've written it to you young men.
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you.
That he had overcome a wicked one. And so here is a strength that's I believe derived because of the the word of God. These lines, these young men can make good to Minnesota. And so here's a a nice word to the young men in our audience tonight. Are you regularly reading God's word as to what you're about to be strong in the sense of this, of this, this verse here?
You want to be an overcomer or do you want to be one that gets overcome? I'm sure down in our hearts, Well, we are going to be overcovers. Well, we need to have 1000 words before it's going to regular basis. But then he goes and he gives us these three verses here. Love, not the world either, the things that are in the world.
And remember, that's the that's the world system of things. It's not the creative world that God gave us to enjoy, but it's this, the system of things that's designed giving our hearts away from the Lord. If any man love the world system, you might say the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes of the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The temptation you see if you link these with the temptations to Eve in the Garden.
And to the Lord Jesus tempted by the devil, it's the temptation to to indulge ourselves just to do whatever we want, or to draw attention to ourselves. Those would be attention to the the temptations. You see, we're 17 in the world, or the world system passes away in the lust thereof. What he to do with the will of God Knights forever. So these were strong because of the word.
Now let's turn back to Ephesians, the third chapter this time.
Ephesians 3.
I want to read several verses to get the one I want your read starting at verse 14.
Ephesians 3 and 14 For this cause I bow my knees under the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christly dwell in your hearts by faith.
That he, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all things what is the breadth and the length and the depth of height, and in all the love of Christ, which passes knowledge that he might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Well, it's at 16 verse that I wanted to kind of get out here that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might, but his spirit and the inner man. And so there's there's things we gather from this. There's things that need to take place in that that what should I say? That an inner man, the thing that's really mean, that thing is really you, the new nature. However we want to describe it to be strengthened And then if we strengthen on the inside, well then I believe.
Things are going to flow forth from that and there's several places you can look them up where we get the importance.
Of what goes on, what goes on on the inside. Because, you know, what goes on on the inside is sooner or later going to show up on the outside. And that's the verse of Proverbs. And as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. I've often said that, you know, we can tell as we talk with one another.
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You can tell pretty quick after talking with me what I've been thinking about when I've been occupied with, and I can perhaps tell the same thing about you. So it's important what's going on on the inside.
So that the things on the outside would be great also.
To be strengthened and that sort of the force when he says be strong. The 1St Corinthians 16. To be to be strengthened.
Now let's turn over to 2nd Corinthians, the 12Th chapter.
Here's one where the apostle Paul speaks about something that happened to himself.
At one point in his in his life, he was.
Caught up probably in spirit, we're not sure. But he is caught up and he was shown things in the glory and he comes back and he says that they're not. Words tell what he saw in this, this vision that he had in the glory.
And so he says about that in Seven Corinthians 12.
They're set up. And lest I should be exalted, I don't believe that we look at some better translations, that the above measure is proper. But let's leave an office for the moment, lest I should be exalted. Through the abundance of the revelations that was given to me as thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan suffered me, lest I should be exalted.
So whatever, whatever took place, the Lord gave some kind of a bodily affliction, or whatever it was. So with this experience that he had, wouldn't be something that that he'd get all puffed up about.
We're seeing for this thing I besought the Lord thrice three times, and it might be part from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for me.
My strength has been perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore will a rather glory of our eternities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I think pleasure and infirmities, and reproaches and necessities and persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. And he was strong, because his his confidence was in the Lord. Paul knew that there was no no good in him.
No good in that question. He knew that he was weak, but it was then that he was being strong. And if you think of the examples that we had particularly.
David, I think you know David, He came in the name of the Lord. David didn't come in his own strength. He wouldn't even put on Saul's army. He had just those 5 stones and it took one, you know, to kill the giant. And so these deer ones that want for God as we read about in the Bible, different places. They were ones that had their their confidence and their their strength and their hope.
The Lord. So it was with power. And that's that's the secret for you and me too.
Now I'd like to refer to an example. We have a few moments left here that I want to think just a little bit about the other verse, but turn to Second Chronicles and read a little bit about King Asia. I'll just try to summarize the story.
King Asian in chapter 14 of Second Chronicles.
I believe that here again, I believe that the Lord has given us the things that happened to these men to be encouragement sports, because we see, we see the good things they did and we see their their mistakes too. And so on the 14th chapter, very briefly.
In verse 9, notice it says there came out against them. That's against the.
Julia.
The Ethiopians with a host, it says 1000 thousand, that's an army of 1,000,000 and so here was this army of a million men coming out against Judah.
Versailles and Esau cried unto the Lord his God.
And said, Lord, it is nothing you need to help, whether with many or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest of thee, And in my name we go against this multitude. Oh Lord, thou and our God, let not man prevail against thee. And so in just a few words it says So the Lord smoke ejection.
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It's like the Lord Smoked Egyptians and the house people. They won the battle. The Lord won the battle, if you will, the Lord smoking. But you can see ASA, he realized his strength.
And praise the Lord without any other tricks or schemes or anything like that by the Lord. Smoke those.
In the next chapter.
Issa encourages his people.
I beg, I beg your pardon, he said. Azariah, son of Oded. He says they're listening And the Lords people. And the word is in verse six in the next chapter, verse 7. Either for be strong, therefore let them have their hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded. And then the follows of ASA, they began to tear down the idols and burn them up and put them away. And there was an encouragement from others round about.
And as a result of this thing came over to east and side some of those that Israel that have been carrying away. And so there was a period as they they put their trust and realized that the Lord was their strength and then finally in the 16th chapter.
Another army comes up against them. This time it's from Syria.
And King Asia evidently forgot everything that the Lord did.
And So what he does in verse two is he brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the House of the Lord.
In the King's house and sent to Ben Haydad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying there is a leaf between me and thee. That's a terrible thing to begin with. It appears this ungodly king and ASA had brought him out so he could fight for him.
And he said.
You have a life sent these silver and gold Go break thy needle. Bash the king of Israel that he may be part from me. And so the Syrians went to the drove off Israel and everything seemed to work perfect. And he said took all this money and all the treasures and he got the world to work for him. And the scene that worked beautifully as far as Asin was concerned. But here's what the Lord says about it. Verse 7.
Because Law has relied on the king of Syria and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host. The King of Syria escaped out of that end.
We're not The Ethiopians, but a huge host with very many Chariots and horsemen.
That's the one we just read about to see. Yet because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong on the behalf of them. His heart is perfect toward him. Here it is passed out on foolishly. Therefore from henceforth thou shalt no Lords. And Isa was curious if God's prophet Seer, he puts him in prison and he presses the people. And it's just a real sad end to this dear king who started off so brightly.
And realized at the beginning.
Strength. But they could do anything of the Lord. And so, as I say, he seemed to forget everything that he learned. Well, what have we had so far? We've had stand firm in the faith we've had.
The watch quickly like men be strong and several examples for us to encourage you and then it ends. Let everything be done in love and I see our time is up and I would just encourage you to read 1St Corinthians 13.
Divine love by anything that we would do just doesn't have God's stamp of approval. It's possible to stand firm for the Lord, but maybe in the wrong, in the wrong way. Let's see. And so there's many, many examples where we would be encouraged that the things that we take up and the way we would stand firm and all these different things that might be done in the right spirit for the spirit of love, as it says in Ephesians 415, speaking the truth.
In love, and there's many, many examples, as I say, but I believe the 1St Corinthians 13. You can make a note of that.
Would be a real good example for us to think about in that case. Well, I trusted that we've been encouraged by. I just think it's remarkable how much the Lord can say. And it's a little worse, like that little verse of his Corinthians on the 16th. That's great.