So I thought I was going to have a little treat for you this morning. In addition to this, I was going to wrestle with my son Asa here on the stage, and it would have been quite a thing. My kids love to wrestle with me, particularly my two littlest ones like to wrestle with me. The reason my son Asa would not agree to wrestle with me is because I told him that as part of it, I was gonna have to put him in a small package, and he does not like to be put in a small package. He quits when I put him in a small package, and so he couldn't get past that. So I was gonna have him run in here at me, and I was gonna stick my hand on his forehead, see his meager attempts at trying to overcome me and I was going to put him a small package for you. You know, there's no training in all the world that would enable Asa to be able to overcome my strength advantage over him. Superfly Jimmy Shnuka could not enable him or Hulk Hogan could not enable him or Hacksaw Jim Duggan couldn't teach him, or I pulled one really from way back, George the Animal Steel would not give Asa the techniques necessary to be able to overcome my strength advantage over him. There are also no techniques in the world that will enable us to stand toe to toe with Satan and come out victorious. He doesn't have a body. You can't punch him in the nose. We are at a distinct disadvantage. This is the bad news, but there is good news as well. The battle against Satan and his forces of evil is a battle that is really against God. The almighty creator of all things, including Satan himself, is omnipotent. Omni, all, potent, power, all powerful. The creator of all things, including Satan himself, is omnipotent. He is the almighty God. Through our Savior, God has already struck the decisive blow against Satan and his forces of darkness. Jesus has already triumphed over the forces of evil. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul, these are the words of God, in Colossians chapter 2, verses 13 through 15. God's word says this, were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross." Now listen. The one who nailed the demands and the failures that we have brought before God in His demands, the one who has nailed those things to the cross is the Lord Jesus Christ. And it says at the end of this passage, He disarmed the rulers and authority and has already put them to an open shame by triumphing over them in it. or in Him, in the Lord Jesus. The victory has already been secured. The victory that God has won is already a done deal. Satan continues to persist to battle against God, to battle against the Gospel, and to battle against God's Church. But the victory has been won. We know the future already in this regard. The Apostle John in the book of Revelation chapter 20 pens these words. And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over, he's seeing this vivid picture, they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire, Fire came down from heaven and consumed them. And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and false prophet were. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." And you can continue, and ever. The decisive blow has been struck. We see the sure doom of Satan and those who are in opposition to God. It's a surety that they will be consumed. And yet, while this victory has already been won, and while this victory is sure, there is a perpetual conflict that Satan wages against God, the gospel, and God's people. Remember, God will fight for us. We have not been left to battle with our own puny little techniques. But rather, God has supplied his own armor. God has supplied his own armor to meet the challenge. This is good news, folks. This is what the gospel does for us. It lets us know that the battle is the Lord's. The battle is the Lord's, and there is no battle that God loses. He wins every time. First, we need to remember from the text of Ephesians 6 that we need the strength that comes from the Lord. We see that in verse 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. It's his strength. Secondly, we need to put on the whole armor of God. It's all or nothing. Verse 11, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Look down at verse 13. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand firm. We take up the whole armor of God. It's God's armor. It's his strength. Thirdly, we must remember that our conflict Our conflict may appear to be with flesh and blood. There are times that our conflict is in fact with flesh and blood, but we have to understand that that's only the surface of that battle. The real issue is beyond this realm. The real issue is a heavenly issue. The real issue is a spiritual battle. Well, so we must suit up. We must suit up. The first item of the armor that we must put on in order to be prepared for this onslaught that comes from the forces of evil is the belt of truth. This is to stand upon the foundation of the teachings of the Bible. This is doctrine. We stand upon the doctrine of Scripture. We must know what the Bible says. We must understand the theology of the Scriptures. We put on the belt of truth. Secondly, we put on the breastplate of righteousness. You see that also in verse 14. This is a righteousness that is not flawed. It is an unflawed righteousness. It is an unquestioned righteousness. This righteousness provided for us in verse 14 is not a righteousness that will cave under pressure and scrutiny. The righteousness provided in verse 14, remember this is God's armor, is the righteousness of Jesus Christ himself. And that righteousness comes through faith in Christ. It's the doctrine of justification. When we put on the righteousness of Christ, there is no accusation that will ever stick and condemn us. That's why we believe Romans 8.1, there is therefore now No condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Next, we take up the shoes of the gospel of peace. We see that in verse 15. Remember that this gospel, that through this gospel, we have come to be at peace with God. Through the gospel, we come to be at peace with God. As we walk in the gospel, something about God's peace then takes up residence within us. You can see it in a passage like Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7. God's peace inhabits us, protecting us from the onslaughts of evil. We are protected by God's peace. And as we proclaim the gospel, we are offering to mankind The glorious Gospel offer that you must be reconciled to God. There is only one way to be reconciled to God. It is through the Gospel that speaks of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. As we offer the Gospel to others, we're offering for them to be at peace with God. We come a little further and we see the next part of the armor. In verse 16, you see the shield of faith. And as we walk with God, we learn to trust Him. Folks, we learn to trust Him through thick and thin. A real walk of faith. results in us recognizing that God has every single purpose and plan already worked out in his own mind and in God's mind something that's worked out will come to fruition because he is God and there is no other. Walking with God by faith is one thing that it results in us recognizing that every element of our lives is under his sovereign care. He gives us what we need rather, many times, than what we want. You pick up the shield of faith. That shield of faith protects us against the flaming darts of the evil one who is trying to get us to doubt who God is and what God does and how God cares, or even if God cares. We take up the shield of faith. Then last time we were together, we looked at in verse 17, the first half of the verse, the helmet of salvation. Remember, to put on the helmet of salvation, to put on the salvation spoken of here is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our salvation. Verse 15 is not a call to be saved. It is a call to live out the salvation that has already been provided for us. It is a call to have confidence in the provision that God has given more than our performance which we execute. And so we come to the last item as such in the armor of God this morning. It is in verse 17, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. The sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. The word sword there is the Greek term makaira. There are two different terms in the New Testament. the Greek New Testament, used for sword. There's the machaira and there's the rumphia. The rumphia would depict a two-handed large battle sword. You can really hack someone to pieces with one of those. That is not what is envisioned here in Ephesians chapter six and verse 17. He's speaking more of the short sword. It is a Roman dagger. It'd be about 12 to 18 inches long. It is double-sided many times. It is for defending oneself in close hand-to-hand combat. Interestingly, the word mechaira, that's the word for the dagger, can also be used in a different way, and it is used in a different way in the book of Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12. You're going to see that on the screen here. I want to read the passage, and then I want to talk about it just for a minute, because it's really an important element when considering the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit. In Hebrews 4.12, it's referred to as more like a scalpel. It says, for the word of God is living and active. It's sharper than any two-edged sword. That's how it's translated. Sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of the joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Really, the image is less of a dagger Hebrews chapter 4 in verse 12, and more like a scalpel, rather than the imagery of a soldier, the imagery of a surgeon who would make important cuts when dealing with disease. Important cuts in dividing things to make sure that wrong cells are not attaching themselves to good cells. They use a scalpel for these things. It's very precise. I'll never forget, a number of years ago, this is way back now at this point, waiting at Boston Children's Hospital. My wife and I were there and some grandparents were there. I think my brother-in-law, Michael, was there with us. And Alexis was undergoing an extensive nerve surgery. And everyone was sitting there and waiting and praying and studying and doing all kinds of stuff to put the hours behind us. because it was a long surgery. And partway through the surgery, after maybe four or five hours, the surgeon came out in his scrubs, you know, all that good stuff, and he had these glasses. They were weird. Those aren't the actual glasses, but they were very similar to that. These very fine, microscopic type of spectacles to really make what he's looking, because he's dealing with nerves, make it big. Why? Is he going to use a dagger now to try to divide this thing up and fix what's going on? No, they're rerouting nerves. And so we're using fine tools and you have to have precise vision. And so what's going on here is we're changing something or in another instance where we're cutting something out, we're getting rid of something. It's very precise. This is the thing about God's Word. It's very versatile. It's not just used for defending the onslaught of the evil one. It's also utilized in my own life. It's also utilized amongst the body, one toward another. We're not gonna take out the sword and say, hey, let me cut that off of you, buddy. It's much more, hey, there's a problem here, let's work on this. Here's what God's Word says. Precise, precise to care for the infliction of the soul. The Word of God is versatile. It can be used to muster a defense, and it can be used to skillfully deal with delicate issues of the heart. Notice here in verse 17 in Ephesians 6 that it is the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit. Now there are two different ways that you can take that. Is it the sword that comes from the Spirit? Then maybe a third way, the sword that belongs to the spirit. It could be translated that way. He's the source of it. He's the possessor of it. Or it could be read this way, the sword that is employed by the spirit. The sword that is employed by the spirit, meaning he's the one that wields it through us. And the way that it's written in the Greek is sufficiently vague to possibly let us know, yes, Yes, all three. The sword comes from the Spirit. The sword belongs to the Spirit. And the sword must be utilized properly, empowered by the Spirit. One thing is for sure, if I learn the Bible, and then swing it about as I will, it will not likely yield the type of results that we envision. I've done that a time or two in my life, where it was, here's a challenge, here's a problem, here's a thing, and I know a Bible verse about that. Bam! Sling out the sword and do damage. There is a spirit that accompanies the work of God. There is a gentleness a kindness, a compassion, a goodwill, listen carefully, that are present, that are present with God's way. Not that might be present, but that are present. When we are utilized by God with the sword of the Spirit, It will not be as though we're taking a hacksaw or a, I've lost the word, sledgehammer and bashing something. This is not to say that there are never rebukes or hard things to say, but the accompanying attitude will prove or disprove the source of the admonition. Just consider these texts of scripture, will you? First of all, in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 15, the Bible says this, rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in him in every way into him who is the head into Christ. Rather, speaking the truth, how? In love, we, the church, are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ in Galatians chapter 6 in verse 1 the Bible says this brothers if anyone is caught in any trespass alright pause anyone any trespass have we covered a wide range itsy bitsy little sins major wager big sins right little ones to big ones If anyone is caught in any kind of trespass, you who are spiritual should do what? Restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. And then this great text of Scripture in 2 Timothy 2, this one rings in my head all the time. because Paul's talking to Timothy, his young protege, right? And he's writing the pastoral epistles, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. This, I always, my ears are always tuned in. tuned in. I should always be tuned in any time God's Word is coming forth, but in those pastoral epistles, I just know this is very specific. Listen to what Paul writes to Timothy in verse 24 and following. And the Lord's servant must not, any room for error there? Must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance, leading to the knowledge of the truth. This is good information for us, folks. We're talking about an enemy that hates God, that hates the gospel, and hates the church, and he's coming at us. And we're told, put on the belt of truth. Put on the breastplate of righteousness. Put on the helmet of salvation. Take up the shield of faith. Put on the Gospel shoes of peace. Take out the sword of the Spirit. And defend. But always remember in the defense, that the defense will be seen clearly as of the Spirit. as the evidence of the Spirit is seen. And you know what the evidence of the Spirit is, right? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. When the Spirit is controlling us, there is evidence of the Spirit. There's a gentleness that comes. There's a love that comes. There's a joy that comes. There's a patience that comes. There's a peace that's there. There's a gentleness, a kindness, a self-control that's there. The sword of the Spirit. You know, I am in desperate need for the Spirit in reading and studying the Bible. We see that in a text like 1 Corinthians 2. I am in desperate need for the Spirit in my prayer life. You can see it in Romans chapter 8 as well as in Jude 20. And then next week we'll see it in Ephesians chapter 6. We are to pray in the Spirit. I'm in desperate need of the Spirit in overcoming the passions of my flesh. God tells me in Romans 8 and verse 13 that through the Spirit I put to death the deeds of the body. I'm in desperate need. I'm in desperate need of the Spirit in obeying the calls of Scripture. And in Romans chapter 8 and verse 4, that the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. The Spirit enables us to fulfill the demands of Scripture. I'm in desperate need of the Spirit in all of these ways and so many more. I am in desperate need of the Spirit in fending off the attacks of the kingdom of darkness. He will employ various tactics. But when they come, I must be ready, through the Spirit, to use the sword of the Spirit. Remember this, though. Listen carefully. He will not, as a normative course, he will not utilize the Bible truth that you have not learned. Here you are, you know. The warning bell has gone off. The battle sirens have sounded. The trumpets are blaring. There is a war! He's coming! Here's your defense. And one of those items of defense is the sword of the Spirit. And if I don't know it, if I don't know it, I am making myself subject to an attack that I am not ready for. There's no technique I'm gonna learn that's gonna defend me against the onslaught of Satan. God has provided His own armor And one of those pieces is the very words He has spoken for us to know. What does that tell me I need to do? I need to know the Word. I need to know the Word. You need to know the Word. This is why the writer of Psalm 119 makes this proclamation in Psalm 119 verses 9 through 11. How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it. Guarding what? His way. By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you. Let me not wander from your commandments. I have stored up your word in my heart. Why? That I might not sin against you. Storing it up. Memorizing his word. So we must read the word and study the word and memorize the word and depend upon the spirit for our defense. It sounds very much like our daily Christian life should be, doesn't it? It is! This is everyday, ordinary Christian life. The attack comes Monday morning as you drive for work. The attack comes as you continue throughout your day at work. The attack comes as you're driving home from work. The attack comes as you're preparing for dinner, as you eat dinner around the table with your family, as you clean up from dinner, as you prepare for the end of the day. is coming. As the night proceeds, the attack is coming. I must be ready. I must know the Word and I must walk in the power of the Spirit. Knowing the Word is not enough. It sounds sacrilegious. Knowing the Word is not enough. It's knowing the Word and walking in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit is not enough. I must walk in the Spirit and know the Word. God has given us both. He's given us all things that are necessary for life and godliness. He's given it to us. It's His armor. It's His armor. Take up the sword of the Spirit, it says, which is the Word of God. Take up the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. He uses an interesting term here for word. He uses the word rhema. That's how most people pronounce it. It has one of those rough breather marks. So he actually could say rhema. But that's really annoying to say that. So I'm just gonna say rhema, all right? Is that a deal? I'm gonna mispronounce it for your benefit and mine. The word is rhema. Rhema. It is a proclamation. It's a proclamation of the word. This is a spoken word. There are three main Greek terms that are used in our New Testaments to describe the word. First of all, it's a written word. It's a written word. The word graphe. in the book of 2nd Timothy, chapter 3, verse 16. You're familiar with this. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. So there's a written word, God's word in paper and ink. Right? Or, on stone and has been chiseled. Whatever the case may be, God has written his word out for us. It's a written record. Secondly, it is a spoken word, a proclaimed word. That's the word here in Ephesians chapter 6, rhema. It's proclaimed. And then next, there's a incarnate word. Now this is a simplification, okay? I'm just gonna bear with you. The word lagas is used. a multitude of ways in the New Testament. But the one that sticks out most when you see the word Lagos is in John chapter 1 and verse 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, verse 14. And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory, the glories of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. When we come to the word lagas, and again this is a simplification, we see the word fleshed out. We see the word incarnate. We see grafe, written word, rhema, spoken word, lagas, word carried out, word on display, word incarnate. And we happen to have, this is awesome, we happen to have a convergence of all three of these concepts in one Bible passage. Do you want to look at it with me? Just say yes, please, make me feel happy. Say yes. I want to look, please let me look. All right, great, thank you for begging. Matthew chapter four, Matthew chapter four. If you're using one of our church Bibles, you'll find that on page 809. I was thinking this week, bear with this little commercial break or deviation from our conversation, I was thinking about how privileged I am to do this. I was in my office, and I was studying, and I was thinking, oh, I can't wait to talk about this. This is so great. Look at God's Word. This is incredible. And I was just overwhelmed with the blessing it is to be a proclaimer of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I get to do this a number of times every single week with some listeners, people that willingly stick and wait expectantly to hear the Word of God. This is a glory. So I'm glad you're here. Thanks for coming. I'm gonna give you a hand. All right, Matthew chapter four, sorry about that little interlude. In this scene, what we have to see is this. We have the incarnate word, lagas. Speaking forth, rima. The written word, grafe. It's awesome. The incarnate word, speaking forth, the grafe. Word of God that has been written. You got that flow? Take a look, please, with me at this passage. Verse one. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered, here's the speaking, Jesus is the Logos. He answered, now we have the proclamation, that's rhema, the word's not used here, but that's what's happening, he's speaking forth. And he answered, it is written. He uses the word gegraphiti, gegraphiti. Perfect tense. You love it when I talk about this stuff. Perfect tense, something that happened in the past that has continuing results. This is awesome. He essentially says, it stands written. It stands written. It was written and it applies today and tomorrow and the next day and the day after all the way through eternity because every word of God is pure. stands written. The accusation comes. The incarnate word speaks forth. The written word. It is written. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that what? That comes forth. Every word that comes forth. There's the rhema. Comes forth. from the mouth of God. Jesus is letting us know the way to deal with the onslaught of Satan is not only to live out the word, to know the word, but to proclaim the word, to know the word as it is written, to live out the word. I must proclaim the word in the face of an onslaught. You see this? Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple. And he said to him, if you are the son of God, throw yourself down for it is written. It stands written. He will command his angels concerning you and on their hands they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a stone. Oh, I can play this way too. You want to use some scripture, I can use some scripture too. And so he brings out some scripture. This is what God says. If you're the son of God, he'll take care of you. You don't worry about a thing. Let's see. Let's see now with our eyes that you really are the son of God. Well, let's pause for a second. Chapter three tells us a little bit about this, doesn't it? The Lord Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptized of him. Remember? I must be baptized by you. it will fulfill all righteousness. Alright, I guess I'll do it. John the Baptist baptizes him, comes up out of the water. Guess what happens? Spirit descends as a dove, remains on him, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, the God made flesh, incarnate word, Spirit of God comes down and a voice from heaven. If there's only one member of the Godhead, as some religions propose. We have a really schizophrenic type of a scene here in Matthew chapter 3, and that is not the God we have. He is real and alive. He is one essence existing in three persons. That's six. Three persons. Three persons. So we have the Son of God coming up, the Spirit coming down, and a voice from heaven that says this, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. So Jesus already knows that He's the Son of God, but He is God made flesh. And the temptation in the midst of this is a real temptation. Let's see right now. Let's test this theory. Let's prove it right here and now. Cast yourself off. If you're really the Son of God, God will take care of you. The Bible says so. Jesus said to him, again, it stands written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. So the incarnate word knows the written word and speaks it forth and remains exhibiting the incarnation of the word, the demonstration of the word, the working out of the word. We see it? Is it clear? I think it's clear. I think it's clear in this text that Jesus is demonstrating we have to know, we have to know what it is we believe. Better yet, we have to know what God says so that we can believe the right thing. If you are shaky in your understanding of scripture and someone comes to you with a twisted view of scripture, guess what's gonna happen? like Ephesians chapter four warns, will be like children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine. Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Are you? It is incumbent upon you to be a diligent student of the word. A diligent student of the word. In your career, you certainly have taken the pains to make sure you know what you're doing so that you can remain gainfully employed and maybe make progress. We're talking about something far more important here. We're talking about things that last forever. So the Lord Jesus captures this concept. All right, verse eight, again, The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, all these things I will give you if you fall down and worship me. Now, you and I, we read this and it doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Does it seem like that big of a deal to you? Satan offering God the kingdoms of the world? It doesn't seem like that big of a thing. Jesus knows. Remember. In the Incarnation, Jesus gave up the free exercise of his divine attributes. He gave up the free exercise of his divine attributes. It doesn't mean he couldn't use it. It doesn't mean he wasn't God. It means that he yielded himself to only utilize those divine attributes as was in accordance with the will of the Father. And here he is, subjected to life. God, in the first time in Eternity gets tired. The man, Jesus, gets tired. The man, Jesus, gets hungry. The man, Jesus, gets thirsty. And the man, Jesus, knows what it's like to want the end now. Yeah. Hey, I have an idea. You know that plan. Satan knows the scriptures. You know that plan about being the suffering servant? You know that part? You know that if the father said it would please him to bruise you? What kind of a thing is that? Who's happy to bruise their son? I have a better way. I have something else I can offer you. I own all these things. I am the God of this world. I can give you these kingdoms now. All you have to do, instead of the cross and all that stuff, just come and worship me now. This is recorded in scripture because this is a real temptation. And what is Jesus' response? Remember, who was it that brought him into the wilderness? The Spirit did. which means this is God's will, God intended for Jesus to go through this. The spirit who carried him forth into the wilderness carried him forth, the God-man, to say this. In verse 10, then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan, for it is written, it stands written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him for a time. Behold, angels came and were ministering to him. This is the process necessary today. The fleshing out of the word comes The fleshing out of the word comes as we determinatively declare the truth of the written word. Now, let's just say here, Satan doesn't come to us and speak audibly. If that's the case, when his attacks come, does my response have to be audible? Do I have to proclaim out loud every word in order to be defended against the onslaught of Satan? No. He puts this kind of a thought in your mind. God doesn't love you. And you say out loud or in your mind, you say in response to that, in Colossians 3.12, put on then as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved. You are holy. And you are loved. That's a statement of fact. Put on, therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, et cetera. The concept there is, I know what the Bible, it stands written. I am loved. Satan can charge God against loving me. I know the Bible says God loves me. It's a fact. It stands written. Satan might cause you to think God doesn't care about you. And what should come to your mind? Something like this, Luke 12, verses 6 and 7. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Why, even the numbers of your head are numbered. Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows. You might think about what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 20, verse 28. Jesus Christ came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many, for this guy. Does God care? Of course He does. It stands written. God has forgotten you. You've been crying out to Him to solve this problem, this dilemma. You've been begging Him. God's forgotten you. And what should ring to the forefront of your mind in response should be something along these lines, Hebrews 13, five. Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have. What do I have? What do I have? All this stuff, what is it? No, it's not about this stuff. Be content with what you have, for He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will never, no never, no never, no never, no never leave you or forsake you. This is a proclamation from God, the one who created everything through Christ, who knows you in your innermost heart. Has He forgotten you? Has He forgotten you? You might think of a verse like this, it's not on the board here. In Psalm 139, it talks about how God's thoughts toward you, God's thoughts toward me, are as many as the sand on the seashore. And then the psalmist says in wonder, he says, and when I awake, I'm still with you. God thinks about me that much and He has not rained down judgment on me. Instead, He has poured out only and always grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy because God is not a God who forgets. Satan might tempt you. That woman will really satisfy you. What should come to the forefront of our minds? written, but sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness, nor foolish talk, nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving, for you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, who is covetous, that is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." This should come to your mind. This should come to your mind if someone is tempting you towards something outside of the plan of God. How about when he says something, you need that. What is that? What is that? I have no idea what that is for you. You need that. You'll be satisfied with that. What should come to your mind? Well, something like this in Colossians 3. Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you, sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these things, the wrath of God is coming. And these you too once walked, you once walked, when you were living in them. But now, now, you must put them all away Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self and its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in the knowledge after the image of its creator. You're seeing this, it's just some samples for your thoughts. How about this? This is gonna hit home, because maybe this morning, maybe this morning, you looked in the mirror. You're ugly. or maybe in the last week. You're stupid. You know, what do you have to offer anybody? You don't look so good. You don't smell so good. You don't think so good. What worth really are you? What should come to your mind? We've all been there. I look in the mirror too. I'm like, oh my goodness, my wife still loves me. Thank you, Lord. Look in the mirror. The Bible says in Psalm 139 verse 14, I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works. My soul knows it very well. My wife printed that out in some other verses during our children's birth process and put it on the, you know, whatever that little, cart is, they bring the baby around and put it on the side of it so everyone could see. You're fearfully and wonderfully made. Who was involved in designing your facial features and your follicles? Who was the one that put those wrinkles on your face? It's not your kids. You might think it was their fault. God designed you that way. There you are. Own it. You're fearfully and wonderfully made. Does your heart know this really well? How about if when he says something like this, this pain will never end. This pain will never end. It's just been going on and on without stop and it's not stopping. Maybe, maybe this would come to your mind. What Peter said in first Peter one, In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold it perishes, though it is tested with fire, may be found to result in praise and glory In honor, what does the next part say? At the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him. And you rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and full of glory. Obtaining, will you say the rest with me? Obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. This pain will never end. Oh really? I know it will end someday. It might not end as fast as you want. It might not end the way that you want, but it will, in fact, end. And if you know Christ as your Savior, if you've turned from your sin and turned to Jesus Christ for life, you can know the end of it. The salvation of your souls is all about glory. In this body we groan. But one day, that groaning will be turned to gladness. How about this one? Just a variation of it. This pain is meaningless. This pain is meaningless. Why doesn't he just take me? Why doesn't he just fix me? The Bible has many answers. There's just one sampling that should come to our minds. Not only that, but we rejoice in our, what does it say? Sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces what? Hope, a confident expectation of the glory to come. It brings forth hope, and hope does not put us to shame, but God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who he has given to us. How about this one? You can't be forgiven. You can't be forgiven. Oh, if a Christian crosses that line, they're toast. If a Christian goes to that well one too many times, that's the end. That's the end for you, buddy. It's all over. You can't be forgiven. You've proven yourself unworthy. Well, to that, Our mind should come to something like this. If we confess our sins, he is faithful. Faithful, he'll do it every time. And just, he has made a provision to provide us or forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This should come to our minds. How about this one? Maybe for someone here that doesn't know Christ, you can't be saved. You can't be saved. Your background, all the things you've done, all the things you've thought, all the things you've said, all the places you've gone, all the things you haven't done, all the things you haven't given, you don't work hard enough. You can't earn God's affection. You're not good enough. To that, the Bible says many things, but here are a couple thoughts. For everyone, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10, 13, for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How about this one, this one even more direct here. In John chapter six and verse 37, Jesus said, all that the Father gives me will come to me, listen carefully, and whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. Satan might tell you, you can't come. Jesus has come and you'll be embraced. Did you hear that? Whoever comes to me, I'll never cast out. Why not come? Why not come to Jesus today to receive forgiveness of your sin and to receive eternal life? Jesus can heal your sin sick soul. He can make you spiritually alive. It is in this way that the sword of the Spirit makes the wounded whole. The sword of the Spirit makes the wounded whole. Won't you come to Him this morning to receive wholeness of soul? Turn, turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. He's done enough. His life, he was perfect. His death, it was a sacrificial, perfect death. It was the death prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled in time and space. His death, his burial, and his resurrection, resurrection raised the third day in accordance with the scriptures. Through turning from your sin and turning to Jesus Christ for salvation, you can have life and you can have it more abundantly. These are just a few samples, ladies and gentlemen, of how the Spirit can use the written Word to enable us to proclaim the Word in defense against the assault we receive, and when the Spirit brings forth that response to the assault. The word is then fleshed out in our lives. The logos of Christ is in appearance. Here's an important fact. Ready? You cannot protect yourself. You can't learn enough good techniques to fend off the attack of the enemy. You and I must know the Word. We must know the Word of God, and we must walk in the fellowship of the Spirit. When we know the Word and walk in fellowship with the Spirit, every battle is won by God on our behalf. If we do not, we will lose every battle with the kingdom of darkness. We need God's grace, let's pray. We come to you as needy people and thankful people. We pray that you would help us to walk in the power of your spirit in accordance with the truth that you've given to us. Minister your grace in our lives. Accomplish your purposes. Make us like your son. Protect us from the deceitful plots of Satan. Help us to be willing. to know, understand, memorize your word that you might use these things in us by your spirit for your glory. In Jesus name, amen.