Most of us eat every day, some of us too much, because yesterday's
food is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do
some of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna the word of God to keep
us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all
that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live
healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to Your Daily Portion with your host, author
speaker L. David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning.
It is Wednesday, September thirteen, twenty twenty three. Hello, my name
is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this is your
Daily Portion where we give you God's word every single day, and today is
no exception. We are continuing in our lessons study series through the Book of
Ephesians, and our caption for today is standing on the Ancient Battlefield. Standing
on the Ancient Battlefield. We'll get into that in just a moment, but
first I like to say welcome to you and ask you, if you've not
already done so, to go over to your Daily Portion dot com. Click
to join our online community, and also click to pick up that your Daily
Portion book, it'll be sent right to you, and I will ask you
to let me know where you are in the world in the box there,
because my little guy and I are still looking and saying, okay, where
are these people? And it's a blessing and encouraging to us because we know
that the Gospel is going forth from wherever you are. And it's encouraging waiting
for the coming of the Lord, knowing that this word of God is being
spread. Okay, so please just do that for me at your Daily Portion
dot com. Let's go ahead and pray and then we will get underway.
Father in Heaven, thank you for giving us this new day and for the
privilege that you have given us to open up your word and for the opportunity
for us to get to know you better. But more than that, to
stand to stand in the face of any trial because you are with us.
Please help us to stand in Jesus name. I pray, Amen and Amen
again. And so I mean no disrespect to the history buffs when we do
these lessons, studies that want to hear all of the ins and outs of
the history related to whatever we're talking about. But we only have just a
couple of minutes. So I try to shoot straight to how we can apply,
how we can apply what we are learning. And so this is going
to be no different. So much to learn, so much to learn from
the ancient battlefield. But what are some of the takeaways? I said some,
There are so many, so many. We're gonna go with Ephesians chapter
six and verse eleven for our first one. Ephesians chapter six and verse eleven,
And the Bible reads, put on the whole armor of God that she
may be able to stand again and the wiles of the devil. The first
first takeaway is standing in spiritual warfare is not passive. Can I say that
again? It is not passive. It is not that we're just here loitering.
For those of you who come from cities where loitering is illegal, then
you know what I'm talking about. Like, you're not just hanging around on
the corner. You're not just like posted up at a supermarket or some store,
or a gas station or some wall in the middle of an urban urban
setting. No, standing is not passive, not in warfare. It demands
active engagement, active engagement, and readiness to confront all challenges. So what
does that look like? In your day. Like if you're standing, you're
standing spiritually, then you know that you're on the lookout. You are preyed
up. You know that the enemy is coming. You may not understand what
he's about to do, because after all, we're only human. But you
are ready to fight. Fight the fight of faith, fight the good fight
of faith. You are standing. How about unity in the battle? In
Philippians chapter one, in verse twenty seven, the Bible reads that ye stand
fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of
the Gospel. And so if we are to continue to win in this battle,
not only do we need to be spiritually fortified for ourselves, but the
people of God need to be unified. The act of standing isn't individual,
not merely, it involves a united front, emphasizing the importance of believers working
together and supporting one another in faith. Woe unto the individual who is standing
alone in this Christian journey, the third one engaging in spiritual warfare. We
have to understand that this battle is spiritual. How do we know Ephesians chapter
six in verse twelve. Or 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. So our takeaway is our true battle is
spiritual. Now we need to recognize this because when we see people who are
saying and doing things that are getting under our skin, and worse than that,
that seemed to be attempting to push off push us off of our spiritual
gain plan, God is saying, see it for what it really is.
See it for it where it really is. If there is someone of the
opposite sex tempting you to do something that you shouldn't do sexually, see it
for what it is. It's a battle against the enemy. If the mourning
comes and you are more likely to read the paper or to engage in discussion
with someone rather than to pray and to seek God's faith, than see it
for what it is, it is a battle against spiritual beings. Right.
If you are in a car accident, God forbid, and now you are
in pain, Yes, it is something that happened in our material world.
Right, we don't want to over spiritualize it. But do you realize that
the enemy really just simply wants to destroy you because he hates you and your
God, so see it for what it really is. When people gossip about
you, when at work people are backstabbing you. Someone seems to be conspiring
against you so that they can hopefully, in their minds, get your job.
See it for what it is, and so you don't throw at spiritual
challenges, physical or human weaponry. You see the difference there. Let me
just continue Number four. Resolute endurance in faith is key right. Verse four
of Hebrews chapter twelve reads, ye have not resisted. Of course, Paul
was speaking to someone in particular, but he was saying to them, ye
have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin. We need to make a
decision, brothers and sisters, as we wake up. We have to know
that we are in the battle. We have to know that this is a
battle that will determine eternity for us. And of course, if we recognize
that we have influence over others, then perhaps for others. The eternal import
of this is serious. And therefore, when we make the resolution that we
will endure in faith when the temptations come, we say, but God,
we made a commitment to you, Will you please help us When we recognize
that we've we've come into a part of the battle that we cannot win on
our own. Our commitment to faith will push us over the edge, because
faith is the victory that overcame the world. We lay hold upon the power
of God with the faith that He has entrusted to us and the decisions that
we have made like yielding our will, and we as believers are called to
endure even when facing our toughest trials, drawing the strength from God. But
it comes from making a decision, and the lesson writer says here Paul's call
to arms reflects combat in which soldiers were bunched together, giving and receiving hundreds
of blows at close range. According to Victor Davis Hansen in the book Western
Way of War, page one fifty two, this is confirmed by Paul's depiction
of a church's battle against its foes in a wrestling match and in his use
of an intensive form of the verb to stand. So this means that if
we are back to back, standing against the foe collectively, even then the
Bible is true. When Jesus said that the kingdom suffer with violence, and
the violence take it by force, he said, upon this rock, I
shall shall build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.
It is a united front where God's people not in our own strength,
God's people, not in our own might, but through the power of the
Holy Spirit. We are marching against the kingdom of the enemy, and his
gates, his ramparts shall not stand because God's people have the captain of our
souls. Jesus Christ of a wonderful day. Thanks for joining us listening.
Friends, Always remember we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word
that comes from the mouth of God. This has been your daily portion with
l David Harris, make it a great day.