Summary: This is a message for moving forward in the tough world we are living in and using what the Lord provides for us to get us through the hard times.

No Weapon

Good Morning

Stand with me and lift your bible and repeat after me.

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I can do what it says I can do.

I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.

Today I will learn more of the word of God.

The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.

I will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

In Jesus Name

Amen?

Before you sit down, say good morning to your brothers and sisters.

Have you ever been in a battle?

I am not talking about a physical altercation. I am talking about what you were thinking and going through.

A situation with a person or a group of people.

You see things one way and they don’t.

It is pretty frustrating, and it does not seem to be getting close a resolution.

You have tried all you can do, and it seems to not be ending.

Congratulations.

That is life.

Nowadays we see more and more people flooding us through media and other types of communications that are directing how we see things maybe from not our true viewpoint.

We are influenced by what we see and hear whether it is true or not.

The influences direct how we communicate, how we dress, and how we act.

We are gauged by how many friends we have on social platforms like Facebook.

We drive the newest cars, wear the newest style of clothes, have to have the most up to date iPhone.

The influences that overwhelm us by the TV shows we watch where most of the family style encouraging style types have pretty much disappeared are disheartening.

Imagine a TV channel that only showed what was a good thing, including the news.

Well, that is not our world.

Turn with me to the book of Isaiah, chapter 57 in the bible and say, “Amen” when you are there.

Isaiah was a prophet who ministered to many groups of people and shared one thing all of the time. Trust God.

Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon formed against you will succeed and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants, and their righteousness is from Me. This is the Lord’s declaration.”

Now what does that mean to you and I?

It does not mean that we can do whatever we want or what the world influences to do. It means that if we have a relationship with Him, we can live a little differently than the influences of the world.

If we choose to put Him first.

The world’s influences can be controlled by us in our lives if we put Him first in our decisions.

How do we do that?

Turn with me to the book of Ephesians chapter 6 and say, “Amen” when you are there.

If go to verse 10 we see that the Lord provides things that we need in our walk here on this planet we live on.

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.”

You and I are not alone in our lives here on this planet that was created in 7 days by the One who loves us.

There is a song that came out a little while ago by a Christian music artist named Micah Tyler called, “Different”

The song’s words and chorus go like this.

“I don't wanna hear anymore, teach me to listen

I don't wanna see anymore, give me a vision

That you could move this heart, to be set apart

I don't need to recognize, the man in the mirror

And I don't wanna trade Your plan, for something familiar

I can't waste a day, I can't stay the same

“I wanna be different

I wanna be changed

'Til all of me is gone

And all that remains

Is a fire so bright

The whole world can see

That there's something different

So come and be different

In me!

I want to be different form the world’s way, but not different from His plans for us.

He provides us with the ability to be make our own decisions in life and He also provides us with the necessary equipment to walk the walk He has designed for us.

That is what He promises us in the next verses in this chapter.

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 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 Lord’s people.

You and I can be different in our everyday living because of the protection that He provides for us.

Things are not going to be perfect for us to be a light in this dark world, but they are going to be more bearable.

Some folks think that when they ask the Lord into their heart that life will be just perfect. That does not happen.

He just gives us the comfort of knowing that we are not alone. We have the full armor of God which allows us to be protected and we know that” No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”

The Lord our God has gotten us all through many things in life which we may or may not realize until we look back and see that His hand is on us, and He wants us to have a more personal relationship with Him.

More than ever before in the times you and I are living in.

If you need to get closer to Him or if you have never asked Jesus to be with you closer than ever, now is the time.

The best way to do that is through prayer.

If you want to make a commitment to have God, be closer to you is to take a step to do so now.

If you are willing to have a relationship with Him through His son Jesus Christ, come forward right now and let us pray with you to help you make that commitment.

If you need to renew that relationship with Him that you may feel you have lost come forward also and allow Him to renew you today.