Equipped for battle…

Sunday afternoon usually involves listening to a downloaded sermon from one of many sources. We took advantage of Australian internet services during our 2017 furlough and have a library of around 300 messages!
Today we completed a series from Alistair Begg on the Christian’s weaponry noted in Ephesians 6:17-18 [link]

The speaker makes the comment that, “The devil is unafraid of prayer-less proclamation. For preaching, and what happens in a preaching event, is merely the gathering up of results of a battle which has either been simultaneously or previously waged at the rival of prayer.”
While our work here in PNG does not involve the regular preaching of the Gospel, we are certainly holding out the word of God through our daily efforts of equipping and supporting Bible translation. All the labours of our hands, and those of our fellow workers, will count for nothing if not surrounded by prayer from ourselves and the supporters back home.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:13-18

Pray that we be fully equipped for the battle, and for the binding of powers and influences that would keep the people of PNG from grasping the great truth of God’s love for them in Christ.