Soldier Up (Dressed for Success)

real life presents the Jack Kibs podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth equip the saints and impact our culture we got to stop allowing the world to intimidate us okay you can't do that you cannot fight the Christian fight if the world says something about you and you wither like a little flower because some stranger posted something about you listen note to self go ahead and have social media if you can handle it but don't read the comments you can get the outlines of this podcast by going to Jack Kibs.com slash podcast today if this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ then make sure you leave us one of those five star ratings to us that's like saying amen or yes then that rating will encourage others to listen now open your hearts to what God's word has to say to you here is Jack Kibs. Jesus said in John 1633 these things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace in the world you will have tribulation or difficulty but be of good cheer I've overcome the world I love that in an Acts chapter 1 beginning in verse 6 the Bible says therefore when they had come together they asked Jesus saying Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel and Jesus said to them it is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father has put in his own authority verse 8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea Samaria and to the end of the earth and that verse that passage is so true that the fact of the matter of it happened in your life when you came to Christ because you are we are those dwelling in the ends of the earth from Jerusalem it's remarkable I love the fact that in Matthew's gospel chapter 4 verse 11 the Bible says that when Jesus was being tempted by the devil that the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him isn't that precious I love that but listen to what Luke 413 says about that when the devil had finished tempting Jesus he left he left him until the next opportunity came so I want you to be on guard and I want you to be strong right I want you to put on Christ I want you to put on tough understanding and realizing that the enemy is going to try look for weaknesses don't give them any don't leave your spiritual door unlocked or your spiritual window cracked open if you're a husband in here don't raise your hand but if you're a husband in here you should pray over your wife or for your wife every day before the sun comes up before anything before hell gets a chance to wake up you cover her in prayer I think the Bible is very clear about that God and his goodness has made us in him to be tougher than we think when Jesus had his disciples together you know I don't know what the moment was like if you're watching the chosen series watch that take a look maybe it's something like that going on but at some point there's a moment where Jesus is to Peter Peter Satan has asked me if he could sift you as we now that doesn't sound so bad to us because we don't do wheat and we don't do sifting we just go to the store to sift wheat is to take wheat and this very very heavy dense log has like nails in it and a donkey would pull that over the wheat and would thrash it just just tear it up until it comes away from the chaff and all of that violence exposed what you want to eat versus what you don't want to eat so Jesus tells Peter hey Satan asked me if he could sift you like wheat so Satan is looking for an opportune moment right so what what led him to ask Jesus that which is an amazing moment if you think about it because Jesus probably sitting there and all the guys having fun they're you know playing cards or whatever they're doing I don't know they're sitting around or something I don't know and in the and Satan speaks to Jesus and says can can I have can I have Peter and don't worry I'll just I'll do to Peter what I did to Job how's that and I've told you before that I would think confidently that when Jesus said Peter Satan's asked for you he's asked to just beat you up I'm sure that Peter's just going yeah it's okay like no big deal because you told him no right all right I mean wow that's a close call I'm glad you told him no you told him where to go I'm sure no actually Peter I didn't tell him no when he's done with you and you survive use that to strengthen your brothers is that heavy that's heavy say I don't want that to happen to me so put on tough put on the word of God put on Christ makes a big difference and then thirdly is this put on what is strong put on what's strong for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and against the rulers of the darkness of this age against spiritual host of wickedness in heavenly places this these spiritual entities but put on strong verses 13 to 14 would mean this that in the words of William Grinnell he wrote this in 1616 what have we Bibles for ministers and preaching for if we mean not to furnish ourselves by them with armor for the evil day that's a good word be strong therefore verse 13 says take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day to withstand is amazing statement it means to set up in line of a defense to have a wall as it were of protection against that which is opposing you to resist or to ward off and I love this to deflect away be strong the believers to be strong that when the enemy throws something out as we are to deflect it away and we do this church it's not like we have to work at this we just have to assume it because it's been given to us and then he goes on to say having done all to stand stand therefore and that word stand means to just simply dig in we're gonna hold her around we're gonna dig in can I say this can I encourage you about this I know that in a group this size or in time that there may be situations where you need to fight for your child or you need to fight for your parents or you need to fight for your husband or fight for your wife don't give up don't underestimate what's going on one of the greatest things that when we are not walking in the spirit and thinking about putting on these things of God then we often miss what's happening to us and we assume it's just well this happens to everybody and we're not being sensitive to that fact that you and I are a child of God and nothing can come near us I love this the Puritans would say this everything that comes into our lives as believers must first be filtered through the Father even if the enemy knocks on your door it could be a test but it's Father observed don't think for a moment that your teenager has reached a place where you say I've had enough you're on your own and that is their moment of great crises and those are the last words on the planet that they need to hear you may think they need to hear it you may say it frustration don't do it teen rebellion that struggle all that's going on they need faith they're searching number four we need to put on what is right having girded your waist with truth I want to show you this image it's kind of cool looking that's just a great thing it just looks great somebody should introduce this as a fashion you see that belt it's kind of a lot but that's actually as elaborate as that is you see the leather strap it's not fancy like all the other stuff it's not something you know that stands out but the word actually means to be multi wrapped or numerous belts around us that hold all the armament together and that is a great thing because why does the Bible paint that picture because it's truth that holds you together we're having a conversation earlier this evening about truth and the beautiful thing about truth is you don't have to create it it is what it is Jesus is truth and truth never changes while the world's freaking out truth truth just just waits it's always there it's ever consistent and a world without truth runs around like a nerve-cut loose a world without truth makes stupid decisions insane ideas bad logic irresponsible crazy but the number one thing here on this regarding our armament is truth and we have it in his word there's no reason why any of us should lack truth it's available to us it's beautiful number five and we'll have to end here number five is this put on what is bold and I want to be careful how I end this put on what is bold meaning this having put on the breastplate of righteousness when I say bold I don't mean arrogant ugly bold like the world you know the world's boldness is ego arrogance it's really it's really so not attractive to say the least but to have God's boldness comes from putting on the breastplate of righteousness check out this image of the breastplate this is just a little image of it look at the look at the intensity of that we talk about being bold we can be bold as believers because of the breastplate of righteousness if you understand it you and I have zero righteousness of our own zero if we thought we had some form of righteousness on our own I guarantee you this we would not be bold we would be arrogant but when we realize that his righteousness is given to us by the cross what Jesus did at the cross he purchased that with his own blood and he turns around and gives us notice the placement the breastplate of righteousness it is to protect the vitals of the believer if you think about it what could possibly be your spiritual lungs your spiritual heart the vitals of who you and I are these deep things of the spirit not who you are physically this is not who we are who is inside of us the person within and for the believer we are this one that is wrapped in the righteousness of Almighty God and the breastplate of righteousness I mean think about all the hits that that takes at war or in war and you protected the vitals of your being are protected how it's his righteousness that protects you I love the fact that God's righteousness is there and given to us and it's supplied to us and the Bible tells us in Proverbs 28 verse 1 that the wicked flee when no one pursues them you know what that's called paranoia the wicked because they're so guilty somebody says how you doing what do you mean they're all jittery all the time they've got a story they got an angle they're lying about everything what's wrong with you everybody's after them somebody told me recently this guy couldn't believe it I saw it where this guy on TV they showed this guy taken a picture of a mountain lion mountain lion Puma right that's all the same thing we could it depends on where you live in America we have him here in Chino Hills mountain lions listen what don'ts if when you see one say oh my goodness it's so beautiful it is beautiful and look it's looking right at me it's so big hello it is looking right at you and it is so big okay don't think it's a big kitty because you know you can be on your mountain bike or you can be on your jog and you can an hour later look back and there he is again and he's looking at you with the same look except this time he's a little bigger because he's closer that's how Satan works in our lives the wilds the methodology of the devil he will stalk you and watch you for hours sometimes days weeks months maybe he figures out a plan even years but we need to get tough and we saw that against this attack that is spiritual we have the ability by God's grace to wrestle against these spiritual entities and so I want to leave you guys with this this is a word of encouragement Jesus said in Matthew 5 verse 10 he said blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake meaning for doing the right thing his righteousness will cause you to do the right thing but that's not gonna go down well in the world when you say that's not right when we start watching in a community how to detect human trafficking in a community it's in every community and the more wealthy the community the more trafficking follow the money and you need to know that you need to know how to see that and do what about it know what to do so you can do the right thing to do righteousness well I'll let somebody else do it no you've got to do if you see it you got to do it remember it used to be the model of the CIA or somebody homeland security oh they they need to do it themselves but it sees something say something remember that that's a good thing for us see something say something for theirs is the kingdom of heaven blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoice and be exceedingly glad this is Jesus speaking for great as your reward in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you verse 13 you are the salt of the earth salt stings an infection and heals the wound right it preserves things and makes food taste better it's amazing depends on how you use it for what if the salt loses its flavor how shall it be seasoned the word is actually how shall it be re-seasoned you can't do that it is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men you us are the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house let your light so shine before men the word means unbelievers the entire world all who you come in contact with generic before men that they may see your good works this is amazing that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven this jack hips podcast as well as all the broadcast outreach opportunities are listener supported will you consider partnering with us through a special gift go to jackhids.com to learn more and stay connected