AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Friday – February 19, 2021, Adar 7, 5781
GIFTS – PART SIXTY-EIGHT
ARMOR OF GOD – PART TEN
Greetings precious friends and partners of this Ministry and The Three Minute Word blog. God is so good dear ones. Thank you for supporting this Ministry with your friendship and encouragement. We speak a special thank you with daily prayers to our partners who support this Ministry financially. We invite all whom the Lord leads to be partners with us in this powerful Ministry for the Kingdom of God, a part of the rising remnant. Please take a moment to share this Bible teaching as widely as possible to extend our reach with the Truth. Currently I am teaching on the Armor of God. I initially planned to just start with the Armor of God as outlined in Ephesians chapter six, however, the Lord arrested me and instructed me to lay a solid foundation for a discussion of the armor. Like equipment or a skill in the natural the best use of that equipment or skill is achieved by having a good understanding of what is required for optimal performance.
Therefore, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I have gone back into chapter five of Ephesians to build that foundation. Thus far we have discovered that obedience, honor, love (agape), thanksgiving, proving the Word, and avoiding sin are critical to the effective use of the armor. If this is your first time joining this study, I strongly advise that you go into the archives and study from the beginning. In Ephesians chapter five (below) we find a list of sins and I was going to just quickly skip over those but the Holy Spirit insisted I talk about them one by one. Remember, this Book of Ephesians is written to Christians so we are doing one or more of these. That is in evidence by the really poor use of the armor in many Christians lives. Now, let’s read aloud, yes, out loud our current Bible text.
Ephesians 5:2-6 (KJV)
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Love coupled with the leadership of the inner witness (still small voice of the Holy Spirit within) and the Truth (Word of God) is foundational to all that we do. Love is the power of faith (Galatians 5:6) and it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). If any of this is fouled up, we will not have victory in our lives, period. Of this list of sins, which most Christians would reject as being present in their lives, we have covered; fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, and foolish talking. Let me point out something that we must have in our thinking at all times not just when reading Scripture. What is the physical aspect and what is the spiritual aspect, everything has both? Nothing in the natural is an orphan or without a spiritual origin. For example, if we mention fornication our mind may immediately go to sex outside of marriage. What about spiritual fornication or adultery? Any person, activity, thing, idea, or words that we elevate above God, above the Word of God put us in fornication or adultery.
Next on our list is ‘jesting’. First let’s go to our Bible Dictionary and get a better idea of this idea of jesting. Facetiousness (inappropriate), coarse wittiness, ribaldry (Joking or humorous language done in a vulgar or lewd fashion, Vulgar, lewdly humorous language or joking or an instance of it, qualities or acts of a ribald; licentious or foul language; ribald conversation; obscenity; indecency), the turning of one’s speech for the purpose of exciting mirth or laughter according to The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament. I think most of us are familiar with this from our days in the world, perhaps men more than women. This is not the kind of language Christians are to use at any time. That is not to say we cannot joke around but it is never to be vulgar, or lewd, and so on. Let’s look at this passage in the New Living Translation.
Ephesians 5:3 (NLT)
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. (Bold added)
5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Instead of these things of the world, sins listed we are to engage in thankfulness to God. It is well worth it dear saints whether we feel like it or we don’t; to go around all day giving thanks to God. Failure to give thanks guarantees defeat and is sin in and of itself. Our speech is to build up the hearer and bring a cheerfulness.
Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Lord willing, I will pick up right here next Friday.
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
PRAYERS AND QUESTIONS – please, anytime you have an issue that you want me, this ministry to pray for you, a person you love or a situation contact me. Accordingly, if you should have a question about the Bible, please do not hesitate to ask it.
PARTNERSHIP AND GIVING – Those of you who are not Partners of this Ministry and you find this ministry to be of value to you and perhaps others with whom you share it, we ask you to consider becoming Partners. A Partner is one who prays for the Ministry on a regular basis and contributes to the Ministry on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, annually). Thank you and may the Lord be pleased with your decision.
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
BLOG: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/awakearisetriumphministries
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PastorDavidWood
MAILING ADDRESS: 10 Village Green Circle, Oakland, Maine 04963
MY BOOKS: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org/shop/
