 Hey everyone. Hello. Good morning. Very good morning Good to see you all Thanks for joining in guys. Hope you all are doing well. Hey Paul. Hi Anita. Hey knock Chafina. Hi Lea Hello. Hello. Hello So I hope you're all doing well. Good to see you or as always Very quickly, can I request either one of you to start us off with a word of prayer, please? Yes, please go ahead Father we come to under the name of Jesus. We thank you for this beautiful J for the beautiful class. We are about to have God I praise each and everyone who has joined here into your hands as we study about your church as we study about everything Give us your wisdom knowledge and understanding. I bless each and everyone right here. Give us good Internet connections and be with this and guide us throughout this class. We give you all the praise and glory in Jesus name. I pray amen Many men. Thanks. You know Okay, it's welcome once again. Hey Rosalind. Hi, Rebecca See you. All right But I hope you've been learning a little bit So far what we've covered in this course Regime The church of God the house of God regarding the local church Hope it's been informative and transformative Right, so to do a very quick recap So far we've covered from section one six chapters. We've discussed in detail about the church It's a spiritual and natural dimensions The purpose its mission message and the methods The government and its structure of the local church the stages and growth and development where we Learned about, you know, how the apostles were added the deacons the elders etc. What and what makes a local church strong the some of the principles the healthy principles To have a successful local church and then we go to the second section where we start talking about the blueprint of God's blueprint for the local church because we started off this course by saying The local church is God's idea. It's his blueprint, right? And a couple of things what we did see was that the local church is the body of Christ and The local church is the family of God right and so Some of the things that we Discussed in the previous class was the family of God as we mentioned and we saw that how the house of God is a spiritual house Right. It's a spiritual house. That means In just like any other household there is a family and so and Like just like any other family, you know has its own practices You have to conduct yourself a certain way, you know behave a certain way We saw that as some of the good practices and whatnot and And we saw some of the cultures and the practices at APC as an example that's what we saw and We were encouraged to walk in brotherly love to keep the unity and fellowship of the spirit, right? And we saw that everyone works not every You know, everyone who is part of the local church is Is encouraged to be involved with something to to give back to the local church, etc Right. So those are some of the things that we looked at and what a Christ-centered community looks like and and How we can, you know in the name of community, you could you know We can end up talking about the things of the world all the unnecessary and the unhealthy things that is not necessary But how a Christ-centered community looks like right? What what will their discussions be their Conversations be it will all be around You know God and his word and his ways, etc. So to speak, okay So yeah, that's where we are at and I hope you all are So breathing and all well today we look at chapter 10 in the second section and page 69 in your PDFs Right, we will talk about the pillar of truth We'll try and dress quite a few things today Few champ will try and cover a few chapters today But we'll see how that goes, right? so Chapter 10 the local church as the pillar of truth right first Timothy chapter 3 verse 15 and Says but if I am delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself Now we've seen this scripture multiple times in this course by now, right first Timothy chapter 3 15 should become like John 3 16 for us Right in this course. That's how it is, but we've seen a different aspects of This verse You know different words have been accentuated and can be studied, right? So if I'm delayed all this writing I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself Which we studied in the previous chapter and then he goes on to say conduct yourself in the house of God Right, and then he becomes more descriptive about it Which is the church of the living God and Then goes on to say the pillar and the ground of truth So that is where we are at, right? We've seen it as the house of God and how we have to conduct and behave ourselves as a family in the house of God Which is a church of the living God and then today we will learn about the pillar that it is the pillar and the ground of The truth Okay, that's very important. All those words are important, especially the last word truth It is the pillar and ground of not something a random or it's a pillar and ground of you know, whatever It's the pillar and ground of truth Okay. I'm so very quickly. Okay, so what is the difference between a fact and a truth? And do I need a knock knock joke to start off with knock knock? What? What is the difference between a fact and truth? Can I say something? Yes, I go ahead. Yeah Yeah, well my understanding Facts facts and truth the difference is Facts can change what truth remains Truths whatever is true today is true tomorrow. What certain facts can change Depending on one's perception. Thank you Great. Yeah, thanks Isaac. Yeah, Collins. You did you raise your hand as well? I also just wanted to say that A fact Can be a whole statement, but the truth can be half or a complete statement Still for instance, if I say that Jesus Christ died on the cross That one is a fact, but it's also the truth, but again, it's not the whole truth Because it is he died on the cross. It is correct. But again, he died at Golgoth. Oh, he died this time 2980 there are so many things that I can add on but The truth can be half the fact. Thank you first Okay, yeah, thanks Collins. Hey guys, give me a second. There's some interference with my internet connections Just give me a second. Let me just look into that guys. Sorry. Sorry guys. I had to change my connection Thankfully, there are two internet connections at home Right, thank you for sharing that. Yeah So facts can change as in can be one thing today But the truth remains and then we see I will say he is Jesus is the way the truth and the life Right, the fact is that the woman suffered with the issue of blood for 12 years The truth is Jesus is a healer and he heals, right? So and and that's why it's the emphasis is there on that last word that we the church is the pillar and ground of the truth Okay, and so in the north it goes on to say the local church is to be the pillar and ground of truth the upholder the standard bearer The foundation of truth in a sin sick corrupt dark and depraved world Right, we are almost called to be like a lighthouse that is shining the light and showing the truth Showing the way the leading the way kind of thing Okay, we are the upholder and the standard bearer right so when people want to know what is right and Wrong, they should look at the local church in their community as a reference point But so the question again to us is can people do that these days? It are a people able to look at the church to know what is right and wrong What do you think I can wait all 15 minutes I think I think people should look at look up to the church for truth because the church is holding the the the word of God which is The foundation the Bible so I think people should Though sometimes some choose not to but I think people should choose to to the church To fuck yeah, people should look to the church. Yeah, that's a different thing Oh, yeah, and I agree with you that people should look to the church and whatnot, but my question to us is Can people look to the church these days and For that to know what is right and wrong Can they can they still do that? Yes I do think that people Can look it's true that they can look at the church, but the church will not always give us the real truth I think the whole truth people should always get it from from the Bible because there's some churches which are funny But because you and I mean all of us are here to study about the local church and give the the real blueprint of on his charge we should be able to have churches that are Ah Preaching the real things in the Bible Preaching the real gospel as it is written in the Bible. That's my contribution faster Yeah, hey, thank you. Thank you Okay, there's I guess typo For it depends upon which church we are talking about okay, and I mean doesn't matter We're talking about gentle like, you know the gentle the overall body of Christ all over the world, okay? So the point here the reason that I ask is some of that most of the times we can get question posed to us as Christians saying What do you think about say what do you think about same-sex marriage for example, that is how a question will be framed most of the times right but then the point is what they are seeking is for our opinion in the form of an answer and You know, that's what it is, isn't it and most of the time And I've seen good people who respond to questions like that is it doesn't matter what I think But what I believe is the truth and that's the word of credit word of God, right? So and so when people want to know what is right and wrong what they are really looking for and what you should what we should know is Our Opinions is not that it's not what is important what God's word says is what is important, right? Because moving into the next section you see in John chapter 17 verse 17. It says sanctify them by your truth your word is Truth right sanctify them by your truth your word is Truth right now I'm not sure if I've mentioned this about Psalm 119 and in in the last semester or not, but please forgive me if I'm Redundant about it, but some hundred and nineteen, you know It's it's said to be a love poetry for the word of God It's love poetry for the word of God, right? So there are about 175 or 176 verses I think in some hundred and nineteen and Depending on the I mean the version of your Bible you will minus NIV and These are the words that are repeated in every single verse of that some and some hundred and nineteen you will you will find the words word ways statues laws Precepts decrees commands promise and all of these words are Appointing to God's word Right all of this so some hundred and nineteen a hundred and seventy five verses almost every verse has these words repeated and That's saying something about the word of God right time and time again some of the popular verses Some hundred and nineteen verse hundred and five that word is a lamp into my feet and a light into my path So I'm hundred and nineteen verse and nine. I think how can a young man? You know make his base pure by living according to the word of God Some hundred and nineteen verse 18 says open my eyes to the hidden things of your word That I may know your ways or your decrees and precepts right Same way. I mean if we just read that some verse after verse after verse the emphasis Of on the beyond the word of God is brought up so beautifully. And so if you haven't heard that verse Sam Don't be scared that it has so many verses, but then it's it's a beautiful beautiful Sam and I would encourage you to do that. So the church of God as a pillar of In the ground of truth, we need to be aligned and committed to the truth We need to be aligned and committed To the truth, right? So the local church is the upholder and the foundation of truth Right. We have this We Tradition not tradition, but this practice at APC is that we make a declaration every Sunday at church service You know where you know we emphasize on the importance of declaring the word of God And right so what we do is we lift up our Bibles high up in the air. We say this is God's word This is God speaking to me. I am who God says I am I can do what God says I can do I will become everything God has promised I am saved he is delivered redeemed. I am blessed victorious prosperous triumphant I'm a minister of God a servant of Christ and I tell of blessing, you know, I receive his word I believe his word and I live by his word and be concluded by saying Christ is my master and to him I am an absolute surrender Right and the importance once again is on the word of God, which is the truth and it's the truth that sanctifies us Right and it is so important once again for the local church to be aligned and committed to the word of God Right no dilution nothing else just the word of God, right the importance of Reading the word and the importance of studying the word. There are two very different things reading the word studying the word are not the same This quick suggestion side note if you want to Just check out this book called how to read Bible for all its worth by Gordon Fee The book like that and see if you can get your hands on it It's a lovely book to still how to read the Bible, but then there are more content on how to study the Bible So it's very important for us as leaders, you know, if the local church being committed to God's word because if we as leaders compromised Right, then it's going to be difficult for the rest of the local church the body To uphold the truth once again, it starts with the leaders, right the water always flows down It has to come down. So everything flows from top. So if the top the leadership is compromised then the whole of the congregation We will be hard for them to To uphold the truth because remember that word compromise is something that kills our spirit It will absolutely destroy your Christian walk Everyday walk walk You know, and I like this. I don't know Hindi a lot, but then there's this one Hindi word which is used for compromises What my friends says the chalta hair chalta hair attitude like, you know, hey, yeah, it's okay You know, it's okay attitude. It's okay. It's just this thing. It's okay. We it's okay You know, it's just it's just one shot or it's just You know one drag or something like that, you know, all of that is compromise, right? and it's compromise that is Absolutely dangerous for us as That attitude will kill our spirit, right? So we as leaders have to be mindful of that, right? And and studying the word reading the word and when asked to speak on current issues We should boldly and unashamedly declare what God's word has to say about these topics Right, what God's word has to say about these topics, right? Once again, so it's not your opinion It's what God's word has to say about Certain topics that you know that the popular culture has questions about the society has questions about because And time and time again, we see in the Bible that The word of God is like this the word of God is like that there are symbols that it's compared to right If for example in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12, we see that The word of God is compared to a double the double-edged sword It's a Hebrew thing chapter 4 verse 12 and also Ephesians 4 12. I think it says his word It's like the sword the double-edged sword the Hebrew says the double-edged sword in Jeremiah chapter 23 verse 29. We see that his word is is Again drawing a symbol to fire that refines us or a hammer that breaks and convicts us right and and and I just mentioned Psalm 119 verse 105 which his word is like a light and a lamp into our feet and Matthew chapter 4 verse 4 we see that his word is like food it also Peter writes about it in first Peter chapter 1 and chapter 2 and It's like seed and James writes saying that his word is like a mirror like you know where you see and you you know you And you it draws us into correcting ourselves into changing ourselves And he goes on to say you know if a man just looks himself into the mirror and walks away without making any changes or correction What's the point of looking into a mirror? If you look into a mirror to see okay, is there anything or how you look? so James is saying that that's what God's word is like right and Efficiency 523 says it's like water that cleanses us Right and there are so many things you know like that Sam 19 verse 10 It's like his words like a honey like to our lips right so again This is all symbols and and if he just took time to just study and meditate on all of these things and let God's Word do what it does best in us We would be the church That that you know the Bible is talking about the foundation and the pillar of truth right because Remember they're talking about the blueprint The church is God's Blueprint right there's the blueprint and once you start constructing anything we mean we all know the importance of foundation Right we all know the importance of and that and the consequences and the danger of a weak foundation You know, I mean everybody in this world understands the importance of foundation But the question is how strong is the foundation? How deep is the foundation? That's the other thing right we all know the story about this the foolish man and the wise man who builds the house One builds the house upon the rock and the other builds the house upon the sand right? Since the Sunday school song the reins came down and the floods went up I Once very interesting thing is that the wise man the Doug deep Until he hit the rock one translation says I mean, it's it's it's from there. We get this phrase called rock bottom or I hit rock bottom It's not from WWE Okay, the drain the rock Johnson's rock bottom, that's not what I'm talking about It's not rock bottom when you hit from when you fall from top and hit a rock now you dig so deep Until you hit a rock That is what actually the rock bottom is like, you know, we and Once again, we all know that you know Jesus is the rock and the psalmist says in times of trouble lead me to the rock that is higher than I Right and so our foundation's got to go deep a solid in him. He is the truth once again, right? and Then in John 1 we see that he is the word and so the emphasis of us building this Relationship studying and reading God's word Is unparalleled this to say it's important is an understatement, right? so What do we do now now that we understand the importance of it what we do? How can we go about this thing? The next point is raise up people who will Who will be upholders of the truth, right? So before we come to this point guys remember before we build our congregation before we build people to be upholders of truth the importance of leaders not being compromised Leaders being deeply rooted in the word of God is crucial Right once that is said then we move to raising up people who will be upholders of the truth, right? We see the prayer that Jesus makes in John chapter 17. It's one of those Classic chapters in the Bible John chapter 17 Right says as the Lord Jesus prayed for his disciples and those of us who believed on him While acknowledging that we are not of the world and yet we are being sent into the world Right and Jesus prays sanctify them by your truth for your word is truth Okay, so the first thing is When we are raising up people They need to be sanctified by the truth. That is the word of God Not your truth not your opinions not what you think Not your suggestions or advice or not They need to be sanctified by the truth, which is the word of God We just saw Every symbol that the Bible talks about that the word of God is like the refining fire. Let it refine them Right, let it wash them. Let it cleanse them. Let it break them like the hammer Let it pierce their heart like a double-edged sword, right? All of that process is a sanctify a sanctification process, right? So first they need to be sanctified by the truth and as pastors or ministry leaders We must preach teach and proclaim the undiluted Uncompromised clear and complete word of God Okay, undiluted uncompromised a Complete word of God Not once a year not twice a year not not only on Easter or Good Friday or New Year's Eve But week after week continually Right, so the word of God will sanctify people and empower them to go into the world and yet not be part of it Okay, can I say that again? The word of God will equip them will sanctify them I will empower them to go into the world and yet not be part of it Right, so that is very important and that is how we raise people you know to To be now who will be up the upholders of the truth So to say right and as pastors we must and ministry leaders we must make sure that our preaching and Teaching inspires empowers and equips equip God's people to uphold the truth in the world in one of the earlier chapters I'm not sure if you remember We spoke very briefly about the importance of preaching the word of God from the pulpit The pulpit ministry, right? It's a place where God's given to minister to people and we cannot take it lightly We cannot take that opportunity or that privilege So lightly we have to look at it as an opportunity To touch people's lives and to release the word of God that will change them forever right, so That's the importance of it So raising up people who will be upholders of truth let the word of God do its work And next we see that be aware of compromise right be aware of compromise John 17 16 says they are not of the world just as I am not of the world right and Once again, you know, I mentioned ice One of the things that God tells the people of Israel When he brings them out of Egypt is a be careful Not to partake or you know to be Conformed to the ways of the the canonites Don't bow down to the gods that they worship, you know Don't be conformed to the culture to their ways or their sinful ways What do they do exactly what God told them not to do? right and God was very clear when you read the book of judges at least from the chapter 1 and chapter 2 We see that when God told them to drive out every nation of that land in the can in the land of canon They did not follow the command a hundred percent. They let a couple of tribes to just be in their land So the same people that they allowed to be in their lands which God told them to drive out Later began to oppress them. Okay Now this things like compromise again, it's I'm the reason I want to dwell on this for another minute is It's not just the congregation or the people that that compromise or that kind of struggle with this as pastors as ministry leaders The challenges are real for us as well Right for us to just have our eyes fixed on Jesus and not to compromise with the things of the world So that our spirits are not killed is very crucial and he goes on to say Matthew 5 verse 13 Right, you are the salt of the earth and if the salt loses its flavor How shall it be seasoned if the salt is compromised? It's a very military word, isn't it this facility has been compromised You know, we've been compromised. That means there's been an invasion You know, this computer is compromised. That means a virus is you know, has been a hacker has hacked A system and whatnot so that this so if we are compromised that means something of The world is now in and so that is how we lose our influence That is how salt loses its saltiness You are the salt of the earth Jesus is saying Right, but if salt loses its flavor, how shall it be sees if we lose if we compromise if we lose our influence What's going to happen to us? Right, so the note says as pastors and leaders we will face pressures to be soft Nice and not be too force and not too forceful in stating the truths of God's word Especially when it comes to areas where people do not want us to rock the boat or stir the pot so to speak We must be aware of compromise We are not off this world and we cannot give up the truth to adjust with this world Okay, that's very important line there. We are not off this world and we cannot Give up on the truth To adjust with this world We cannot change the truth or the word of God just because some people in the congregation might get offended of that or the world Oh, this is what this is. I'm offended by it well It's true. There's nothing I can do about it. That's what God says. That's what his word says That's what I'm saying. I stand by it It's what it is It's one of it's like one of those mafia movies that says it is what it is right, they say Be aware of compromise guys. Um, it's crucial and uh Provide biblical response to current issues. Um first Corinthians 148 says for if the trumpet makes a certain Makes an uncertain sound Who will prepare for battle? My people want to know what God's word has to say about critical issues they face today Okay, people are searching for the truth. Um Most of the time they know that some of them don't know that they are searching for the truth But it's what it is The point is that they are searching and we must apply God's truth to today's problem We must provide answers from God's word for today's challenges because his word Will always be relevant. Um the question the classic question that is out there today is is God's word still relevant today Is is the bible still relevant in this day and age? That is the question if uh, you know, I surprise you or not but then Definitely is isn't it and it all comes down to us as leaders Uh, if we if we can uh, you know train ourselves teach ourselves to give provide biblical responses to current issues Right. Um, just so some of the practical ways the local church can implement this um, it's coming down to page 71 the notes is Ensure that the preaching and teaching from the pulpit is sound strong and uncompromising Address real life issues of problems and challenges with the word of God Speak the truth in love Empower and encourage believers to live by the truth out there in the world where it really matters Encourage believers to engage society in meaningful ways to present God's truth in the world and encourage believers to take up opportunities to bring kingdom values and kingdom perspectives into the public places and forums Right encouraging people that I think the last point is this crucial which kind of resonates for the rest of the points is uh, you know often Most very often we use these words uh full time. I mean full time ministry Uh, it simply means that you can touch the world and impact and influence the world around you Only if you're a full time in ministry full time pastor full time evangelist full time apostle missionary whatnot, but then Uh, wherever God has placed you now you are the salt of the earth And you are called and commissioned To impact and influence the world around you Wherever it is whatever the office that God has placed you in college schools government offices Whatever it is We are commissioned to bring kingdom values and kingdom perspective into public places and forums Right classic examples are joseph uh from the bible and daniel uh from the bible right so they were all placed in Political places that was their position And how they brought in kingdom values and kingdom perspectives into the places where they were part of Is so many things that we can learn of and that's what we are encouraged uh to do And some of the challenges uh for us as leaders to be prepared for Is a complex issues may arise that will require some serious study Here you see those words Serious study of god's word and hearing from heaven to accurately communicate god's word Example corruption homosexuality various scenarios of divorce Athanasia abortion universal salvation and so on i mean the list can go on These are just some of the examples right so And some of the popular i mean i'm just coming out of leading uh youth ministry and the classic question is From not all of them for most of them if not some of them is You know why should i believe in a god does god exist uh the Um, you know, how can i believe in the credibility of the word of god or the authenticity of the word of god? How do i know that the bible is the word of god? Uh, that's just one question the challenge is a challenging questions that you can be prepared for right that's a very apologetic kind of question is apologetic kind of question And questions on homosexuality and whatnot so as leaders we take time To just okay, you know Understand these are some of the tough challenging questions that the people around us are actually asking And so uh as a pastor as a ministry leader It is it comes down to our uh, uh our responsibility to make time to study about it from god's word and how we can respond To it right there's material and content also available online, but then we're coming back to god's word is what is crucial Right So those are some of the some of the challenges, uh, you know that we can be prepared for And again, it's just three points there, but then it's not exhaustive challenges can come in all different ways and forms shapes Okay, um, so that's where we're at in this chapter as the local church, which is the pillar of truth Right. Um, does anyone have any questions or thoughts that you want to share? Okay, I think everybody's cool Um, great. So we move on to the next chapter and page 72 chapter 11 The local church as an army Uh, this I think by far is one of my favorite chapters. Uh I like all the other facets of uh, The local church as we are the family of god, uh, you know, we We are the pillar of foundation of truth, but we are an army Um, it's amazing, isn't it? And this chapter of go we started about the local church as the family of god It's so nice. We're all one the other family And then all of a sudden we are an army that's like you know But But hey, it's what it is what god's word again, you know resonates and says um, right so We're often there is this analogy or the parallel or the symbol that's used quite often And at the very beginning we we saw from matthew chapter 16. Uh, verse 15 to 19, right? It says, uh You know, the gates of hell shall not prevail and the church will advance and the gates of hell Shall not prevail against us, right so There is a A military, uh, you know, kind of a thing assigned there to that local church as an army We are commanded and we learned when we started that the gates don't move The gates don't come forward or go back go to the left or go to the right, you know, it's it's stationary Uh, but it's the army that advances to the gate And so as the church of god, right? We are commanded to advance to the gates and jesus has said the gates of hell will not prevail That means the church the local church is bestowed with is bestowed with power and influence And we are commanded to advance the gates of hell, right? So there in itself the foundation is, you know, the tone is kind of set as an army of god Right and also apostle paul time and time again. Uh, he uses a lot of military imagery In his epistles in his writings Depicting believers engaged in spiritual conflict Right, uh, efficient chapter six is just an example of it, but we will go through that a little later Um, let's look at a few scriptures mentioned in the notes there. Shall we Says philippines chapter two verse 25 yet i considered it necessary To send to you ifroditus my brother fellow worker and fellow soldier But your messenger and the one who ministered to my need fellow worker fellow soldier Right, um, you can highlight it if you want to first timothy 118 It says the charge i come this charge. I commit to you son timothy According to the prophecies previously made concerning you that by them you may wage The good warfare Right and one first timothy chapter six verse 12 fight the good fight of faith Not a fight, right? Second timothy chapter two verse three and four you therefore must end your hardship as a good soldier Enduring hardships or challenges as a good soldier Um, a soldier in the battlefield. It's not a walk in the park. Isn't it like, okay? Come on. Let's go and take over that field that territory is ours. Everything is beautiful Right. Um, there's a lot of challenges a lot of hurdles Uh, and a lot of things are involved and it goes into being a soldier, right? So you see paul again writing there saying endure the hardships as a good Soldier verse four it goes on to say And no one engaged in warfare Entangles himself with the affairs of this life now. Remember guys, uh, you know Neither paul nor timothy are involved or engaged in what is known as the gorilla warfare gorilla warfare as the one that you Fight, uh, you know on the ground like the second world war all of that has happened. So, um But they're using the language the imagery of of an army of a soldier And finally we see in second timothy chapter four verse seven says I have fought The good fight I have finished the race. I have kept the faith Right and so immediately, uh, and there's so much so many more references to us At the local church as the army of god, we are, you know, we are born into the warfare kind of so to speak Right and john chapter 10 verse 10. It says a thief comes to steal kill and Destroy Right. I hope we all know that Nice. So there is a very real enemy Out there, uh, you know our enemy He he absolutely hates us to his very core He just doesn't it says john 1010 says right that he comes to steal kill And destroy that means he's just not coming to just steal what you have But he's coming to kill you He's just not coming to kill you but he's coming to destroy you That means he hates you so much that he wants to make it look like you're never even existed and uh, that Our enemy is very real Right. He absolutely hates you from his very bottom of the core. So to say, right? and our enemy is real and so Like it or not, we are born into this warfare and but God is with us. We are his sons and daughters, right and we are We are in his army Right. And then we see the god's word encouraging us time and time again again from efficient six Right asking us to you know, we're on the armor of god and you know, all those language and terminologies um Right, so we go to this next section where we say a sense of spiritual militancy Is important. So we are in the middle of spiritual conflict Okay, uh, if Yeah, if you've been just been uh, you know, if you were not aware of that, well, please wake up You're in the middle of a battle um, you know You know, we are in the middle of spiritual conflict We are to be taught and trained on how to engage in spiritual battle We have to be taught and I think most of the times we kind of shy away from this topic of spiritual warfare Oh, no, that's too pentecostal right now for me. You know, I I am I'm a very soft spoken person I like, you know, I don't like speaking loud and I'm very kind and generous And whatnot but then and so we shy away from the topics like that as being taught on the and on the importance of how to engage in spiritual warfare Is a very important topic that needs to be taught in church Right a sense of spiritual militancy at a personal level uh believers need to know how to resist the devil and his schemes to overcome temptations And how to not give the devil access into their lives But we must know how to use the shield of faith to bench the fairy darts of the devil throws at us at first Peter Five eight and nine. He says be sober and vigilant What does that mean in the battle? right Be sober be vigilant. That means being a be at high alert at all times and being the right frame of mind Don't be drunk in the middle of the battle Because being drunk in alcohol or in wine is going to influence you So, you know, the alcohol is going to have influence over you That means you are not going to be in the right state of mind. You are not going to be on high alert Because there is this enemy that is lurking around. All right Admers adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion Seeking whom he may devour Like destroy once again, right? Um And um in efficiency after six verse 12 we see for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood But against principalities against powers against the rulers of darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places Second Corinthians 2 11 he says lest satan should take advantage of us For we are not ignorant of his devices Right if we are ignorant if you're not on high alert if you are not vigilant if we are not sober You you've not just given the devil a loophole, but you just open the door. It's like hey You know Please welcome Have your way in my life devil I welcome the You know, and I'm giving you this gift in a golden platter Have that in way types, you know um and so it's It's important for us to be vigilant and and and sober and be alert at all times because as as again as spiritual leaders Pastors ministry leaders whatnot. It's um But the danger is more for us as well So the enemy may even attempt to strike down people in position at leadership and that's zegersakariah chapter 13 Uh, what seven talks about right? He you know, he's looking to strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. So if the shepherd is strike The flock is gone Right. Um so that's Both on the in on the individual level and also as a collective as a congregation Right, for example as as a collective as a church as a body of christ Uh We've been given a mission, isn't it? A mission is to go out and win souls and make disciples Right and that involves spiritual warfare battle for souls Is a spiritual battle? Okay, if you didn't know it already now you do Okay, um, all right. I just realized that we've gone over time. Um, so we pause here and we'll take a break and We'll get back to the lesson All right guys. See you in 10