Be Strong in the Lord

Welcome and Opening Worship

Good morning! We're going to get our church service underway, so if you could grab a seat, that'd be wonderful. Welcome to First Baptist Church of Artesia. We're so glad you've joined us today. Our reading comes from Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.

— Psalm 23:1-6 (CSB)

Join us this morning as we rejoice in our King.

(Hymn: "Rejoice, the Lord Is King") Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore! Mortals, give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore. Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

It's number 228 in your hymnal.

The Lord, our Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love; when He had purged our stains, He took His seat above. Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail, He rules o'er earth and heaven; the keys of death and hell are to our Jesus given. Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope! Our Lord the Judge shall come and take His servants up to their eternal home. Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Now turn to 210, "Jesus Paid It All."

(Hymn: "Jesus Paid It All") I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small; child of weakness, watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all." Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find Thy power, and Thine alone, can change the leper’s spots and melt this heart of stone. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim; I’ll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary’s Lamb. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

And when, before the throne, I stand in Him complete, "Jesus died my soul to save," my lips shall still repeat. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

This next one should be in your bulletin: "He Will Hold Me Fast."

(Hymn: "He Will Hold Me Fast") When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast; when the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast. I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path; for my love is often cold; He must hold me fast. He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast; for my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast.

Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast; precious in His holy sight, He will hold me fast. He’ll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last; bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast. He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast; for my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast.

For my Savior loves me so, Christ will hold me fast; He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast; for my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast.

Somebody praise the Lord! Amen. God is good, and all the time, amen! Well, welcome to the last day of winter; tomorrow it's springtime, praise God!

Be Strong in the Lord

Turn with me, if you would, in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 6. I want to work with a passage this morning that we should all know fairly well, but I want to take a little bit different look at it than I think we normally do. So when you get to Ephesians chapter 6, say, "Amen." Drop down to verse 10. I'll be reading to verse 17.

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation 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.

— Ephesians 6:10-17 (CSB)

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His most precious and holy word. Let us pray.

Father, as we come before You this morning, we honor You with our presence. We ask, Lord, that again You open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to receive what it is You have for us. We thank You, Lord, for those who are here, those who are traveling, and those who are recuperating. Lord, we just ask that You guide us into this word and that You are glorified in this. We give You praise, honor, and glory. In Jesus' name we pray, and the church said, "Amen."

The title of our message this morning is "Be Strong in the Lord." Many times I've preached this passage before, and generally the title is "The Armor of God." But what I want us to look at is not so much the armor itself, but the call to "be strong in the Lord," because this is actually the primary subject of the passage: being strong in the Lord.

Armor is one thing, but strength is altogether another. Armor is a protection, but strength is what helps you stand. Strength is what helps you move forward, and strength is what helps you achieve.

The Source of Our Strength

In verse 10, again, it says, "Finally, be strengthened..." By the way, whenever you see the word "finally," that means we should have already read what came before. We should already know what is going on in this particular passage. This book was written to the church in Ephesus; it was a letter that was to be passed around to the local churches, not citing a particular problem, but serving as a letter of encouragement.

So he says, "Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength." Be strengthened by the Lord—this is where our strength comes from. In everything we do, it comes from the Lord. It is not our own strength or some acquired strength. Our strength as Christians and believers comes from the Lord.

Therefore, the closer we get to God, and the closer we get to our Lord and Savior, the stronger we become. More of His attributes come upon us rather than us trying to do it ourselves. Originally, we might say, "Well, if I can just get my hands on it, if I can just do this and do that..." But after we tear up our lives doing that, we realize there is a better way. We come to God, and suddenly things begin to work out. We realize it's not by our power or our might, but by His—by what He does and what we receive from Him.

To be strengthened, we need to know who God is. This is why I always focus on theology. Theology is basically: Who is God? What is God doing? And where am I in relationship to what God is saying or commanding me to do?

We are also called to be strengthened by His resources. Remember, Jesus said it is better that I go, because then I will ask the Father, and He will send you another Helper—the Holy Spirit. This is God's resource given to us. We have the privilege of living in the church age, where God's Spirit is poured out on all believers, so we have that strengthening on the inside of us.

This is different from Old Testament times, where the Spirit of the Lord was poured out temporarily for a specific task—on David, Moses, Abraham, or Ezekiel—and then once the task was performed, the Spirit departed. We now live in a time where that resource is here for all of us. But do we know that? Do we walk in that? Do we really understand it?

As I was researching this passage, I read a commentary where the author said, "Don't pray for an easy life." That really resonated with me because a lot of times we pray and ask God to make everything easy. Yet, when we read Scripture, we realize things aren't going to be easy. The reason is that we live in a fallen world—a world that has basically dedicated itself to following evil. This world is not our final destination; we are just passing through to the kingdom of heaven.

So, don't pray for an easy life, but pray for the strength that meets the task you were called to. In other words, God calls us first to salvation, then He calls us to share the gospel and plants us in ministry. Pray for the strength and resources to enable you to carry out the task God has for you.

What makes the body of Christ is all of us coming together. We all have a task and an assignment, and when we work together, the outcome is different than when we are isolated. We are better together than we are separated. So, pray for the strength that meets your calling. In my own journey, before I was a pastor, I prayed, "Lord, help me, bless me, expand my territory, and let Your hand be with me." This means, "Lord, whatever You decide to give me, may Your strength and ability be with me to carry it out." It's not what I want anymore; it's what He wants, and I draw upon His strength to carry out His will.

Standing Firm Against the Devil's Schemes

The first part of verse 11 says, "Put on the full armor of God." "Put on," in the Greek, means we are personally responsible for putting that armor on. This isn't something that happens by osmosis; it is a conscious decision. First, we realize we can't do this by ourselves. We go to God, ask for His help, and then it is our responsibility to wear that armor like a garment.

Unfortunately, we sometimes take it off. It should stay on all the time. He says, "Put on the armor of God." In other words, you put it on; you do it yourself. If you don't wear it, you are vulnerable. There is no armor on your back.

Just ask those people in the Bible who ran from God's call, like Jonah. God called him, he refused, but eventually, he had to do it because God does not give up. When God calls us, we must do it. He is doing something on the inside of us that is bigger than anything we can imagine, changing us from death into life. He gives us eternity, but in the process, He also gives us the ability to preach the gospel and to stand firm. The armor is given so we can be strong in the Lord.

The idea of retreating or running away leaves you defenseless because there is no armor covering your back. The next part of verse 11 says, "so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil." We are told to put on and be strengthened by this armor; we are not strengthened without it. Just like in the military, soldiers wear their gear at all times on assignment. There is no time to be careless because an attack can happen at any moment.

As Christians, we must realize we are going to be attacked. The world and the devil do not like us. I don't want to be caught unprepared, but if I have the armor of God on, and I understand who I am in Christ and what God has called me to, then I have protection and I know what to do.

We are told to stand firm. This is the main thing we need to know. The option of running is not there. The only way we can stand is to be strong in the Lord, because we cannot stand on our own power. God has created all things, He has called us, and He will watch over us.

We must stand against the "schemes" of the devil. Schemes refer to strategy and methods. The devil is real, and the demonic is real. They have strategic methods, and if we don't realize that, we become easy prey. In the military, they train you to stay alive, help one another, and be ready. They don't just put you on a bus to war without preparation; they spend time training you so that you will stand your ground and finish the job.

Engaging in Spiritual Conflict

When we stand firm, we are to hold onto the territory that Christ and His church have already conquered. Think about this: What has Christianity established since the time of Jesus that we should not relinquish? God has a big picture—He is the Alpha and the Omega—and we are part of that history. He told us to preach the gospel and fulfill the Great Commission. We are not supposed to give up ground to the enemy.

Yet, when you study church history, you find that after making great gains, the church often fell asleep, and the enemy's strategies eroded those gains. Since the late 1950s, Christianity in this country has lost about 5% of its influence every decade. If your retirement plan lost 5% every decade, you would change something immediately! Yet we have been asleep at the wheel, giving up ground because the world tells us we can't speak about Jesus or preach the gospel. That is just a strategy to push you back. We must stand firm, or we will continue to lose ground.

A lot of times, when people think of the armor of God, they immediately think of fighting. If you're over fifty, you might picture yourself as a spiritual Errol Flynn; if you're under fifty, maybe a spiritual Johnny Depp. We want to charge into battle, but we are actually called to stand firm.

The reason is that the battle belongs to the Lord, and Satan is already defeated. The devil's schemes are still active, but all we have to do is resist. We must say, "No, you're not doing that here. You're not taking God out of our schools, our government, or our families. We will not accept teachings that contradict God's Word." But if we say nothing and do not resist, we lose ground and wonder how things got so bad.

When we remove God from our schools and communities, a living hell fills the vacuum. We are experiencing that nightmare right now. How did we get here? We stopped resisting. More people claim to be Christians in this country than any other group. If we all put on the armor of God, understood our responsibilities, and resisted, these anti-God movements would not stand because the majority would say, "No, we are not going to have that."

Verse 12 says:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil spiritual forces in the heavens."

This is a spiritual conflict. The enemy is already defeated, but we cannot fall prey to his subtle methods. The enemy works gradually. You allow one small compromise, then another, and suddenly you are far from where you started because you stopped resisting.

It is a spiritual conflict, not a physical one. We often try to resolve human conflicts while ignoring the spiritual dimension. We cannot play the role of spiritual superheroes trying to fight the devil in our own strength. Be strong in the Lord and in His power.

Think of the story of David and Goliath. The Israelite army was terrified of Goliath, running away whenever he appeared. Goliath taunted the armies of the living God day after day. But it took one young boy, David, to stand up and say, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" That stand changed everything. That is what it means to resist and push back against the world.

Putting on the Full Armor of God

Verse 13 says, "For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand." Turn to your neighbor and say, "Resist."

We are to resist the schemes of the devil, oppose what is ungodly, and stand on the truth. Sometimes we have to do this even within the church, because the enemy tries to creep inside. This is why we have so much fragmentation today.

In seminary, I took an elective class simply because of its title: Evangelizing Nominal Christians. These are people who are in the church but have never experienced true conversion. When a church is filled with nominal Christians, worldly standards creep in and change everything because there is no resistance to evil.

We must engage in what we might call nonviolent direct action. Think of the Civil Rights Movement, or the fall of the Berlin Wall—standing firm on truth and refusing to back down. We stand on the Word of God and His strength. I shall not be moved; I will not bend, and I will not wither. I will stand for what God says and reject evil in my home, my city, my church, and my country.

Verse 14 says, "Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest..." Are you prepared to stand and resist? The truth and righteousness Paul is talking about are found in Christ; they are not our own. Our strength is in the Lord—His truth, His righteousness, and His Word. That is what we put on, and we must not waver.

I am proudly a Christian. I am a sinner saved by grace, and I realized I was dead in my sins. Scripture says if we repent—which means to turn away from sin—and believe that God sent His only Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for those sins, we will be saved. But we must surrender all to God. It's not my way anymore; it's His way.

We are called to share this gospel. Are you prepared to stand and resist? During the COVID-19 pandemic, 30% of the churches that closed did not reopen. Every church had to re-evaluate and adapt. After a couple of weeks, I said, "No, we are going to open the church." I understood the need for safety measures, masks, and streaming online for those who were sick, but I do not have the authority to close God’s house. We have the authority to stand and resist, and we must take a stand on things that matter.

Verse 15 says, "and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace." It is the gospel that helps us stand. If you don't know the gospel—that we are sinners, redeemed by Christ's death on the cross—you have nothing to stand on. This is our truth, our salvation, and the righteousness God gives us. We don't just live as saved people on Sundays, but every day of the week. God has given us the greatest gift we could ever receive, and we must not turn our backs on it. He has changed us from darkness to light. Our conviction is in the Lord.

Verse 16 says, "In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Notice that it says in every situation—not just when it is convenient or when you want to look good.

A soldier’s shield protects all the other pieces of armor. When you get saved, people will throw accusations at you: "Who do you think you are? I remember what you used to do!" If you do not have the shield of faith—which is complete trust in Jesus Christ and His Word—those arrows will penetrate your armor and cause damage. You must take up the shield of faith to block those attacks, knowing who you are in Christ, so you can stand firm and continue sharing the gospel.

We must follow God's call. Yesterday at a farmer's market, a young man came up to me and asked, "Are you Steve? The mayor and the pastor?" I said yes. He told me he worked at Hope Outreach and was attending Biola University because God had called him to ministry. He didn't know exactly what ministry yet, but he was committed to following God. I told him, "Stay focused on Christ, resist temptation, and you will get there."

We need to make sure our young people have the armor of God. Giving a young believer no spiritual training is like handing car keys to a ten-year-old. We must ensure that our children, as soon as they are old enough to understand, know who they are in Christ, understand the spiritual battle, and are equipped to stand firm.

Present Safety and Future Deliverance

We close with verse 17: "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God."

The helmet of salvation refers to your present safety in Christ. Put on that helmet and don't let anyone change your mind about your identity. You are saved, and nothing can pluck you out of His hand. You are a child of God. The hope of salvation also points to our future deliverance—one day we will be resurrected and spend eternity with God.

The sword of the Spirit is our only offensive weapon. While we stand and resist, we use the Word of God. This is God’s covenant and will for us. Like any will, it is valid when we meet the requirements—believing in Christ, standing, and resisting. The path is narrow because we must understand who we are in Christ and fulfill our responsibilities.

The sword of the Spirit refers to the spoken and written Word of God. It is the only offensive weapon, and it enables us to stand firm. Know the Word of God. The Word began all things ("Let there be light"), proclaims all things, and Christ Himself is the incarnate Word who gave us the gospel. He commanded us to take it to the ends of the earth, resist the schemes of the enemy, and stand firm. When we do that, we bring honor, praise, and glory to almighty God. Amen. Let's praise the Lord!

Farewell and Tribute to Pastor Gigi

Speaker 2 (Associate): Thanks, Pastor Steve. At this time, I'd like to ask Pastor Gigi to come to the stage. Pastor Gigi, if you'd be willing to come up... Pastor Gigi has served our church faithfully for fourteen years, and he is currently transitioning out. We want to present you with this award to thank you for your service to the body of Christ. Is there anything you'd like to share?

Pastor Gigi: Good afternoon, actually. I did not expect this, because I simply serve the Lord. First, I would like to thank you for allowing me to serve as the associate pastor of this church since 2011. I served as a volunteer until I joined the staff in 2014, and I also served as the treasurer during that time. I tried to do the very best I could with the responsibilities given to me.

I also thank the church for allowing me to serve as the interim Director of Missions for the Los Angeles Southern Baptist Association. Now it is Pastor Steve's turn to serve as the association's director. I served there for six years and ten months—quite a long "interim"! But I never neglected my responsibilities here. Some of you might not know, but I often worked here until one or two o'clock in the morning.

This church was founded by God, and you are here for a reason. When my wife and I moved here, we decided to join this church in May of 2011. That was our commitment. We served in the music ministry; I used to be the music director, and I thank God for those who carried it on, like Shannon, and the musicians who came after.

For those of us who stayed through all the challenges, ups, and downs, we stayed put. Many personal challenges came my way. In 2013, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. By 2020, I was declared clear, but then I was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. The doctors told me I had five years to live, and mathematically, that means I would only have two years left. But I don't believe that, because God is in total control.

My brother passed away from cancer last year, which brought about many family matters in the Philippines that I had to address. I was away for a couple of months to handle those affairs, but during that time, I was also training twenty-two pastors in our home province to help establish local churches and resource centers through Journey with Life Ministries and Project Nehemiah.

We must keep our focus on the mission God has given us. Yes, we need the full armor of God—the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sandals of readiness, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit. I always go to the Word of God to sustain me, my wife, and all of you.

As we move forward, transition is a natural part of ministry; nothing is permanent. I continue to pray for this church to focus on the Great Commission. Whether we are sick or healthy, nothing can separate us from the love of God. God is always there.

Please pray for us during this transition. For practical and realistic reasons, we must relocate temporarily to Las Vegas, where my nephew has offered us a place to stay, as we can no longer afford to live in California. But there is no retirement in the work of God. In fact, there is already an opportunity to help start a church in Vegas, though I told them I need to take a breath first!

My journey to America thirty-five years ago was an exodus. I had to choose between pleasing myself or pleasing God, and I chose to please God. I let go and let God, leaving behind everything I had accomplished to move forward. I became a Christian in 1985, began serving in music, and never dreamed of becoming a pastor—I just wanted to be obedient to His calling.

Please keep praying for us, especially for my health. Currently, they have stopped my cancer treatments because my recent MRI results were very encouraging. Praise the Lord! I do not accept that I only have two years to live; God is in control.

The hardest part of life is making major decisions, praying as Jesus did in the garden, "Not my will, but Yours be done." We are limited, but God places us in situations because He wants to accomplish something greater. Leave it to the Lord. Do not rely on your own imagination, but stick to the Word of God because His Word is true yesterday, today, and forever.

I want to encourage this church. Thank you, First Baptist Church of Artesia, for allowing my wife and me to serve you. Please continue to pursue the Great Commission. Do not rely solely on your pastors. You have a young pastor now, and it will be a big challenge, but hold fast to the truth. Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last. Thank you, my brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Speaker 2 (Associate): Can we pray for you now?

Lord, we thank You for Your faithfulness in Pastor Gigi's life. Thank You for all the ways he has served our church. I pray that You would bless him for his service and grant him a great reward in heaven. I pray for his health, that You would continue to sustain and strengthen him and Gigi, giving them excitement for this next season of ministry and life. Encourage him in Your Word as he seeks to serve You. In Jesus' name, amen.

Let's give thanks to Pastor Gigi for his service. To God be the glory.

Church Announcements and Benediction

Well, we have some announcements for us. First of all, Happy St. Patrick's Day! I am dressed in green, and I will be seeking you out after the service if you are not!

A couple of announcements: First, if you haven't had your picture taken for the membership directory yet, please find me. If this week isn't good, that's fine, but please come to me, or I will find you!

Second, if you would like to give to our church, you can do so online or in the offering plate at the back. If you are visiting, please do not feel obligated to give; this is something our members do in obedience to Christ. Let me pray and thank God for our offering.

Lord, we pray that You would use everything we give for Your service and the advancement of Your kingdom. Make Your gospel known, and help us put on the armor of God to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Use us, we pray, in Jesus' name, amen.

Regarding our other service times: We have Sunday school at 8:40 AM. Irwin is teaching through the Gospel of Mark in the library, and I am teaching our Church Matters class. If you are interested in what church membership looks like or if you want to get baptized, you can join that class. It is on a six-week rotation, so you can jump in at any time.

We also have Wednesday night Bible studies at 7:00 PM. Pastor Steve is wrapping up "The Commands of Jesus" this Wednesday, and after that, we will begin looking at biblical theology—how the whole Bible points to Jesus. Today at 5:00 PM, we will have our Sunday evening prayer service, where we will study Genesis 15, looking at the language of God being our shield, and we will pray together.

One last announcement before we go: I want to ask Leslie to step out of the room for a moment while we talk. Leslie has expressed her desire to join our church as a member.

Leslie's previous church membership was at Brentwood Methodist in Brentwood, Tennessee. She grew up in Pomona and was baptized at Macedonia Baptist Church. She worked as a district manager for several years, and she and Roger recently moved back to the area and found our church while walking down the street. She agrees with our statement of faith, commits to our church covenant, and I am happy to recommend her for membership.

At this point, I ask all members of First Baptist to stand. Are there any questions? All those in favor of taking responsibility for Leslie's discipleship, as she takes responsibility for ours, say, "Yes."

Congregation: Yes.

Speaker 2 (Associate): Any opposed, say, "No." (None). Let's welcome Leslie back in! Make sure to say hello and welcome her into our body. Welcome to the church, Leslie!

Now for our benediction from 2 Corinthians 13:14: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Grab your hymnal and open to number 366. We talked about serving the Lord; let's sing to Him and surrender all we have in His service.

(Hymn: "I Surrender All") All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. I surrender all, I surrender all; all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender, humbly at His feet I bow; worldly pleasures all forsaken, take me, Jesus, take me now. I surrender all, I surrender all; all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender, make me, Savior, wholly Thine; let me feel the Holy Spirit, truly know that Thou art mine. I surrender all, I surrender all; all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; fill me with Thy love and power, let Thy blessing fall on me. I surrender all, I surrender all; all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

Amen. Have a blessed week!