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Show BRING OUT THE BIG GUN "Pray at all times and on every un the power if the Holy Ghost. (Ephesians 6: 18) NLr . This text out of due was occasion " penned by the apostle season Paul to the saints at Ephesus who were going through a number of challenges. Like the Church ofJ esus Christ today, they felt like they was in the midst of a battle, a battle for their souls. They needed to know that they were saved, that they understood the mystery of the Gospel, that they were living according to the will of God, that their walk matched their talk, and that the enemy after having counted the cost. So Paul reminded them that took on "we wrestle not against flesh and blood 1 against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual but wickedness in 6: 12) high places. In order to take " (Ephesians the enemy, believers would have to be thoroughly on prepared and properly dressed. They would need to be wearing the armour of God, to girt their loins with truth, to wear the breastplate of righteousness, to have their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, to hold the shield of faith, to to take the helmet of salvation, and fight with the sword of the which is the word of God. Spirit Properly dressed, they would be able to stand and having done all they could, they could stand anyhow. (Ephesians 2 6: 13-17) Since this is not spiritual and a physical battle but a one, there would still be more resources would be more required. Then, Paul said, when you have done the . best you can, it would be time to out the bi gun. During bring W orId War II and every war ground troops have dared to go into enemy territory with out air support. The Tuskegee Airman were the big gun that some soldiers refused to go to battle without. During my own Vietnam military experience, although we had M -16 rifles and grenades, we waited upon a huge one engine F -1 05 or a B-52 that was the big gun to deliver a since then, no pay load of bombs and other weapons. The text says, Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power 3 of the Holy Ghost. " The real big gun in this spiritual warfare is prayer. Prayer is talking with God just as if one was best friend. talking to Prayer is the use of language, thought, feeling, and concerns ones with confident that God hear and answer. cares and will Prayer is being communication and commune in with God nobody else can hear, or especially when nobody else can hear. Why is prayer the big gun? Prayer is the big gun because it is essential and vital to achieving success in a spiritual battle. It is the only even when . weapon that can blast the evils of the enemy. F ace to face, you can fight back with your Sword, but the enemy is great that the big gun of prayer is 4 so necessary. It will destroy their flaming swords. It will blow their weapons up. It will warp their wicked swords.· Those who do not pray yield to sin and fall So Paul says if we want to be successful, we must pray all prey to the enemy. the time, of the keep on Holy our every occasion in the power Ghost. We have to stay alert, eyes open, and persist not in vain and empty words but in our sincere prayers. Then and only then with enemy scattered by the big gun, can we ward off the fiery darts of the enemy. Second, prayer is the big gun because it places us in intimacy with God. What got Adam and Eve. in lasting trouble and cause them to be thrown out of the Garden of Eden 5 was eating the forbidden fruit and becoming naked They lost their innocence and their intimacy. They were hiding and no longer available to talk with God in the cool of the evening. David sinned, lost the joy of his salvation, and had to ask God for forgiveness and restoration. Jesus came robed in flesh that we might before God. be intimate with God. be on-line with to friend Him. to instagram with Him. have an folks use to say you because He is it God, Pray'allows us to on can The ole call Him the main line. anytime Third, prayer is the big gun because cause us men to focus on God. The two went up to pray but one of them stood and said what he said for hear. The other "Have mercy people to fell before God and cried, on me a 6 sinner." The first focused, like many of us, on people around him and the other focused on God. The so one focused on God did as said, Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore." II Chronicles 7: 14 put it simply, "If my people which are called by my name, Psalm 1 055: 4 shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Unplug from the TV and face book and all the other you from God. Plug things that distract in to the power source and God will fight your battles. Get hold of God in prayer and He will accomplish His purpose. 7 |
