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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - War in Heaven and Earth

January 2, 2026 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - War in Heaven and Earth
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#SpiritualWarfare #Culture #Boldness #KingdomofGod #SeekGod #TrustGod #Evil #Overcoming #AllenJackson

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - War in Heaven and Earth | January 2, 2026
  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: we began allen jackson ministries
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  • To strengthen the church.
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  • Thank you for your partnership.
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  • Together we made an impact in this nation, but we're not done.
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  • In fact, in many ways i believe we're just beginning.
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  • The status quo is not adequate any longer.
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  • We can't sit in our churches and have our polite bible studies
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  • And sing our favorite choruses while we watch
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  • Darkness increasing in the world around us.
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  • We have to have the courage to tell the truth to our culture.
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  • A biblical worldview to engage current events in a way
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  • To make what we believe apart of the fabric of our schools,
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  • Our homes, our communities, our nation, and beyond.
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  • We have invitations now from war-torn countries
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  • In israel and ukraine to strengthen the churches there.
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  • I want to ask you to make an investment with us
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  • In allen jackson ministries
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  • To make 2026 the most fruitful year we've ever had together.
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  • God is moving in the earth.
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  • We want to keep the pace.
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  • We want to take new steps to make a new impact.
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  • Your help makes that possible.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen: how many of you got to be with us last week when we
  • 00:01:14.724 --> 00:01:20.797
  • Previewed "the 1916 project"?
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  • Seth gruber and eric metaxas, wow.
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  • Yeah, that was plainly spoken and a bit startling, but i hope
  • 00:01:31.508 --> 00:01:38.248
  • Insightful and gives you some ways to engage with your friends
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  • And family members and the people in your sphere
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  • Of influence.
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  • I've been thinking about it all week.
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  • I've been talking about it with other people since last week,
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  • And it really kind of led to the message tonight in some ways.
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  • The title is "war in heaven and earth."
  • 00:01:56.299 --> 00:01:59.269
  • I think it was a couple of weeks ago.
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  • It was a few sessions back, i did a--we did a weekend on the
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  • Book of ephesians.
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  • And we really just started that, and we never got back to the
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  • Book, and so the majority of the text tonight will come from
  • 00:02:09.512 --> 00:02:13.783
  • Ephesians, and i thought maybe just a brief reminder would
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  • Be helpful.
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  • The letter to the ephesians is a prison book.
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  • Paul wrote it from prison.
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  • So i would say if you're on his side of the letter, that would
  • 00:02:23.893 --> 00:02:27.497
  • Feel like war in heaven and earth, 'cause he's not in prison
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  • 'cause he got caught stealing or embezzling or because he was
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  • Running for office and there was a vendetta against him.
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  • He's in prison for his advocacy for jesus.
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  • That's an important point.
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  • Advocacy for jesus can put you in a position in opposition to
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  • Secular authorities.
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  • That is the history of the church.
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  • And it's actually the history of god's people.
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  • It reaches before the church.
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  • But he sent the letter to the believers in the city of
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  • Ephesus, and we went back and looked in the book of acts at a
  • 00:03:04.601 --> 00:03:07.503
  • Bit of their backstory.
  • 00:03:07.503 --> 00:03:09.973
  • Paul was there for two years, it says, preaching the gospel on a
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  • Regular basis daily, teaching from the scriptures that jesus
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  • Was the messiah.
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  • And there were some remarkable things that happened in ephesus.
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  • It says god did extraordinary miracles through paul.
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  • Remember that?
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  • Not just ordinary, extraordinary--any miracle to
  • 00:03:27.056 --> 00:03:29.525
  • Me seems pretty extraordinary, but--
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  • They took cloths that he'd laid his hands on and took them to
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  • Sick people, and when they put the cloths on them, those people
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  • Were healed.
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  • It was in ephesus where the seven sons of the jewish high
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  • Priest got overmatched by a demonized man.
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  • And they ran, they were chased from the space, naked
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  • And bleeding.
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  • And it prompted a response to god in the city so that many
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  • People confessed their deeds of evil, and they brought the tools
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  • With which they had practiced sorcery and burned them in the
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  • Public square at a value of, in contemporary dollars, of
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  • Millions of dollars.
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  • I mean, there was a powerful shifting of the spiritual forces
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  • In play in the city of ephesus.
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  • And the next piece that happened there was a riot, because the
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  • Silversmiths--the idol makers said, "this intrusion into our
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  • Livelihood is not good."
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  • I don't really think there's a way to understand that riot in
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  • Ephesus other than demonic involvement.
  • 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:40.697
  • The spirit of god was moving, lives were being changed,
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  • Significant breakthroughs were taking place, privately and
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  • Publicly, and then there's a riot.
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  • So on both sides of this, we've got paul imprisoned, writing a
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  • Letter to these people with whom he shares this very rich
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  • Heritage of spiritual activity.
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  • He's suffering from the impact of evil in his life, and the
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  • Believers in the city of ephesus have suffered.
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  • They have seen firsthand experiences of what evil
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  • Is like.
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  • Now, i take a minute with that because i believe we're living
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  • Through a season when evil is presented with a clarity that we
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  • Have not seen in many, many years.
  • 00:05:19.702 --> 00:05:23.806
  • It isn't new, it's not like evil just began, but there's no
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  • Shadow to it any longer.
  • 00:05:29.045 --> 00:05:30.546
  • The only thing left in the closet these days
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  • Are christians.
  • 00:05:32.315 --> 00:05:37.053
  • It's unsettling.
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  • I mean, the--that "1916 project" that we watched, the
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  • Sheer evil of what was perpetrated intentionally,
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  • Purposefully is difficult to even wrap your mind around.
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  • I mean, i just started with making a list of
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  • Some expressions.
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  • I started with abortion because of that project.
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  • I know the statistics.
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  • I've shared them with you many times about abortions in
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  • Our nation.
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  • And the supreme court ruling really has had--not had a
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  • Significant impact on the practice of abortion.
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  • It's changed locations a bit because some states have stepped
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  • Forward, but the overall numbers have not greatly diminished.
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  • We--there's almost 3,000 abortions a day in our nation.
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  • I don't know what helps you envision that.
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  • If you have children in a school, how many children are in
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  • That school?
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  • You probably have some idea of the number.
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  • It'll be fewer than 3,000 in this community.
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  • So all the children in that school every day.
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  • It's an unsettling fact, but it's a bigger problem, and it's
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  • Not just globally.
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  • According to the who, the world health organization--i mean,
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  • Not the most biblical.
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  • Their estimate is that there's more than 200,000 abortions
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  • Globally every day.
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  • That in a year, there's more than 73 million,
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  • According to the who.
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  • I think you could say with some sense of certainty that human
  • 00:07:02.905 --> 00:07:07.510
  • Life is not valued.
  • 00:07:07.510 --> 00:07:08.878
  • There's something horribly askew when 73 million people decide
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  • That they shouldn't let their child live.
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  • If i told you i took a week and went to the beach, and you asked
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  • Me what i did.
  • 00:07:22.391 --> 00:07:23.726
  • I said, "i had the best time.
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  • I searched for the nests of the turtles, and i broke every egg i
  • 00:07:25.094 --> 00:07:30.099
  • Could find," you would pretty universally think i was a
  • 00:07:30.099 --> 00:07:36.439
  • Horrible person and wonder how i escaped jail.
  • 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:41.277
  • It should unsettle us that we value turtles more than people.
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  • I'm not saying we shouldn't value wildlife, but we should
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  • Value human life.
  • 00:07:49.218 --> 00:07:52.421
  • But we don't have to stay focused on that.
  • 00:07:52.421 --> 00:07:54.657
  • Marxism is a deal these days.
  • 00:07:54.657 --> 00:07:56.158
  • They're teaching it to our kids in school, and i don't just mean
  • 00:07:56.158 --> 00:07:58.361
  • At the university level, it's-- it is far too frequent in the
  • 00:07:58.361 --> 00:08:04.767
  • Earlier parts of education these days.
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  • I doubt you're aware, you may be, that in the last century,
  • 00:08:08.104 --> 00:08:12.542
  • Most conservative evaluators say there was as many as 100 million
  • 00:08:12.542 --> 00:08:17.680
  • People who lost their lives because of the influence
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  • Of marxism.
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  • A hundred million people.
  • 00:08:22.451 --> 00:08:24.353
  • The statistics of those victims include deaths through
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  • Executions, man-made hunger, famine, war, deportations,
  • 00:08:26.589 --> 00:08:30.359
  • Forced labor, and yet we are teaching it to our children as a
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  • Viable worldview, ignoring the facts, anti-semitism,
  • 00:08:37.300 --> 00:08:47.109
  • The hatred of the jewish people.
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  • I did an interview with a jewish man who works for an
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  • Organization that fights anti-semitism, and he won't use
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  • The word.
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  • He said it has german roots.
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  • It's jew hatred, let's call it what it is.
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  • You know, the world wanted to believe that when we got to the
  • 00:09:02.158 --> 00:09:04.327
  • End of world war ii we were finished with that, that we'd
  • 00:09:04.327 --> 00:09:06.295
  • Been through such a horrific chapter that we wouldn't face it
  • 00:09:06.295 --> 00:09:09.131
  • Any longer, and yet we see it today flourishing in the united
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  • States on some of our most celebrated college campuses by
  • 00:09:13.769 --> 00:09:17.607
  • People that we elect to some of the most powerful offices in
  • 00:09:17.607 --> 00:09:20.042
  • The land.
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  • We see it celebrated internationally.
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  • Hamas and hezbollah, proxy warriors for the nation of iran
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  • Publicly tell us they are committed to the genocide of the
  • 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:32.588
  • Jewish people.
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  • We see americans, well-educated, sophisticated, with access to
  • 00:09:36.192 --> 00:09:39.629
  • Power and opportunities and options, chanting, "from the
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  • River to the sea," the slogan for the genocide of the
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  • Jewish people.
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  • You know, i could go on and on with the list.
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  • They're--in summary, they're really kind of a presentation of
  • 00:09:51.907 --> 00:09:55.211
  • Paganism, a descent into demonic, dehumanizing, violent,
  • 00:09:55.211 --> 00:10:04.687
  • Sadistic behavior.
  • 00:10:04.687 --> 00:10:10.526
  • It leads us to this, i believe, the unmistakable conclusion of
  • 00:10:10.526 --> 00:10:14.030
  • The importance of our faith.
  • 00:10:14.030 --> 00:10:16.832
  • There is something happening in our world that can't be fully
  • 00:10:16.832 --> 00:10:20.069
  • Understood in terms of nation-states and political
  • 00:10:20.069 --> 00:10:23.406
  • Intrigue or economic forces.
  • 00:10:23.406 --> 00:10:25.508
  • There is a spiritual conflict.
  • 00:10:25.508 --> 00:10:27.276
  • There's not really an explanation.
  • 00:10:27.276 --> 00:10:29.145
  • When we destroy one another and our children at the rates we
  • 00:10:29.145 --> 00:10:32.014
  • Are, there is something demonic.
  • 00:10:32.014 --> 00:10:36.485
  • There's a spiritual conflict.
  • 00:10:36.485 --> 00:10:39.555
  • And the assignment for that, the responsibility for that, is not
  • 00:10:39.555 --> 00:10:42.825
  • Governments or armies, nor the united nations, nor the world
  • 00:10:42.825 --> 00:10:46.429
  • Health organization, nor any other committee that we
  • 00:10:46.429 --> 00:10:51.901
  • Can form.
  • 00:10:51.901 --> 00:10:53.235
  • The assignment for addressing evil in the world is the church.
  • 00:10:53.235 --> 00:10:57.807
  • That's our role.
  • 00:10:57.807 --> 00:11:01.043
  • Not to convene just bible studies and have worship
  • 00:11:01.043 --> 00:11:03.913
  • Services and figure out how to have a more polite trip through
  • 00:11:03.913 --> 00:11:08.884
  • Our time under the sun.
  • 00:11:08.884 --> 00:11:11.887
  • But what does it mean for us to overcome evil with good?
  • 00:11:11.887 --> 00:11:17.026
  • We've overlooked it long enough, and so i wanna go back to
  • 00:11:17.026 --> 00:11:20.362
  • Ephesians with that background that we have of paul in prison,
  • 00:11:20.362 --> 00:11:25.401
  • Of an ephesian community who are very aware of spiritual forces
  • 00:11:25.401 --> 00:11:29.638
  • And the blessings they can bring, the healing they can
  • 00:11:29.638 --> 00:11:32.808
  • Bring, the deliverance they can bring, and the responses that
  • 00:11:32.808 --> 00:11:35.778
  • Can be elicited, the physical hardships that can be visited
  • 00:11:35.778 --> 00:11:40.750
  • Because of spiritual forces.
  • 00:11:40.750 --> 00:11:43.519
  • Well, maybe the most familiar passage is ephesians 6.
  • 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:45.921
  • It says, "finally, be strong in the lord and in his
  • 00:11:45.921 --> 00:11:47.857
  • Mighty power.
  • 00:11:47.857 --> 00:11:49.792
  • Put on the full armor of god so that you can take your stand
  • 00:11:49.792 --> 00:11:52.328
  • Against the devil's schemes.
  • 00:11:52.328 --> 00:11:54.663
  • Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the
  • 00:11:54.663 --> 00:11:56.932
  • Rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
  • 00:11:56.932 --> 00:11:59.635
  • World and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
  • 00:11:59.635 --> 00:12:02.571
  • Heavenly realms.
  • 00:12:02.571 --> 00:12:04.507
  • Therefore put on the full armor of god, so that when the day of
  • 00:12:04.507 --> 00:12:06.976
  • Evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after
  • 00:12:06.976 --> 00:12:10.146
  • You've done everything, to stand."
  • 00:12:10.146 --> 00:12:13.015
  • Pretty straightforward stuff.
  • 00:12:13.015 --> 00:12:14.383
  • Paul is reminding his friends in ephesus--he knows them, he
  • 00:12:14.383 --> 00:12:18.087
  • Spent a great deal of time there--that the struggle in our
  • 00:12:18.087 --> 00:12:22.558
  • Lives is not a struggle with people.
  • 00:12:22.558 --> 00:12:24.760
  • He said it's not about flesh and blood, that the wrestling match
  • 00:12:24.760 --> 00:12:28.898
  • Of our lives, there's no more intense form of
  • 00:12:28.898 --> 00:12:31.133
  • Physical contact.
  • 00:12:31.133 --> 00:12:34.303
  • He said we're engaged in a wrestling match, not with one
  • 00:12:34.303 --> 00:12:37.139
  • Another, not with people or institutions or organizations,
  • 00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:40.109
  • But with spiritual forces of wickedness in the
  • 00:12:40.109 --> 00:12:42.645
  • Heavenly places.
  • 00:12:42.645 --> 00:12:46.482
  • Now, if someone intends to wrestle with you and you're
  • 00:12:46.482 --> 00:12:49.118
  • Unaware of it, the outcome will be swift and very conclusive and
  • 00:12:49.118 --> 00:12:56.091
  • Not in your favor.
  • 00:12:56.091 --> 00:12:58.694
  • You know, chad robichaux, our friend that visits from time to
  • 00:12:58.694 --> 00:13:01.430
  • Time, force recon marine, he was a wwe champion.
  • 00:13:01.430 --> 00:13:08.637
  • You know, he's not particularly physically imposing if you just
  • 00:13:08.637 --> 00:13:11.307
  • Glance at him.
  • 00:13:11.307 --> 00:13:15.911
  • The previous visit when he was here, somebody challenged him to
  • 00:13:15.911 --> 00:13:19.849
  • Wrestle, and all i got was a video.
  • 00:13:19.849 --> 00:13:24.286
  • So i commented to him about the video the last time he was here,
  • 00:13:24.286 --> 00:13:26.956
  • He said, "well, do you wanna wrestle?"
  • 00:13:26.956 --> 00:13:29.892
  • I didn't have to pray about that.
  • 00:13:29.892 --> 00:13:33.128
  • "dude, you're the winner.
  • 00:13:33.128 --> 00:13:36.232
  • You go, i will celebrate your victories."
  • 00:13:36.232 --> 00:13:41.003
  • But paul is reminding his friends that they're engaged in
  • 00:13:41.003 --> 00:13:43.606
  • This wrestling match with spiritual forces of wickedness
  • 00:13:43.606 --> 00:13:47.009
  • In the heavenly places, that we have to take a stand, not to
  • 00:13:47.009 --> 00:13:51.981
  • Hide, not to act like we don't notice.
  • 00:13:51.981 --> 00:13:56.919
  • The assignment is to take a stand, to occupy a space to
  • 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:01.423
  • Inhibit the aggression of the adversary.
  • 00:14:01.423 --> 00:14:08.564
  • And then he reminds them of some armor they can put on that will
  • 00:14:08.564 --> 00:14:11.433
  • Help with that, but the armor's only function is if you intend
  • 00:14:11.433 --> 00:14:14.703
  • To take your stand.
  • 00:14:14.703 --> 00:14:18.507
  • It's not armor to get your way.
  • 00:14:18.507 --> 00:14:21.110
  • It's not armor to make you happy.
  • 00:14:21.110 --> 00:14:22.444
  • Nobody puts on armor thinking, "this is just a wonderful day."
  • 00:14:22.444 --> 00:14:29.051
  • If you have to pick up your armor, you understand there's a
  • 00:14:29.051 --> 00:14:31.253
  • Conflict at hand and your future is very much in the balance, and
  • 00:14:31.253 --> 00:14:36.892
  • You need every tool that is available to you in order to
  • 00:14:36.892 --> 00:14:40.162
  • Flourish in the conflict that seems imminent.
  • 00:14:40.162 --> 00:14:45.367
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  • Allen: now, i want to unpack it with you just a bit.
  • 00:15:51.467 --> 00:15:53.068
  • I'm gonna stay--at the beginning, at least--in
  • 00:15:53.068 --> 00:15:55.938
  • Ephesus, outside of this next passage, 2 corinthians 12.
  • 00:15:55.938 --> 00:16:00.642
  • It says, "i know a man in christ who fourteen years ago was
  • 00:16:00.642 --> 00:16:03.545
  • Caught up into the third heaven.
  • 00:16:03.545 --> 00:16:05.447
  • Whether it was in the body or out of the body i don't know--
  • 00:16:05.447 --> 00:16:07.416
  • God knows."
  • 00:16:07.416 --> 00:16:08.984
  • Paul talks to his friends in ephesus about spiritual forces
  • 00:16:08.984 --> 00:16:11.720
  • Of evil in the heavenly places.
  • 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:13.756
  • The word is plural.
  • 00:16:13.756 --> 00:16:15.124
  • He uses it five times, the phrase five times, in his letter
  • 00:16:15.124 --> 00:16:18.627
  • To them.
  • 00:16:18.627 --> 00:16:20.963
  • Well, the comment that i just shared with you from
  • 00:16:20.963 --> 00:16:22.965
  • Corinthians, paul says that he knows a man who was caught up
  • 00:16:22.965 --> 00:16:25.868
  • Into the third heaven.
  • 00:16:25.868 --> 00:16:27.336
  • The identity of the man isn't relevant, for our discussion,
  • 00:16:27.336 --> 00:16:30.305
  • At least.
  • 00:16:30.305 --> 00:16:31.874
  • But if there's a third heaven, logic dictates that there has to
  • 00:16:31.874 --> 00:16:34.676
  • Be a first and a second heaven.
  • 00:16:34.676 --> 00:16:37.479
  • And it's the idea i just wanna hand you to think about a bit
  • 00:16:37.479 --> 00:16:40.916
  • And perhaps help you imagine a way to engage in this wrestling
  • 00:16:40.916 --> 00:16:45.788
  • Match that paul is challenging his friends in ephesus to.
  • 00:16:45.788 --> 00:16:50.526
  • I'm not gonna walk you through all of the verses, but the first
  • 00:16:50.526 --> 00:16:54.029
  • Heaven, as i understand it from scripture, and there's not as
  • 00:16:54.029 --> 00:16:56.565
  • Much information as i would prefer.
  • 00:16:56.565 --> 00:16:58.000
  • I wish it was all located in one set of four verses that
  • 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:02.838
  • Explained it sequentially, but then that wouldn't require
  • 00:17:02.838 --> 00:17:06.075
  • Study, nor faith.
  • 00:17:06.075 --> 00:17:08.744
  • The first heaven, as i understand it, is the heavens
  • 00:17:08.744 --> 00:17:10.946
  • That's contiguous with the earth's surface is the heavens
  • 00:17:10.946 --> 00:17:13.082
  • We see: clouds and stars and all that's above us.
  • 00:17:13.082 --> 00:17:18.754
  • The third heaven, where the description in corinthians of
  • 00:17:18.754 --> 00:17:22.191
  • The man who was caught up to the third heaven, is god's
  • 00:17:22.191 --> 00:17:24.359
  • Dwelling place.
  • 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:26.995
  • The midheaven, as i understand the presentation of scripture,
  • 00:17:26.995 --> 00:17:30.866
  • Is the area that is the center, the seat of authority, for
  • 00:17:30.866 --> 00:17:35.037
  • Satan's activity in the earth.
  • 00:17:35.037 --> 00:17:39.074
  • Now, it's more helpful for me to think about this if i don't
  • 00:17:39.074 --> 00:17:42.744
  • Think about it spatially.
  • 00:17:42.744 --> 00:17:45.614
  • It's not like a layer cake, where you have layer one and
  • 00:17:45.614 --> 00:17:48.417
  • Layer two and layer three, like god's throne is just way high up
  • 00:17:48.417 --> 00:17:52.387
  • In the air.
  • 00:17:52.387 --> 00:17:57.159
  • It's easier for me to understand it if i think of it in a little
  • 00:17:57.159 --> 00:18:02.598
  • Bit of a--as realms of existence.
  • 00:18:02.598 --> 00:18:10.139
  • Maybe i can explain.
  • 00:18:13.575 --> 00:18:15.544
  • Look at ephesians chapter 1.
  • 00:18:15.544 --> 00:18:19.348
  • Paul said, "i pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened
  • 00:18:19.348 --> 00:18:21.884
  • In order that you may know the hope to which he's called you,
  • 00:18:21.884 --> 00:18:24.920
  • The riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and
  • 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:27.389
  • His incomparably great power for us who believe.
  • 00:18:27.389 --> 00:18:31.093
  • That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he
  • 00:18:31.093 --> 00:18:33.362
  • Exerted in christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him
  • 00:18:33.362 --> 00:18:36.431
  • At his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all
  • 00:18:36.431 --> 00:18:40.636
  • Rule and authority and power and dominion, and every title that
  • 00:18:40.636 --> 00:18:44.506
  • Can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one
  • 00:18:44.506 --> 00:18:48.544
  • To come."
  • 00:18:48.544 --> 00:18:51.880
  • He's referencing the place that jesus has been given, this
  • 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:54.149
  • Exalted place in philippians 2.
  • 00:18:54.149 --> 00:18:56.351
  • He tells his friends in philippi
  • 00:18:56.351 --> 00:18:57.986
  • That jesus has been given a name that's above every name, that at
  • 00:18:57.986 --> 00:19:00.155
  • The name of jesus, every knee will bow.
  • 00:19:00.155 --> 00:19:03.659
  • Well, kneeling before another human being is an expression of
  • 00:19:03.659 --> 00:19:06.628
  • Yielding, of humility, that there's an authority greater
  • 00:19:06.628 --> 00:19:08.897
  • Than you, and you would kneel.
  • 00:19:08.897 --> 00:19:11.433
  • Well, to his friends in ephesus, he says to them that god has
  • 00:19:11.433 --> 00:19:14.303
  • Seated him, jesus, at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far
  • 00:19:14.303 --> 00:19:18.307
  • Above, and he's using language very similar to the ephesians's
  • 00:19:18.307 --> 00:19:20.876
  • Language now in chapter 6 of those principalities and powers,
  • 00:19:20.876 --> 00:19:24.613
  • Those authorities and dominions.
  • 00:19:24.613 --> 00:19:26.281
  • Jesus has been given a place of authority over any force, any
  • 00:19:26.281 --> 00:19:30.319
  • Power in authority that's in satan's realm of existence.
  • 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:36.091
  • Look at ephesians 2, in verse 1: "as for you, you were dead in
  • 00:19:36.091 --> 00:19:38.694
  • Your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you
  • 00:19:38.694 --> 00:19:41.296
  • Followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of
  • 00:19:41.296 --> 00:19:44.466
  • The air, the spirit who is now at work and those who
  • 00:19:44.466 --> 00:19:47.970
  • Are disobedient."
  • 00:19:47.970 --> 00:19:49.304
  • One of the titles attributed to satan in the new testament is
  • 00:19:49.304 --> 00:19:52.107
  • The ruler of the kingdom of the air.
  • 00:19:52.107 --> 00:19:54.977
  • That midheaven, he has an authority there.
  • 00:19:54.977 --> 00:19:57.846
  • It's foolish and naive, it's a failure to acknowledge what we
  • 00:19:57.846 --> 00:20:00.916
  • See, if we say satan has no authority.
  • 00:20:00.916 --> 00:20:04.119
  • He does.
  • 00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:06.255
  • We're no match for him.
  • 00:20:06.255 --> 00:20:08.924
  • You and i left to our own resources, we won't outthink
  • 00:20:08.924 --> 00:20:11.526
  • Satan, we won't outthink evil, we won't outwork evil, we're
  • 00:20:11.526 --> 00:20:14.529
  • Not stronger.
  • 00:20:14.529 --> 00:20:17.299
  • He's been very effective at causing some of the--our great
  • 00:20:17.299 --> 00:20:20.836
  • Heroes to engage in mighty struggles and to step in some
  • 00:20:20.836 --> 00:20:25.607
  • Very deep holes.
  • 00:20:25.607 --> 00:20:29.344
  • But when we come in the authority of jesus's name and
  • 00:20:29.344 --> 00:20:31.613
  • The power of his shed blood, we have an authority that
  • 00:20:31.613 --> 00:20:34.049
  • Transcends ourselves that is beyond us.
  • 00:20:34.049 --> 00:20:36.852
  • This isn't about my education or my life experience.
  • 00:20:36.852 --> 00:20:41.590
  • That's why as important as it is that we study and we read and we
  • 00:20:41.590 --> 00:20:44.559
  • Learn and we learn to recognize the voice of the spirit, we also
  • 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:47.763
  • Have to engage.
  • 00:20:47.763 --> 00:20:50.098
  • That's why paul says after you've done everything to stand,
  • 00:20:50.098 --> 00:20:52.334
  • You've gotta stand there and put on the armor, because it's
  • 00:20:52.334 --> 00:20:56.438
  • An experience where truth moves from the realm of the
  • 00:20:56.438 --> 00:20:59.374
  • Theoretical to something that becomes a part of
  • 00:20:59.374 --> 00:21:02.077
  • Your experience.
  • 00:21:02.077 --> 00:21:03.412
  • Truth divorced from experience will always dwell in the realm
  • 00:21:03.412 --> 00:21:06.014
  • Of a doubt.
  • 00:21:06.014 --> 00:21:08.183
  • And we've had enough theoretical christianity.
  • 00:21:08.183 --> 00:21:11.553
  • We've talked about spiritual things, and we've said the
  • 00:21:11.553 --> 00:21:14.022
  • Words, and we've--but we've really had very little intent of
  • 00:21:14.022 --> 00:21:18.260
  • Bringing it forward into our worldview and how we practice
  • 00:21:18.260 --> 00:21:21.263
  • Our lives and the powers and the forces that we think truly
  • 00:21:21.263 --> 00:21:25.067
  • Influence our destinies, our outcomes, and our
  • 00:21:25.067 --> 00:21:27.369
  • Daily experiences.
  • 00:21:27.369 --> 00:21:31.139
  • And as long as we leave it theoretical, our faith remains
  • 00:21:31.139 --> 00:21:33.975
  • Somewhat anemic.
  • 00:21:33.975 --> 00:21:36.345
  • Now, paul is writing to a group of people who have a rich set of
  • 00:21:36.345 --> 00:21:38.880
  • Experiences with spiritual things, but he's acknowledging
  • 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.284
  • The ongoing challenges, from his own imprisonment to the
  • 00:21:42.284 --> 00:21:46.955
  • Challenges they face.
  • 00:21:46.955 --> 00:21:48.323
  • Ephesians 3:8, "although i'm less than the least of all god's
  • 00:21:48.323 --> 00:21:50.892
  • People, this grace was given me: to preach to the gentiles the
  • 00:21:50.892 --> 00:21:54.129
  • Unsearchable riches of christ, to make plain to everyone the
  • 00:21:54.129 --> 00:21:58.233
  • Administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept
  • 00:21:58.233 --> 00:22:01.636
  • Hidden in god, who created all things.
  • 00:22:01.636 --> 00:22:03.305
  • His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold--the
  • 00:22:03.305 --> 00:22:06.241
  • Wisdom of god should be made known to the rulers and
  • 00:22:06.241 --> 00:22:09.778
  • Authorities in the heavenly realms."
  • 00:22:09.778 --> 00:22:14.683
  • Well, the wisdom of god is fully known in heaven, in
  • 00:22:14.683 --> 00:22:19.221
  • God's heaven.
  • 00:22:19.221 --> 00:22:22.090
  • I don't believe he's talking about the wisdom of god being
  • 00:22:22.090 --> 00:22:24.226
  • Made known to presidents and authoritarian rulers.
  • 00:22:24.226 --> 00:22:29.364
  • I believe he's talking to the-- 'cause they're not the ones in
  • 00:22:29.364 --> 00:22:31.967
  • The heavenly realms.
  • 00:22:31.967 --> 00:22:34.369
  • They're on the earth.
  • 00:22:34.369 --> 00:22:36.538
  • I believe the statement is that the power of what jesus
  • 00:22:36.538 --> 00:22:39.241
  • Accomplished through his redemptive work will ultimately
  • 00:22:39.241 --> 00:22:42.377
  • Be made manifest throughout all the kingdom of darkness.
  • 00:22:42.377 --> 00:22:47.482
  • Verse 11, "according to his eternal purposes which he
  • 00:22:47.482 --> 00:22:49.785
  • Accomplished in christ jesus our lord.
  • 00:22:49.785 --> 00:22:53.455
  • Because it's in him, in christ, that we can, through faith,
  • 00:22:53.455 --> 00:22:56.758
  • Approach god with freedom and confidence."
  • 00:22:56.758 --> 00:23:00.495
  • The next sentence is telling.
  • 00:23:00.495 --> 00:23:02.764
  • He says, "i ask you, then, don't be discouraged because of my
  • 00:23:02.764 --> 00:23:06.134
  • Sufferings for you."
  • 00:23:06.134 --> 00:23:09.070
  • See, it'd be very easy if the man who mentored you in the
  • 00:23:09.070 --> 00:23:11.907
  • Faith and helped you grow up in the faith, that helped you
  • 00:23:11.907 --> 00:23:14.276
  • Develop in the faith is imprisoned because
  • 00:23:14.276 --> 00:23:16.445
  • Of that faith.
  • 00:23:16.445 --> 00:23:17.779
  • It would cause you to want to step back from your faith.
  • 00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:21.416
  • Well, if paul is in that position, it's gonna happen
  • 00:23:21.416 --> 00:23:24.753
  • To us.
  • 00:23:24.753 --> 00:23:26.721
  • If paul is treated that way, extraordinary miracles through
  • 00:23:26.721 --> 00:23:30.125
  • Paul, and they've got paul in prison.
  • 00:23:30.125 --> 00:23:36.264
  • And paul says, "don't be discouraged."
  • 00:23:36.264 --> 00:23:39.367
  • Discouragement doesn't mean to be blue, be bummed out, have a
  • 00:23:39.367 --> 00:23:47.108
  • Bad day.
  • 00:23:47.108 --> 00:23:49.211
  • The little prefix d-i-s means to be without.
  • 00:23:49.211 --> 00:23:55.484
  • So to be discouraged is to be without what?
  • 00:23:55.484 --> 00:23:59.221
  • Courage.
  • 00:23:59.221 --> 00:24:00.589
  • He said, "don't lose your courage because of what's
  • 00:24:00.589 --> 00:24:02.457
  • Happening to me.
  • 00:24:02.457 --> 00:24:05.026
  • Don't back up."
  • 00:24:05.026 --> 00:24:07.095
  • In fact, he concludes this letter in chapter 6 with what?
  • 00:24:07.095 --> 00:24:10.799
  • "having done everything to stand, stand therefore.
  • 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:14.936
  • Put on the armor."
  • 00:24:14.936 --> 00:24:18.006
  • We have this incredible authority in that we've been
  • 00:24:18.006 --> 00:24:20.175
  • Seated with christ in the heavenly realms, but we have
  • 00:24:20.175 --> 00:24:23.144
  • An adversary.
  • 00:24:23.144 --> 00:24:25.680
  • And between here and the return of our lord, the authority of
  • 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:29.718
  • Our christ is gonna be made known to every spiritual power,
  • 00:24:29.718 --> 00:24:33.388
  • Principality and power, spiritual force of wickedness in
  • 00:24:33.388 --> 00:24:36.258
  • The heavenly realms.
  • 00:24:36.258 --> 00:24:38.493
  • It's going to be on display through us.
  • 00:24:38.493 --> 00:24:43.798
  • The arenas of conflict, not complicated or complex.
  • 00:24:43.798 --> 00:24:47.269
  • 1 thessalonians 5:23 says, "may god himself, the god of peace,
  • 00:24:47.269 --> 00:24:50.772
  • Sanctify you through and through.
  • 00:24:50.772 --> 00:24:52.741
  • May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the
  • 00:24:52.741 --> 00:24:55.510
  • Coming of our lord jesus."
  • 00:24:55.510 --> 00:24:57.779
  • How do we experience this spiritual conflict?
  • 00:24:57.779 --> 00:25:00.015
  • What does it look like?
  • 00:25:00.015 --> 00:25:01.516
  • Is it about elections?
  • 00:25:01.516 --> 00:25:04.920
  • Well, i mean, i'm certain that spiritual forces are involved in
  • 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:08.957
  • Elections because they're about authority and power that govern
  • 00:25:08.957 --> 00:25:12.260
  • The lives of human beings, and from the beginning of our bible
  • 00:25:12.260 --> 00:25:15.597
  • Until the end, rulers in the earth are expressions of
  • 00:25:15.597 --> 00:25:19.801
  • Spiritual forces and principalities and powers.
  • 00:25:19.801 --> 00:25:22.103
  • You have to completely avoid the book to not acknowledge that.
  • 00:25:22.103 --> 00:25:26.007
  • Allen: hey, we are living through a season of
  • 00:25:27.475 --> 00:25:28.977
  • Tremendous change.
  • 00:25:28.977 --> 00:25:30.879
  • It's--can be unsettling, at the least.
  • 00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:32.781
  • It can be frightening, but i don't think that's the
  • 00:25:32.781 --> 00:25:34.616
  • Appropriate response.
  • 00:25:34.616 --> 00:25:36.284
  • I believe god is moving, and if we'll turn our hearts to him,
  • 00:25:36.284 --> 00:25:39.487
  • We'll see the purposes of god break forth in our generation.
  • 00:25:39.487 --> 00:25:43.291
  • Let's pray.
  • 00:25:43.291 --> 00:25:44.626
  • Father, i thank you for what we see you doing.
  • 00:25:44.626 --> 00:25:46.962
  • Lord, we see the destruction, but we also see the promises of
  • 00:25:46.962 --> 00:25:49.631
  • Your presence, and we ask you to intervene.
  • 00:25:49.631 --> 00:25:52.634
  • Lord, awaken the hearts of your people.
  • 00:25:52.634 --> 00:25:54.269
  • Turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the
  • 00:25:54.269 --> 00:25:56.371
  • Children to their fathers.
  • 00:25:56.371 --> 00:25:57.739
  • Pour out your spirit on our generation.
  • 00:25:57.739 --> 00:25:59.741
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:25:59.741 --> 00:26:01.476
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:01.476 --> 00:26:07.349
  • Allen: allen jackson ministries was created to strengthen
  • 00:26:09.451 --> 00:26:11.886
  • The church.
  • 00:26:11.886 --> 00:26:13.254
  • With your help, we've been able to take some steps in that
  • 00:26:13.254 --> 00:26:14.923
  • Direction, but we're more determined than ever to make an
  • 00:26:14.923 --> 00:26:17.726
  • Impact in our world.
  • 00:26:17.726 --> 00:26:19.661
  • We have some invitations internationally to step into
  • 00:26:19.661 --> 00:26:21.730
  • Some war-torn countries, into israel and ukraine, to help
  • 00:26:21.730 --> 00:26:24.499
  • Strengthen the church there.
  • 00:26:24.499 --> 00:26:26.001
  • We plan to respond to that.
  • 00:26:26.001 --> 00:26:28.036
  • But as importantly in this nation, folks, business as usual
  • 00:26:28.036 --> 00:26:31.606
  • Isn't gonna get this done.
  • 00:26:31.606 --> 00:26:32.941
  • We can't be timid and sit in our churches and have polite bible
  • 00:26:32.941 --> 00:26:35.510
  • Studies and sing our favorite choruses.
  • 00:26:35.510 --> 00:26:38.113
  • We've got to take the truth into the public square, a biblical
  • 00:26:38.113 --> 00:26:41.316
  • Worldview back into the midst of our culture.
  • 00:26:41.316 --> 00:26:44.319
  • We're creating tools to help you do that in your home, in your
  • 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:47.188
  • Church, in your community, bible studies, publishing books,
  • 00:26:47.188 --> 00:26:51.026
  • Content that we can share with you.
  • 00:26:51.026 --> 00:26:52.694
  • It's time for the church to be the church.
  • 00:26:52.694 --> 00:26:55.430
  • We have an advocacy for jesus of nazareth that has to be heard in
  • 00:26:55.430 --> 00:26:59.200
  • This season, or our children and grandchildren will pay
  • 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:01.870
  • The price.
  • 00:27:01.870 --> 00:27:03.238
  • Will you make an investment in this ministry to make 2026 the
  • 00:27:03.238 --> 00:27:06.241
  • Most fruitful year we've ever had together?
  • 00:27:06.241 --> 00:27:09.210
  • Thank you.
  • 00:27:09.210 --> 00:27:10.578
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:11.012 --> 00:27:11.012