WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.600 Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of the way you came podcast my name is 2 00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:11.120 Enya and I'm here with Michelle. Hello, and it's just us two. It's the George Gang. Yeah, it's 3 00:00:11.120 --> 00:00:19.520 his The Jorts. It is the hot weather. It is the Orange couch vibes. Let's go vibes are back. 4 00:00:19.520 --> 00:00:26.480 Because guys, this is our final episode in our Ephesian series. So shout out to all of you guys 5 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:32.640 that have been journeying with us through every single chapter and episode of this series where 6 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.640 we've been going through in this high book of Ephesians and just seeing what God is saying. So 7 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:41.280 please, if you have not seen the other episode make sure you go back. I don't know if there'll be 8 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:45.840 something on the screen or in the description or whatever. You know what, there's no bad job. 9 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:51.520 I just know that it'll be there. And you guys can check it out and just catch up on all the things 10 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:55.680 that we've been talking about the different themes we've been journeying through. Michelle was here 11 00:00:55.680 --> 00:01:00.160 for the very first episode. That's quite iconic. That was my right moment. And now we're like 12 00:01:02.080 --> 00:01:08.160 ending it together. Do you want to do that again? That sound. Wow, the sound of completion. 13 00:01:08.160 --> 00:01:13.360 Yeah, Ephesians want to be so good, guys. Ephesians is such a meaty book. Yeah. There's so much 14 00:01:13.360 --> 00:01:19.600 to learn. There's so much practical things that we can take away with. And I think go back, 15 00:01:19.600 --> 00:01:23.200 watch them if you haven't already. If this is the first one that you're watching, go all we 16 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:30.080 back to the first one and then watch through until six. Because hey, five is also in cred. Hey, 17 00:01:30.960 --> 00:01:35.840 that's some juice in chapter right here. This guy's cooked. But yeah, we're going to jump in. 18 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:42.240 Left no crumbs. Yeah, we're going to jump into this absolute cookage and let's do Ephesians six. 19 00:01:44.080 --> 00:01:50.880 Okay, cool. Feet are up on the couch. Now it's comfy time. Yeah, guys, Michelle is really comfy 20 00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:56.160 out here. She's got the socks on the couch. Can't believe her legs up. It's great. It's a big day. 21 00:01:56.160 --> 00:02:01.840 We're comfy. We're ready. Let's hop into Ephesians six. I think it'd be good. Just in case 22 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:07.680 whoever's watching or listening hasn't been here just to give a bit of context. So what is this book? 23 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:13.040 I knew he was writing it and all of the different things. So Ephesians is one of the books of the 24 00:02:13.040 --> 00:02:20.000 new testament written by this guy called Paul. He's an apostle. He's a he's got kind of got a crazy 25 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:28.160 story like he's he starts off as a hater, you know, like killing out Christians like I've never 26 00:02:28.160 --> 00:02:32.320 seen hatred in this level. Like it's not even just like I'm going to hate from a forest. I'm going 27 00:02:32.320 --> 00:02:37.520 to take hatred into my own hands. I'm going to kill these guys. Like that's literally what he did. 28 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:41.440 He was out here killing Christians because he was like, hey, the message that you guys are spreading 29 00:02:41.440 --> 00:02:47.520 just goes against everything that the religion is saying and the leaders are saying. And so yeah, 30 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:52.800 he was out here killing Christians and and then he was walking down a road getting to his next 31 00:02:52.800 --> 00:03:00.720 destination to kill more Christians and then boom, boom. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus pops up. Says, 32 00:03:00.720 --> 00:03:07.200 Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Oh, convicting. And then yeah, from that moment, Paul's entire 33 00:03:07.200 --> 00:03:12.720 life changes. And he goes from being somebody that was trying to shut down this whole Jesus thing 34 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:19.520 to actually spreading it to like a large part of the ancient world. And he writes like a third of 35 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:26.480 the New Testament, like what a legend. And so he's speaking to a community of people in Ephesus, 36 00:03:26.480 --> 00:03:32.320 not Ephesians, but Ephesus is the name of the place. And yeah, there's a lot of like worshiping 37 00:03:32.320 --> 00:03:39.520 of other gods. There's a mixed community of different like the wealthy and the poor and yeah, 38 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:43.360 people that believe in this faith, all that faith or all we should mix that with our religion or 39 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:48.000 we shouldn't. And I think Paul speaking into the guys, let's get back to the basics of who is 40 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:54.320 Jesus. Like what is the gospel message? Like what does it mean to walk in freedom and to let the 41 00:03:54.320 --> 00:03:59.280 power of the cross and the resurrection like to be transformed through that? Yeah. And now that 42 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:03.920 you're transformed, now that you're transformed, it doesn't just stay as like a head theory, but it's 43 00:04:03.920 --> 00:04:10.000 something you live out. And so like he really lends the plane here on just practical different 44 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:15.040 people in society. Yeah. How do you live out your faith in the context that you're in? And I think 45 00:04:15.040 --> 00:04:20.560 that's so practical for us, you know, where we're at. How do we live out our faith? Where we are. And 46 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:25.760 then just like the arm of God thing, which is if you've been a Christian for even five minutes, 47 00:04:25.760 --> 00:04:30.640 I'm sure you probably know about the the sword and the this and that. So yeah, just wanted to frame 48 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:34.000 it. And then we can. That's really helpful. Should we start reading? 49 00:04:35.440 --> 00:04:42.480 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Let's read the Bible. All right. Should we 50 00:04:43.840 --> 00:04:49.120 should we go from one to nine? Yeah, that's great. Awesome. By the way, I'm reading, 51 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:53.200 if you guys don't already know, I'm reading from NIV, Zanya is reading from 52 00:04:53.520 --> 00:04:59.040 NIV or my phone on her phone, but if I am reading something else and it's NLT, that's great. 53 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:06.000 We will get to ESV one day. Jesse's not here. That's why Jesse loves the ESV. Anyway, let's go. 54 00:05:07.200 --> 00:05:12.640 Children, obey your parents and the Lord for this is right. On your father and mother, 55 00:05:12.640 --> 00:05:17.440 which is the first commandment with a promise so that it may go well with you and that you may 56 00:05:17.440 --> 00:05:23.680 enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, you know, exasperate your children. Instead, bring them up 57 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:30.480 in training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear 58 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:36.080 and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor 59 00:05:36.080 --> 00:05:41.760 when their eyes are new, but as slaves of Christ. Do the will of God from your heart. Serve whole 60 00:05:41.760 --> 00:05:47.040 heartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward 61 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:54.240 each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. A master's treat your slaves 62 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:59.200 in the same way. You're not threatened them since you know that he who is both their master and 63 00:05:59.200 --> 00:06:07.600 yours is in heaven and there is no favoritism with him. This feels like, yeah, just tough times, 64 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:13.680 like tough reads. I mean, the fact that he has to address these things just goes to show that 65 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:19.760 there's so much going on. Yeah, but I also think it goes to show the practicality of out living 66 00:06:19.760 --> 00:06:27.440 your faith. Like following Jesus isn't this ethereal concept, but actually Paul uses different aspects. 67 00:06:27.440 --> 00:06:32.240 Like in the last chapter, he talks, he starts this whole spill in the last chapter, he talks about 68 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:37.840 marriage, then he talks about parent child relationship, then he talks about like a master slave or 69 00:06:37.840 --> 00:06:42.720 master servant relationship and at that time in society, these were all different things that 70 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:47.600 people could relate to. And so he brings it to a practical finger of, hey, I'm not just talking 71 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:52.080 about this ethereal Jesus. I'm going to show you how in your current stage of life where you're at, 72 00:06:52.080 --> 00:06:56.560 you can actually live this out. So you can change. And so they're saying much for us to take away, 73 00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:01.840 I think even starting with the parents thing, that's so real. That's so real. I'm sorry, 74 00:07:01.840 --> 00:07:07.280 it's so difficult. It is so hard. Like I've literally had to live this out with my family and 75 00:07:07.280 --> 00:07:13.440 my parents where like there's that whole transition phase of where like what you're like 18 to 20, 76 00:07:13.440 --> 00:07:18.320 where you know, you're at uni or whatever and that relationship between your parents have just 77 00:07:18.320 --> 00:07:23.120 changed in terms of like it no longer being this like, okay, listen to everything that my parents 78 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:29.840 have to say thing to more like, okay, let me, I will consider what you have to say where like, 79 00:07:29.840 --> 00:07:33.520 I'm not going to take everything for fact and then do everything that you tell me because now I 80 00:07:33.520 --> 00:07:39.200 actually have to walk this life out myself with Jesus. So like it's so hard because it says, 81 00:07:39.200 --> 00:07:44.320 honor your father and mother. Like I think from my own personal experience, like the Lord had to 82 00:07:44.320 --> 00:07:49.440 like really teach me what that meant. Like it doesn't honor your mother and father doesn't mean 83 00:07:49.520 --> 00:07:53.840 you say yes to everything that they tell you to do. Like if they say, oh, you should go to uni or 84 00:07:53.840 --> 00:08:00.160 you should do this and that, you should get that job. It's like, like you can, it's no longer saying, 85 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:04.960 yeah, yeah, yeah, but actually saying, on a wait, let me consider what you're saying, let me honor 86 00:08:04.960 --> 00:08:10.400 that, like let me honor you in understanding your viewpoint and why you want me to do that, 87 00:08:10.400 --> 00:08:14.480 but actually feel like the Lord's telling me to do something else. So it's like not saying yes to 88 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:19.520 everything, but just taking it into consideration. It's a difference between it too. And I think like 89 00:08:20.080 --> 00:08:24.800 just we often forget that our parents are also for parents for the first time. Yeah, 90 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:29.760 so true. This is their first time living on earth as well, just like it's your first time as well, 91 00:08:29.760 --> 00:08:35.760 you know, and I think we need to give our parents a bit of grace as well. Like they're human beings, 92 00:08:35.760 --> 00:08:40.000 which means they're going to make mistakes. They're not always going to get it right. But I would 93 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:44.160 like to believe that their heart is in the right place. So I think for most parents, not going to say 94 00:08:44.160 --> 00:08:48.560 everyone doesn't know what your parents are like at home, like so sorry, I don't know. But for those 95 00:08:48.560 --> 00:08:53.520 parents, their heart for their children is in the right place. It's because they want to see 96 00:08:53.520 --> 00:08:57.120 their children succeed and they want to see their children do well. And I think especially 97 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:03.520 following in the Lord, like you want to honor your kids because you know, they came from Jesus, 98 00:09:03.520 --> 00:09:09.600 they came from God. And so they're walking in that tension. And I actually wanted to quote 99 00:09:09.680 --> 00:09:16.320 Deuteronomy 516 because that's exactly what Paul is quoting in the quote on your father and mother. 100 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:21.840 But it comes from one of the commandments of Moses and Moses says, well, God tells Moses to tell 101 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:26.800 the people on your father and mother as the Lord, your God has commanded. Then you will live 102 00:09:26.800 --> 00:09:33.600 a long full life in the land your Lord, your God is giving you. And I think what does it mean to 103 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:40.640 honor? I think honor is not the same thing as obedience. And then we honor the Lord and we obey 104 00:09:40.640 --> 00:09:44.560 God because, you know, love the Lord of all your hearts or my strength, everything within you 105 00:09:44.560 --> 00:09:49.840 and then love your neighbor as yourself. Yeah. But we're not called to obey our neighbor. We're 106 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:56.240 called to obey the Lord. And so I think you have to exercise wisdom in, okay, cool. What is 107 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:01.200 be what my parents telling me? Cool. Does this align with scripture? Yeah. Like if it's like 108 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:05.520 advice for my life for like big things, like does this align with scripture? Does this align with 109 00:10:05.520 --> 00:10:10.800 where I fall at the Holy Spirit's pulling me? Yeah. Great. Cool. Let me step in. But if it's not 110 00:10:10.800 --> 00:10:16.960 and I disobey, I'm actually still honoring, like you said, because I took that consideration. Yeah. 111 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:21.040 And I brought it to God. Yeah. Like I took what they said and I did something with it. And I think 112 00:10:21.040 --> 00:10:27.760 you wrestling and testing it is honoring. It's so good. Like an example from my life where I was at 113 00:10:27.760 --> 00:10:33.920 uni studying and I just felt the Lord say, I do this. This isn't why I have for you. So 114 00:10:33.920 --> 00:10:38.400 and I start thinking, okay, the Lord's telling me to leave uni then. And like praying about it, 115 00:10:38.400 --> 00:10:42.480 really feeling every single time I pray, like the Lord saying, I have something else for you. 116 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:46.720 So like bringing it up to my mom was just such a big deal because obviously like growing up in 117 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:51.680 an Asian family, I'm sure some of you guys might relate, but like knowing that, you know, having 118 00:10:52.560 --> 00:10:58.480 a degree and having an education is like held quite highly. Yeah. And for obvious reasons, 119 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:02.480 because it's good. Like if you want to study, go for it. Not saying that you shouldn't. But like 120 00:11:03.920 --> 00:11:08.960 my mom just being like, no, like from the get-go, she's just like, don't be silly. Like I put some, 121 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:13.760 like I worked really hard for you to be here and got to get an education in study at uni. 122 00:11:13.760 --> 00:11:17.440 And I was just like, I just felt this tug and this pull in my heart. Like, this really isn't 123 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:21.280 something that God has for me. What should I do? And I was just like, Lord, you have to make 124 00:11:21.280 --> 00:11:26.480 a way with my mom. And like, you know, like if I really wanted, that's a difference, but like that 125 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:30.000 goes to show the difference between obeying your parents and then honoring your parents. It's like, 126 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:35.520 I took into consideration and I really understood the facts and everything behind why my mom really 127 00:11:35.520 --> 00:11:42.000 wants me to go to uni. But I'm not like obeying what she's saying. I'm like obeying what the Lord's 128 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:46.160 saying. So then I ended up leaving uni because I felt like the Lord just made ways for me to leave. 129 00:11:46.160 --> 00:11:54.400 And like, like you said, it's to obey your God, not your parents. So there's like, there's a huge 130 00:11:54.400 --> 00:11:59.280 huge difference between honor and obey. So I love that. And it sounds really weird to say like, 131 00:11:59.280 --> 00:12:04.720 we're not saying like, don't obey your parents. No, no, no, yeah, yeah. But we're saying like, 132 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:09.840 take what they're saying because they do come with wisdom. Totally. And you know how the Bible says, 133 00:12:10.640 --> 00:12:14.160 like something along the lines of like a wise man has a multitude of counsellors. 134 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:20.240 But she like, if you want to walk in wisdom, then you take on the council of a lot of different 135 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:25.200 people and one of those people includes your parents, who's your mumble dad or whoever your 136 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:30.240 parents will figure is. Like they have seen so much. They have walked so far, especially if they're 137 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:35.680 a Christian as well, like they've seen a lot of the Lord. And so why would you not want to take that 138 00:12:35.680 --> 00:12:41.360 in and learn from that? Yeah, it's good. Like again, exercise wisdom. Run back to the Lord with the 139 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:48.480 things of like what other people have said and advised you with. But yeah. And also it's not 140 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:55.920 just about the children. It's also about the parents because the scripture also says in verse four, 141 00:12:55.920 --> 00:13:00.480 it says, Father, don't exacerbate your children and said bring them up in the training and 142 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:05.760 instruction of God. And I think I got the quick like translation from I'm sorry to interrupt you. 143 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:09.520 Exasperate means intensely irritate and frustrate. 144 00:13:11.760 --> 00:13:15.920 Why would you intentionally irritate and frustrate your children? That's literally what 145 00:13:15.920 --> 00:13:20.800 the scripture's saying. And I think I think it goes both ways. Like one of the things that 146 00:13:20.800 --> 00:13:26.480 like I've spoken to my mum about recently is because I'm older now. I'm in my 20s. So 147 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:31.920 our relationship is different. So how it was when I was like 10. And I've spoken about like how we 148 00:13:31.920 --> 00:13:39.120 were raised. And just how she raised us quite differently to the parental style at the time. 149 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:45.440 Like my mum very much evolved like having conversations with us. So she wouldn't necessarily just say 150 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:49.840 you need to do this or you need to go to bed at certain time. It was no, you have school tomorrow. 151 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:53.840 And so do you want to go to school tired? Yeah. Of course not. Like you want to go 152 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:58.240 energize. Well, the only way to be energized is if you go to bed at a decent time. And it was 153 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:04.000 like the understanding like I wasn't ever told like, oh, I can't have this with no explanation. 154 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:10.000 And I think that's wisdom in parenting. Like you don't provoke your children or irritate them 155 00:14:10.800 --> 00:14:15.600 with communication. Yeah. I think communication often solves a lot of irritation. 156 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:19.600 It's true. Because you actually understand like, okay, I understand where my parents are coming 157 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:24.560 from. It's good. I actually understand why they're telling me this. Even with the Lord, like 158 00:14:24.640 --> 00:14:29.120 we read a lot about the Old Testament and the laws and stuff. But he often explained like, 159 00:14:29.760 --> 00:14:35.760 like even that scripture like on your parents so that you will like live long and like live 160 00:14:35.760 --> 00:14:39.520 good in the line. Like there's an explanation to the instruction of on your parents. 161 00:14:40.400 --> 00:14:46.320 And I think also for parents, there's a call to imitate God in that way. Like God explains to us. 162 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:50.080 So why don't why won't you also explain to your children? I don't know. I just thought 163 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:55.680 that was an interesting. That was so beautiful. That one liner. Yarrr. Do you know what? Like 164 00:14:55.680 --> 00:15:01.760 communication, communication eradicates irritation. I even forgot the line and I said it. 165 00:15:02.400 --> 00:15:07.280 Something like that. That was bomb. That's so true. Yeah. Praise God. 166 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:14.800 But this advice is for people, if you're parents, if you're watching, it's the rule. 167 00:15:14.880 --> 00:15:19.200 If you're watching. And also for us, when we do grow up and we become parents, it's not to 168 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:23.920 like, it's to trust the Lord with our children. I think, yeah, trust the Lord with our children. 169 00:15:23.920 --> 00:15:30.080 And that like, raise them up in the Lord's way. Like it says there. And not to irritate for a 170 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:41.440 strain and exacerbate our children. Okay. And then the next part is about the slaves and 171 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:46.640 masters thing. And I think when we read stuff like this in the Bible, I think if you guys might 172 00:15:46.640 --> 00:15:52.960 remember, we did a series on one piece, the book of first piece, so hey, cheeky plug Easter egg, 173 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:59.120 but go listen to that. And there was a scripture in there that talks about like marriage and stuff. 174 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:04.960 And then there was also a scripture that talks about slavery. And I think when we read the Bible, 175 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:09.120 we forget that it's in a different time. It's in a completely different context to the context 176 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:15.040 we're living in. And so things looked very different. And I also think like the scripture that 177 00:16:15.040 --> 00:16:20.880 we're reading here, Paul's not saying like, yeah, slavery's great. Or yay, like having a master's 178 00:16:20.880 --> 00:16:26.640 awesome. Like, I don't think he's necessarily like putting a green thumb to a system. No. 179 00:16:26.640 --> 00:16:32.240 I think what he is saying is that within the system, if you have found yourself a believer in 180 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:36.800 Christ, then you're called to live differently. Like we are in the world, but we're not off the 181 00:16:36.800 --> 00:16:42.000 world. And so we might be in these systems or like parts of society, but we're actually not 182 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:46.240 of it. So we're not called to conform, we're actually called to be transformed. There's a different 183 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:52.080 way to live out what it means to follow Jesus in this context. And I think the biggest thing to 184 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:58.000 emphasize here is that he pushes on this whole like you're both equal. Like you guys are all 185 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:01.680 equals, like whether you're a servant or whether you're a master like in the eyes of God, you were 186 00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:07.520 equal. Yeah. And from that place of being treated as equals, you can live out relationship with 187 00:17:07.520 --> 00:17:12.640 one another in a way that want like that reveals the heart of God. I think that's what he's saying. 188 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:17.440 And there's a common theme that he like he touches on that there's no favoritism. 189 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:22.720 It's God. Like God doesn't show favoritism to somebody that might be who might have slaves. 190 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:27.760 Oh, oh, the person who is slaves, like who is a slave? Like if there's no, yeah, favoritism in 191 00:17:27.760 --> 00:17:33.360 neither Lord, like it says at the latter end of verse nine, but also in Romans 21, where it's 192 00:17:33.360 --> 00:17:38.640 literally just one sentence where it says for God does not show favoritism. And I think that's 193 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:42.960 something that we can take practically in our own lives that like we might have people 194 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:47.680 above us that work above us like our bosses and all that sort of thing or you know, obviously 195 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:52.720 our parents and stuff, but there's like, oh, even like our peers. I think that's something that we 196 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:57.040 can struggle with with thinking, oh, like that person's got this and I've not got it yet. 197 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:02.400 Paris and first of all, but like thinking that, oh, like God doesn't want to give me that, 198 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:07.760 that's a lie. Like that is such a lie that God would want to hold back from you to show 199 00:18:07.760 --> 00:18:13.280 favoritism to another, because it says clearly states multiple times in the Bible that God doesn't 200 00:18:13.280 --> 00:18:19.200 show favoritism. So God works all things for the good of those who love him is facts. 201 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:25.280 And I think also in verse five, it says like slaves obey your earthly masters with respect and 202 00:18:25.520 --> 00:18:30.960 fear and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ again coming back to this idea of 203 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:36.560 we obey Christ like our allegiance is to God, our allegiance is to Jesus and so therefore we follow 204 00:18:36.560 --> 00:18:39.760 him. It's the same thing with the children thing, it's the same thing with the marriage thing, 205 00:18:39.760 --> 00:18:44.880 it's we do all of these things because we want to obey God. But I thought it was really interesting 206 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:50.080 that it talks about with the sincere heart. It reminds me of in Matthew five, one of the Beatitudes 207 00:18:50.080 --> 00:18:54.640 that says blessed are the pure and heart for they shall see God. And the whole point of what Paul 208 00:18:54.640 --> 00:19:00.240 is talking about is how through living our lives, following Jesus, but also loving each other well, 209 00:19:00.800 --> 00:19:05.920 people will see God. Yeah. And if you have a and have a sincere heart, a heart that says look, 210 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:10.160 I'm just here to follow God. I'm just here to love my God. And therefore I'm here to love you 211 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:14.800 and I'm here to to love you sacrificially and yet might be really hard yet, it might be costly. 212 00:19:14.800 --> 00:19:19.600 But I'm going to do it because God's asked me. And through doing that, people will be able to see 213 00:19:20.080 --> 00:19:26.000 to see God, like what's your heart posture? And I think that's such a radical challenge, 214 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:30.640 especially to people that are living as like slaves or servants, like what's your heart posture 215 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:36.080 in the context that you find yourself in? Like how are you approaching this? And the same thing 216 00:19:36.080 --> 00:19:43.440 with the masses, like it says treat your slaves the same way. Like don't threaten them since you know 217 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:49.040 that like he who is both their master and yours is in heaven. And there's no favoritism. Like 218 00:19:49.040 --> 00:19:53.360 again, what is your heart posture? Like how do you see God? Because how you see God is going to 219 00:19:53.360 --> 00:19:58.640 impact how you also love your slaves. And the same way how you see God is going to impact 220 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:03.040 how you serve your master. It's like deeply challenging. Like if you put it to the practical, 221 00:20:03.040 --> 00:20:07.760 like if you have, if you're let's say you're doing a job and you've got a really problematic boss 222 00:20:07.760 --> 00:20:13.680 or like at school with a teacher, exactly. Oh, yeah, with a teacher and things are just going 223 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:19.680 so like things are just not nice and they're like not treating you well. And yet the like what 224 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:26.320 God is saying, I mean Paul is saying years to still love them with sincerity of heart just as 225 00:20:26.320 --> 00:20:33.440 you would obey Christ. That is so challenging and that is so hard. But I think there's so much like 226 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:40.160 the Lord like shows so much grace in that. Yeah. Which is so cool to think and amazing that 227 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:45.280 Lord can do that and how he can like soften our hearts to do that. Because dang like everything 228 00:20:45.280 --> 00:20:51.840 in me just wants to retaliate and be like, who do you think you are to like like treat me this way? 229 00:20:51.840 --> 00:20:57.040 You not know who I am. Like, but then that's that's arrogance and that's pride. But like the fact 230 00:20:57.040 --> 00:21:03.200 that the Lord's calling us to live this humble and lowly life and sincere of heart because what 231 00:21:03.760 --> 00:21:10.240 that's ultimately obeying Christ is just like it's this juxtaposition of like, yeah, I know who I am 232 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:17.440 as a child of God. But then that means I'm called to live a lower like to live lowly like it's so 233 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:24.240 nuts. And I think it also reminds me of where it says and tightest to live above reproach like to live 234 00:21:25.040 --> 00:21:30.720 a life that others can look at and not have anything to point bad at and be like, but you wait like 235 00:21:30.800 --> 00:21:35.040 but you're a hypocrite because you did this and you said this and you're saying you're a Christian 236 00:21:35.040 --> 00:21:38.800 like that sort of thing. Obviously, we're going to slip up and make mistakes and there's grace for 237 00:21:38.800 --> 00:21:44.720 that. Praise God. But I think like, I think it's especially important for others Christians and 238 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:49.760 are saying like proudly proclaiming that we're walking and living this life with Jesus that 239 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:56.560 we actually do what we're saying. And so then other people don't have the then they won't look 240 00:21:56.640 --> 00:22:02.320 at you and be like, but why are you doing that if you're saying you're a Christian? I have all 241 00:22:02.320 --> 00:22:08.320 of like, I have all that I need then if you're behaving like that. And I think that can be really 242 00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:14.000 that can be quite misleading for people who don't know Jesus yet. Like they look at your life 243 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:20.480 and be like, Hey, but aren't you not meant to be like, let's say sleeping with your boyfriend. 244 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:25.920 Aren't you not meant to be swearing? Aren't you not meant to be doing this and that? And then 245 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:30.320 they're like naming all these things that the Lord has clearly told us to like live free from. 246 00:22:32.080 --> 00:22:38.960 You that's not living from above reproach. And the next verse is verse seven. So circle 247 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:44.800 heartedly as if you were serving the Lord not people because you know that the Lord will reward 248 00:22:44.800 --> 00:22:50.720 each one for whatever good they do. Wow, our rewards are stored up in heaven and not in this 249 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:58.240 earth praise God. But like serving God not as serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord 250 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:03.120 not people. So like imagine like you're like, okay, serving isn't just in the context of church by 251 00:23:03.120 --> 00:23:11.520 the way. Serving is also at school, at work in different like in your different contexts. It's 252 00:23:11.520 --> 00:23:18.480 not just that church. So thank that's even harder to fail. Because there's more people are going 253 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:23.920 to probably test you. Yeah. But God's going to use that and help grow the fruit of the spirit in you. 254 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:29.200 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, people, this gentleman's self control. But like 255 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:33.200 serve wholeheartedly as if you're serving the Lord. Like how would you serve the Lord? Like imagine 256 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:40.400 like your boss is Jesus. And how would you serve him? You would you would clean that floor. You'd 257 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:47.760 make it shiny to the point that you'll be able to see your face. Hey, moving like Martha, moving 258 00:23:47.760 --> 00:23:55.840 like Martha for real. Yeah. Guys, in saying all of that stuff though, we're called in verse 10 to 259 00:23:55.840 --> 00:24:02.080 finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. And then I'll just read the next three 260 00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:07.760 verses because they're just so they're just so fire. It's like the set end of ground for 261 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:15.840 the madness that's about to come. And this is like Paul kind of like landing the plane. And he's 262 00:24:15.840 --> 00:24:20.160 like, okay, call like this is what you're called to in marriage or like in family or whatever. 263 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:25.360 But actually like this is the this is the I guess the foundation of that like this is what you're 264 00:24:25.360 --> 00:24:30.400 going to build all of that stuff on. So he says finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power 265 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:36.240 put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil schemes for our 266 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:41.840 struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the authorities against 267 00:24:41.840 --> 00:24:47.680 the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 268 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:54.720 Therefore put on the full armor of God to that when the day of evil comes you may be able to 269 00:24:54.720 --> 00:25:00.400 stand your ground and after you have done everything to stand. Let's talk about the full armor of God. 270 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:08.400 Mm hmm. Talk to me girl. I think actually think this is such a common verse like you hear about 271 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:15.120 it a lot. And I think it's something we can gloss over a lot because it can feel quite gimmicky. 272 00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:19.680 Yeah. Like, okay, I'm going to put on this. I'm going to put on this. Yeah. That's like there's 273 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:26.240 there's actually such a real implication as to what Paul is saying. It reminds me of when we 274 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:32.560 looked at Colossians many moons ago and there's a scripture that says that Jesus is the visible 275 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:38.160 image of the invisible God. Mm hmm. And I think if Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God 276 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:42.880 then if God is in visit that there's an invisible nature of God how much more is there an invisible 277 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:48.320 nature to this world. And there's other things that are invisible. And so God is seeing things that 278 00:25:48.320 --> 00:25:54.240 I'm not seeing with my actual like naked eyes like just me living in life. And so I might go 279 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:59.200 through my day or I might get sent a text message or someone might one of my friends might say 280 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:03.680 something that really hurts or a random person might just do something to me to throw me off. And 281 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:08.960 it's after a member actually know there's a there's a scene behind this scene. One of one of 282 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:16.320 a my pastor that I heard once he did this sermon called nothing is as it seems. And he was 283 00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:22.240 talking about how like we live in a natural world but we also live in a supernatural reality. 284 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:27.600 So good. And how God that is unseen is also seeing things that are unseen in the spirit too. 285 00:26:27.600 --> 00:26:32.400 And so because we have the Holy Spirit that lives with us we actually have access to be able to 286 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:38.960 see the things that God sees you know see the the hearts behind the actions that some people do. 287 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:44.800 Yeah. And yeah one of the things that I was thinking as you were prepping is that like I think when 288 00:26:44.800 --> 00:26:49.760 you when you acknowledge that there is like a spiritual reality to this life. Mm hmm. 289 00:26:49.760 --> 00:26:53.760 Then it helps you not to take things very personally. That's so true. And let's say that because 290 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:59.440 like yes we're human beings so everyone's going to make mistakes spoiler alert you're going to 291 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:03.120 make mistakes your friends are going to make mistakes your parents are going to make mistakes your 292 00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:07.120 teachers are going to make mistakes like the boyfriend you have the girlfriend you have they're 293 00:27:07.120 --> 00:27:11.920 going to make mistakes every single person is going to make mistakes but not everything is personal. 294 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:16.720 Yeah. And I think when you're in that and you're receiving the back end of somebody else's like 295 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:22.080 hurt or somebody else's if like someone what someone's afflicted onto you it can feel personal 296 00:27:22.080 --> 00:27:26.320 like oh this person's attacking me but actually this scripture reminds me that there's something 297 00:27:26.320 --> 00:27:32.160 going on behind the scenes like there's a spirit there's always spirit. It's not just this 298 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:36.880 person's hurt me maybe they're carrying something and so you can actively like pray into that 299 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:40.960 and not take things personally and see people like how God sees them I don't know if that makes 300 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:46.560 sense. No it makes a lot of sense I mean it reminds me of something that you've said before 301 00:27:47.280 --> 00:27:53.840 of like how can you be a part-time Christian when there's a full-time devil like that's a reality 302 00:27:53.840 --> 00:27:59.920 of just the world that we live in yeah whether that's in flesh or whether that's in spirit there's 303 00:27:59.920 --> 00:28:05.200 there's an active full-time devil that's trying to knock you off your feet but the like the far 304 00:28:05.280 --> 00:28:12.240 like I mean Paul says here like to stand firm and what does that mean that means to like to stand 305 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:18.160 firm yeah and be it movable to be it movable and in order to do that you need to understand who 306 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:25.680 you are in the spirit and and the full armor of God that God has given you yeah to be ready to 307 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:32.480 stand firm like you can't live this life ignorant of this you can't be like oh the spirit around 308 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:40.560 superlululala like it so it feels like so out of you know out of my reach no be aware of it come 309 00:28:40.560 --> 00:28:47.920 on like see it it is there like don't be ignorant don't be foolish think that oh if I can't see it 310 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:54.080 then I shouldn't take notice to the notice of it no be aware of it like Paul is even like taking 311 00:28:54.080 --> 00:29:01.840 time to say no but this isn't against spirit of no weight flesh and blood but against the rulers 312 00:29:03.040 --> 00:29:09.200 deep that against the rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world 313 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:16.480 and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms there is evil yeah in the heavenly 314 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:21.440 realms and that they don't like the children of God they don't like the people who are living in 315 00:29:21.520 --> 00:29:28.880 the light they hate it because they hate God so they're going to try take you down whatever that 316 00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:35.600 is through a nasty comment that somebody says through like just unspeakable things that could 317 00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:43.200 happen to us to our fleshly bodies to things like you know not that that door that doesn't seem 318 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:50.160 to be opening or just things that just aren't shifting or happening but then like we are called to 319 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:57.920 pray in all circumstances because prayer is so powerful and it opens up doors and God can't like 320 00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:05.440 there's nothing that can stop what the Lord has for you so use use the armor that the Lord's 321 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:12.640 given you be aware of the spirit realm yeah let's dive into the bits of the armor as well because 322 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:17.280 I think those bits are really powerful actually wanted to say one thing yeah go for him I wanted to 323 00:30:17.280 --> 00:30:25.200 speak into this like use the word ignorance and I think ignorance is comfortable ignorance is 324 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:32.000 very unconfronting yeah ignorance is quite easy and I think there's two parts of the ignorance it's 325 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:37.440 the oh I can't see it so it can't be true yeah but also if I don't see it I don't need to face it 326 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:44.240 but the Bible says that like in the verse 11 it's what it says to stand firm against the enemies 327 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:51.120 schemes in NLT it says against the tactics like we have a we have a present enemy who is going to 328 00:30:51.120 --> 00:30:56.160 try to throw you off yeah and that's a very scary to think about and I know for so many people 329 00:30:56.160 --> 00:31:02.720 like thinking about like the darkness is quite a lot but I just want to confront that and like speak 330 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:08.720 into that that God hasn't given you a spirit of fear yeah but of power loving some mind where does 331 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:13.840 that power come from the same power that raised Christ from the grave lives on the inside of you that 332 00:31:13.840 --> 00:31:20.320 you can actually stand in the full armor of God and defeat a already defeated enemy yeah because 333 00:31:20.320 --> 00:31:24.880 the enemy can try and throw like all these different tactics the Bible says that he comes to still 334 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:30.560 kill and destroy and you only do three things like it's actually quite like perceived tactics I'm 335 00:31:30.560 --> 00:31:35.040 not going to lie like you're not creative yeah and therefore like we can stand in our authority 336 00:31:35.040 --> 00:31:39.520 knowing that first of all I see what you're doing enemy but also you are defeated because of the 337 00:31:39.520 --> 00:31:45.200 cross yeah and because of the empty to him like you have no real power yeah and so all these like 338 00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:51.440 earthly realm power look heavenly realm evil realm powers we can overcome that because we serve 339 00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:56.320 the conqueror like Jesus has overcome is I just want to encourage whoever's listening like yeah 340 00:31:56.320 --> 00:32:01.120 stand firm in that confidence like yeah you have the Holy Spirit you don't have to fall to the 341 00:32:01.120 --> 00:32:05.920 enemy scheme you can rise above that in mom so yeah just wanted to speak don't be ignorant because 342 00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:11.280 it's easy yeah actually confront the darkness because the light shines in the darkness so the 343 00:32:11.280 --> 00:32:18.560 darkness can't overcome it so hey interrupting your podcast session here which wanted to say thank 344 00:32:18.560 --> 00:32:23.280 you so much for listening if you are listening in on our YouTube make sure to subscribe but if you 345 00:32:23.280 --> 00:32:28.480 are listening in on our Spotify and Apple podcasts then make sure to follow us and give us a 346 00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:34.080 little rating because we want these podcasts to reach as many people and because our vision here 347 00:32:34.080 --> 00:32:39.600 at the way is to share the good news of Jesus with every young person online and you without 348 00:32:39.600 --> 00:32:50.000 further ado get back into the podcast amen with that clip debt put on the philharma of God yeah 349 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:55.120 that thing does not come off well it starts off with the belt of truth buckle around your waist 350 00:32:55.120 --> 00:33:02.480 and the breastplate altogether and yeah I was thinking about how the breastplate like sits on your 351 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:10.640 chest like it sits like um and it reminds me of like a confidence like to wear 352 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:16.960 by relationship with God my righteousness righteousness simply meaning like me and God are good 353 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:23.200 like I'm in right standing with God and I can wear that with confidence knowing that I am right 354 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:28.400 with God you know I know that I know God like I have a relationship with Jesus the Holy Spirit lives 355 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:33.920 in me you know I can be confident yeah I can walk free life and not be shaken by anything because 356 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:39.760 I know who's on my side and I just think that's great the Lord wants us to be confident yeah in 357 00:33:39.760 --> 00:33:46.560 our relationship with him it's good like when you when you think of the armor and correct me from 358 00:33:46.560 --> 00:33:53.440 wrong but the belt like goes around everything else like like the breastplate is fitted shoes are 359 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:59.040 fitted but the belt wraps around it and I don't know there's something about that image of like 360 00:33:59.040 --> 00:34:05.120 the wrapping yourself in truth that is so powerful because I think when you're in school when you're 361 00:34:05.120 --> 00:34:10.800 at work wherever there's so many different truths in life like there's so many different truths 362 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:16.400 in the world now and it's like you can get wrapped in so many different truths and these different 363 00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:21.440 truths can shift so much about you like how you think about yourself how you think about the world 364 00:34:21.520 --> 00:34:26.240 actually the Lord calls us to wrap ourselves in his truth because when we wrap ourselves in the 365 00:34:26.240 --> 00:34:31.760 truth of who God is who we are in him like what our identity is and all these things we've become 366 00:34:31.760 --> 00:34:37.840 secure and so if we're securing the Lord and in the truth of God then there's no way the enemy has 367 00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:43.600 a say in how to get in like he can't there's no fit hold here because I'm so wrapped in God 368 00:34:43.600 --> 00:34:48.960 love that I don't know I just really like that imagery no I love that imagery I'm taking that thank you 369 00:34:49.760 --> 00:34:54.800 you're welcome moving on and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of 370 00:34:54.800 --> 00:35:01.920 peace that's so beautiful like the gospel is our peace like Jesus says peace I live with you my 371 00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:08.480 peace I give you like he is our peace prince of peace and getting to follow him means that like his 372 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:13.360 peace follows us and like every step that we take and love how it's on our feet like every step 373 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:19.520 that we take there is peace wow that's so beautiful and also like that reminds me of the verse that 374 00:35:19.520 --> 00:35:25.440 says he's a light to light lamp to my feet light to my path he's so faithful like I love how he's 375 00:35:25.440 --> 00:35:30.160 putting he's reminding us that there's peace on our feet and every step that we take with him 376 00:35:30.160 --> 00:35:36.560 because that comes with the gospel and the gospel is full of full of peace like full of truth full of 377 00:35:37.520 --> 00:35:43.840 I love that so much and I love how it says fitted with the readiness love like the readiness is like 378 00:35:44.720 --> 00:35:51.200 that there's like preparation yeah um like to be prepared with the peace of God and I think 379 00:35:51.200 --> 00:35:56.160 you know Philippians it talks about how the peace of God surpasses our understanding and it 380 00:35:56.160 --> 00:36:01.440 God's our heart and mind but it tells us like in every situation with prayer thanksgiving petition 381 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:06.000 like the peace of God will be given to you and I think there's a readiness on our part like 382 00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:10.720 when we're stepping into wherever we're stepping into in life like are we readyed up with the 383 00:36:10.720 --> 00:36:15.360 peace of God like before we've even gotten there have we put on the shoes because even with like 384 00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:19.600 this whole armor thing like Roman soldiers there's no way they would go into battle without putting 385 00:36:19.600 --> 00:36:24.960 on their shoes and say for us that there's no way we can clock that's it there's no way 386 00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:29.920 that we can go and face the world without being clothed in the shoes of peace and being ready in 387 00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:36.720 that that's so good in addition to all this take up the shield of faith with with which you 388 00:36:36.720 --> 00:36:44.000 extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one see it doesn't say if the evil one shoots these 389 00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:50.080 flaming arrows it says which like when it was to say with which you can extinguish all the flaming 390 00:36:50.080 --> 00:36:55.280 arrows like oh he's gonna he's gonna be throwing those flaming arrows at you trying to knock you down 391 00:36:55.360 --> 00:37:05.040 but with faith that that bad boy is bouncing back to him oh back to sender back to sender yeah come 392 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:13.680 I also was reading this thing about how in ancient like battle strategy like if we're on the battle 393 00:37:13.680 --> 00:37:18.880 field and we're fighting against a real enemy then we would fire all of our like fiery targets 394 00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:26.560 our fiery arrows first because you want to like you want to send out the the most powerful like I 395 00:37:26.560 --> 00:37:30.720 don't know I know I mean do you know I mean you want to you want to exhaust them yeah so you want to 396 00:37:30.720 --> 00:37:35.840 throw everything you've got at them from all sides and that's what the enemy tries to do and I 397 00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:39.920 think like I think back to when I first became a Christian or even when I first got back like 398 00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:45.760 when I got baptized those first few months just felt really weird yeah it was really difficult 399 00:37:46.560 --> 00:37:51.360 because the enemy's gonna try it and throw all these different things at you and maybe 400 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:54.960 someone's listening and they're like well I've been a Christian for like not even that long but 401 00:37:54.960 --> 00:38:00.080 why is it so difficult why do I feel like everything shifting and crumbling because the enemy's 402 00:38:00.080 --> 00:38:04.960 gonna try to throw you off so good like I've heard it said once like thieves don't break into empty 403 00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:12.480 homes right like you hold something so powerful you have such a unique and specific calling in your 404 00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:18.160 life that when you find God and you and you learn that and you walk in that reality the enemy's 405 00:38:18.160 --> 00:38:23.200 not gonna like it yeah and so he's gonna try and fire all of these dots at you from all different 406 00:38:23.200 --> 00:38:29.040 angles but we have the shield of faith our faith in Jesus our relationship with God whenever things 407 00:38:29.040 --> 00:38:33.200 go wrong we throw that up real quick yeah like throw that up anytime the enemy's throwing something 408 00:38:33.200 --> 00:38:37.680 at you from a different angle you throw it up you throw it up and the shield is big enough 409 00:38:37.680 --> 00:38:42.240 yeah your faith is big enough to protect you that's so good even when you feel like your faith 410 00:38:42.240 --> 00:38:48.240 is shaky yeah it's is big enough yeah because your God is big enough that's good and I love that 411 00:38:48.240 --> 00:38:55.600 I love that too faith is an active thing it's not past yes like it takes so much so much active 412 00:38:55.600 --> 00:39:02.640 effort to to like remind yourself of the faith that you have in Jesus and the things that like the 413 00:39:02.640 --> 00:39:07.360 truths of the Lord that you stand on especially when you're being attacked from every every side 414 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:14.240 every corner like to be like no I have this faith in the Lord and I can stand on this strong 415 00:39:14.240 --> 00:39:19.280 and remind myself that no I have a God that's way bigger than whatever this little devil's trying to do 416 00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:26.480 to me right now Michelle got that clock that she got that shield I got that shield all right next one 417 00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:32.640 take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God's this might be 418 00:39:32.640 --> 00:39:40.160 my favorite combo oh yeah I know tells why I should have favorites but I kind of got one 419 00:39:40.160 --> 00:39:47.040 because I think the helmet of salvation is like like the helmet protects your head yeah right and 420 00:39:47.040 --> 00:39:53.600 I think yeah I don't know just the just the way your brain just remembers like remembering that 421 00:39:53.600 --> 00:39:58.080 you're saved remembering that you're a child of God so the enemy is going to try and make you 422 00:39:58.080 --> 00:40:03.120 forget who your God is he's going to try and make you forget make you think you're not chosen yeah 423 00:40:03.120 --> 00:40:07.120 you're not loved like you're not this you're not that your God like that's what he did in the 424 00:40:07.120 --> 00:40:11.760 Garden of Eden with Eve he said if you really eat from the tree will you really die again getting 425 00:40:11.760 --> 00:40:16.640 in her head trying to make her forget what God has said in who he is the enemy doesn't have need 426 00:40:16.640 --> 00:40:23.280 anything you he doesn't he doesn't all he does is trick and deceive and confuse and so if your head 427 00:40:23.280 --> 00:40:29.840 is protected with the helmet of salvation when your head is protected with the fact that you are 428 00:40:29.840 --> 00:40:37.040 saved that you are chosen that you are loved then you can conquer so much you won't live in confusion 429 00:40:37.040 --> 00:40:42.720 you won't forget who your God is you'll be reminded of your salvation how did that salvation come 430 00:40:42.720 --> 00:40:51.280 around through a conquerous king victorious king I love that sort of the spirit your sort of 431 00:40:51.760 --> 00:41:01.040 yourself with the huge sword in your hand which is the word of God the word of God your sword is the 432 00:41:01.040 --> 00:41:11.280 word this is your sword which means you need to know your words that's right that's right I think 433 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:16.960 you know when when soldiers would go out to battle when they're on the battlefield this isn't the 434 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:21.360 first time they've used a sword they've been training yeah like they have been practicing this 435 00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:26.160 wing practice in okay if I go from this angle I can use this move I go from that angle of this 436 00:41:26.160 --> 00:41:31.680 happens and I can change my tactic I can change like there is a process of practicing so like I 437 00:41:31.680 --> 00:41:39.040 think I think like not to come not to come too strong but I think you can't expect to to go 438 00:41:39.040 --> 00:41:44.720 against the enemy or to step up in confronting situations all of a sudden with a sword you've 439 00:41:44.720 --> 00:41:50.080 never used before I think as Christians and as people that are in the world of the world there is 440 00:41:50.080 --> 00:41:54.560 a responsibility for you to know your words yeah because when those situations come when those 441 00:41:54.560 --> 00:41:59.360 storms come like you're going to be prepared you're going to know that you know the Bible says that I 442 00:41:59.360 --> 00:42:03.520 am the head and not the soul that I'm above and not beneath you know that no weapon formed against 443 00:42:03.520 --> 00:42:08.480 me shall prosper that it God is for me who will walk against me you know that all things work 444 00:42:08.480 --> 00:42:13.520 together and it's not like like I'm having to research at the time of battle I just have that 445 00:42:13.600 --> 00:42:20.080 swords like it's ready to go yeah and even in Hebrews 4 it says that the word of God is alive it's 446 00:42:20.080 --> 00:42:24.320 sharper than a double edge sword like it is the sharpest sword when we read in Revelation when 447 00:42:24.320 --> 00:42:30.720 Jesus comes and John describes the vision of Jesus he says out of his mouth in a sword like 448 00:42:30.720 --> 00:42:36.000 Jesus is the sword and he has it ready yeah because he is the word and so the children of God 449 00:42:36.000 --> 00:42:41.520 if a call to be made in his image and Christ like then we need to have that word on our lips as well 450 00:42:41.520 --> 00:42:46.560 know your words scripture ready it has to be written on your heart yes and how do you have it 451 00:42:46.560 --> 00:42:52.000 written on your heart you get stuck into it you read it you read it back is that simple and we 452 00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:57.120 need to get back into memorizing scripture I'm just going to say it oh tell it like we're in the 453 00:42:57.120 --> 00:43:02.080 world of chat GBT and all that sort of thing and things are like at the finger tips of googling oh 454 00:43:02.080 --> 00:43:07.840 what versus the scandal and now we're no longer using our God-given brains to memorize things 455 00:43:07.920 --> 00:43:14.560 and to like have ourselves ready to be ready we need to be ready of course a tactic of the 456 00:43:14.560 --> 00:43:20.080 enemy is going to try like makers not use our brains anymore to like memorize the word of God 457 00:43:20.080 --> 00:43:25.840 and have it written on our hearts and ready our mouths like of course you know so good but don't 458 00:43:25.840 --> 00:43:30.880 be like that like memorize get back to writing it on post it notes and sticking around your house 459 00:43:30.880 --> 00:43:36.080 again tell him and like do challenges with your friends where you're like wait no let's like 460 00:43:36.080 --> 00:43:42.880 actually memorize the scripture a week like that's so good that's so powerful honestly in times 461 00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:48.160 of weakness in times and seasons where things feel like you're in desert and the enemy is trying 462 00:43:48.160 --> 00:43:54.000 to attack you you having that word written on your heart and you know it your heart knows it 463 00:43:54.560 --> 00:43:58.800 then the spirit has something to work with with you too to bring things up in your heart remind 464 00:43:58.800 --> 00:44:04.160 you of the scripture of the times that you've been memorizing things is to edify you to build you 465 00:44:04.800 --> 00:44:09.680 and and have you ready to stand firm tell them the Holy Spirit brings things into remembrance 466 00:44:09.680 --> 00:44:14.480 yeah you can only remember something you've actually seen we haven't seen it what is it going to 467 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:22.560 come from why is it going to come from tell him Michelle let's go guys verse 18 and pray in the spirit 468 00:44:22.560 --> 00:44:28.800 on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests with this in mind be alert and always keep 469 00:44:28.880 --> 00:44:35.040 on praying for all the Lord's people and then I'll just continue reading on pray also for me 470 00:44:35.600 --> 00:44:40.560 this is Paul speaking pray also for me that wherever I speak words may be given 471 00:44:41.360 --> 00:44:47.200 a year was maybe given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for 472 00:44:47.200 --> 00:44:53.040 which I am an ambassador in chains pray that I made a clear it fear fearlessly as I should 473 00:44:53.440 --> 00:45:00.800 so it's powerful that is powerful that's almost like a call to action like pray in the spirit on 474 00:45:00.800 --> 00:45:06.320 all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests there's not prayer that the that Paul saying 475 00:45:06.320 --> 00:45:14.160 here that that isn't valid like he says all kinds of prayers and requests like the Lord is a good 476 00:45:14.160 --> 00:45:20.560 God he's a father like he cares for his children so he's going to meet on these in his in his timing 477 00:45:20.640 --> 00:45:27.520 in his way like like it says praying on all occasions there's not like just not you don't pray 478 00:45:27.520 --> 00:45:32.640 just when you need it yes pray when you don't need it too that's good like pray for other people 479 00:45:32.640 --> 00:45:37.280 says praying for all the Lord's people pray for your brothers and sisters pray for that friend 480 00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:41.920 that's looking for a job pray for that that cousin that uncle that aunt that doesn't know Jesus 481 00:45:41.920 --> 00:45:46.880 yet pray for them in your time with the Lord like there's so much to be praying for there's a time 482 00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:52.000 in this world that like there's so much darkness and things that we could pray for like peace 483 00:45:52.000 --> 00:45:59.200 for peace over places that are facing war that's right that's really like so much so much discrimination 484 00:45:59.200 --> 00:46:05.760 happening so much like hate so much just hate like so much evil and so much darkness is happening 485 00:46:05.840 --> 00:46:15.920 in this world that just because like you are a tiny like tiny little like pit pin in amongst like 486 00:46:16.480 --> 00:46:24.000 lots of pins pinned on like if you imagine like a world map you are like a tiny spec compared to 487 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:29.040 everything and going on there's like so many people in the world that we could be praying for yeah 488 00:46:29.040 --> 00:46:33.600 there's so many situations that we could be praying for governments that we could be praying for 489 00:46:33.600 --> 00:46:39.680 like others young people have have that at our hands like we can pray for things and we can we 490 00:46:39.680 --> 00:46:46.160 have a God that does things he moves in power so pray on all occasions not just when you need it 491 00:46:47.040 --> 00:46:53.120 and it just it just reminds me of the armor and how when you fight in battle you have multiple 492 00:46:53.120 --> 00:46:59.760 different weapons and it says like pray like all occasions with all kinds of prayers 493 00:46:59.760 --> 00:47:06.000 with kinds of requests like there is so much prayer at your arsenal like don't just be restricted to 494 00:47:06.000 --> 00:47:10.240 the I'm just going to pray when I wake up in the morning or oh it's time to eat well I guess we need 495 00:47:10.240 --> 00:47:16.640 to pray you can pray between that before that like after that like there's so many different 496 00:47:17.200 --> 00:47:22.400 types of prayer into session prayer praying for the people prayers of thanksgiving you know and 497 00:47:22.400 --> 00:47:27.920 prayers of requests like God I need your help but don't just be restricted to one because God wants 498 00:47:27.920 --> 00:47:33.360 to hear us in in all the things that we're going through yeah and um also pray for your leaders 499 00:47:33.360 --> 00:47:38.000 like not just pray for your friends so but like Paul says and also pray for me so I can 500 00:47:38.000 --> 00:47:43.280 fearlessly preach the gospel and speak like are we praying for our pastors are we praying for our 501 00:47:43.280 --> 00:47:49.120 youth leaders are we praying for like like our friends are helping us understand scripture I think 502 00:47:49.120 --> 00:47:53.600 sometimes we forget to pray for the people that are also on the front lines so like people that 503 00:47:53.600 --> 00:47:58.640 are in ministry people that are like spreading the gospel they're on the front lines of the faith 504 00:47:58.640 --> 00:48:03.680 because they're going into those places and be like hey like know the love of God and so we have a 505 00:48:03.680 --> 00:48:08.240 responsibility to pray for people on because we're all on the same team yeah like they're all on our 506 00:48:08.240 --> 00:48:12.400 team that's right the kingdom team that's right so why don't we also pray for our leaders as well 507 00:48:13.120 --> 00:48:17.040 that they would also walk in boldness and not just assume are because they're preaching they 508 00:48:17.040 --> 00:48:22.080 probably already are yeah they need prayer to so yeah I really like that and final greetings first 509 00:48:22.080 --> 00:48:29.760 21 we're landing there whoa Ephesians coming to me this is so good very it just like you feel so 510 00:48:29.760 --> 00:48:36.160 equipped after reading Ephesians man hmm my guess yes okay I don't know how to say this man's name 511 00:48:37.600 --> 00:48:44.240 tachikas I don't know I just pulled out cool cool cool 512 00:48:44.240 --> 00:48:47.680 don't write me tachikas that's not how I pronounce for them like 513 00:48:47.760 --> 00:48:52.640 tachikas the dear brother and faithful servant and the Lord will tell you everything so that you 514 00:48:52.640 --> 00:48:57.840 also may know how I am and what I am doing I'm sending him to you for this very purpose that you 515 00:48:57.840 --> 00:49:03.600 may know how we are and that he may encourage you peace of the brothers and sisters and love with 516 00:49:03.600 --> 00:49:09.440 faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ 517 00:49:09.440 --> 00:49:15.280 with an undying love yeah my reflection and my takeaway from this book has been like yeah there 518 00:49:15.280 --> 00:49:19.120 are times to be corrected and yeah we're not always going to get things right but we also 519 00:49:19.120 --> 00:49:25.680 need to be encouraged to yeah and so like I read I've read this book of Ephesians in like okay 520 00:49:25.680 --> 00:49:32.000 cool how can I be encouraged in my relationship with God how can I be encouraged living out my 521 00:49:32.000 --> 00:49:37.920 faith as a young Christian and then how can I be encouraged that the Holy Spirit is with me 522 00:49:37.920 --> 00:49:43.760 so good and I've also like blessed and enriched by it was always been saying and even with this 523 00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:48.560 episode like hey I'm so empowered that I have access to the full armor of God and then I can put 524 00:49:48.560 --> 00:49:54.800 that on all the time yeah I never have to take it off and I can just walk in every situation with it 525 00:49:55.360 --> 00:49:59.680 there's so much to live for so much freedom so much life so much homeless to live in yeah 526 00:49:59.680 --> 00:50:05.120 as a Christian as somebody that follows Jesus and loves Jesus and there's so much love that we 527 00:50:05.120 --> 00:50:12.640 can love on other people too through this overflow that the Holy Spirit like places in us and it's 528 00:50:12.640 --> 00:50:19.600 just so encouraging so encouraging and we're sent out in grace and peace yeah the truth it like 529 00:50:19.600 --> 00:50:27.600 grace peace and love I love it peace is like what the Shalom that's something that like the Jewish 530 00:50:27.600 --> 00:50:33.520 Christians would have been familiar with but grace is that kind of like Greek like Gentile 531 00:50:33.520 --> 00:50:37.920 language and him bringing both of these communities together and being like hey we are one I'll be 532 00:50:37.920 --> 00:50:43.680 sent out so it's so encouraging and so yeah guys be sent out like we are we are called to love 533 00:50:43.680 --> 00:50:47.520 others we are called to be Christians in this world and let's go and do that for a place of 534 00:50:47.520 --> 00:50:51.920 knowing who's we are but also like what we've been called to do so good and with that being said 535 00:50:51.920 --> 00:51:00.080 hey guys we are done with Ephesians that's crazy oh my gosh oh so good it was so good guys leave us 536 00:51:00.080 --> 00:51:04.240 a comment if you've been journeyed through the series in fact I'm going to give everybody a 537 00:51:04.240 --> 00:51:11.760 challenge give us your one takeaway like if you had to sum up Ephesians in like one point or like 538 00:51:11.760 --> 00:51:16.880 one thing that you got out of the series what would it be like let's flood the comments with yeah 539 00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:21.120 flood it guys everyone's takeaways like what did you take away from Ephesians what did you see 540 00:51:21.120 --> 00:51:24.960 that we didn't see yeah maybe in Ephesians six you were like oh you guys didn't say that I saw 541 00:51:24.960 --> 00:51:30.000 that leave a comment like let's turn this comment section into like like a little out of there 542 00:51:30.000 --> 00:51:35.200 praise break yeah little praise break a little a little session I'm so excited for it but yeah 543 00:51:35.200 --> 00:51:40.160 guys thank you so much for joining us with this Bible study series we've had such a great time as a 544 00:51:40.160 --> 00:51:45.440 team oh yeah getting around this book and we hope that it's encouraged you to stay on the look 545 00:51:45.440 --> 00:51:50.640 out for more podcast episodes from the way you came we've got more Bible studies testimonies all 546 00:51:50.640 --> 00:51:55.600 the different things that we do to stay locked in the vlogs for everything yeah guys thank you 547 00:51:55.600 --> 00:52:05.040 for watching and we'll see you in the next episode bye guys see you