 With that said, we're going to be looking today at verses 18 through 24 here in the book of Ephesians and As mentioned, we will will conclude our study. So I'll begin reading at verse 18 Actually, I won't I'll start at verse 17 just to carry everything in in context And so I'll start at verse 17 read to verse 24 and look at this passage with you today Paul says take this take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit Which is the word of God praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints and For me that utterance may be given to me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel For which I am an ambassador in chains That in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak But that you also may know my affairs and how I'm doing Tachycus a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will make all things known to you whom I have sent to you for this very purpose That you may know our affairs and that he may comfort your hearts peace to the brethren and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen, and so we're going to conclude our study on spiritual warfare as well as our study of the book of Ephesians And we're going to be looking at first and I'm going to spend some time looking at the importance of prayer Now we've been looking at the armor that have been supplied has been supplied to us and you might ask yourself How can prayer be part of that kind of armor? Well prayer is incredibly important when it comes to spiritual warfare Prayer is of utmost importance in the spiritual life of a Christian in spiritual warfare. It's a source of strategy In which warfare is fought God's directions and God's presence and God's power is manifested when his children pray We have to remember we have an enemy He's unseen and he's in constant opposition to the the work of God And and that's why we call on the Lord for God's direction and God's help in Psalm 50 verse 15 It says call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you and you shall glorify me Now in the book of Daniel in chapter 10 I might remind you of this Daniel had been given a revelation and as he had been given this revelation It had troubled him so for three weeks he fasted and he prayed and he was seeking understanding concerning the message and it seemed like he would never gain that Understanding he wanted to know what this message what this revelation was all about well Bible tells us that one day he was standing by the Tigris River and it was there an angel spoke to him this visit terrified him and so the Bible speaks about he fell to the ground and he was motionless and the angels spoke in a comforting way to him and told him stand up and So in Daniel chapter 10 verses 12 through 14 he continued do not be afraid Daniel Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God Your words were heard and I have come in response to them But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me 21 days Then Michael one of the chief princes came to help me because I was detained there with the kings of Persia Now I have come to explain to you What will happen to your people in the future for the vision concerns a time yet to come So we have an insight into spiritual warfare We have an insight that that Daniel had received a revelation it troubled him He sought the Lord for an answer, but for three weeks according to earth time if you will there was opposition to that We have an unseen enemy who is constantly opposing God's work through us Now there are those who don't understand what prayer is in in many ways They look at at prayer is kind of like just a a religious ritual they they repeat certain words They have a formula and they think that that is prayer Jesus taught us not to pray in this fashion. He actually introduced his followers to a different dimension of prayer When you read the Bible and this is interesting enough for me to share this with you for a moment when you read your Bible in the Old Testament God is identified To us through various titles and attributes so in the original language You'll you'll see this in the English it very often It's not it's not as clear but in the original language It is and so there are names or titles that titles that are that that are in reference to God For example, he is called Adonai in Genesis chapter 15 verse 1 the word Adonai means lord or master He's called Elohim and Elohim is actually what is called a plural word It speaks of power and it speaks of authority It's a word that's used over 2,500 times and you see it first in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 when it says in the Bene in the beginning God in the beginning Elohim it speaks of the plurality It represents the Trinity and and it's a word that that implies that God is the strongest one and has all authority So you have Adonai you have Elohim you have other words like their their composite words like Al Shaddai the Almighty God You have Al Elion the Most High God You have Al Olam the everlasting God. He's called Jehovah The one who brings all things into existence the self-existing one this word Jehovah is used 5321 times in the Old Testament from Jehovah come the compound names that speak of his character and his attributes He's Jehovah Elohim the Lord our God Jehovah Jaira the Lord will provide Jehovah Rafa the Lord my healer. He is Jehovah Nisi the Lord my banner He is the one who unites us under that banner He is also our Savior the one who rescues us the one we identify with he's called Jehovah Shalom the Lord my peace Jehovah Ra'a the Lord my shepherd Jehovah Zit Ganu the Lord our righteousness Jehovah Shama the Lord is there He is Jehovah Sabot the Lord of hosts and all of those are words that are Intended to give us insight into the great God that we serve So these descriptions as you look at them reveal God is righteous is powerful as majestic as present He's also referred to and described as a warrior. He's our provider. He's our healer. He is a protector He's our shepherd and so you have all of these Old Testament Descriptions of our God, but Jesus introduced us to something that is much more tender and much more personal You see when we are born again God is our father in Matthew chapter 6 verse 9 when Jesus was speaking Concerning prayer and was giving a model of prayer. He started it by saying in this manner therefore pray our father in heaven You see in the Old Testament God was revealed as loving and caring, but he is not revealed as a personal father He's a father in the sense that he originates all things He's a father in the sense that he creates all things That's what Isaiah points to in chapter 64 verse 8 when he says but now oh Lord you are our father We are the clay you are our potter and we are all the work of your hand So he's spoken of as the Creator But in the New Testament, it's the Lord Jesus who introduced us to the knowledge that God is our father and That takes place when we're born again in John chapter 1 verse 12 as many as received him to them He gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in his name We become children of God when we commit our lives in faith the Jesus Christ So we are not automatically His children by creation he could be spoken of as a father of all things But in a personal way, he's a father of those who have bowed their knee to Christ He's a father of those who've received to as many as received him to them gave he the power to become sons of God Even it to those who believe on his name. That's how I got saved now coming out of that hippie revolution and all I was brainwashed into believing we're all children of God and we used to say that so we'd say to each other brother or sister or whatever You know, we just use that I'd say a brother and then I'd rip him off of his dope and stuff like that So he really wasn't my brother at all So we use that because that was kind of a cool thing to say and we wanted to point out that we're all a family United and this and that no you become a child of God When you receive Christ's Lord and Savior, that's how you're born again into the family of God in Galatians 3 26 in Christ Jesus. You are all sons of God through faith So as Christians, we know prayer is a conversation between a father and his child And the Bible is so beautiful when it gives to us the insight that we're actually invited to approach God to come to him with our requests in In the past I was given opportunity on a few occasions to go and have meetings with either the president or with His representatives and we'd go to Washington DC And it was one of the few times that I would wear a suit. I had to And so you had to go through all these security things. I mean we got a call from from some representative of I think the FBR or something like that. They did a background on me And then you go and you have to go through these different checks to get in and you finally make it into the room and you sit there And then they ultimately will introduce the president of the United States and you have this this this time with them I don't have to make appointments to see my God. I don't have to go through security checks He's already given me security. He's already cleansed me He's given me a right to approach him and that's beautiful when you think about Hebrews 4 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Let us come with confidence to God's throne because God is willing to receive us Jeremiah 33 3 Call unto me and I will answer the show the great and mighty things which thou know us not So God does this because God cares for us God is our father We are his child and So having that knowledge Well, that should encourage us to pray and Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 7 what great nation is there that has God so near to it as The Lord our God is to us for whatever reason we may call upon him Psalm 17 verse 6 I call on you. Oh God for you will answer me give ear to me Hear my prayer. He invites us to do that. Our life is really supposed to be a walking prayer in spiritual warfare and We all endure it daily in one form or another The battle can become hard as we know and when it becomes hard we we can lose heart So Paul's instruction is pray always with all prayer and supplication notice in the spirit in Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 he said it like this. He said be anxious for nothing But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God One of the things that Satan contempt us in is to give up One of the ways that he works and all of us are familiar with this if you're a new Christian You're familiar with it already if you've been walking with the Lord as a seasoned saint You're familiar with this One of the things that he repeatedly will whisper somehow and there's a variety of ways to do it Whisper to us is this give up Juiceless God doesn't care You're not important enough for him to care about there are other things out there that he does and you're not one of them And the enemy can whisper that in your ear and our hearts can respond to that He does it in a variety of ways We may have a memory that somehow is stirred up by a song we hear on the radio or we talk to an old friend or We may see a picture of something that remind we can these things he uses a variety of tools and you know what I mean You'll be just doing fine. You're driving. You say well, I'm gonna listen to some music You turn on the radio an old song comes on Some song that you associate with an old friend will say a girlfriend boyfriend, whatever And all of a sudden your mind is tripping on down there and you're remembering some things that maybe hurt you in the past You know, so you drive over to their house and shoot them. That's what you should do Just seeing if you're listening But he does that he does that There are things that occur things that happen that remind you of things that you don't want to remember There are times when you ask the Lord God Can you help me in this and it seems like the heavens are brass and that lords the Lord's ear is deaf to you and The enemy can say give up. Why are you even asking? It's not that important But it is that's why his exhortation is pray always That's to be our habit. That's our way of life. It's like he said in 1st, Thessalonians 5 17 pray without Ceasing Prayer is an ongoing thing. I sometimes we think it's only a time Well, we're gonna have a night of prayer or a season of prayer or a day of prayer or a prayer meet Prayer is it is at all moments at any time. I My I've discovered that I discovered it just by being a Christian that I found myself Speaking a lot to the Lord just talking about daily things I don't know what you're like in your prayer life, but I talked to him about pretty much everything You know, I certainly could be put away if people were to see me I'm just but but it's true. You know, I find myself talking to the Lord constantly. It's It's something that That we do and and it's it's not like well, wait a minute. I need a certain posture I better get on my knees. I better look up. I better clamp my hands a bit close my eyes It's not that at all. It's I'm driving and I'll say Lord that guy cut me off kill him Jesus, you know, it's things like that, you know, it's daily real life But you know what I mean, I Really do and so do you I speak to the Lord about friends about family about our fellowship About what it what would you have for us Lord? Where would you take us? What do you what do you want me to do? I speak to the Lord constantly. I wake up speaking to him I go to bed at night speaking to him and sometimes even in my dreams. I find myself praying It's just real. It's just that pray without ceasing may it be the habit of your life You see when things are going tough and and you're you're tempted to give up persistence reveals faith a Faith that that God not only hears but an awareness and belief that he also answers The enemy wants you to think that he doesn't care that God has no time for you So we can discourage you So what do you do while you remain steadfast? It's like when my children were small if they wanted something they let me know and They would also remind me of my promises. How many parents here have ever heard the words you said You said They remember my promises that you said you're going to you said and you know They they knew that their father could do anything. They thought in their mind at least But that's a child, right? Your your father can do anything Back in a long time ago. Let me give you a history lesson. I look out there. I'm looking for some gray hair Some of you will remember this when Disneyland was built in The 50s 55 I Lived in Norwalk Anaheim was only 15 minute drive away and Disneyland was opened that was every kid's dream to go to Disneyland And so one day my my mom said to me we have a surprise for you And so I said great. We're a little I still remember my brother and me being put in the backseat of the car And but it was raining. It was pouring We didn't know what the surprise was And it was raining and so we were supposed to go to Disneyland, but instead my dad took us to go see my aunt Talk about Mickey Mouse, you know, so we Thought my dad was goofy and so we we went So we're driving and and we're going to Venice. She lived in Venice anaheim area So we there was a there used to be this hamburger stand. That was a big thing again. I grew up in a time when junk food When you went to a get a hamburger or something that was a real treat that you know we never did that was a treat and so He stopped and bought us a hamburger and when we got to my aunt's house We walked into the house and it started snowing It hadn't snowed in California for all you know all of my life all five years of it and We thought my dad made it snow We said thank you daddy. Thank you for your surprise. Thank you. He took credit for it, too It was only until much later that my mom said we were actually gonna take you to Disneyland, but it It rained, but you thought dad made it snow. So we just left we just left that alone, right? But every kid believes Almost every kid believes their daddy can do anything Well, guess what our father can and that that's what we're supposed to believe That's what we're supposed to know that my my god is able So prayer and supplication is is to be my way of life when he speaks concerning prayer by the way that The word prayer in this context speaks of general requests when he speaks of supplication praying always with all prayer and supplication verse 18 that the word supplication speaks of specific requests Like in Philippians 4 again verse 6 be anxious for nothing But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God No, so we pray we we have our general requests that we give to the Lord, but we also make those specific ones And we notice verse 18 and we do it when he says praying always in the spirit Spiritual strength and courage are needed in spiritual warfare and difficult times Again in 2nd Corinthians 10 3 Paul said it like this though we walk in the flesh We do not war according to the flesh you see the battle is not against flesh and blood as he's already said because That that that would be a natural battle. We're in a spiritual war and therefore our weapons need to be spiritual Standing ready for combat is Combined with prayer It when you speak in with this it reveals a mindset that we know that we're engaged in warfare And it also reveals how the armor we wear is to be taken We're to be aware that we're not fighting a natural force It's a supernatural enemy that we have and So my life is to be aware that I've actually been taken into the family of God There is an opposition an unseen enemy who strategizes how he may destroy The attitude of a Christian's life is constant prayer and in this way we maintain our dependence on God constantly our Prayerfulness is what fuels our actions as we act on the word of God You see in prayer the Holy Spirit leads us in the direction. He would have us to go There have been so many times that in my own spiritual life I will be at a at a crossroads and and and I'll hesitate because I don't know do I go to the left do I go to the right and I have to take that to God in prayer now I wait on the Lord and I say father. What would you have us to do? What would you have me to do? Psalm 25 verses 4 and 5 says it like this show me your ways. Oh Lord. Teach me your paths Lead me in your truth and teach me for you are the God of my salvation on you. I wait all the day You see again, there are times when we're under attack. We don't know what to do So Paul gives words of comfort in Romans 8 26 and 27. He says likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is Because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God There are times when I don't know exactly how to pray So I just wait on the Lord knowing that the Holy Spirit within me makes groanings to the Lord and The Lord will give me an answer Again, the enemy wants you to believe that there's no way out of your circumstances But there always is a way with the Lord When our church was young It was only a few months old. We decided to have a an alternative an alternative For Halloween we were not going to celebrate Halloween But we had small kids We wanted to give them something to do. So we we had our first hallelujah night It was as an alternative. We only had like 15 kids in the church and Three of them were mine well, when the church that we were renting heard that we were going to have a Hallelujah party they they told us we were demonic You're you you worshiped you worshiped the devil because you're celebrating Halloween and we weren't doing that at all. It was it was an alternative and So they kicked us out of the church We didn't have any place to go. We only had 60 people at that time. We didn't have any place to go and So I had two assistants at that time Randy walls who is the pastor of Calvary upland and Dan wrencha who's the pastor of Calvary Chapel clay alum Washington? And we started scouring through the entire city of Ontario even went up to to to upland looking for a place because We had been kicked out. We couldn't afford the rent that Any other places that we discovered Would charge us we were only paying $150 a month For the rent on this this church. We used it on Sundays And we had a small office In Ontario that cost us like a hundred dollars a month. We didn't have anything. We didn't have money We had 60 people. We didn't have the the the ability to rent somewhere and So a month goes by we're into the second month. They've told us you have to be out by by January the end of January and I didn't know what to do. I can still remember We were about to get kicked out. It was in January and I had written a letter to my to my pastor Chuck Smith and I had said to Chuck Because we used to call ourselves Ontario Christian Chapel, I think that's what we called ourselves at that time and I said Chuck I'd like to be part of the Calvary Chapel family and and I'd like to associate as a Calvary and So I had done that twice actually Contacted Costa Mesa twice once I got a phone call saying new Second time I got a phone. I didn't even get a response. So I went straight to pastor and I said Chuck This is who I am. This is what we're doing. This is what I'd like and I'm asking well now we're kicked out My men have gone through the entire city. I've gone through the entire city We couldn't afford any place other than central school central school was the only thing open But we didn't have the money they we were paying $150 a month and they wanted a thousand fifty dollars and we didn't have that kind of money I still remember falling on my face literally not crashing down but hitting my knees and Putting my face on a carpet in my my bedroom my wife and my kids were gone for some reason and And I cried I I just cried out to the Lord. I said I don't know what to do I don't know where to go. I don't know how God. This is Beyond anything I can do. I need your help. We've been looking we can't find anything We can't afford anything. We didn't receive offerings or anything like that. We didn't receive offerings in this church for 11 years I Wanted God to do what God wanted to do and so I Remember going to the Wednesday night. It was a Wednesday night study and I Remember going in and one of the women looked at me. She said you look like death warmed over She said you need prayer We need to pray for you because I my eyes are swollen I was just I was at the end and I do remember saying well at at the conclusion of the study Please so we put two chairs in the center my friend Dan and I and they prayed God do something well the next day I Was preparing a study at a John's gospel John 12 24 greater we fall into the ground It's going to be alone unless it dies if it dies it produces much fruit and I remember saying to the Lord I am dead and As I said that The mailman came up oh I ought to add this When I got home from Wednesday night, I was laying about to go to sleep and I heard of hoist It was like an audible voice yet. It was internally audible. I don't know how to explain it But the voice said you will need a place To seek 200 people on Easter Sunday And we had 60 people in the church But I remember just Saying that's right. I went to sleep on the next day. I'm I'm on the couch and I'm preparing a study unless the greater we fall into ground and died by its loan But if it dies it brings forth much fruit and I said father. I'm dead and that's how I was saying I am dead The mailman came walking up and the voice again the same voice repeated and said to me this time your letter is here so I went and picked up the mail and put it down on the table and and Turned over the very first one and it said Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and I opened it up and That's a letter. We have a copy of it part of that letter in the hallway. You can read it was from Pastor Chuck And he said we welcome you to the Fellowship of Calvary Chapel And so that Saturday we had we used to have all church breakfast We didn't have men's breakfast and women's we just you hungry. Let's go out. So we did and so I announced we've been received into the Fellowship of Calvary Chapel and within a month and a half They gave us an extension at the end of January and then on Easter Sunday it was raining and pouring so bad But as I stood there I looked out at an auditorium We had 60 people in our church there were 200 people in that auditorium And I said you don't know this but you are an answer to what God put in my heart a couple months ago And that was when the Lord I can tell you many stories I'm not gonna make this storytelling night, but I can tell you many stories like that where the Holy Spirit And I said you hold fast. I'll give you one more because I I like to We didn't have it was it you know in churches it I'm and no I'm not receiving an offering But these are things that the Lord has taught me we we needed to get some property the school that we were renting kicked us out of it and They said we want our school back. We had been renting Ontario Christian Elementary. They were very good to us But it was time for us to leave We looked for some property and we found some in Maple Street in Ontario and So the property at that time was seven hundred and eighty thousand dollars That it could have been seven hundred and eighty million dollars. We didn't we didn't have the finances but We sought the Lord and we're able to work it out so that and I can't remember the details but we were able to to qualify for a six hundred thousand dollar loan and so I Said father, I don't know what we're gonna do because we don't have the money and I'm not a pastor It goes and starts telling people You need to give because my God shall supply all my need and I believe that you do The father, I don't know what to do and once again the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said to me I did not raise you up to let you fall. I Did not raise you up to let you fall long story made short I in with tears I didn't want to I went and spoke to my pastor and Sat down with him and and I said to him pastor I I could probably probably get a loan from an organization, but I don't want them to say I made Calvary Chapel rich so I'm speaking to you and We need a hundred and eighty thousand dollars to close the deal and Chuck looks at me and he says hundred eighty thousand dollars. That's not that much and I looked at Chuck. I said to you but to me and He said let me speak to the board and so Pastor Chuck gave us a loan for a hundred and eighty thousand dollars And that's how we were able to get our maple Street We paid him off like in a year because I don't like to owe people anything and so even my pastor We paid him off in a year and so the Lord has shown it shown us that so many times so many times I wish I could tell you more stories because These these are not just normal things. They have these are spiritual wars where God wants to do a work and the enemy wants to stop it and and and but no, I know the Lord want God help us and I 41 years I can give you so many stories of how he has been faithful Every step of the way even when we moved in here My administrator for some reason didn't tell me that we needed a hundred thousand dollars that we were short He didn't tell me that for some reason But and we didn't receive offerings And we needed to have a hundred thousand dollars in three weeks And within three weeks without receiving offerings We received more than that hundred thousand dollars on top of the regular God is able he provides I am telling you that's just That's just the truth and and it may seem I'm only speaking of these things You need to understand that that that a building is a place where the sheep get fed and sent out for ministry And there's an importance to it So it wasn't material things. I was concerned about it was a place to feed the sheep And that's what the Lord has done over and over again and again I could share you many things about that but I better move on because we're going to receive communion So I'm only in verse 18 anyway Praying always with all prayer and supplication and the spirit being watchful to this end with all Perseverance and supplication for all the saints So we pray being watchful with perseverance and supplication We pray keeping our mind on what is occurring as well as our request We're aware that distractions occur that would keep us from prayer So we keep our mind on what we're asking of the Lord First Thessalonians 5 verse 6 let us not sleep as others do Let us watch and be sober So we pray with perseverance and supplication notice for all the saints he says and he says for me So church he's saying pray for all the believers Become less self-centered pray for your brothers pray for your sisters But he goes on in verse 19 and for me that utterance may be given to me utterance that speaks of speech that is filled with wisdom and understanding it speaks of spirit inspired speech that is precise and Anointed it it's more than simply the capacity to speak clearly It's a request that God will fill his words with spiritual insight and power In 1st Corinthians 12 8 to wonder is given through the spirit a word of wisdom to another a word of knowledge by means of the same spirit So paul is praying that god would give through his speech insight and wisdom Not just human wisdom, but insight from heaven Notice he's in prison. He's in prison, but he's requesting prayer for boldness He wants spiritual power to flow through his words And again, that's the heart of a true minister In 2nd Thessalonians 3 verse 1 Finally brethren pray for us that the word of the lord may run swiftly and be glorified Just as it is with you Colossians 4 3 meanwhile praying also for us that god would open to us a door for the word to speak the mystery of christ for which I am Also in chains So preaching and teaching places you in a position of open attacks Correcting people's beliefs can cause anger exposing error results in attacks And the result is attacks on the minister The one who does so Matthew 26 31 strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered So we pray for boldness When we share god's message Because it's natural and it's easy to be intimidated in Jeremiah 1 4 through 9 It says the word of the lord came to me saying before I formed you in the womb I knew you before you were born. I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet to the nations Then said I Oh lord god behold. I cannot speak for i'm a youth But the lord said to me do not say i'm a youth For you shall go to all to whom I send you whatever I command you you shall speak Do not be afraid of their faces. I am with you to deliver you sayeth the lord Then the lord put forth his hand touched my mouth the lord said to me behold I have put my words in your mouth If you want to be bold You pray and say god increase my boldness Here am I lord Send me here am I lord I'm willing to speak as as an as a 23 year old 24 year old and 23 I went to bible college and at the age of 24. I went to secular college Bible college is a lot different than secular And so bible college you can speak about christ secular college. You better be ready You better be ready for the onslaught I'm a new christian, but I made a decision at that age. I said to the lord If nobody else will speak I will I will speak for you I want to be courageous. I want to be open. I want to be bold. I want to do that And so I've been doing that from the time I was 23 years old Speaking of lord even before that in the army at the age of 20 and 21 21 and 22 I I was open to speak about jesus. I told people about the lord Why because you need to and yes, you can be afraid of the reactions and yes people people get upset But our call is to speak the truth in love And he wants to speak notice first 19 the mystery of the gospel I want to clearly reveal god's grace in jesus to both jew and gentile. He says in verse 20 I am an ambassador in chains. I need to speak boldly I'm bound by a chain to a soldier But i'm really chained to jesus In second timothy 2 8 and 9 it says remember that jesus christ of the seed of david was raised from the dead according to my gospel For which I suffered trouble as an evildoer even to the point of chains, but the word of god is not chained So in spiritual war, we pray for courage and wisdom And finally verses 21 through 24 i'll summarize and close But that you may That uh, but that you also may know my affairs how i'm doing tychicus a beloved brother faithful minister in the lord Will make all things known to you whom I have sent to you for this very purpose That you may know our affairs and that he may comfort your hearts Peace to the brethren and love with faith from god the father and the lord jesus christ grace be with all those who love our lord jesus christ in sincerity Amen, so a couple of things and we'll close He speaks of tychicus This is a man who is his envoy his messenger Tychicus is mentioned in acts chapter 20 verse 4. He's from asia modern turkey In second timothy 4 12 he speaks of tychicus Colossians 4 7 once again and also in titus chapter 3 verse 12 Paul speaks of him as a beloved brother and notice a faithful minister So as a faithful minister paul had the highest regard and trust for him So as an envoy he's bringing news about paul to help them to pray for paul And his news is intended to bring comfort to their hearts And finally he closes with verses 23 and 24 and he speaks concerning peace love and faith from god the father and the lord jesus christ All of these things come from jesus christ And these are the things that belong to those who love the lord who love the lord notice this In sincerity verse 24 When he says who love the lord, let me close with this thought the word sincerity. I looked that up. I wanted to know It means incorruptibility It speaks of that which is genuine But it speaks also of that which is unending incorruptible Genuine and unending grace to those who have an imperishable love for jesus christ. That's how I closed it Grace to those love to those who have an imperishable love for jesus christ May god may god ignite our hearts With love for christ With a willingness to be counted With the courage to stand up With an understanding to be able to explain And a boldness to hold fast in the face of opposition Because the world is going to hell in a handbasket It's time for the church to stand up and be counted. May we speak in the name of jesus Why because we have an unending Imperishable love for him