Stand Firm

All right, before we get started, this asked the Lord to bless our time.

Our precious father. How we thank you that we can come before you. And father we thank you for your words. That's really opens the doors of understanding and wisdom to our lives as we trust in your spirit to guide us and it is the power of your spirit that truly leads to wisdom and understanding in our walk with you. And so, father, may your spirit guide. Each of our hearts, every one of us needs that leading Father, I pray that you would particularly touch me because I'm the one that you called the present you're worried and so may. I truly be obedient to that call and be guided by your spirit and power and strength. Bless us. Oh Lord. In your presence in Jesus name. Amen.

Or perhaps of all the the ideas of walking the warrior path is we're looking at. Now this is probably the most difficult because it calls for each and every one of us to examine Our Lives as we face circumstances that we don't want to go through. And every single one of us faces those circumstances, and life isn't turning out the way you thought it should. How do you respond to those circumstances? Because that truly either put you on the warrior path. I'll put you on the other path and you know who is guiding the other path. You know, Satan is a warrior and he's going around searching for people to make them stumble and fall. And when we choose to take a circumstance and say, well, God is at work in you the way I want him to work. So, I'm going to take over and I'm going to control the way things are going.

We're following Satan's path. We're not following God's way when we choose to do this.

and we can justify ourselves in many ways saying oh, well, you know, somebody has to take control of this or I'm just helping God out or you know I've been called to be the guide in the light. Sometimes we think that's our way. But God wants us to trust him in those circumstances. So we're going to look at a short passage a day. Just 4 verses from Acts chapter 4. The first we'll reverse versus 1 and 2. They are watching. In other words, Satan is watching our lives and seeing where we're going and how we respond because he's going to use the circumstances of Our Lives to try to convictus, to go a different way that says the priest, and the captains of the temple guard in the Sadducees came up to Peter and John they were, they were speaking to the people.

It says they were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching, the people proclaiming in Jesus, the resurrection of the dead. Now, this may sound funny to you in some ways because, you know, isn't there an afterlife? Don't you believe that will the Sadducees didn't believe that? Can you imagine being religious people and not believing, there's not an afterlife? What the Sadducees, didn't they believe that everything that happens happens here on this Earth and then it's over.

Okay. a lot of people in the world believe that to, you know, and so they don't base their life on what God is doing in their Lots. But we are here to Proclaim Jesus Christ, and that's what John and Peter were doing. They were proclaiming Jesus Christ of the people and the rest from the dead. Because of what we just celebrated the death of Jesus Christ. But also the resurrection of Jesus Christ that we have an eternal hope and that's what you and I need to be proclaiming You know, when there's there are those out there that are desirous of stopping you from doing this, even religious people and John 11:46. That says then the chief priests in the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. Now think about that, these are the religious people of the day. What are they doing? What are we accomplishing? They asked here is this been performed. Many signs talkin about Jesus Christ. They wanted to stop God's work. Why? Because it interfered with what they were doing?

And the call for each and every one of us has, think about our lives and what God is calling me to do an act in this world that that I'm going on. Now, as I said before, there's a force led by Satan that wants you to choose to follow his path and do things your way, the way you think they ought to be. And there's God, who says, I am, the way the truth and the light are you following me? Are you doing what I've called you to do? You know, we're all Ordinary People. We're all Ordinary People are not different from anybody else. It's the choices you make that make the difference. One of the choices was to ask Jesus Christ to be your lord and savior that changed you to make you a little different than the other people in the world. And that's what made Peter and John different.

Here's what happens. When people look at you and noticed that there's a difference acts 4:13, when they saw the courage of Peter and John and realize they were unschooled, ordinary men, are you an unschooled ordinary person in terms of Jesus Christ? I mean, we all could say yes, including myself. They were astonished. They took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Do people recognize Jesus in your life. When you respond to the things that are going on in your life, is Jesus at the Forefront. Are the circumstances at the Forefront of your life. Jesus needs to be the the Forefront in any situation and if he is, there becomes a boldness to your life, that proclaims them. No matter the circumstances x 13. 46. Here are Paul and Barnabas There, a speaking to this crowd of of Jews who have rejected them, when they've tried to Proclaim Christ and it says then Paul and Barnabas answer them boldly x 13 46. If I didn't mention, we had to speak the word of God to you first since you rejected and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, think about that one. You know where they have returned alive. We now turn to the Gentiles Satan wants you to be silenced and he will use any Force as possible, and it was using the people that call themselves, the followers of the change the circumstances, don't let anybody change the circumstances of your life. Be bold for Jesus Christ. Okay. Now let's get to the issue that is happening. You know, sometimes we, we think that there are no struggles in our lives are the we have a pretty good life but there are moments in our lives when circumstances come along that caused the struggles and we thank God. Why did you bring this my way sometimes? Or We responded spawned as God would desire us and say, Lord, this is where you placed me. What do I do? Well, here's John Peter and John ax43 Macy's, Peter, and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. Did they want to go to jail? They didn't want to go to jail. Do you want to be involved in the circumstances that you finger, figure our struggles for your life? Maybe not. But God has put you there. What do you call to do? Rejoice in the lord always again, I say rejoice. Yeah. Even in the struggles of your lives. God calls you to be rejoicing in those moments. Not trying to figure out a way to get out of it. Paul and John are Peter. And John did not try to figure out a way to get out of the circumstances. They boldly. Felt led by God to do what they were doing. You know, and sometimes persecution brings us to very strange things. I don't know where you are today, I don't know what God might be doing in your life to change it, but Take the time. To express his glory rather than to express what battles you were going through. Because God's trying to change your life is trying to make a difference in who you are. And if you're fighting against him he's not going to make a difference in your life.

X5 18. Once again, it says they arrested the apostles and put them in public jail. How often do we face the struggles of God? And, you know, it seems to go worse than what we wanted it to be. We had a plan we wanted to do. Have it open up this way, this is the way God, God should guide us and God says, no, I have a different plan for you. You're going to jail instead of rejoice in some other life that I gave you. How do you respond to that? Well, we have two issues and that happened. And we'll look at this idea of Paul in these circumstances, the first one has to do with Stephen, if you remember Steve and he's the first martyr after Christ rose from the dead, the first martyr he's pulled before the Sanhedrin. They determined that he is simple and he needs to be stoned to death, and they are stoning him as he is calling upon the Lord, ax760. And he fell on his knees and cried out. Lord, do not hold this sin against them when he said this said this, he fell asleep. There was a man there that was approving of that, killing that. Man was Saul. As you know, is Paul the writer of 13 of the books of the Bible? isn't that interesting, but Stevens response was don't hold it against them. Don't hold it against them. In other words, he didn't look at himself old, poor me. Why didn't you rescue me God? Why am I being stoned to death? I was doing what you wanted me to do. So why am I having to go through this circumstance? No, he said, Hey listen, let your work, go on, let your work done, go on, I've done my part. I've served you let your work go on. Don't hold it against them. Later on Paul who was supporting this deaf. For his sake. Was taken captive in the Philippines because of the certain circumstances that came along, we won't go through them. But Ian Silas were taking a hold of, and they were tied to a bound to straps and receive the thirty-nine lashes. Remember the thirty-nine lashes? Were one less than 40, because 40 killed you. Okay? That's how bad it is that they went through and it says, after they've been severely flawed, they were thrown into prison and the Jailer was commanded to guard them. Carefully Is that where Paul and Silas wanted to be? Did they wanted to be in struggles like this? No, it wasn't where they wanted to be, but what was their response? See, that's the important thing. Not look at the circumstances, but the response will they were in prison that night and they were singing songs and praising God and praying to him. Okay, they weren't calling on God, to let him out to make a difference in any of those body else's life. But they were praising God. And that's where we need to be. We need to be willing to praise God, whatever the circumstances will, it was God. Broke him out of prison. And brought a family to Christ. And ultimately brought a whole Community to God with a Philippian Church. God does his work. We just need to be praising him and thanking him for the work that he's doing and that's what we're called to do. Persecutions will come struggles. What happened in a lot, how we respond to them is of great importance. So what's the goal for each of Our Lives? You know, well there's multiple goals. One of those goals is of course to become more and more like Christ through the study of this word and through prayer and through communing with other believers in Christ growing in him, that's very important. But the other goal the one that were called to do is to help others know. Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, that's part of the warrior path. Every one of you is called to that path. And you say well I'm kind of busy in the work that I have to do, right. I have responsibilities. Are your responsibilities greater than the call of God on your life. I hope you're Head, doesn't go like this. I hope your get is going like this because God is your number one priority. No matter what you're called to do in this life. By human beings, including yourself. God needs to be the number one responsibility, and if he's not Guess what? Side of the aisle you're lining up on. you're lining up on Satan's side of the aisle if other things are more important to you than God,

that's the warrior path is doing things that seem illogical in this world.

Now, if you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and you're wondering, am I strong enough on my powerful enough to do this? Will God kissed? You the power? Because when you ask Jesus Christ to be your lord and savior, you received the, all the power in the universe when the Holy Spirit came into your life.

Jesus before a Rises up into heaven. In Acts chapter 1, he says in verse 8, but you will receive power. I'm sorry I probably didn't even read the goal. Let me backup. Just just a minute here. The goal ask for for but many, who heard the message believe. So, the number of man, who believe grew do about 5,000, okay?

They're in prison. Well, the total was $3,002 before now. It's 5000. Are they making a difference? They're in prison. Are they making a difference? Yeah, they're making a difference because of their attitude. Here's Acts 1:8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.

You have the power to make a difference in this world.

Are you going to use it? Are you going to let it sit there on the Shelf? Not making a difference in your life, not changing you so that you can change others. But you're relying upon yourself to make all the difference in this world.

In other words, if you're not relying on upon the spirit, you are a weakling. In the armor of God. It is, when you rely upon the spirit to change your life that you become a strong and powerful Warrior for him, doesn't matter your age, you can be 101.

Are you can be?

5 years old and I've seen 5 year olds change the lives. In fact, we saw baby, it wasn't even born. Just a few months ago, change the lives of people. For the sake of the Gospel. It's where your heart is, where your heart is. You're called to shine, you're called to shine, doesn't matter. The circumstances Paul is in prison in Rome. He is under a death sentence. And he's writing a letter to the church at Phillipi, you know, that he began years before in his writing to them and they're going through a bit of persecution at the time. And here's what he says for them in Philippians 2, 14 and 15, do everything without complaining or arguing. Okay. Go to look the circumstances I have. Don't tell me I'm wrong. I'm doing everything I can.

Is that what God wants from you?

No, it's not what God wants from you. It says, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Wow, then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. You say God, turns everything around on me, you know, we have rough circumstances, he says Be Joyful. You kidding me. Now, he's not saying be joyful. He's not saying, don't, it doesn't matter. The struggles, it doesn't matter whether you're going through. He wants you to shine like a star in this world drawing people to understand the Jesus Christ is in you. Then you are warriors. Our goal. Remember, is the Salvation of the Lost. That's why you're here on this Earth. You do that through his power and his strength. Paul says in 1st Corinthians 9:22 to the weak, I became weak to win the weak. I become all things to all people, so they by all possible. Means I might save some

doesn't say I become. What I am.

To glorify myself. No, I am. What I am to glorify. God. No matter the circumstances, he needs to be the number one choice every time. Not sometimes, because it's the all people, we have an opportunity to minister to when we go through this life. And the question for you today is, are you willing to step out and be on the warrior path? Because that's God's path for your life. Are Satan's path. That is your path for your life.

You know, it's a choice because either God's in control in the circumstances, you're facing are because he allowed them to come into your life.

Or you're just upset by these circumstances because those are world problem. I just have to deal with. Is God in charge. Is he directing your life? And let him do that. Don't try to control things, give it over to God, praise him for it, and press on forward because God will use those circumstances to minister mightily. The other people when you're trusting him,

Now, last week I open it up to come forward as Warriors for Jesus Christ. When we close this thing this time together. I offered the same thing today, you know, if you didn't feel like you were ready to step forward last week, maybe today, God has ministered, your heart and you're ready to come forward and kneel before him and say, Lord help me to be a warrior for Jesus Christ. That's bright.

Father in heaven. We thank you for the opportunity to come to your house and to worship you. And father a there are many pressures out there in this world and often the pressures are to change our attitudes in our minds and terms of our response to you. But Lord you want us to follow you through all the circumstances. But I've not just those that bring us, happiness and fun enjoy. But those circumstances that allow us to profess, no matter what they are. May we do. So, pray for each person here, and for myself. That we would be willing. To stand up for you. Leicester city, so Lord in Jesus name, amen.