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Today, we delved into the profound and essential topic of the Armour of God, as outlined in Ephesians. We began by emphasizing the importance of knowing our Captain, Jesus Christ, and understanding His character and attributes through the Scriptures. The first three chapters of Ephesians are particularly enlightening in this regard. Knowing our Captain helps us to be strong in the Lord and to put on the full armour of God, enabling us to stand against the devil's schemes.We then explored the concept of familiar spirits, which are demonic entities that know our family history and weaknesses intimately. These spirits aim to exploit our vulnerabilities, but by knowing our enemy, we can better defend ourselves. Jesus called the enemy the father of lies, and understanding this helps us to recognize and reject the lies that come our way.Next, we discussed the various pieces of the Armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Each piece has a specific role in protecting us from spiritual attacks. For instance, the shield of faith helps us to deflect the enemy's lies, while the helmet of salvation protects our minds from doubt and fear.We also touched on the importance of praying in the Spirit at all times. This means being fully engaged and present with God, praying in faith, and using the Word of God in our prayers. The enemy's most strategic plan is to keep us from abiding in God and obeying His commandments. Therefore, we must be vigilant in our spiritual practices, including prayer and reading the Word.Finally, we shared a personal testimony about the transformative power of God's Word and the importance of declaring it over our lives. By doing so, we can break free from the lies and limitations imposed by the enemy and walk in the fullness of our identity in Christ.

Today's sermon focused on the theme of spiritual warfare and the importance of being equipped to resist the attacks of the enemy. We began by emphasising the omnipotence of God with the repeated declaration, "Who can stop the Lord Almighty?"

This set the tone for understanding that our strength and victory come from God alone.

We then transitioned to discussing the armour of God as described in Ephesians 6, highlighting the necessity of putting on the full armour to stand against the devil's schemes.

We explored the concept of resistance through various historical and contemporary examples, such as the D-Day landings and the Mothers of the Disappeared, to illustrate the importance of standing firm in the face of evil.

The sermon also delved into the nature of our enemy, the devil, who is described as a liar and a murderer. Despite his defeat through Jesus' death and resurrection, the devil continues to wage battles against us, trying to lead us astray.

The importance of knowing our Captain, Jesus, was stressed. We were reminded that our strength comes from Him and that we should focus on His goodness and promises rather than the enemy's lies. The practical outworking of this involves declaring God's work and promises in our lives and communities.

Finally, we examined three pieces of the armour of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shoes of the gospel of peace. Each piece was explained in terms of its spiritual significance and practical application in our daily lives. The belt of truth holds everything together, the breastplate of righteousness protects our hearts, and the shoes of peace prepare us to share the gospel and stand firm against the enemy.

Let me start by asking you a question: How often do you go mad? By that, I mean, how often do you Make A Difference? If you were removed from your workplace, family, or community, would anyone notice? This is a crucial question because making a difference is what we are called to do.Let's turn to the Bible, specifically 2 Peter 1. God's divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him. We are called to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. If we possess these qualities in increasing measure, we will be effective and productive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ.Peter emphasizes the importance of growth. Think back to where you were a year ago. Have you grown in your faith and expression of Jesus? Adding to our faith requires effort. It's not just about lying back and letting God do everything. There's a balance between God's power and our responsibility to grow. Imagine packing everything your child needs for a camp, but they come back having used none of it. Similarly, God has given us everything we need in Jesus, but we must unpack and use it.In practical terms, this means adding to our faith qualities like goodness, wisdom, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and love. Jesus exemplified these qualities, and we are called to follow His example. For instance, self-control is not just about avoiding addiction but mastering our egos and desires. Perseverance, or stickability, is about being consistent and steady, even in the face of insidious compromise.Godliness means living with a God-focus, doing everything for God, like God, and with God. One of my friends exemplified this by cleaning a prison cell as if it were for Jesus. This is the kind of godliness we are called to.In conclusion, making a difference requires effort, growth, and embodying the gospel story. Let's strive to add to our faith and make a lasting impact in our communities and the world.Key Takeaways1. The Power of One Great Truth: You don't need to know a lot of things to make a difference; you just need to be mastered by one great truth. Charles Studd's life exemplifies this. He gave up his upper-class life and cricket career to serve in the Congo, and his sacrifice has had a lasting impact. This teaches us that being deeply committed to one great truth can change lives and communities.2. God Has Given Us Everything We Need: God's divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him. This means we are fully equipped to live a life that makes a difference. However, we must actively unpack and use these divine resources. Just like a packed suitcase for camp, everything we need is there, but it's up to us to use it.3. Growth and Perseverance: Peter emphasizes the importance of growth in our faith. We are called to increase in measure, not just in the first few years but throughout our lives. This continuous growth prevents us from becoming short-sighted and forgetful, keeping our spiritual urgency and direction intact.4. Embodiment of the Gospel: To make a difference, we must embody the gospel story, not just be talking heads. Jesus didn't just speak words; He lived them. We are called to weave the gospel story into the lives of our neighbors and the people we interact with daily. This practical application of faith is what truly makes a difference.5. Qualities to Add to Our Faith: Peter lists qualities like goodness, wisdom, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and love that we must add to our faith. These qualities are not just for personal growth but for making a tangible impact in our communities. For example, self-control is about mastering our egos and desires, while perseverance is about being consistent and steady in our faith.

Listen along as Emma brings us our next message as we continue in our series of BEHOLD.

As we continue on our series of BEHOLD, we are joined by Dr Deirdre Brower Latz, Ph.D., Principal and Senior Lecturer in Pastoral and Social Theology, Nazarene Theological College. 
Listen along as Deirdre brings God's message to us and unpacks its truths for us to digest.

Listen again as we have Barry bringing the Message to us as we continue in our series on Behold