| HOW DO WE PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF GOD?
There are five major ways to put on the
armor of God. There are quote directly from Pastor Chuck Smith's
short book titled SPIRITUAL WARFARE (available online at:
http://www.thewordfortoday.org/product_nav.html
, click on "Other Materials", and then on "Books",
then click on "Calvary Basics Series."] We will describe four
of these and mention the fifth. Simply stated the five are
Bible Reading, Meditation, Study, Memorization and Prayer.
What follows is directly quoted from SPIRITUAL WARFARE. (I
suggest obtaining the booklet for yourself for a more complete
description on this vital subject).
READING
"Reading is our first and most simple approach
to the Scriptures. Perhaps we begin in Genesis and go right
through to Revelation. On our way the Holy Spirit is slowly
but surely reprogramming us and creating in us a Christ-centered
world view. By consistently reading through the Scriptures
we are being trained by the Holy Spirit to think spiritually.
The Lord is imparting to us the mind of Christ. I like to
read my Bible in the evenings before going off to sleep. It's
a great way to end the day. By reading at average speed for
forty-five minutes to an hour each evening, we can get through
the entire Bible in less than a year. Once you've finished,
go back to Genesis and start over again. The better we know
the written Word, the better we'll know the Living Word; the
Lord Jesus Christ."
Wonderful idea to help build spiritual unity into your
marriage. Try reading like this, but out loud with your spouse--together--just
simple Bible reading out loud.
MEDITATION
"Meditation is our next approach to the Scriptures.
Meditation of course includes reading but goes much deeper
than that. The word meditate means to ponder. It means
to talk to oneself. That's what we're to do with the Word.
We're to think about it. We're to talk to ourselves about
it. We're to talk to the Lord about it. Meditating differs
from reading because it takes more time and greater concentration.
When meditating on a portion of Scripture, I'm praying over
it and at the same time asking myself questions. To whom was
this written? What does it say? How does it apply to me? What
are some other Scriptures that relate to what's being said?
When meditating, I usually have a pen and note pad handy in
order to jot down anything the Lord might say to me during
that time. Meditation for me is best early in the morning
and from the New Testament. However, each of us have to find
our own niche. So find the time that is best for you. The
promise of blessing is to the one "whose delight is in
the Law of the Lord, and in His law, he does meditate day
and night" ((Psalm 1:2). Try to spend as much time as
you can meditating on the Word. Make it a priority!"
STUDY
"Studying the Bible is something that every
Christian needs to learn to do. The difference between reading
and meditating on the Word and studying the Word would be
the use of certain study helps or tools. By tools I mean things
like: concordances, Bible dictionaries, Bible handbooks, commentaries,
etc. All of these can be very helpful in our understanding
of the Scriptures. If for some reason these types of resources
are not available to you, a good study Bible will do. Another
way of fulfilling the need for Bible study is to sit under
an anointed Bible teacher who teaches systematically through
the Scriptures. [The expository Bible studies on this
web page go systematically through whole sections of the New
Testament, and is a prime example of sitting under such a
teacher.] If you have this somewhat rare opportunity, I exhort
you to thank God and take full advantage of it. In whatever
way is best for you, make Bible study a regular part of your
life and know that in doing so you're further equipping yourself
with the armor of God."
MEMORIZATION
"My final word in relation to putting on
the whole armor of God is Scripture memorization. Committing
the Word of God to memory is indeed a vital part of putting
on the whole armor of God. In John's first epistle, chapter
2 verse 14 he states that the strength of the young men and
their victory over the devil was the result of the Word of
God abiding in them. There's no better way to assure the Word
of God is abiding in you than by memorizing it. Start by reading
over and over again the Scriptures that speak most powerfully
to you. If need be, write them down on a piece of paper and
read them several times over each day until they become part
of you. You'll find that those particular verses will be powerful
resources in your overall arsenal of spiritual weapons."
"Finally, remembering this is God's armor and, therefore,
we can be assured that as we take it up the victory is ours.
The question that remains is: Will we take it up? God help
us to do so, for our spiritual well-being depends on it."
PRAYER
"The Christian soldier now stands fully dressed
for battle. However, he is still not ready to fight. He lacks
two essential things to victory--skill and strength. Although
a soldier may be equipped with the best of weapons, if he
is without skill and strength, victory is uncertain at best.
What physical fitness and mental preparedness are to those
fighting in the natural realm, prayer is to the Christian
soldier. Prayer is the final piece of the Christian soldier's
armor. Prayer is the assurance that the Christian soldier
is fit for the fight." [And with that I highly recommend Pastor
Chuck Smith's EFFECTIVE PRAYER LIFE, available online at:
http://www.thewordfortoday.org/product_nav.html
, click on "Other Materials", then "Books", and then click
on "Calvary Basics Series." Also visit my link titled "What
Is Prayer?"]
This
is recommended reading for Messianic Jewish and Sabbatarian
Churches of God brethren prior to and during the Days of Unleavened
Bread (starting at Passover).
This book is all about putting spiritual "leaven"-sin-out of our lives.
It shows just how evil sin really is, how devastating
it is to our very lives.
"Go
And Sin No More" book review
"Go and Sin No More
is a masterful book on an unpopular subject.
Speaking as one who has and is experiencing a revival
of cleansing and deliverance, Michael Brown brings to the
table a rich resource for all who seek a biblical view of
sin and its absolute consequences to the believer's soul."
FRANK DAMAZIO Senior Pastor, City Bible Church, Portland,
Oregon.
"Personal holiness is the key to God's
ultimate plans for us all.
"Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:16 KJV) is a
command, not a suggestion.
Romans 8:29 clearly emphasizes this great truth: "For
those God foreknew He also predestinated to be conformed to
the likeness of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among
many brothers." Conformed
to His likeness! That
is what God's call to us to live holy lives is all about. It's the central element of God's wonderful
plan for our lives.
How can we be holy? In ourselves, we cannot. We can only do so by the ministry of the Holy
Spirit within us. [So
if you try-all on your own--to apply this book to your life
to break the chains of a sin or sins that are binding you,
it will not help. You
must be born-again, filled and indwelt by the Holy Spirit
of God before this book will do you any good whatsoever. But if you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, this
book is powerful. It
is spiritual weaponry of immense power, it is a cutting torch
which directs the Holy Spirit in your life, cutting those
chains of repetitive sin that may be binding you.]
That is why for 47 years Campus Crusade for Christ-now
in 172 countries with a staff of 19,000 and 181,000 volunteers-has
strongly emphasized the ministry of the Holy Spirit. "For it is God which worketh in you both to
will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13, KJV). We cannot
effectively do anything, even witness for Christ, without
the enabling and power of the Holy Spirit.Go and Sin No More is a magnificent, comprehensive
work on the important but oft-neglected subject of holiness. Dr. Michael L. Brown's wonderful insights make
this one of those rare life-changing books. Every Christian who reads it will be blessed
and will never be the same.
I believe it is God's message for this hour.
[the late]
DR. BILL BRIGHT
Founder
[and former] President
Campus
Crusade for Christ International"
A Few Excerpts.
"This book
provides a massive spiritual assortment of ammunition we can
use to wage war against the flesh, the devil, and the world."
"There
are three things sin will always do.
It will keep you longer than you intended to stay,
take you further than you intended to go, and cost you more
than you intended to spend.
Sin is treacherous!
And since we know we're in a daily battle,
let's arm ourselves with all the ammunition we can to help
us submit to God and say no to the flesh, the devil, and the
world." (pp. 60-61)
"Paul
wrote that a little leaven leavens the whole lump (see 1 Cor.
5:6; Gal 5:9), and the Word tells us that one man's sin-Achan
in Joshua 7-caused thirty-six Israelites to die, since his
transgression stopped the Lord from going out to battle with
His people. There was
an enemy in God's own camp!
Yet he sinned secretly, none of the leaders knew anything about it-meaning
that our secret sins can have public consequences too. This is a deep spiritual matter, my friend."
(p. 65)
".sin
can render the anointing ineffective.
It is literally poison to our whole spiritual system. There are tragic stories, stories that we know
too well, of men and women who were mightily used by God until
sin drained them dry. [and
I might add, this is talking about repetitive sin, not the
occasional slip-up which we confess and don't keep repeating.].Think
of a godly woman mightily used to heal the sick.
How much suffering is relieved through her ministry,
how much torment lifted.But she gets caught up in greed, mishandling
the ministry funds an lying to her constituents. Before you know it, the anointing is gone! For a while it appeared as if she could mess
up and minister at the same time.
But no, the pollution gradually drove the Holy Spirit
away. Sin saps the anointing, be it the anointing
to preach or teach, the anointing to heal or deliver, the
anointing to counsel or lead-sin will steal it and leave nothing
in return. Worst of all, by destroying the anointing on
one person's life, hundreds, thousands, even millions of others
who could have been blessed through that vessel will have
to turn elsewhere.you have a sacred duty not to squander that
divine enabling. Many
lives are dependent on your faithfulness.
So don't let sin put out the embers that burn in your
heart; rather, fan them into flame (see 2 Tim. 1:6)."
(p. 66)
"Why sin
if you know that sooner or later you're going to get caught? Why do something in secret that eventually will
be known in public? Why
defile yourself under the covering of darkness if your unclean
act will eventually be brought to light?.You see, in God's
universe, nobody really "gets away" with anything.
"The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place
of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind
them" (1 Tim. 5:24). One
way or another, what we do will catch up with us, either in
this world or in the world to come.
"In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even
those that are not cannot be hidden." (1 Tim. 5:25).Of course,
if you truly repent and turn from your sins, the Lord will
wipe them away, sometimes even softening the blow of the negative
consequences of those wrongful acts." (pp. 72-73)
"God shows
us the traps in advance [through his Word]. Satan only shows us the bait." (p.85)
This book
is all about those traps and bait of Satan, sin, and the reasons why we should avoid
them at all costs. Reading
this book in a slow, meditative way will actually give a believer
the ability to cut through the chains of longstanding habits
of sin. If you find
yourself bound by a particular sinful habit, a secret sin-habit
no one knows about, do read this book. As the late Dr. Bill Bright said, it
will change your life.
The full
name of the book is:
GO
and SIN NO MORE
A
CALL TO HOLINESS
By Michael
L. Brown
A Division
of Gospel Light
Ventura, California, U.S.A.
http://www.gospellight.com
or call 1-800-4-GOSPEL
ISBN 0-8307-22389-7
For more information on ICN Ministries, or for a complete resource catalog
of other books and tapes by Dr. Michael L. Brown, write to:
ICN Ministries
8594 Highway 98 West, Pensacola, FL 32506
Phone: (850) 458-6424: Fax: (850) 458-1828
Email: RevivalNow@msn.com
To order
online you might also try http://www.christianbooks.com or
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