Last Line of Defense for God's People (Sermon)

[Music] hello friends welcome to our three abn worship hour i'm pastor john loma king and i extend an invitation and a welcome to you and a thank you actually for joining us as we divide god's word together with you you know the message today is entitled the last line of defense and not only am i thanking you for joining us but i want to ask for you to be particularly in prayer today because this message is one that i'm extending a challenge a special challenge to those who name the name of christ these are fragile times for christians and in times like these it is imperative for us to return to our last line of defense so let us ask for god's holy spirit to guide us and strengthen us as we consider the message for this hour let us pray gracious father in heaven your word is a lamp that has never gone dim it is a light that is connected to an unlimited source of power and we pray now for your holy spirit to reach in the hearts and minds of those watching and those listening to calibrate their realities and their minds to the urgency of the hour that the church finds itself in speak lord and may your servants hear we pray in jesus name amen the apostle paul to his protege timothy gave some very cautious words to a young man who was getting ready to dive into the ministry at a time when the christian church although thousands of years ago was about to be challenged and we read these words of paul's challenge to timothy in first timothy chapter 4 and verse 16 and the bible says take heed to yourself and to the doctrine continue in them for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you at a time when the word doctrine seems to be deleted from the christian vocabulary and doctrines seem to be held up as the culprit of division the bible is saying that is not the case we know for a fact that doctrine has been twisted and diluted and diverted and designed to fit men's ideology but there's nothing wrong with doctrine because doctrine is simply what the bible says about the character and the person of jesus but we have entered the most trying hour for the christian church the winds of false doctrines are blowing away those who have no roots in the word of god and while the people of god are advancing forward satan is urging them to go backward and the reason is clear satan is intensely concerned about god's last line of defense i read a story that really boggled my mind about something called personality regression and i thought to myself well christians are going through something that is synonymous to the story that i read let me read it to you and i'll read it verbatim it is entitled the woman who grew backwards the lady who grew backwards was a woman who lived in virginia some years ago in their virginia medical monthly her doctor told the story it's an amazing story listen she had grown normally married and had three children life was happy until the husband and father died when the children were in high school the mother doubled her devotion to her children's and she changed her clothes to those of a girl of 20 joined in the children's party and fun in a few years the children noticed as they grew older that their mother was growing younger she began to behave that way psychiatrists called it personality regression which means a person begins in their personality and behavior begin walking backwards usually certain people stop going backward at a certain age the story continues but not this woman she slipped backward at a rate of one year for every three or four months of time as the time went forward although she was 61 years old she acted like a six-year-old child she went was sent to a sanitarium where she insisted on wearing short dresses playing with toys and babbling like a child and listen to how the story ends then she became like a three-year-old she spilled her food crawled on the floor and cried mama mama backwards still father to the age of one she drank milk curled up like a tiny baby finally she went back over the line and the story ended and then she died what a tragic story what an amazing account of the woman that grew backward well why did i use that story friends according to what we have seen in public lately behavior from christians it seems as though the woman the church is growing backward satan is intensely concerned about the bottom line and during earth's most fragile history satan wants us to abandon our journey to the kingdom and begin growing backward or going back to where we were before kind of like in the book of numbers when the lord was leading the children of israel out of egypt to canaan notice what they said in numbers chapter 14 verses 3 and 4. they said why has the lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword that our wives and children should become victims and listen to this would it not be better for us to return to egypt so they said to one another let us select a leader and return to egypt that's what's happening to the church today jesus is being abandoned as the leader of the christian church for so many and they're selecting leaders and in behavior and lifestyle and an attitude the public is seeing a church that does not resemble a growing church but a church that's growing backward a church that's caught in personality regression spiritual regression behavior that doesn't fit the person of christ friends this is the hour that what is ahead of us should consume our interest and what is behind us should be purged from our thoughts it is too late in the hour of earth to be going back to the way we were this is the time that god's people christians of every denomination and i include a special invitation to seventh-day adventist christians god has given us an understanding of prophecy how the events of the last days are going to unfold it is too late for the church to go backward this is the time to go forward and forget those things behind you listen to the words of the apostle paul in philippians chapter 3 verse 13 and 14 listen to what he says he says brethren i do not count myself to have apprehended but one thing i do listen to what he said forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead and look at the passion i press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of god in christ jesus that's what the christians should be doing pressing forward for the goal there is a prize for every one of us the apostle paul said it there's a crown of righteousness laid up for me and not for me only but for all those who love his appearing you might wonder why this is happening well let me tell you why satan knows his time is short and he made attempts many many many millennia ago to overthrow the government of god and when he failed in his attempt to overthrow god's government and jesus won on the cross he focused on trying to cause the church to fall but in a specific way and i'm speaking also not only to christians in general but seventh-day adventist christians he's focusing on trying to overthrow your faith those who keep the commandments of god those who have been called to uphold the faith of jesus listen to this amazing quotation in the books counsels on stewardship page 154 listen to what god's servant says as the people of god approach the perils of the last days satan holds earnest consultation with his angels as to the most successful plan of overthrowing their faith why he sees that the popular churches are already lulled to sleep by his deceptive power by pleasing sophistry and lying wonders he can continue to hold them under his control therefore she continues he directs his angels to lay their snares especially for those who are looking for the second advent of christ and endeavoring to keep all the commandments of god that is satan's focus if you are looking for the second coming of jesus if you are focused on honoring god's word keeping god's commandments if you are being true to a thus saith the lord you are a special concern satan is concerned about your line of defense that's why there are certain sneers that we should seek to avoid one of those is declining interest in spiritual things it's too late my brothers and sisters for your interest in spiritual things to decline that's called lukewarm i'm not for it i'm not against it but i would say today politics has played a major role in declining spiritual interests also another thing you should avoid is increasing interest in worldly things love of the world don't allow the love of the world to dampen your love for christ and for his eternal kingdom the other thing that's really playing on the minds of many in this covenant environment is they are weighed down by the cares of this world but jesus says cast all your cares on him because he cares for you you see friends in this trying hour we're praying about a vaccine and people are taking the vaccines and we're praying that eventually covet 19 would be a a word we have all forgotten but while people are trying to deal with the stresses the cures of this life and the challenges are weighing them down and they're forgetting to cast all their cares on jesus but what else should we try to avoid electronic and social media slavery some people are so bound by their devices some are so bound to their devices that they cannot find freedom in jesus they have a loss of personal control i pray that you can control your devices and not allow them to control you add to that immorality love of money it puts god at the bottom of the list and also the inability to focus on god's word and they need to be born again the apostle paul has an antidote he has a vaccination for those who are losing their connection on christ ephesians chapter 5 and verse 14. notice what he says notice what he says he therefore says awake you who sleep arise from the dead and christ will give you light he is saying to the christian church today a church that's being called to the left and called to the right he's saying forget get about the left and right look once again to the center focus again on christ focus again on his word focus again on going forward and embracing the truth as it is in jesus awake do not allow the world to inoculate you to the point where you lose your focus on christ i recently had an opportunity to read an article called article 113 in the uniform code of military justice and i thought it's amazing if they applied to the christian what is applied to the military soldier the same penalties if they would sleep during the time of war as christians sleep during the time of war what would happen to the church listen to this article 113 the uniform code of military justice my question is is it dangerous for a christian to be sleeping during the times of these last days during the intensifying of the war between light and darkness listen to what the military concludes about a soldier caught sleeping during the time of war and they say he may be executed for failing to uphold his duties as a sentinel or look out should he be found guilty while the country is at war if the case is referred capital if even if you escape the death penalty he says you could face incarceration that might last decades at the very minimum a loss of all pay allowances and benefits will force you to enter the civilian world as an extreme at an extreme disadvantage in other words what happens is when they fail to comply by the military code of staying awake some severe things could follow losing their salary being dishonorably discharged putting their co-workers and their other soldiers at risk or maybe even losing their lives have you thought about it friends as a christian we are at war satan is intensifying his aim to try to dilute our faith and we must remember that the war that he started is going on still today look at revelation chapter 12 verse 7 to 9 this war continues today the bible says and war broke out in heaven michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not prevail i always say praise the lord right there no was a place found for them in heaven any longer so the great dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and satan what does he do who deceives the whole world he was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him where was he cast to the earth where is he in the earth is he by himself no his angels are with him and from the day that he lost his attempt to overthrow god's government from that day to the very present he and his angels have been working intensely on trying to get those whose allegiance is unequivocally unequivocally given to god to try to change their allegiance and give that allegiance to him from the day that he lost that battle every earthly system opposed to god's commandments has had the same agenda trying to replace god but now let me ask a question in order to understand why satan is so concerned we have to understand what god's last line of defense is here's the question what is satan worried about what in the last days according to god's word causes satan to be troubled listen to the words of john once again in revelation chapter 12 and verse 17. here is what the bible reveals is satan's concern about god's last line of defense and it says and the dragon was enraged with the woman and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring who are they who keep the commandments of god and have the testimony of jesus christ the bible makes it very clear satan is concerned about those who are faithful to god's commandments those who are faithful to the testimony of jesus which the bible says in revelation 19 10 the testimony of jesus is the spirit of prophecy satan is concerned about those who understand prophecy and therefore he seeks to hold those in the world in his continued grasp but the christian who is looking forward to the coming of jesus the christian who says god's word means more to me than anything else he is concerned about that group saying if i can simply get their eyes off of christ i can accomplish in them what i've done to millions of others but let's follow the story how did it unfold in the book of genesis chapter 1 verse 26 following satan's eviction he made a second attempt to control god's government by trying to overthrow god's presence among his new creation listen to genesis chapter 1 verse 26 what did the lord say then god said let us make man in our image according to our likeness let them have dominion over the fish of the sea over the birds of the air and over the cattle over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth now understand what this means satan failed in overthrowing god's dominion but he recognized wait a minute god just gave man dominion over the earth i need to find a way to overthrow that maybe i could become the god of the earth so in order for satan to take dominion of the earth he had to gain access to adam to whom god gave that dominion but he didn't do it directly look at how he did it genesis chapter 3 and verse 1 the bible unfolds it what an amazing story now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the lord god had made and he said to the woman has god indeed said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden now you may have missed why i read this verse but listen to this he started with the woman i just read the story about a woman that grew backward and the bible used the symbol of a woman to represent the church he began by appealing to the woman let me make the connection he in these last days is appealing to the church and he's asking them are you sure that you are clear about what god's word says why is that so vitally important if he can fool the church as he deceived eve he can gain access to those who have control of the politics and religion of the earth as adam was given control of the dominion of the earth he began with eve what did she do to give to give him access what was the step that eve took that opened the door to give satan access to adam look at verse 2 and 3 and the woman said to the serpent we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden god has said you shall not eat it nor shall you touch it lest you die now what does she do eve said to the to the devil to serpent to the serpent to the to the to the golden flickering serpent that caught her attention she said to him god said that we shouldn't even touch it and the devil grasped that fruit placing it in her hands and when she didn't die you've heard the statement he said to her you shall not surely die and when eve did not die when eve did not die she took that fruit and gave it to her husband and the bible says she gave it to her husband and he ate and we find that short verse in genesis 3 and verse 6. he she gave it to her husband and he ate by not embracing what god said she opened the door for satan's deception but she gave it to her husband and he ate now why is that so vitally important you see friends it's one thing for eve to be deceived let me make the parallel again it's one thing for the church to be going through difficulty but it's something altogether for the church to be in such deception that the church is being used to deceive the leaders of the world who are in fact the ones in control of the dominion of this earth you see the first line of defense was broken in the earth standing between satan and the total domination of the earth was adam and we know that adam failed and the bible says he opened the door and satan came in and what a sad day it was he lived to see his son die cain killed abel adam lived for 930 years to see the result of his transgression the earth began to fall apart so much so that by the time the world was destroyed by the flood the lord said he was tired he was he was upset he was he was sickened that he had made man because every intention and thoughts of their hearts were only evil continually that was the world what happens when the church begins to display the same behavior when the church begins to look like the world when the church begins to lower the character representation of christ to the world we begin to see that it's becoming more and more difficult to try to find a place where the character of christ can be truly represented you see satan failed in heaven but he was able to successfully take the dominion back from adam in the garden of eden because adam's first line of defense was lowered obedience to god's word was adam's line of defense and when adam fell satan maintained sway over the earth in so many ways for nearly 4 000 years until jesus came now i say until jesus came because the devil knew that jesus was not just coming to save humanity we know that he came the son of man comes to seek and to save those who are lost luke 19 10 call his name jesus for he shall save his people from their sins matthew 1 verse 21 behold the lamb of god that taketh away the sin of the world john 1 29 satan knew that jesus came to solve the sin problem of which he had no pardon he wanted sin to be a permanent thing so he could permanently hold on t to the dominion of the earth but there's another reason why jesus came he came to take back the very thing that satan had wrestled from the hand of a disobedient man by the name of adam and when jesus came the devil was on his footsteps from the day of his birth he tried to kill him when he was a baby but praise the lord jesus had secret service protection far greater than any earthly dignitary god guided his son even from the cradle to the cross but when jesus came he knew that satan was on his tracks many many attempts were made to arrest jesus but he got away and then he said this statement in john chapter 14 and verse 30 it's an amazing statement jesus describes satan the way that satan was because of the fall of adam listen to the words of christ john 14 and verse 30. jesus said i will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in me wow what did jesus call satan the ruler of this world he called him the ruler of this world because he had successfully for 4 000 years controlled in one way or the other the manipulations of the human heart sin was rampant in the earth men that were supposed to follow the order of god began to follow the order of satan and the church was under an environment that was one minute up one minute down god called men to lead the children of israel and some of those leaders were rebellious they turned away from the cause of god the tribes were torn apart then the tribe of judah that was the tribe through which jesus was to come went through an up and down cycle but praise god he sustained the tribe of judah because that was the tribe through which jesus was to come he is the lion of the tribe of judah but satan wrestled and he fought and even on the cross satan thought he had succeeded in ending the attempt that jesus made to take back his dominion when jesus bowed his head and died satan thought that he had won but he heard jesus utter three words just before he bowed his head he said the words it is finished and when satan heard the words it is finished what he heard in essence was i am finished not jesus is finished because jesus said throughout his life i have come to do the work the father has sent me to do and before he died praise god he finished the work of redeeming humanity and the devil knew it that's why on resurrection morning on resurrection morning jesus came forth from the tomb victoriously but in the earthly battles between him and the arch enemy of heaven notice satan tried to get jesus to compromise look at what he said in luke chapter four verse six and seven before jesus got to the cross he tried to get jesus to compromise and the devil said to him that is to christ all this authority i will give you and their glory for this has been delivered to me and i give it to whomever i wish therefore if you will worship before me all will be yours aren't you glad today friends that jesus didn't fall for that lie jesus in fact created the earth he is the creator of heaven and earth but in satan's control of man's dominion he said lord if you simply worship me you see it's all about worship it's not about religion it's not about politics it's about worship and oftentimes the character of christ gets distorted in the context of religion when in reality the devil knew it is about worship and the question to you is before i finish our message who are you worshiping has your worship of the true god been diluted by politics or money or the pursuit of fame or wealth or popularity or the worldliness who are you worshiping even the devil knew it is all about worship but look at what jesus did which once again gives us a glimpse into the line of defense when satan came to came to christ to try to get to deceive him notice the words that jesus uttered matthew chapter 4 and verse 7. look what he said jesus said to him it is written again you shall not tempt the lord your god now couldn't jesus have simply said look i created heaven remember me when you fought against me in the kingdom and i won the battle he could have said that he could have said to satan remember when you were lucifer i created you and you were defeated already he could have gone at him with an argument a retinue of words and arguments that could have been well justified but jesus made a statement that leaves a lesson for you and me he said it is written it is written why would jesus say that because the very thing that eve failed to do by saying it is written these are the words of god jesus did his line of defense was lifted up it is written the word of god is our line of defense jesus knew that by upholding the word satan could not defeat him and by upholding the word the cross was not the end of jesus's life but the beginning of an endless victory for you and for me praise god for that matthew 28 18 points out what happened when jesus came forth on resurrection morning look at the words of christ and jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given me in heaven and on earth and the devil knew when jesus came forth the devil knew when jesus won the battle in heaven satan was cast out when jesus rose from the grave satan was cast down satan knew from that moment when jesus defeated him by coming forth from the grave victoriously he knew that there's something that i have to do now i've got to change my approach i've got to find another way to try to defeat the church i have got to find a way to slow down the quail of getting rid of me something he knew happened when jesus came forth revelation 12 and verse 10 look what the bible says happened when jesus won on resurrection morning john the revelator says then i heard a loud voice saying in heaven now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our god and the power of his christ have come why for the accuser of our brethren who accuse them before our god how often day and night has been cast down praise god for that when jesus won the battle in heaven satan was kicked out but when jesus rose from the grave victoriously satan was cast down his kingdom was defeated and from that day forward the line of defense was reestablished while the line of defense was reestablished the word of god was established as eternal undefiled pure impenetrable the word of god the line of defense was reestablished but something happened when satan heard that he says i've got one last chance and on the podium of his defeat satan assembled his final coalition for world dominance now john takes us once again to the scene in the heart of this vile assembly of criminals in this fallen foe listen to his words revelation 12 and verse 12 therefore rejoice o heavens and you who dwell in them but listen to this woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea for the devil has come down to you having great wrath why because he knows that he has a short time satan knew that he had one last opportunity to dominate the earth but there was one more person standing one more power standing between him and total world domination satan knew that he had failed in heaven he won in the garden he failed on resurrection morning but jesus is gone now and when jesus left he imparted his authority to his church he says i give you authority over serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing by any means is going to hurt you satan heard that the apostles went forth preaching proclaiming god's word and the church could not stop jesus said it before he left the gates of hell will not prevail against the church and the church was growing and thriving and succeeding and the devil was fighting and the forces of darkness were being defeated because the devil saw what jesus established could not be broken down but he didn't stop trying and then the lord made the statement through john the apostle about the one last entity standing between satan and total world domination let's visit revelation 12 and verse 17 one more time look at these words and the dragon was enraged with a woman and went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of god and have the testimony of jesus christ now the question is who are they who is this group that keeps the commandments of god and have the testimony of jesus let me take you on a short journey through the dark ages through the growing of the new testament church as the new testament church began to grow the apostles noticed that the church began to have internal struggles that the church began to face opposition from those who formally claimed connection to god but didn't want to accept jesus christ but the church grew the church grew in spite of persecution the church grew in light of persecution for satan's number one attempt was to wipe it out at all costs and the final disciple john the apostle before he lost his life on the island of patmos before he gave up his struggle against the forces of darkness god gave him the book of revelation that's why we look at it with such respect god told him hold on and as the last of the apostles began to die off the church went through severe persecution from 303 to 313 a.d roman emperor diocletian tried to wipe out the christian church but let me say it again the church continued to go forward the church began to grow every drop of blood from one victim was replaced with two individuals every one life that fell two grew up in its place why the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church but don't don't fault the devil for not trying he's tried his best but god's church and god's plan continues to go forward why because now that the lord has established a line of defense against darkness a line of defense against error this is the concern that satan has he is concerned about god's last line of defense during the dark ages millions of christians lost their lives at the iraq millions of christians were killed in the arenas in the dungeons but they continued hanging on and god carried the church through until he re-established through pentecostals and presbyterians and methodists those who didn't fully understand god's word but they were honest-hearted they wanted to serve god according to the truth and they got together and began to search god's word and began to understand wait a minute i didn't truly understand what the bible says about death but god's word is not the fault so they studied and people that didn't have the similar views allowed god's word to be the last line of defense and they put down their error and began to embrace god's word yes when you die you rest in the grave yes when jesus comes back it's not going to be secret it's going to be visible the entire world will know every eye will see him and satan said wait a minute i can't let that happen then they realize there's something else we didn't understand you don't die and burn forever if you're a sinner you burn until the ashes of evil are the last line of things that are remaining from those who've turned their backs on god hell is not an eternally burning place but its results are eternal the devil began to lose the battle he began to lose vehemently and the church continued but what did he do but what did he do he noticed wait a minute i can begin my own movement and he began a movement with a cloak that looked like christianity but something was missing the commandments of god were missing pentecostals presbyterians methodists not so much pentecostals at the time they were not a movement yet but presbyterians anglicans the church of christ during the 1800s early 1900s they began to unite together and what was the basis of their unity simply the truth of god's word a thus saith the lord and they were formed into a movement that the world began to understand as the advent movement then all of a sudden the truth of god's second coming began to be proclaimed the truth of the visible return of christ began to be proclaimed around the world and people that did not understand it to that point began to embrace once again god's line of defense his undiluted truth and he recognized wait a minute wait a minute who are these people who are these seventh-day adventists what purpose do they have in the earth and he noticed wait a minute if i could break them down i could gain access and once again my domination will be total i read in selected messages book two page twelve and paragraph one this amazing quotation listen to the behind the scenes the seventh day adventist church is brought to view in prophecy in the setting of conflict that's revelation 12 and verse 17. for satan the dragon wages relentless war against those who keep the commandments of god and have the testimony of jesus the great adversary knows that if he is successful in misleading and confusing seventh-day adventists he frustrates the purposes of god now why is that the case because they stand on this platform isaiah 8 and verse 20. it's old and new testament together isaiah 8 and verse 20 notice isaiah the prophet established in his word here's what the bible says to the law and to the testimony if they do not speak according to this word it is because there is no light in them those who began to establish the truth about the second coming of jesus used the old and new testament as their guides not an old book passed away and a new book that supersedes the old but the entire bible matthew 4 4 man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from god's mouth this advent movement began to proliferate around the world every nationality every nation every kindred every tongue every people and satan's concern continue to grow why because the light of truth began to shine in every corner of the globe in recognizing the growth of this movement the servant of the lord wrote the following statement evangelism page 19 119 and paragraph three listen to what she says seventh-day adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers to them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world on them is shining wonderful light from the word of god they have been given a work of the most solemn import the proclamation of the first second and third angels messages there is no other work of so great importance they are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention the most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals have been given us to proclaim to the world and watch this the proclamation of these truths is to be our work the world is to be warned and god's people are to be true to the trust committed to them now why wouldn't the devil be concerned about that the world being warned getting people ready for the coming of jesus of course of course if you were the devil that'll concern you if you were interested in darkness and deception and and false doctrines that would concern you but watch what happened satan knew that he could not defeat the christian church so he said to them well go ahead and read the bible but don't believe doctrines why because the sabbath was resurfaced to align with god's word the true day of worship the truth about what happens when you die it's a doctrine of the word of god to show the true character of christ there's no eternally burning hell you burn until everything is done the truth of god's word another doctrine that began to be resurfaced showing the true character of christ no wonder the apostle paul said to timothy what he did let's go back to our original scripture first timothy 4 and verse 16. this is why he said what he did to his protege timothy notice what he said first timothy 4 16 he said take heed to yourself and to the doctrine continue in them for in doing this you will get saved both yourself and those who hear you who doesn't want to be saved well the bible says if you continue in the truth of the doctrine of god's word you will be saved and those who hear those doctrines will also be saved why do you think the devil says to people nowadays you don't need doctrine just say jesus and that's all that matters another line of deception be careful with this false christ-centeredness yes jesus loves us but that's not where the bible ends if revelation wasn't important the lord wouldn't put it there if the truth about these topics i just touched on wasn't important it would not be in god's word but it is there but the devil wants to lower the line of defense and the devil knew that if we follow the doctrines of god's word we could establish a sure line of defense against deception listen to paul again second timothy 4 verse 3 to five notice what he says for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers and what will happen and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables but you be watchful in all things endure affliction do the work of an evangelist and fulfill your ministry he said to timothy it's going to get rough it's going to get rough but if you stand firmly on god's word if you stand firmly on sound doctrine you have nothing to worry about you see friends today christianity is popular but christianity today is losing its bearings when it flutters away from god's word and thinks that all we need is music and a good feeling and lights and camera and action and emotionalism and by the way there's nothing wrong with any of those things but when they supersede the desire and the need to stand on a thus saith the lord then you're in trouble because jesus didn't sing to the devil in the garden he said it is written he didn't sing to the devil during the time of his temptations he quoted it is written that's our line of defense and what's happening the church is growing backward notice how the apostle paul saw this condition even in the early new testament church look at ephesians chapter 4 verse 14 to 15 and this is why so many churches are lifeless and listless and cannot defend their faith here's what he said that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting but speaking the truth and love may grow up in all things into him who is the head and that is christ jesus is the head praise god for that but he's warning us not to be children now what is a child according to the scriptures look at first corinthians chapter three and verse two what does the bible describe as a child let god's word be our guide here's what we read in the word of god first corinthians chapter three and verse two paul said i fed you with milk and not with solid food for until now you are not able to receive it and even now you are still not able what is he saying how can you be a christian for five years and 10 years and 15 years and 20 years and when the time comes for you to defend your faith you don't even know where it's found in the bible how can a person claim to be following the word of god even reading the word of god but they can only handle milk and not solid food paul is saying well those who only handle milk are unskilled in the word of righteousness they can't handle what's coming their way the church today is suffering from spiritual malnutrition personality regression when you look at the world and all the things around you the number one attempt to that is to get them to forget that god's word the sword of the spirit is the line of defense if you're so caught off guard by the things that are on the news in the media on your ipad on your digital devices the things that are happening around the world the exciting things nothing in and of themselves are per se evil but if those things keep you away from god's word the devil knows i got you because when the time comes to face me on the battlefield you will not be ready a couple of days ago actually about a little more than a week ago i i was invited to go on the internet onto a social media platform and i'm just not really much into social media but i decided well what's the purpose of it somebody said oh this is a social media platform you don't have to show your face just come online and they're discussing particular doctrines and i think you'd like it and they said it's just audio no video i said okay i could do that i'm not ready to go on video anyhow so i got into this social media room i won't tell you what it was and i began to listen and and i found out that in this room there were about a thousand people in this chat room and i was listening as the bible was the focal point of discussion and i was thinking that's not in the scriptures that's not right that's not in the bible but the people that were hosting this platform kept saying well this is what the bible says and i said no no and i was thinking to myself that's not true that's not in god's word but one person after the other after the other was falling by the sword so to speak because the people that were trying to rebuttal it did not know what the bible taught and i listened intently and i thought i got to say something i got to say something i said okay i said okay lord you're going in i'm going in with you and i decided let's go in together and i pray said father use my mind for your honor and your glory and i noticed that about two minutes or so the host of the room would in a very disrespectful way cut off the people asking questions and throw some scriptures and twist it and we'll continue to go on but i noticed more than a thousand people were in that room and i said somebody is listening for the truth somebody is hearing so i got in line i raised my hand that is digitally and i went into the audience chamber where i was eventually going to give given a chance to speak so i was waiting i was waiting my turn i was waiting my turn during the time of waiting i put my scriptures together got my thoughts together and when i went to the platform they said okay brother john you're next and i was given the floor and i said i heard what you said about this particular teaching i heard what you said about that particular teaching but i differ with you and they said what's your question what's your question they were getting ready to cut me off i said well here's my question and i posed my question they answered my question and i said i beg to differ because here's what god's word says and i want to tell you friends for the next 20 minutes to god be the glory for the next 20 minutes i was able to present the truth about god's word i was able to connect one scripture to the other to the other to the other to the other and i thought this is amazing i'm waiting for any moment for them to cut me off and they tried but somebody said don't cut them off let them speak and i continued until about 20 minutes my good friend pastor ivor meyer invited me to come into the platform and i said this is amazing this is amazing and when i was done after 20 minutes i thought to myself wow what do you say and then i remembered hebrews chapter 5 verse 12 to 14. listen to this for though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of god and you have come to need milk and not solid food for everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness for he is a babe but solid food belongs to those who are of full age that is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil and i thought wow praise god by studying god's word i could discern both good and evil and allow god's word my last line of defense to lead somebody to the truth well after i was done they let loose on me so vehemently i disconnected and my good friend called and said go back online i said why this is a terrible platform they're angry he said go back online and i went online and i found out that 47 people decided to follow me and he said these are the people listening to god's word they want to find out what you have to say friends in times like these we need a savior in times like these god is looking for those who will trust his word so as tim plays and as he sings i want you to think about it in times like these is jesus your savior and is his word your last line of defense tim in times like these [Music] we need a savior in times like these you need an anchor be very sure be very sure [Music] your anchor holds and grips the solid rock this rock is jesus yes he's the one this rock is jesus the only one be very sure be very sure your anchor holds and grips the solid [Music] rock in times like these you need the bible in times like these oh be not idle be very sure oh be very sure your anger holds and grips the solid rock [Music] this rock is jesus yes he's the one this rock is jesus the only one be very sure be very sure your anchor holds and grips the solid rock i need to ask you a question today are you so founded on god's word the solid rock on the person of christ jesus have you remained faithful to god's word today [Music] i want to read a scripture to you what jesus said john 17 17 he said to his followers sanctify them listen sanctify them by your truth your word is truth and then in the book darkness before dawn and i like you to see this quote as i close why is god's word so vitally important today friends listen to this none but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the bible will stand through the last great conflict to every soul will come the searching test shall i obey god rather than men the decisive hour is even now at hand are our feet planted on the rock of god's immutable word are we prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of god and the faith of jesus well friends today i'm appealing to you remain faithful to jesus there is no other rock in times like these and the world is crumbling because its rock is is stone its sand and the sands of time are shifting under the foundation of those who have not made god's word their surety remain grounded on the truth of god's word don't be afraid of doctrine but make sure that it points you to jesus make sure that it lines up to a thus saith lord a truth that cannot be shaken though severely tried remain faithful to the proclamation of the first second and third angels message getting the world ready to meet jesus in peace are you at peace tonight with christ do you know him as your savior do you know him as your friend only then my brother and sister will you have a sure line of defense knowing christ believing his word allowing your light to shine to the world and finally make sure that what jesus has said is the converting factor in your life i pray that when jesus comes that line of defense will be your surety and you will meet jesus in peace god bless you [Music] you

Channel: Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN)

Views: 51,758

Rating: 4.847487 out of 5

Keywords: 3ABN, Three Angels Broadcasting Network, yt:quality=high, Worship Hour, John Lomacang, Sermon, bible, live church, christians, god, seventh day adventist, last days, end time, ten commandments, sda, adventist, jesus

Id: KJv8IUEeR3k

Length: 58min 1sec (3481 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 26 2021