Everyone wants joy in life.

On the surface, Paul’s words, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” are some of the simplest in Scripture to read and understand.

But when you scratch beneath the surface, they raise a pile of questions: Is it really possible to rejoice always? What does this mean? Am I supposed to go around with a perpetual smile on my face? Is it a sin to feel depressed or sad? Am I supposed to deny pain or sorrow? How can you command a feeling, anyway? Are these the words of a bubbly, incurable optimist, or what?

Just reading the verse might be depressing, because some people despair of ever being able to do it!

We need to recognize that what Paul commands here is not just a cheerful disposition, which many have by nature, but rather something that requires supernatural power--it is joy in the Lord.

A king is one who has all authority over a kingdom and his subjects.

A king rules and what he speaks is law. The authority is given to him to rule and dictate the law.

His words are backed up by the authority of his kingship. His suggestions are taken very seriously. Simple pronouncements from a king become law. Kings for this reason do not talk flippantly.

We don't have to worry if we love God. He will help us no matter what comes our way.

Multitudes of people in this world are captive to the will of Satan and are in bondage.

They were not born as bad people.

Incidents and the environment they were raised in have shaped their thinking and their actions.

Many are captive and in bondage due to the religious leaders who have not spoken the truth.

• No one ever taught like the Lord Jesus.

• His messages were filled with authority, precious truths and always relevant, including the ones which might wrongly appear to some to be unloving.

• The following verse is an example of this and only found once in the Bible. It can be easily missed. It states the experts (in the law) took away the key to knowledge:

"Woe to you (experts) lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." Luke 11:52

Let me quote what I heard at a Faith Conference:

"No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same, anymore than he can come into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same."

Faith in Jesus Christ will change you!

The power of faith changes the story of a man to His glory. There can be no positive change in life condition and situation without the force of faith.

When it comes to the promises of God, we have the Lord’s guarantee that He will keep every one of them,

"He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was able also to perform." Romans 4:20-21 "In that by two immutable things, in which, it is impossible for God to lie: we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us."Hebrews 6:18; God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"Numbers 23:19.

God will not back away from a single promise He has given His people!

• By the way, you cannot have faith that God will do something for which there is no biblical promise! Prayer and faith are not a blank check!

• Prayer and faith are an opportunity for God’s people to demonstrate their confidence in the written Word of God.

• When God says something in the Word of God, we can have absolute faith that He will do what we ask.

• When we pray outside of the Word of God, we cannot pray in absolute faith because we do not know what God’s will is in that matter.

In order for us as believers to walk in victory we have to know Jesus Christ for who He is, and we have to know who we are "in Him" through what He did for us.

The Warfare of the Believer

I. A Call To Arms

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Eph. 6:10-12

A.”Finally” indicates the close of the epistle, implying also a climax.

1. Note that Paul does not call only fellow apostles, or fellow pastors, or fellow evangelists, to arms, but summons fellow soldiers.

2. The archenemy of Christ is attacking His Body of which the “brethren” are members.

3. No one is exempt from the conflict.

4. He calls every saint to arms. “Not into a religious playground, but into a grim conflict we are called. “

The Warfare of the Believer

I. A Call To Arms

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Eph. 6:10-12

A.”Finally” indicates the close of the epistle, implying also a climax.

1. Note that Paul does not call only fellow apostles, or fellow pastors, or fellow evangelists, to arms, but summons fellow soldiers.

2. The archenemy of Christ is attacking His Body of which the “brethren” are members.

3. No one is exempt from the conflict.

4. He calls every saint to arms. “Not into a religious playground, but into a grim conflict we are called. “

The Walk of the Believer, Part 2

Paul exhorts the Ephesian saints to see to it that their Christian experience, the Christian life they live, should weigh as much as the profession of Christianity which they make. In other words, they are to see to it that they practice what they preach.

The Walk of the Believer, Part 2

Paul exhorts the Ephesian saints to see to it that their Christian experience, the Christian life they live, should weigh as much as the profession of Christianity which they make. In other words, they are to see to it that they practice what they preach.