Thursday, February 9, 2012

VCA Spirit Week---Spiritual Warfare---Sermons by Derek Chirch and Rick Jones

Spiritual warfare is real.  We do not wrestle against our circumstances, our enemies, our jobs, or even ourselves.  We fight against the evil one---Satan---and his forces of darkness.  



How do we stand in the spiritual battle?  Rick Jones explains that we must put on the armor of God and then we stand in the strength of the Lord.



Why are so many Christian men so apathetic about their faith?  Why must we so often rely on women to be the passionate leaders in our ministries?  Even men who recognize spiritual warfare and put on the armor of God can be missing something.  What is missing?  The battle cry of the warrior God!


Once we are equipped and are stirred to passionate action, we still must stand in the might of the Lord.  Ultimately, God will be the One to win the spiritual battles we face.



The concluding message of VCA's spirit week---a conversational sermon.  We talk about what it really means to be a man of God and what influences have shaped us as men of God.  At the end of the service, we commissioned 50+ young men to be warrior's for God and they signed the following pledge:



Today, before God, my peers and my teachers
I make a commitment to live as a warrior for God
A man of integrity, strength, service and love
I resolve today to do what is right
To act with integrity in everything I do
Even when it hurts
And even when no one is watching
I resolve today to speak truth
To encourage my friends and family
To refrain from tearing others down
And to share the love of God with the world
I resolve today to grow as a leader
And accept the  mantle of responsibility He has placed on me
Both in the present with my peers and family
And the in the future with my wife and children
I resolve to support my brothers in Christ
I will hold them accountable to do what is right
I will be open with them about my struggles
And I will lift them up in daily prayer and encouragement
I resolve today to put my relationship with God first
I will hide God’s word in my heart daily
I will seek to know Him through prayer
Living as a true warrior for Jesus Christ

God, we pray that you will help us to hold to this pledge...raise up these young men to be the fathers, husbands, leaders and ministers that are so desperately needed in these evil days.

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