THE SPIRITUAL ARMOR OF PRAYER
EPHESIANS 6:18-20
TODAY WE COME TO THE LAST OF THE ELEMENTS PAUL SPEAKS OF WHEN HE IS TEACHING ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE. PAUL HAS TAUGHT US THAT, WHILE WE MAY FACE TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES IN THIS WORLD, THAT THESE TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES HAVE A SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION.
HE STATES IN THIS PASSAGE THAT WE DO NOT STRUGGLE AGAINST “FLESH AND BLOOD”, FOR IF WE DID WE MIGHT STAND A CHANCE. HE TELLS US THAT THE TRUE NATURE OF OUR ENEMY, IS SPIRITUAL IN NATURE, AND OUR BATTLE IS FAUGHT IN THE SPIRITUAL REALMS.
WE FACE THE TEMPTATIONS AND STRUGGLES IN THIS WORLD, BUT THE ORIGINATOR OF OUR TROUBLE IS IN ANOTHER. IT WAS SATAN WHO WENT TO GOD FOR PERMISSION TO “TEST” JOB. THE OKAY WAS GIVEN IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM, THE BOUNDARIES WERE SET IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM, AND THEY WERE ACTED OUT IN THE PHYSICAL.
SATAN’S ULTIMATE GOAL IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS TO DESTROY THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND TO DO THIS HE HAS TO DESTROY ANY REASON FOR A PERSON TO WANT TO BELONG TO IT. THUS HE WILL ATTACK INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS AND CHURCHES WITH THE IDEA OF DESTROYING THEIR TESTIMONY AND WITNESS TO THOSE AROUND THEM, AND IN THE PROCESS, DESTROY THE REPUTATION OF GOD AS SEEN THROUGH THEM.
GOD GAVE PAUL THE WORDS OF EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6 TO HELP FEND OFF THE ATTACKS OF THE DEVIL. WHEN PAUL WROTE IT HE WAS A PRISONER AND USED THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ROMAN GUARD HE WAS CHAINED TO ILLUSTRATE HIS TEACHING.
PAUL GAVE US MANY PIECES OF ARMOR TO PUT ON, AND THIS INDICATES THAT THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT SATAN IS GOING TO ATTACK US. ONE THING IS FOR SURE AND THAT IS THAT WE MUST BE WEARING THE ARMOR PROPERLY AND COMPLETELY IF WE ARE GOING TO DEFEAT SATAN IN HIS ATTACK.
THE PROBLEM THAT OCCURS THOUGH, IS THAT WE CONCENTRATE SO MUCH ON THE PIECES OF ARMOR THAT PAUL MENTIONS, THAT WE NEGLECT THE LAST THING THAT PAUL TELLS US TO DO IN PREPARATION FOR SPIRITUAL BATTLE, AND THAT IS PRAY.
NONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF ARMOR THAT PAUL MENTIONS WILL BE OF ANY USE UNLESS THEY ARE BATHED IN PRAYER. IT WOULD DO A SOLDIER NO GOOD, TO SEND HE OR SHE INTO BATTLE WITH A RIFLE AND NOT TEACH HOW TO CLEAN, LOAD, AND FIRE THE WEAPON. NOR WOULD IT DO THE SOLDIER ANY GOOD TO TEACH THEM THE PROPER USE OF THE WEAPON, AND NOT GIVE THEM ONE TO USE.
THE SAME IS TRUE IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE. OUR BATTLES ARE NOT FAUGHT IN THIS WORLD, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE WON OR LOST HERE. ONE PERSON HAS SAID THAT PRAYER IS THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM BETWEEN THE GENERAL OF THE ARMY AND HIS SOLDIERS.
THERE IS THEN A STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD AND PRAYING. IN FACT ONE WILL GROW OUT OF THE OTHER. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD, YOU MUST ALSO PRAY.
ROBERT DEFFINBAUGH STATES:
“PRAYER FOLLOWS PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD. IT IS A NATURAL, NORMAL OUTGROWTH. THE PLACE WHERE DISCIPLINE SHOULD COME IN IS NOT, FIRST, IN PRAYER, BUT IN DOING WHAT IS INVOLVED IN “PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD.” FIRST THINK THROUGH THE IMPLICATIONS OF OUR FAITH, AND THEN PRAYER WILL FOLLOW NATURALLY MUCH MORE EASILY. WHEN IT COMES IN THAT ORDER IT WILL BE THOUGHTFUL PRAYER, PRAYER WHICH HAS MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE. IT WILL BE REVERENT PRAYER.”
THIS POWERFUL CALL TO PRAYER BY PAUL SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE TO US. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS PAUL WRITES STRONG ELEMENTS OF PRAYER.
HE PRAYS FOR THE EPHESIANS IN CHAPTER ONE. (1:15-23)
HE CONCLUDES CHAPTER THREE WITH ANOTHER PRAYER (3:14-21)
IN CHAPTER 5 ONE ASPECT OF A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE IS THANSGIVING.
HERE IN CHAPTER SIX, PAUL GIVES US DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON PRAYER. VERSES 18-20 PROVIDE A GOOD LESSON ON PRAYER. CONSIDER:
1. HE GIVES THE TIME TO PRAY: ALWAYS – IN EVERY SEASON
2. THE NATURE OF PRAYER: WITH EVERY KIND OF PRAYER AND PETITION
3. THE METHOD IS GIVEN: WATCHING WITH UTMOST AVAILABILITY TO MAKE PETITION.
4. THE OBJECTS: “ALL SAINTS”
PAUL IN THIS COMMAND COVERS ALL BASES BY SAYING THAT WE ARE TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER FOR:
1. ALL TYPES OF PRAYER
2. SUPPLICATION
ALL TYPES OF PRAYER CAN REFER TO INTERCESSORY PRAYER, PETITION, WORSHIP, AND CONFESSION, JUST TO NAME A FEW. IT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS DONNED THE ARMOR OF GOD, TO BE ABLE TO BE IN AN ATTITUDE OF CONTINUOUS PRAYER.
PAUL TAUGHT IN 1 THESSALONIANS 5:17;
1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-22:
REJOICE ALWAYS, 17 PRAY CONTINUALLY, 18 GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. 19 DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT. 20 DO NOT TREAT PROPHECIES WITH CONTEMPT 21 BUT TEST THEM ALL; HOLD ON TO WHAT IS GOOD, 22 REJECT EVERY KIND OF EVIL.
WHEN PAUL SAYS THAT WE ARE TO PRAY CONTINUALLY, WHAT HE MEANS IS THAT WE ARE TO BE IN A CONTINUOUS ATTITUDE OF PRAYER. HE IS NOT EXPECTING US TO BE AT PRAYER 24/7., BUT TO BE PREPARED TO PRAY 24\7.
LES AND I WENT TO NEW YORK ON A BUS TRIP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THE BUS DRIVER SAID HE LIKED TO START EACH DAY OF THE TRIP WITH A PRAYER. HE MADE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. HE DID PRAY, AND WE GAVE HIM PERMISSION TO KEEP HIS EYES OPEN AS HE DID.
I STOPPED TO GET GAS ONE DAY, AND A LADY WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY FILLING HER TANK. I OFFERED TO HELP HER. IT TURNED OUT SHE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH EVERYTHING THAT AFTERNOON AS SHE HAD JUST COME FROM A MEETING WITH HRE DOCTOR AND WAS GIVEN VERY BAD NEWS. WE PRAYED AT THE GAS PUMPS.
CONSIDER HOW EUGENE PETERSON EXPRESSES IT IN THE “MESSAGE”
EPHESIANS 6:18: IN THE SAME WAY, PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL IN THIS ONGOING WARFARE. PRAY HARD AND LONG. PRAY FOR YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN. KEEP EACH OTHER’S SPIRITS UP SO THAT NO ONE FALLS BEHIND OR DROPS OUT.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRAYERS THAT COULD BE OFFERED, INCLUDING PRAYERS OF INTERSESSION FOR OTHERS DOWN TO PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE WAY THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR YOU AND OTHERS, THAT TO CONTINUE IN THAT ATTITUDE OF PRAYER SHOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT.
PAUL BRINGS OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYING FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. A SPECIAL MEMORY THAT I HOLD CLOSE TO MY HEART IS WHEN WE WERE ENTERTAINING SOME PEOPLE AT OUR HOME ONE EVENING. I WAS QUITE YOUNG AT THE TIME, PROBABLY 11-13 YEARS OLD, AND TO SIT ON THE COUCH IN THE EVENING WITH A BUNCH OF ADULTS ISN’T WHAT I WOULD HAVE NORMALLY CALLED FUN BUT THIS WAS DIFFERENT.
MR. HARDING WAS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN, AND HE WAS TELLING SOME STORIES ABOUT THE WAR. I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF SHARING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE WARS, AND THERE WOULD OFTEN BE A QUIETNESS IN THE ROOM AS MOST OF THEM COULD RELATE TO THER SOLEMNESS OF THE DISCUSSION OF THE TERRIBLE PRICE THAT WAS PAID.
IT IS FAR DIFFERENT AND EVEN MORE ATTENTION GRABBING, WHEN YOU HEAR IT FIRST-HAND. MR. HARDING TOLD US OF A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO MET IN WHAT WAS LEFT OF A HOUSE. THEY TALKED FOR THE NIGHT, AND MADE A PACT TO GET TOGETHER EACH YEAR AFTER THE WAR ENDED. THERE WERE TEARS IN HIS EYES WHEN HE SAID THAT PAUL WAS KILLED DURING THE WAR, AND NOW HE WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR STILL ALIVE. THEY DID NOT MISS A YEAR OF GETTING TOGETHER AFTER THE WAR, AND I DARE SAY THAT THERE WERE MANY GROUPS LIKE THAT.
THEY WOULD WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER, AND FORMED SUCH CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WE CAN’T EVEN COME CLOSE TO UNDERSTANDING.
THAT’S WHAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT HERE. HE WANTS US TO HAVE THAT SAME TYPE OF RESPONSE. TO ACKNOWLEDGE CHRIST DURING PAUL’S TIME WAS VERY DANGEROUS, AND COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE. WE ARE SEEING THAT MORE TODAY ESPECIALLY IN MOSLEM CONTROLLED COUNTRIES.
YOU SEE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN UNDERSTAND THE CLOSENESS OF WHAT A VETERAN MEANS WHEN HE CALLS ANOTHER VETERAN “COMRADE” IS ANOTHER VETERAN, AND THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS THE PEACE THAT COMES FROM AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR IS ANOTHER CHRISTIAN.
THAT IS WHY PAUL CALLS ON US TO PRAY FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KNOW THE LANGUAGE TO BE IN AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KNOW THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE IN AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KNOW THE NEED OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE IN AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER.
NOR SHOULD OUR CIRCUMSTANCE STOP US FROM PRAYING FOR OTHERS. PAUL WROTE THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS FROM A PRISON CELL. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY, AND HOW HE WAS GOING TO BE A WITNESS FOR GOD AS HE ASKED THE EPHESIAN CHURCH TO PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR HIM, THAT GOD WOULD GRANT HIM BOLDNESS.
IT WAS FROM A PRISON CELL THAT PAUL WROTE MANY OF HIS EPISTLES. IT WAS FROM A PRISON CELL THAT HE ENCOURAGED TIMOTHY AND TITUS, AND MANY MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNNAMED.
ARE YOU ALLOWING GOD TO USE YOU IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES YOU ARE IN?
I’VE TOLD YOU ABOUT MY FRIENDS RONNIE AND MEL TYLER OF MINTO. THEY’VE BOTH GONE HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD, BUT WHAT GREAT EXAMPLES OF WITNESSES TO EMULATE. MEL WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. WHEN YOU TALKED WITH HIM IN CHURCH HE WOULD USUALLY SAY “THEY TELL ME THAT I’M SICK, BUT I FEEL FINE.” WHEN HE WAS NEAR HIS DEATH HE TOLD THE DOCTORS. “HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO. YOU WILL GIVE ME ONE MORE TRANSFUSION, SO THAT I CAN GO HOME FOR ONE MORE WEEKEND. I WANT TO SLEEP IN MY HOME ONE MORE TIME, I WANT TO GO TO CHURCH ONE MORE TIME, THEN I WILL COME BACK TO THE HOSPITAL AND WE WILL LET LIFE TAKE IT’S COURSE” HOW I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN AT THAT CHURCH THAT DAY! WHAT A CELEBRATION!
RON WAS JUST THE SAME WAY. HE WOULD USE HIS HOSPITAL STAYS TO WITNESS TO THE HOSPITAL STAFF. HE FELT THAT GOD GAVE HIM THAT MINISTRY AND HE WAS FAITHFUL TO IT.
WE DON’T HAVE TO GO THAT FAR TO FIND FAITHFUL PRAYER WARRIORS WHO HOLD PEOPLE UP IN PRAYER. THERE ARE SEVERAL WITHIN OUR OWN WALLS WHO ARE FINE WITNESSES AND HOLD EACH OTHER UP IN PRAYER. PHYLLIS BRYANT WAS ALWAYS TELLING US THAT SHE HELD US UP IN PRAYER, AND I WOULD DARE SAY SHE HELD UP SEVERAL MORE PEOPLE AS WELL. WHEN WE WERE COMING BACK FOR HER FUNERAL, LES SAID “WHO WILL PRAY FOR US NOW? GOD PROVIDED THE ANSWER IN DUE TIME.
PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. YOU MAY PROVIDE THE STRENGTH THAT ANOTHER NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN WINNING A SPIRITUAL BATTLE.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK SOMEONE TO PRAY FOR YOU. PAUL HERE ASKS THE EPHESIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO PRAY THAT HE WILL HAVE COURAGE WHEN HE SPEAKS TO HIS CAPTORS. PAUL IS PREPARING TO MEET WITH THE ROMAN EMPEROR, AND TO PRESENT A TESTIMONY THAT WILL MOST LIKELY BE CAUSE FOR HIS EXECUTION.
CONSIDER HOW SOME OF THE OTHER TRANSLATIONS PRESENT THIS:
THE MESSAGE:
AND DON’T FORGET TO PRAY FOR ME. PRAY THAT I’LL KNOW WHAT TO SAY AND HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY IT AT THE RIGHT TIME, TELLING THE MYSTERY TO ONE AND ALL, THE MESSAGE THAT I, JAILBIRD PREACHER THAT I AM, AM RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING OUT.
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION:
AND PRAY ON MY BEHALF, THAT UTTERANCE MAY BE GIVEN TO ME IN THE OPENING OF MY MOUTH, TO MAKE KNOWN WITH BOLDNESS THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, FOR WHICH I AM AN AMBASSADOR IN CHAINS; THAT IN PROCLAIMING IT I MAY SPEAK BOLDLY, AS I OUGHT TO SPEAK.
NEW INTERNATIONAL READERS EDITION:
19PRAY ALSO FOR ME. PRAY THAT WHEN I OPEN MY MOUTH, THE RIGHT WORDS WILL BE GIVEN TO ME. THEN I CAN BE BOLD AS I TELL THE MYSTERY OF THE GOOD NEWS. 20BECAUSE OF THE GOOD NEWS, I AM BEING HELD BY CHAINS AS THE LORD’S MESSENGER. SO PRAY THAT I WILL BE BOLD AS I PREACH THE GOOD NEWS. THAT’S WHAT I SHOULD DO.
IN THE TRANSLATIONS THAT I HAVE USED, AND MANY MORE THAT I HAVE STUDIED, A NUMBER OF THINGS BECOME CLEAR.
1. PAUL DOES NOT ASK TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE BATTLE, HE ASKS FOR COURAGE IN THE MIDST OF THE FIGHT.
OUR WORLD TODAY IS VERY EVIL, AND THE FORCES OF EVIL SEEM TO BE GATHERING THEIR FORCES AGAINST CHRISTIANS. WE ARE IN A VERY DARK SITUATION IN OUR COUNTRY. I DO SEE A TIME WHEN CHURCHES MAY CEASE TO EXIST AS WE KNOW THEM NOW. I BELIEVE THAT THE TAX-FREE STATUS THAT WE ENJOY NOW WILL EVENTUALLY BE REVOKED AND MOST CHURCHES WILL HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS. THEY WILL NOT CEASE TO EXIST, BUT THEY WILL CHANGE FROM THE WAY WE KNOW THEM NOW.
LEGISLATION AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN POSITION IS INCREASINGLY BEING PASSED IN OUR COUNTRY. PAUL’S PRAYER IS A PRAYER THAT WE MUST ALL BE WILLING TO SAY. “LORD GRANT ME THE STRENGTH, TO STAND BOLDLY.” THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IS BEING IN THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER.
PAUL URGES TIMOTHY NOT TO BE TIMID.
2 TIMOTHY 1:7-12:
FOR THE SPIRIT GOD GAVE US DOES NOT MAKE US TIMID, BUT GIVES US POWER, LOVE AND SELF-DISCIPLINE. 8 SO DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY ABOUT OUR LORD OR OF ME HIS PRISONER. RATHER, JOIN WITH ME IN SUFFERING FOR THE GOSPEL, BY THE POWER OF GOD. 9 HE HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US TO A HOLY LIFE—NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE BUT BECAUSE OF HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE. THIS GRACE WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, 10 BUT IT HAS NOW BEEN REVEALED THROUGH THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR, CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS DESTROYED DEATH AND HAS BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL. 11 AND OF THIS GOSPEL I WAS APPOINTED A HERALD AND AN APOSTLE AND A TEACHER. 12 THAT IS WHY I AM SUFFERING AS I AM. YET THIS IS NO CAUSE FOR SHAME, BECAUSE I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND AM CONVINCED THAT HE IS ABLE TO GUARD WHAT I HAVE ENTRUSTED TO HIM UNTIL THAT DAY.
WHAT IS THAT DAY THAT PAUL IS REFERRING TO. IT IS THE DAY WHEN WE STAND BEFORE THE LORD, AND WE CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT DENIED HIM AS PETER DID. IT IS THAT DAY WHEN OUR VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH AND THE EVILS OF THIS WORLD WILL BE KNOWN. IT IS THE DAY WHEN WE REIGN VICTORIOUSLY WITH CHRIST FOREVER.
CONCLUSION:
WHAT HAPPENED TO PETER ON THE NIGHT JESUS WAS BETRAYED? HE DENIED HIM AS JESUS SAID HE WOULD. WHY DID HE DENY HIM?
HE WAS FEARFUL THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO JESUS WOULD HAPPEN TO HIM.
COULD HE HAVE WON THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE OVER HIS FEARS? YES HE COULD HAVE, HAD HE DONE ONE THING. REMEMBER JESUS’ WORDS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMENE TO HIS DISCIPLES.
MARK 14:37-40:
THEN HE RETURNED TO HIS DISCIPLES AND FOUND THEM SLEEPING. “SIMON,” HE SAID TO PETER, “ARE YOU ASLEEP? COULDN’T YOU KEEP WATCH FOR ONE HOUR? 38 WATCH AND PRAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION. THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK.” 39 ONCE MORE HE WENT AWAY AND PRAYED THE SAME THING. 40 WHEN HE CAME BACK, HE AGAIN FOUND THEM SLEEPING, BECAUSE THEIR EYES WERE HEAVY. THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO HIM. 41 RETURNING THE THIRD TIME, HE SAID TO THEM, “ARE YOU STILL SLEEPING AND RESTING? ENOUGH! THE HOUR HAS COME. LOOK, THE SON OF MAN IS DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF SINNERS. 42 RISE! LET US GO! HERE COMES MY BETRAYER!”
THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE REALIZED IT WAS SOMETHING BIG AS JESUS WAS ASKING THEM TO PRAY FOR HIM. THEIR TIREDNESS LED THEM NOT TO PUT ON THEIR SPIRITUAL ARMOR. IT LED THEM NOT TO PRAY. IT LED PETER TO DENY HIM THREE TIMES AND THE OTHERS TO RUN SCARED.
WE DON’T KNOW WHAT SPIRITUAL BATTLES WE MAY FACE IN THE FUTURE. IT COULD BE IN THE COURTS, IT COULD BE WITH OUR HEALTH, IT COULD BE WITH OUR FAMILIES, OR DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE BY OUR SPIRITUAL FAMILIES.
THE WORD OF GOD IS CLEAR. WE ARE TO DON OUR SPIRITUAL ARMOR AND BE READDY FOR THE BATTLE FOR SATAN WILL NOT ANNOUNCE IT IN ADVANCE. WE ARE TO MAINTAIN AN ATTITUDE OF CONSTANT PRAYER SO THAT WHEN THE BATTLE COMES WE WILL NOT BE CAUGHT ASLEEP BUT BE PREPARED TO STAND FOR CHRIST, AND LATER TO ENJOY THE VICTORY WE HAVE ALREADY WON IN HIM.
ALWAYS REMEMBER:
1 JOHN 4:4: 4 YOU, DEAR CHILDREN, ARE FROM GOD AND HAVE OVERCOME THEM, BECAUSE THE ONE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN THE ONE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.
