Defense Wins Championships
Evangelist Ethan Elms Preached on 2/9/2025
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54:24
Summary
Evangelist Ethan Elms explores the armor of God, emphasizing that faith serves as our primary defense against spiritual attacks. Even imperfect faith, when brought to Jesus, is enough to sustain us and win the battle.
Key points
- •The Christian life is a spiritual war, requiring the armor of God as a practical necessity rather than just a metaphor.
- •Faith functions primarily as a shield, which is a defensive tool meant to quench 'fiery darts' and protect the soldier to keep fighting another day.
- •Faith doesn't have to be perfect or without doubt to be effective, as Jesus responds to those who honestly ask for help with their unbelief.
- •Believers find strength by locking their 'shields of faith' together, supporting one another through collective prayer and unity.
- •A 'just' person is not someone who never fails, but someone who continues to get back up every time they fall.
Scripture
Spiritual Warfare
Faith
Armor of God
Unity
Perseverance
Life application
When you hear thoughts of doubt or condemnation this week, consciously 'raise your shield' by reciting what you know to be true about God's character. If your own faith feels weak, reach out to a brother or sister in the church to 'lock shields' through shared prayer.
Reflection questions
- Which piece of the armor of God do you find easiest to put on, and which do you struggle with the most?
- What are some 'fiery darts' (negative thoughts or lies) that have been aimed at you recently?
- How can you distinguish between being 'healed' by a miracle and being 'made whole' by a relationship with Jesus?
- In what ways can you help carry someone else's burden this week to reinforce their shield of faith?
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Full transcript
0:00chairs there have been many let me start
0:02my timer so I don't go long there have
0:03been
0:04many great defenses in the past of the
0:07NFL all right defenses that practically
0:10won the Lombardi trophy for their
0:12franchises in 2015 the Denver Broncos
0:16their defense was called the noly Zone
0:17and they completely held the reigning
0:20MVP Cam Newton to immediately 10 points
0:23and practically won that game for their
0:26team 2013 the
0:28Broncos had the highest scoring offense
0:32and this was my pleasure to watch as
0:34their offense was shut down by the
0:36legion of boom with Cam Chancellor
0:39Richard Sherman Bobby Wagner great
0:43defense in 2012 the Buccaneers won the
0:45Super Bowl basically because of their
0:47their Mammoth of a defensive lineup I
0:50could keep going the Baltimore Ravens
0:51did the same thing in 2000 uh you can
0:54know that this also happened in a time
0:56when I'm sure everybody here knows about
0:59a great defense spearheaded what is
1:01known as the greatest football team 1972
1:05the Miami
1:08Dolphins you better amen like that
1:09through the entire message by the way
1:12the Miami Dolphins the greatest football
1:15team that's right you take the ball from
1:18goal to
1:19goal like no one's ever
1:22seen we get so many analogies from the
1:24sports that that we play today I don't
1:27even know if we we notice it one of the
1:29most annoying things to read in a work
1:31email is just checking Bass with you but
1:34that is a a sports term it comes from
1:36baseball there's uh the the first time
1:39we heard somebody calling the shots it
1:41came from when you're playing Billiards
1:42you're playing pool if you really didn't
1:45do a good job you might not say anything
1:48but you if you did a great job you'd say
1:50I I knocked it out of the park it's a
1:52baseball reference but it's become
1:54pretty typical you may say it's time to
1:56throw in the towel when you feel like
1:58quitting but that's a boxing reference
2:00when your man when your players getting
2:02so beat up you just you got to just end
2:03it the coach will throw in the towel and
2:05call the fight and it's over even the
2:08saying it's coming down to the wire
2:10comes from horse racing these are things
2:12you didn't even know just because it's
2:13become so commonplace but it's Sports
2:15analogies and sports analogies
2:18themselves weren't started with the NFL
2:19or the NBA or the MLB Paul uses a few
2:23Sports analogies he he talks about races
2:26he says um know ye not that they which
2:29run in a race run all but one receiveth
2:32the prize so run that she might obtain
2:37it was just the analogy that was tied to
2:39the time that Paul was living in much
2:41like touching Bass with our employees
2:44today however far more often in
2:48scripture the analogy that Paul uses is
2:50more current with the time he was living
2:52in and it's not one of sports there was
2:54Sports Olympics wasn't far from being
2:57created when Paul was around
2:59but for the most part the thing he uses
3:02the most is is this analogy of a
3:07soldier this
3:09comparison was more than sports sports
3:11was maybe for the elect few the only
3:13only the rich had time for sports but
3:15everybody knew what the soldiers were
3:17they walked around all over the place
3:19I'll give you a few examples of this 1
3:20Timothy 6:12 fight the good fight of
3:23Faith lay hold on eternal life where
3:24unto thou are also called and H has
3:27professed a good profession before many
3:29witnesses again in 2 Timothy 2:3 thou
3:32therefore endure hardness as a good good
3:35soldier of Jesus Christ second Timothy
3:394:7 I have fought the good fight I have
3:42finished my course I have kept the faith
3:47this is language that the the Christians
3:49would have known very well they were
3:51actually afraid and knew very well not
3:53to mess with these Roman
3:56soldiers Paul knowing that this
3:58comparison would hit home with a A
4:00persecuted church he continued to use
4:04this language he continued to dive into
4:07this idea that we are soldiers in God's
4:11Army we know that when Paul is writing
4:14the book of Ephesians he's actually in
4:16Chains he's in prison he's most scholars
4:19believe he's chained to a Roman soldier
4:21in that moment and he's writing this
4:23letter to the Ephesians and I I I'd like
4:24to imagine as Paul's looking up to this
4:27Roman soldier that he's keeping a close
4:30look at the way he's dressed and he
4:33begins to understand what God was
4:34wanting him to write him to write
4:36concerning the people of God so he
4:37writes this in Ephesians 6:
4:4110-12 finally my brethren be strong in
4:44the Lord and in the power of His might
4:48be strong in the Lord and in the power
4:49of His might put on the whole armor of
4:53God that you may be able to stand
4:55against the Ws of the devil sometimes
4:58when the devil's whing I got to put on
5:00the armor of God stand against the Ws of
5:04the
5:05devil for we wrestle not against flesh
5:09and blood it says in verse 12 see y'all
5:11are already getting excited you know
5:12this you know this verse you know where
5:14this is going but just let me build it
5:16please I've got like 30 minutes to get
5:18there for we wrestle not against flesh
5:21and blood but against principalities and
5:24against Powers against the rulers of the
5:26darkness of this world against spiritual
5:30wickedness in high places don't allow
5:33yourself to forget don't don't let it
5:35slip from your thinking slip from your
5:37mind we are in a war today it's not a
5:41war in the flesh we're not walking
5:43around marching with our
5:44AK-47s this is not a war in the flesh
5:47flesh we don't we don't fight we used to
5:48sing that song the weapons we use are
5:50not bombs and guns worship is the way
5:52that the battle is won this is the way
5:54that we fight praise him for the
6:00victory praising his name all right calm
6:03down
6:05everybody the weapons we use are not
6:07fleshly weapons this is not a war in the
6:11flesh but in the spirit and it is just
6:13as real as the wars you watch on the
6:16news he continues and and talking about
6:18this idea 2 Corinthians 10: 3-4 for
6:22though we walk in the flesh we do not
6:24war after the flesh for the weapons of
6:27our Warfare are not carnal but they are
6:30Mighty through God to the pulling down
6:33of
6:35strongholds I'm reminded of the bold
6:37declaration that a little Shepherd Boy
6:38made in the face of a giant when he said
6:41you come against me Philistine with a
6:43sword and with a spear and with a shield
6:46but I come against thee in the name of
6:49the Lord of hosts the god of the armies
6:52of Israel whom now Hast defied you come
6:54against me with sword you come against
6:56me with spear and with Shield but I come
6:58against you in something greater the
7:01name of the Lord Jesus Christ hallu this
7:04battle is not one of swords and missiles
7:07although that'd be cool to put on
7:09posters it's it's it's not one of swords
7:11and missiles no this is this is a battle
7:13over the name of the Lord of hosts and
7:15if we're going to fight in
7:17battle then we have to put on this armor
7:21we've got to wear the whole armor of God
7:25there's no one piece greater than the
7:27other in this armor but they all work
7:29together for the same purpose which is
7:31to win we don't fight this battle
7:34because we think we might lose the
7:36battle's already been won on Calvary but
7:39it's my pleasure to be a good soldier in
7:41the army of the Lord and fight with my
7:43savior against the the kingdom of
7:45darkness
7:47[Applause]
7:49he he he talks about the whole armor of
7:50God in Ephesians chapter 6: 13-1 17
7:55wherefore take unto you the whole armor
7:57of God that you may be able to withstand
7:59in the evil day and having done all to
8:03stand stand
8:06therefore having your loins GED about
8:08with truth and having the breastplate of
8:10righteousness in your feet sh with the
8:12preparation of the gospel of peace above
8:15all taking the shield of Faith wherewith
8:17you may be able to quench all the fiery
8:19darts of the wicked and take the helmet
8:21of salvation the sword of the spirit
8:23which is the word of God I don't have
8:24time to go over the entire armor in
8:27sufficient detail but I I do want to
8:30kind of go over this give a brief
8:32overview of this armor because I want us
8:34to leave here today different with this
8:36armor
8:38intact starts let's start from the
8:41ground up we'll talk about the feet Shaw
8:43with the preparation of the gospel of
8:44peace shoes of peace is what you seeing
8:47the children's
8:48Graphics Soldier are you getting ready
8:50for battle let's make sure your feet are
8:52right let's put the right shoes on first
8:55these are special shoes and you have to
8:57know something about these shoes you can
8:59know the gospel and not fit in the
9:03shoes the the shoes are one- siiz fit
9:06all how how does that work well you
9:07don't know how to tie them you don't
9:09know how to put them on unless you have
9:11been obedient to the Gospel of Jesus
9:14Christ that's the preparation aspect
9:17that's me making sure I'm tied into to
9:19this
9:21gospel this is the gospel 1 Corinthians
9:2315 moreover breth and I declare unto you
9:25the gospel by which you are saved Christ
9:28Jesus died according to the scriptures
9:31for our sins and was buried and rose
9:33again the third day according to the
9:34scriptures just because you understand
9:37the gospel doesn't mean you're wearing
9:38the
9:40shoes you got to learn how to put them
9:42on you got to learn how to buckle them
9:45up you got to learn how to to to laugh
9:46match them on properly and in order to
9:49know the gospel and understand the
9:51gospel fully and in its entirety you
9:53must respond to the gospel you must
9:57apply the gospel to your life how do I
9:59apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ over my
10:01life great question I'm GL glad you
10:03asked acts chap 2 and: 38 Peter standing
10:07with the disciples and he speaks to
10:08these men who ask that same exact
10:10question they said men and Brethren what
10:12must we do and he said repent and be
10:15baptized every one of you in the name of
10:18Jesus Christ for the remission of your
10:20sins and ye shall receive the gift of
10:23the Holy
10:24[Applause]
10:26Ghost I hope you haven't gotten tired of
10:28me saying it you must be born again of
10:31water and of spirit Jesus said it in
10:34John chapter 3 when you've got on the
10:38shoes prepared with the gospel of peace
10:40you can be assured in your
10:42foundation working your way up you got
10:46to put on the Bel of Truth now I always
10:49have a problem buying new
10:51belts I have a it's difficult for me to
10:54buy pants usually the waist is fine it's
10:56just I fill the rest out a little bit
11:00snug so I need a belt belt holds
11:03everything up belt keeps me from being
11:06on the front page of the
11:07news keeps me from jumping and never
11:09coming to this church
11:11again you got to have on the belt of
11:14Truth you'll notice that they work
11:15together you can't wear the the truth
11:17until you've obeyed the
11:19gospel but if you're wearing this belt
11:21Jesus said in John 8
11:233:32 and ye shall know the truth and the
11:26truth shall make you
11:30free the truth shall make you free keep
11:33going up you you you get to this
11:35breastplate of righteousness now you
11:37have to understand that this
11:38righteousness is not based upon our own
11:40power it's our righteousness it's the
11:43Bible says our righteousness is as
11:44filthy rags you know that one rag that
11:48your mom uses to mop that one rag that
11:51like you don't mind if you have to like
11:53get all the you got to clean the grill I
11:55use that one rag I I got to clean the
11:57front porch I use that one rag that's
11:59that's what all righteousness is like
12:01it's got holes in it it's it's got dirt
12:03all over it the best thing I can produce
12:05is something unclean but if my
12:08righteousness has become his
12:12righteousness that was impossible I
12:14could have never done that on my own but
12:18Jesus became sin for us that we may
12:22become his
12:24righteousness the breastplate it it if
12:28if the gospel of peace on your feet
12:30keeps you from slipping it keeps your
12:31foundation sure makes sure that when
12:33you're fighting in the battle you don't
12:34stumble and you don't fall fatally and
12:37if the if the the belt of Truth holds up
12:40everything together if it's it's the the
12:42truth that holds the sword that you're
12:43going to we're going to talk about in a
12:45little bit then the the breastplate of
12:47righteousness is to guard your heart and
12:50this is so imperative in the scriptures
12:52people say God knows my heart yes he
12:53does read Mark chapter 7 he says it's a
12:56wicked thing it's an evil thing it's a
12:59sinful thing that's why I need a new
13:02heart that's why I got to call on the
13:04greatest organ donor there's ever been
13:06and I got to say Jesus create in me a
13:09clean heart oh God and renew a right
13:11Spirit within me my mind is not pure but
13:13if this mind will be in me which was in
13:15Christ Jesus who being in the form of
13:17God thought it not robbery to be equal
13:19with God but made himself of no
13:21reputation took upon him the form of a
13:23servant and was made in the likeness of
13:25men that can happen to me then I can be
13:28on the right path this is what is so
13:30important about this breastplate I I I
13:32have to protect my
13:34heart from the attacks the Ws of the
13:38devil says in Proverbs chapter 4 keep
13:42thy heart with all
13:44diligence for out of it are the
13:47issues of life you got to keep your
13:50heart right blessed are the pure in
13:53heart for they shall see God you got to
13:56keep your heart right and you only do
13:58that if you are dressed in the
13:59righteousness of Jesus Christ you'll
14:01keep going to the next piece of the the
14:03armor of God and you'll work your way up
14:05and you'll get to the helmet of
14:06salvation right now if the shoes keep me
14:10from slipping and if the belt holds
14:12everything together and if the
14:14breastplate is protected my heart and
14:16this helmet's keeping my mind
14:18right I have to have my mind right you
14:22the the old song says with a mind stayed
14:24on him you've got to keep your mind
14:27right Romans 122 says and be not
14:29conformed to this world but be ye
14:31transformed by the renewing of your mind
14:34that you may prove what is that good and
14:36acceptable and perfect will of God you
14:39can't prove his will until your mind is
14:41aligned with him how do you know
14:46when the when the helmet's on right how
14:49do you know if the helmet isn't too
14:50tight you can't sometimes we get a
14:52little prideful and a little bigheaded
14:54and the helmet doesn't fit as well
14:56sometimes it get a little puffed up is
14:57what the scripture says and the helmet
14:59starts hurting a little bit trying to
15:02keep my mind rides hard when I've got
15:03pride in my life and how do I know that
15:06that I'm wearing this helmet at all how
15:08do I know well what you do is you
15:10compare what your mind's saying to what
15:12the scripture is saying what what
15:14thoughts are you thinking what's the end
15:17result of the thoughts you're thinking
15:19if the thought is I think just this
15:21Sunday I'm not sick I'm I'm not I'm not
15:24uh out of town but I think just this
15:26Sunday I'll just sleep through service
15:28well what's the end result the end
15:31result is yeah just this one time but
15:33three months down the road you you're
15:35tired again and this time it gets where
15:38like okay I go on Sundays but I don't
15:40really go on Tuesdays I don't really
15:42need to go on Tuesdays they don't need
15:44to see my face there what's the purpose
15:45of me going I'll go go when it's
15:46important oh and then it becomes your
15:49your Easter people and your and your
15:52Mother's Day and Father's Day and
15:53Christmas and and that's the only
15:55Services you come to I don't want to
15:56sound like some mean preacher I'm not a
15:58mean preacher I promise I got to watch
16:00my tone here that's okay we want you to
16:03come but we want you to keep
16:05coming Hebrews tells us not to forsake
16:07the assembling of ourselves together
16:08especially as we see the day of Christ
16:10approaching we have to be together
16:12unified I need you I need your worship
16:15because I need to see somebody else is
16:17smiling when I know I can't I need your
16:21praise it lifts me up I need your
16:23prayers it protects me I need your smile
16:26it shows me there's hope for me
16:29tomorrow what kind of thoughts are you
16:31thinking what are you dwelling
16:33on you'll find next the sword of the
16:37spirit which is the word of the Lord now
16:40this is your only offensive
16:42weapon but if you're not careful it can
16:45be in offensive weapon and what you can
16:48use what what would help bring somebody
16:50to Christ if you don't say it in the
16:51right way that's why I just said calm
16:53down mean preacher you got to say in the
16:55right way you got to to speak the truth
16:57in love is what the Bible says you got
17:00to be careful with this word it's it's
17:02dangerous if you wield it in the wrong
17:04way Hebrews 4:12 tells us for the word
17:07of God is quick it is powerful it is
17:10sharper than any two-edged sword
17:12piercing even the dividing aund of Soul
17:15and Spirit of the joint
17:16and the tomorrow and is a discerner of
17:18the thoughts and the intents of the
17:22heart you got to be careful with this
17:25use it as a scalpel don't use it as an
17:27axe where you cut people
17:31down I I do want
17:34to I do want to say this if you're
17:37talking bad about your brother and your
17:39sister it's on you if they stop coming
17:41to church it's on you it's on your
17:44shoulders
17:46I'm not the pastor I need to not preach
17:49that although I'm sure he'd be okay Dad
17:52is that all right all right
17:56cool you got to be careful use it as a
17:59scalpel don't offend somebody with the
18:01gospel offenses will come Jesus says but
18:03woe unto him by whom they come offenses
18:06will come you there's a thing called
18:08Church H it's become this major theme
18:11first of all let me just say Church hurt
18:13is real but World hurts so much worse
18:17you think people aren't going to lie
18:18about you out there
18:25too anyway I'm
18:29meddling now you don't get one without
18:31the other that's that's how this whole
18:33armor works either you're wearing the
18:34armor of God or you're just trying and
18:37trying is a good thing but it's not
18:38wearing they're two separate things now
18:41you don't get one without the other
18:43without the understanding of the truth
18:45there's no belt to to hold your sword on
18:47without the breastplate of righteousness
18:49there's no need to try to protect your
18:50mind with the helmet of salvation and
18:52what good can a swing of the sword of
18:54the spirit do if you don't have a sure
18:56footing to make sure you're sharing the
18:57gospel in
18:59peace I didn't come today to preach on
19:01the whole armor of God although I enjoy
19:03doing that I prefer to teach teach than
19:07preach but I do tend to get a little
19:11hyper I came to talk about what the Lord
19:13has been working on my heart these past
19:15few weeks today I want to focus on the
19:19shield of Faith let me talk about faith
19:23for just a moment because you felt it
19:25this
19:26morning the Bible tells us that faith is
19:28not a byproduct of sight instead Paul
19:33wrote that faith comes by
19:37hearing he would have known it best Paul
19:39would have known it best he he was not
19:41always named Paul in fact before he was
19:43named Paul it was a minor name change
19:45but he was known as Saul the accuser of
19:48the Brethren he was a murderer he was a
19:51wicked man in the eyes of the Lord not
19:53because he wasn't devoted but because he
19:56was just
19:58Cutthroat he was Saul the accuser he had
20:02made it his personal goal and his
20:04personal Vendetta to destroy all the
20:06Christians who belied that Jesus and
20:08Jehovah were one and the same the Bible
20:11says that when Steven was being stoned
20:13in the book of Acts that Paul was Saul
20:16was there he actually was holding the
20:19coats of the men that you know you can't
20:21quite throw right you're wearing a
20:22jacket on I don't know if you ever tried
20:24to shoot a basketball with a church
20:25shirt on or or a jacket on and you miss
20:28terribly it's the same concept back then
20:30in a much more gruesome way they had to
20:33take their jackets off and and Paul said
20:35here let me hold that for you there's a
20:38man who had no mercy for those that
20:40didn't understand the truth as well as
20:42he did he was a
20:44Pharisee saw was there and scripture
20:47tells us that he was consenting unto his
20:50death Saul greatly persecuted the
20:52Christians we read in Acts 8 and act9
20:54that Saul caused Havoc these are the
20:57exact words the the scriptures use
20:58called caused havoc on the church he
21:01threw men and he threw women into prison
21:03and it says that his very breath was
21:06threatenings made towards these people
21:09the people whose Faith could not rub off
21:12of him rub off on him because it's not
21:15by by seeing that you get Faith it had
21:19to come another way and so Saul is on
21:23this road making his way towards
21:26Damascus he's headed to the high priest
21:28he's trying to get the paperwork so that
21:30he can be even more cruel and even more
21:32uh uh severe in his P punishments he
21:35he's going to get these documents made
21:37and suddenly this light comes from
21:39heaven and it knocks quite literally
21:42Peter off his high horse and it blinds
21:45him
21:46I've never been blind I've gotten close
21:49I got whipped in the face by branches a
21:51few times that's a terrible pain I
21:53remember one time I was at Wesley
21:56Booker's
21:57house and you know we were doing what we
22:00do he's practicing his Taekwondo kicks
22:01on me we were playing The Incredibles 2
22:04on the original Xbox it was awesome but
22:08I um I had a chewing problem I like to
22:10chew things I still do but I do it in
22:14private
22:16I have rubber rings silicone rings I
22:17chew them and Sophia's like get that out
22:18of your mouth because she knows like
22:20you'll choke yes she just said it I know
22:23whatever I I like to chew things I chew
22:26pencils make marks in the pencils so
22:27that nobody would steal my pencils
22:28that's kind of nasty whatever whatever
22:30okay we all did
22:33things but I was chewing a glow
22:38stick all right hear me out the same
22:41people that just said love listening to
22:44videos of people cracking the glow stick
22:46an ASMR so don't don't come at me okay I
22:49liked biting and cuz you you cracked the
22:51glow stick and then you could always get
22:53a few more cracks out of you she just
22:55bit it hard
22:57enough but I bit it a bunch I forgot I'm
22:59chewing on at the whole drive home we
23:00just left Cheddar's restaurant and uh we
23:03pull into the driveway and I was like I
23:05wonder if I can just get one more good
23:07break out of it and I slow motion
23:10watched as the the glow stick fluid went
23:13right into my eye I scream screamed and
23:16I hollered and I cried and I was blind
23:19for like I felt like days felt like 36
23:22hours sisters
23:26Uki it was probably I think it was about
23:2815 minutes but that's a closest I ever
23:32got to being blind but Paul is blinded
23:34for three days and when he's been
23:36knocked off of his horse he hears this
23:38voice from Heaven said Paul Paul Saul
23:42Saul why why persecutest thou me said
23:46who are you Lord and he said I am
23:49Jesus I am Jesus whom you
23:52persecuted this light from Heaven blinds
23:55him from three days and he finds in this
23:58moment when he can't see the faith he
24:01received from
24:04hearing he received the Faith from he
24:08hearing Saul was forever changed in this
24:09moment because there's power in
24:13faith faith can change you in an instant
24:16faith can connect your future to God's
24:18voice faith cannot come by seeing but
24:21Faith Can must come by hearing Hebrews
24:23116 it says this but without faith it is
24:26impossible to please the Lord for he who
24:29comes to God Must Believe two things he
24:32must believe that he is that's the first
24:34thing you must believe when you come to
24:36God you must have faith but the Bible
24:38says every man's given a Measure of
24:39Faith it's just what we put it in I put
24:41Faith in the Eagles
24:44tonight last Super reference okay I
24:46promise
24:47you I I I put Faith in in the fact that
24:51when the light turns green I put my foot
24:53down the accelerator and my car is going
24:54to drive I've had moments in my old you
24:57know 1998 Ford Expedition called him
25:00Dante the vanilla
25:02killer I had Faith sometimes that I'd
25:05hit that accelerator pedal and it Go and
25:07it it it didn't go I had faith that when
25:10I was driving and it was rain what water
25:12wouldn't get inside of my car but then
25:15it dripped from the ceilings we all have
25:18faith the Bible says every man's given a
25:19Measure of Faith but it's just about
25:21where you put it when you come to God
25:23without faith it's impossible to please
25:25him you can't please God unless you
25:27believe two things he is you believe
25:30God's in control you believe he's real
25:32you believe God I I don't understand
25:34everything yet but I believe you are I
25:37don't know you yet but I believe you
25:39hear me I haven't heard your voice yet
25:41but I believe I can you must believe
25:44that he is and he is a rewarder of those
25:47who diligently seek him those who don't
25:50know when the answer is coming but they
25:51keep diligently seeking they keep asking
25:54they keep coming and if you'll come to
25:56him believing he is and that he is a
25:58rewarder of those who diligently seek
26:00him then you will please the
26:04Lord faith is one of those few words
26:07that the Bible gives us a clear
26:08definition of what does faith mean it
26:11says in Hebrews 11:1 now Faith is the
26:15substance
26:16of
26:17things hoped
26:20for it's the evidence of things that you
26:24can't see so when you've got faith
26:26you've got all the proof that you need
26:29faith is something you hear it's the
26:30evidence of things not seen what is my
26:33proof for the miraculous what is my
26:35evidence for the invisible faith is my
26:37proof faith is my evidence I've got
26:40faith and I've got all that I need when
26:42I've got
26:43faith let me tell you what faith can do
26:46faith can perform Miracles it can
26:49purchase your Miracles James chapter 5
26:52tells us is any among you Afflicted let
26:54him pray is any marry let him sing songs
26:58is any sick among you let him call for
27:00the Elders of the
27:01church let them pray over him anointing
27:04him with oil in the name of the Lord and
27:06the prayer of the faith shall save the
27:09sick and the Lord will raise him up and
27:12if he's committed sins it shall be
27:14forgiven him That's What Faith Can Do
27:18faith can heal the body and it can heal
27:20the
27:21soul amen that's What Faith Can
27:24Do let me show you the after effects of
27:27Faith Mark chapter
27:2916 Jesus is speaking he's about to leave
27:32the disciples but he wants them to to
27:35leave with this hope he says baptize
27:37people in my name it's it says in the
27:40name of the Father the Son and the Holy
27:41Spirit but if he was talking about the
27:43titles he'd say names but it's the name
27:47Jesus is the father Jesus is the son
27:49Jesus is the Holy
27:51Spirit In The Name Of The Lord Jesus
27:54Christ and then he says and these
27:58signs shall follow
28:02them shall follow them that believe in
28:05my name they shall cast out devils in my
28:07name they shall speak with new tongues
28:10they shall take up serpents and if they
28:12drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt
28:14him they shall lay hands on the sick and
28:17they shall
28:20recover Miracles still
28:25happen I'm talking about faith
28:27today Jesus said with some things some
28:31things with men some things are
28:34impossible but with God nothing is
28:37impossible did you bring your faith with
28:39you today come on did you bring your
28:41faith with you today where is my proof
28:44my faith is my proof proof I've got my
28:47faith whether I see the miracle or not
28:49and that's the proof I need now you
28:51would think with all this talk about
28:54faith and its power that Paul would be
28:58wise enough to call Faith the
29:00weapon but faith is not called the
29:02weapon right you'd think that the the
29:06sword the sword's the word then surely
29:09the the the faith is the
29:11spear faith is the battle axe thing
29:14faith is Faith is the the the bow and
29:16arrow but
29:17no faith is a
29:20shield Paul even says and above all
29:25taking the shield of Faith now we've
29:28already established that no one piece of
29:29the armor is greater than the other so
29:31what does Paul mean when he say Above
29:33All We list at the last thing it's it's
29:36not because it's greater than all of
29:38them but it covers everything
29:40else see
29:43sometimes things slip by
29:46and I and I'm I've not got on the
29:48breastplate as I
29:50should maybe I'm not sharing the gospel
29:52as I should and maybe I'm questioning
29:54the truth maybe my salvation's in
29:57question because my mind's been so
29:59chaotic recently maybe I don't know my
30:01word good enough but if I've got faith
30:04it's enough to cover the rest until I
30:05get it in place and above all having the
30:10shield of Faith The Shield is the
30:12covering the shield is the defense the
30:15Shield is placed above it all the shield
30:18protects Shields are game
30:21changers they may win you the victory
30:24but their purpose is not to win you the
30:26victory is to defend you that's the
30:30purpose of the shield the helmet
30:32protects your head the breastplate
30:34protects your heart the belt holds it
30:36together and holds your sword the the
30:38shoes keep you from slipping and they
30:39keep you planted in the word of the Lord
30:41and and the sword attacks your enemy
30:43Wards off the devil but the shield keeps
30:45you
30:46alive The Shield keeps you to fight
30:49another
30:50day Faith's purpose is not Miracles
30:54Miracles are byproducts of Faith the
30:57signs they follow the believer but faith
30:59is not just for miracles Faith keeps you
31:02going faith is my protection faith is my
31:06defense faith is how I win my faith must
31:10have a greater purpose than the miracle
31:12it can
31:13produce Jesus is walking through Samaria
31:17and
31:19Galilee there's this moment where we we
31:22see Faith
31:24exemplified a far off there's this group
31:26of of 10 lepers they call out to him
31:30they can't get close that's the the
31:31thing about lepers it's highly
31:33contagious it's a it's a type of sin in
31:35the Bible usually you're reading about
31:37leprosy and and you can go ahead and
31:39just plug in that word sin and then it
31:41applies to our lives but there's there's
31:4310 lepers and they're far off and
31:46they're crying out Jesus have mercy on
31:48us right and Jesus says go show yourself
31:52to the priest now sometimes your Miracle
31:54comes when you just go anyway right your
31:57Miracle comes when you take the steps
32:00and just follow even when you don't see
32:02it
32:03immediately so they start walking the
32:06the Bible says that as they began to
32:09walk they were
32:12healed as they walked they were healed
32:16but one leper only one went back to
32:21Jesus 90% of the people
32:25healed
32:26left 10% came
32:30back he began to worship Jesus and and
32:34thank him and Jesus said weren't there
32:3710 cleansed why where are the
32:40nine but he said go thy way the one that
32:43came thy faith has made thee whole now
32:47you you you've got to know
32:49something not all the lepers were made
32:52whole they may have been healed but they
32:55weren't made whole just the one that
32:58came back to Jesus was made whole see
33:02the purpose of your faith cannot just be
33:03Miracles or else you'll leave when you
33:05get
33:06it but if you want to be closer to
33:09Jesus if your faith is placed in the
33:11right spot when you get your Miracle it
33:14drives you closer to him and then you go
33:16from being healed to being made whole
33:19and from being new to being completely
33:22forgiven of your
33:24sins you can't leave with the 90%
33:27Hallelujah once you get your Miracle
33:29what are you going to do you're going to
33:30leave cuz you don't need the church
33:32anymore you only needed it when you were
33:34broke you only needed Jesus when you
33:37were depressed you only needed Jesus
33:39when you needed somewhere to go so you
33:41didn't have to be
33:42home no I need Jesus cuz I can't breathe
33:47without
33:48him I need Jesus cuz I'm nothing without
33:51him and I'll bring him my faith whether
33:53I have a need or I'm in plenty whether
33:56I'm blessed or whether I'm in famine
33:58I've got faith that protects me I've got
34:01faith that keeps me going I've got faith
34:04that keeps me from day to
34:09day my faith must have a greater purpose
34:14than the miracle it can
34:18produce Paul tells us that the shield of
34:22faith is able to quench the fiery darts
34:24of the
34:25wicked the flaming arrows that are Sent
34:28From
34:29Hell Fire from Hell on these arrows that
34:32comes at you you know what those arrows
34:34sound like when they whiz past your ears
34:36I don't really need to tell you but I
34:39feel like to give a few examples of some
34:41things that that whizzing past your ears
34:43as they just barely miss your
34:45head goes past your arm and you think
34:48that could have got to my heart if I let
34:52it it will have been a completely
34:54Pleasant
34:55morning and out of nowhere that fiery
34:59dark of the dart of the wicked comes
35:02through and he'll say you don't deserve
35:04this
35:05happiness you'll be seven hours into
35:07your fast and on your eighth day in a
35:09row of reading the
35:10Bible at least one chapter a day and all
35:14of the sudden that fiery Dart from hell
35:16will come at you and it'll whiz past
35:18your ear and so faintly but so strongly
35:21you you you'll hear it say you really
35:23think you're different
35:26now you really think you're different
35:29three weeks ago you went on a smoke
35:30break to work just to get through CU you
35:32were shaking so bad because you couldn't
35:34get through the withdrawals and now
35:36you're
35:37different kind of things hell tells
35:40you you'll be scrolling through memories
35:42of your photo app and a fiery Dart from
35:44the wicked aim directly at your very
35:46heart will come crashing through it's
35:48your fault you should have done a better
35:49job raising them what do you do where do
35:53you
35:55turn you got to hold that
36:00Faith you got to shout back to hell you
36:03got to quench the fiery darts of the
36:05wicked say no no no I've got my faith
36:10and that's
36:12enough I've got my faith you've got
36:14nothing on me devil I've got my faith
36:17and if I don't get my Miracle I'll get
36:19another day and if I don't get my
36:21Miracle I'll ask again I've got my faith
36:24I've got my faith my faith is
36:29enough shut your mouth hell I've got my
36:34[Applause]
36:38faith I've got my faith and my faith
36:42shuts down the fiery darts from hell
36:46and my faith covers me when the
36:48breastplate isn't fitting right and my
36:50faith covers me when I'm not quite sure
36:53if I've got the helmet of salvation on
36:55right when I'm standing on Shaky Ground
36:57and I'm hoping that my shoes of the
37:00gospel of peace will keep me from
37:02slipping I've got my faith in it tonight
37:05it will quench the lies from hell I'm
37:07talking about faith today
37:15I've got my
37:16[Applause]
37:18faith I'm not going to listen to the
37:20Suicidal Thoughts I've got my faith I'm
37:23going to live I'm going to live I'm
37:25going to make it through this I'm going
37:27to make it through this dark season I'm
37:29going to make it through this postpartum
37:31depression I'm going to make it through
37:33this moment where I don't know how I'm
37:34paying my bills I'm going to make it
37:36through I've got my faith I've got my
37:39faith and that's enough
37:45you got to hold on to that Shield when
37:48all around you is shaken when all around
37:50you was quaking and you don't know
37:52what's going to happen tomorrow you got
37:54to hold fast to that Faith you can't let
37:57go don't let go of your faith it's going
37:59to keep you going if you hold on to it I
38:02don't know what's going on but I do know
38:05all things work together for the good of
38:07those that love God who are called
38:09according to his purpose
38:11[Applause]
38:15something else you got to know about
38:16faith you got to know about these
38:24shields they lock
38:26together it's called the Roman cohort
38:29before that it was the failings fail
38:34failing and the soldiers when they're
38:36going into
38:37battle would tie
38:39in with their fellow
38:42Soldier and the faith Shield that They
38:46Carried was just big enough to protect
38:49most of
38:51them and a little bit of their
38:55brother that's the thing about
38:59faith my shield of Faith locks in with
39:02your Shield of
39:05faith and when I don't have the faith
39:08when my faith is shaken that's why I I
39:11need you to pray with me in the altars
39:13that's why I can't go another service
39:15without hearing a an uplifting word from
39:18you because I need my faith to be
39:20strengthened but if you will tie in with
39:23me if you'll bear with me and we can
39:26carry these shields together then we can
39:29go against any enemy we can fight any
39:32adversary cuz when my faith is weak I
39:34know your faith is strong and when your
39:36faith is weak my faith will be strong
39:38enough I will tie in with you this is
39:41how we fulfill the word buar you one
39:43another's burdens and so F the law of
39:45[Music]
39:48Christ Bible says one shall put a 100 a
39:51flight a th000 to flight and two
39:572,000
39:595,000 th000 and one no no no Bible
40:03doesn't work that way Jesus doesn't give
40:05what you give back but he has this
40:08principle that applies not just to money
40:10we preach it about money and it's true
40:12if you trust God with your tithes you're
40:14not trusting with your ties you're
40:15giving those back but if you trust him
40:16with your offering he's going to give it
40:18back to you what did he say press down
40:20shaking together running over what do
40:23you do when something's pressed down
40:25it's been pushed down and and spread out
40:27think about now this is a little weird
40:29and a little carnal but think about
40:30opening up pizza
40:33dough you got that little ball of dough
40:35I I remember Pizza
40:36Loft and they had a little ball of pizza
40:39dough you could play with as a
40:40kid and you're not supposed to eat it
40:42but I ate it
40:45we've already established I had an Eden
40:49problem but you could press that dough
40:51out and I I thought who can make the
40:54biggest
40:55pizza see all you all you might have is
40:58just
41:03$5 but when you give it to God he
41:06doesn't give you $5 back he might not
41:09give you any money back but he might
41:11give you your
41:13son he might not give you any any money
41:16back but he might give you
41:17breath and he might just bless you and
41:20he might just give you that promotion
41:22but that's the same concept in
41:25everything if one shall put a thousand
41:27to flight then two shall put 10,000 to
41:34flight Jesus said in Matthew chapter 18
41:37verily I say unto you whatsoever you
41:39shall bind on Earth shall be bound in
41:42heaven and whatsoever you shall loose on
41:44Earth shall be loosed in heaven again I
41:47say unto you that if two of you shall
41:49agree on Earth as touching anything that
41:51they shall ask it shall be done for them
41:55of My Father which is in heaven for or
41:57two or three are gathered together in my
42:00name there I am in the midst of
42:04them the the world says sending my
42:07thoughts and prayers right they've never
42:10prayed for
42:11it get those
42:13emails our thoughts and prayers are out
42:16every news anchor actually is apparently
42:19an
42:21intercessor we are praying for those
42:23that are heavily infected by this I I
42:26pray they are I'm not trying to be
42:29skeptical but when the church says I'm
42:32praying for
42:33you we're not saying I hope you feel
42:37better we're saying come next to me let
42:40me carry that with
42:42you let me lock in with you
42:45let my faith carry you when your faith
42:47doesn't seem like it's strong enough
42:50your Shield may not be sturdy right now
42:52but let me reinforce your faith let me
42:54tie in with you I'm praying for
42:58you since you've got this Shield the
43:01beauty
43:02is you don't have to be perfect Bible
43:06says that the just shall live by faith
43:08how how do the just people do that what
43:12does it mean to be just the follow the
43:15law yes to love Mercy
43:18yes but I can't be just in my own please
43:23somewhere I'll search the scriptures
43:25Give me a definition of what it means to
43:27be just that I can
43:30attain Proverbs tells us the just man he
43:35falls seven
43:38times but he gets back up again he rises
43:44back up again again you know what it
43:46means to be just you just keep getting
43:48back
43:51up you just keep getting back
43:54up you just keep getting back
43:58up never give
44:00up never never never give
44:06up can I quote my pastor right now tell
44:09hell I'm getting back
44:13up I've not been just in my life but if
44:16all it takes to be just is to try again
44:20I'll try
44:24again somebody join with the prophet
44:27Michael right now Rejoice not against me
44:29on my enemy for when I fall I shall
44:33arise when I sit in darkness the Lord
44:36shall be light unto
44:39[Applause]
44:41me I'm coming to a close I'm coming to a
44:43close I'm coming to
44:44[Music]
44:46close here's what I want to tell
44:50you God's desire is not for the faith
44:53you don't
44:54have it's for the faith you have right
44:58now there was a man we watched in
45:00scripture in Mark chapter 9 this man
45:01he's a man within the multitude he's
45:03desperate for the help of Jesus you see
45:06his son is possessed with the
45:08spirit this is a violent
45:12Spirit disciples no no man could cast
45:15the spirit out Jesus told us later it's
45:17only because it comes out by prayer and
45:20fasting but this man is
45:24desperate Jesus says how long is this
45:27happening this has been happening
45:29for since he was born the spirit makes
45:33him Nash his
45:34teeth it makes my son a foam at the
45:38mouth my
45:40boy his Spirit throws him in fires and
45:43throws him in Waters and hopes to kill
45:45him Jesus
45:47please
45:49please and he asks God wrapped up in
45:54flesh if you could find it within
45:58yourself have
46:01compassion father you're talking to the
46:03right guy you're talking to the man that
46:06was moved with compassion on the
46:08multitude Mark chapter 9 let's pick up
46:10where it says verse
46:1223 Jesus said unto him if if thou can
46:16believe all things are
46:21possible doesn't matter how many times
46:23you've asked God and you've got no
46:24answer all things are possible to him
46:26that
46:28believes and straight away the father of
46:30the child cried out and said with
46:36tears he mustering up all he
46:39has he said Lord I believe
46:45help thou my
46:47unbelief I just watched a bunch of men
46:51try this isn't my first
46:54time I do believe I I
46:57do there's faith in me but the part of
47:00me that doesn't have
47:02it help me with my
47:06unbelief and this what is want to I want
47:09us to take home with us Jesus didn't
47:12rebuke him for his honesty
47:15he didn't say how dare you come with
47:17only partial
47:20Faith but Jesus oh Jesus didn't even say
47:23anything about it oh God
47:27Jesus just delivered the
47:29boy you know what that tells
47:33me I have
47:35doubts but the faith I do have is
47:38enough God doesn't require something you
47:41don't have he just wants what you do
47:43have it was just a little bit of wheat
47:45at the bottom of the barrel for the
47:46Widow but she gave it to Elijah first
47:49she gave it to the Lord it was just a
47:51little bit it was a small thing but when
47:53she gave it to God it never stopped
47:55coming until the rain started coming
47:57again it was just a little bit of oil
47:59left inside of the container she had no
48:01money to pay the tax collectors and if
48:03she didn't pay them they were going to
48:05take her sons as slaves but she gave it
48:08to God as little as it was just the
48:11faith she
48:12had doesn't tell us how much doubt just
48:15the faith she had just the faith she
48:18had and the oil never stopped pouring
48:20until it filled every vessel in the
48:22house God doesn't want what you don't
48:24have he wants what you do have however
48:25small it may be but you got to give it
48:27to him it was a small Stone than the
48:29hands of a little Shepherd boy but it
48:31became the weapon that destroyed a giant
48:33it was a small army of 300 with Gideon
48:35but it became an army that destroyed an
48:37army of over
48:40100,000 God wants what you
48:42got you know the the disciples asked
48:45they asked Jesus increase our faith and
48:47you know what his answer was it wasn't
48:49here's the three-step program right
48:52right right he
48:53said all you need is the faith of a
48:56mustard seed yes I don't need to
48:58increase your faith just use your
49:01faith use your faith you you know what
49:04the faith of a mustard seed can do it
49:06can give you enough boldness to stand in
49:08front of a mountain and say be thou
49:10removed and cast into the sea and it
49:13will leap the mountain will grow legs
49:15and Sprint into the ocean and get out of
49:18your way why not because you had great
49:21faith but the faith you did have you
49:23gave it to
49:28Jesus you don't need much you just got
49:31to keep fighting you just got to keep
49:34going you just got to hold fast to the
49:37profession of your faith you got to hold
49:39fast to that
49:41Shield King Solomon said the races not
49:44given to the Swift nor the battle to the
49:47strong and Jesus piggybacked on that
49:49verse in the New Testament and he said
49:52but to him that endureth to the end the
49:56same shall be saved he doesn't need the
50:00things you don't have he doesn't need
50:02the faith you think you should have he
50:04needs the faith that you do have let
50:07this Faith suain
50:10[Music]
50:11you your faith is your proof
50:14[Music]
50:16if my faith never buys my
50:19Miracle my faith will buy me
50:22tomorrow and I'll ask again if my faith
50:26never buys me my Miracle it will bring
50:28me to tomorrow and it will carry me
50:31through the unjust judge told that woman
50:34we open the scriptures with oh Jesus
50:37Jesus he said I don't fear
50:39God I don't regard
50:42men but this
50:44woman I can't get her out of my
50:47hair she just keeps coming
50:52yes she just keeps coming she just keeps
50:57asking she brings that Faith again she
51:01bears that Shield one more time she
51:03comes before me in the day she comes
51:07before me in the night she comes before
51:09me smiling she comes before me weeping
51:13but she does not not stop
51:16coming won't you stand with me all
51:18across this this building right
51:27[Music]
51:30now did you bring your fath with you
51:34today did you bring your fath with you
51:36today hallelu I was at my grandfather's
51:39home going
51:42service they told the story of the very
51:44very first time he ever preached he was
51:45a young I I think he was 15 I I I don't
51:48remember specifically but he was around
51:49that age maybe
51:51younger Pastor gray in San Diego
51:54California had a bunch of young men go
51:56up to preach and the only thing was you
51:59had to be ready instant in season and
52:02out of season but the only thing was he
52:05gave you the
52:06verse said preach from this verse I want
52:08to see what you do with
52:10it and my young grandfather
52:14he went up to
52:17preach I was praying I was fasting I was
52:20asking God what do you want me to speak
52:21what do you want me to preach
52:24on I couldn't put my finger on it and I
52:28heard this at the funeral service I felt
52:31the Lord say that's
52:32it preach
52:34that that verse
52:37was Luke
52:3918 and
52:428 but when Jesus comes back that's a
52:45Ethan
52:47version will he find
52:51faith will he find faith and my
52:55grandfather was preaching that as a
52:57young young
52:59boy something started stirring inside of
53:01him started repeating the
53:04question will he find
53:08faith will he find
53:12Faith he will find faith
53:14fath he he will find
53:17Faith he will find Faith he will find
53:22faith and I've come to preach to this
53:24congregation today he will find Faith he
53:29will find Faith he'll find Faith at the
53:31Cathedral of Pentecost he'll find it in
53:33these altars today he'll find it in DAV
53:36Florida he'll find faith in Miramar
53:38he'll find faith in Lauder Hill he'll
53:40find faith in Fort Lauderdale he'll find
53:42faith on Pine Island he'll find faith on
53:45595 he'll find faith on I75 he'll find
53:49faith in this
53:52[Music]
53:53city come on did you bring your faith
53:55today did you bring your faith today
53:58don't let me stop you these altars are
54:00open why don't you bring your faith why
54:02don't you bring what you have it doesn't
54:04matter how big the problem is my God's
54:06bigger it doesn't matter how big the
54:08situation is my God's bigger it doesn't
54:11matter how strong the enemy has a hold
54:12on you my God is
54:15stronger Lord I pray that you help us to
54:18give our faith
54:23today