"The War Is On"

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BIG IDEA: PEOPLE OF FAITH SHOULD USE THEIR SPIRITUAL RESOURCES TO AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF WAR - LONG BEFORE IT AFFECTS THEM PERSONALLY.

REFERENCES: Genesis 11 (The start of nationalism); Genesis 14:1-24 (The First War … was fought with Abraham – our patriarch of faith); Ephesians 6:10-18 (… spiritual warfare); Judges 4:6-7 (God gives Israel a word through the prophetess Deborah – during a time that Israel was suffering oppression from Jabin the King who defeated and was occupying Israel; Proverb 14:34 (Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people); Proverb 17:17 (A brother is born for adversity); Acts;

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Genesis 14:11-20

II. READ THE PERICOPE: GENESIS 14:11-20

III. READ THE TEXT: GENESIS 14:13-14 (And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan).

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the HEARERS TO ARM THEIR HOMES WITH TRAINED PRAYER WARRIORS, THAT ARE PREPRARED TO pursue and engage their spiritual enemies (through God’s Word and Prayer) in order to take back their love ones AND POWs.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “THE WAR IS ON”

INTRODUCTION: (PARARELL… TODAY, OUR COUNTRY IS IN IT’S TENTH DAY OF WAR; AND OUR 3RD Infantry Division is the Main Effort.

Still, I content this afternoon that many believers aren’t prayerfully engaging this war as they should. In stead, I contend that they are aloof – going about their day to day business and operations … as if nothing is happening. While others are protesting a WAR that has already begun.

Meanwhile, Americans and British soldiers … thousands of miles away – in the Country of Iraq - are sacrificing their lives TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND OUR ALLIES.

Yes … some have already died. Some have died by friendly fire and mishaps and others by snipers and suicidal bombers.

Some are now POWs, and while still others are MISSING IN ACTION.

Yet, I contend many believers haven’t begun to utilize their SPIRITUAL RESOURCE OF GOD’S WORD AND PRAYER.

LIKEWISE, ACCORDING TO OUR TEXT…(FOUND IN GENESIS 14:13-14) …

ABRAM, THE GREAT PATRIARCH OF FAITH, A GODLY MAN THAT BELIVED IN THE POWER OF GOD AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRAYER … WASN’T UTILIZING HIS SPIRITUAL RESOURCES TO AFFECT THE FIRST WAR ON TERRORISM UNTIL IT PERSONALLY … HIT HOME.

IN FACT, THE SCRIPTURES TELLS US THAT AN ESCAPED POW …who didn’t go to his military command headquarter … but INSTEAD … went directly to backbrief the Man of Faith …

****************TAKE 5 BEATS***************

MOVE 1: AND IN THAT BRIEFING … I BELIEVE THAT THE POW GAVE ABRAM A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM LOT – HIS NEPHEW.

a. A MESSAGE THAT RELAYED HIS CIRCUMSTANNCE … A MESSAGE THAT REMINDED HIM THAT (PROVERB 17:17) THAT A BROTHER IS BORN FOR ADVERSITY …

*****************TAKE 5 BEATS****************