1 00:00:01,159 --> 00:00:05,879 Most of us eat every day, some of us too much because yesterday's food 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,679 is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do some 3 00:00:10,759 --> 00:00:15,599 of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna the word of God to keep us 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:20,160 through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all of 5 00:00:20,199 --> 00:00:25,399 that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:31,320 healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host, author 7 00:00:31,399 --> 00:00:34,799 speaker L. David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning. 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,159 It is Wednesday, September twenty, twenty twenty three. Hello, my name 9 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,920 is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this is your 10 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,000 Daily Portion where we give you God's Word every single day, and today is 11 00:00:46,079 --> 00:00:50,479 no exception. We are continuing in our lesson study series through the Book of 12 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:57,439 Ephesians, and our caption for today is shield, Helmet and Sword, Shield, 13 00:00:57,439 --> 00:01:00,560 Helmet and Sword. We'll get into that in just a moment, but 14 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,319 first I'd like to say welcome to you and ask you to please go over 15 00:01:03,359 --> 00:01:08,719 to your Daily Portion dot com. Please join our online community and click that 16 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:15,159 button that shows where the form like that says where are you in the world, 17 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,480 so I can continue to build my map and say wow, God is 18 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:23,040 leading his people all over the world and teaching us his word and sharing the 19 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:27,280 Gospel. And also please pick up your Daily Portion book at your Daily Portion 20 00:01:27,359 --> 00:01:33,640 dot com. That's how we can build faith and fellowship together. Let's go 21 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,519 ahead and pray, and then we will get underway. Father in Heaven, 22 00:01:37,519 --> 00:01:41,280 thank you for giving us this new day and the privilege of opening up your 23 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,760 word again. And I am asking you to please please cleanse us from all 24 00:01:45,799 --> 00:01:51,120 of our unrighteousness. Teach us how to be completely covered in the righteousness of 25 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:57,000 Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen and Amen again. 26 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,400 Shield, helmet and sword. Let me read straight from the passage in Ephesians 27 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:07,959 chapter six, Versus sixteen and seventeen, and the Bible reads above all, 28 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:13,599 taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the 29 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:20,080 fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword 30 00:02:20,159 --> 00:02:24,759 of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. So much to say, 31 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:30,439 so little time. Are you armored up today? Brothers and sisters. 32 00:02:30,439 --> 00:02:32,240 You can go ahead and type it in the chat. Yes, be honest 33 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:37,360 if you are armored and ready to go. Go ahead and type A one 34 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:42,759 in the chat. If you are struggling right now and you're you're needing more 35 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:47,360 assistance from God in this moment, you're feeling like heavy and you're not able 36 00:02:47,599 --> 00:02:51,919 really kind of to get your your armor ant at this moment, Just go 37 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,719 ahead and type two in the chat. And I want people who are are 38 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,439 praying people to observe those twos in the chat. And I want you to 39 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:07,159 please pray today, dedicate some time today to those who have typed A two 40 00:03:07,319 --> 00:03:10,560 in the chat, because really and truly, there are times that we feel 41 00:03:10,599 --> 00:03:15,439 weak, like we don't feel like we are covered. We are not in 42 00:03:15,479 --> 00:03:20,439 the mind space to say yes, I do, I do feel my commitment 43 00:03:20,599 --> 00:03:24,719 right because of maybe something I've done recently, or I'm experiencing some doubts or 44 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:30,000 fear, or the trial seems too heavy to bear. And so please pray 45 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:35,039 for everybody who was typing A two in the chat. And so let's find 46 00:03:35,039 --> 00:03:38,560 some encouragement in the scriptures and guidance. Right The first thing we need to 47 00:03:38,599 --> 00:03:46,439 think about with this context is daily trust in God as our protector. Okay, 48 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,280 daily trust in God as our protector. Do you trust God as you 49 00:03:51,639 --> 00:03:53,439 to be your protector. Let me say it that way, or do you 50 00:03:53,479 --> 00:03:58,719 trust yourself? Like do you trust God to protect you when you can't see 51 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,360 a way out of your trial or tribulation? Each morning, I want you 52 00:04:02,439 --> 00:04:05,520 to let me say it. It's gonna be kind of weird, but like 53 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:15,680 like soak or drench your shield by immersing yourself in prayer. Immerse yourself in 54 00:04:15,919 --> 00:04:21,720 prayer, and affirm your faith in God. Remember his promises such as in 55 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:28,839 Psalm chapter twenty eight in verse seven. The Lord is my strength and my 56 00:04:29,079 --> 00:04:35,160 shield. My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. Let this 57 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:43,639 truth strengthen you, strengthen your defenses against the challenges of this day. Number 58 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:49,680 two, I want you to wear the helmet with confidence. The helmet is 59 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:56,959 obviously very very important in battle. It's essential in battle. It symbolizes our 60 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:02,319 salvation through Christ and unity with Him. So whenever doubt creeps in. I 61 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:06,399 did make an allusion to that earlier, that some of you may be struggling 62 00:05:06,399 --> 00:05:13,879 with doubt right now. But whenever doubt comes in, I want you to 63 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,639 recall the scripture one of them like first Thessalonians chapter five in verse eight, 64 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:24,839 which says, but let us who are of the day, be sober, 65 00:05:25,439 --> 00:05:30,000 putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for in helmet the hope of 66 00:05:30,079 --> 00:05:38,279 salvation. Let this affirmation from scripture guard your mind and heart. You don't 67 00:05:38,319 --> 00:05:42,680 have to yield to doubt. Brothers and sisters. Have on the breastplate of 68 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,839 faith. I'll say it again, and love and for in helmet the hope 69 00:05:46,199 --> 00:05:50,680 of salvation. My hope, the hymn writer wrote, is built on nothing 70 00:05:50,759 --> 00:05:58,160 less than Jesus blood and his righteousness. Here is another one wielding the sword 71 00:05:58,439 --> 00:06:01,879 of the spirit, the sword of the spirit. I want you to dedicate 72 00:06:01,959 --> 00:06:09,959 time. I said, dedicate time or invest time in daily Bible study. 73 00:06:10,439 --> 00:06:13,800 And when I say that, I don't mean listening to me or people like 74 00:06:13,959 --> 00:06:17,160 me. That is a supplement to what you're studying, right. I want 75 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:23,120 you to get alone with God and maybe find a scripture, not jump around 76 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:27,560 like I do for these ten minutes. Like find a scripture and then ask 77 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:33,120 God, like, how does this apply to my life and salvation? One 78 00:06:33,199 --> 00:06:41,600 scripture? Fix in your mind how this leads or tends toward right relationship with 79 00:06:41,639 --> 00:06:46,800 God, and continue to pray for understanding. Remember in Hebrews, Chapter four 80 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,160 and verse twelve. The Bible reads, for the Word of God is quick 81 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:56,800 and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the 82 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,959 dividing asunder of soul and spirit. What that means is quick, means to 83 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:08,120 make alive. So the Word of God has power to make you alive if 84 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:12,480 you yield to what you hear, which you read, Yes, and dividing 85 00:07:12,519 --> 00:07:17,000 asunder. That concept is that it searches out your guts, It searches the 86 00:07:17,079 --> 00:07:23,079 intents of your heart and your mind. It reveals, it reveals who we 87 00:07:23,199 --> 00:07:27,240 really are. Right, And so commit verses to memory, like the one 88 00:07:27,279 --> 00:07:30,360 that I just read, right, so that you can draw upon these truths 89 00:07:30,439 --> 00:07:35,399 in the moments of challenge. Yes, when the temptation the trial is there, 90 00:07:35,879 --> 00:07:39,800 and when you bring the Word of God to the forefront of your mind. 91 00:07:39,839 --> 00:07:42,720 You may need an index card, you may need your device, you 92 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,399 may need to bring an actual Bible with you. But wherever the passage is 93 00:07:46,439 --> 00:07:48,959 stored, if it's in your mind, thank God. In those moments you 94 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:54,199 have to encourage your own soul and say, wait a minute, the word. 95 00:07:54,199 --> 00:07:58,399 When God said something as he created the worlds, it happened. Why 96 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,120 because the word is powerful. Oh wait a minute, When Jesus lived on 97 00:08:01,199 --> 00:08:09,160 planet Earth and he was delivering people from diseases and sin miraculously that it happened 98 00:08:09,199 --> 00:08:15,279 immediately, Why because he spoke the word and immediately the Bible says a man 99 00:08:15,319 --> 00:08:18,680 in Mark chapter two. He took up his bed and walk, and all 100 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,839 the people were amazed and said they'd never seen it on this wise. And 101 00:08:22,879 --> 00:08:26,519 so in the same way, you can hold on to the Word of God 102 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,480 as you speak it over your life and the Holy Spirit drills it into who 103 00:08:30,519 --> 00:08:35,519 you are. Yes, in those moments, you can have power and victory 104 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:41,840 over whatever you're going through, as long as you surrender your will to Him. 105 00:08:41,879 --> 00:08:46,399 And of course we understand the reality number four of the battle. The 106 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:52,000 awareness is key. Reflect on the battles you face daily, and remember in 107 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:56,080 verse twelve of Ephesians chapter six, wore we wrestle not against flesh or blood, 108 00:08:56,639 --> 00:09:01,600 but against principalities and hours, against the rulers of the darkness of this 109 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:07,840 world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. I want you to approach these 110 00:09:09,039 --> 00:09:16,200 challenges with the seriousness that they deserve. Don't be flippant about it. Don't 111 00:09:16,279 --> 00:09:18,519 just act like it's not a big deal. You're struggling, you have a 112 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,120 down moment, and then you excite yourself and just move on, or you 113 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:28,799 just move on and hide yourself from the actual battle. Approach this with sincerity 114 00:09:28,799 --> 00:09:35,799 and seriousness and seek God's guidance through his word. The shield, the helmet, 115 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:41,320 and the sword. All of these implements of warfare, but they're spiritual, 116 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:46,279 not human. Have a wonderful day peace. Thanks for joining us listening. 117 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:50,840 Friends. Always remember we cannot live by bread alone, but by every 118 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,080 word that comes from the mouth of God. This has been your daily portion 119 00:09:54,240 --> 00:10:00,320 with l David Harris. Make it a great day.