[ECC Lead Pastor, Scott Moore, Covington Campus]

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30 NIV)

Theology – study of God

Doctrine – what is taught about God

• Is God the old wise man who is gentle and soft spoken?
• Is God the white-haired judge wearing a linen flowing robe with a booming voice and strength discipline?
• Or is God somewhere in between.

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[ECC Lead Pastor, Scott Moore, Covington Campus]

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30 NLT)

CS Lewis says, “We do not have a soul..we ARE a soul. We have a body.”

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT)

Here are three predominant ways to love God with all our soul:

1. Love The Lord with all your soul by making Godly choices.

We make around 35,000 decisions every day.

What are our decisions saying about what/who we serve/worship?

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8 NLT)

But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run (flee) from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:11 NLT)

Flee/run – not a suggestion to avoid but rather a strong word that says GET AWAY QUICK!

Pursue – run toward and chase after right living and choices God would want us to make (godly)

2. Love The Lord with all your soul by pursuing obedience to His Word.

“If you love me, obey my commandments. (John 14:15 NLT)

Our actions prove our love.

The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 26:16 NIV)

True love is accompanied by devotion.

When we obey God we are showing Him our worship.

3. Love The Lord with all your soul by pursuing a life of humility in attitudes and speech.

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34 ESV)

If we are in awe of God..completely humbled..then our words will reflect that awe of God everything we speak.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21 NIV)

When we lift each other up, like Jesus did, then we will worship.

Bottom line:

Our lives should reflect the life of Christ.

If love from the heart = affection.. then love from the soul = devotion.

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. (Philippians 2:12-15 NLT)

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[Associate Pastor Greg Miller, ECC Covington Campus]

Love is a choice..

So, what do you love?

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30 NLT)

“Worship is about what we love. What we live for. It's about who we are before God.” – Bob Kauflin, Worship Matters

My choices say something about what/who I love?

1. You will worship something.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23 NLT)

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. (Deuteronomy 5:8 NLT)

What are some idols we have?

Idol = anything that gets my love, focus, attention, affection, resources, time, etc.

• material comforts
• financial security
• sensual pleasures
• reputation, power, control

What do my choices say about what/who I love?

For many of us, we are worshiping a god that is shaped by our greatest wound/hurt. This becomes a fake god to us. This becomes our idol. If it is insecurity that has scarred us, then we will put the need to feel safe and secure above God himself. We all worship idols.

2. You must choose to worship God.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. (1 Peter 3:15 NLT)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1, 2 NLT)

In view of God's mercy..we OFFER ourselves..we choose to worship or not.

Every choice we make that reflects the heart of God is an act of worship.

When our choices, actions and our affections line up with the words we sing on Sunday..then THAT will be worshiping with ALL of our heart.

If we are not worshiping six days a week, then it won't make any sense to worship him on the seventh day.

How do I make God the main affection of my heart?

1. A right knowledge of who He really is.

2. And an honest understanding of exactly what He has done for us.

BE IN THE WORD!!

Bottom Line ::

Fall in love with God and give Him my full affection..my choices will authenticate my love.

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Family : Beyond Curb Appeal // The Power of Three

[Student Pastor, Kurt Petersheim, ECC Covington Campus]

“To love does not simply mean to look at one another but to look together in the same direction.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Geese:

Flying in a “V” formation allows them to fly 70% further than they could alone. They take turns flying in the first position to share the burden. And they honk at each other for encouragement.

If you see one goose on the ground. You'll always see two other. They travel in threes. They support each other.

What geese understand, sometimes better than us, is that we need to live in community.

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT)

• The Power of One is foolish.
• The Power of Two is smart.
• The Power of Three is brilliant.

The Interwoven Couple [you, spouse/friend/other, and God]

A couple who invites the Lord into their relationship through prayer.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16 NLT)

If there is no God at the center of the relationship, then you will be living in a house that has only curb appeal with nothing alive n the inside.

Prayer keeps God the primary focus of our relationships.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7 NLT)

So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. (Romans 14:19 NLT)

Fight for Intimacy

• With God, individually.

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 NLT)

Insight: When you have intimacy with God, you begin looking like His son, Jesus. The enemy will fight his hardest to distract you from this cause. He will try to entertain you to death.

Practice:

• With your spouse relationally and emotionally.

Matthew 19:6, Ephesians 5:28-29, Malachi 2:15

Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” (Matthew 19:6 NLT)

Insight: The definition of love is two combining to be one.

We all long for intimacy from someone. But we don't want to put all the time, energy, and effort into that is needed to cultivate a healthy intimate relationship.

Like a garden, intimacy takes time and effort.

Practice: Married Life Pathway, Counseling, Make time for each other..whatever you do, FIGHT for it!

• With God as a couple, spiritually, through prayer.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. (Philippians 2:1, 2 NLT)

Insight: God desires unity in all our relationships.

Practice:

S – STOP (make time for God & each other..make it priority)

A – ASK

L – LISTEN

T – TALK (to each other & to God)

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[Campus Pastor Gary Thompson, ECC Jackson Lake Campus]

Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31 NIV)

What God says to children:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3 NIV)

What God says to parents:

1. Don't exasperate your children.

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children..” (Ephesians 6:4a NIV)

What exasperates or “provokes” children?

• Unclear boundaries
• Unpredictable discipline
• Unbalanced criticism
• Unreasonable demands
• Unspoken expectations
• Undeserved or unresolved anger

2. Discipline your children.

“..instead, bring them up in the training (discipline) and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4 NIV)

They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:10, 11 NIV)

When kids are young, we teach by parental-control (keeping em safe.)

When they're older, we teach them self-control (making wise decisions.)

As they leave the house, we hope they have learned to be controlled by God. (Discipline and instruction leads us to an appropriate level of surrendering to authority, both toward human authority and divine authority.)

3. Nurture your children.

Nurture = To create an environment where something can flourish.

• Love is spelled L-E-A-D.

As parents we must model and lead what it looks like to follow Christ. That means we must be ahead of the game. Our kids rarely go beyond where they're lead.

By your example, Are you leading your kids CLOSER to Christ, or further AWAY from Christ?

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— (John 1:12 NIV)

• Love is spelled P-R-A-Y.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. (1 Samuel 12:23 NIV)

Are you praying for your kids?

• Love is spelled G-R-O-W.

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, (Galatians 4:19 NIV)

Doubt is real. Sometimes, just like the disciples, we will doubt and even be weak. But we can help our children grow in their faith when we create an environment where it is SAFE to question and doubt. We walk together on the faith journey..Respectful of one another.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. (Deuteronomy 11:18-21 NIV)

4. Show compassion to your children.

It is difficult to grow up as a teenager in this day and age. In our youth, the church was still the center of our communities and lives. It was CLEAR what was right and wrong. But today that is not the truth. The lines of morality are skewed and greyed.

We can show more compassion to our kids.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; (Psalm 103:13 NIV)

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. (Hebrews 11:23 NIV)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6 NIV)

It's never too late. Tell your kids you love them.

Jesus must be the center of our lives.

Can you do one or both of those today?

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Family: Beyond Curb Appeal // Everyone Needs a Family

[Lead Pastor Scott Moore, ECC Covington Campus]

1. A family is a shelter for storms.

Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children. (Proverbs 14:26 NLT)

Types of storms:

• Physical storms: sickness, death, pain
• Emotional storms: mental anguish, hurt feelings
• Relational storms: being at odds with friends and family
• Financial storm: money problems, debt

Family should be a place where it's safe to go and say, “I've blown it and I need your help.”

Fathers should lead in this.

Dad's: we need to fear The Lord.

Dad's: the greatest gift you can give your family is to walk with Jesus.

2. A family is a training center for life.

We learn basic life essentials in the home and around our family.

• How to talk.
• How to walk.
• How to eat.
• How to brush our teeth.
• How to use the bathroom like a human.

Do we see our spiritual growth as “basic life essential”?

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4 NLT)

In our current culture, we can all be in the same room and never look each other in the eye. We are consumed with being on our phones, iPads, video games, laptops and watching TV. Lets take a break for a few minutes and spend time with each other.

Here's what can happen in healthy families:

• Relationships

Real human interactions (not just Facebook “friends”) where we look each other in the eye, hug each others' neck, and listen intently to each other.

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. (Luke 2:52 NLT)

• Family values

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 NLT)

• Character

My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. (Proverbs 4:4, 5 NLT)

• Know and love God

Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next. (Isaiah 38:19 NLT)

Parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles..TELL YOUR STORY. Tell your kids your stories of life change..stories of how you won & lost..be honest and point them to Jesus.

3. A family is a launch pad for ministry.

You know that Stephanas and his household were the first of the harvest of believers in Greece, and they are spending their lives in service to God’s people.. (1 Corinthians 16:15 NLT)

This family was known for helping younger folks surrender and serve Christ.

What are our families KNOWN for?

Are we (parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles) modeling a surrendered walk with Christ where we worship and SERVE The Lord in ministry?

Decide today who you will serve.

“..as for me and my house, we will serve The Lord..” Joshua 24:15

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[Associate Pastor Greg Miller, ECC Covington Campus]

We often see parenting as a set of lists and things to do. And we miss out on the unique relationship opportunity.

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (Matthew 19:14 NLT)

Jesus loves children.

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34, 35 NLT)

How do I love like Jesus?

• I need a better example.

“..just as I..”

I will follow the example that I focus on.

And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT)

Ask yourself this question, “Do I want my child to turn out EXACTLY like ME?” Heck NO! I want them to be better than me. Without my faults. Without a better example (Christ) then they will become just like me.

• I need a stronger foundation.

“..I have loved you..”

I will give love as I have received love.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 NLT)

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. (John 15:9 NLT)

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. (Ephesians 5:1, 2 NLT)

If I'm gonna be the best father I can be then I must spend time with the perfect Father and receive His perfect love. Then and only then, do I have a fighting chance at being the father God has created me to be.

• I need a higher purpose.

“..by this all will know that you are my disciples..”

Parenting must have a purpose higher than love.

We are making disciples..not just “loving” them.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. (Psalms 115:1 NLT)

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. (Psalms 127:3 NLT)

What a wonderful gift. But we have this great opportunity for just a short season. Let's capitalize on those moments.

• I need a greater power.

“..just as I have loved you..”

Caution: Don't try this at home without an expert.

Don't try to emulate Jesus (the expert) without Jesus alive inside your mind, body and soul.

We love each other because he loved us first. (1 John 4:19 NLT)

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 NLT)

If I seek power to overcome my faults and weaknesses with Christ (my strength) then I WILL have power to be who God has called me to be.

Putting it into practice.

• Love is spelled SHOW.

Love is not just words. We show love by our actions. It's not always easy.

And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35 NLT)

• Love is spelled TIME.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT)

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[Lead Pastor Scott Moore, ECC Covington Campus]

previously at Eastridge..

• Sin separates us from God (leading to pain, shame, and death.)
• Sin is rejecting God's Word.
• We have all sinned.
• Our relationship with God, the Father, is torn because of our sin.
• Therefore we ALL need Jesus to atone for our sins.

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:17-19 NLT)

Being separated from God is seen in the symbol of a curtain..

The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover. (Leviticus 16:2 NLT)

Man's response to being separated from God:

1. We try to be good. (But how good is good enough?)
2. So we give up trying to be good. (Which leads to more pain, more shame, and more separation.)

Jesus Christ's sacrifice has opened the way for us to be with God..

(the moment Christ breathes his last breath on the cross) Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, (Matthew 27:50-51 NLT)

The priests must have been shocked. For ages they had been going behind that curtain (into the Holy of Holies) to sacrifice to God for the sins of the people. The death of Christ (the final sacrifice) ended that religious ritual for good and made a way for all of us to approach the Throne of Grace.

This hope (Jesus) is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. (Hebrews 6:19 NLT)

Jesus leads us to God.

Through faith in Christ our relationship with God is restored.

..and provides us with Forgiveness, Healing, and Life..

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NLT)

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10 NLT)

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)

So, what do I do:

1. Know that God did this for you.
2. Ask the question, “Am I saved?”
3. If so, then are you willing to follow Jesus? (Not just claim him by name alone..but to repent..turn from our own ways and follow His ways.)

It is not God's desire that everyone simply believe in Jesus..it is God's desire that everyone FOLLOW Jesus.

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The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:15-17 NIV)

Why is human nature so that we want the ONE thing that we can't have?

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6 NIV)

Adam and Eve were created with the ability to choose. And they made one mistake that changes everything.

Sin is rejecting God's Word, spurning His authority, and denying His character.

The Consequences of Their Sin and Ours

SHAME

(before sin) That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:24, 25 NIV)

(after sin) Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” (Genesis 3:8-10 NIV)

In our shame we often hide from God. We run and try to ignore Him.

PAIN & SUFFERING

To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children…” To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:16a, 17 NIV)

Don't you ask yourself, why do such bad things happen in this world?

These are all a result of sin.

When Adam & Eve sinned it opened the gateway to all sin. We now live in a world where all sin is available to us. And our participation (choosing to sin) leads to pain and suffering for ourselves and/or others.

DEATH

The consequences of sin is our physical and spiritual death.

And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24 NIV)

Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:5 NIV)

Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:3 NIV)

Sin separates us from God, and leads to shame, pain, and death.

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:17-19 NLT)

We all have one thing in common..we are sinners in need of saving. And Jesus offers us that gift of salvation.

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Warriors-

are people at war. According to Scripture, we are all warriors because we are in a war (Eph. 6:12)

• In war there will always be casualties.
• The enemy will do whatever to defeat you. The enemy wants desperately for you to retreat/surrender.
• War is hard. Battle is rarely won easily and without opposition/struggle.

Believers are in constant battle against darkness.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10, 11 NLT)

We are NOT in a battle against the world, so we do not fight AS the world.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)

We MUST FIGHT!

• We are either coming out of a battle..
• Entering a battle..
• Or training for the next battle..

If you don't feel like you are in any of these three stages, then you need to check your level of faith. Are you a fan of Jesus, or a follower? Followers are in the battle..fans watch from the outside, never entering the fight.

To fight, we must be equipped completely and correctly.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT)

You WILL have victory (“..so you will be able to resist..”)

You need a “ready” position (“..stand your ground..”)

You need to remember the truth about you (belt of truth)

You need to forget the past and point to the cross (body armor of righteousness)

You need to remember what Christ has done for you so that you will keep fighting (shoes, peace from the Good News)

You need to be connected with fellow warriors (shield of faith, locking arms to have a better chance against the enemy's temptations)

You need to be secure in your salvation and fight like a warrior who is confident not insecure (helmet of salvation)

You will need the Word to fight with strength (sword of the Spirit, Word of God) There are no victorious warriors of Christ who aren't grounded in the Bible.

Prayer provides our strength.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18 NLT)

The more we grow in The Lord, the more darkness we begin to see. The more darkness we begin to see, the harder and better we must fight!

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