Taking Back What Is Rightfully Yours

Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer PhD

Family Worship Center 10/8/17

Text: Ephesians 6:10-17

Part One: Taking Back What is Rightfully Yours

  1. The enemy steals what belongs to God and we need to rise up and take it back!
  2. Taking Back the Night – “Take Back the Night is an international event and non-profit organization with the mission of ending sexual, relationship, and domestic violence in all forms.” (Not a Christian organization per se, but doing good).
  3. Creation Ark Museum – taking back the rainbow.
  1. Genesis 9:13 – “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”
  2. God says it is HIS rainbow and a sign of our covenant.
  1. Perhaps you have heard “Midnight is the witching hour”. I disagree. Midnight is the Lord’s Hour
  1. “At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.” Psalm 119:62
  2. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25

Part Two: The Call to Spiritual Arms

  1. Don’t cower – Rise up and Take back what is rightfully ours. II Timothy 1:7.
  1. Spiritual warfare – Ephesians 6:11-17.
  2. “… because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”I John 4:4
  3. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” 1 Pet. 5:8-9
  4. “In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Rom. 8:37
  5. “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Luke 10:19
  6. “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom. 12:21
  7. We are called to rise up, not cower back.
  1. Christmas belongs to Christ – Take it back and celebrate with joy.
  1. Some don’t want to celebrate Christmas because it is too commercialized. Take it back, celebrate it the right way.
  2. Some want to attack it because St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) who was a REAL Christian God-honoring, gift-giving man, has been substituted by some for the Christ Himself. Take it back, celebrate him the right way.
  3. We rise up and declare Christmas is CHRIST mas and we own it!
  1. Halloween is the “Hallowed Eve”.
  1. No it was NOT invented or transferred from the Druids the Celts or anyone else. It you read the history you will see in those false claims statement after statement including “supposedly”, “possibly”, “assumed” etc.
  2. No it is not a celebration of evil.
  3. It is the Eve of all Holiness. It was started to remember the Christian Martyrs and Saints to build faith ~ Hebrews 11.
  4. Yes, Halloween has been filled with all kinds of garbage.
  5. But we are called to take it back!
  6. Churches using Halloween – the Eve of all Holiness.
  1. Some Churches use the night for teen evangelism with “Hell Houses” calling people to reality of sin and judgment.
  2. Churches using the night to minister to kids with the love and joy of Jesus.
  3. Churches using the time to fast and pray to be holy like this saints and martyrs before us.
  1. We will use this Halloween for an amazing kids program to love on our community and reach kids for Christ.

Closing:The enemy has also worked hard to steal your ground and make you cower in fear. John 10:10. Time to rise up and take back what is rightfully yours in Christ. Peace, joy, love, hope…

Discussion Items and Questions for Home and Small Group

  1. Which area or celebration do you personally feel we need to “take back”?
  2. Why do you think the enemy works so hard to steal Christian Holy Days?
  3. Did Pastor’s info on Halloween surprise you that it was a Christian Holy Day?
  4. Is there an area in your life your need to “take back”?
  5. Pray for each other.