Winning Communication
Ephesians 6:10-18, Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38, Luke 22:46, Matthew 26:36-45, James 5:16
April 25, 2004
I. For the last few weeks I have been talking about the armor of God.
A. We have seen where God’s Word says that we are in a battle.
1. There is spiritual warfare going on around us all the time.
2. The battle that we fight as Christians is not against flesh and blood, but it is against principalities and powers.
3. The battle that we fight is against evil.
4. We have also seen that God makes a lot of equipment available to us.
B. God has provided Christians armor that will allow them to be protected from the schemes of Satan while the battle goes on around them.
C. The belt of truth, is the integrity that God makes us capable of having.
1. Our word is the place we carry the Truth of God’s Word.
2. Our integrity allows us a place to carry the most powerful weapon in the universe, that is the Word of God.
3. Without integrity we have no place to carry God’s Word, our actions determine whether or not people will believe what we say about God.
D. The Breastplate of Righteousness is the protection for our vital organs especially our hearts.
1. The condition of our hearts will determine our actions.
2. The rightness of God, that evidence of the God that is in us that becomes ours, in the way we live, will be the protection for our hearts.
3. If our hearts, our wills, our desires, are not protected in God righteousness, they are vulnerable to satan’s attacks, our lives can be destroyed, when we don’t protect our hearts.
4. If our hearts are not wrapped in the righteousness of God they will become hard and calloused, and that is not the life of a Christian.
E. Our feet are to be fitted with the readiness of the Gospel of Peace.
1. The Gospel of peace is our foundation in life, it gives us stability, and allows us to stand our ground.
2. When the foundation of our lives is found in the Gospel we have firm footing, that allows us to stand in that hope we have, with the security of knowing that God is with us.
3. And that same foundation that allows us to stand will also allow us to move forward with the Story of the peace that can be found in a relationship with Jesus.
F. The shield of Faith comes next, it is that piece of armor that provides a covering for all the others.
1. It is something that we can carry out in front of us to stop the fiery arrows that satan hurls at us.
2. Our faith in God, our belief and trust that no matter what God is with us and He is on our side, that trust that allows to rely on God and not us is the things that will allow us to beat fear, and doubt, and discouragement, it is the thing that will allow us to go on joyfully in the face of problems.
G. The helmet of Salvation that protects our minds from the influence of evil is next.
1. If we keep our minds enclosed in the salvation of God, our thoughts will be right and pure, but if we take garbage into our minds then garbage will come out.
2. The things that we put into our minds through T.V., music, things we read and conversations we have, these things can get into our minds and affect the way we think and act.
3. Our minds have to be protected from Satan’s influence, because all sin that is acted out is formed in the mind.
4. That’s why it is so important that our minds become protected from the attempts that Satan makes to lead us in the wrong direction.
H. Next is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
1. God’s word is the most awesome weapon in the universe, nothing can stand against it. and with the Sword of the Spirit in our hands we are more than conquerors.
II. There is no battle that we get into that power of God can’t get us out of.But in spite of all this armor there is one thing missing.
A. The Gulf war was our nation’s first televised war! If you were like I was, you were watching to see what was happening.
B. I spent a lot of time watching to see what was going to happen next.
C. If you watched a lot of what was going on you might know the answer to the question I am going to ask, or you might if you have heard me ask it before, because I have.
D. What was one of the very first things that they went after? What were some of the most strategic targets in the early part of the war.
E. The communications equipment, the Americans used guided bombs, and missiles to break down the communications ability of the Iraqi Army.
F. That has always been and will always be one of the most important factors of fighting a battle.
G. That is really the way the Americans won the war so easily.
H. They cut off the lines of communication and pounded the army with bombs.
1. There was no one to say we are still in this!
2. There was no one to tell them to keep on going.
3. There were days and days of bombings, and no word about what the outcome was.
4. Many of the soldiers probably didn’t know if there still was a Baghdad, and with no communication, they lost the will to fight.
I. There was one story during the war about an American Bradely armored vehicle stuck in the sand, and all of a sudden an Iraqi tank came over the hill. The Americans thought they were doomed, they were very out gunned and there was no way they could run. But to their surprise the Iraqi tank drove up, stopped and surrendered. Why, they didn’t have the will to fight, and one of the main reasons was there was no communication abilities.
III. Communication is the key to winning any war.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
A. Prayer is our line of communication with God and it is vital to our ability to stay in the battle.
B. Prayer is crucial to staying firmly planted in life.
C. Jesus realized the importance of prayer and he tried to show the disciples how important it is.
Matthew 26:41 (NIV) "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Mark 14:38 (NIV) Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Luke 22:46 (NIV) "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."
D. When Jesus was in the most trying time of his life in Earth, what did he do? He went to the garden to pray!
E. As Jesus was faced with death on the Cross, as the struggle went on with between his human and spiritual sides, and He fell back on the one thing that stabilized his life,PRAYER.
F. He faced death on the cross, as the struggle went on between the human and the Spiritual nature. Jesus fell back on the thing that had stabilized his life since the beginning of his ministry. PRAYER!
G. He went to the Father and set up the lines of communication, and it gave Him the strength to face the most painful death known to man!
Matthew 26:36-45 (NIV) Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
H. The battle that Jesus was in was not against flesh and blood.
I. The Roman soldiers and the Israelite priest were not the real enemy.
J. The battle was with the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
K. The battle was with spiritual forces and the his own human nature, that wanted to turn Him against God’s will.
L. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil and the ungodly part of human nature that rebels against God.
M. But prayer is our reminder that we are not alone in the battle.
1. Prayer gives us hope!
2. Prayer gives us power!
3. Prayer aligns us with God Will!
4. Prayer helps keep us moving in the right direction!
5. PRAYER IS THE WINNING COMMUNICATION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO STAY IN THE BATTLE AND WIN THE WAR.
N. The very act of praying reminds us that there is someone there for us!
1. Someone bigger than us!
2. Prayer reminds us that there is a holy God that we are to submit our lives to.
3. Prayer remind us that there is always someone that we can go to with our problems, someone who cares, someone who will always do what is right, and someone who has the power to do it.
4. With prayer as a constant reminder that God is there and we can find the strength to win the spiritual battles we face!
IV. Prayer is any form of communication with God by believers, in response to situations that arise in life. Prayer is talking to God not about Him.
A. Prayer is winning communication!
B. Our prayers show what we believe about God, and they have a direct effect on the condition of our relationship with God!
C. There is no relationship that can survive without communication.
D. There is no battle that can be won without communication.
E. And, If you want to have the kind of life that God created you to have, and you want to be able to win the spiritual battles that you are faced with every day, and really live life and not just exist, prayer is a must!
F. The bible says that the prayer of the righteous is effective and powerful.
G. I know that I have told some of these stories before, but they are too good not to tell again.
LAKE MOSES WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1985. 1:OO AM
I rolled and tossed in bed, feeling uneasy about our son John and his family who are missionaries in South Africa. PRAY! the command I sensed was urgent.
Now I am wide awake sending passionate pleas to heaven. Please Lord, help John and Sandy and their girls, protect them if they are in danger.
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, FRIDAY MAY 24, 1985 10:00AM, THE SAME TIME THE PRAYERS ARE GOING UP IN WASHINGTON.
John and Sandy and their two daughters are in their car on a day off, driving through the bush looking for elephants. Look elephants, Sara saw them first. John climbs onto the window and looks over the car’s roof to get a better view. But even using a telephoto lens he is too far away to get good pictures. I’m going to walk down toward the river he says, well the girls and I are going to stay in the car Sandy says as she locks the doors.
Stepping on to the trail john watches for snakes as he heads for the river, John shoots photos of a huge old Bull with his tusks nearly touching the ground as he stands guard. John hears a low rumbling that sounds like thunder. He looks up and down the river but sees nothing unusual, but feeling uneasy he puts the cap on the cameras lens and turns back toward the car.
As he heads for the car he sees a terrifying sight at least 200 hundred huge, dry, thirsty, elephants! The rumbling that he had heard was their running for miles across the dry bush. Racing through Johns mind are the pictures that he has seen of uprooted trees and overturned cars in the path of angry elephants. He remember a seasoned missionary telling him to never stand between thirsty elephants and their source of water, he remembers being told that they become violent if their access is threatened, but right in the middle of the path to their water are John and the car with his family in it.
Dust swirls as the elephants stop for a minute on the crest of a hill, the herd and John are about an equal distance from the car, he hears his family screaming as they realize the danger. John runs as fast as he can through the grass no longer worried about the snakes, he is half way to the car when the elephants charge, as he reaches the door the first of the elephants is closing in a full speed. He jumps in and slams the door and immediately they are engulfed in dust as the elephant charge, but miraculously the elephants part and pass on either side of the car only scraping the bumpers and rocking it. When the last of the elephants pass and the dust settles the ground is still shaking as the herd runs toward the river.
Everything on the hillside is flattened except the car. John says someone must be praying for us, only a miracle kept us from being crushed.
LAKE MOSES WASHINGTON, FRIDAY MAY 24, 1985 2:00AM
The uneasiness ends, and the burden to pray lifts. Sensing that God is answering my prayers, I relax, Thank You Lord I know that John’s family is in your hands. I return to sleep.
H. This is a true story, we are to put on the armor of God, but if we want to make it powerful and effective, we have to listen to what Paul says and, pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
James 5:16 (NIV) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
I. Without the full armor of God, and the prayers that empower it and make it effective it is not possible to really cope with life, but the decision of whether or not to put these things that God has made available to use is yours.
J. When we sing I hope that you will make the decision to put on the full armor of God, and keep the lines of communication open, because we are in a battle, and the battle can only be won on a day to basis if we put to use the things that we have been given to make us winners.
K. Come and make a commitment to God to do that today.
