Thank you, brother Ian. Take your Bibles, you would, turn to Ephesians chapter six. Ephesians chapter six. We'll begin reading again in verse 10. Ephesians chapter six.

I'd give you a moment longer to find that. We'll begin reading verse 10 in just a moment. The Christian life is a race according to the writer of Hebrews. Writer of Hebrews uses that metaphor. We talked about that a few weeks ago.

We need to cast off every weight in the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run the race with patience that is set before us, looking unto who? Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. The Christian life is also likened to a battle, a war in scripture, a a struggle as we'll see here in just a moment. We have an enemy. He's very real.

We call him the devil or Satan. He is God's enemy. And as children of God and those created in his image, he is our enemy. He wants to keep people away from Jesus. He wants to p keep people bound in sin.

He wants to rob those who have trusted in Christ of their testimony and of their joy and of their freedom in Jesus Christ. He is our enemy. He is at work. But greater is he that's in us than what? Than he that's in the world.

And who is in us in God's children? Those who put their faith in Christ and Jesus Christ, we have been born again by the Holy Spirit who lives inside of every believer in Jesus Christ, and he is greater than the enemy. The enemy is strong. The enemy is sly, cunning, deceitful. However, we have the upper hand in Jesus Christ if we will put on the what?

If we will put on the armor of God. If we will prepare ourselves for battle, Battle against temptation. Battle against Satan who would like us to keep our mouth shut from telling others about Jesus Christ. Battle that we will enter into every time God's word is open and God begins to work and Satan throws up obstacles in our heart and mind. Battle we enter into as we look for victory in the revival services next week, not only in our life but in the lives of others.

We are entering into a battle. We need to enter into it armed and protected. And God will give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's look at the armor once again that Paul reminds us of here. Ephesians six verse 10, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand. Stand therefore having your loins gird about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

You look at the verse up on the screen, Joshua three five, before Israel went into battle in the promised land, Joshua went to the people and says, and Joshua said unto the people, sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. This coming week and every week, we should be looking for the God of wonders to do wonders in our midst, in our lives, in our families, in our church, in the lives of others. But we do need to sanctify ourselves. We need to prepare ourselves, get ready, get clean, prepare ourselves for that battle. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, that you are with us. You promised in your word that you will never leave or forsake your children. Pray that you would burden us today for the lost that we know who need Jesus Christ, that you would give us a zeal for the gospel and for your word, that you would impress upon us the need to prepare ourselves for the spiritual battle that wages around us. It can't be won with human might, fleshly carnal weapons made of iron and steel. But through faith, we might have the victory each and every day.

Lord, we pray if there's one here today that's yet to receive Jesus Christ as the Lord and savior of their life, that they would make sure of that, that they would trust Christ before this day is done. In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen. In Timothy, Paul wrote to Timothy. He said, fight the good, fight the faith.

Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. What was Paul's challenge to Timothy? A believer, faithful believer in Jesus Christ. A minister, one who Paul had trained for the ministry and now was pastoring one of the churches he had planted in today is what? Turkey in the city of Ephesus.

His challenge was this, fight the good fight of faith. The word used for fight means to struggle. In the Greek, is the word. Sounds a little bit like agonize. Okay?

And that that's the root from which we get the word agonize. Struggle. Struggle the good struggle of faith. Fight the good fight of faith. The battle which we are in today and tomorrow is indeed an agonizing struggle at times.

Where is an enemy? Our flesh itself is sometimes our enemy. It is weak. It doesn't desire the right things. It trips us up.

It gets in our way. It is sometimes a struggle, but we're not to quit the struggle. We're not to give into the struggle. The Bible says, be not weary in well doing for in due season ye shall reap if you, what? Faint not if you don't give up the struggle.

There are good things, blessings, rewards here and in eternity. Fight the good fight of faith. Continue to do so, Timothy. I cannot help but think of those who have struggled in life to overcome debilitating diseases and handicaps to win in life despite the odds. What an inspiration people like Johnny Erickson Tada are who overcame a broken neck, being a quadriplegic to live a fruitful and successful life.

I am sure there were many times early that Johnny prayed, if you know who I'm talking about, that she broke her neck diving into a a pool or water that was too shallow. I'm sure there were times she prayed to be healed, prayed for God to use her pray, for God to show himself mighty in her behalf. He didn't heal her maybe as she might have imagined, but he did answer her prayer. And she has a a radio program, I believe, that reaches has reached millions of people. She cannot move her hands, her arms, her legs.

She learned to paint with with a brush in her mouth, and she is filled with joy. How can that be? Greater is he that's in her who can produce and do mighty things. Use her. Fill her life with joy and fulfillment despite the fact that she can't move much of anything below her neck.

But did she give up? Did she quit? Did she throw in the towel? Brother Al and miss Joe have a son-in-law. His name is Scott.

He fell from some height back, I think, in college and broke his neck, and he is has not a whole lot of movement of his arms and none in his legs and he became a a preacher and a pastor, pastored church for many years, was used mightily of the Lord and still is, I do believe, being used to the Lord. We we struggle with many little things sometimes by comparison to those struggles of others. But there is a spiritual struggle that's just as real, and the Lord wishes to give us victory today, tomorrow, next day, next week. Paul here commands Timothy to keep fighting the good fight. The good fight, the proper fight.

The worthwhile, because it's a worthwhile struggle against Satan and sin. It is a worthwhile struggle to be fought. And how was it fought? It is fought by what? By faith.

Fight the good fight of faith. What is faith? It's a good question. People go to church many years. They use the word faith a lot.

But some people walk out down the street and ask them what faith is and I bet you'll get a lot of different what? Lot of different answers from a very simple word. Faith. What is faith? Well, faith, Hebrews 11 tells us, is the substance of things hoped for, The evidence of things, what, not seen.

The substance of things hoped for that that we have it hasn't come to be yet, but it will be. Okay? It will be. It is hoped for. It is certain.

It is coming. It is faith is the substance of things. Jesus said, I go and prepare a place for you. Have you seen the place? Have you been there?

No. But you will be, and it's there. How do we know that? By by faith. The substance of things folk for, the evidence of things, what?

Not seen. Now, science spends a lot of time researching things, observing things, figuring out things, but all those things are things that we can observe which are with our five senses. Let me see if I can get all five. Sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste. Yeah.

Almost forgot taste. But science can't can't observe God, can't taste God, Can't sense God the way we sense this pulpit right here. No, that takes another sense that is given us by God that's just as important. And what sense is that? Faith.

Faith. The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things that you cannot, what? That you cannot see. You cannot see God, but yet you can know who he is, that he is. You can communicate with him, you can praise him, you can serve him, but you have to do that by what?

By faith. If you're gonna fight the good fight, the eternal fight, the worthwhile fight, the one that is worth more worthwhile than any other, you're have to do that by faith. Faith is that which gives us the ability to see and understand the things of God which we cannot see with our physical eyes. It is belief and trust in a divine person which we cannot sense with physical senses. A belief and trust in a divine person.

Now, let me use an illustration of trust and belief in someone you can't see. Now, let me ask you a question this morning. How many of you believe in George Washington? Okay. I'm not gonna ask you to raise your hand.

But probably most of you would raise your hand and say, yes, I believe in George Washington. Have you seen George Washington? How many of you have seen George Washington? Okay. None of you that old.

Brother Al, have you seen I'm just kidding. Alright. I'm sorry. He picks on me. I have to have my opportunity.

Alright. Yeah. Okay. Have you talked to George Washington lately? Probably not.

But yet, you probably believe in George Washington. Is there evidence that George Washington existed? Yeah. There is. There's portraits.

They didn't have, you know, cameras back then, so you don't actually have a picture portrait, I think. Are there witnesses? Yeah. There are there are witnesses. But you haven't seen, you can't see George Washington, you've never met George Washington, you've never talked to George Washington, but yet you what?

You believe in George Washington. How do you do that? Well, you trust in the witness of others. It takes a certain amount of faith, faith in what you've been told that George Washington existed. And most people don't find it very hard to believe in George Washington.

But many of those same people have a very hard time believing in who? In God. It takes faith. Yet there's a difference between believing in George Washington and believing in who? In Jesus.

You see, George Washington is not deity. He isn't the son of God now, is he? George Washington did not die for your sins, did he? George Washington is not alive in the flesh. He is what?

Dead because he didn't rise again. Therefore, George Washington cannot do anything for you. You might believe that he existed. You might believe that he wrote certain things that you've read or but can you talk to George Washington and ask him to do something for you? No.

He has no power, But the son of God can because he is alive. He can because he came and he died on the cross for your sins. He can because he is the son of God and he ever lives to make intercession before us. It's not really all that important that you believe in George Washington, but it is very important that you believe in who? In Jesus Christ.

The son of God, the savior of the world, who is risen evermore. Through faith, we can accept and rely on the reality of God, his mercy, his grace, his power, his wisdom and salvation. For there is no other way but by faith. Hebrews eleven six says, but without what? Faith, it is impossible to please him.

For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is the reward of them that diligently seek him. You you can't please God. You can't serve God. You can't know God except by what? By faith.

Because the God can't he's not gonna do anything for you. You can't get anything from him. You can't have any relationship with him if you don't believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him. Not only that he exists, but he saves those who come to him in faith. He changes their lives.

He gives them eternal life, and one day will take them home to be the to play to the place that he has prepared for them. You have to what? You have to believe, and you have to trust in him who you cannot see but with eyes of what? With eyes of faith. We cannot converse with him just the same as we would another.

We cannot visit with him as we would a neighbor. We cannot see him as we would another man. We can either prove his existence nor his providence in the world except through faith. Many reject his love and mercy and grace because they do not have faith. They can either bring themselves to believe in his his existence, his sovereignty, nor trust in his grace, Mercy and care without seeing proof.

They choose rather to trust in things that they can see themselves. The Bible says there's a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. The only person you're going to trust in is yourself, you're in trouble. But some trust in themselves, some trust in teachers or friends, possessions, accomplishments, pleasure, those things they can touch and feel, things that are passing away at best, things that are destruct destructive at worst. Others misplace their faith in things which they cannot prove but which seem to be more convenient.

Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, humanism, thisism, thatism. Religions devised by who? Religions devised by man to avoid who? To avoid the truth. To avoid the true and living God, to avoid sin, to to boost your pride instead of humbling yourself before your creator to seek his forgiveness.

You see, the world likes to throw around the word faith a lot. I hear that a lot today. You gotta have faith. Yeah? Faith in?

In what? Most often when people use the word faith today, they're not talking about faith in God. They're talking about faith in who? Themselves. Or faith that'll just all turn out okay.

But misplaced faith is just as bad as not having faith at all. There's a a song I used to listen to when I was when I was in high school some years back. It was called Passing the Faith Along. It's not a bad song, but but if you didn't know that they were talking about faith in God, it would just be, you know, encouraging to pass the faith along. What faith?

You know, that's important to know. What faith? It's not enough to believe. It's not enough to be sincere. You have to believe in the one who actually has the power to change your life and your eternity and the lives of others, who has said to those who will receive him, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

The one who said, I will give unto them eternal life and they shall, what, never perish. This contest we are in, this battle, this struggle is all about faith. We enter it by faith, a good profession as Paul spoke to Timothy here. We fight by faith. We we live by faith each day.

We will arrive victorious in heaven by what? By faith. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last day, first Peter one five. In John five twenty four, it says, verily verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life. What's the keyword there?

He that heareth my word and what? Believeth. Who puts their faith in him, believes in him, and trusts in him that they cannot what? They cannot see. To those, he gives everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death into life.

Faith is everything. It says in Ephesians six six six sixteen, speaking of the armor we're to put on, it says, above what? Above all. So Paul is saying this this this piece of of armor, it's very important. As important as all the other ones is, it's just as important, if not so more important.

Above all, taking the what? The shield of faith wherewith we shall quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. The shield that Paul is referring to in his metaphor of a Roman soldier's armor, the shield which he was speaking of was not the smaller round shield, about that big, as we so often see in, you know, gladiator movies. They got the little sword and they got the little, you know, tiny round shield they're trying to you know. It's not the little round shield of the gladiator.

It is a much larger oval shield that Roman soldiers actually carried in the battle. It protected the whole what? The whole body from attack. For serious fighting in battle, the small shield, the gladiator shield, was not sufficient protection. It left too much exposed like human reason, and science alone is not enough to defeat the fiery darts of the wicked one.

If your only trust is in science, what can be observed and what can be seen and what can be reasoned, then you're fighting with the what? The little shield and you're exposed. Take up the what? The shield of faith that protects the whole body. And, Christian, I'm speaking to you too.

Sometimes we've entered into life by faith and then we set it down and we pick up the little shield and why are you setting the big one down? Take up the shield of faith. It will quench all the fire. Yes. Those other things are important.

And God's given us a mind, and we need to use it. But it should lead us to faith in Christ. It is not enough without faith. To defeat a spiritual enemy, you must fight with faith. The large overshield is necessary.

The shield of faith. This shield was often made of wood covered with metal so that it would be impervious to the fiery darts and arrows of the enemy. It is our faith that can quench those fiery darts that Paul mentions here. It is our greatest defense against these deceptions and temptations of Satan. The fiery darts of the devil are temptations he throws our way.

Any darts which cannot be defended against by normal human means, they burn and they smolder in our lives and they must be quenched. And how are they quenched? By what? By faith in the victor, Jesus Christ. By faith in the blood of Jesus Christ that washes away our sins.

By faith in the word of God that we'll talk about later, which is the sword of the spirit, which cleanses us and guides us by his spirit into all truth. Satan is out to stick us with his darts, to tempt us into sin, to to destroy our testimony, to destroy our joy. And faith can what? Can quench all those fiery darts of the enemy. Our confidence in the Lord and his word and in his will is what gives us strength to overcome the temptations of the wicked one.

As Jesus gave us example of in Matthew four. Every time Satan came to Christ and tempted him, what did Jesus say? He said, it is what? It is written. What Jesus was saying is, I put my confidence in the word of my father in heaven.

And as I put my confidence in him, you cannot defeat me. And if we will put our confidence, our faith, our trust in the words and the will of our heavenly father, he will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. The truth that holds us firm in our convictions and service to Christ can only be appropriated to our lives by faith. We walk by faith and not by what? Sight.

What happened to Lot? He walked by sight and it got him in a whole lot of trouble. Was he a believer in God? Yes, he was. But when it came to an important decision, Lot decided to use his eye physical eyes and not eyes of faith.

He put his confidence in green grass and not in the God of heaven to provide for him, and it cost him dearly. Child of God, we started by faith. We will end by faith. Keep fighting by faith. Trust in the Lord.

Put lay all of your confidence in him who gave his son for you. Trust in his word and in his will. And you will quench all the fire. Will avoid the pitfalls and the obstacles that Satan throws up in your path. You don't have to be Lot.

You can be Abraham. Doesn't mean you won't make mistakes. You're human. Praise God for his mercy and grace. But learn to trust him by faith.

The faith which will protect us body and soul and spirit is a faith that the Lord Jesus a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which also produces obedience in our life. If you really are living by faith, it's going to produce fruit in you. James wrote, show me your faith without your works. I will show you my faith, what, By my works. You can't show, demonstrate your faith without your works.

We're not saved by works. We're saved by faith but we're saved that by a faith that works and produces fruit. The writer of Hebrews 11 emphasized that all the way through that chapter. By faith, Noah built the ark. By faith, Abel brought the sacrifice.

By faith, Abraham left his homeland. And on and on we go. By faith, Moses left Pharaoh's palace. By faith, they did something. It showed itself in their works and it should in ours too.

And it will if it's real, if it's growing. As we rely on our Lord by faith, we naturally do what he says. And as we do his will, walking in spirit rather than the flesh, our enemy's darts are quenched and victories are won day by day and week by week and month and month and year and year. As we learn to walk by faith, we see his hand at work. When we take our eyes off the Lord and we start to look at the waves like Peter did walking upon the sea, all of a sudden Peter began to what?

Sink. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Is your faith weak? You need to spend more time where? Here.

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Is that only true for the sinner who needs salvation or is that also true for the child of God seeking to live each day for Jesus? It's true for both, is it not? Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. If your faith is weak, you need to spend more time here in the sword of the spirit.

Your faith is weak, you need to start exercising it. My my son goes to the gym quite often and he exercises his muscles. He can lift a whole lot more than I can because he exercises and may not so much. Is it worthwhile? Yeah.

But it's even so more worthwhile to exercise our what? Our muscles of faith. Step out in faith. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do what Joshua did when he went into the promised land and he went across the Jordan River and they came to the first city and God met him.

The the captain Lord host met him and said, here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna walk around the city 13 times in seven days. And when on the thirteenth time, the seventh time, and the seventh day, the people are gonna shout and praise the Lord, the horns are gonna blow, the walls are gonna what? Come down. Now, was that scientific?

Is that is that normal battle strategy? No. But what did Joshua do? He obeyed by faith, led the people round the walls. Guess what?

They came down and the city was theirs. Same thing is true. But we need to step out in faith, and God says, go here, do this, say that, stop that. We need to trust him. We may not understand it all.

That's okay. You don't have to. He does for you. Step out in faith and let him show himself faithful. Commit your way unto the Lord and he will bring it to pass, the psalmist says.

What does that mean? Trust him. Do it his way. See what will happen. Step out in faith.

Exercise your faith. Give God a chance to show himself faithful and take up the shield of faith. Trust in him now. If you have yet to if you have yet to receive by faith Jesus Christ as your savior and trust in him to save your soul based on his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave and his promise of salvation. If you can't remember ever coming to Christ in faith and crying out to him to save your soul, not to forgive you of this particular sin or that particular sin, Not just prayer in general, not just coming to church, not just saying I believe in God, but the Bible says, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be what?

When did you call? When did you call? On him. Not to save you from alcohol or to save you from this thought problem or that sin. When did you call on him to save you eternally from sin and give you eternal life?

When did you put your faith in him? I'm not asking about the date. I don't know the date when I got saved, but I remember the day. Do you have that testimony? Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ?

Trust him now. Make that decision to trust him as your Lord and savior. Trust him, child of God, today to follow him into that ministry, to say, here am I, Lord, what? Send me. Trust him today to take you out of that bad situation.

Step out in faith. Throw away those bottles or those packages of containing whatever that drug is. Trust the Lord to give you victory over that stronghold in your life. His weapons are mighty to the bringing down of strongholds. Commit yourself to him in faith.

He will bring it to pass. Fight the good fight of faith. Above all, taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Dear heavenly father, we thank you for all that you did for us, Lord, all that you ask as that we believe and trust in you who came for us, who died for us, who rose again, who sits at the right hand of the father to receive all who will come to him in faith. We pray, Lord, if there be one here today that's unsure that they're standing with God in heaven, unsure if they have put their faith in you.

I pray, Lord, they would come as we give this we give this hymn of invitation this morning. I pray that they would come. We can show them from God's word how they can be saved and know it. I pray Lord that they would not just rush you off but Lord, they might heed this invitation this morning. You love them as we do also.

You died for them and you wanna save them, Lord. We pray, Lord, for your children who might be struggling with something in their life that they need to to turn over to you. They need to confess to you. They need to look to you for victory. And I pray that you'd give them the faith today to do so and the willingness to humble themselves and repent and cling to the one who in faith who can give them victory over what they struggle with today.

Thank you, Lord, for all that you've given us, and thank you for giving us faith so that we can see you, know you, and have eternal life in you. In Jesus' name, do pray. Amen.