Insights
Spiritual Warfare and Standing Firm in Our Calling
🎯 God has chosen and intended for us to fulfill a unique purpose, and we should expect to go to places beyond our imagination.
💪 Even if you don’t believe the truth about yourself, the enemy knows and fears the power and victory that God has given you.
🙌 Don’t let fear and insecurity hold you back from being who God has called you to be. Stand firm and face the challenges with confidence.
📚 Priscilla Shirer recommends reading the book of Ephesians, highlighting its significance and relevance for individuals.
🌟 Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of wickedness, reminding us to focus on the true battle.
🛡️ The Apostle Paul introduces the concept of spiritual warfare, emphasizing the existence of an enemy who is scheming against us and wants to hinder our victory in Christ Jesus.
🗡️ Your real enemy is unseen and spiritual, not the people you encounter in your daily life.
💪 “Pull back the curtain and let the enemy know. We got our eyes on you and we’re gonna use some weapons that actually work.”
🙏 Prayer is the seventh piece of armor that is essential in standing firm in our calling and resisting the attacks of the enemy.
🗝️ “Prayer is the key that unlocks the resources of heaven so that they can be unleashed on planet Earth.”
🛡️ “Put on a breastplate called righteousness.”
Embracing and Nurturing Our Unique Gifts and Abilities
⚾️ Priscilla Shirer’s son’s success in baseball serves as a reminder of the importance of embracing and nurturing our unique gifts and abilities.
🏠 We wish we could wake up to God’s word spoken over our lives with this much Authority and power every single day.
Summary
TLDR: The key idea of the video is to focus on pleasing God, resist the enemy’s schemes, and rely on the Holy Spirit for empowerment and victory in fulfilling one’s calling.
- 🙌 God has chosen you for great things, so focus on pleasing Him rather than impressing others, and find a church where the congregation actively engages with the sermon.
1.1 Live for the applause of Heaven, not for impressing people, because God has great plans for you and has chosen you to go places beyond your imagination.
1.2 The speaker enjoys attending a church where the congregation actively engages with the sermon and sometimes throws objects at the pastor when they are particularly moved.
- 📣 Attending kids’ sports tournaments can be exhausting, but the speaker’s son regained confidence after hearing his name mentioned by the opposing team.
2.1 The speaker discusses her three giant-sized sons and how their height is a distinguishing characteristic that works for them.
2.2 Baseball season is enjoyable, especially Spring ball, but the problem is that it transitions into Summer Ball which is extremely hot in Dallas, Texas.
2.3 Attending your kids’ sports tournaments can be exhausting and make you question if it’s ever okay to pray for them to lose so you can go home.
2.4 Excited for a lunch break during a tournament, the speaker and her son gathered their gear from their SUV to prepare for the next game.
2.5 My son Jerry Jr is a talented and enthusiastic baseball player who is excited about the next game and tournament.
2.6 The speaker’s son regained confidence and swagger after hearing his name mentioned by the opposing team members.
- 💪 Recognize the power within you, don’t let fear and insecurity distract you from fulfilling your calling; stand firm in your identity as a child of God and don’t give up.
3.1 Recognize that the enemy knows and fears the power of God within you, even if you may not fully believe it yourself.
3.2 There is no condemnation, shame, or guilt, as we have been given power, love, and a sound mind, and it would be a tragedy to not live up to our potential and continue as we were before.
3.3 The challenges in various aspects of life may cause fear and insecurity, but if you have faith in Jesus Christ, the enemy’s goal is to discourage and distract you from fulfilling your calling.
3.4 The speaker emphasizes the importance of a passage from the book of Ephesians as a message for young people, urging them to read it.
3.5 The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians to remind believers of their identity as sons and daughters of Christ and the rights and privileges they have received through faith in Jesus.
3.6 Paul wants you to know about the hope, mercy, grace, and adoption that God has given you, and he urges you to stand firm and not give up what God has given you.
- 🛡️ Put on the armor of God to resist the schemes of the devil and stand firm in your victory in Christ, recognizing that your real enemy is unseen and spiritual, not the people around you.
4.1 Put on the armor of God to stand firm against the schemes of the devil and resist in the evil day.
4.2 The Apostle Paul introduces the concept of spiritual warfare, emphasizing the existence of an enemy who seeks to hinder believers from standing firm in their victory in Christ.
4.3 The speaker warns that there is a sinister and deceptive influence in our lives that disguises itself behind our problems, causing us to blame the wrong people and rely on ineffective solutions.
4.4 Your real enemy is unseen and spiritual, not the people around you, so you need weapons that work in that realm.
- 🎃 Invest your energy in using powerful weapons against the enemy instead of being frustrated and exhausted by focusing on visible problems, as the Apostle Paul emphasizes the seriousness of the enemy’s tactics.
5.1 Members of a church participate in a Trunk or Treat event during Harvest Festival, where they open the trunks of their cars and create carnival games for children to play and receive candy.
5.2 A homemade whack-a-mole game was set up in a parking lot with a truck, a ladder, a table top, and puppets popping through holes, and the speaker and her youngest child stood in line to play.
5.3 A frustrated four-year-old at a carnival questions the purpose of waiting in line and playing a game, leading him to impulsively pull the drapery off a table with puppets, teaching everyone a lesson.
5.4 Invest your energy in using powerful weapons against the enemy instead of being frustrated and exhausted by focusing on visible problems, as the Apostle Paul emphasizes the seriousness of the enemy’s tactics.
- 🔒 We must resist the enemy’s schemes by using the seven pieces of armor outlined by the Apostle Paul, with prayer being the key to accessing heaven’s resources and pushing back darkness.
6.1 The enemy knows your weaknesses and uses schemes to tempt you at your most vulnerable moments, but we must have our own tactics to resist and walk in a manner pleasing to God.
6.2 The Apostle Paul outlines the seven pieces of armor needed to stand firm in one’s calling: truth, righteousness, preparation of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the spirit (the word of God), and prayer.
6.3 Prayer is the key to accessing the resources of heaven, experiencing God’s blessings on Earth, and pushing back the kingdom of darkness.
6.4 Put on the breastplate of righteousness to pray for healing and make the enemy submit to Jesus.
- 🎣 Critters come out from underneath an upside-down boat without needing an invitation because the environment created by the boat is enough.
7.1 We live in a quiet area close to the city, where we enjoy fishing in a pond with hot dog meat as bait, occasionally using a row boat for a more adventurous fishing trip.
7.2 Every time the speaker turns over the boat, critters come out from underneath it without needing an invitation because the environment created by the upside-down boat is enough.
- 🔥 Living in righteousness and holiness invites God’s favor and protection, while prioritizing impressing others over seeking God’s applause leads to negative influences; rely on the Holy Spirit for empowerment and victory in fulfilling your calling.
8.1 Living in righteousness invites God’s favor and blessing, while living in unrighteousness creates an environment that invites the enemy into your life, so it is important to walk in holiness and align your lifestyle with the truth of God.
8.2 The speaker emphasizes the importance of protecting one’s spiritual heart, as it is the source of vitality and connection to God, and warns that the enemy will target the heart in order to manipulate thoughts, emotions, ambitions, and conscience.
8.3 Holiness is your breastplate that protects against the enemy, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can live a holy life and break free from any negative influences or habits.
8.4 The problem with social media is that we prioritize impressing people over living a holy life, and we need to prioritize seeking the applause of Heaven rather than the applause of others.
8.5 Live with integrity, honor God in all aspects of life, and rely on the Holy Spirit for empowerment and victory in fulfilling one’s calling.
8.6 Simba’s roar scared away the enemies not because of his own strength, but because his father Mufasa had come up behind him and let out a powerful roar.
