hey there again to you words of life listeners and viewers this is pastor mark and on this week's episode of words of life we're going to our second part of our sermon series understanding affliction before we can really gather what affliction is before we can really stand against it before we can handle it or bear it in a way that God is pleased, we first need to understand the means by which affliction might come.
In our part one episode last week, we talked about affliction being laying upon us by God. Well, part two, we're gonna talk about in today's sermon, affliction coming from our adversary. We're gonna talk about that and I look forward to seeing you right after the break, right here on Words of Life. See you in a minute.
We thank you for joining our Words of Life broadcast, where our mission is persuading the lost, perfecting each believer, and equipping all for service with practical application from God's Word. We now join Pastor Mark for this week's Words of Life.
Hey there again to you, Words of Life listeners, viewers. I'm Pastor Mark, Words of Life. And before I even get started, I want to say thank you, because the truth of the matter is you could have been doing anything else listening to anybody else, watching anybody else, but you have allowed God's Spirit to guide you toward this broadcast and podcast. And for that, I am grateful and thankful for your time. In this week's sermon, I'm going to ask that we turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 6.
I'm going to start reading at verse 11 because the title of today's message is understanding affliction should I say that's the title of the series but today's message today's focal point we're gonna jump into Ephesians 6 and then start with verse 11 because our focal point for the day will be affliction comes from Satan I'm ad-libbing just a little bit if you haven't figured that out yet I do that a lot to give you time to turn to our primary text of the day and I'm gonna go ahead and have the
font come up on the screen again Ephesians chapter six, beginning at verse 11. We're gonna read down to verse 13, I do believe. And our reading is as follows. Ephesians chapter six, verse 11 starts with, put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wild, the schemes of the devil.
For we, 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 wherefore take unto you the whole armor of god that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand may the lord have had a blessing to the hearers the readers but most importantly those that intend to do with god's help his holy word again we are in the midst this is the second sermon in
our series entitled understanding affliction and as we jump into today's message i want us to understand today's primary focal point affliction comes from our adversary satan and his minions demons um for us to really grasp that because again we talked about getting off caught off guard and sometimes We're thrown for a loop when affliction happens, whether it's last week we talked about it being laid upon us by the Lord, but this week when we're talking about Satan, let's just think about his
personality traits, his characteristics. We know that Satan is a liar. We know that he's an accuser. We know that he's an agitator we know that he likes to plot he schemes against us he's a thief he likes to steal our witness he likes to steal our impact our joy he hates us just like he hates father god he devises he cooks up he plot he's the master of schemes now i say all of that for us to grasp Satan's characteristics, his personality traits, he's wily, he's deviant, he watches us.
And that's why he is the way he is. Now here's the curveball. If Satan is like that, I'm not calling people demons, but when someone lies on us, well, it's not the person. It's the spirit. When somebody is just scheming, every time you turn around, they're setting traps for us at the job or what, it's not the person. It's the spirit. When someone just agitates, picks, and you are just, it's not the person. It is the spirit.
When someone just, every time you turn around, they're trying to steal your joy, your impact, your wit, it's not the person. It is the spirit. And so I think if we are to understand affliction, we've gotta get that affliction comes from our adversary, the devil. And in the text, the Bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God. We are to walk in truth, walk in righteousness, know that our peace is secured because we have the gospel message.
Put on the shield of faith on them days that Those darts from Satan and those trap schemes plot, it's just a bit much to take some time. And we gotta have faith even on those days when we don't handle it like Christ would. When we know, yeah, I shouldn't have said that. I shouldn't have responded like that. I know Christ would not have been happy me reacting like that. When we just have those days where we missed the mark, that's when we need the shield of faith putting on salvation as well.
This is a part of the armor of God, knowing that no matter what happens, I am secure when it comes to eternity. And then above all, the sword of the spirit. This is the only offensive weapon in our spiritual arsenal. And if Satan wages war with us every day, plotting, scheming, watching us, devising plans to trip us up, Well, we might need to get into this spiritual battle, understanding that our word of God is our spiritual weapon.
And so with that being said, we're talking today, part two, about understanding affliction. Today, understanding that affliction, it comes from our adversary, Satan. Here's point number one for the day. We need to be proactive in looking for Satan. He's always roaming the earth. God asked him, what are you doing today? Roaming the earth. going up and down in it, seeking whom I may devour. And if Satan works through people, understand Jesus told us in the world, you will have trouble.
That's just part of the package. In the world, we will have trouble. And if that be the case, I think we need to start becoming more proactive, looking for Satan, expecting him to show up in a certain situation. a circumstance, through a person, through a setup, through a scheme, through a lie, through whatever it is, let's stop looking at the person. It literally is the spirit behind the person.
Oftentimes we're reactive when we have to start becoming proactive in the spirit realm because that's the devil's job to foul us up to run back accusing us and sometimes just like sometimes you ain't done nothing we have done nothing that's just a part of the package that's what he does and so when we're understanding affliction knowing that affliction comes from satan our adversary We've got to start being proactive instead of reacting when we're dealing with him spiritually.
The second point that we need to talk about is we need to start using discernment to identify Satan through the temptation, through the person, through the situation, or the circumstance. We normally, though, we react, and we react to Satan. the person. We have to start using our spiritual discernment to understand any given day, at any given moment, I got to wake up, get out of the bed. I need to expect, I need to look for Satan. He's looking for us. He's looking to trip me up every day.
Every single day, I need to look for him because he is certainly looking for me. And by looking for him, I mean look to be lied on. Look to be agitated. I'm not saying look at the glass as half empty and to take a fatalistic negative view of the day. What I'm saying is we must use discernment and if any given day you're surprisingly, wow, that came out of nowhere. That's just, why are you, it might be proactive. Look for Satan. Well, I didn't say that. Where did that proactive come from?
look for say really nothing i can do is enough for my be proactive look for satan it is not the person it is the spirit behind the person and as we get to our last point of the series or should i say the message in the series understanding affliction and today's message at affliction comes from satan our final point of the message is we need to start relying on god's word as an offensive spiritual weapon because it is a part of warfare.
Every time Jesus rebuked Satan, he did it with the word, get thee behind me, Satan. In the wilderness also, Satan, man shall not live by bread alone, but by this bread, the word of God. Satan, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Every single time, these three words, it is written, Satan rebuked, he resisted Satan with God. God's word. We must begin to understand that this is the arsenal that God has given us. His word. It is the offensive spiritual weapon for spiritual warfare.
Even when Peter, thinking Jesus was coming to set up an earthly kingdom, no, Lord, they can't kill you. Jesus didn't rebuke Peter, the person in a sense, he went beyond Peter, saw what Satan was working through him because Jesus knew I've got to get to Calvary for you, Peter, for you, viewer, for me as well. And here's our opportunity to offer you Jesus Christ because he's the only reason that we preach. I must give you an opportunity.
If you do not have Jesus as your personal savior in lieu of eternity, Well, here's your opportunity. The only thing you expect us to do, Father God, I accept that I'm a sinner. I miss the mark. I need you every day. Without you, I'm lost. But I believe you died on the cross for me. And in that, you're coming back to get me. And until you do, your Holy Spirit now is working out in me all that needs to be worked out. And I will live my life by faith.
Even on those days when I'm afflicted by Satan, you got me. You're undefeated. You've never lost one. that God has given you. And I am one of those that God, you as well, has given to Jesus. I thank you so much for tuning in for part two of our series, Understanding Affliction, part two.
Today's focal point was understanding that affliction comes from Satan and if we understand that it will enable us to go forth learning what we need to do Father God help me be in this word help me to be proactive help me to use discernment help me to rebuke the spirit resist the spirit not the person and Lord last but not least help me to learn how to use teach me how to use my word as a sword in the spiritual realm to deal with with spiritual warfare. That's my time for this week.
I thank you again for tuning in and I'll see you next week. Same time, same pastor, same words of life. God bless you. Bye-bye. long. Who called my name out? Could it be a voice, a guilty inner noise? Things are not the same, I know I need change Lady love a friend, calling that a sin Memories of pain, will only be to blame Checking from above, was I thinking of?
There you found me lost, I'm thinking I'm a boss Cover me in love, with your precious blood Yours eternally, because you found me But I'm so glad
You're still struggling. You're addicted, promiscuous, weak, don't know how to stop, whatever. I've been there and done it. The struggle is real. But no matter our drama, sin is just sin. I was a chief sinner among them all, just like Apostle Paul said. But if Jesus found me, he can locate you too. Wherever you are, you simply have to want to be found, saved, rescued, Forever is at stake. All we have to do is cry out to Jesus. He is our only hope.
I'm praying with you because the truth is God is still waiting.