Encounter Church
Sunday Morning 02.16.25
  • I Will Bless Thee O Lord
  • My Worship
  • Let Us Break Bread Together
  • Holy Forever

  • Scriptures:

    Ephesians 6:10–15 NKJV
    10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
    Introduction

    1. Truth is holding it all together

    I was traveling one afternoon and experienced what is called a “White out” This is an event in which the snow blows so incessantly that you cannot see far beyond your vehicle and the ground is covered. To add to that, as drivers would pass me, whom I would later see in the ditch, I would use the wipers to to clear my windshield. The problem was, every time I would clean the windows a residue of muddy snow mixutre would make my windshield cloudy. I could not see the road. I could not see the lines, so I got in the middle and proceeded. Two things that the impeded vision caused me:
    It costed me time. My trip went from 4 hours to 6.
    It caused me safety. I had to drive outside the boundaries because I could no longer see where they were.
    You see when our vision and the lenses with which we view the world is not guided by truth. It causes us to live life “outside the lines”. These are the boundaries God has given us for protection and safety. And in the spiritual battle we face today. We must hold onto the plum line of truth.
    Jesus is Love
    Love is Truth
    Love is rooted in the truth. Therefore, those who tell us what we want to hear rather than the truth don’t actually love us.
    Proverbs 27:6 NKJV
    6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
    There has been an all out demonic attack on truth. Truth leads to God and liberation. The enemy hates God and wants to see you bound.
    The attack has been so bold that even the most simplistic truths are being attacked .the truth is nothing holds together without truth.
    PP: When someone has grabbed hold of a lie, they will fight for it to the death never realizing, they have been deceived. It is possible to be both passionate and wrong.
    We must realize this fact to recognize when we or ….our loved ones has been baptized in a lie!  A belief system is something that has been received.
    Power Principle Truth is our protector against the distortion and the perversion of the enemy.
    Prayer:
    Therefore,  this morning I will  pray that the eyes of your understanding be opened and you receive and not reject truth.
    Be alert! For this morning the enemy is going to try to distract you, make you sleepy and reject what’s being said. Pray with me. “Lord, open my eyes to see, Open my ears to hear,Open my heart to receive what you are saying to me. I receive the word with gladness! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

    2 . Life and Reality fall apart when we reject the truth 

    The belt of truth keeps us from traversing the wrong path. (Proverbs 14:12) There are ways that will seem logical and practical when our vision and worldview is distorted. But a good cleaning of the glass will reveal that we are on the a harmful path.

    I. Suppressing the Truth

    Romans 1:18–23 NKJV
    18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
    There is no excuse for not knowing the truth.

    II. Ignoring the Truth

    Everything hinges on the basis of truth. If there is not truth, there is no solid place for us to build. So how could we ever find ourselves in a space where our realities are falling apart? How could we find ourselves in a destructive state where everything we have is damaged from decisions that we made based False Facts?
    Romans 1:18–23 NKJV
    21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
    18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead,
    [Spiritual truth was plain, even about the Godhead. So how did we become so confused?]
    so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God,
    POWERFUL: [They rejected the truth of who God was. They placed other things in the place of His rulership and truth within their hearts.]
    nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 
    We see there was a process to the erosion of truth. When we the body of Christ refuse to stand on what we know to be true under the guise of “getting along”, we slowly loose grip of reality and believe the lies ourselves. Many have looked at the extreme ideologies and asked the question, “How did we get here?” The answer is if you don’t stand for the truth, we’ll fall for anything.
    [When you reject truth which holds reality together, Hebrews 1:1-3, there is nowhere to go but down.]
    Power Principle: When you reject truth which holds reality together, there is nowhere to go but down.
    PP: You can’t go up when you lay the truth down. 
    Hebrews 1:1–3 NKJV
    1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
    [ This means that creation itself is held together by the truth of Gods word. See John 17:17, ]
    John 17:17 NKJV
    17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

    II. Exchanging the Truth

    Romans 1:24–25 NKJV
    24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
    ◄ 3337. metallassó ►
    Strong's Lexicon
    metallassó: To change, to exchange
    Original Word: μεταλλάσσω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: metallassó Pronunciation: met-al-las'-so Phonetic Spelling: (met-al-las'-so) Definition: To change, to exchange Meaning: I change, transform, alter, exchange.
    Word Origin: From μετά (meta, meaning "after" or "beyond") and ἀλλάσσω (allassó, meaning "to change" or "to exchange")
    Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "metallassó," the concept of exchange or transformation can be seen in Hebrew words like חָלַף (chalaph, Strong's H2498), which means to change or renew.
    Usage: The Greek verb "metallassó" primarily means to change or exchange one thing for another. In the New Testament, it is used to describe a transformation or substitution, often in a spiritual or moral context. The term implies a significant alteration, not just a superficial change.
     To exchange indicates a willing trade. 
    Power Principle:
    Most of us are willing participants in our own deception.
    James 1:14 NKJV
    14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
    Just as the serpent did not pry the rule of creation from Adam, he does not have to fight very hard today. Because the truth is the biggest enemy of truth outside of the demonic, is our our own desires.
    Romans 1:23 NKJV
    23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
    [This indicates the beginning of demonic worship through idols and false Gods who seek the worship of the one TRUE  God. 
    1 Corinthians 10:19–22 NKJV
    19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
    PP: It is dangerous when the we seek to be a part of the culture so bad that we erase our principles.

    Conclusion

    The truth is we need the Truth. We need God’s word and spirit to guide our lives.
    John 17:17 NKJV
    17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
    Bonus Content:
    The word says God has made the truth plain. There is a sin nature in us willing to supress the truth. When we ignore what is true devolution is imminent.
    Society devolves when we don’t walk in truth. This starts at the basic building blocks of mankind and the family.
    If gender is confused, the family has no foundation to build on.
    If husband nor wives know their true purpose and role in relationships. They end up trying to function in roles that don’t belong to them.
    PP: You choose to operate in truth or lie
    WOW: when you see confusing of gender and gender roles, the enemy is somewhere beneath the surface.
Encounter Church
http://www.encounter360.org
5 members • 4 followers