Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Putting on the Armor of God: THE SHIELD


FIRST PRAISE & WORSHIP SUNDAY SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED AND UNABLED

“PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD: PART I:  THE SHIELD"

Ephesians 6:10 - 18
by Rev. Margaret Aranda, MD, Ph.D.




WELCOME! It is always my joy to bring to you the living Word of God! For those of you who have not been here before, a WARM WELCOME! And please “catch up” by reading previous Sunday Services applicable to this Sermon, which is more like an “ending” Sermon to other Sunday Praise & Worship lessons: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DrMargaretAranda/collections

While last week we looked at the list of evil spirits, and the Scriptures that referred to them, today we look at how we need to “Put on the Armor” to fight this battle. We have also lectured on “Living the Word of God”. We have talked about “Speaking Life into Your Life”. We discussed “Speaking Positive Words and Praise to God into every Storm”, every sinkhole, every struggle in your life. Now we will learn MORE on EXACTLY HOW we are to do this.

OPENING SONGS:

Let us start out by SPEAKING LIFE into every situation:
1. “Speak Life”
By TobyMac
Stop video at end of song.

In times of desperation, HAVE FAITH in our One Foundation. Say it with OUT LOUD, with your WORDS that create or destroy:

2. “”We Believe”
By Newsboys
Stop video at end of song.

Put your mind in order. Get your doubts, your imperfections, and line them up with how God sees you! He lives IN you!

3. “Greater”
By MercyMe
Stop video at end of song.

PRAISE REPORT:  Dear Lord, May our mouths speak Your Word whenever we open then, even if we are troubled. Amen.

PRAISE REPORT!!: Steven Mwesigwa, Pastor of Hope & Joy Ministries, and Caregiver to all our orphans, IS BETTER AND HIS FEVER IS GONE!  Now there is only 2 days of food for the orphans, so please tithe to him in Kampala, Uganda (MoneyGram). Talk to him here on FB. Thank you, Jesus!

PRAYER REQUEST:  Please also let us tithe our money to Pastor Sylivano Kahero, who also has 20 orphans’ mouths to feed, and clothes are needed also. Help us to feed and clothe them all, dear Lord, as a ministry should. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

PRAYER REQUEST:  Bless Susana Garcia, Amy Coleman, Bob Coleman-Long, Noah Moretears, Kirstie, Helen Whitman Waltz, Larry Cooper, John Denhollander, our widows, Noah Moretears, Briana Baca, Amy Coleman, and all others with chronic illness that need Your touch.

PRAYER REQUEST:  Lord, bless all who are depressed or thinking of suicide, that they have clear knowledge in their hearts that You know the number of hairs on their head, and You have their names written on Your Hand. Send them to us for comfort and strength. Amen.

SCRIPTURE (NASB) for PART I: “THE SHIELD OF GOD”
The Series: “THE ARMOR OF GOD”

 
SAME AS LAST WEEK:  Ephesians 6: 10 - 18: 

10: Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.

11: Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  (schemes = craftiness)

12: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13: Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

14: Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15: and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace;

16: in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.

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

18: With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

“I SURRENDER”
By Hillsong LIVE

For those of you who have been following with us, you will note that these are the SAME Scriptures we learned from last Sunday.  Again, the first thing that I notice about this blend of Scriptures is that not once, but twice are we told to “BE STRONG in the Lord,” that we are fighting the dark forces of the evil one, and we must wear ARMOR OF GOD to avoid evil schemes. In the Old Testament, warriors were sent out with a golden, expensive Shield and an arrow.

In the New Testament and today, we are in mortal combat with evil forces. This is not a game or a simulation. It is a real war. You better know the terrain, the enemy, how the enemy thinks, where the enemy likes to be staked, and when you are going to insert yourself into battle. ALL WARRIORS are INFORMED WARRIORS.

God is our Commander in Chief. He is our Highest, Most Glorious Officer and King! Listen to what He says about US and the fight we are in. You don’t have to GET READY for battle. You are IN IT NOW. Let the Word of God teach you what to do.

Let that sink in. If you do not know you are in mortal combat, you are a walking target. YOU are in mortal combat with evil spirits.

The Good News is that We have Authority over the power of the enemy:
Luke, Chapter 10:19:
Christ Himself says, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.”

Psalm 149:6 says,
“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand.”
Again we are reminded to Praise God in all things, even in battles where we are holding our two-edged sword!

And God has Given us His Armor:
1. The Shield of God
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness (& of Faith and Love)
3. The Helmet (of the Hope of Salvation)
4. Garments (of Vengeance)
5. Zeal (as a Mantle)
6. The Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)
7. Authority over all the Power of the Enemy
8. High Praises in our Mouths & a Two-Edged Sword in our Hands

Do you see how powerful your words are? Your Praises can overpower the devil.

Your glory to God, especially when you are sad, upset, sick, crying, hurt, mistreated, abused, battered, beaten, and downtrodden.....Your glory to God coming out of your Mouth means that GOD HAS WON! YOU REST YOUR LIFE ON GOD!

Everything can be taken away from you, and yet, undeniably and without comprehension, YOU WILL STILL PRAISE THE LORD! And Praise Him with the Word of God!

How many Scriptures do you know by heart?
How many burning arrows can you throw at the enemy?

How many songs of praise can you sing?
Do you care who can hear you when you sing after you vomit?

Are you born again? Have you accepted Christ as your Personal Savior? Do you know how to lead someone to Christ?

Do you know how to pray LIFE into your LIFE?
WATCH YOUR WORDS!

The word, “shield” immediately brings us images of battle, of defense, of being in a shadow of protection. Right? We can hide behind the Shield to protect ourselves from physical, bodily damage or death.

In Biblical times, the Shield was also used in the most common type of combat: up close and personal.  It was the major piece of DEFENSIVE equipment.  The Shield signifies protection, freedom from damage or death, confidence, and a huge bite of hope!

In Hebrew, the word is magen, appearing 63 times in the Bible (1). Translated, it mostly means a NOUN like a shield or buckler, (also defense or armed). Magen is from the root word ganan. This is a VERB that means to surround, cover, or defend. Looking in Easton’s Bible Dictionary, another perspective of the word magen is a shield “used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of other people.”

How precious it is to us that magen also denotes how God protects and shields His people; He has made this clear from the beginning of time with Abram. 

Open your Bibles to Genesis 15:1 = “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”  God’s promise extended to individuals like Moses and Abraham, to the country of Israel, offering full protection against such things as Pharaoh’s army.

Let us be comforted to know that God is our shield. This is His promise, His covenant to us who believe in Him and accept His Son, Jesus, as their personal Savior. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

We don’t have to ask for any “Victory” that God has already given us!


One thing that I notice is that when we put on the armor of God, we resist the devil, and we are encouraged to stand strong after that. We are always on guard. We don’t rest. Why do we stand firm? Because we are always ready for another fight, another instance where we will need to resist the devil. He does not come announcing his way, the devil. No, he is subtle and slimy and comes with deceit and temptation.

Resist. And still, stand strong. Now what is our armor? THINK ABOUT THIS AS YOU GATHER BREAD AND WINE FOR HOLY COMMUNION.


First, we can hide behind our great shield, if nothing else. YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT GOD IS OUR SHIELD!
Abram Promised a Son ] After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

Of Benjamin he said, “May the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day, And he dwells between His shoulders.”

“Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places.”

“New gods were chosen; Then war was in the gates. Not a shield or a spear was seen Among forty thousand in Israel.

The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.
(He needed a “Shield-carrier because of the weight)

Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him.

“O mountains of Gilboa, Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.

“As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your help makes me great.

King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of gold on each large shield. 
(~ $40,000 in shekels) x 200 shields = $8 MILLION)

He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using 3 minas of gold on each shield, & the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. (~ $20,000 in shekels) x 300 shields = $6 MILLION)

He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and he took everything, even taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house.

The priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord.

‘Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, “He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it.

The sons of Reuben and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, consisting of valiant men, men who bore shield and sword and shot with bow and were skillful in battle, were 44,760, who went to war.

From the Gadites there came over to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains.

The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for war.


Of Naphtali there were 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 with shield and spear.

David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of beaten gold on each large shield.
(~ $40,000 in shekels) x 200 shields = $8 MILLION)


He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three hundred shekels of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
(~ $20,000 in shekels) x 300 shields = $6 MILLION)

Let us use what we have learned today, and think of a problem in our life. Apply this song as we Praise the Name of God in spite of this problem:

“PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM”
By Casting Crowns



PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION: If you have not seen my 31 min video on Holy Communion, then I ask that you do NOT take HOLY Communion today.

REMEMBERING CHRIST’S DEATH: Please forgive us of all our sins, known and unknown. I forgive _________, whom I have disliked or even hated. Forgive me, Lord, and create in me a new heart.

TAKING OF THE BODY AND THE BLOOD: (1) We take this bread, which represents the body of Christ,  and eat it. Let it circulate through our bodies as a remembrance of Christ’s death for our sins. (2) DRINK THE BLOOD: Let every drop mix with your blood, renewing and rejuvenating all the circulation, healing all that it hits.

TIME FOR REFLECTION: You may kneel, sit, or lie in silence to absorb this great transition, the forgiveness of sins, THE CLEANSING OF YOUR SOUL, and life everlasting with Christ in Heaven.

CLOSING SONGS:
We are the Reason
by Avalon

Lead Me to the Cross
By Hillsong United

Agnus Dei
By Jotta A.

DISMISSAL PRAYER: Go serve the Lord. Feed the hungry and clothe the naked. Help the orphans and do this out of both Command and Cheer! In this way, you may Go in Peace to Love and Worship Our Lord God Almighty! You are dismissed. Amen.

FORGIVENESS & SALVATION TO BE BORN AGAIN:
To be “born again,” please note the PLAN OF SALVATION:
1.   All have sinned. (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8)
2.   There is a penalty for sin (Romans 6:23; John 3:18)
3.   You cannot save yourself (Titus 3:5; James 2:10)
4.   Salvation has been provided (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; John 14:6)
5.   The conditions are simple:    A. Repent (Luke 13:3); B Confess (1 John 1:9; Romans 10:9); C. Believe (Acts 16:31)
6.   Now is your time for a Decision (Joshua 24:15; 2 Corinth 6:2)

Do you repent for your sins?
Do you confess your sins to the Lord?
Do you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, into your heart?

If you answered “yeS” to all these questions, you are now a Born Again Christian! We love you! Welcome to the body of Christ! Confess it with your mouth, or write it here! You must say it out loud! Praise the Lord!



DISCUSSION: Let us ready ourselves to receive God’s Word:
“I SURRENDER”
By Hillsong LIVE




For those of you who have been following with us, you will note that these are the SAME Scriptures we learned from last Sunday.  Again, the first thing that I notice about this blend of Scriptures is that not once, but twice are we told to “BE STRONG in the Lord,” that we are fighting the dark forces of the evil one, and we must wear ARMOR OF GOD to avoid evil schemes. In the Old Testament, warriors were sent out with a golden, expensive Shield and an arrow.

In the New Testament and today, we are in mortal combat with evil forces. This is not a game or a simulation. It is a real war. You better know the terrain, the enemy, how the enemy thinks, where the enemy likes to be staked, and when you are going to insert yourself into battle. ALL WARRIORS are INFORMED WARRIORS.

God is our Commander in Chief. He is our Highest, Most Glorious Officer and King! Listen to what He says about US and the fight we are in. You don’t have to GET READY for battle. You are IN IT NOW. Let the Word of God teach you what to do.

Let that sink in. If you do not know you are in mortal combat, you are a walking target. YOU are in mortal combat with evil spirits.

The Good News is that We have Authority over the power of the enemy:
Luke, Chapter 10:19:
Christ Himself says, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.”

Psalm 149:6 says,
“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand.”
Again we are reminded to Praise God in all things, even in battles where we are holding our two-edged sword!

And God has Given us His Armor:
1. The Shield of God
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness (& of Faith and Love)
3. The Helmet (of the Hope of Salvation)
4. Garments (of Vengeance)
5. Zeal (as a Mantle)
6. The Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)
7. Authority over all the Power of the Enemy
8. High Praises in our Mouths & a Two-Edged Sword in our Hands

Do you see how powerful your words are? Your Praises can overpower the devil.

Your glory to God, especially when you are sad, upset, sick, crying, hurt, mistreated, abused, battered, beaten, and downtrodden.....Your glory to God coming out of your Mouth means that GOD HAS WON! YOU REST YOUR LIFE ON GOD!

Everything can be taken away from you, and yet, undeniably and without comprehension, YOU WILL STILL PRAISE THE LORD! And Praise Him with the Word of God!

How many Scriptures do you know by heart?
How many burning arrows can you throw at the enemy?

How many songs of praise can you sing?
Do you care who can hear you when you sing after you vomit?

Are you born again? Have you accepted Christ as your Personal Savior? Do you know how to lead someone to Christ?

Do you know how to pray LIFE into your LIFE?
WATCH YOUR WORDS!

The word, “shield” immediately brings us images of battle, of defense, of being in a shadow of protection. Right? We can hide behind the Shield to protect ourselves from physical, bodily damage or death.

In Biblical times, the Shield was also used in the most common type of combat: up close and personal.  It was the major piece of DEFENSIVE equipment.  The Shield signifies protection, freedom from damage or death, confidence, and a huge bite of hope!

In Hebrew, the word is magen, appearing 63 times in the Bible (1). Translated, it mostly means a NOUN like a shield or buckler, (also defense or armed). Magen is from the root word ganan. This is a VERB that means to surround, cover, or defend. Looking in Easton’s Bible Dictionary, another perspective of the word magen is a shield “used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of other people.”

How precious it is to us that magen also denotes how God protects and shields His people; He has made this clear from the beginning of time with Abram. 

Open your Bibles to Genesis 15:1 = “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”  God’s promise extended to individuals like Moses and Abraham, to the country of Israel, offering full protection against such things as Pharaoh’s army.

Let us be comforted to know that God is our shield. This is His promise, His covenant to us who believe in Him and accept His Son, Jesus, as their personal Savior. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

We don’t have to ask for any “Victory” that God has already given us!


One thing that I notice is that when we put on the armor of God, we resist the devil, and we are encouraged to stand strong after that. We are always on guard. We don’t rest. Why do we stand firm? Because we are always ready for another fight, another instance where we will need to resist the devil. He does not come announcing his way, the devil. No, he is subtle and slimy and comes with deceit and temptation.

Resist. And still, stand strong. Now what is our armor? THINK ABOUT THIS AS YOU GATHER BREAD AND WINE FOR HOLY COMMUNION.


First, we can hide behind our great shield, if nothing else. YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT GOD IS OUR SHIELD!
Abram Promised a Son ] After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

Of Benjamin he said, “May the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day, And he dwells between His shoulders.”

“Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places.”

“New gods were chosen; Then war was in the gates. Not a shield or a spear was seen Among forty thousand in Israel.

The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.
(He needed a “Shield-carrier because of the weight)

Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him.

“O mountains of Gilboa, Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.

“As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your help makes me great.

King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of gold on each large shield. 
(~ $40,000 in shekels) x 200 shields = $8 MILLION)

He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using 3 minas of gold on each shield, & the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. (~ $20,000 in shekels) x 300 shields = $6 MILLION)

He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and he took everything, even taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.



So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house.

The priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord.

‘Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, “He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it.

The sons of Reuben and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, consisting of valiant men, men who bore shield and sword and shot with bow and were skillful in battle, were 44,760, who went to war.

From the Gadites there came over to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains.

The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for war.


Of Naphtali there were 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 with shield and spear.

David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of beaten gold on each large shield.
(~ $40,000 in shekels) x 200 shields = $8 MILLION)


He made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three hundred shekels of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
(~ $20,000 in shekels) x 300 shields = $6 MILLION)

Let us use what we have learned today, and think of a problem in our life. Apply this song as we Praise the Name of God in spite of this problem:

“PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM”
By Casting Crowns



PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION: If you have not seen my 31 min video on Holy Communion, then I ask that you do NOT take HOLY Communion today.

REMEMBERING CHRIST’S DEATH: Please forgive us of all our sins, known and unknown. I forgive _________, whom I have disliked or even hated. Forgive me, Lord, and create in me a new heart.

TAKING OF THE BODY AND THE BLOOD: (1) We take this bread, which represents the body of Christ,  and eat it. Let it circulate through our bodies as a remembrance of Christ’s death for our sins. (2) DRINK THE BLOOD: Let every drop mix with your blood, renewing and rejuvenating all the circulation, healing all that it hits.

TIME FOR REFLECTION: You may kneel, sit, or lie in silence to absorb this great transition, the forgiveness of sins, THE CLEANSING OF YOUR SOUL, and life everlasting with Christ in Heaven.

CLOSING SONGS:
We are the Reason
by Avalon

Lead Me to the Cross
By Hillsong United

Agnus Dei
By Jotta A.

DISMISSAL PRAYER: Go serve the Lord. Feed the hungry and clothe the naked. Help the orphans and do this out of both Command and Cheer! In this way, you may Go in Peace to Love and Worship Our Lord God Almighty! You are dismissed. Amen.

FORGIVENESS & SALVATION TO BE BORN AGAIN:
To be “born again,” please note the PLAN OF SALVATION:
1.   All have sinned. (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8)
2.   There is a penalty for sin (Romans 6:23; John 3:18)
3.   You cannot save yourself (Titus 3:5; James 2:10)
4.   Salvation has been provided (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; John 14:6)
5.   The conditions are simple:    A. Repent (Luke 13:3); B Confess (1 John 1:9; Romans 10:9); C. Believe (Acts 16:31)
6.   Now is your time for a Decision (Joshua 24:15; 2 Corinth 6:2)

Do you repent for your sins?
Do you confess your sins to the Lord?
Do you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, into your heart?

If you answered “yeS” to all these questions, you are now a Born Again Christian! We love you! Welcome to the body of Christ! Confess it with your mouth, or write it here! You must say it out loud! Praise the Lord!



GOD IS OUR SHIELD. 
THAT SHOULD BE 99% OF WHAT WE NEED TO FIGHT.
AMEN!






























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