We can be ready by using the truth, righteousness, peace, faith and the Word of God to stand against the difficulties of life. These elements together form the full armor of God, equipping believers to stand firm against spiritual challenges and adversities.
[00:00:00] We're going to be ready to get the one on the knees, Let us pray, we're going to gather on our knees. And I fall on my knees with my face to the rise in sun, Oh Lord, we're going to see on the knees.
[00:00:27] Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock. The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of harvest international. Our prayer is that the Bible Speaks will encourage you in your study of God's Word.
[00:00:38] You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast. And now, here's Elgin. Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior Jesus Christ, to another edition of the Bible Speaks.
[00:00:56] And today, Sister Julian and I are going to be speaking on the topic of, I'm going to be ready. Our spiritual inspiration comes from Ephesians chapter 6, verse 11, And reading from the new international version, it reads,
[00:01:17] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
[00:01:30] against the authorities, against the power of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.
[00:01:48] And after you have done everything to stand. As believers, we need to be ready and prepared for whatever the devil throws at us. It's his job to distract, discourage and do whatever he can to keep us from focusing on God and fulfilling our purpose.
[00:02:09] First Peter 5, verses 8 through 9, reading from the new international version reads, Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
[00:02:26] Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering. Satan often employs self-doubt and tough times as tool to weaken our resolve,
[00:02:43] and present us from boldly accomplishing the purpose God has for our lives. By planning sees of doubt in our mind, he makes us question our abilities, worthiness, and the validity of God's calling. During challenging periods, he amplifies feelings of inadequacy and fear,
[00:03:04] hoping to paralyze us with uncertainty and discourages from acting. This doesn't always manifest itself in direct attacks on us, but through other people. Whether it's a co-worker who is holding up your progress waiting for them to fulfill their part,
[00:03:24] or the person in front of you driving 15 miles below the speed limit. If we allow those things to alter our ability to stay focused, we may miss guidance from the Holy Spirit that will bring a solution. Hello everyone, second Corinthians chapter 10, verses 4 and 5 from the NIV reads,
[00:03:46] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish stronghold. We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
[00:04:09] Have you ever had a day when one thing after another, one person after another, one situation after another tries to irritate, frustrate, and anger you? If you recognize this as an attempt by the devil to get you to act out of character,
[00:04:27] or allow anger to cause you to sin, you can use prayer or scripture to calm your spirit. What we have to remember is Satan is not omniscient. He has no idea the purpose God has for you. Nor can he read your mind.
[00:04:49] But what he can do is try to move you into a situation he can control. The reason for that is he is certain that if you are being driven by a situation he is controlling,
[00:05:02] it is far less likely that you are on the path to accomplish God's will for your life. Fortunately for us, Romans 8 and 28 tells us, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the call according to His purpose.
[00:05:25] So even though we may get off track, God will use that experience to make a stronger so we can move on to greater works for the kingdom.
[00:05:38] The Bible gives us instructions on how to be ready for the attacks that come by putting on the whole armor of God. Being ready means being able to recognize the weapon that we use and then preparing ourselves spiritually and mentally to fend off His attacks.
[00:05:57] While the whole armor is necessary, I wanted to focus on two specific pieces. The shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. The shield of faith is critical because it's both a defensive and offensive weapon.
[00:06:14] On defense, the shield protects against attacks you can see those that are designed to directly come against you. For example, imagine you unexpectedly lose your job. The devil may attack you with lies such as your failure. God doesn't care about you and you'll never find another job.
[00:06:36] We as believers can use the shield of faith by taking practical steps in faith, such as applying for new jobs, updating your resume and seeking God's direction for the next steps. But most importantly, believing that God is in control and will guide and provide.
[00:06:58] As an offensive weapon, the shield can be used to push through feelings of fear, doubt and unbelief. Which are more internal feelings driven by past experiences. This is why Paul tells us in Philippians 3 verses 13 through 14. Brotherhood, I do not count myself to have apprehended.
[00:07:20] But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal of the prize of the upper call of God in Christ Jesus. It's so much easier to press with the shield protecting you.
[00:07:41] The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It holds the key to every situation we could ever face. No matter what you are going through or are growing too, there is a book in the Bible to address it.
[00:07:56] Therefore, when you are faced with a situation where you don't know what to do or to say, grab the word. For example, you may say that the Bible was written thousands of years ago. What could it know about AI taking my job?
[00:08:13] I would say, go to Isaiah 54 verses 16 through 17A which read, behold, I have created the Smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the writer to destroy. Therefore, no weapon formed against you shall prosper.
[00:08:38] What God is saying is he created the person who created the technology that produced AI and the person in your company who is considering using AI to potentially take your position.
[00:08:50] Therefore, when we see God for how we should respond or what actions we should take, the solution is in his word and promises. For me it is the breastplate of righteousness. The word tells us in Philippians 4 and 7 English standard version.
[00:09:09] And the piece of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. For example, if we as a believer are working in a competitive corporate environment where unethical practices such as dishonesty, manipulation, cutting corners are common.
[00:09:32] The devil may try tempting us to compromise our integrity to achieve success or avoid conflict. In this scenario the breastplate of righteousness can be used to give us strength, to pray for guidance and uphold righteousness.
[00:09:49] Trusting that God will honor our commitment and provide a way to accomplish his will without compromising our values. In fact, 1 Corinthians 10 and 13 assures us. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.
[00:10:10] And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. In maintaining our integrity, we serve as a witness to others in the workplace.
[00:10:29] Demonstrating the importance of righteousness and influencing others to consider ethical practices. Brothers and sisters, we can be ready by using the truth, righteousness, peace, faith and the Word of God to stand against the difficulties of life.
[00:10:47] These elements together form the full armor of God equipping us to stand firm against spiritual challenges and adversities. We thank you for spending time with us on today, and we look forward to our conversation on tomorrow. Until then, God bless.
[00:11:15] This program is cared for by listeners who care, your prayers and financial investment in this ministry helps to keep the good news on the air. We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to write us at harvest international post office box 66690 O'Cala Florida 3448.
[00:11:36] Again, that's harvest international post office box 66690 O'Cala Florida 3448. Thank you.