#4 Under Attack - A Fight for Focus

Ephesians 6:10–12 KJV 1900

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

We are - Under attack...

Under Attack -

#1 - Spiritual Warfare

#2 - Religious Relevancy

#3 - The Family

This morning,

#4 - A Fight for Focus

Pray:

Matthew 6:31–33 KJV 1900

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Focus...

not a bible word, but definitely a biblical principle...

“Our focus determines our priorities, and our priorities establish our actions”

We find verses on:

Passion

Acts 1:3 KJV 1900

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

James 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

Affection

Colossians 3:2 KJV 1900

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Zeal

Galatians 4:17–18 KJV 1900

17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. 18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

People without focus are people who will not succeed in their faith or in their lives...

James 1:8 KJV 1900

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Genesis 49:4 KJV 1900

4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

This morning, I have an acronym for the word FOCUS...

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THERE IS “A FIGHT FOR FOCUS”

Matthew 6:33 KJV 1900

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

GOD WILL BE SECOND TO NONE OF HIS CREATION...

Exodus 20:1–5 KJV 1900

1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Exodus 34:14 KJV 1900

14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Deuteronomy 4:24 KJV 1900

24 For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

He will not be second to:

a spouse

a child

a job

a hobby

Deuteronomy 6:15 KJV 1900

15 (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

The God of Love is also a God of Judgment = He is a jealous God -

This world and the things of this world are alluring - enticing...

We have to “Fight for Focus”

Acronym: Focus

1. Faith

Hebrews 11:6 KJV 1900

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Belief

Trust

FAITH

2. Others

Mark 12:30–31 KJV 1900

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Neighbor

Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25–37 KJV 1900

25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

FAITH

OTHERS

3. Commitment

love and commitment to Christ above every thing & above all others...

Luke 14:26–27 KJV 1900

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33 KJV 1900

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

4 Apostles - 2 sets of brothers - what a joy when family can serve together

Peter & Andrew - James & John

Matthew 4:17–22 KJV 1900

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Matthew

Matthew 9:9 KJV 1900

9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Disciples

Matthew 16:24–25 KJV 1900

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

FAITH

OTHERS

COMMITMENT

4. Unity

God hates division - among his children

God wants unity...

Ephesians 4:3 KJV 1900

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:13 KJV 1900

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Psalm 144:1 KJV 1900

1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, Which teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight:

(Paul Michael) - ACE Jr. convention - I was judging the preaching - this was the test Paul Michael preached - he was probably 10-11 at the time

Philippians 1:27 KJV 1900

27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:2 KJV 1900

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1 Peter 3:8 KJV 1900

8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

FAITH

OTHERS

COMMITMENT

UNITY

5. Sanctification

Holy Spirit led

honesty

holiness

FAITH

OTHERS

COMMITMENT

UNITY

SANCTIFICATION

Focus -

This acronym - will transform your:

Family - marriage, home, children

Faith

Finances

Future...

Focus in your Christian life

Focus in your Career

Focus in your Compassion / care - friends, family...

Matthew 6:33 KJV 1900

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

First...

seek ye FIRST...

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