1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: Let us pray. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: when wilt thou comfort me? Psalm one, nineteen eighty two. Father, 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: there are times when my days are darkened with sorrow, 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: and my eyes fail to see the hope of your promises. 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, and it feels like 6 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: my life is falling apart. I wonder where you are 7 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: and when you will comfort me. When will you restore 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: your presence and draw near to me? When I am 9 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: in the midst of my personal battle fields, It's easy 10 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: to lose hope. I can't help but wonder how our 11 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: brave men and women in the armed services stay strong 12 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: in the midst of their battles. To day is Memorial Day, 13 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: and I want to pray for all those who are 14 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: on physical battle fields in foreign countries all across the world. 15 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: Comfort all those who feel alone and are fighting spiritual 16 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: battles in these dark places. Lift their burdens and lighten 17 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: their loads as they serve our country, Guard them and 18 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: protect them as they are willing to make the ultimate 19 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: sacrifice for our freedom. Bless them, Lord Jesus, and give 20 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: them hope in knowing that you hear their prayers and 21 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: will never forsake them. Touch them with your love to 22 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: day and refresh them with your presence. Comfort them Lord 23 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: with your peace, and comfort their families who wait anxiously 24 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: for their return in Jesus name. 25 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: Amen. 26 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to to day's daily prayer for 27 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: more inspiration and an incredible message from our feature pastor. 28 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: Stay tuned to pray dot COM's Sunday service. 29 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 3: Welcome to Pray dot COM's Sunday service sponsored by Altrue 30 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 3: health Share. Follow this podcast and listen weekly to receive 31 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 3: godly wisdom and practical advice for daily living. Stay tuned 32 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 3: for Sunday service coming up after a quick word from 33 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 3: our sponsors. There's an innovative, better way to find healthcare. 34 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 3: We're our True a health Share, an affordable and flexible 35 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 3: way to take care of your family. We're a community 36 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 3: of like minded, health conscious individuals who share in each 37 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 3: other's medical needs, and you can customize your healthcare your way. 38 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 3: With ol True health Share. You can build your membership 39 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 3: based on your season of life and your family's needs. 40 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 3: Head to my share dot org to find out more. 41 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 3: That's my share dot org. Altru a health share where 42 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 3: we care for one another. 43 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 2: So good to be here with you on this Memorial 44 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 2: Day weekend. 45 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 4: Here we are on this what I would consider holy 46 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 4: ground here in Hawaii, on this historic landscape right here 47 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 4: of the USS Arizona behind me. We are here on 48 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 4: Ford Island, in the middle of Pearl Harbor, in beautiful 49 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 4: Hawaii for this Memorial Day weekend. And as we are 50 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 4: celebrating and thanking God for those who have paid the 51 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 4: ultimate sacrifice with their lives, we have to understand that 52 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 4: what we are standing on and what we are looking 53 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 4: at right here at this moment, is a result of 54 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 4: people who've sacrificed their lives. On December seventh, nineteen forty one, 55 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 4: America was thrust into a second theater of war. We 56 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 4: were already fighting on one end with our allied forces 57 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 4: with Great Britain and led by Winston Churchill, and at 58 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 4: that time we were fighting against Adolph Hitler and the 59 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 4: Third Reich and the terror that they were bringing to 60 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 4: that continent that killed over six million Jews. They were 61 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 4: taking over and they were headed into Great Britain. But meanwhile, 62 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 4: back in nineteen forty one or December seventh, America was. 63 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 2: Caught off guard. 64 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 4: We were caught off guard because we had no idea 65 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 4: that they were actually planning a surprise attack. And when 66 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 4: the Japanese came in nineteen forty one to December seventh, 67 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 4: they totally decimated the. 68 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 2: United States Navy. 69 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 4: But what I love about our country is we got 70 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 4: right back up and started fighting all over again. Now 71 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 4: here we are, over twenty four hundred people died here 72 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 4: during this moment. At that time, I think over nine 73 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 4: hundred men have lost their lives who are buried there 74 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 4: right here in the Arizona Memorial. But what I know 75 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 4: is this, there always will be wars, and there always 76 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 4: will be times that you and I are going to 77 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 4: be battling. Now we may not be in a physical 78 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 4: war at this moment, but what we are in is 79 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 4: a spiritual war. So when we are always in this 80 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 4: spiritual battle, whether it's COVID crisis or on any other 81 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 4: crisis that you might be going to right now, I 82 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 4: want you to know and be rest assured that God. 83 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 2: Is with you. God is absolutely with you. Now. If 84 00:04:58,279 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 2: I think of anybody in. 85 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 4: The Bible was such a great warrior, a man of 86 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 4: war but also a man of peace, David immediately comes 87 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 4: to my mind. 88 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 2: David was a great warrior for God. He was a king. 89 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 4: But also we have to remember that David started while 90 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 4: he was a teenager. God anointed him and used him 91 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 4: to take out Goliath. But at that moment, more than 92 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 4: anything ever, I mean at that moment, if David could 93 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 4: ever have thought what God was going to do in 94 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 4: his life, that he would eventually become the king of Israel, 95 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 4: it would have absolutely blown his mind. Now, some of us, 96 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 4: right now you're watching this and you've logged on and 97 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 4: you have no idea what God wants to do with 98 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 4: your life. You might be in your room, you might 99 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 4: be on a computer, looking at your smartphone and watching 100 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 4: church and being a part of this. But I want 101 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 4: you to know that this crisis will not last forever. 102 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 2: This too shall pass. 103 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 4: But if I were to look back in one of 104 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 4: the most difficult times of David's life, it was not 105 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 4: when he was king, and it was not when he 106 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 4: was a teenager. It was in that middle battle between 107 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 4: coronation and the call. It is in those seasons of 108 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 4: my life in your life, when we realize that even 109 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:08,239 Speaker 4: though the prayers are not answered immediately, God is still 110 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,799 Speaker 4: working and he is still moving on our behalf somebody 111 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 4: say amen. I'm gonna amen myself, amen, because nobody else 112 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 4: is here to amen me. But when we look at this, 113 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 4: I want you to turn your bibles to first Choanuel, 114 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 4: chapter twenty seven. I want you to I want you 115 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 4: to see this with me. David is older, he has 116 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 4: been on the run for many years by now. He 117 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 4: went from a teenager to a young man. And the 118 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 4: Bible tells us that all these men started to follow David, 119 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 4: all these men who are discontent, who were in debt 120 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 4: and were distressed. 121 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 2: Is what the Bible says. 122 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 4: Anybody ever feeling discontent lately, anybody finding themselves in debt 123 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 4: because of unemployment, or because of beIN shopping on Amazon 124 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 4: or whatever it is. Anybody ever find themselves in a 125 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 4: distressing time or these were the kinds of men that 126 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 4: God would bring to David, and David began to mold 127 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 4: them and shape them, and they became an incredible fighting force. 128 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 4: But now King Saul, if you remember, was pursuing David, 129 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 4: coming after David. 130 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 2: But David, because he was. 131 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 4: So honorable, never took the opportunity to take Saul out. 132 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 4: He had two opportunities to kill Saul, and he didn't 133 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 4: do it. So he was literally on the run. And 134 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 4: while he was on the run, can you imagine of 135 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 4: all the battles that he had fought. Fatigue started to 136 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 4: set in, Loneliness started to arrive, and all of these 137 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 4: different emotions began to wear on David. And the Bible 138 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 4: tells us in First Samuel, chapter twenty seven, verse one, 139 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 4: But David kept thinking to himself, someday Saul is going 140 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 4: to get me. The best thing I can do is 141 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 4: escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for 142 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 4: me in Israelite territory. 143 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 2: And I will be safe. 144 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 4: David decided that he needed to get out of Israelite territory. 145 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 2: Now think about that for a moment. 146 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 4: He was leaving Israelite territory to go into Philistine territory 147 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 4: where he actually felt he would be safe. But the 148 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 4: Bible says that David kept thinking to himself. This message 149 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 4: is entitled when you're in a law long term battle, 150 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 4: When you're in a long term battle, not a short 151 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 4: term battle, but a long term battle. Because I believe 152 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 4: we're in a long term battle right now. This is 153 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 4: not something short We thought, what two weeks shut down? 154 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 2: Okay? 155 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 4: Then it went from two weeks to four weeks, from 156 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 4: four weeks to two months. Everybody, we're in a long 157 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 4: term battle. This thing is not over. We'll slowly roll 158 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 4: in all over again, but it's not going to be 159 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 4: the same for a while. So we're in a long 160 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 4: term battle. And David was in long term battles. And 161 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 4: that's why I find it really interesting that the Bible 162 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 4: says that David kept thinking to himself, when you're in 163 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 4: a long term battle. Come on, everybody, the first thing 164 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 4: that you gotta do is you got to have the 165 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 4: right thinking. You have to have right thinking, because we're 166 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 4: all in a battle. I want you to know that, 167 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 4: even though you may not think that we're in a war, 168 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 4: you're in a war right now. 169 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 2: And it's a spiritual war. 170 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 4: The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter six that for 171 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 4: we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against 172 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 4: evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty 173 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 4: powers in the dark world, against evil spirits in heavenly places. 174 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 4: So we're not fighting against another human being. The real 175 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 4: enemy is not the enemy. The enemy is not the enemy. 176 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 4: The real enemy is the enemy behind the enemy, and 177 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 4: that's the devil, Satan, our adversary, and he is the 178 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 4: one that is waging war against the Saints and against 179 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 4: this world. And so you have to have right thinking 180 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 4: because we are in a battle, no doubt about it. 181 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 4: So when you have right thinking, because David kept thinking 182 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 4: to himself, when you have right thinking, you begin to 183 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 4: think correctly, you begin to have sound judgment. And David, 184 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 4: I believe, lost his sound judgment. But who could blame him. 185 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,559 Speaker 4: He was exhausted from being on the run, possibly PTSD, 186 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 4: possibly exhaustion and running for his life. And I can 187 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 4: imagine David being extremely tired at this time, and he 188 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 4: kept thinking to himself. So the question is why was 189 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 4: he thinking? Why was he not talking Because the people 190 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 4: that would be talking to him were not with him anymore. 191 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 4: His spiritual advisor, his name was Samuel, the prophet, was 192 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 4: not with him anymore. He had died, And so David 193 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 4: started thinking to himself. Now, I want you to see something. 194 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 4: It's very dangerous for us to isolate ourselves in our 195 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 4: own thoughts. It's important for us to keep on talking. Now, 196 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 4: if you're in a dark place at this moment, if 197 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 4: you're struggling that this war is going on, between your 198 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,200 Speaker 4: two ears, and the war is waging raging inside of 199 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 4: your head. 200 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: The enemy has waged a war against you in your head. 201 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 4: Then you've got to get people that can help you 202 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 4: to think correctly. And in fact, the best thing that 203 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 4: you can do to think correctly is to talk it 204 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 4: out with people who are godly, who know the Lord, 205 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:37,719 Speaker 4: and to read the word of God, to get your 206 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 4: mind right, to start thinking the right way. Somebody say, amen, 207 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:42,839 Speaker 4: it's one of the most critical things that we can do. 208 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 4: But David, he was running from Saul. He was exhausted, 209 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 4: and he was not in a good place. We've got 210 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 4: to get ourselves into a good place, because when we're 211 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 4: in a good place, we get right thinking. The second 212 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 4: thing that we notice about David was he went with 213 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 4: King Akish of Gath of the Philistines. 214 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 2: Think about this for a moment. 215 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 4: The Philistines, everybody he made an unholy alliance with the 216 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 4: king of the Philistines. Now, who is one of the 217 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 4: biggest Philistines we knew about. 218 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 2: His name was Goliath. 219 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 4: So David basically jumped teams and went onto the other 220 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 4: side to fight with the Philistines in order to get 221 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 4: away from Sault. Right thinking can lead us to probably 222 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 4: the best thing that we can do is have divine alliances. 223 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 4: David did not have a divine alliance. This alliance was 224 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 4: not good for David. In fact, David started to do 225 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 4: very questionable things with his life as a result of 226 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 4: these alliances. So you've got to get good alliances in 227 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 4: your life, good people around you, your connect group. 228 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 2: Or people that who know God. And you need good alliances. 229 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 4: As a matter of fact, I believe that a good 230 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:53,959 Speaker 4: alliance is attached to your assignment. 231 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 2: Let me put it in another way. 232 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 4: Your assignment is dependent upon your alliance and whoever you 233 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 4: are aligned with, it's going to help your destiny. So 234 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 4: you've got to find divine alliances. David need to break 235 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 4: loose from this unholy alliance that he had so that 236 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 4: God could could help him ascend to the throne the 237 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 4: way that he intended David. 238 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 2: To be the king over all of Israel. 239 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 4: Now you got to think this, for a moment, it 240 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 4: was twenty seven years will have gone by from the 241 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 4: moment that David was killed Goliath and the moment that 242 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 4: David became the king of all of Israel. Twenty seven years. 243 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 4: But now number one, we need right thinking. Number two, 244 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,959 Speaker 4: we need divine alliances. And here's number three. Number three, 245 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 4: we need sound counsel. Sound counsel. You've got to be 246 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 4: careful where you get your advice from. You've got to 247 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 4: be listening to people who actually have been there and 248 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 4: done that and can help you on your journey with life. 249 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 2: We need sound counsel. 250 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 4: The Bible says in Proverbs eleven, verse fourteen that where 251 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,559 Speaker 4: there is no counsel, the people fall. No counsel, the 252 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 4: people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. 253 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 4: So we need to have a multitude of counselors in 254 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 4: our lives in order for us to fight these long 255 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 4: term battles. And it's a long term battle. You need 256 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 4: what great alliances. You need sound advice, and you need 257 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 4: right thinking. And when we bring in people who have 258 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 4: sound advice, I'm so thankful for people that I can 259 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 4: call that have got great advice. I can call Pastor 260 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 4: Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands, He's got incredible advice. 261 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 2: I'm grateful for that alliance. 262 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 4: I can call Pastor Roger Archer, Shane Baxter, Jendiah Thurner, 263 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 4: all of these people. 264 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 2: I'm aligned with. 265 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 4: We've got great alliances, great great advice, and great counsel. 266 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 2: I think that's what we need. 267 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 4: It's rare that I ever make a decision strictly on 268 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 4: my own, even in our own church. I'm bouncing it 269 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 4: off of Lisa, I'm bouncing it off of staff. I'm 270 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 4: taking it to our board, to our church council. There 271 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,559 Speaker 4: is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. And the thing 272 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 4: that I've learned is if I'm the smartest man in 273 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 4: the room, we in trouble, everybody we are in trouble. 274 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 4: I'm smart, but sometimes, most of the time, I'm not 275 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 4: the smartest guy in the room. So I'm grateful for 276 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 4: all of the people that have input into my life. 277 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 2: David needed that at a. 278 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 4: Critical juncture and a critical moment in his life. But 279 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 4: now things begin to shift, and they're actually going to 280 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 4: shift in David's favor, because it's actually going to get 281 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 4: worse before it gets better. 282 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 2: So King Akish decides. 283 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 4: In chapter twenty eight and twenty nine that David can't 284 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 4: can't ride with him. They were rid or die friends 285 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 4: for a moment, and then all of a sudden, King 286 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 4: Akish's man said, we don't like David. We're afraid of him. 287 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 4: He's an incredible warrior. He took out Goliath. Why is 288 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 4: he riding with us? Do you think he wants to 289 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 4: earn brownie points by hurting us in order to put 290 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 4: himself in the good. 291 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: Graces of Saul. 292 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 4: So Akis says, Oh, David, I'm sorry, David, you got 293 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 4: to go back, and David is disappointed. Can I tell 294 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 4: you that sometimes the denial that you are receiving is 295 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 4: actually a gift from God. The denial that you're getting 296 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 4: could actually be a gift from God because the unholy 297 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 4: alliance that he was making, or the wrong alliance, it 298 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 4: could be a holy wrong alliance. And he was going 299 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 4: in that direction. But as he's headed in that direction, 300 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 4: he gets rejected. And in his rejection, Oh yeah, he's 301 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 4: offended as he's walking away. 302 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 2: But God was doing something. 303 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 4: God was getting him back to the scene of the crime. Well, 304 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 4: while he was fighting on one front, he was being 305 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 4: attacked on the other and he didn't even know it. 306 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 4: It's the same thing that happened to us in World 307 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 4: War Two. In World War two, we were all the 308 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 4: way in Europe, putting all our eggs in that basket, 309 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 4: preparing for the day that we might enter into a war. 310 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 4: But that's exactly what happened on Sunday morning at seven 311 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 4: fifty five am. 312 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 2: We were unaware. 313 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 4: When we were attacked by the Imperial Army or the 314 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 4: Imperial Navy of Japan. Now, thank God that today we 315 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 4: are at peaceful terms and allies with Japan and with Germany. 316 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 4: But back then, guys, seventy eight years ago, seventy nine 317 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 4: years ago, back then, everybody, it was not that that 318 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 4: was not the case, and we were. 319 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 2: Caught off guard, much like David was caught off guard. 320 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 4: David was unaware what was happening to his men's women, 321 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 4: his wives, is, the children, all of them. 322 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 2: And then the Bible says that. 323 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 4: As they began to turn back, they began to realize 324 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 4: exactly what was taking place. For Samuel, chapter thirty first one, 325 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 4: it says three days later, when David and his men 326 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 4: arrived at their town of Zicklag, they found that the 327 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 4: Amalekites had made a raid into the negative and. 328 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 2: Zicklag, and they had crushed Zicklag and burned it to 329 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 2: the ground. 330 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 5: They had carried off the women and the children and 331 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 5: everyone else, but without killing anyone, And when David and 332 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 5: his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened 333 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 5: to their families, they. 334 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 2: Wept until they could weep no more. 335 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 4: David's two wives, Ahino went from Jezreel and Abigail, the 336 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 4: widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured. And 337 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 4: David was now in great danger because all his men 338 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 4: were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and 339 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 4: they began to talk of stoning him. 340 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 2: Can you see the scene now? 341 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 4: Now they're heading back, and as they get back, they 342 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 4: see their town burned to the ground. All their wives 343 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 4: and children are gone, and they're missing. And then when 344 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 4: they come upon these ruins, when they come upon the 345 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 4: scene of the crime, coming over the hill and they 346 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 4: begin to see this, you can imagine the fear that 347 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 4: ran through these men as they run through tents and 348 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 4: run through houses and find nobody there. They're gone, fires 349 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 4: still burning, something still on the stove, and then they 350 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,640 Speaker 4: realize that the people that they love the most, they're 351 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 4: no longer there at this moment. 352 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 2: Have you ever been there before? 353 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 4: Have you ever been and found yourself in a situation 354 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 4: that you've been so desperate that that you cried till 355 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,479 Speaker 4: you could cry no more. David's men wept till they 356 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 4: could weep no more. 357 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:46,439 Speaker 2: That's exactly what happened. 358 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 4: These grown warriors were so grieved by the missing of 359 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:54,959 Speaker 4: their wives and children that they were all cried out. 360 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 2: Now. I don't know where you are right now at 361 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:57,679 Speaker 2: this time. 362 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 4: I don't know if you've cried all your tears once before, 363 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 4: or maybe right now that you can't cry anymore that 364 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 4: I don't know if you're in a place right now 365 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 4: that maybe one day for future reference, Thank you, Mike. 366 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 4: One day I'll remember this, this is for me, or 367 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 4: maybe you are there right now at this moment, there's 368 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 4: something that is totally out of your control. You can't 369 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,239 Speaker 4: make a decision because your decision doesn't mean anything at 370 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,679 Speaker 4: this time. These are those times where David would do 371 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 4: something that you and I. 372 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 2: Really have to do. 373 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 4: It's in those times that we are at our lowest, 374 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 4: at the darkest place that we are, and David's men 375 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 4: wanted to kill him. His own men that came to him. 376 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 4: David didn't recruit nobody. They all came to David. And 377 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 4: now when they see what happens now they got to 378 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 4: look for somebody, and somebody is going to be held 379 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 4: responsible for this. 380 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 2: So what are they doing. 381 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 4: They're looking for payback and they're looking for somebody to 382 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 4: bear the brunt of the responsibility. So who's the easiest 383 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 4: target at this time, your leader, it's David. And the 384 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 4: Bible says that they all talked amongst themselves about killing days, 385 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 4: about stoning him. But then the most important thing began 386 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 4: to happen when he was in that dark place, when 387 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 4: he was being attacked, when he was being singled out. 388 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 4: The Bible tells us that David strengthened himself in the 389 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 4: Lord his God. David strengthened himself. And that's the other 390 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,640 Speaker 4: thing that we do when we are fighting a long 391 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 4: term battle. Yeah, no doubt, man, you're gonna have to 392 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 4: have alliances and right thinking and sound counsel. But ultimately 393 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 4: you and I have to strengthen ourselves in the Lord 394 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 4: because nobody's gonna do it for us. 395 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 2: Nobody's gonna strengthen us. At the end of the day. 396 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 2: We have to strengthen ourselves in the Lord, our God. 397 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 2: So how do you strengthen yourself in the Lord your God. 398 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 2: You get alone with God. 399 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 4: Get you put your praise on, your best praise music on. 400 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 4: You do anything that you can do to lift your spirits. 401 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 4: You're putting worship on, You're in the you're in the moment. 402 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 4: You're no problem. You're on your knees, you're worshiping to 403 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 4: the you're worshiping the Lord, You're in prayer. It is 404 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 4: at this moment that you begin to what you begin 405 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 4: to do what David is. David told Abiathar, the priest, 406 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 4: give me the ephod in other words, give me the 407 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 4: priest league garment. I'm gonna strengthen myself and the Lord, 408 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 4: my God, and I'm gonna give me the priestly garment. 409 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 4: And he puts on the priest's garment, the garment of praise, 410 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 4: the garment of prayer, the garment of worship. And he 411 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 4: took responsibility because instead of David blaming somebody else, David said, 412 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 4: I got this, God, me and you, we got this. 413 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:26,199 Speaker 4: I'm gonna strengthen myself in you. And he ended up 414 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,199 Speaker 4: going from I love to say this, don't steal it 415 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 4: from me. 416 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 2: He likes to go. 417 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 4: He went from priestmode to beast moode, from priestmode to 418 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 4: beist mode. And there are gonna be times that you 419 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 4: got to be the priest of your house. If your 420 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 4: spouse is not standing up, you have to be the 421 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 4: priest of your home at that moment. And this is 422 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 4: how we fight these long term battles. If you're expecting 423 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,399 Speaker 4: somebody to stand up and fight for us, babe, can 424 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:51,719 Speaker 4: you fight for us then if they're not fighting at 425 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 4: that moment, because they might be in a bad place, 426 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 4: this is when you stand up, and we stand up, 427 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 4: and we get ourselves into a good place, and we 428 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:04,159 Speaker 4: end up going from priestmote to bestmote and we start praying. 429 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 4: And David strengthened himself in the Lord, his God, and 430 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,360 Speaker 4: then what begins to happen is the men rally around him, 431 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 4: and the Bible begins to tell us that they rallied 432 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:17,160 Speaker 4: around him so great that they found the Amalekites. 433 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 2: And it says in verse eighteen that David. 434 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 4: Got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued 435 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 4: his two wives. Nothing was missing small or great son 436 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 4: or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David 437 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,959 Speaker 4: brought everything back, and he also recovered all the flocks 438 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 4: and their herds, and his men drove them ahead of 439 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 4: the other livestock. 440 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 2: And this plunder belongs to David. 441 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 4: They said, now they're gonna like, now David is king again, 442 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 4: right now, David is their man. 443 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 2: So what did they do? They had a fought for unity. 444 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 2: They had a fought for unity. 445 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 4: And you know, there's gonna be times that you're gonna 446 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 4: have to fight for unity, fight for unity in your family, 447 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,399 Speaker 4: fight for unity at your job, fight for unity on 448 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 4: your church, because unity just doesn't happen. And when when 449 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 4: you fight for unity and you work towards reconciliation and 450 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 4: you work toward unity, God commands the blessing with unity. 451 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 2: And they had to fight for it. These men had been. 452 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 4: Through battles before, but now the biggest battle was raging 453 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:16,400 Speaker 4: among them, and it was the infighting. 454 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 2: At that moment, they were gonna fight. They were gonna 455 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 2: actually kill David. But they fought for unity. 456 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 4: And through this that God answered David and told David 457 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 4: what to do. Because David strengthened himself in the Lord 458 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 4: his God. And then they fought for unity. Men, let 459 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,640 Speaker 4: me tell you there are four Hebrew children who fought, 460 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 4: three Hebrew children that fought for unity, and their unified 461 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 4: decision not to bow down in the Book of Daniel 462 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 4: to the carved image, to the image of Nebukanezer and 463 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 4: worship him. They did not bow down to that, they 464 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 4: would not worship the idol. And they were thrown into 465 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 4: the fire, and their fire was ten times hotter. But 466 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 4: they were not burned because why because their unity together 467 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 4: brought the fourth man into the furnace, and that was 468 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 4: the son of Man, Jesus Christ was in the fire 469 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 4: with him. The Bible says that how good and pleasant 470 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 4: it is when brothers dwell together in unity. That's where 471 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,200 Speaker 4: God commands the blessing. And that's what he did when 472 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 4: we dwell together in unity. When we fight for unity, 473 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 4: God brings a blessing. Come on, somebody, we gotta fight 474 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 4: for unity. We gotta fight for a relationship. And here's 475 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 4: the fourth one, actually the sixth point, and this is 476 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 4: it is this is it. If you're gonna fight your 477 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 4: long term battle and you're gonna come out winning on 478 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:31,400 Speaker 4: the other end, it's number six. You gotta have superior weaponry. 479 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 2: Superior weaponry. Prayer is your weapon. 480 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 4: As a matter of fact, it's the way we fight 481 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 4: back is through prayer. As a matter of fact, it 482 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 4: is forged in fire, and when it's hotter, the hotter 483 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 4: it gets, the hotter the. 484 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 2: Adversity, the more difficult things are. 485 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 4: These are those times when you get strengthened in your faith. 486 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 4: It is those times that you fight for it and 487 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 4: you fight through it and you begin to come out 488 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 4: on the other end. But it's in these times. Weapons 489 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 4: are your prayers. Because if the Bible says that the 490 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,439 Speaker 4: devil is throwing his fiery darts at us, that we 491 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 4: got to have that shield of faith up, that we 492 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 4: have to hit back. 493 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 2: How do we hit back? We strike back with the 494 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 2: sword of the spirit, and we strike back through prayer. 495 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 4: I firmly believe that it's prayer has been able to 496 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 4: help us to turn this pandemic curve around. 497 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 2: Flattening the curve through prayer. 498 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 4: A national day of prayer was called two months ago 499 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 4: to turn back this nation back to the Lord. And 500 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 4: as we on this Memorial Day turn our sights and 501 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 4: our hearts back toward God, we memorialize and we remember 502 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 4: everything Jesus Christ did for us, and the greatest weapon 503 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 4: he gave to us was the weapon of prayer. And 504 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 4: as we fight this long term battle, you know what, 505 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 4: You're not alone. You're not all by yourself fighting this battle. 506 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 4: There are thousands in Hawaii and there are millions throughout 507 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:00,360 Speaker 4: the earth that are fighting the same enemy and are 508 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 4: fighting the same battle, and we are fighting together, and 509 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 4: we're fighting for you, and we're fighting with you as 510 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 4: you fight for us, and you fight with us. God 511 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 4: is in our midst Come on, whatever we're going through. 512 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 4: Even if this slowly opens, it's still going to be 513 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 4: a long term battle. But we're gonna make it. We're 514 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 4: gonna come out on the other end. I told the 515 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 4: church on Wednesday night. We may have gone through the fire. 516 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 4: We're not gonna smell like smoke, but we're gonna smell 517 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 4: like roses. We're gonna come out smelling like a rose 518 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,120 Speaker 4: when this is done. Because why because God is with us. 519 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 4: God is with you, He loves you. He's here to 520 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 4: strengthen you, and he's here to bless you and to keep. 521 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 2: You strong in this time. 522 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 4: The best thing we can do is live our lives 523 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 4: in an obedient fashion to the Lord, so that when 524 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 4: we are fighting on one end, we are never surprised 525 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,920 Speaker 4: on the other. Because why, because we are sons and 526 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 4: daughters of the most high, that nothing should surprise us anymore. 527 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 4: So let's be alert, let's be vigilant, let's be on 528 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 4: the lookout, and let's stay clear, think clear, and. 529 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 2: Let's just live this life with love and without fear. 530 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 2: In the name of Jesus. 531 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:13,359 Speaker 4: Has used common sense, but without fear in Jesus name. Amen, 532 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 4: thank you, it's been great being with you on this 533 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 4: Memorial Day weekend. 534 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 2: Don't go away. We've got lots more for you. 535 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 4: So may the Lord bless you, keep you, causes face 536 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,679 Speaker 4: to shine upon you, turn his countenance toward you, and 537 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 4: grant you peace in the name of Jesus. 538 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,959 Speaker 6: The podcast The Bible in a Year with Jack Graham 539 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 6: is a moving and inspiring Biblical audio experience that will 540 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 6: help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In 541 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 6: each episode, you'll learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. 542 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 6: Each cinematic episode is a journey through the Bible's most 543 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 6: profound stories that will strengthen your appreciation of the Word 544 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 6: and inspire you to keep polarity. Listen to The Bible 545 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 6: in a Year with Jack Graham on the iHeartRadio app 546 00:26:56,040 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 6: or wherever you get your podcasts.