December 3, 2023
Sermon Part 3: Good Soldier of Christ, Be Patient in Battle, God Hears You When You Pray with Him, in the Spirit (The Word of God)
WARNING: This Sermon Series serves as “Basic Training for all Born-Again Christian Soldiers to prepare them for Spiritual Combat against Satan and the forces of darkness. In teaching these Sermons, we are not giving any place to fears of sparking negative emotions or feelings that gender strife and offense. Hebrews 4:12 says,
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
As such, we are examining ourselves in light of the Word of God, and making changes where needed so that we may test what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God for our lives—and that is, to be like Jesus Christ in this untoward world. God expects us to be “Good Soldiers” that are fit for battle, locked, and loaded with the Word of God and prayer to defeat the enemy. No matter the hardship encountered, we are determined to fight the “good fight” of faith until Jesus Christ, The Lord, returns.
Good Morning Saints, grace and peace be multiplied to you from our Lord Jesus Christ!
Introduction/Review
Let’s do a quick review of what we have learned thus far in the Series, as it will provide context for today’s Sermon. This is "Spiritual Warfare 101." Saints of God, God has chosen and made us Soldiers in the Army of Jesus Christ. (II Tim. 2:3-4) We are so very thankful to God for counting us worthy to be among His Soldiers; the rewards are beyond measure to number. (Rev. 2:10)
Furthermore, we are ecstatic that God dwells in us, and we in Him, and by the New Covenant, we have unlimited access to God through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ! (I John 4:15 & Heb.10:19-20) We are not only Soldiers of the Lord, but decree by the faith of Jesus Christ, that we are His "Good Soldiers" that endure all hardships and remain on the battlefield and win more than decisive victories over the enemy Satan, until will take our last breath in these earthen vessels. This pleases God!
The Mission of the Army of the Lord is embodied in three Commandments of Jesus Christ. They are:
1. Love God with the “whole” of you, as well as love one another as Jesus Christ has loved us. (Matt. 22:37-40)
(These commandments can only be achieved by born-again Christians who yield themselves completely to the work of the Holy Ghost to magnify the Spirit of the Life and Mind of Jesus Christ through them, to obey God in all things and embrace all people with forgiveness, love, and acts of kindness; that witness Christ to the world.)
2. Go forth and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ without compromise and win the unsaved to Christ; signs and wonders following.
(Mark 16:15-20)
3. Through the teachings of Jesus Christ, make disciples of Christian converts, so they may become “Good Soldiers” too. (Matt. 28:19-20)
To stand against the attacks of the wicked one Satan and the forces of darkness under his control, the Good Soldier in Christ equips themselves with God’s Armor, “The Whole Armor of God,” (The Belt of Truth, Breast Plate of Righteousness, Sandals for the Preaching of the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.) and never for any reason takes any part of the Armor off. (Eph. 6:10-17) All battels with Satan first take place in the theater of our brains, with temptations, persecutions, and accusations which are designed to impede our progress in carrying out and fulfilling the Mission of the Army of the Lord.
The Whole Armor of God becomes super-effective and dynamic in its working only through prayer made with God, in the Spirit (Word of God) without ceasing. (Eph.6:18) The Good Soldier wages war against the enemy Satan and the Kingdom of darkness, without ceasing in prayer with God. (Prayer is talking with God in all forms and all day long: kneeling, standing, walking, singing, meditating, folded and unfolded hands, in native language and unlearned tongues, open/closed eyes, etc.)
Fervently, the Good Soldier, makes prayers with God in the Word of God for all the Saints, and the unsaved with perseverance and supplications; until victories of healing, deliverance, protection, restoration, and salvation materialize in the lives of all people concerned.
And, as we will discuss today, lastly, the Good Soldier prays with God continually in the Word of God for themselves in all things pertaining unto life and godliness. Every matter is on the table for discussion with God in the Word of God.
The point of special emphasis for this Sermon is (In Battle) when you pray with God continually in the Spirit (Word of God) God wants you to rest—be patient—He heard your petition and answered your prayer when you prayed it, and it will come to pass! Let’s get started with our teaching.
Consider Your Prayer Experience
Saints for a few moments, I want you to reflect on your personal prayer-life with God, especially in difficult trouble-filled times. Think very carefully whether any of the following questions and/or thoughts have come to you while making prayer with God.
During and/or after you pray—at times like the gentleman in the picture—do you find yourself asking questions and having thoughts like:
⦁ Why are my thoughts drifting to other things when I pray?
⦁ Did God hear my prayer?
⦁ Will God answer my prayer?
⦁ Will I receive from God the thing I prayed for?
⦁ I didn’t feel God’s presence when I prayed, was He even in the room?
⦁ Given my imperfect behavior of late, do I even have the right to ask and expect God to give me what I asked for?
⦁ I have prayed over and over again and nothing has happened, why bother praying anymore.
⦁ Prayer is just a waste of time. I might as well do things myself.
⦁ I don’t feel like I need to pray every day.
The frank truth is every born-again Christian at various times/seasons has entertained questions and thoughts like these. Whether we were praying about a problem concerning another person, or our own personal problem, questions and thoughts like these can and do arise. We tend, however, to think and rationalize them away as being normal pondering. But they are not!
None of these questions and thoughts are from God. Rather, they are thoughts and suggestions from Satan who wars against our human brains. Satan’s goal is to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy our prayer-life and fellowship with God.
Saints, we are married to God, and prayer continuously made with Him, is our way of communicating and communing with God. (Is.54:5 & Eph. 5:22-32) Satan, however, attempts to “lure” us into making a decision, (by our own will) to disconnect from prayer with God in the Word of God, which contains God’s promises of good for our lives. The Apostle Paul wrote at II Corinthians 1:20:
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
However, Satan must successfully get us not to entreat and stand on the promises of God in our prayer-life, so he can have free course to steal, and to kill, and to destroy our lives and families.
Jesus Christ told Peter, to watch (look-out) because Satan desired to have/own him, so that he could sift him like wheat. But Jesus said he had “prayed” for Peter that his faith would not fail. (Luke 22:31-32) Its prayer with God, in the Word of God, that kicks the devil out of our lives!
Satan, if you will, “licks his chops” at born-again Christians who go about their daily lives, without prayer being made continually with God and in the Word of God. Never let Satan have the last word of temptation, to doubt God and His Word. Exhaust the devil with telling him what is written from the Word of God. Remind the devil of who God is, what God has done for you, and what God is going to do! Name-Call Satan a liar, rebuke him in the name of Jesus Christ and Word of God, tell him to get out of your face, and he will flee from you!
All doubt and unbelief in God and His Word are fear-based and lead to double-mindedness and cannot be tolerated, as it prevents us from receiving anything from the Lord. (II Tim.1:7 & James 1:4-8) Wavering in prayer interrupts the perfect work of patience. For example, in prayer, one-minute we say we are healed. Not long after, when a pain hits, or signs persist of illness, we claim we are sick again.
In my own prayer life, I started noticing a dreadful pattern. When I would pray and lay hands on myself and confess my healing, and a few days later didn’t see healing manifest, I would start back complaining about how sick I was. But each time I would say I was sick—I got sicker than before! Satan was using my own words against me to bring more evil into my physical body. Death and life are in the power of the words we love to choose to say and speak. (Prov.18:21)
If we fail to check Satin with the Word of God continuously in prayer, he will gain a place in our thought-life (brains), which eventually will develop into a strong-hold and make the Christian’s prayer life without power and results. We are to give the devil no place to rest in our way of thinking and decision-making. (Eph. 4:27)
A non-productive prayer life will result in the Christian fainting, giving up, and abandoning earnest prayer altogether and the Mission of the Army of Jesus Christ. Thus, we must resist the devil with the Word of God, and he will quickly move away from us in sheer terror. (James 4:7)
Today, we are going to focus on our personal prayers made with God. Last week, we talked about intercessory prayer with God in the Word for all the Saints, as well as the unsaved. (See Sermon dated, Nov. 26, 2023.) Regardless of who and/or what we are praying for, the method of prayer does not change:
WE MUST PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD AND PRAY WITH GOD, IN THE SPIRIT (THE WORD OF GOD) WITHOUT CEASING.
God Cares For You
The Spirit of the Lord directs me to tell you, God loves and cares for His Soldiers and wants us to trust that He is concerned and touched with all of our infirmities (weaknesses, pains, illnesses, sickness, distress, sadness, sorrows, griefs, burdens, despair, loneliness and heartaches). (Heb. 4:14-16)
God wants you to understand that He knows how sudden fear can come to us when we receive bad news that threatens our physical bodies, finances, security, peace, and mental contentment. There is nothing we have experienced or are currently going through that Jesus Christ Himself did not endure on the cross. He is acquainted with all of our griefs and sorrows. (Is.53:3-5)
Jesus bore them all so we might receive all of the exceedingly great and precious promises that God laid in store for us. Jesus’s stripes has already healed us from all sickness and disease. (I Pet.2:24) His riches has already been exchanged for our poverty. (II Cor. 8:9) His blood has already purchased our salvation and made us kings and priest unto God. (Eph. 1:7 & Rev.1:5-6) Jesus has conquered death for us and given us life that never ends. (I Cor. 15:54-57)
Whatever the dis-function maybe in our lives, now and in the future, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, we have been graced by God to receive a supernatural remedy from God in Christ Jesus to fix it. (II Cor. 5:18-19)
Therefore, as the tribulations of this world grow “wax worse” day-by-day, our Commander God Almighty has commanded the Good Soldiers of Jesus Christ, to take the Word of God in prayer with God, and without ceasing, and stand against the whiles of the enemy Satan. As the wicked one attempts to battle against us in prayer, I hear the Lord rallying the troops back to Himself with II Chronicles 7:14. It reads,
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
When each of us takes this Scripture into prayer, we begin to hear God speak to us personally about our relationship with Him. God in the person of the Holy Ghost provides instructions on things you need to do to clean your act up! God is married to you and desires intimate, open, and honest communication in all matters between you and Himself. It’s all about Oneness with Him.
God wants your undivided attention. God wants you to submit your, “whole being” unto Him as a “Living Sacrifice.” (Rom. 12:1) To live as a Good Soldier. God wants you to draw near, pray with Him, and turn away from your sin completely.
Then, you will be able to hear God’s Voice in the person of the Holy Ghost feeding you with wisdom from the Spirit of the Life and Mind of Jesus Christ as He is seated on the throne at the right hand of God. Your sins washed away, now opens the door for the favor of God to come on you, and “heal your land”—meaning make whole every place you occupy—from under your feet, ground- level, to the skies above your head.
When God’s people, His Good Soldiers, are “One” with Him, the following commandments become effectual to us in Prayer with Him: Matt. 7:7-8 states:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Psalm 91:15
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
John 14:13
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
I John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
I John 3:22
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
Now Saints, can you see how polar opposite/diametrically opposed the Word of God is regarding prayer and what God promises results from it, from what many times we have been asking ourselves in fear-based questions and thoughts during and after prayer not having the Word of God before us?
It’s nothing but the devil in our eardrums lying against God and His Word! Satan must be shut down and shut up! Clearly, from Scripture we see that when we pray with God according to His Word—God always hears us and grants the petitions we desire of Him. There is no need to question whether we receive the promise from God so we can be patient and rest in every battle/wrestling match with the devil!
What we need to do is stop “doubting” God, and instead put all of our trust in God, and use the Whole Armor of God in prayer to stand against the whiles of the enemy. We need the Strength and Might of the Lord upon us to remove the enemy from our prayer life—our mainline of communication with God.
A very important way to think of the Whole Armor of God, is it works much like in the natural, housing insulation. In our homes, we have insulation in the attic and around windows and doors which serves to block any gaps where heat can escape, and cold air can get in.
Similarly, The Whole Armor God, activated in our lives through continual prayer with God, keeps your brain’s thoughts and entire life insulated (centered) on God and His Word. (Is. 26:3) While at the same time, God’s Armor keeps out all of Satan’s evil thoughts, temptations, and accusations from getting into your brain and building strong-holds of knowledge contrary to God’s Word. With the Whole Armor of God activated, as you go about working to fulfill the Mission of the Lord, your prayers, as well as the prayers of the Saints, release the angels of God to minister protection over you, and bring to you the inheritance of your salvation: health and prosperity and a long satisfied life.
Use Pieces of the Whole Armor of God to Stand against Satan’s Attacks on Prayer with God
The Good Soldier must use several pieces of the Armor of God to stand against the vices of Satan (questions and thoughts of doubt and unbelief) used against us in prayer with God. His vices are intended to inject lies into our thought-life (brains) that, “God does not love us.” Typically, Satan’s attacks on prayer start with posing to us general questions about God’s participation (care to hear and get involved in our problems) and moves to suggestions that God will not resolve our problems, to assertions that we should not waste our time praying at all as nothing will happen—and that we are better off just taking matters into our own hands to resolve problems.
Think about it though, if the Soldier takes the bait and ceases to pray, what has Satan accomplished? The answer is: He has stolen the great commandment from the Soldier—thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, soul, and strength. (Matt. 22:36-40) Not only has the Soldier been deceived into thinking that God does not love them as prayer does not work, but the Soldier also demonstrates to God that they no longer love Him and desire abiding fellowship. He says to himself, “God is not talking to me, so I am not going to talk with God either.”
The first and most important Commandment given by God in fulfillment of the Mission in the Army of Jesus Christ—to love God with all that is within the Soldier—would then be aborted!
But praise God, we are not ignorant of the vices of the enemy, and we determine in prayer with God, to use pieces of the Armor of God to defeat him. For example, for Satan’s lie that God does not love us enough to help with our troubles: We use the Belt of Truth: and say to the devil, you are a “liar, God loves me.” Jesus said at John 3:16:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This is also a fiery dart hurled at us. So we take the Shield of Faith, which is able to quench this flaming missile and say to Satan directly, “you are a liar because Jesus proved His great love toward me, for while I was yet in sin and under your control, Christ died for my sins on His cross and delivered me out of your hands.” (Rom. 5:8-9) And, “Satan because Jesus delivered me from the body of your works, I know he has delivered me from all tribulation/troubles present and things to come, according to Psalm 91:15 and 34:4-8.”
Furthermore, in prayer, when Satan tries to tell the lie that we are unworthy to talk with God due to our poor past behavior: We use The Breastplate of Righteousness. Oh yes, we beat on our chest with honor in our God—and tell Satan that “our souls boast in the Lord for by Jesus Christ’s finished works on the cross, we have been made the Righteousness of God.” (II Cor. 5:21) We tell Satan to “get behind us!” “We are blessed, holy, blameless, and acceptable in God’s sight—and all this was decided by God before he was even created and named Lucifer!” (Eph.1:3-4) We remind Satan that we are “the Elect of God, and who can lay anything against the charge of the Elect of God?” (Rom. 8:33-34)
Do you get the idea now of how to do combat against the enemy? Never let the devil talk to you without responding back with the written Word of God! As often as Satan opens his mouth with a lie, resist him with the Word of God, which is Truth. See James 4:7. It reads,
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
In closing, the enemy Satan can never steal, kill, and destroy the Good Soldier who is fully clothed in the Whole Armor of God and engaged in prayer with God without ceasing in the Spirit (Word of God). Freedom in prayer with God is blessed assuredness that, come what may, everything is all right! When you know that God hears your prayers, the petitions you desire of Him have already been approved, and manifestation is on the way. This enables the Good Soldier to walk in patience, complete righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and focus on other aspects of the Mission of the Army of the Lord to meet and serve the needs of the Saints and unsaved people of the world in spiritual warfare.
Finally, I hear God saying, go and read and meditate on Psalm 91. This entire Psalm contains the Whole Armor of God; and covenant promises of protection, victory, and the life success of the Good Soldiers of Jesus Christ.
The Lord also says, the Good Soldier, must always watch and pray and take heed when other Soldiers become entangled again in the bondage of their youth, and not to follow suit. But to work in the Spirit to pull their fellow-Soldiers out of the fire by prayer with God in the Word of God. (Jude 23) Let’s give thanks unto God for the marvelous Word of God engrafted into our souls today. Amen.
Next week, we will talk about the Good Soldier’s pathway to heavenly success. March on to victory Christian Soldiers, March onward and upward in Christ’s Victory!
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