AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Friday – March 19, 2021, Nisan 6, 5781
GIFTS – PART SEVENTY-TWO
ARMOR OF GOD – PART FOURTEEN
Greetings and welcome to our Friday Bible Study. Our greetings and welcome are for saint and sinner alike. As you will recall this Friday study has to do with “Gifts”. Currently I am dealing with the wonderful gift of the Armor of God. I have not dived right into the various offensive and defensive weapons provided for our spiritual warfare but at the direction of the Holy Spirit I am laying a firm contextual foundation. To do otherwise would be like tossing a set of keys to someone who knows little to nothing about a car and expecting them to use it efficiently and effectively. You might say; “well that would be crazy and irresponsible” however this is what happens in pulpits across the world. Then we wonder why so many Christians are so beat up by the demonic powers, the curse, and even other Christians. At this point, please take a moment and share this teaching as widely as possible to expand the reach of the Truth beyond that of this Ministry alone. Thank you for sharing this and other teachings. Now, let’s focus our attention on our primary text to start off today. Please read it aloud, yes, out loud for faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
Ephesians 5:6-10 (KJV)
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Thus far as we have been building a firm foundation for the use of the armor of God. We have discovered that a life of obedience, honor, love (agape), thanksgiving, and proving the words we hear and use is essential. We also have reviewed a list of sins that most in the Church would deny has any place in their lives, yet the Apostle Paul by the unction of the Holy Spirit places them prominently in a Book to believers. Our spiritual enemies are very crafty and deceitful, we must be sober and vigilant at all times least we become entangled in sin. Frequently this will come through peer pressure, family and others, as well as other Christians. The major problem with choosing to enter into sin is not that we will be lost and go to Hell. The worst thing is that we may cause others to stumble, fall, even choose not to enter the Kingdom of God at all. Yes, we choose to enter sin, we may not fully realize it and may even rationalize that it’s not so bad, and thus we enter the slippery slope. Concerning ourselves, we open the door to the thief who only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. This is an explanation, at least in part, of why bad things happen to good people. Failing to study and incorporate the Word of God into our lives along with failing to be attentive to the Holy Spirit within are other reasons for bad things happening to good people. Jesus calls us to repentance.
Luke 13:1-5 (KJV)
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Now, let’s turn our attention back to our primary text in the Book of Ephesians and verse six. We are being warned not to allow other people to deceive us with useless words. These sins they are enticing us to enter are the very ones that bring the wrath of God upon the unsaved. We must be forever vigilant to judge the things according to Scripture that others invite us to participate in but not judge the one inviting. These enticements may even come through religious or Christian friends, even people in leadership positions. Look at how the Message Bible translates this sixth verse.
Ephesians 5:6 (MSG)
6 Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him.
We must be respectful and honor all persons around us but we also must be filtering everything through the filter of Scripture. One brain/mind researcher said that we have the capacity to examine our thoughts every six seconds. Are we making any attempt to do that or are we just receiving anything and everything and letting every thought that arises fly out of our mouths? Let us examine our thought life, renew our minds transforming ourselves, our lives, and be good Bereans with all that we hear.
Next week is the Eve of Passover but I will return with this study in two weeks, the 2nd of April.
2 Chronicles 20:20b (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 your Bible Teacher and a Prophetic Voice in your life 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://www.amazon.com/books (search – Dr. David R. Wood)
