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 of 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 Sunday, September ten, twenty twenty three. Hello,
my name is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this
is your Daily Portion pardon me, where we give you God's word every single
day and today is no exception. We are continuing in our lesson study series
through the Book of Ephesians under the caption battle Speech, Battle Speech. Well
into that in just a moment, but first i'd like to say welcome to
you and ask you to go over to your Daily Portion dot com join our
online community if you've not done so already, and also please please pick up
your Daily Portion book and that way we can continue to grow in faith and
fellowship together and spread the word of God into all the world until Jesus comes.
Let's go ahead and pray, and then we will get underway. Father
in Heaven, thank you for giving us the privilege we have to open your
word. And I ask you now to give us understanding, teach us how
to love you. Father. Please give us the same language that you have
when with regard to how we win in this great controversy in Jesus name,
I pray, Amen and amen again. Let me just say that if we
are on the same team, then we should be using the same language.
Right in your workplace, there is a way that you communicate, right in
your businesses. There is a way that you communicate in your families. There's
a way that you communicate. And we have been uncovering just very slowly the
armor of God and will drill it some more today. And the language that
is used there is a language related to battle, related to war, related
to us overcoming in the times of trials. When the devil has unleashed his
onslaught on God's people, God's people must sound the battle cry. And for
those of you who are familiar with hymns, maybe in your mind is the
same that is in my mind, and number six hundred fourteen from the Seventh
day Adventist hymnal sound the battle cry, See the foe is nigh raised the
standard high for the Lord. Gird your arm irons, stand firmed that we
not talk about that yesterday, and firm everyone rest your cause upon His Holy
word rolls. Then, soldiers, are you a soldier for the cross?
Rally round the banner, Ready, steady, pass the word along, onward
forward, shout aloud Hausanna Christ as the captain of the mighty throng. And
so God has given us in Ephesians chapter six some specific speech related to the
battle. And if you did not listen yesterday, perhaps you can go back
there where I would have read most of this. I'm not going to read
it out today, but I want you to go back to it and see
what God was talking about. Now, I want to share what I withheld
from you yesterday. And so from Deuteronomy chapter twenty, verses two through four,
the Bible says, and it shall be when ye are come nigh unto
the battle, and the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, and
shall say unto them, hear ye Oh Israel, ye approach this day unto
battle against your enemies. Let your hearts not be faint, do not fear,
do not tremble, neither be terrified because of them. For the Lord
your God is he that go with with you, if to fight for you
against your enemies, to save you. The Bible is teaching us that the
presence of God gives you, gives me unparalleled courage even when facing daunting challenges.
Our fear diminishes when we remember that God fights for us. Can we
just all say amen to that? Like God is the one who fights your
battle. Like don't wait till the battle is over. You can shout now
because you know in the end you're gonna win because of Him. Now.
From the Book of Judges, Chapter seven, verses fifteen through eighteen. In
the story of Gideon, we see that revelations from God provide assurance of his
plans and purposes, confirming that He is always in control, guarding and guiding
our footsteps. You see, you're in a war every day you wake up.
Even in this moment, you're fighting to give keen attention to what we
are saying here. You are wondering, what is it that I have to
do for today you're struggling with the trial or temptation that you are currently facing.
There are other things in your life that are causing somewhat of a distraction,
but you have to know how. You have to know that God is
guiding you. He is the one who is fighting your battles. If you
will surrender, if I will surrender my will to him. Now we can
also look in Second Chronicles, chapter twenty, verses thirteen through twenty and see
that collective faith and unity and seeking God's guidance can lead to remarkable interventions.
God told us that we are to come together in the New Testament era as
he was forming what we now call the Church right he told them to tarry
in Jerusalem, to come together in unity and wait for the Holy Spirit to
come. And so we know that God is there. When he sees unity,
we can be strong and be courageous, like be not dismayed for anything
that is coming. That the multitude that is with them or with us is
greater than the multitude that is with them. When we are unified in faith,
we can know that every earthly opposition, no matter how formidable, pales
in comparison to the divine force that stands with God's people. Here was another
one from Nehemiah, Chapter four, verses fourteen, nineteen and two twenty.
The Bible is teaching us that commitment to family and community, bolstered by faith
in God, becomes an invincible force against our adversaries. The Bible teaches us,
be ye not afraid of them, and remember the Lord, which is
great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your
daughters, and your wives and your houses. In that case, God was
having as people repair the breach that was in the wall. God is teaching
us in the last days, as we are fighting in this battle, that
we are to repair the breach that is in his law, letting people know
that He still cares about what we do. He still is teaching us to
keep his law in these days. And from all of these passages, it
is evident that faith, trust in God's presence, and communal unity underpin the
victories and successes in the lives of God's people in the Old Testament. These
lessons remain relevant today, reminding us that true strength and victory come from reliance
upon divine power and guidance. Put on the entire armor of God, brothers
and sisters, so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil,
no matter what he throws at you, whether it's COVID, whether it is
some strange wildfire spate in Canada, whether it is unrest politically, whatever it
is, God is able to fight our battles and to deliver us. For
the battle is not ours, but it's the Lord's. And I already shared
some from the hymn, But I want to go with verse two, number
six hundred fourteen and the Seventh Day Adventist Bible. In the Seventh Day Adventist
tymneal strong to meet the foe. Marching on we go while our cause,
we know, must prevail. Yield and banner bright, gleaming in the light,
battling for the right, we ne'er can fail. Rouse. Then soldiers
rally around the banner, ready, steady, pass the word along, onward,
forward, shout aloud, Hosannah, Christ is captain of the mighty throng.
Oh Thou God of all, hear us when we call, help us
one and all by thy grace. When the battle's done and the victories won,
may we wear the crown before Thy face roused. Then soldier rally around
the banner. Ready Steady passed the word along. Onward forward, shout aloud,
Hosannah Christ is Captain of the Monys, for joining us listening. 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.