I will read my bible!
· read it everyday
· read it raw
· read it fast or slow
Why?
Because God breathed it…All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16
Why? 2 weeks ago Tim said this…
Here is the bottom line…
…If you want to know what is true about God
…if you want to know what is true about you
…if you want encouragement, affirmation, confidence, and hope
…if you want a clear sense that you are loved and important to God
…if you want your life to be complete
…then you had better make the time to read, listen to, and breathe in the words of the Bible
Why? Last week…Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
· two kinds of light represented by the Bible: direct (flashlight) and indirect (the dawn)
The Bible is the piercing light of revelation and it is the dawning light of hope.
the Bible shines light into the darkness of…
Ø Darkness of loneliness.
· it’s dark when you have no place.
· It’s dark when you have no community or even in your community you feel isolated
Ø The darkness of God’s absence. Where are you God darkness? Knocking on the door of heaven and getting nothing darkness.
o This is the darkness of a broken heart/ shattered dream/aching body/ deep depression…when you cannot find God.
o You read and there He is!
Ø The darkness of self-deception
o it is dark when you don’t know what’s going on inside of you
o the Bible acts like a mirror
Ø The darkness of calling…the obscurity of destiny…the murkiness of your next move
o EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME wants to know who they are, why they are here, what should they do…
Ø The darkness of fools and evil people
o the darkness caused by manipulating bosses, horrible demeaning co-workers, humiliating spouses, even dangerous children
The Bible is the piercing light of revelation and it is the dawning light of hope.
Today I want to wrap up this mini-series by looking at yet another reason to read the Bible… to counter the attack of the enemy…
Ephesians 6:12 page 980
Several weeks ago we discussed this at length.
· Satan and demons are real things and they are bent on harassing and hurting us
Vs. 12 - For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
· side note: I’ve heard a good number of stories of people who have done the “Iron Man thing” and been successful!
Let’s go on…
Vs. 13-18a Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet,
· Now, I’m sure this is obvious but let me point out that to this point all of this armament is defensive
o And if you “put on” these pieces of armor… you will be protected from the attack BUT YOU WILL NOT STOP IT. IT MIGHT EVEN KEEP COMING.
· If you want to actually win these battles with the enemy you will need weapons. And you have been given 2 offensive weapons:
Vs 17 b – 18 …and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
· You have prayer and the Bible. (sword of the Spirit or sword the Spirit wields)
· Back in August and September we talked at length about the essential nature of prayer but how does the Bible work as a weapon? \
o How does the Word of God actually beat the bad guys? Well, let’s understand the bad guys:
The devil…was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
In just one brief verse there are 5 different ways to describe our enemy’s main tactic against us: He kills us with lies!
· Lies, Deception, distortion, falsehoods and disinformation – all instruments of death.
And THAT is why the bible is so crucial as our own weapon! – the Bible is a library of truth.
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:2-4
In short: The Bible is a weapon of truth in a world full of lies.
Let me repeat what I said earlier…you will never defeat the evil one without prayer and without the Word of God. You might withstand him but you will not beat him.
So…with all that in mind we are going to do something unusual for the rest of our time. We are going to go to war.
· we are going to go on the attack
· we are going to take on the lies that bedevil you.
Here’s how:
· I will call out a number of lies…many of which you have deceived into believing about yourself and life.
· We will then attack them with scripture.
o they will be on the screen
o read by Denise Adair and Keith Carlson
· we will take our time…leave them on the screen as you meditate on the truth.
o You can agree by saying Amen…or Thank you Lord.
I believe that in the next few moments some of you are going to be healed and delivered!
Full screen on any that can’t fit in lower 3rds
the lie: God doesn’t care about you :
· I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart... Jeremiah 1:5
· You (God) keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8
· The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
the lie: You are not loved.
· No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39
the lie: You are all alone:
· This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
· The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:1-6
the lie: Your sins are too bad to forgive:
· But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9
· But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
· So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
the lie: You will never amount to anything:
· For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
· For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
the lie: God will not answer your prayer:
· You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:1-14
· And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
the lie: You will never be well again:
· But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
the lie: There is no hope:
· The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him. Lamentations 3:22-24
the lie: things are out of control: (for those of you with anxiety)
· I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27
· Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29
My friends…
· the moment you walk out of here you will be attacked with lies.
· that is why it is not trite or cliché to say: I will read my bible!
Because reading your bible is a matter of life and death!
Prayer