Equipping Ourselves For The Battle
In our previous message ” Fighting The Good Fight Of Faith” we learned that living in the world of unbelievers comes with many challenges; but we as the body of Christ must learn to be like Jesus in all our interactions with the lost and each other, and even with ourselves. Today’s message teaches us the some of the required skills needed for “Equipping Ourselves For The Battle”
Old Testament Scripture Reading Zechariah 4:1 – 6 (KJV)
Zec 4:1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
Zec 4:2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
Zec 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
Zec 4:4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
Zec 4:5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1 – 4 (NASB)
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Heb 12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
Transforming Power Statements / Special Scripture Notes:
1) The vision given to all the prophets, from Moses to John, was issued by God through the ministry of angels and is perfectly accurate. It delivers faith to each believer, which grants those who trust in it authority over fear, doubt, and failure, and supplies the power of the Holy Spirit for the execution of God’s will.
2) Zechariah four, is the fourth vision from God, which lays out God’s plans for His people, even though they are presently under the leadership of Darius, ( a foreign ruler!) stating that God’s Temple which was destroyed by unbelievers is going to be built again soon, and that Zerubbabel (Mat 1:12) who started to build God’s Temple at that time would complete is no matter how things appeared!
3) The writer to the Hebrews in like manner, reminds the Church to fix our eyes on Jesus Who is not only the “Author” but also “The Finisher” of our faith; Who has perfected everything by Himself required By God His Father to be the ONLY PERFECT MEDIATOR between God and man!
Looking forward to hearing the sermon today.