I wanna share with you a message the Lord put on my heart, and it's entitled Israel's War is Your War. Israel's War is Your War. Ephesians chapter six, I'm gonna begin to read at verse 10, down to verse 13. Paul the apostle says, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles, or that means the schemes, the plans, the devices, the wiles of the devil. 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. Now, I want that verse to stick with you. Our fight is not against people. It never has been. People are pawns, in a sense, on one side or the other. People are moved upon by the Spirit of God or an evil spirit. There's this clash, this war. We're not fighting against flesh and blood. We're fighting against principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts. I mean, spiritual armies of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, Paul says, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Take up the whole armor, not just part of the armor, a shred of the armor, but take up the whole armor. This present war against Israel, including its past sufferings, and the present and future trials that Israel, according to the Scriptures, will endure, are all demonically inspired. All of them. In order to understand this war that's going on today, we have to lift our eyes higher than the news stations. We have to lift our eyes higher than the videos that are coming in of the conflict that's on planet earth. We have to look above these things because the fight is with powers and principalities, hosts of spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. There is no way we can fight against this in the natural. We can't do anything but add to the conflict by our voices when our voices are not speaking for the kingdom of God, when we're not empowered by the Spirit of God, when we're not standing for the truth of God, when we're not believing that God can take our lives and use the very least of us to make a difference in this world that we never believed ever could be possible. So tonight we have to lift our eyes to a higher place than what we naturally see. starting all the way back in the book of Genesis chapter three, when Satan came into the Garden of Eden, enraged in a sense that he couldn't be worshiped as God. The scripture tells us elsewhere that he had some form of exalted position in the heavens, but it wasn't good enough for him because there was somebody above him and he didn't like that. And he wanted to be as God is, he wanted to be worshiped as God is. And when he was denied that position, the scripture tells us he came down into the garden and that which was dear to the heart of God, humankind, you and I, created in the image of God, he decided to pervert with an attempt, in a sense, I suppose, to rule and reign over God's creation by coup, may I put it that way, and not by right. He sowed the seed that was in him into humankind. that you don't need God. You can be a judge in the sense of right and wrong in yourselves. You don't need the parameters of God. You don't need a relationship with God. You don't need to listen to God. You can determine yourself what your future is going to be. And he sowed that seed in Ann and Eve, and when he did, he took away that which was dear to the heart of God, but only for a season. In verse 14 it says, so the Lord said to the serpent, because you've done this, now this is God himself speaking to Satan. I want you to just travel there with me for a moment. Satan is standing there, he has just perverted the creation of God, those created in the image of God. He's sown that seed in them that was in his own heart. And God said to him, because you've done this, you're cursed more than all cattle. and more than every beast of the field, and on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life." Now, I interpret that. It's my personal interpretation, but humankind, mankind, womankind was created from the dust of the earth. Adam was created out of the dust. And I feel in some measure, at least, in this curse, in a sense, your whole reason for being is going to be to devour those that have been created in the image of God. And he says, and I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. So this is an incredible thing. It's the first time actually in the Bible that the gospel is preached. Isn't that amazing? where God tells Satan himself, there's a promise of a people are gonna be brought into this world through whom is going to be born a seed, which of course is a savior. And it's not just the savior, it's the people that were born again because of the victory of this savior. In other words, taking out of the grasp of the devil himself. The cord that bound humanity to him and his way of thinking was going to be broken. It was going to be destroyed. This woman, in a sense, this society, this culture was going to be born. We know that began with Abraham. It's going to be born, and through that culture, through that people group, is going to come a seed, a savior. And through that Savior is going to come a seed into the world who would overthrow all of Satan's ambitions to rule and to be worshiped. Among other things, he desired to be ruled and to be worshiped. And God says, there's going to be a woman, there's going to be a culture, there's going to be a people through whom is going to be born he, a Savior. Now you're gonna wound his heel. In other words, you're gonna drive a nail through his feet. But when you do so, his feet are gonna step upon your head. He is going to destroy your power over humankind. And not only him. but those that will be born back into relationship with God through him and through what he's done. And they also are going to step upon your head. They are also going to be living proof that you don't have the right or the power to rule the human race. When people turn to him, your power over them will be broken. Now, Revelation chapter 12, fast forwarding, I'm just giving you these scriptures, not necessarily to speak about the actual point in history that this is talking about, but to give you a picture of what was transpiring, in a sense, in the devil's heart. In Revelation chapter 12, verses four and five, speaking of Satan, it says, his tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. We don't understand that fully. Many say that he took a third of the angels and brought them in a rebellion along with himself. So be it. Whether it is or isn't, that's what some say about it. And the dragon, which is Satan, stood before the woman, remember? She, there's gonna be a she, there's gonna be a woman, who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. She bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and His throne. It gives us a picture of the demonic rage that arose in the heart of evil against this promise. It's a picture. that he was there and he was waiting to devour this promise, this curse in a sense that was a part of the curse on his life, this promise that was promised by God in Genesis chapter three. Revelation 12 gives us a peek in a sense into what that looked like. Now we go back into the New Testament to Matthew chapter two. Verse 16, after the birth of Christ, and we assume that Jesus was somewhere between birth and two years old at this point. It says, then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise man, was exceedingly angry. Who is motivating this man? Who is animating this man? You're either of the seed of God or of the seed of the serpent. There's only two seeds spoken about in a sense in Genesis chapter three. The seed of the woman by promise or the seed of the serpent. There's only the two. He was exceedingly angry and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem. and in all its districts from two years old and under according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Here we see the seed under the influence of darkness moved to destroy the seed under the influence of God. History just repeats itself, folks. We just saw this week horrid atrocities against children, committed the same thing that happened in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. when a foreign king, threatened by a baby that was promised that he would rule, promised that he would be a king, he sends in his soldiers, and the soldiers go in, and you can just imagine the cries in Bethlehem as the babies, two years and older, were slaughtered. You see, it's the same spirit. It's the same scenario repeating itself animated by the same powers of darkness. You remember in the scriptures we open with, it says we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Now, Revelation chapter 12 and verse 17. This is where I got my title from. Israel's war is now also yours. And the dragon was enraged with the woman. You see, that's why the Jewish people are so hated by so many in the world. I want you to hear me on this. This is a spiritual battle. It was through the nation of Israel the Savior was born. She was the woman. If it weren't for Israel, you wouldn't be here, and neither would I, and we'd have no hope. Israel gave us our Savior. Israel gave us the apostles and prophets. Do you understand this? Israel gave us the word of God. It's through the woman, and the serpent was, the dragon was enraged with the woman. That's Revelation 12, 17, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring. who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Both Jew and Gentile, of course, would fit into this category. Not just Israel, but the offspring that were born because of what was born into the world through the Jewish people. And the dragon is still enraged with the woman and still vowing to make war, both with her and with the rest of her offspring, which is you. And so realistically, Israel's war is now also yours because you are the seed of Christ. And it's through you that the victory of the cross is made known. It's through you and I that the head of the serpent is crushed again and again. Hallelujah. It's through us. It's through us. Every time you win a victory, you're stepping on the head of the devil one more time. Every time you and I push away his lies, every time he says you can't, but we repeat and say, no, God says I can, so I will by the Spirit of God. We step on his head one more time. We shut the mouth of the serpent. We shut the mouth of the dragon. And he is infuriated because his desire is to be worshiped as God. Do you understand? The fact that we live proves that he is not God. He has no control, he has no right, he has no power, he has no future in any of us. We live outside of his control and because we do, there's a fury in the heart of the devil and even more so in the last days. The scripture does say he's coming down with great wrath because he knows his day is short. Jesus also warned his disciples in Matthew 24, he said, you will be hated of all nations for my name's sake. and the hatred we see displayed toward Israel. I wish I didn't have to say it, but much of that is coming the way of the church of Jesus Christ in the not too distant future. But by God's grace, we will stand. By God's grace, we will be lights in a darkened world. By God's grace, we will have a testimony that cannot be triumphed over. By God's grace, no prison door can hold us. No wounded heart can keep us down. No evil word spoken can supplant the word of God that's been spoken into our hearts and into our lives. By God's grace, we will stand and we will forgive. By God's grace, we will fight for even our enemies. By God's grace, we understand that this war is not against people. It's against the devil himself and every demon of hell that's under his control. By God's grace, by God's grace, by God's grace, we fight for every Jew. By God's grace, we fight for every Gentile. By God's grace, we fight for those in prison. By God's grace, we fight for the religious who don't know Christ yet as Lord and Savior. By God's grace, we stand. By God's grace, our lives become a testimony, just as in the book of Acts. By God's grace, our prayer meetings are going to become an upper room. By God's grace, we're going to know a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. By God's grace, we will be given a joy that cannot be taken away by anything in this world. By God's grace, we will be given power in our speech. We will be given words that cannot be comprehended, words that cannot be overcome, words that have power to transform the lives of those who can still hear by God's grace. There is a people on this earth over whom the devil has no power, and it irks him because it means he's not God. Hallelujah, do you get it? We are the one thing left in the world that proves to the devil he's not God. Because he has no right to rule over us and no power to rule over the people of God. And we are the ones who stand, as Paul once did before Caesar, who thought he was God, by the way, in Paul's generation, to say, ah, sorry, I know you might feel that way, but I have some good news for you, you're not God. There is really another God who is God, eternally existent, always was, always will be God, eternal God. The great news is he died for you. I don't know if Caesar just smirked. I don't know what he did when Paul stood there. But I know that Paul was a testimony to anybody who falls under the delusion of Satan, who thinks he's God and can be God. And so go back to the scripture where we started, Ephesians chapter six. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. Therefore, the second time, he says, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Folks, just as Israel is constantly under attack, so too you will be under attack in these last days. And the attacks will be in your mind, your thought life. You will be bombarded by attacks of hopelessness, you'll be bombarded with everything that hell's got in its arsenal is going to be thrown at you. But the interesting thing is, thousands of missiles were launched against Israel just this week. But Israel has a defensive weapon called the Iron Dome. Anybody ever heard of that? The Iron Dome is counter missiles that go up and take out the missiles that are coming in. By God's grace, we have an Iron Dome. Put on the helmet of salvation, Paul said. You gotta know who you are. Pick up the sword, the shield of faith, hallelujah. And the sword of the spirit. We've been equipped with iron. We have an iron dome. The devil will try to get in your head, but you have a helmet of salvation in Christ. When he tries to remind you of your past, tell him about his future. My past is covered. My past is forgiven. My past is buried. My past is gone. My past is in the depths of the sea. And God put a sign there that says, no fishing. Nobody can go there and dig up my past. Ah, but Satan, your past is all written out, and not only your past, but your future. You're going to be cast into the lake of fire. You're going to burn forever. You're going to be tormented forever. And we are going to the right hand of God in Christ, and we're going to rule and reign in Christ what you desired. By force, we have obtained by faith in the victory of our Savior Jesus Christ on a cross 2,000 years ago. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Glory, glory, glory. Put on the whole armor of God. Get truth. in your inward parts, right living in your heart. Be prepared with the gospel and the willingness to go to wherever and whoever God sends you to. Take the shield of faith because missiles are coming your way and you have an iron dome and you put that thing up and you stop those wayward thoughts from getting a hold of your heart. Take the helmet of salvation. Learn who you are in Christ and hold to that. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. He's declared me to be clean. He's called me a son. He's called me a daughter. He's promised me I'm going to live with him forever and I'm going to rule and reign. Hallelujah. And pray always in the Spirit. Pray in the Spirit. Pray in unison with the Spirit of God. Lord, what would you have me to do? Don't let your mind be clouded by the thoughts of this world. Pray in the Spirit. Holy Spirit, how do you want me to pray? How do you see the situation? How can my life make a difference? Help me to pray in the Spirit. Don't let my prayers mimic the speech of this world. Don't let my heart be gripped by the desires for vengeance of this world. Help me to pray in the Spirit. Hallelujah. For I do believe that in Jesus Christ, we will triumph in the end. I've read the book. I know the end of the story. Hallelujah. I know how this battle ends. I know how it finishes. God Almighty, thank you. Thank you for giving us a pastor at Times Square Church that has a vision for a billion souls. Thank you for a man of faith. Thank you, God, for elders who know their place and are willing to pray and willing to stand with their pastor and believe. Thank you, God, that we're not governed by what we see with our eyes, we're governed by what your Holy Spirit is speaking to us. And we believe that all things are possible through Jesus Christ. God Almighty, we ask you, Lord, that your gospel would go throughout the world, that every man, woman, and child would have an opportunity to receive you as Savior. You did say this message would be preached in all the earth before the end comes. So thank you, God, for giving us a heart and a vision. Thank you for taking this prayer meeting into 211 countries and dependencies. Thank you, God, for all you're doing. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for people tonight who are going to make the choice to get on the right side of this battle. The side that's already been won. The side that was given to us as a free gift. The side of a promise of new life. The forgiveness of sin and the hope of eternity. I pray God, oh Jesus Christ, would you just invade whatever room, whatever heart, Whoever is listening tonight and tomorrow, would you just invade their heart? Would you bring them out of captivity and bring them into this beautiful, beautiful victory that belongs to anyone who calls out to Jesus Christ? as Lord and Savior. Would you help them just to say, Jesus, I need you, come and save me, come and save me. Forgive my wrong, forgive the wrong thoughts in my heart, the way I've lived, the things I've done, just forgive me. God, is it possible there's another Apostle Paul out there? Is it possible, Lord, that you can raise up somebody that will make a huge difference in this darkened time we're living in? Father, help them, Lord, to open their hearts tonight. and help them to confess you as Lord and Savior. Pray this prayer with me if you're listening online. Lord Jesus Christ, I invite you to come into my life and be my God and my Savior. I am truly sorry for the way I have lived and the things I've done and the things I've thought But I'm glad that you love me enough. You came to this world to get me. And you suffered a terrible death so that I could live. If you love me that much, the very least I can do is give my life to you. So tonight I do that. Jesus Christ, I give you my life. From this day forward, I will follow you. Amen. If you prayed that tonight or tomorrow, whenever time you're listening to this online, text the word decided to 51,000. And I'm so thankful for all the people last week. There were so many last week who texted the word decided, and you wrote it in the comments. about this service. Thank you for doing that. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. People are coming to Christ in droves now all over the world. I'm thankful you decided to join them. I'm thankful you decided to come home. Remember, we're on the side of victory. You will be opposed. The devil hates you, but you will win. Hallelujah. We're gonna have communion together tonight, and we're gonna celebrate the victory on the cross that destroyed the devil, that destroyed his power, that sent him into a rage, but it's only a limited rage because he's going to be cast into the lake of fire soon, soon, very, very soon. That's going to be his future. Now he'll try to bombard you between now and then, but remember, you have an iron dome. You have a defense in God, and you have strength. It's not yours, it's his. It's by the power of God that you will live. Put on the whole armor of God. Let that be your prayer tonight. When we stay and pray at the end of this service, in our homes and here, pray, God, I want the whole armor. I don't want to go into battle with a half a uniform. I don't want a cardboard sword going into this. I want the real thing. I want a steel one. I don't want a paper helmet. I want one that will protect me. I want the whole armor. Let that be your prayer. We're gonna be singing one song, then we'll be back in just a moment, and we'll share communion together. We'll see you then.