Brother Gary Kelly Wednesday Evening 9/26/12

Brother Gary Kelly Wednesday Evening 9/26/12

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Eph 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Eph 6:20  For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Prepared to pray:  Eph 6:10 we are encouraged by the Word of God and the Spirit of God to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  It is important that we put on the whole armor of God. 

Gain ground.  We must take the ground by faith, we must see the need, be challenged, measure and take that ground.  We must put on the whole armor of God and understand that we are dealing with the adversary, the devil, which uses tricks. 

There are things that are not sinful in that thought, but are time wasters.  I’m not preaching against the internet, but there are times that the enemy tricks us into finding out some things that are detrimental for us to know.  We need to let God draw that line of how much we can focus on other things and still stay focused on what God wants us to do here in Sanders County and in our time world. 

The ‘wiles of the devil’ means the tricks of the devil.  Paul told us that this is not a literal combative situation of us wrestling with people.  We cannot wrestle people into the church of God nor can we arm-wrestle the devil.  The devil has used lots of things down through the years to hinder precious souls.  There is nothing new.  The tricks he uses are old tricks.  What he has done to whoever it might be in the beginning of the Gospel Day is no different than what he tries at the end of the Gospel Day.

It is important that we have on the whole armor of God and recognize that what is working is an old principal that is working to cause people to not be able to pray.  We are warring against powers.  The horror of darkness: when you and I see what is happening to souls that are away from God and being moved further away from God.  People are either coming toward God or moving away from God. There are not people that are in neutral ground. 

We are wrestling against the rulers of the darkness of this world.  People are either under the light of the Gospel and being ruled by its light or they are being ruled by darkness. Many people are in bondage to people that have led them into darkness.  May God help us to realize that the rulers of darkness have very strong spirits.  They rule.  Whatever spirit of darkness that others are under will jump out to where ever you and I might be to see if there is any sympathy. 

Any that left God and backslid are seven times worse than they ever were.  If we leave God and backslide then we will be seven times worse than we ever were.  When people leave God and truth there is a reason that they do.

Spiritual wickedness in high places: There is nothing worse than people backsliding and still claiming to be saved.

We must have the armor on in order to stand.  Otherwise we will be wishy washy and a strong spirit will move on us and make us wonder if we are saved or whether they are the ones that are saved.

The armor is what is necessary in order for us to pray.  If there is any need in any of our lives it is prayer. 

“Having our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace”, the way we reach that is by prayer. If we don’t pray than there is no way that we can ever have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace.  People can work and knock on doors yet not have a changed life.

When we go to prayer, study the word of God or do anything for God we need to “above all take the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy”.  When you begin to pray, it is almost immediate that fiery darts start coming to distract you.  You need the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit: which is the Word of God.

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

There are definitely times and they are right times when we pray for the Lost.  God moved on the Apostle Paul to write to the church at Ephesus to pray and supplicate: to watch and have earnest persistence with God for the saints.  No saint has the attitude that, “I don’t need prayer.”  We really need each other’s persistent supplicating in prayer.

We need to have earnest persistence: praying always with all prayer and supplication.  This is healthy when we feel the need of the saints of God’s prayer.  How broken are we for the needs all around us?  We hear these prayer requests that are wrenching, for Brook, for Rebecca, who without divine intervention the situation is hopeless.  Unless there is divine intervention there is no help.

My God help us to first pray for ourselves that we be broken so that we feel the lostness of souls, broken so we feel the dependency on God.  As Bro Bill and Sister Sue get ready to teach Sunday School, they need to feel their dependency on God.  The choir must be broken, “God how I need you.”  The singer must be broken; if you want entertainment then you can buy a cd. 

I think of whomever God is going to use to speak to a soul between now and Sunday.  I believe that God wants to use someone in this audience to speak to a soul between now and Sunday.  I know that if it is me and if I’m not broken then God cannot use me. 

Oh to be broken!  Our prayers for one another: he that falls on the rock will be broken, but he that the rock falls on will be ground to powder.  You and I don’t pronounce that judgment, it is God.  You and I have that opportunity to be broken now.

Watch thereunto supplicate for all the saints.  That thought of supplicating is, “God, Help me to not be distracted.  Help me to not be distracted by my age, by the many phone calls that come, by my anxiousness, help me that I will be rightly related to you so that I can fill the position you have placed me in and so that I can reach the lost.  Help me to be able to convey to those around me, my grandchildren, and my sons in law that God is real.  Help me to be so broken before God that my sons-in-laws feel conviction in my presence.

For all those that want to be as the grape that goes into the press and comes out broken for God:

Eph 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Eph 6:20  For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Paul said that, “I’m an ambassador in bonds.”  The King of kings has chosen you as an ambassador.  When He placed you to talk to that man, women, or child, it is not you; you are the ambassador for Him.  There is somebody that I want to talk to.  Pray for me, I’m begging you.  I am an ambassador for the king. 

Eph 6:23  Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 6:24  Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.

Peace, love, and grace!