[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Transfiguration Sunday morning, the 3rd of March, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church. Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel: http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
Who among us has not had to face a situation we just didn’t feel we could stand up to? Who hasn’t fought a battle we didn’t think we could win? Whether it’s with the insurance company trying to get them to pay for an expensive medical procedure, or the auto dealership refusing to do warranty work, or enduring the loss of a loved one, I’m willing to bet most if not all of us have fought what seemed to be unwinnable wars.
The Apostle Paul could sympathize with us. He knew all about situations like that. But he also knew what we are truly facing in times like those.
Listen and follow along as I read what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, chapter 6, verses 10 through 20, from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible…
The Apostle Paul could sympathize with us. He knew all about situations like that. But he also knew what we are truly facing in times like those.
Listen and follow along as I read what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, chapter 6, verses 10 through 20, from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible…
10 Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your waist girded with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 having your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, 16 and above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray for me, that the power to speak may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
--Ephesians 6:10-20 (MEV)
Let us pray… Father God, You provide what we need for those times we face our true enemy: Satan. You equip us for battle, You steady us to stand in our fight. Please see us through those tough times. Help us, please Father, to stand and resist when we want to turn and run. Help us to understand who our enemy really is. Speak to our hearts and our minds this morning and imprint upon them the message we need to know. This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.
That great philosopher Abigail Van Buren once said: “People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.”
And then there’s the story of two battleships that met in the night and began to attack each other. In the conflict, a number of crewmen were severely wounded, and both vessels were damaged. As daylight broke, the sailors on the ships discovered to their amazement that both vessels flew the English flag. Many years earlier, just before the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the British naval hero Lord Nelson learned that an admiral and a captain in his fleet were not on good terms. Sending for the two men, he placed the hands of the admiral and the captain together. Then, looking them both in the face, he said, "Look - yonder is the enemy!"
Too many times, I think we’re trying to fight fire with fire. We end up in ashes, doing damage to each other, causing harm and injury to the ones who are not really our enemy.
In our scripture reading, Paul tells us that our fight is not against flesh and blood. Our enemy is not our fellow man, no matter how much we may battle them, hate them, wish them harm. Our real enemy, our only true enemy, is Satan, who uses those other people to do his dirty work.
Satan and his spiritual demons are the enemy, and no earthly weapon can touch them. Fighting fire with fire won’t work. Two wrongs don’t make a right. What works is prayer, prayer to God and His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our only offensive weapon, the only sword that can affect Satan.
Like I said, Paul knew all about tough times. It is most likely that he wrote this letter to the Ephesians while he was under house arrest in Rome. During that period, he would have been surrounded by Roman soldiers wearing their boots and armor, carrying their swords in their thick belts, their shields ever at the ready. Paul used these terms for a soldier’s offensive and defensive weapons to describe the equipment God provides us for our battles.
But the first thing Paul says in our scripture, before describing how to prepare ourselves for battle, is to be strong in the Lord. Be strong in the Lord and trust in the power of His might. When we think we aren’t strong enough, when we’re feeling weak, we can turn to our Lord for His strength. He is our strength and there is none stronger.
King David agrees. In his 18th Psalm, verses 1 and 2, David says…
The Lord is our strength, our rock, our fortress. And He will deliver us, save us, in our battles.
Paul also tells us that Christ Jesus not only is our strength, He gives us strength, too. In his letter to the Philippians, chapter 4 verses 12 and 13, Paul writes…
Verse 13 is my personal assurance. I can face up to anything, because it is Christ Jesus who strengthens me. Family, we don’t have to rely on our own strength to get through things. We can turn to Jesus for His strength.
Paul talks about living by humble means and living in prosperity, about being full and going hungry, about enjoying an abundance and suffering need. In other words, he’s been through it all, just as has most of us. But I dare say none of us will have to endure all that Paul suffered. So if he could find strength in the Lord, can’t we? If he turned to Jesus for help and strength, shouldn’t we?
Today is Transfiguration Sunday, when we celebrate the day that God revealed the glory of His Son Jesus upon the mountain top. This occurred right before our Lord and His disciples made the trip into Jerusalem that led to the cross. As the glory of God shown on and around Him, Jesus set His countenance for what He knew lay before Him. He steeled Himself for a battle none of us will ever have to fight – He fought it for us. Jesus took His strength from His Father God and God’s Holy Spirit, and so can we. We have that same Holy Spirit living within us, strengthening us, guiding us, shielding us.
Family, our faith is our shield. Let us gird ourselves with the truth, arm ourselves with the word of God, His word in our Holy Bible. Let our Lord be our strength, our rock, our stronghold.
Our fight is not against the insurance company or the car dealership. Our enemy is not some foreign country nor radical extremists. Our battle is with Satan and his minions. Spiritual warfare rages around us. Stand and resist evil. Speak boldly the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus. Be strong in the Lord, and the power of His might.
In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You know who our true enemy is, and You have prepared us for him. Thank You, Father, for equipping us for spiritual warfare. Please help us understand our battle is not with other people, but with Satan and his forces of evil. Strengthen us and embolden us to carry out the work of Jesus that He assigned us. Please forgive us when we let fear or weakness of spirit keep us from doing what we know we should do.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness for our disobedience…
Lord Jesus, You knew Your fate. You knew what You had to do for our salvation from our own sin. Thank You, Jesus, for fighting our battle. Forgive us when we fail to stand strong in our faith as the spiritual war is waged around us. Forgive us when we pick fights with those we think are our enemy, forgetting just who our true enemy really is. Please strengthen us, guard us, shield us in this fight. Help us to stand firm in our resolve, in our faith, that we may boldly speak for You and the truth of God’s word.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior. Amen.
That great philosopher Abigail Van Buren once said: “People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.”
And then there’s the story of two battleships that met in the night and began to attack each other. In the conflict, a number of crewmen were severely wounded, and both vessels were damaged. As daylight broke, the sailors on the ships discovered to their amazement that both vessels flew the English flag. Many years earlier, just before the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the British naval hero Lord Nelson learned that an admiral and a captain in his fleet were not on good terms. Sending for the two men, he placed the hands of the admiral and the captain together. Then, looking them both in the face, he said, "Look - yonder is the enemy!"
Too many times, I think we’re trying to fight fire with fire. We end up in ashes, doing damage to each other, causing harm and injury to the ones who are not really our enemy.
In our scripture reading, Paul tells us that our fight is not against flesh and blood. Our enemy is not our fellow man, no matter how much we may battle them, hate them, wish them harm. Our real enemy, our only true enemy, is Satan, who uses those other people to do his dirty work.
Satan and his spiritual demons are the enemy, and no earthly weapon can touch them. Fighting fire with fire won’t work. Two wrongs don’t make a right. What works is prayer, prayer to God and His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our only offensive weapon, the only sword that can affect Satan.
Like I said, Paul knew all about tough times. It is most likely that he wrote this letter to the Ephesians while he was under house arrest in Rome. During that period, he would have been surrounded by Roman soldiers wearing their boots and armor, carrying their swords in their thick belts, their shields ever at the ready. Paul used these terms for a soldier’s offensive and defensive weapons to describe the equipment God provides us for our battles.
But the first thing Paul says in our scripture, before describing how to prepare ourselves for battle, is to be strong in the Lord. Be strong in the Lord and trust in the power of His might. When we think we aren’t strong enough, when we’re feeling weak, we can turn to our Lord for His strength. He is our strength and there is none stronger.
King David agrees. In his 18th Psalm, verses 1 and 2, David says…
1 I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my rock, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the strength of my salvation, my stronghold.
--Psalm 18:1-2 (NKJV)
Paul also tells us that Christ Jesus not only is our strength, He gives us strength, too. In his letter to the Philippians, chapter 4 verses 12 and 13, Paul writes…
12 I know how to live humbly, and I know how to live in prosperity. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
--Philippians 4:12-13 (NKJV)
Paul talks about living by humble means and living in prosperity, about being full and going hungry, about enjoying an abundance and suffering need. In other words, he’s been through it all, just as has most of us. But I dare say none of us will have to endure all that Paul suffered. So if he could find strength in the Lord, can’t we? If he turned to Jesus for help and strength, shouldn’t we?
Today is Transfiguration Sunday, when we celebrate the day that God revealed the glory of His Son Jesus upon the mountain top. This occurred right before our Lord and His disciples made the trip into Jerusalem that led to the cross. As the glory of God shown on and around Him, Jesus set His countenance for what He knew lay before Him. He steeled Himself for a battle none of us will ever have to fight – He fought it for us. Jesus took His strength from His Father God and God’s Holy Spirit, and so can we. We have that same Holy Spirit living within us, strengthening us, guiding us, shielding us.
Family, our faith is our shield. Let us gird ourselves with the truth, arm ourselves with the word of God, His word in our Holy Bible. Let our Lord be our strength, our rock, our stronghold.
Our fight is not against the insurance company or the car dealership. Our enemy is not some foreign country nor radical extremists. Our battle is with Satan and his minions. Spiritual warfare rages around us. Stand and resist evil. Speak boldly the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus. Be strong in the Lord, and the power of His might.
In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You know who our true enemy is, and You have prepared us for him. Thank You, Father, for equipping us for spiritual warfare. Please help us understand our battle is not with other people, but with Satan and his forces of evil. Strengthen us and embolden us to carry out the work of Jesus that He assigned us. Please forgive us when we let fear or weakness of spirit keep us from doing what we know we should do.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness for our disobedience…
Lord Jesus, You knew Your fate. You knew what You had to do for our salvation from our own sin. Thank You, Jesus, for fighting our battle. Forgive us when we fail to stand strong in our faith as the spiritual war is waged around us. Forgive us when we pick fights with those we think are our enemy, forgetting just who our true enemy really is. Please strengthen us, guard us, shield us in this fight. Help us to stand firm in our resolve, in our faith, that we may boldly speak for You and the truth of God’s word.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior. Amen.
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