PART I - Honour

(1) Honour is a huge part of the Lord’s kingdom – we must learn to respect our parents, our masters, and the governing authorities placed over us

Ephesians 6:1-9

* See also Romans 13:1-8 and Proverbs 21:1

o Exceptions – Acts 4:19

* God is over all

(2) Prayer

Repent and confess

* Dishonour, anti-establishment sentiments, ingratitude towards those who have provided for us etc…

o Ingratitude breeds contempt and unbelief

o Repent: We are a generation of complainers, we are hard to please, we are always nit-picking and finding fault, we always think we can do better than those placed in authority over us

o It leads to rebellion

* Rebellion

o God hates rebellion – That is what characterised Satan, who was proud and rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:10-14)

Thanksgiving

* Thank God for our parents, for our teachers and principals, for our church leaders and pastors, for our bosses and for the good governance in Singapore

* None of these people are perfect, but they are good, and whatever they have done well, we must be thankful for

PART II - Standing

(1) What comes before standing

No Christian can hope to enter the warfare of the ages without learning first to rest in Christ and in what He has done (Ephesians 1:19), and then, through the strength of the Holy Spirit within to follow him in a practical, holy life here on earth (3:16,4). If he is deficient in either of these, He will find that all the talk about spiritual warfare remains only talk, and will never become a reality

The Greek word “stand” means to hold your ground. We are not on the offensive, we have already won the victory. Our Christian lives are the process of claiming victory over what is already God’s. Only those who can sit will stand.

(2) Know who you stand in

Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power

The name of Jesus

* “Given among men” (Acts 4:12)

The Lord asks us to “ask in His name” (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-26)

* Preaching in His name (Acts 4:10-12)

o Cleansing, justification and sanctification to God

o Luke 24:47; Acts 10:43; 1 Cor 6:11

* Warfare

o Mighty against Satanic powers

o Binds and brings these powers under control

o Mark 16:17; Luke 10:17-19; Acts 3:6, 16:18

* Asking God of things

God looks at his Son in the glory, not at us here on the earth. It is only because we are seated with him there that his name and authority are with us.

* Illustration: A fellow worker asked a man for a sum of money. The man read his letter, prepared what his fellow worker had asked, and gave the money to the messenger. He did the right thing because the letter bore his friend’s signature. He did not require the messenger’s name, age or employment, for the messenger had come in the name of his friend, and he honoured that name.

* Note: relationship with Christ is the basis of authority in Christ Acts 19:13-15

Elements of what you stand in – the armour

Ephesians 6:10-20

Belt of truth buckled around your waist – Isaiah 11:5

Breastplate of righteousness in place – Isaiah 59:17

Wear on your feet the readiness that comes from the Good News of shalom – Isaiah 52:7

Shield of trust

Helmet of deliverance – Isaiah 59:17

Sword of the Spirit, that is the Word of God – Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16; Isaiah 49:2

Pray in the Spirit on all occassions… for all God’s people

Ask the youths if they understand and appreciate each element

Are you with God or against Him?

In Paul’s generation, every believer had specific relation to the eternal purpose of God (4:11-16). That should be no less true of us today. The eyes of God are turning towards His coming kingdom. What we know as organised Christianity will shortly have to make way for something else – the sovereign rule of Christ. But as with the kingdom of Solomon, so now, there is first a period of warfare represented by the reign of David. God is seeking those who will cooperate with him today in that preparatory warfare.