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WEAPONS THAT STRENGTHEN THE CHRISTIAN

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     In a previous lesson about strength, we learned that it is the Word of God that provides strength to the Christian (See Ps. 119:128).

 

My soul melteth for heaviness:  strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

 

B.      Is this, however, all that has been provided for our strength? 

1.       The answer to this question is:  “No.”

2.       The Bible reveals that there are other weapons that have been provided that can give strength to the child of God.

 

C.     The title of our lesson this morning is:  “Weapons That Strengthen the Christian.”

 

I.                    PRAYER PROVIDES STRENGTH

 

A.     The Bible commands us to pray.

1.       1 Thessalonians 5:17

 

Pray without ceasing.

 

2.       1 Timothy 2:8

 

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

 

3.       James 5:13a

 

Is any among you afflicted?  let him pray…

 

B.      Jesus is a wonderful example of one who prayed when He needed strength (Matt. 26:37-39).

1.       The sorrow and regard (Matt. 26:37)

 

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

 

2.       The suffering and request (Matt. 26:38)

 

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;  tarry ye here, and watch with me.

 

3.       The supplication and resignation (Matt. 26:39)

 

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:  nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

 

C.     How does prayer empower the Christian?

1.       It unleashes the power of an omnipotent God.

2.       It unlocks the riches of God’s inexhaustible storehouse.

3.       It unloads the heavy burdens that are within our minds.

D.     The wonderful thing about prayer is that it cannot be taken from you as long as you are conscious.

1.       The place where we pray does not matter.

2.       The amount of affliction being suffered does not hinder prayer.

3.       The parts of the body afflicted with pain do not take away our ability to pray.

 

II.                 BIBLE EXAMPLES PROVIDE STRENGTH

 

A.     One of the wonderful things about the Bible is that it is filled with characters.

1.       One has said that the Bible mentions over 3,200 people by name.

2.       There are characters in the Bible that can inspire us

a.       To do great things

b.      To take stands that need to be taken

c.       To withstand the evil one

d.      To endure suffering

e.       To manifest great faith

 

B.      Let’s look at just one area:  characters who inspire us to do great things.

1.       Noah built an ark.

2.       Moses led a nation of people out of Egyptian bondage.

3.       Joshua conquered the land of Canaan.

4.       David killed a gigantic giant.

5.       Solomon built the temple of God.

6.       Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal.

7.       Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.

8.       Esther saved her nation by appearing before the king.

9.       Mary brought the Christ into the world, raised Him and stood by Him.

10.   Paul took the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles.

 

C.     Hebrews 12:1

 

Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

 

III.              THE LOCAL CHURCH PROVIDES STRENGTH

 

A.     When we speak of the local church, often the location of the church building comes to mind. 

 

B.      However, the local church is not the building.  It is the people.  One of the purposes of the local church is to strengthen the Christian in his Christian walk.

1.       Our assembly for worship is the place wherein we provoke one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24-25).

 

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:  and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 

2.       In our Bible study, a teacher proclaims the Word of God that is intended to build us up (Acts 20:32).

 

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

 

3.       When we are together,

a.       We edify one another (Rom. 14:19).

 

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

 

b.      We exhort one another (Heb. 3:13).

 

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

 

c.       We comfort one another (1 Thess. 4:18).

 

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

d.      We pray for one another (James 5:16).

 

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

IV.              FORGIVENESS PROVIDES STRENGTH

 

A.     Sin is an evil that is designed to bring man into bondage and defeat him.

 

B.      Can you image a world in which there was no forgiveness once you have sinned?

1.       You are tarnished forever.

2.       You are separated from God forever.

3.       Human relationships can be broken.

4.       There is absolutely no hope for you in the future.

5.       You will forever be numbered with the transgressors.

 

C.     Forgiveness changes all of this.

1.       The stains are washed away (Acts 22:16).

2.       You are reconciled to the heavenly Father (Col. 1:20-21)

3.       Relationships can be restored (Eph. 4:32).

4.       You have hope of Heaven in the hereafter (Rom. 5:2).

5.       You are numbered with those on the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:27).

 

D.     Acts 26:18

 

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they receive forgiveness of sin, and inheritance among them which are sanctified that is in me.

 

1.       Open eyes

2.       No more darkness

3.       Not under Satan’s power, but God’s power

4.       The forgiveness of sins

5.       An inheritance

6.       Among them that are sanctified

E.      Being forgiven enables one to move forward in his/her Christian life with both gratitude, confidence, and hope.  We are not lost; we are loved.

 

V.                 LOVE PROVIDES STRENGTH

 

A.     Love has the appearance of being weak (1 Cor. 13:4-8a)

1.       It is kind.

2.       It does not seek its own.

3.       It does not retaliate.

4.       It never behaves unseemly.

5.       It never engages in iniquity.

 

B.      Love, however, often displays is great power.

1.       Love loves the unlovable.

2.       Love loves even when it is not loved.

3.       Love loves when love is not wanted.

4.       Love loves and never ceases.

5.       Love loves when hate is commonly manifested.

 

C.     Question:  How did God conquer the kingdom of Satan?  It was through the manifestation of love for sinful man.

1.       His love sent His Son to die for man (1 John 4:9-10).

 

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

a.       God did not wipe Satan from off the face of the earth.

b.      God did not force man to love Him.

c.       He simply manifested his love in the form of His Son Jesus Christ.

2.       “We love him, because he first loved us” (I John 4:19).

a.       His love pricked our hearts.

b.      His love altered our affections.

c.       His love transformed our behaviors.

d.      His love revolutionized our destiny.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     God wants His children to be strong.

 

B.      To endure to the end, God’s children MUST be strong.

 

C.     He has provided His Word which is powerful and gives strength.

 

D.     But, God has also given us an arsenal of other weapons that strengthen us as well.

1.       Prayer

2.       Positive examples

3.       The local church (members)

4.       Forgiveness

5.       Love

 

E.      There is no excuse, but ourselves, for being weak in our service to our Lord and Savior.