DATE: OCTOBER 3RD, 2020
PREACHER: OUR FATHER IN THE LORD, PASTOR W.F. KUMUYI
LOCATION: LIVE FROM LEKKI DISTRICT, LAGOS ISLAND GROUP
TOPIC: GOD’S ARMOUR FOR HIS ARMY OF CONSECRATED SAINTS
TEXT: EPHESIANS 6:10-20
* 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
* 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
* 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.
* 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.
* 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
* 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
* 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
* 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
* 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
* 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,
* 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
This message was addressed to believers, children of God who are washed in the blood of the Lamb. They have repented of their sins, turned away from their evil and come in full repentance and total reliance on the Lord. They have become soldiers in the army of the Lord. They are consecrated, committed and have a work to do, and a fight to fight. They have a field to possess and souls to win unto the Lord.
Because of this, they need the armour of God. Spiritual battles cannot be fought with carnal weapons. That is why we are counseled to wear the whole armour of God as an army of consecrated saints.
A. THE WONDER OF OUR PRIVILEGE IN HEAVENLY PLACES. Ephesians 6:10
To have this privilege, you have to be in the Lord through salvation and conversion, and you must abide, not going in and coming out. You remain in the Lord so you can be strong.
We get His power and might when we are sanctified and baptized in the Holy Ghost. Thus, we live, walk, move and act in the power of the spirit of God (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6).
Why are we supposed to be strong? Because the enemies fighting against us are not weak. The world, demons and messengers of Satan fighting against our progress are not weak. If they are strong and we are weak, we cannot guarantee our victory. It is when we are stronger than them that we can be sure to win.
This is why tonight you have to pray for strength and power to overcome them.
1. Be Strong And Courageous (Joshua 1:5-9)
By the power of God, you will be strong all the days of your life. The Lord promises to be with you and not fail you. To be pastors, women leaders, youth leaders, children leaders successfully, you must be strong and very courageous.
You must not be weak but consistently strong, not up and down, retrogressing and not making progress, but you must be strong, whatever comes your way. Let the weak say, I am strong. The Lord is with you wherever you are in any state, region, community, etc.
2. Be Strong For The Commission. I Chronicles 22:12-13,19
This is the charge and commission God gave to Solomon through his father, David, that he should be strong and courageous, and follow the word of God in ruling the people of Israel.
The Lord has commissioned us to evangelize, and build up the church, and families. The only way to achieve this is to be strong and courageous.
3. Be Strong To Earnestly Contend And Conquer. II Chronicles 32:7-8
God has given everyone of us in the church the charge to contend for the faith. If we are not strong and we are looking at people’s faces, afraid of this and that, we will not succeed. We must stand against anything working against the purpose of God in our lives and environment. There is more with us than those with the world. With us is the Lord our God to help us fight our battles. Our enemies will turn back with shame.
4. Be Strong With Covenant Companions. Haggai 2:4-9
In order to succeed, you must surround yourself with children of God who are in covenant relationship with Him. Be strong and courageous and the glory of the latter house shall be more than the former. Peace will reign in your life, profession and all that concern you in Jesus name.
5. Be Strong Against Corruption And Compromise.
Anywhere you are, corruption and compromise will not have a foothold. You must be strong against them and in the commission which the Lord has given you.
6. Be Strong With Commensurate Consecration. Ephesians 6:10-12
Years ago, you had limited challenges, but now, twenty years after, you have greater challenges, your consecration and commitment must be greater. Having the same level of consecration will not be enough to see you through or match the difficulties and challenges. Reasons why you need to always pray and pray through. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
7. Be Strong In The Conquering Captain. II Timothy 2:1-8
As soldiers for Christ, we must endure hardness. Some believers think that ministry should be a bed of roses. That is why when there is a little problem or hardness, they become scared and weak. I remember when I was in school, there were teachers who were so strict that when it was time to have their subjects, our hearts will be beating rapidly. Even then, with all their strictness, we were able to finish our education successfully.
B. THE WEAPONS AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES IN HIGH PLACES. Ephesians 6:11-13
If those principalities were in low places or in the valley, it will be easy to conquer them, but because they are in high places, it will take more efforts to overcome them. The pandemic came to every city and nation in the world, and it was like we will not be able to overcome it, but our being here today in the presence of God is a sign that we are overcoming it.
Some people are very quick to quit any project they start because of difficulties here and there, hence, their lives are filled with unfinished and uncompleted projects.
1. Not Carnal, Old Covenant Weapons. II Corinthians 10:4-5
The weapons we use today are different from those used in the Old Testament to fight physical battles. The battles we need to fight these days are spiritual. Anything that stands against the knowledge, grace and power of God we must bring down (Matthew 26:51-54). Here we see Peter trying to defend Jesus by cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest but He rebuked him sharply. That was the Old Testament way, not applicable to us today.
David came to the High Priest telling him that he was on an urgent mission from the king, which was a lie. He asked for a sword, but the priest said there was none except the weapon of Goliath, which he gave to David. Doeg saw this and reported to king Saul which resulted into him ordering the killing of 80 priests and a great regret and sorrow for David. That sword was eventually not useful for him even though he got it. Carnal weapons end up working against us, taking lives instead of building them.
2. Only Christ’s New Covenant Weapons. Hebrews 8:6-10
The weapons of prayer, the word of God, and the name of Jesus are better weapons and promises for our use today (Ephesians 6:11-15).
i). The Truth: Get, buy, possess and hold on to the truth even when you will get into trouble for it. Sometimes, the truth hurts. Regardless of the cost, anywhere you are: in the house, school, office, or church, speak and stand for the truth. I stood for the truth in my secondary school days even when I was yet to be saved.
ii). The Breastplate Of Righteousness. Jesus stood for the truth at all times. We must do the same.
iii). Preparation Of The Gospel Of Peace. Peace must be in our hearts and lives. We must be agents of peace everywhere we are.
3. The Christians’ All-Conquering Armour. Ephesians 6:16-18
Faith is a shield which will protect us from all harms and attacks. You do not need to go about looking for a leader to pray for you, all you need is faith. Faith got us saved and sanctified and granted us victory. Do not allow anything to make you doubt your salvation. Never remove your helmet of salvation whether you are with family, with friends, in the office or anywhere. Jesus conquered the devil with the word of God. It is handy for your use today.
Believers must pray always. Some cannot pray until they get to a particular place or have a particular posture. You can pray anytime and anywhere. Remember Jonah in the whale’s belly, he could not wait to come out before praying. He prayed right there in the belly of the fish. You must not wait to have a particular posture before praying. It is not the place or posture but the faith you manifest that makes your prayer to be answered. The prayer of Jonah was answered and the fish vomited him. Whatever swallowed you will vomit you, all that bind and hold you down are broken today in Jesus name.
You also pray for members of the church in your district or anywhere else. They may be sick or have any other problem. As you pray, God will answer. Believers are to pray for one another and not gossip or talk carelessly when others have problems.
C. OUR WILLINGNESS TO PREACH IN HARD PLACES.
There are hard places and we must be willing to preach in such places. As you do this, the Lord will take the words out of your mouth and make them fruitful. Where are the hard places of evangelism and ministry?
1. HARDENED PEOPLE (Ezekiel 3:5-6) There are hardened people like the children of Israel. The Lord told Ezekiel to not look at their faces, but to give them the word. Have you found such people in your zones, districts, regions or states and you are frustrated with them? The Lord will use the sword of the Spirit in your mouth to cut them down to their kneels. They will be convicted and converted in Jesus name.
2. HAUGHTY PRINCES (Daniel 4:27,37) Daniel did not hesitate to give King Nebuchadnezzar the message from God that he will be in the bush for seven years, eating grass like an animal. It actually came to pass as he said. When the king came back to the palace after seven years, he gave glory to God and acknowledged His greatness. We must not be afraid to minister to people in high places. We must give them the message of salvation as the Lord put them in our mouths. We must talk to them clearly about their sins, corruption, cruelty and love for money. Our message must not only be based on blessings as seen in Deuteronomy chapter 28.
3. HARD-HEARTED PARISHIONERS (Acts 2:14,36-42) These are people who go to church but are not born again. They were those who ate the bread of Jesus, drank his water but shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Peter preached to them telling them that though they crucified Him while freeing a thief, He arose. Their hearts were pricked and they asked what they should do to be saved. Peter told them to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and 3,000 of them were born again.
4. HATEFUL PERSECUTORS (Acts 9:11,17) God sent Ananias to the newly converted Saul. Though he was initially scared of him, later he went to deliver the message and Saul’s sight was restored and he also received a ministry. God can make ministers out of the persecutors.
5. HALTING PRODIGALS (I Kings ) After three and half years of famine, Prophet Elijah stood against 450 prophets of Baal. After fire came down, all the false prophets bowed and declared that power belong to God. The Lord will use us to bring down His fire so that the halting prodigals will be saved.
6. HELPLESS PLEASURE-SEEKERS (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11) These are people who are given to pleasures of the flesh, wine, and women like King Solomon. We are supposed to go and preach the gospel to them and the Lord will touch their hearts.
7. HEATHEN PHILOSOPHERS. When Apostle Paul was to speak to them, they sneered and said, what will this blabber say? But when the apostle preached to them, they climbed down from their height of philosophy. As we go to minister to such people, the Lord will touch them and they will come down from their ivory tower in Jesus name. Do not say you don’t know what to say, just speak the word of the gospel to them.
8. HORRIBLE PERSONS (Luke 10:3,9) Jesus told the disciples that He sent them among wolves to preach the gospel. They are people who are dangerous and destructive. So it is with us today, wherever we are sent to preach, we must go with all boldness and courage. As the disciples came back with testimonies of victory, so will it be with us. We will tread upon the serpents and scorpions, nothing will hurt us.
9. HURTING PEASANTS (Matthew 9:36-38) Jesus saw the people and they looked like sheep without shepherd. They were fainting and almost falling down. So it is with some people today who are hurting, tired and fainting. We bring the message of life to revive them, and they will be born again and know the Lord.
10. HYPOCRITICAL PRIESTS and PROPHETS (Jeremiah 2:8,13; Acts 6:7) These are people who claim to know the Lord but are hypocrites. Many of them got converted in the book of Acts. The Lord will grant such people genuine conversion as we go to them.
11. HARMFUL PASTORS and PREACHERS. These leaders force their people to remain in darkness, forbidding them to go to places where they can hear the word of life. Some even go to the extent of putting curses upon them. Definitely, such people will be afraid but we have to assure them that the curse will not harm them and the power of the gospel will penetrate their hearts.
12. HEDGED-IN PRISONERS (Isaiah 42:6-9; John 12:40-43) These ones are hedged in their synagogues. They are imprisoned in their temples and sanctuaries. When the man who was blind from birth got his sight restored, the Pharisees and rulers of the synagogue called and challenged him and his parents. The parents were afraid but the son was bold. He told them about the work of healing Jesus did by opening his eyes, and they drove him out of the synagogue which was useless to the people’s salvation, healing and deliverance anyway.
There are people like him who are hedged in in their denominations, they are threatened and warned to not go out. We must bring them out by preaching the word of life to them. We must compel them to come out of their sins and into the kingdom.
God will use you as He is using me. Let there be willingness in your heart to go everywhere, even to hard and difficult places to preach the gospel. We will preach and many souls will come to know the Lord.
Are you ready? The Lord is asking, “Who will go for us?” Rise up and tell the Lord, “Here am I, send me”.
* Pray for our Pastor that the Lord will uphold, strengthen and use him more.
Amen and Amen.
@‘Kemisola Omoyiola (SWTM03102020(157)
