Turkeys and Eagles – Part 6: We Don’t Need to Be Wimpy Christians

Turkeys and Eagles – Part 6: We Don’t Need to Be Wimpy Christians

MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Series Overview: This Series has been looking at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to point out “Turkeyisms” – things by which have duped us into believing or behaving in ways which aren’t what Christianity is all about. This Series has pointed out some changes in our thinking needed so that we can be like “Eagles” -- o be the people that God wants and intended for us to be. This Sermon will focus on Ephesians 6.

Sermon: Turkey Thinking: “There is no real devil; the devil is just a concept to explain evil.” (The devil’s best trick is to get us to believe there is no devil.); Eagle Thinking: “The devil and his cohorts never sleep.”  Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”. How does one know if they are being tempted by the enemy? We know we are being tempted by the enemy when we are influenced to do something against Jesus -- the enemy wants to make us a weak Christian. However, we can’t blame the temptations of our flesh on the devil. We need to always be clothed in the full armor of God to be full-time soldiers of Jesus against the devil.

Turkey Thinking: “There is no spiritual warfare; Christianity is love, joy, and peace. Christianity is not about war.”; Eagle Thinking: “If I am serving the Lord, then I am always engaged in a spiritual battle.”. In this battle, we are not battling our fellow humans. One of the enemy’s best strategies is to get us fighting each other, especially in the church.  The devil wants us to divide and conquer. We must put on the full armor of God so that we can stand firm against the devil. The “full armor” means we are to both seek and speak God’s truth while establishing a relationship with God. We are to live a righteous life in the full awareness that God has forgiven us. In standing firm and with our relationship with God, we are to share the Gospel. We are to “take up the shield of faith” by trusting in God in our warfare with the devil.

The evil one wants us to doubt our Salvation from God’s Grace and our faith that ensure eternal life with Jesus. Finally, we are to “take up the sword of the Spirit” – the Word of God. In Ephesians 6, the sword is the only element, of God’s full armor, that is for both offense as well as defense. Paul then tells us “to pray in the Holy Spirit” – praying while fully focused on the Lord; prayer is the most powerful weapon we have in our fight against the devil. God wants us to be strong in Him” and not wimpy Christians in our warfare with the evil one.

 

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ephesians 6:10-20; Matthew 13:19-21; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 4:12.

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