¶ Spiritual Warfare
Hello and hello Welcome back God's diamonds in the rough . We are back one more time , so glad to be before you . We hope all is well , amen . Thank you so much for being here . If you don't know who we are , I am Catherine and I am Michael , are absolutely ready to get into the word , get into the topic of conversation today .
It's us continuing our conversation about spiritual warfare and we are all encountering it at some point as a disciple of God . Amen .
So , before we get into it , let's do y'all know what we got to do . Let us pray . Dear Heavenly Father , our Lord and Savior , Jesus Christ , we come to you once again to say thank you , thank you for your grace , thank you for your mercy , thank you for your love and kindness and tender mercies , thank you for your word as we live it and stand on it .
We pray in the name of Jesus for counseling any assignment of the enemy that will be sent back into the pit of hell where it came from . We ask your Holy Spirit just to have his way . Have your way , god Jesus Christ , holy and max his name . Thank you , Amen , amen , amen .
So last week we talked about spiritual warfare . We talked about how , um , how we have attacks on a daily basis .
We really focused in on Ephesians six , uh , particularly talking about the armor of God , and we promised that we would talk about a little bit deeper before we have two , um , two people here who , josh and Kimberly they will be coming on in the next two weeks or the next two days talking about their experience with spiritual warfare .
Excuse me , I don't know what's wrong with my words today , but we're going to keep on moving anyhow , amen . So we thought we would , you know , kind of prepare you for what is coming , and today we're going to be talking more directly about this armor of God . First , michael , how are you doing ?
I'm doing very wonderful , starting my journey with a new me . Those who don't know me or do know me you know I used to smoke . I say used to because I'm just so happy .
Amen , all right , amen , all right . So we left off talking about again the armor of God and we really didn't go into depth . And I believe that we talked about this before , haven't we ? In a previous episode .
Maybe I'll try to get in the show notes or get in the backtrack in the other seasons , maybe add that one to the show notes , but uh , so so the armor of god .
Your thoughts first you know my my thoughts is something that you know . When I said the armor protection , because you know we go up against things , even our everyday worldly views , you know we have to have protection . Some people look at protection as the last line of defense .
I see the same thing in regard to armor , the whole armor . We can protect ourselves from the attack that inevitably will come at you , saved and unsaved . I think that most of the time we don't recognize , especially those who are unsaved don't recognize that there is a warfare .
But it really speaks clearest and loudest to those who are in the spirit , because the enemy wants to take back territory that really didn't belong to him in the beginning . He wants to keep your soul , because before you meet Jesus , that's where you're headed anyway . This is how we can identify spiritual warfare , because the enemy is continually so .
This is how we can identify spiritual warfare , because the enemy is continually trying to gain those he had to him . But in the beginning you got to know you didn't belong to him . Because of one man's disobedience , the whole world failed . Man's disobedience , the whole world failed .
So now , out of one man's obedience , those who put their trust and faith in him . Can you know , when you put it like that , it reminds me of a particular scripture . It says for the wages of sin is death , but to get to God is eternal life . It's letting us know .
Look at one point we did , but it's a chance to be saved . So when we begin to dig into this passage of scripture and kind of relate it to our everyday Verse 14 , he says stand therefore , and we're in Ephesians 6 , by the way . Ephesians 6 , verse 14 , says stand therefore , having it , loins , skirt , having on the breastplate .
So the first part of the armor Is , he said , the unloving . Your loins is like your sides and the center of your body . He said have your loins Girt with truth , so that you have to be centered in truth . So your first line of defense is going to be truth and you want to kind of define truth Simple , like without even thinking about it .
We can define it real easy no lies , absolutely Amen .
As the younger people would say no cap .
Yeah . Well , that's the way I would define it . There's no lie . You know if you are walking in truth . You're standing on truth , you can be true . Yeah , you're living in truth 're standing on truth , you can be true . Yeah , you're living in truth , regardless of the circumstances or whatever . You know that you're staying true to god and yourself .
The end of the day , that's all that matters , amen . You gotta stay centered in truth with god . Now , what happens outside of that ? I think that that that's up to god , because sometimes god allows us to do things . That if you are going by the law , you're guilty , but god sees your why and you might be found not guilty because of your why .
So , again , it doesn't justify telling a lie . That doesn't make telling a lie okay , but what I'm saying is is that God works all things for your good , and even in the times of Abraham that's all the way back Abraham he lied ever so slightly in regard to his sister yeah , he was like a half-sister or something , but she was actually his wife . He lied .
His son lied the same way that he did , but at the end of the day , when the truth was found out , they had everything to gain At the end of the day , god has a reason why he allows you to do things . He has a reason why he allows you to do things and reasons why he allows you not to do things , but the key to it is to stay truthful with him .
Anything I would definitely say another the way , the truth and the life . It lets us know that through him , it is true .
I thought she was going to say something else . Alright , so staying true to God , this is your line of defense . Alright . Then it says and having on the breastplate of righteousness , so that's attached to right motives , intentions . In Christ , we gain righteousness .
So in other words , he teaches us how to live right , how to think rightly , how to discern right and wrong . He said but you got to cover your heart . Your heart has to be covered in him .
Okay , so you can't allow materialistic things , you can't allow people , you can't allow this , that and the other to have access to your heart , because we can become self-righteous very easily and that just basically means I'm righteous . Based on what I say , I'm righteous is what I identify . Righteousness is so what I mean .
A good example of that is like if I go to church and I do , if I go to church every Sunday , then I'm righteous . If I go to Bible study every week and go to church , I'm righteous .
If I get in the Bible and I read one hour a day , if I memorize two verses a day , I go to church on every Sunday and I go to Bible study every time and I'm there Every time something is going on , I'm righteous . But at the end of the day did God tell you to do that , and so this is the thing .
If God did not tell you to do all of those things , then you are self-righteous . You're being righteous in your own sight because you identified all of these things are necessary , that I must do in order to attain my salvation , or keep my salvation . And once you're saved , you're saved . Yeah , so you want to add anything to that ?
Yeah , I was looking at the scripture . In it was mentioned about verse 14 , about having your loins girded with truth , having the breastplate play the righteousness . That reflects on the book of luke , chapter 12 , verse 34 and 35 says for where your treasure is , there will be your heart also . Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning .
That means you got to let your light shine in the right way . If you let your light go out , what does that tell you ?
That is like self-righteousness , yeah , and that's another thing . Another key to that righteousness piece of it is the simple fact that you know when you are moving , living in the righteousness of God , then that light doesn't go off . That light doesn't go off , that light doesn't turn off Because he is the light .
Jesus is the light Salvation , so his light never goes off as long as he's shining through you . You know you gotta be intentional about guarding your heart , protecting your heart . So that means you can't . You got to be intentional about what you listen to , what you put in your eyesight , what you allow to come into your being , into your dwelling .
You got to be mindful of that you can't just let everything come in just because it feels good and you know , or whatever have you . You have to be intentional .
Yeah , dad , I was going to say just to add to that what you just said . I've always heard that you know your eyes and your ears is the gateway , or the keyway to your soul . And you know , like you know , you watch TV and you could be watching you know a good movie and it has . You know it's a righteous movie , it's all about God .
But they had these commercials that did pop up this night . And you know one thing I know that I do is I'll mute the commercial and I'll turn my head away from it because I don't want that getting into me , you know . That's why you know it's always key to try to block those things out .
Yeah , it really is . Yeah , it really is , because one example is like this whole . It's like a . It seemed like some kind of like spell in regard to homosexuality . You see , I mean now you see more commercials than you've ever seen if they are trying to get you to buy some type of pill or whatever have you .
And they have women with women and men with men . And you know , once upon a time it was frowned upon to see any kind of intimacy between anybody , whether it be male , female , female , female , male , male , the intimacy part of it . You didn't see it . But now I mean you got men kissing men and women kissing women and all hugged up and all of that .
You know , I mean it's like the media and the world makes all of that okay , but what does the confinements of the word of God say ? It is , you know , that's my thing . What is your standard ? Is your standard going to be the word of God , or is your standard going to be what you think is right , what you think feels good , and all of that ?
And sadly , you got a whole lot of believers out there that's moving according to how they feel and not upholding the standards of God . You've got to protect your heart because the world will make everything and anything okay . They'll make right and wrong . Make wrong right , absolutely 100% .
Yeah , I was going to read something on that because that is . That is .
Yeah , this has to be mentioned because and we mentioned about this before , I believe on previous episodes , but it's coming out of 2nd Timothy , chapter 3 , and this lets us know that it's 2 Timothy , chapter 3 and this lets us know that it's the things you just said is relevant to the word , because he tells us that this is going to happen and this is in 2
Timothy , chapter 3 , verses 1 through 13 . And I'll just read it just a little bit .
It says verse 1 says this know also that in the last days , perilous times shall come , for men shall be lovers of their own selves , covenants boasters , proud blasphemers , disobedient , unthankful , unholy , without natural affection , truth breakers , false accusers , incontentment , fierce despisers of those that are good , traitors , charity , high-minded lovers of pleasure more
than lovers of God having a form of godliness , but to find the power thereof thus turn away . He's letting us know that , look , there's going to be times that now it's coming to light . It was already there in before , but now it's more being shown than it should be it's a you know .
It's not that we're . We're not knocking anybody who is any of those things , because our responsibility as brothers and sisters in christ is to love , um , love all people , whether they're saved or not . It's to love , not to condemn , not to uh , do any of that .
It's just the point of is that , in regard to the armor of God , you have to be able to recognize right and wrong . This is how . This is why he says you know , the first thing you got to do is be centered in truth , because if you're not centered in truth , how can you keep ? How can you protect your heart ?
How can you , when you allowed a lie to remain present in you ? You know you cannot have one without the other .
So if you're going to live in truth and be centered in truth , you also have to protect your heart , because there's a lot of things in this world that's coming through , a worldly view and even a spiritual view that's coming in and saying , oh , this is God or this is not God . And if you don't have a relationship with him , how will you know ?
You know what I mean . A relationship is necessary .
¶ Putting on the Armor of God
The word of God teaches me that you got to put on Christ . You have to put it on , just as this armor . This is a part of putting on Christ and this is how . Because people will ask well , how do I do that ? Well , here's the answer . He said you got to stay centered in truth , put on the breastplate of righteousness .
You got to identify right and wrong . You know , no , you're not judging . See , most people they'll say , oh , y'all judging , y'all judging this , y'all judging this and y'all judging that . No , we're identifying right and wrong . This is what you're doing . And see , the world will say , because you're identifying right and wrong , that you're judging them .
But the devil is a liar . You gotta be strong enough in your relationship with god to know what you're doing and not allow the world to tell you what you're doing . Amen . This is why you gotta let the lord lead , guide and order your steps by his word . I believe that's in proverbs 37 .
I think where that is , but I'm sure on top of my head , but pretty sure that's in Proverbs 37 , I think that is , but I'm sure on top of my head , but pretty sure that's where it's at in that chapter . Allow him to lead God in order your steps . Amen . All right , so go ahead .
And I was going to say , you know , when you put on the full armor of God . That lets you know that I have an attentional about staying focused on the truth .
That's right . And then he said and this is verse 15 , and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace . And you know you have to be . You know , and all of these are like they're all pieced together to make one armor , like a suit , your feet . You have to be about peace . You know .
You see people doing this , doing that and the other you don't . Because you know God running around beating people over their head , that doesn't keep peace , that creates chaos . That's what that does . It creates hot chaos . Keep your peace . You see injustice , you see wrong . There's a time to speak , but there's also a time to be quiet .
You got to be in that relationship with God that will tell you when to speak and when to be quiet . Do you understand what I'm saying ? It is absolutely a necessary thing that you be in communication with the spirit , because the enemy is going to what he say . He said . He said look that .
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day , having done all to stand . So he says look , it's gonna come . Okay , it's going to come . Okay , it's going to come . But all of the whole armor of God speaks intention . That's what it speaks intention .
So when you get up and you get ready to go out and meet the day and do whatever , even before your feet hit the floor , you got a mind that says I'm going to keep my peace today , no matter what God tries to shake it , move it , shift it , keep your peace . Sometimes you got to be direct and say what needs to be said . You still keep your peace .
Sometimes you got to be quiet and not say a word and keep your peace when you ain't saying nothing , when you ain't doing nothing and it's coming at you , you're not coming to it . You got to say I'm keeping my peace today . Devil , the devil is a liar . Come on the gospel of peace .
That means you got to walk in and it's easier said than done , and I will be the first to admit it . It's easier said to be done than to go out somewhere and somebody doing all this wrong to you and you see that they're doing wrong to you . You got to keep it quiet .
You got to just keep it moving and killing with kindness , and it's easier said than done . Absolutely it's easier said than done and , like I said , I'll be the first to admit it . It's nothing like going to a job and somebody do you wrong and the first thing you want to do is act in your flesh and cut them out .
You can't do that and then just cause time space we're going to run on through y'all cause we're trying to keep it at 30 minutes . So he says , above all , take it . So I never caught this , but I just caught it . He says , above all , take it . He says , so I never caught this , but I just caught it . He says .
He says , above all , so , out of the three we've already mentioned , he says it's even more important that you , taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked .
So he says it's even more vital that you have your shield of faith , that as you're going forth and you're walking and you're living , you're breathing , you're doing this , that and the other , that when attack comes at you , you have something to dodge it . Okay , you got to have your faith .
Your faith is above all , as he says , more important than almost anything , any of this . Armor , he said , above all , shield of faith . He says and take the hammer of salvation , protect your head . Who are you standing for ? Who are you living for ? Because you can say that with your mouth , but the proof of the pudding is what you are doing .
Who are you standing for ? Because the enemy don't care nothing about you shouting . He don't care nothing about you praying . He don't care nothing about you singing , ushering , preaching , all of that stuff . If it's not changing your life , you can do all of that stuff and it not change your life . You can do all of those things and you not be serving God .
Okay , you heard me , hallelujah . Look , if it begins to change your mind and it begins to keep you from going , it keeps you from going further into darkness and more into the light . The enemy is going to try to attack you . He's gonna do things , he's gonna say things to you to try to bring you back into darkness .
This is why your faith has to not be in yourself , but be in Christ , because he said I will give you wings when you're waiting on God . That's one of the hardest things to do is to wait on him . He said , said I'm going to give you wings to bring you up high . Look , look , look .
He said there's no temptation , that he won't give you a way of escape . You understand ? This is why your faith is important , because the enemy is going to come . He's going to come . Don't think that because you're saved , that he's not going to come . He's going to come . Don't think that because you're saved , that he's not going to come .
He's going to come even harder he is because he don't want to let you go . He's going to do everything to manipulate , steal , kill and destroy , to try to get you back over there on his side , to make you believe that you're a failure , make you make or make you believe that you're not good enough , make you believe that you'll never be able to quit .
You'll never be able . You will never be approved by people . They ain't going to never forgive you . Saying things like that to make you come back to doubt God At the end of the day day , to make you doubt the power of God . Oh man , wow , michael , you want to add something ?
yeah and I was looking at that scripture that says and above all , taking a shield of faith , where would you be able to quench the fire of the wicked ? And the helmet of salvation ? And you think about it .
Okay , so basically he's saying this Look , he wants you to put the whole armor of God on , but if you don't have your loins girded about the truth and you're not walking in the gospel of peace , it's okay , because as long as you got that shield of faith and your helmet of salvation , there's hope . He said you don't necessarily have to walk into peace .
Walk in peace to have peace .
But to walk in peace is a fruit of peace . Yeah , yeah , to walk in peace . If you got peace , then you ought to be something that is birthed out . You ought to be able to walk it . You ought to be able to live it . Live it , you ought to be able to talk it . You know what I mean .
So he says not only the faith is important , but he says your salvation , that helmet . That's another thing that I see . When I see that helmet of salvation , it's protecting your mind . Romans 12 and 2 teaches us about being transformed by the renewing of our mind . Amen , look , you've got to renew your mind .
You've got to put something else in so that you can begin . So the old will no longer prevail , because it doesn't mean that everything that you knew before you got saved disappears , but your way of thinking changes , and the only way that that can happen is if you put something new in . You can't change your mind if you don't put anything new in .
And so your helmet of salvation , the fruit of your , of the salvation , your helmet , is how . The fruit of that is a transform , transformation in how you're thinking . So you got to be mindful about putting the word in your mind , because a whole lot of times you don't got to say a word .
As long as you're putting a word in , because people are going to see it . They're going to see it in how well you keep your peace . They're going to see it in how you move in your faith . They're going to see it in how you protect your heart . They're going to see it in the fact that they can trust your word , that your word is your bond .
And the fact that they can trust your word , that your word is your bond . And you know , and I like a saying I used to hear you know , especially when you stop doing something of the world and doing it for the right intentions , for God , he says , to fill the void .
If you take something that you used to do , it's empty but you got to put something new in . That's why we need to get into the word more to fill that empty void and then it says we got to hurry up honey .
But it says and the sword of the spirit , the sword of the spirit , that is your weapon , which is the word of God . Okay , not only are you putting it in , but you are walking with your sword . You got your sword and your belt . Amen
¶ Spiritual Warfare and Prayer
. You're ready to use your word when it is necessary , because the enemy is going to attack you . You got to know how to fight back , and it only comes through the word of God . And that attack is going to come on your character . That attack is going to come in your integrity . That attack is going to come in your integrity .
The attack is going to come in your joy . The attack is going to come in testing . The attack is going to come within the things that are inside of you , inside of you . And you got to learn how to pray .
Not only do you need the word , but you he said praying always , with all prayer and supplication in the spirit , and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplications for all saints . Look , you got to learn how to pray .
You need to be able to talk to God at any point in time during your day , knowing that he's going to provide all that you need and all the above , Go ahead , go ahead , go ahead .
And I was looking at verse 18 when you were saying that . You know he says don't just put it on and sit idle . Put that armor into use . You got to put the work behind it . Don't just sit there with the armor and just stay idle . Go out there and use it , because if you just keep it and don't use it , what good is it you don't ?
that's right , yeah , and you know , I think it too , because in that next verse Paul says he says within me , because I've put on the armor of God . He said he's given me the boldness to be able to speak the mysteries of the gospel when you're doing what you're supposed to be doing .
He's going to give you the boldness it takes in order to stand for the gospel , to be a mouthpiece for the gospel . Amen , he's going to give you all of that . But you got to be intentional about serving him . I mean , really you have to , and knowing that this thing ain't easy .
Spiritual warfare is a real thing and you're going to hear some testaments of where you know , physically , there have been attack on people who are serving God with everything they did , got , and the enemy is just basically trying to scare the life out of them . He's trying to stop what they are doing , that he that , that God doesn't get the glory . Amen .
But you got to be bound and determined to do it the way God says do it every time , Amen . You got to be bound and determined Hallelujah , that's my final word , Bound and determined .
My final word is , just like I said before , don't sit there idle . Put it to work , that's right . Put it to work , that's right , put it to work and watch the change unfold .
Hallelujah , all right , y'all , let's pray . Father , we thank you so much for your grace and your mercy . Thank you , god , for allowing us this day and another opportunity to get into your word .
You gave us the opportunity to be able to talk about spiritual warfare another day , and I pray God that , as we teach and we preach and we talk about it , that we would also be prepared for it , because we realize , amen , when you've called us to do mighty and wondrous works in this world , that the attack is just as great , and I just pray , god , that we
would have a mind to do it the way that you say do it . I pray , god , that even when the attack comes , that our faith would be enough , as your word teaches us . I pray a special prayer for those who are undertaking things that , in their flesh , seem hard and difficult .
I pray , god , that they would take your yoke and learn of you that you would take that burden , you would take the weight , god , and that they would be set free in you . I pray for every diamond that is here , whatever they might be going through . We thank you , god , for allowing us to overcome the attack in advance . God , we thank you so much .
We bless your name and we bless your people . We pray this prayer in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus Christ . We do pray , amen , amen .
All right , diamonds . Y'all know what time it is . Guess what , though ? I'm going to switch it up a little bit . Until next time . Restate with me Until next time . I am a diamond in the rough , amen .
See you next week .