Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
LIFE IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE.
Ephesians 6:13-17 (NIV) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
A spiritual battle requires spiritual armor.
When we fight the wrong battles, we will fail to find either victory or peace?
GOD’S WORD IS OUR WEAPON.
God’s Word is how we fight our enemy.
God’s Word is how we strengthen ourselves.
Jude 1:20 (NIV) But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
God’s Spirit will never lead us in opposition to God’s Word.
WE HAVE A SECRET WEAPON.
Ephesians 6:17 (NIV) Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Praying in the Spirit is our secret weapon.
FIVE BENEFITS OF PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. We find our faith built up when we pray in the Spirit.
Jude 1:20-21 (NIV) But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
If you are saved, the Holy Spirit is in you.
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
To be Pentecostal means believing that everything the Holy Spirit did in the New Testament the Holy Spirit is still doing in the church today.
Luke 11:9-13 (NIV)
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
2. We find help when we pray in the Spirit.
Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Romans 8:26-27 (NLT) And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
3. We find intimacy when we pray in the Spirit.
Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:39 (NIV) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
1 Corinthians 14:2 (NIV) For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:2 (MSG) If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him.
4. We find truth and peace when we pray in the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:18 (NIV) I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (NIV) For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
5. We find power when we pray in the Spirit.
Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Holy Spirit empowers us to do everything that He has called us to do.
JOIN US FOR FIRST WEDNESDAY, AT 7PM, AS PASTOR CHAD GILLIGAN TEACHES PART 2 OF OUR SECRET WEAPON.
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