We'll hope that you'll plan to be with us right
through the fall on Sunday evenings. It's going
to be an interesting fall as we study together
the book of the Revelation. I desire to enter
into that study not because I feel like I have
all the answers, believe me, but because like
you I desire to search and to study God's Word,
and I believe that the time is short before the
Lord's return. There is a special blessing. promised
to those of us who study and who read the book
of the Revelation. And as we begin in the middle
of next month to dig into that book, I hope that
you'll join us every Sunday night for it. Let's
suppose for a moment that you were inducted into
the Army. Say, well, that'd be quite a nightmare.
Well, it may be for you. Let's suppose that after
you got on that bus, were taken to a camp, you
entered into several months of basic training,
and because there was a particular need, you
were then assigned immediately to the front line
somewhere. And having arrived there at the front
lines, you were issued a new weapon. In fact,
it was all that you were given, just one piece,
one weapon. But it was an unusual weapon, because
with this one piece, that was put into your hands,
you could do several things. In the first place,
you had immediate satellite communication with
headquarters. Now, of course, that kind of technology
exists and was important in the Gulf War, where
soldiers were dropped behind the lines, the Iraqi
lines, and dug in in the desert and were able
to... communicate via satellite directly with
their commanders. Amazing technology. But here
you have in your hands a weapon that has that
kind of capability built into it. And then let's
suppose that with the same weapon that was put
into your hands, you could have instantly prepared
meals. And for the Swedes who were inducted,
there was a little spigot on the side for coffee.
So that you could pour water into one side of
this little thing and the spigot would release
fresh hot coffee black for you to drink and There
was a little Lever on the back of it that would
spit out produced foods It wasn't a lot and it
may not be taste real good But at least it was
nourishment that you could have there on the
field so you could have your meals prepared in
the same instrument, the same weapon. Then let's
suppose that the weapon in your hands had the
capability to hit every target you fired at.
All you had to do was to put the crosshairs on
the target you were aiming toward, and because
of laser technology, every time you squeezed
the weapon, you hit exactly what you aimed at.
But beyond that, let's suppose it had the capacity
This weapon that you were issued let's suppose
it had the capacity to fire over the horizon
So that actually because again of satellite technology
you were able to hit targets that you could not
see That is they were the targets the positions
of the targets were given to you by satellite
and Although the target was over the horizon
you could aim that weapon exactly where you were
told to, by the satellite, fire the trigger,
and the result of that was that that target would
be struck. You say, well, come on, that sounds
like something from a James Bond movie, that
kind of a weapon. Well, in fact, I don't suppose
it has been created yet. But the fact is that
spiritually speaking, you have been given the
kind of weapon I've just described. I'm talking
about the God's great weapon of prayer. With
this weapon that you have been issued as a soldier
of Jesus Christ, you have instant communications
with God. You don't have to go through anybody
else. You have instant communication with God
Himself whenever you want it. With this weapon,
you have the capacity to receive nourishment
for your soul. When you pray, you have the ability
to hit every target you aim at. And you don't
even have to be present in the same room or in
the same community with that target. You can
hit a target on the other side of the world with
the weapon of prayer. That's why I've titled
this message tonight, God's Mighty Weapon. Open
your Bible to 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and notice
what Paul reminds us of in these verses that
are familiar to many of you. He says, though
we walk in the flesh, we do not war according
to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare
are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for
the destruction of fortresses. He says, the weapons
of our warfare are divinely powerful for the
destruction of fortresses, destroying speculations
and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge
of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience
of Christ, every obstacle put in the way of the
Christian soldier. Every false gospel that is
raised against the knowledge of God. Every system
of thought, every foolish way of looking at life,
every idea that is false, every one of them is
a target for the spiritual weapons that God puts
into our hands. The weapon that we have in prayer
is divinely powerful and it can destroy any of
these. God gives us prayer. as a mighty spiritual
weapon for the battlefield of life. Our enemy
is not flesh and blood. Our enemy is spiritual.
And the goal of our enemy is our destruction.
He cannot destroy us forever. He cannot drag
us to hell. But our enemy can destroy us for
this life as far as our usefulness. to God is
concerned. He can neutralize us so that we do
not any longer count in the battle for righteousness.
He seeks to devour us. He seeks to take us captive.
And he does that through schemes and traps, strategies
that he carefully lays out in front of us, by
which he intends to bring us to destruction.
We have an enemy. But you and I have the right
to pray. We have the right to use the weapon
that God has issued to us in prayer. It is a
weapon that God provides to all of His soldiers,
without exception. Well, someone says, doesn't
God hear everybody when they pray? Well, of course,
in one sense, He does. because God is everywhere,
God hears everything, everybody says, and so
God does hear everyone, even unbelievers when
they pray, but the fact is that God has made
no commitment to answer the prayers that unbelievers
pray. He's made no commitment to them whatsoever.
In fact, in the providential carrying out of
His purposes, What unbelievers ask for may come
to pass. But not because God is answering their
prayers, simply because it is His purpose. They
happen to ask according to His providence. But
God has promised to answer the prayers of believers.
And we ought to pray more than we do. We all
know that. William Carey. was mightily used of
God in India, Burma, and Southeast Asia and another
generation. Carried by his occupation was a cobbler.
He made shoes. On one occasion, he was accused
of spending too much time in prayer. that he
was spending too much time in intercession and
supplication rather than in his business and
was neglecting his business. To be honest with
you, I don't think that's an accusation that's
ever been leveled against me, maybe not against
you either. But someone said to him, you're praying
too much. He responded, quote, prayer is my real
business. Cobbling shoes is a sideline. It just
helps pay my expenses. We can go down the list
of the great saints of the past, those warriors,
those men and women in other generations as well
as in our own, who have learned the secret of
prayer and inevitably they have been powerful
men and women of God. The believer's right to
pray Our right to use this weapon that God has
issued to us is based upon our identity and our
union to Jesus Christ. As I said before, God
has no obligation to answer the prayers of those
who are His enemies. But God has obligated Himself
to His people. And He invites us, call unto Me.
And I will show you great and mighty things which
you do not know." I'd like you to open your Bible
again to the book of Ephesians and the third
chapter where we see a marvelous verse, verse
12. Paul is in this chapter explaining his ministry
as a preacher of the riches of Christ to the
Gentiles. And as he talks about this eternal
purpose of God, Christ. He says in verse 12,
in whom, in Christ Jesus, we have boldness and
confident access through faith in Him. Notice
that the privilege of prayer is related to our
union to Jesus Christ. Why is it that we may
pray? Because we are praying in the name of Jesus
Christ. We are praying as people who are related
to God through Christ, through faith in Him.
That's important for you and me to get a hold
of this. Because sometimes we're sold the idea
by the enemy that we can pray only when we feel
like it. Or we can pray only when we've done
this or only when we've done that. The fact is
that you and I can pray anytime because of our
identity with Jesus Christ. It is a privilege
that is given to us. I don't need to remind most
of you that there was a tremendous change in
our identity at the moment that we trusted the
Savior. A profound transformation took place.
We touched on it briefly this morning. Let's
just touch on it. a bit more tonight, you and
I were changed at the moment of our salvation
as being one with Adam and his sin, two being
one with Christ and his righteousness. The contrast
between those two positions is profound. And
there are several texts in the New Testament
that talk about it, but one of them is right
here in Ephesians 2. Just turn back a page or
so. And look with me briefly at these verses
that begin the second chapter. And notice the
contrast between the two spiritual identities.
What we were before we were saved, what we are
now that we have been saved. In the first place,
there is a contrast in our condition. Notice
in verse 1, he says, and you were dead. The Bible
doesn't merely say that sinners are sick in their
sin. The Bible says that sinners are dead without
spiritual life toward God. Sinners are very well
alive to this world, but they have no relationship
to God. There is no union with God. They are
cut off from God. There is death. So when we
and I were unsaved, when we were in Adam, we
were dead. That was our spiritual condition.
But if you let your eye drift on down the verses
here, you come to verse four, and it says, but
God, God intervened, you see, by grace, but God
being rich in mercy because of His great love
with which He loved us, even when we were dead
in our transgressions, made us alive together
with Christ. So what is our position now? No
longer are we dead toward God, we are alive with
Jesus Christ. It goes on to say in verse 6, and
we've been raised up with Him, together with
Christ, and seated us together with Him in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So whereas before
we were in Adam, And our spiritual condition
was that we were dead toward God. Now we have
been made alive and raised up and seated with
Jesus Christ in the heavenly places, in the places
of honor, the place where He reigns in glory.
God counts us as seated with Him. Now there was
also a contrast in our position accomplished
when we were saved. Before, we were in trespasses
and sins. He says that in verse 1. He repeats
it in verse 5. We were in sin. We were in our
transgressions. But now, he says, we are together
with Christ. We are in Christ. You'll notice
also a contrast in the conduct of our lives.
Before we were saved, we walked. Verse 2. according
to the course of this world, according to the
desires and the plans of the age we live in.
We walked according to that. We complied with
it. We were part of all of that, you see. He
says in verse 3 in a similar fashion, among them,
the sons of disobedience, we all formerly lived
in the lusts of our flesh. Indulging the desires
of the flesh and of the mind. That's before we
were saved. Our conduct was that we walked according
to the world. He calls us, as we were, the sons
of disobedience. We were characterized by disobedience
to God. But now, we have a different walk. He
talks about it in chapter four, verse one. He
says, I therefore entreat you to walk in a manner
worthy of the calling with which you've been
called. There is a new walk, you see. Before,
it was a walk that was according to the course
of the world. It was a course that called for
us to indulge our flesh, to fulfill the desires,
the evil desires of our minds. But now that we've
been saved, there is a new conduct. There is
a new walk. And he says it is a walk that is
according to the new calling we have in Christ
Jesus. Before we were the sons of disobedience,
now in chapter 2 he says we've been created in
Christ Jesus unto good works. A contrast. Now
going back again to chapter 2, he says that before
we were saved there was an energy source that
was at work in our lives. Notice what he calls
it, verse 2. You walk according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air. That is Satan, of course. He
goes on to say, the spirit that is now working
in the sons of disobedience. Notice that phrase,
working in the sons of disobedience. The word
work here is our word for energy. The point is
that Satan is energizing the sons of disobedience.
He is their power source. It doesn't mean that
every unsafe person is demon possessed. I'm not
saying that, and nor is Paul meaning that. But
he is saying that because they walk according
to the course of this world, this age, this cosmos
in which we live, they are being energized and
carried along by the spirit of Satan, the prince
of the power of the air. That was true of all
of us. before we were saved. But there's a change
that's been made, and he summarizes it in chapter
3, verse 20, where he says, now to him who is
able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that
we ask or think according to the power that works
within us. You see the contrast? Before it was
the power that was working in the sons of disobedience,
which we were. But now there's a new power source.
There is a new energy that God is providing to
us through His Spirit who dwells in us. That
power is energizing you and me. And so he says
in chapter 5, be filled, be controlled by the
Holy Spirit. Before we were saved, we were called
by Paul in chapter 2, the sons or the children
of wrath. That was our destiny. We were headed
as sure as can be toward hell. The wrath of God.
We were children who inherited deserved wrath
from God. But now he tells us in verse 7 that
God is going to show to us the surpassing riches
of His grace and His kindness toward us in Christ
Jesus. Whereas once our destiny was wrath, now
our destiny is God's kindness. And so Paul is
simply outlining for us here what our change
in identity means. We are not what we used to
be. We're completely different. Our condition
is different. Our position is different. Our
conduct is different. The energy source that
is at work in our life is different. Our destiny
is different. All because we have a new identity,
no longer in Adam, but now in Christ. G. Alan
Fleece has said we... We are not in the world
bearing witness to Christ. We are in Christ bearing
witness to the world. I like the difference in
that statement. Because it begins with our position.
You and I can pray because of our identity. Because
we are in Christ Jesus. I can pray even in times
when I don't feel like praying. I can pray in
times when I am spiritually low on gas. Why?
Because my privilege to pray is not based upon
how I'm doing at the moment. It is based upon
who I am in Jesus Christ. I'd like for us to
think for just a moment, too, about the blessings
of this identity in Christ, as if we hadn't talked
about some of them already. Back up further into
chapter one. We've talked about the contrast
of our identity. But let's talk about the blessings
of our identity just briefly. In verses 4 through
6, blessing number one is that we have complete
acceptance. He talks about the spiritual blessings
that are ours in Christ. In verse 3, he goes
on to say, just as He chose us in Him before
the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and blameless before Him. You see, there
is nothing that causes God to shun me. Because
I am in Jesus Christ, God counts me as both holy,
that is set apart to Him, and blameless. There
is no legitimate cause of accusation against
me in Christ. I am completely accepted. He says
furthermore in verse 5, He predestined us to
adoption. as sons through Christ. In other words,
you and I, by our conversion, by our faith in
Christ, have been placed into God's family as
adult children with all the rights and the responsibilities
that come with that position. We are completely
accepted by God. There's no probation. There's
no period when God watches us to see if we're
going to be able to make it. We are at the moment
of our salvation fully accepted by God. We don't
have to perform We don't have to work toward
it. We don't have to do something Already God
counts us as both holy and blameless and as his
own sons With all the rights that comes with
that title Completely accepted in Christ the
second blessing that I see is found in verses
seven and eight, and that is complete forgiveness.
He says, in Him we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according
to the riches of His grace. God has completely
forgiven us in Christ. His forgiveness is based
upon Christ's blood, the fact that He has redeemed
us, He has paid the price for us, He has delivered
us from our sins by paying a price on our behalf.
So we not only have complete acceptance in Christ,
we have complete forgiveness. That is good news.
Oh, how unfortunate it is that so often we go
around carrying the load of guilt that God doesn't
intend for us to carry. Now there is a place
for guilt. That is God's red flag in our lives
that there's something wrong. When we acknowledge
that and find out what God is saying to us and
we acknowledge our sin, there is no longer any
reason. It's forgiven. It's gone. It's forgotten.
We are completely forgiven by God. He does not
hold our sins against us. Thirdly, we have the
blessing of complete understanding, verses 9
and 10. He made known to us the mystery of His
will. according to his kind intention which he
purposed in Christ with a view to an administration
and economy of things suitable to the fullness
of the times. What in the world is Paul saying
here in these complicated phrases? He is saying
that God has given to you and me complete understanding
of what God is about in this age. It's not that
we understand every little detail that God is
about, but we understand the big picture. We
understand where things are moving. What is God
working toward? What is His purpose? It is that
ultimately everything be summed up under Christ.
He goes on to talk about that, the summing up
of all things in Christ, things in the heavens
and things upon the earth. When sin entered the
picture, there was a scattering of things. Things
were pulled apart by sin. But God is in the business
of pulling things back together and ultimately
everything in heaven and on earth is going to
be brought as one under the lordship of Jesus
Christ. We have complete understanding of that
and so we can get down on our knees and honestly
pray as Jesus told us to pray, thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
And though we don't see much of his kingdom outwardly
and visibly today in the world, We see just the
opposite. We see the kingdom of Antichrist being
prepared. We know that one day God's kingdom
is going to arrive. We may not understand all
the details that will fall out between now and
then, but we have the big picture. We have complete
understanding. We know where things are headed.
What a blessing that is to know that God's in
control and in the end, everything is going to
come out just the way that God wants it to. It
gives me confidence in prayer. There's a fourth
blessing that I see in verses 11 and 12, and
that is a complete inheritance. He says, in Him
also we have obtained an inheritance. To the
end that we who were the first to hope in Christ
should be to the praise of His glory. What he's
saying in these verses is that because we're
in Christ, we are going to receive a full share
of Christ's inheritance. We're going to share
in His coming kingdom. In that day when everything
is brought together under His Lordship, we're
going to be there. We're going to share in His
reign. We're going to share in the glory that
is coming. What a blessing it is to know that.
And then there's a fifth blessing that I see
in verses 13 and 14, and that is complete security.
Can I be sure that I'm going to be there? Can
I be sure that I'll be present to receive my
share of the inheritance? Absolutely He says
in him you also after listening to the message
of truth the gospel of your salvation Having
believed you were sealed in him With the Holy
Spirit of promise who's given as a pledge of
our inheritance And so we have complete security
in Jesus Christ. There is nothing that can cause
us to lose out of what God's promised us. Nothing.
It is ours in Christ. And none of this is deserved.
All of it is given to us by the grace of God,
and that is why over and over in these verses,
Paul points to the praise of God's glorious grace.
What am I talking about? Well, it's the fact
that our right to pray is based upon our identity.
Who we are in Jesus Christ. We're different people
than we used to be We are now in Christ We've
seen the contrast of what we were and what we
are now We've seen now the blessings that are
ours because of who we are in Jesus Christ and
in light of this In light of this going back
now to chapter 3 verse 12. He says we have boldness
and confident access Through faith in him Paul
is pointing to two different things here as he
talks about our right to pray He says that we
have in the first place freedom of speech There's
nothing I can't say to God There are some things
that I cannot say to you that are on my heart
And there are some things that are on your heart
that you can't say to me There are some things
you can't even say to your spouse that one who
is dearest to you or your closest friend, but
there is nothing that you cannot share with God.
You can open your heart to God with complete
freedom of speech and boldly speak with Him,
not brashly, not arrogantly, but freely, allowing
God to see inside of your heart to the deepest
recesses of it. Now, how can you do this? How
can you have this kind of freedom? Because, friend,
you are completely accepted by Him in Christ.
You are completely forgiven already for anything
that is in your heart that you don't like. You
have in Jesus Christ complete understanding of
what God's big picture is. You can open your
heart with complete freedom of speech and say,
Father, here it is. And tell Him. He also says
that we have confident access. This refers to
freedom of entrance. We have access to the King's
presence. We may walk right in. He invites us
to. Over in Hebrews chapter 10, he says that
the way has been opened for us. God has taken
out of the way everything that might have stood
before. Himself and us. He just opened up the
way through the sacrifice of Christ's body so
that now we may come with confidence to our Heavenly
Father. And how many time we want to, we have
freedom of entrance. I want to continue this
theme next week as we talk about prayer, but
I hope this evening God begins to generate something
fresh in your heart and mind about the privilege
of prayer. That we begin to understand that prayer
is our right. We have the privilege of laying
hold of this powerful weapon because of who we
are in Christ Jesus. It is a privilege to hold
this mighty weapon. It is a privilege to use
it. And we notice in the context here that Paul
practiced what he preached. Look at verse 14.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father.
So Paul begins to pray right as he is penning
these words. I bow my knees before the Father
from whom every family in heaven and on earth
derives its name." And then he pours out his
request and basically his request comes down
to that last little phrase in verse 19, that
you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
I'm not sure all that that means. One way of
understanding it is that we might be filled up
with all the fullness that God requires of us.
Paul goes on to talk about that kind of fullness
and maturity in chapter 4. And he says that we
actually arrive at that maturity through the
ministry of the local church. That's why he gives
gifted people to us in the church. We have various
gifts. That's why we are all gifted. We all have
a measure of grace. So that as we are ministered
to and as we minister to others, This prayer
is answered. We begin to grow up and to become
mature and to be filled up to all the fullness
of God. It certainly does not mean that somehow,
someday, we become just like God. Even those
attributes of God, which He can communicate to
us in some sense, is always in a limited sense.
But He says that there is a certain fullness.
that we need to strive toward. And as we pray
for one another, that's one thing to pray about,
that we might come to the fullness of God. And
Paul says, I'm praying for every family in heaven
and on earth. We need to use our privilege. We
need to set aside time in our lives for prayer.
We need to discipline ourselves so that nothing
keeps us from becoming familiar. with the spiritual
weapon that we've been issued so that nothing
keeps us from using it. Now, certainly not in
the sense that Paul means here, but in another
sense, I'd like for us to pray for families tonight.
We have intense spiritual warfare in our church
and some of our families. The enemy is at work,
and his desire is destruction. Make no mistake
about it. He seeks to devour. And we need to
be praying regarding this. We need to get out
this spiritual weapon and put it to use. Families
are in spiritual warfare. And tonight, I want
us to pray for families. Represented here, perhaps,
there are some families who are sensing spiritual
warfare, the oppression of Satan in your home.
If that's not true of you, perhaps you know of
a family. in our church or outside of our church.
A Christian family undergoing attack of the enemy.
Tonight I want us to pray for them. And what
I'm going to ask you to do is to come here to
the front, along all these chairs, whether it
be for your own family or it be for a family
that you know about. If you tonight would like
to pray for them, to bear them up before God
or to bear up your own family before God, I'm
going to ask you just to come, slip out and come
right here to the front. so that we can pray
for families. And I'd like to ask our staff and
our elders who are here to also join me in the
front. Let's do that right now. Now, when you're
coming, you're coming either to pray for your
family or for a family you know about. And I
realize that we have some who are not married.
And by the way, just kneel here at the chairs.
We have some who are single. And it may be that
you know of some relationships. Not husband and
wife kind of relationships, but other relationships,
roommate kinds of relationships. And you know
that there is warfare going on there. We invite
you to come for them. Or maybe it's your own
roommate situation. No one's excluded. And tonight
we're praying. We're asking God on behalf of
others. And I'd like for us to... All of us to
pray, certainly. But those who are here in the
front have particular ones in mind. And I'm going
to ask that we just spend a few moments in silent
prayer. I'm going to ask that our elders and
staff simply spread out and mingle here. And
if you have a need to talk to a pastor or to
an elder, and just to share very briefly what
you're here for, what that person is going through
that you're praying for. what your family's passing
through, feel free to just signal to them to
come over and let them pray with you. Just be
a personal shepherd to you tonight. But as we
lift our hearts before God in quietness, let's
take hold of this weapon, this mighty weapon
of prayer. Let me just say again that if you're
here in the front and you desire a pastor or
an elder to be aware of what you're passing through
or your friend is passing through, just signal
for one of them to come. Let them pray with you.
Oh Father, our God, we come to you through faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ. We bless you that you
have opened the way that we might come through
His shed blood. Thank you for the freedom to
come and the freedom to speak on behalf of our
families, behalf of relationships that are under
attack of the enemy. We acknowledge to you that
there are many different situations represented
as we kneel and lift our hands before you tonight
Lord you know the oppression You know the point
of the attack You know the footholds that have
been gained in lives, in marriages, in homes
by the enemy. You also know the territory that's
been taken back from the enemy. You know the
progress that has been made in some of the battles
that are represented here tonight. Lord, you
have called us to be a people of prayer and to
exercise in faith this mighty spiritual weapon.
In our hearts we take aim against the enemy.
We put the cross hairs upon him and upon his
tactics in these families and homes and relationships.
We pray against every thought, every idea that
has been exalted against the purpose of God in
these homes and families. Every stronghold that
has been erected by the enemy, we pull down in
the name of Jesus Christ. We pray that there
will not be able to stand any plan or strategy
or scheme that Satan has put together against
these marriages, against the relationships between
parents and children. in the relationships of
roommates and friends. We pray that in every
situation which you sovereignly know you will
bring to pass deliverance and victory. May there
be grace in the midst of the battle to stand
strong in Christ Jesus. But ultimately we pray
for that victory to come through. And we pray,
Father, that the enemy will be totally defeated
in these lives. May the works of darkness be
exposed by the light of Christ. May the result
be peace. May the result be restoration. May
the result be harmony. In the name of Christ,
we pray. And we will be careful to give you thanks.
We will be careful to lift our Hands to you and
our voices to you, giving you thanks for the
way that you hear and answer our prayers tonight.
Now finish your own thoughts to God. And Lord,
we lift these requests, we lift these burdens,
these dear individuals and families to you in
prayer. In the name of Jesus, amen. And all God's
people said, amen.