Be the Weapon

2 Corinthians 10:3–6 NKJV

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Weapons?

Word

Gifts

TESTIMONY!!!

Your testimony is powerful, and it’s exceedingly easy to lose. It’s SO easy to lose.

Revelation 12:11 NKJV

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

martyrias

testimony (witness) n. — the verbal evidence of a witness by which something is affirmed to be true.

Matthew 5:11–16 NKJV

11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

SEEING your life, causes people to glorify God!

being mocked for you lifestyle is PART OF LIVING FOR GOD! Are you willing to go through that? Are you willing to lose friends? to face some boredom and/or loneliness?

- They will mock your lifestyle. Are you giving them something to mock?

1 Peter 2:11–12 NKJV

11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 3:15–16 NKJV

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

1 Peter 4:3 NKJV

3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

1 Peter 4:4 NKJV

4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.

Is your lifestyle SHOWING the people in your life what being a Christian is like?

not just SAYING you’re a Christian. DEMONSTRATING the change that Christ brings.

over and over, i’ve seen people give up cussing, drunkenness, sex, anger, and being mean/jealous/competitive!

Joshua’s baptism. HE DID NOTHING BUT OBEY!

Baptism is ACTING in faith publicly. THAT’S what we’re supposed to do always.

for those on the outside, we are all in a scientific experiment!

They are the “control” and the hypothesis is “does the Word of God work?”

LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH!!!

Most people mean “be nice” or “say what people want to hear” when they say “love.”

Love is NEVER easy. There’s no “tough love” there’s just love!

They need to see that you act different! They need to see faith in the midst of uncertainty! Joy when everyone around you is panicking! Courage to stand for what you believe when the WHOLE WORLD is telling you to shut up!

THAT’S being salt. THAT’S being light. THAT’S what they won’t understand, and it’s the ONLY type of living that will have an impact.

Acting, talking, and thinking like them means you have LOST your salt.

built into this is the idea that Christians humble themselves and admit wrongdoing!

2 Peter 1:5–9 NKJV

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.