R399 The Believer’s Commission Pt.1

God has an encouraging word for you today as we start a multipart series on the believers commission with Dr. Don Wilton as we study the word of God to get to connect with us on our website tewonline.org.

He has multiple resources including a new book about Dr. Billy Graham from Dr. with an UW online.org with Dr. Don 1991.

Some friends of ours in Mississippi at the time and loaned us a motorhome by marvelous things to drive and my wife alignment brand-new little baby son and my parents-in-law went for a long trip in this motorhome and we ended up in Washington DC and it was July 4.

We parked our motorhome somewhere near the Jefferson Memorial of the Lincoln Memorial and they were literally thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people that there were people everywhere and then we did what I'm told you're supposed to do on motorhomes. We climbed onto the roof, got out a jolly good cup of tea and we watched the most spectacular fireworks display that I believe that I've ever seen. It was for the President of the United States of America, and for what seemed to be like 20 to 30 minutes. There was an array of color that stretched from one side of the Washington skyline to the other when it seemed that we had reached an exhilaration point at which we were about to max out. They all of a sudden launched the climactic agenda and there was a finale structure which I've never seen the colors, the explosions, the design of every nature and every kind that one could ever imagine. It was spectacular full does a very similar thing writing here in Ephesians chapter 6 when he gets to the end of his possibly personal.

He he has exalted believers and he has instructed them and he's advised him, and he's encourage them and as we saw last week. He talked first of all about the believers battlefield we going to continue with that and move into the second component to the having talked about the battlefield that believers find themselves in cold talks about the believers commission. He sends us out, and he says listen. He said I want you to know that there is no way in God's word that God's word tells us that when we give our heart to Jesus that nothing is ever going to go wrong again. In fact, if I seem to understand what the apostle Paul assigned deciding anything but that is true. Paul is actually confirming what God has told us in what the Jesus Christ's porpoise when he was upon the earth. He said if anything.

When you receive Jesus Christ into your heart and why you are going to be running exhibits what Satan desires for every person who lives on this world, and therefore you are going to become increasingly vulnerable and susceptible to the battlefields of life and cool here says God does not just allow us to enter into these battlefield buddy commissions us. He tells us what we need to do.

I should imagine that many of you this week. Just recently, if not this coming week will the next week are going to have the joy of sending your son or daughter to college for the first time. I wonder what it is that you told one of the final words that you going to give them. Not that it's the final time that you guide to see them but you want to give them instruction you want to commission them you're saying to them now.

My son my daughter I want you to go out and I want you to remember these when he gets through, that Paul moves into a different arena with the same theme and he says not just the believers battlefield in the believers commission, but the believers are enemy that we going to look at in the next week or two. The believers anomie Paul talks about something here that is almost unbelievable.

He tells us that as believers our enemy is not just operating upon this world but is operating in heavenly place that staggered first time I read that I said these things or not to be, then having talked about our enemy, the believers enemy Satan himself.

The apostle Paul comes to a climactic expression and he talks about the believers equipment. What is it that you put on the whole armor of God, and he outlines that and then he gets up into that ultimate crescendo and he closes out this whole discussion with the believers pray. Just think about the backing for you believers, commission believers anomie believers equipment and the believers pray that's what Paul is doing here in these final few months. Let's read them together again. Ephesians chapter 6 in verse 10.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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 heavenly places.

Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground in laughter you have done everything, to stand by the Lord right he's word upon our hearts. All is commissioning the believer to be able to live a full, productive life in the battlefields of life.

Guess what he's telling us he's telling us that you and I can be overcome.

He says we all overcome us, and he says that the life that Jesus Christ gives to us is the absolute best slack because God gives to us what no man can give to us he gives to us the ability and the equipment to be able to face life's journey.

One of my favorite speakers is Kay Arthur, Dir. of precept ministries out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, author has done a Bible study in many of our ladies have done this cold Lord is warfare, and in fact there is a book by the name tiredness by the same title in the book, Kay Arthur asks 15 questions regarding the reality of a believers battlefield. I wrote them down and I want to read them to you may start one surprise but I'm gonna have to be rather quick. Listen to listen to this. You really believe I'm asking you. Do you believe that you're in the battlefield. Do you believe that you need to commission you understand what you're up against all you equipped for the journey and how you going to respond to that through prayer. That's where we are at the moment in Paul's letter to the Ephesians and guess what, Kay Arthur Aust. These 15 questions number one. Have you ever felt like quitting because the hassle of Christianity was just too much number two. Do you ever doubt the truth of God's word, or the reality of Christianity.

Have you ever been tormented by blasphemous thoughts against God. This is going to demonstrate to you and to me, as believers, that we are in the midst of the battlefield. We need a commission. We need to understand who we are up against. We need to be equipped and we need to know how to pray when we talk to God about these things. Number three. Have you ever felt captivating lead role to the things of the world you have a struggle in your heart this morning. Frame you find yourself being role into the things that the world has to offer you. Number four is there anything you feel compelled to do or to believe. And yet you know it is not of God number five.

Are you bombarded with docs about God's goodness and his love toward you. You doubt God's goodness and his love. You can't talk to someone who is suffering from cancer Austin. Some of these questions can't talk to someone who's lost a job Austin. Some of these questions can't talk to a parent whose teenager is got involved in drugs and alcohol. Austin, some of these questions go and speak to a couple whose marriage is struggling Austin. Some of these questions at work, at home and play number six. Have you ever been plagued by feelings of worthlessness or inadequacy. Do you just feel useless you find yourself siding man I I'm worth nothing I'm inadequate. I cannot cannot be a parent anymore. I cannot be a husband anymore. I cannot work at this job anymore. I'm just useless.

Number seven, even though you have confiscated cost centers. I also lost. Do you still live under a cloud of condemnation. How different is missing. Let me run that by again even though you have confessed your sins to the Lord, do you still feel that you run the condemnation for what you've done. So I foster what you have in mind we could talk about sin from a to B A-to-Z we could talk about every kind every stripe every four. Perhaps you have been unfaithful to your spouse. This happened many years ago Christian number one.

Have you admitted your sin to God.

Did you send your solar you said yes our sin before God.

Number two. Do you believe that Jesus Christ will forgive. So yes I do fact the Bible says in one John 19 if we confess our sin. Jesus Christ is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness that you believe that from what unrighteousness all unrighteousness. Everything he doesn't hold anything if and when we can't face our sin to him. That's repentance. There has to be repentance is not just something that comes from the habits from the heart. It's our recognition of who we are in the presence of the holiness of Almighty God, not have you send. Have you admitted your sin. Have you confessed your sin to God. Do you believe that he's forgiven you down because the question do you still walk around with a load on your shoulders. That's the believers battlefield. That's the believers battlefield and you know that Satan loves to do. Satan loves to remind you about your sin and sometimes he even uses other people to remind audit if you've ever been around someone who constantly brings your sin not thereof reminds you about what you did. This is the believers battlefield. I brought good news for you today. If you have confessed your sin. Jesus Christ has liberated such good news is we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, sometimes there is a desire to get better but also was told in Scripture to confess our sins to one another, not to someone you can trust but someone you can trust in you can trust us to pray with you, not about the sin you need to confess your sin but you might want to say pray for me about the struggle we are here at 866-899-WORD 24 hours a day to pray through.

That's 866-899-9673 now back today's teaching with Dr. Doc number eight have you felt overwhelmed with depression.

Depression is sweeping across America. More and more people are being depressed and many of them with very good reason. Does the question McKay offer Aust you suffer with depression are coded in classical terminology or you just perpetually down in the dumps.

You know, depression. My friend is not just feeling sad. Depression is something that can get inside your soul.

It'll get so deep inside of you that it's almost like it it it's a sickness. It's an illness and it will begin to overtake you and and Satan is going to capitalize on your state of depression God has offices for these things but it is part and parcel of the believers battlefield number nine have you ever thought about suicide Armada extraordinary person on Friday.

His name is wrong and I have no doubt that Ron is listening right now in his hospital room and Ron, I want you to know that at first Baptist Church that we love you most. Thank you for sharing your testimony with me and allowing me to share your testimony with our congregation. I received a phone call from his wife Edna on Thursday night. Ron is not a member of this church some time ago.

His first wife became very ill and she died. He obviously loved her very much and on Thursday night.

Edna is the sweetest lady you could ever meet. Now married to Ronald called me and said pasta my husband Ron needs to see you.

He's in hospital. Would you please come by.

He wants to share something with you and so I went by on Friday morning first thing in the moment I walked into that hospital room.

Ron began to weep.

It would it.

It was beautiful.

They were beautiful tears. They were tears of joy and he whipped the whole time I was there and he told me that his wife had died and that when she died he had nothing left to live for his life came crumbling down and told me in some detail.

He said to me, foster and ended up with me sitting on the end of my bed on a Sunday morning with my rifle my gun loaded and he said I was about to commit suicide. There was nothing more for me to do, no way to go. The person I love more than life itself and been taken from me and I was at the end of the line and he said it was that Sunday morning that I turned on and sold first Baptist Church on television said. I opened up my heart to the school Jesus Christ and he said my life is never been the same again and with tears running down his cheeks. He told me of the joy of his heart, my safety, and Ron, would you mind if I share your testimony called your name. He said all another notable you know wireframes because there are lots of people out there who find themselves not on similar predicament to what Ron found himself in because what Paul says Paul says you and I are over, we have the victory and so does the question have you ever thought about suicide. Please don't do that if you're listening to us this morning. There is a number that appears on the screen and I want you to pick up that telephone and I want you to call that number because there are some of the finest men and woman dear friends, you would pray with you right now, dear friend and I would help you and help you to become another, just like Ron. And just like so many of us here in Spartanburg today. You see, there is joy there is a last, and God gives to us the very best that we could ever have number 10. Have you ever been haunted by some derogatory remarks for memory would desire that you couldn't shake. Number 11. Have you heard voices in your mind is your mind filled with incessant noises. You're afraid to tell anyone. You see, when things like that happen to us. We don't want to talk about we get up to the point that we say I want to go and see my pasta and right there before we pick up the telephone. Satan intervenes and says you don't want to do their there been times in my ministry even here in Spartanburg that the people that I don't know have made appointments to come and see me and then at the last minute. They haven't shown up though. They've canceled out to some things happen you know I'm convinced that many times. Many of those people are faced with predicaments that are so severe and right at the point at which they begin to do something about it. Tobacco. It's like the alcoholic.

One of the worst illnesses that can come upon any person, and right there at the point of resolve safe. This is just one more just one more sits them back for many many months.

Number 12 are you filled with anger and bitterness or unforgiveness.

And even though you realize that you are wrong to harbor these feelings you feel powerless to deal with them you fighting with anger this morning my friend is your marriage falling apart. Are you in a custody battle. Are you angry you not angle will do to you.

It'll eat you up. It'll destroy you.

It'll tear you apart. It'll get right on your inside you need to deal with and the way you deal with it is through Jesus Christ.

He's the one.

Why because we're engaged in a battlefield number 13 are you physically sick and get the doctor just cannot find the course wonder if there's someone worshiping with us today and you been sick for some time, aches and pains, headaches, migraines, everything seems to come upon you. Just in the mornings.

It's hard to get your joints are sold versus bad.

I mean it just goes on and on and you been to the doctor folks.

I believe the just as we been blessed with the best educators in the country in Spartanburg.

I believe God has blessed us with the finest medical profession personnel that you'd find anyway and I'm going to say know that you're getting the best treatment. I know that our hospitals are the finest of the five men and women doctors and nurses who are dedicated professionals. So many of them love the Lord Jesus Christ and they are not only ministering physically through the giftedness that God is given to them, but they are ministering's relief because of their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and you go to them and you've gone through tests and you've done everything under the sun, and yet you just cannot seem to find the Onset to your predicament. Listen to these questions are you physically sick and yet the doctor is unable to diagnose your problem number 14.

Have you ever been joyfully serving the Lord and suddenly attacked unjustly, your faithful if I slid home to fight for the work you serve the Lord, you tied you give at least 10%, and a whole lot more to the Lord's work. Your obedient sing in the quiet your Sunday school teacher your own committees you doing what God is told you to do your faithful at work and get your under attack. That's the believe is better for you and so she comes to the 15th point.

If you remember that the Christian life is a battlefield that frames how do we translate that in today's day and age many share a few things with you this morning in this practical sermon based upon God's word.

I have outlined seven things that I believe take place in today's world that parallel the struggle that we remember one fascination with the occult with astrology and Inwood and sainted meditation can drive up and down the streets of Spartanburg. You gonna see palm read assignments, folks, that's not of the Lord, you can turn on your television set.

You going to see 900 numbers that are going to say I want you to call this number, there is a spiritual advisor, folks, that's a non-spiritual advisor.

That's not a spiritual advisor, number two, the effort to put people in touch with the God within the whole religious fervor of the world today is turning to the God within. It is a humanistic approach that seeks to absorb the world of the centrality of the reality of who God is number three. The lack of theological depth and viable knowledge on the part of Christian which makes them susceptible invulnerable to the cults that come knocking on your door number four. The emphasis on role reversal and gender neutering.

I've said this before, I believe it is anti-Christ and the word of God the things that are taking place today where the more popular thing is for men to become women and to look like women and for women to become man enter look black man. There is an invasion of the opposite gender, number five, a big subject, cloning makeovers, new identities, the endeavor to reproduce what is good and who knows what will happen when I hit Clarion type of person gets onto this type of context and concept and reproduces what is bad. Number six, spoons, movies, TV, video games, you can going to place today. Most of the games in arcades and there's nothing wrong with all kinds and there's nothing wrong with videogame but in many of the arcades most of the games are monsters and dragons and and blood and everything that is Amhara number seven heavy metal rock groups.

Marilyn Manson using a woman's name calling himself the antichrist. While the rock stall, formerly known as Prince has chosen blamelessness to enhances say God's word says you can overcome. Indeed, we can overcome before we getaway our pastor has some closing most important thoughts. Are you ready to give your talk in life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that Iversen and I know that Jesus died for me cross today.

I repainted my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend.

I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. If you just gave your life to Christ. We dedicate your life. We have wonderful resources to talk with you at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-WORD 9673 and would love to be a part of your life with multiple resources we have a tremendous amount of resources and are available right now at a very special opportunity Encouraging Word sale prices will start at six dollars that's real dollars. Visit us online at tewonline.org, large store located at the top of the pains.

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Be sure and join us again tomorrow as we continue in the believers commission with Dr. Don Wilton here on The Encouraging Word