The 5 Powerful Prayers of Paul

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The faith-filled matriarchs and patriarchs of the Bible all had one thing in common … they prayed powerful prayers. It has been said that Jesus Himself went from the place of prayer to the place of prayer and in between He did miracles. In the best of times and in the worst of times, we read that King David was always talking to God.  

Women like Hannah, Jochebed, Esther, Rahab, Deborah, Martha and even Mary, mother of Jesus, were God-fearing faithful servants who only wanted to know what God wanted them to do. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Noah, Moses, Solomon, Peter, James, and John also experienced the power of prayer.  

After watching Jesus heal the sick and cast out demons, the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray like John the Baptist had taught his followers. Jesus gave them a template to use as their guideline to ensure they covered all of the important bases when they came before God in prayer. We all know it as The Model Prayer of Jesus. 

“Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen”

This is the perfect model prayer we can use to pray for ourselves. But what about when we want to pray for others? 

When God saved Saul of Tarsus, who we know as the Apostle Paul, He called him to be a special messenger to the Gentiles. Much of the New Testament follows the ministry of Paul as he went from city to city preaching and teaching and writing letters under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit, expounding on the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout much of the Gentile world of that day.  

We are fortunate that God moved His hand and by His divine grace preserved many of Paul’s writings so that we continue to have access to them today. In fact, the world has more access to the Holy Scriptures today than ever before in history, including the days in which they were written. We live in a marvelous time for the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The knowledge of the glory of God covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. There is virtually nowhere in the world that can escape the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. People everywhere want to know and can get their hands on the Bible and hear amazing expository preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

One of the reasons why I am writing these notes this evening, just prior to leaving for East Africa in our efforts to expand the Kingdom of God, is so that the thousands of people who search the internet daily will have access to one more opportunity to hear a Word from the Bible. Last month, June 2025, one of our websites where I post a copy of my sermon notes (www.ezsermons.com) was accessed over 33,000 times from countries all around the globe. People are hungry for the Word and for material to share with others. 

This evening I want to simply share something I first studied for myself and preached on in 1980. I had initially heard about these prayers from my pastor, Pastor Dale Burris in a little Baptist Church in Albuquerque, NM, on the 10th of January, 1979. I took notes and wrote them in the back of the Bible my mom had given me. I wrote those notes in pencil and they are almost faded now.  

Pastor Dale only expounded on one of the prayers, which will be our fourth to mention tonight, but he alluded to there being 5 powerful prayers in all. So, tonight’s message is entitled: The 5 Powerful Prayers of Paul. I hope to share a template, not a formula, but a simple example of how you too might pray for those you love and care about. With that in mind, let’s dig in: 

The 5 Powerful Prayers of Paul 

• 1. Enlightenment 
  
• · The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation … 
  
• · To understand the inheritance we have in Christ. 

• ·To know and experience power of God in our lives. 

Ephesians 1  NKJV 

15 ¶  Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 

16  do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 

17  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 

18  the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 

19  and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power … 

• 2. Supernatural Strength 
  
• · That is rooted and grounded in love. 
  
• · And be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Ephesians 3  NKJV 

14 ¶  For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

15  from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

16  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 

17  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height —  

19  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

• 3. Character  
  
• · Filled With the Fruits of Righteousness  
  
• · So that you may be a person with Character … God’s character 
  
• · And keep on growing, discerning things that are excellent. 
  
• · And be sincere and without offense. 
  
• · Character is who you are when no one is looking 

Philippians 1  NKJV 

9 ¶  And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 

10  that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 

11  being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 

• 4. Patient – Joyful – Thankful  
  
• · The very reason we are filled with knowledge and wisdom and spiritual understanding … 
  
• · The very reason we are people of character, righteous before God, walking worthy, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in good words … 
  
• · The very reason why we are given supernatural strength and given access to His glorious power … 
  
• · Is so that we can be patient, joyful and thankful for the inheritance we have in Christ. 

Colossians 1  NKJV 

9 ¶  For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 

10  that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 

11  strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 

12  giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 

• 5. Glorification 
  
• · According to the grace and the calling of God on your life … 
  
• · May Jesus be glorified in you … 
  
• · And may you be glorified in Him. 

2 Thessalonians 1  NKJV 

11 ¶  Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 

12  that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

These prayers represent the heart of God shining through the heart and hopes of the Apostle Paul, a special messenger to the people around him. I pray you too develop a heart of God towards those to whom God has called you. When you pray for others, those in your family, workplace, church, community or those you’ve never yet met around the world in far away places, open your Bible to one or more of these special prayers prayed by Paul and follow along with him and his heart as you pray. 

The model prayer Jesus taught is how we pray for ourselves … these prayers of Paul are how we can pray for others. Why not? It’s nothing short of a Holy Spirit template for us to follow. 

The Divine Call of God

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Jehovah God is a God of signs, wonders, and miracles. And this is a year of miracles. Miracles are things we cannot make happen, but God can. Miracles are gifts from our loving God. God often demands we participate in our miracles. Frankly, every step we take and every breath we breathe is a gift from God.

The greatest miracle awaiting the born-again believer in Jesus Christ will happen just after we breathe our last breath on planet earth. As a Christian, our greatest day is always yet ahead.

Matthew 9:35  Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Note in this verse and also in Matthew 4:23 that Jesus went -

·        Outside of the limits of His own town, Nazareth & Capernaum.

o   To big cities and to small communities.

·        Teaching in “their” synagogues.

o   They were not “His” synagogues, yet He went and taught.

·        Preaching the gospel of the Kingdom.

o   He shared the good news there is a place in life where God rules and reigns supreme.

·        Healing every sickness and every disease …

o   Giving remedies that worked in every situation they faced.

Teaching – Preaching – Healing

        The Greek dictionary clearly defines these three as:

1.   Discussion group settings

·        The Greek: didasko = to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them.

2.   Public Proclamations

·        The Greek: kerusso = To make a proclamation openly after the manner of a public herald.

·        To Cry aloud in the streets.

3.   A Detailed and Specific Regime of Therapy

·        The Greek: therapeuo = to serve or do service in order to assist a cure and restore to health. Jesus was the best therapist ever …

·        If you received therapy and advice from Jesus it might include:

o   Diet – “Give her something to eat.” (Mark 5:43)

§  Fasting, feasting and dietary laws are Bible remedies.

o   Exercise – Bend down; Lift up your bed; and Walk. (John 5:8)

o   Change of Habits – Sin no more. (John 5:14; 8:11)

Proper diet, sufficient exercise, and harnessing habits in line with a godly lifestyle will help to heal most mental and physical health needs. Miracles are available from God to heal the rest. "Don’t worry" is godly advice. A joyful heart is medicine for the soul. Don’t let anger make you sin … and don’t go to bed angry … all advice from God’s Word. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. God wants us to do our part and God will do His. All things are possible for those who believe.

Matthew 9

36 But when Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”

38 “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

The next chapter begins with Jesus sending His disciples out with authority to extend and to continue His ministry in places He had not yet visited. Still today in 2025, Jesus is needing every born-again believer to carry on His mission to the world.

We are the light of the world, and each church is intended to be a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden by the darkness around us. We are called with a great commission to make disciples of all nations by moving outside of the limits of our own town and venture into big cities as well as small communities.

As we go, we offer teaching to those who are willing to listen. We are bold and openly proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom in the public arenas, declaring Jesus as Lord and His coming again.

As well, we encourage people to trust God for healing of their body, souls, and spirits. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we have been authorized to offer spiritual remedies and pray for miraculous intervention by the divine grace of God.

People need the Lord, and souls are ripe for the harvest. Jesus said: “The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Let’s start there … pray with me now!

Faith Works

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James 2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. 

Faith without works is dead … so is the so-called faith that doesn’t work.  

2 Thessalonians 3:2 reveals that not all people have faith.. 

This morning we are going to take a close look at what the Bible says about faith. When faith doesn’t work, it may not be faith. 

Did you know that the word faith is only found two times in the Old Testament? Once in Deuteronomy 32:20 where God talks about a generation in whom there is no faith, and the other is in Habakkuk 2:4 where the prophet declares that the just shall live by their faith. 

Even though the word faith is only found two times in all of the Old Testament, people demonstrating their faith are found on almost every page. The Old Testament is a written account detailing how people proved their faith by what they did during that O.T. period of about 4000 years.  

The writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews gives us a few details concerning some of those Old Testament heroes who lived their faith.   

Hebrews 11 (Truncated) 

4  By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain … 

5  By faith Enoch was taken away because he pleased God. 

7  By faith Noah prepared an ark for the saving of his household … 

8  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called … 

11  By faith Sarah received strength and bore a child… 

17  By faith Abraham offered up Isaac … 

20  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau … 

21  By faith Jacob blessed each of his sons and worshipped … 

22  By faith Joseph gave instructions concerning his bones … 

23  By faith Moses was hidden by his parents … 

24  By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter. 

30  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down. 

31  By faith Rahab the harlot received the spies … 

32ff  Through faith Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, women and others subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of the fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens, received their dead raised to life again and went through terrible torture and hardships and obtained a good testimony … all through faith … 

So you see – faith is the story of the Old Testament. What is faith? We see it active in the lives of our heroes in the Old Testament. However, the New Testament explains exactly what faith really is and what it is not.  

• · Faith is not a feeling that we work up in efforts to push the God button and get what we want. 
  
• · Rather 
  
• · Faith is – “Trust in the Truth.” 
  
• o Without truth, a person cannot have faith. 
  
• o For example:  
  
• § You cannot have faith that there is no God. 
  
• § A person cannot have faith in evolution. 
  
• § Personal beliefs, public opinion, heartfelt desire, collective experiences, or a show of hands will not make something true. 
  
• o God is truth and faith is only found in Him. 
  
• · You see … 

Truth is tangible.  

Hebrews 11:1 ¶  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

• · Substance and evidence. 
  
• · We can know truth. 

Truth is pre-existent.  

• · Jesus is pre-existent 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 

John 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

• · Jesus was pre-existent 
  
• · Man was not pre-existent 
  
• · Truth was pre-existent 
  
• · Therefore Man is subject to truth. Truth is not subject to man. 

Truth is absolute. 

Psalms 119:142 ¶  Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth. 

• · Truth is absolute, not relative.  
  
• · Truth doesn’t change with the times. 
  
• · Faith depends on truth; truth does not depend on faith to be true. 
  
• · Believing something won’t make it true if it was not true beforehand. 

Truth is eternal. 

Psalms 117:2  For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! 

• · Even death cannot escape the truth. 
  
• · Heaven and earth will pass away, but the truth will remain forever. 

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Thy Truth; Thy Word is Truth. 

Faith that works must be based on three essential elements. These three are the foundation stones of truth. The 3 bedrocks of truth are: 

• 1. The Word of God 
  
• 2. The Will of God 
  
• o Our belief does not supersede the will of God. 
  
• 3. The Way of God 

John 4:24  “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  

Placing your bet on the wrong horse will make you a loser every time. Trust God! 

For further study: 

John 15:26 ¶  “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 

John 18:37  Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 

John 18:38  Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. 

Galatians 4:16  Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? 

Hebrews 11 

2  For by faith the elders of Israel obtained a good testimony. 

3  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 

John 8 

31 ¶  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 

32  “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 

Truth is powerful 

Truth is potential

Dynamic Duos (Part VI) Aquila & Priscilla: A Team for Christ

We are finishing our series here in the first service entitled “Dynamic Duos.” We have been looking at influential couples in the Bible. We have looked at: 

• • Adam and Eve 
  
• • Abraham and Sarah 
  
• • Amram and Jochebed 
  
• • Ahab and Jezebel 
  
• • Hosea and Gomer 

Today we are finishing our series by focusing on our final couple of our series, Aquila and Priscilla. We have talked about couples who were influential in their own context. Today, we are going to look at how the influence of Aquila and Priscilla impacted the people around them. In fact, we will see that Aquila and Priscilla were arguably the most influential couple of the early church that are mentioned in the Bible. Let’s talk about this amazing couple found in the NT. 

Who were Aquila and Priscilla? 

Acts 18:1-3 ESV 

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.” 

• • Aquila was a Jew from Pontus; Priscilla was from Italy 
  
• • Together they were a married couple in the NT church 
  
• • Originally from Italy, they traveled to Corinth as part of the Expulsion Edict of Claudius 
  
• • All Jews were ordered to leave Rome, Italy was a part of Rome 
  
• • They were also Christians who worked alongside the Apostle Paul in profession and ministry 
  
• • They were tentmakers by trade, which is most likely how they met Paul 

What were they known for? 

• They were known for their partnership in the gospel with Paul in ministry 

• They were heavily involved in their local church  

Lessons we learn from Aquila and Priscilla: 

• 1. They were faithful wherever they were 
  
• • Aquilla & Priscilla were influential because they were faithful to God no matter where they were 
  
• • They traveled from Italy to Corinth after being expelled 
  
• • They moved from Corinth to Ephesus to help plant a church in Ephesus 
  
• • They moved from Ephesus back to Rome once it was safe to do so 
  
• • No matter where they were, they were faithful in serving God 
  
• • They did not leave their faith behind when they moved, but were missionaries in their everyday life, wherever God called them 
  
• • Paul was able to count on them when it mattered no matter what 
  
  
• - We too can make a difference by being faithful to God where we are 
  
• - The best place to be in life is where God has you right now 
  
• - Can God count on you to do what He needs done? 
  
• - Be faithful where you are in church, at work, with loved ones, in public, etc. 
  
  
• 2. They used their profession to advance the gospel 
  
• • Aquila and Priscilla did not quit their jobs in order to do the work of God 
  
• • They used their work as a launching pad to advance the kingdom of God 
  
• • As tentmakers, they were able to work on the road and travel wherever they needed to go 
  
• • Their profession allowed them to interact with all kinds of people from all walks of life 
  
• • They set aside a part of their income to help fund the work of God 
  
• • Their skill and handiwork would have generated respect from consumers and other trades

• - God is willing and wanting to use our profession and learned trades to advance the gospel 
  
• - We don’t need to quit our jobs in order to do the work of God 
  
• - Instead, we can use our work as a launching pad to accomplish the will of God 
  
  
• 3. They willingly poured into others 
  
• • Acts 18:24-26 NKJV - “Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” 
  
• • Apollos was a very “eloquent man” and was well versed in the scriptures 
  
• • When he arrived in Ephesus he preached with passion, but lacked proper understanding of the scriptures concerning Christ 
  
• • Aquila and Priscilla invited Apollos to their home and taught him “the way of God more accurately” 
  
• • They cared enough to pour the truth into other believers and mentor them along the way 
  
• • They also opened up their home to host a church in order to help shepherd God’s people 
  
• • They may have not been apostles, but they still allowed God to use them in raising up faithful disciples who follow Him 
  
• - We too have been called to raise up faithful followers of Christ  
  
• - We do this by pouring the truth into others believers around us 
  
• - You may not know as much as others, but knowing the most is not the qualification needed to disciple other people 
  
• - The truth you do know (live), you have that to be able to share with others 
  
• - Be willing to pour into other believers and teach them how to faithfully follow the Lord 
  
  
• 4. They were a team for Christ 
  • Aquila and Priscilla are always mentioned together in the Bible

• • Everything they did, they did together (tent making, discipling, teaching, leading, etc) 
  
• • They used their gifts together to become a dynamic duo for Christ 
  
• • They were in sync with God and with one another 
  
• • They supported each other through times of transition (Acts 18:2) 
  
• • Ultimately, the two of them together were a team for Jesus to accomplish His plans 
  
  
• - Together, we can choose to be a team for Christ with our spouse 
  
• - While there are things you and you spouse will do separate, you can many things together 
  
• - Get together and communicate with one another in how you both can be effective for Jesus 
  
• - While it is important to be in sync with God, it is just as important to be in sync with your spouse as well 
  
• - We are a team when we support our spouse through difficulty and transitions in life 

Takeaways: 

• 1. Be faithful where God has you right now 
  
  
• 2. Allow God to use your work/profession 
  
  
• 3. Be willing to pour into others 
  
  
• 4. Team up with God in your marriage 
  

Father’s Day

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Psalms 68:5  A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation. 

Throughout the scriptures we see an undeniable concern voiced by God for children in general but more expressly for those who are without fathers. Fathers are designed and intended to be dominant influencers in the lives of children.  

I often encourage parents to consider they are not raising children but rather they are raising adults. Parents are given a precious and special time in a child’s life when they are totally dependent. This impressionable period called childhood is designed to give time to shape and mold their futures.  

To be raised in a safe and sane environment is God’s hope for every child. I am not suggesting the circumstances necessitating single parent experiences dooms a child to unavoidable failures. However, statistics reveal just how important a father is to a home and to the health of the family. 

According to research published by an organization called No Longer Fatherless: (www.nolongerfatherless.org): 

• · 85% of juveniles in prison come from fatherless homes. 
  
• · 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. 
  
• · 90% of all homeless and runaway children come from fatherless homes. 
  
• · 60% of youth suicides come from fatherless homes. 

In June 2024, AmericaFirstPolicy.com reported that fatherless families are 4X more likely to live in poverty, and girls raised in a fatherless home are 8 times more likely to experience teen pregnancy.  

Studies confirm 1 in 4 children living in the US today live in a home without a father. Not every situation can be settled by simply positioning a man in the household. And it is not always a choice as well as the sad fact that some men simply make things worse.

This morning I don’t intend to direct this message at homes without a father. Rather, today’s message is intended to impact fathers … men who still have a chance to impact the life of a child. Today, I want to talk to fathers and to those of you who are willing to pray for our fathers and encourage them to be what their sons and daughters so desperately need. 

When God could have been anything, He chose to be a Father. God called Jesus His Son, Jesus called God Abba Father. 

Mark 14:36  And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” 

God has chosen to adopt you. He sees you as His children and Himself as your Father. 

Romans 8:15  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 

There is no higher calling than to be like God. The privilege of being in the place and in the position of God is an honor and a gift given to us men by God Himself. If you have been chosen to be a father, you have an image to uphold. Children often imagine God is a whole lot like their daddy. 

No child chooses to be born, and no child chooses their father when they are born. Choosing your father is the individual responsibility of every adult when they come to the age of accountability. The burden of choice sits squarely on every man and every woman. Each person will choose the Father they will honor in life much in the same way they choose to follow either God or the devil.  

Jesus knew the children of God and the children of the devil saying in John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil …” because you are acting just like him. He is a liar and a murderer and you’re more influenced by him than by God. 

Both the spiritual and the natural courses of life follow much the same pattern. Up until the age we begin making our own decisions, our fathers are pretty much given to us without our permission. After the age of accountability, we choose.  

So fathers … if we hope to be chosen and continue to be a father to our children later in life, there are some God qualities we need to have in place in our lives. Here are a few to remind us: 

• · A Father loves his children and tells them so. 
  
• o By what he says. 
  
• o By what he does. 

1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! … 

• o God is proud to call us His children, and He wants everyone to know. 

• · A Father is kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. 

Ephesians 4:32  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. 

• · A Father will never abandon his family. 
  
• o This gives the family such added security. 
  
• o Our children should always be able to depend on us saving them and saving the day.  

Hebrews 13  

5 … For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

6  So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” 

Allow me one moment to speak to children, of which we all are.  

No father wants his children to end up fatherless, but some of that responsibility belongs to the child. 

In Luke 16 the account of the prodigal son shows two children with two different attitudes making life choices. It is important to realize that our choices have consequences not only for us but also for the whole family, both now and for the future. When choosing your father … choose well. 

Choose God first and honor Him, when you agree with Him, and when you don’t.  

And fathers; I leave you with an admonition from the prophet Isaiah: 

Isaiah 1:17  Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

The Litmus Test

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Job 32:8  But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. 

Belief, faith, and trust are choices. Every person has a standard by which they judge and accept truth. For some, proof must come wrapped in science while others are driven by and even willing to fight over their opinions, still others base their beliefs on the experiences they’ve had in life.

We all have qualifying factors by which we judge truth.

I personally think the worst standard people often use to judge truth is that of suspicion. The devil is so adept at creating suspicion. In fact, suspicion was the very thing he used to deceive Eve in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3 gives a detailed account of satan in the form of a serpent planting a seed of suspicion in Eve’s mind concerning God. 

What is your litmus test for truth? 

If the most compelling argument, the most recent review, the latest trend, social issues, political polls or published research makes it true for you … then I bet you own more than one vacuum cleaner, or maybe an abundance of health care products you no longer use, or perhaps a few pieces of cookware that eggs now stick to. Lol 

Smooth talking sales pitches move the world. 

Marketing is a trillion-dollar business in America. Not every consumer is a victim of deceptive advertising. But, if you require proof in the form of scientific research before you believe, get ready … google will listen to your conversations and find just the right You Tube video with loads of evidence in support of your suspicions, whatever they may be. There is evidence it will heal you and evidence it will kill you … take the shot or don’t take the shot??? 

Smooth talking sneaky snakes are aiming to change what you believe about everything from butter to Islam, and they are good at it. The devils of today have learned to present themselves as intelligent, sophisticated, highly educated, very successful and well-groomed authorities on the ideas they wish to promote. And somebody somewhere is getting rich. 

Arguments can however be sincere without being right. Again … The aim of the devil is to influence what you believe. What influences you? What motivates you to believe one voice above another? 

We all make a decision to accept the truth we choose to follow. Whether we are moved by an outside source of information or an inner witness. Something moves us to decide. What does it take to make you believe?  

Today we are going to take our text from the sixth book of the Old Testament, the book of Joshua. I will be reading from chapter one.  

Joshua 1  NKJV 

1 ¶  After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 

2  “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel. 

3  “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 

4  “From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 

5  “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 

6  “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 

7  “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 

8  “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

9  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” 

The first thing we see here, in the life of Joshua, was that Joshua believed God was speaking to him. When a person believes God is speaking to them, a certain undeniable boldness takes root.  

Here are 3 truths I gleaned from our text this morning. Again – trusting the promises of God is a choice. 

• 1. There is a “Due Time!” 
  
• a. We need to know when it is our time and our turn. 
  
• b. Like Joshua … the disciples … Moses … Esther … Mary etc. 
  
• c. There is a time for everything, and we need to understand the time and our current season of life. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) 
  
• d. The Bible says if we humble ourselves in the sight of God, He will exalt us in due time. There is a “due time.” (1 Peter 5:6) 
  
• e. Like David –  
  
• i. There was a time when he was a shepherd. He worked hard to be a good shepherd. 
  
• ii. There was a time when he was an errand boy. He needed to be a good errand boy. 
  
• iii. There was a time when he was a musician … then a soldier … he humbled himself and was a good soldier. 
  
• iv. There was a time when he was a captain of the armies of Israel. He served King Saul with his whole heart. 
  
• v. There was a time when David was the king of Judah only. For 7 years he was a good king of Judah before all Israel accepted him, and God promoted him to be Israel’s king. 
  
• vi. David knew when it was not his time, and he knew when it was his time. How? Because God spoke to him both by God’s word and by God’s Spirit. (The Book of Psalms) 

If it is your time or your turn to be a hamburger flipper at McDonalds, be the best hamburger flipper McDonalds has ever had. It will prepare you and position you and qualify you for promotions from both God and man. 

Know your time and know your turn. 

Joshua served Moses until it was his turn. He wasn’t any smarter in Joshua 1 as he was in Deuteronomy 34 … it was just his time and his turn.

 There is a “due time.” 

• 2. Embrace the promises and the plan of God for your life. 
  
• a. Remember the prophecies which have gone on before you that by them you might war a good warfare. (1 Timothy 1:18) 
  
• b. “Every place on which your foot shall tread, I have given you for an inheritance.” 
  
• c. “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. 
  
• d. Lay claim to the promises of God. Stand on the promises … 
  
• 3. The promises of God are conditional. 
  
• a. Joshua’s promise from God was contingent on him being strong and courageous. 
  
• b. He could not be dismayed or quit. 
  
• c. In order to be successful and prosper in the work and will of God, Joshua was going to have to learn and meditate on the scriptures God gave to Moses … the Bible. 
  

The Holy Spirit will take the promises of God and override the subtle lies and smooth deceptions the devil tries to prove. God uses the anointing of the Holy Spirit that is inherent on the Word of God to cleanse our hearts and minds when we choose to believe. 

John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 

Remember, belief, faith, and trust are choices. Romans 4 says that Abraham chose to believe God – he persuaded himself to trust God above his knowledge, above his experiences, and above what others believed. We continue this day to live as beneficiaries of the choice Abraham made to believe God and take Him at His word. 

You do not have to fall victim to every sneaky snake selling their brand of truth. Make a decision and take a stand. 

What you believe and your source of truth is a choice … choose wisely. Make the Bible your most trusted litmus test!