At War - Week 1

Countdown Video

Thank you for joining Faith Vision Christian Ministries

Where We Walk by faith! Not by Sight

Faith Vision is a Christian church, based on the Word of God.

We are a training ground for all things Jesus Christ.

loving God, Loving People living by faith

Thank you for joining us today,

Please set everything aside as we come to God in Prayer this morning under the anointing and the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Faith Vision Family Please welcome each otheronline

Faith Vision Christian Ministries Announcements

Blessings and Thank you for those that are helping us stay current with Faith Vision’s Monthly Financial Obligations

Faith Vision is now using donations for St Jude Children’s Hospital and American Heart Association.

2 Corinthians 9:7–8 (NKJV)

7. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

8. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

If you would like to Make a Tax deductible donation to the ministry: mail it to the Church address. (All donations go to Faith Vision Christian Ministries)

Please mail it to: 10950 Arrow Route, #3662 - Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729

Faith Vision’s Zelle acount is: [e-mail]

Please remember, when giving by Zelle, the church account is under our email, not the phone#

Please “Follow” & “like” our Church page and leave Questions and comments

Faith Vision Christian Ministries is available on Facebook and YouTube.

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel YouTube/@ DocDewberryLIVE

If you have a prayer request, or need to talk to someone confidentially, The Pastor is available

You can message the Pastor at [e-mail]

At the end of the teaching we will be taking prayer requests

Add to your calendars*

Please join us each Thursday night at 7:00 pm. conference phone number. # [phone] access code 896791

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Happy National Hispanic American Heritage Month

Happy October Birthdays!

(pause)

Blair - 2

Patty - 3

Harolyn - 9

Norris - 9

Moneah - 15

Bobbie Rae - 16

Darlene - 17

Aaron Doc - 18

Toni Nicole - 18

Bryce -25

Janet - 31

John Joseph 31

pEppER: Let’s sing “Happy Birthday Everyone”

Scripture Reading by Lady Pepper

Thank you Lady Pepper for the announcements and the reading of God’s Word.

Welcome! to everyone especially those who are joining us for the first time.

My name is Pastor Doc, and I will be sharing the Word of God with you today.

Have your Bibles Ready and take notes

Sermon Bumper Video - Week 5 - Priscilla

Title of the Series

At War

Title of the message this Morning

Suit Up - Week 1

Big Idea:

God has given us the necessary tools to engage in the spiritual battle we find  ourselves in.

Each item is crucial to victory and must be used daily.

These pieces of armor allow us to stand against the forces of evil and push back the darkness.  

So, suit up with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of  the gospel of peace, the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation.

Prayer:

“Lord Jesus, we confess how easily we walk into days unprepared.

Forgive us for leaving off Your provision.

Help us now to put on the full armor You have given.

Wrap our lives with Your truth.

Guard our hearts with the righteousness You’ve given by grace.

Fit our feet with readiness to carry the gospel.

Raise our shields of faith when we are afraid.

Protect our minds with the hope of salvation.

Give us Your Word as a ready sword and make us men and women of prayer.

Empower us to stand firm, not by our strength but by Your Spirit.”

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-17

Introduction

Welcome to Week One of our newest series, At War—a journey through one of the most vivid and practical passages in Scripture: the Armor of God.

Whether we realize it or not, every one of us is living in a spiritual battleground.

Not metaphorically.

Not poetically.

Literally.

Paul says we are in conflict with

“the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world” (Ephesians 6:12).

And too many Christians step into that battle unaware and unprepared.

Let me ask you:

Have you ever walked into a day totally blindsided?

Something hits you out of nowhere—temptation, conflict, discouragement, anxiety—and suddenly you realize you walked into the battlefield without your armor?

(Pastor—

Share a personal story here.

A moment where you faced spiritual pressure or temptation and realized afterward:

“I was not ready for that.

I was not armored up.”)

This is precisely why Paul writes Ephesians 6.

He’s not giving us a poetic list of spiritual accessories—he’s giving battlefield instructions.

Paul was likely chained to a Roman soldier as he writes, staring at real armor, and using it to paint the picture of what God provides for the believer.

And before he lists the armor, he gives a command that sets the tone for the entire passage:

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10)

Paul is saying: “You are in a battle—but God has not left you vulnerable.

He has equipped you.

He has armed you.

He has prepared you.

Now stand firm.”

Today, we begin with this foundational truth: If you don’t put on the armor of God, you won’t be prepared for the battle.

So let’s walk through the armor together and learn how to suit up for the fight God has already equipped us to win.

Main Teaching

Read Ephesians 6:10-17

Ephesians 6:15-17

I. We Are in a Real Battle With a Real Enemy

Before we even think about picking up a piece of armor, Paul wants us to understand the seriousness of the battlefield we are on.

He says plainly,

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood…” (Ephesians 6:12).

The enemy we face is not our spouse, our boss, or even the person who frustrates us online.

The battle is far deeper than human conflicts or disagreements; it is spiritual in nature.

Paul goes on to name the forces we contend with: “rulers… authorities… powers of this dark world… spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

This language may sound old fashioned and distant, but it is rooted deeply in Scripture.

In Daniel 10, we see angelic beings engaged in battles with spiritual forces over entire nations, showing that there is a spiritual dimension to events far beyond what we see with our eyes.

The New Testament reinforces this reality in 1 Peter 5:8, where we are warned:

“Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.”

These are not metaphors or myths; they are warnings from God that the war is real, and we are in the middle of it.

Because the battle is spiritual, human strategies alone are insufficient.

Positive thinking cannot protect us from a spiritual attack.

Self-discipline alone cannot overcome the lure of temptation.

No amount of intelligence or cunning can outmaneuver a spiritual enemy.

Paul’s point is clear: this is not a fight we wage with human strength or worldly tactics.

And yet, there is hope.

Paul doesn’t leave us without resources or guidance.

God has equipped us for the battle, but it requires our intentional participation.

We must put on the armor He provides, piece by piece, each day.

This is how we stand firm in the face of spiritual opposition—fully armored, fully dependent on Him.

This is not a battle you fight alone.

God has equipped you.

But you must put on what He provides.

II. The Belt of Truth: Foundation for the Fight

Paul begins where every soldier begins—with the belt that holds everything together.

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist”(Ephesians 6:14).

Truth is foundational.

Without truth, nothing else works.

Without truth, righteousness becomes subjective.

Without truth, the gospel becomes optional.

Without truth, faith becomes undefined.

Pastor - You might share a cultural example here where truth has become relative, gray, and/or relaxed to help make the point tangible.

A powerful, tangible example of truth becoming relative and "gray" in modern culture is the shift from objective news reporting, to the rise of "alternative facts" and echo-chamber journalism.

In a world drowning in lies, God gives us truth—not preference, not opinion, not perspective—but truth that sets us free

(John 8:32)

Satan’s #1 strategy is deception.

Jesus calls him “the father of lies”

(John 8:44).

Every spiritual attack begins with questioning God’s truth.

(Remember the Garden of Eden) The belt of truth keeps us anchored.

It holds everything together.

It reminds us who we are, whose we are, and what we are fighting for.

III. The Breastplate of Righteousness: Guarding Your Heart

Next, Paul instructs us to put on the breastplate of righteousness:

“…with the breastplate of righteousness in place” (Ephesians 6:14).

The breastplate protects the heart—the center of our affections, desires, and decisions.

And Paul is not talking about our own righteousness.

He’s talking about the righteousness of Christ

(2 Corinthians 5:21).

Satan’s second tactic is accusation.

Revelation 12:10 calls him “the accuser of the brethren.”

He whispers:

You’re not forgiven.

You’re a failure.

You’re unworthy.

You can’t be used by God.”

But when the breastplate is on, accusation loses its power.

Christ’s righteousness covers you.

Your heart is protected by His finished work, and you can move forward in freedom and confidence.

IV. Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: Standing with Stability

Paul continues:

“and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace”

(Ephesians 6:15).

Roman soldiers wore cleated sandals to maintain their footing in battle, and God gives the gospel the same role for us spiritually.

Because of Jesus, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1),

peace within ourselves (Philippians 4:7),

and the ability to bring peace into a world full of conflict (Isaiah 52:7).

The enemy wants us unstable, reactive, and off balance.

When we stand grounded in the gospel, we are stable.

We are ready to move.

We are prepared to stand firm no matter what attacks come.

Remember the words of

Proverbs 3:5-6 here,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

V. The Shield of Faith: Extinguishing the Enemy’s Arrows

Paul then says:

“Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).

Notice, not just some arrows, but all arrows.

The enemy fires arrows of fear, doubt, discouragement, temptation, comparison, and condemnation.

Faith is our shield.

Faith is confidence in God’s character, promises, and power no matter what’s standing in front of us.

When fear comes, faith says, “God is with me.”

When doubt comes, faith says, “God is faithful.”

When temptation comes, faith says, “God will make a way out.”

Faith doesn’t remove the battle—it extinguishes the arrows.

VI. The Helmet of Salvation: Protecting the Mind

Paul instructs us to take the helmet of salvation

(Ephesians 6:17),

and this piece of armor is crucial because the mind is the primary battlefield where the enemy seeks to gain a foothold.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul exhorts us to

“take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

The devil doesn’t always attack with obvious threats; often, he works subtly, planting seeds of doubt, fear, worry, and comparison.

In today’s world, this attack is amplified.

Every day we are bombarded with information—news, social media, advertising, and constant notifications.

Opinions and ideas compete for our attention, often shaping our perceptions of ourselves, others, and God.

It can feel impossible to guard our minds, but that’s exactly why God gives us the helmet of salvation.

Salvation protects our thinking by reminding us of the ultimate truth: we belong to God.

We are forgiven, loved, and secure in Christ.

We are not defined by mistakes, fear, or worldly opinion.

When your mind is armored with the hope and assurance of salvation, every thought is filtered through the lens of God’s truth.

The lies of the enemy lose their grip.

Anxiety cannot dominate your thinking because you are anchored in God’s promises.

The constant noise of the world becomes background static, no longer shaping your identity or your decisions.

In a culture overflowing with information and influence, the helmet of salvation is the mental filter that keeps your heart steady, your hope alive, and your focus on Christ rather than the chaos around you.

VII. The Sword of the Spirit: God’s Word as Our Weapon

Finally, Paul gives us the only offensive weapon in the armor:

“…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).

Every other piece of armor is defensive, but the Word is offensive.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded every time with Scripture:

“It is written”(Matthew 4).

(Pastor - it may be helpful to read excerpts from Matthew 4:1-4 and the temptation of Jesus here.)

The Word of God cuts through deception, illuminates truth, and empowers us to push back the enemy.

To walk in victory, we must not just wear the armor—we must actively wield the Word in prayer and obedience.

Conclusion

So let me ask you: are you stepping onto the battlefield armored—or exposed?

The truth is this: you have an enemy who is active, a battle that is real, and an enemy who seeks to destroy, discourage, and distract you.

But you also have everything you need to stand—armor that is essential, and a God who equips you for victory.

The only question is: will you put it on?

Take a moment and consider where you might be vulnerable right now.

Where have you tried to fight unprotected?

Which piece of the armor do you regularly leave off—the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, or the sword of the Spirit?

God has given you all of these gifts, but they only work when you take them up intentionally.

So here’s your challenge for this week: each morning, begin with a simple, intentional practice.

Pray through the armor of God, piece by piece, out loud if possible.

Belt yourself with truth.

Guard your heart with righteousness.

Fit your feet with readiness to share the gospel.

Lift your shield of faith.

Cover your mind with salvation.

Take up the sword of the Spirit.

Do this not as a ritual, but as a daily act of preparation and dependence on Him.

Don’t walk into the day unprepared.

Don’t step into the battle unequipped.

Don’t rely on your own strength when God has already given you His.

Suit up, stand firm, and walk in the victory that Christ has already secured for you.

The armor is ready.

The battle is real.

And your God is faithful to uphold you every step of the way.

Let’s pray together.

Salvation:

The Word of God says in: John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you’d would like to receive Jesus today, please pray this prayer with all of us:

Lord I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died On the cross for my sins and His resurrection from the dead gives me eternal life. I ask forgiveness of my sins, and I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Pastor [e-mail]

Church Office: 909-922-8090

And I will send you a Bible & a Free Book on how to begin your first 21 steps with Jesus (show the book)

***Leave slide up until Pepper gets in position***

Lady Pepper Please Join Me

Communion

Communion stands as one of Christianity’s most ancient practices, rooted in the Passover meal but transformed into a distinctively Christian observance centered on Christ’s body and blood.

1 The practice involves consuming bread and wine (or juice) to commemorate Jesus’ sacrificial death.

2 Jesus himself instituted it, and the early church maintained it as a regular practice according to apostolic instruction.

No matter your belief Communion stands as one of Christianity’s most ancient practices, rooted in the Passover meal but transformed into a distinctively Christian observance centered on Christ’s body and blood.

The practice involves consuming bread and wine (or juice) to commemorate Jesus’ sacrificial death.

Jesus himself instituted it, and the early church maintained it as a regular practice according to apostolic instruction.

I want to take a few moments to give you the opportunity to ask forgiveness of any sin in your life.

Let us pray over the elements (Cross Exposed) in the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost

Read first Corinthians 11:23- 26 - (Taking the elements together)

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (take bread)

25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (Take Cup)

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Pepper Praise Reports

Share your Praise Reports!

Prayer Requests - (Pepper Read)

Patty - Pray for her daughter Sharrell

Let us Pray (P/P)

Praying for the 10-40 Window

Prayer initiatives focus on breaking spiritual strongholds, bringing humanitarian relief, and supporting the persecuted church.

The Unreached:

Pray for the billions of individuals who have never heard the Gospel message, particularly among Frontier People Groups.

The Persecuted Church:

Intercede for local believers who face severe restrictions, imprisonment, or violence for their faith.

Humanitarian Crises:

Pray for relief from extreme poverty, human trafficking, and the oppression of women and children.

Laborers & Discipleship:

Pray for the protection of frontline missionaries, effective local church planting, and the translation of scriptures.

Pray for the United StatesI

Today, we focus our prayers for the nation on asking for unity to overcome the division, wisdom for the government leaders, and a nationwide spiritual revival.

National unity and healing: pray for reconciliation where division exists, asking that the nation learns to live together peacefully despite differences.

Government and local leaders: intercede for wisdom, godly counsel, and discernment for all elected officials (local and national) to make righteous decisions

Spiritual revival: pray for a national to return to godly values, with a focus on repentance and the desire to seek truth.

!!!!!!!!Relocate Logos to original location for Pepper !!!!!!!!

This is Pastor Doc & Lady Pepper with:

Faith Vision Christian Ministries

Pepper Please Continue Reading

See you next Sunday @ 10:55 on Facebook Live!!

Those of you watching on YouTube,

don’t forget to subscribe!

youtube.com/@ DocDewberrylive

Prayer Line - Thursday night at 7:00 pm. conference phone number. # [phone] access code 896791

Pastor: please continue reading

Benediction

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Ephesians 6:15-17

Have a Great Week!

This is Pastor Doc and Lady Pepper signing off until next time we meet. Blessings to you all!

Pepper: - Happy National Hispanic American Heritage Month