Title: Ephesians 6
1BYU 156th Ward Collective Focus and Battle
Strategy for Sustainable Spiritual Advantage
over Satan.
- Ephesians 6
- 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might. - 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. - 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places.
2Midst of an Intense Battle 2 Nephi 28
- 20 For behold, at that day shall he rage in the
hearts of the children of men, and stir them up
to anger against that which is good. - 21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away
into carnal security, that they will say All is
well in Zion yea, Zion prospereth, all is
welland thus the devil cheateth their souls, and
leadeth them away carefully down to hell. - 22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and
telleth them there is no hell and he saith unto
them I am no devil, for there is noneand thus
he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them
with his awful chains, from whence there is no
deliverance. - 23 Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell
and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that
have been seized therewith must stand before the
throne of God, and be judged according to their
works, from whence they must go into the place
prepared for them, even a lake of fire and
brimstone, which is endless torment. - 24 Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in
Zion! - 25 Wo be unto him that crieth All is well!
- 26 Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the
precepts of men, and denieth the power of God,
and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
3Elder David A. BednarMarch 31, 2005
- As the Adversary increases the intensity and the
sophistication of his attacks, we must increase
in spiritual strength and power.
What has been effective for us in the past will
not be effective in the future. Thus, if you and
I simply stay the same spiritually, we are
destined to fail.
What Can We Do?
How Should We Fight?
4Advantage Over Satan
How Will It Happen?
Personal Desire, Focus Commitment
Ward Focus, Support Encouragement
5Sustainable Spiritual AdvantageBookmarks
Personal Focus
Collective Ward Focus
6Advantage Over Satan
Ward Collective Focus and Effort
Family History
Bishopric
Activities Comm
Temple
FHE Comm
Read B of M Comm
Atonement
Temple Comm
Sunday School
Service
Welcome Comm
Relief Society
Friends
Sabbath Day
Elders Quorum
Charity
Ward Prayer
Missionary Comm
Music Comm
7Ward Promise (King Benjamin)
- Believe in God believe that he is, and that he
created all things, both in heaven and in earth
believe that he has all wisdom, and all power,
both in heaven and in earth believe that man
doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord
can comprehend. - And again, believe that ye must repent of your
sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves
before God and ask in sincerity of heart that he
would forgive you and now, if you believe all
these things see that ye do them. - And again I say unto you as I have said before,
that as ye have come to the knowledge of the
glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness
and have tasted of his love, and have received a
remission of your sins, which causeth such
exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I
would that ye should remember, and always retain
in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your
own nothingness, and his goodness and
long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures,
and humble yourselves even in the depths of
humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily,
and standing steadfastly in the faith of that
which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth
of the angel. - And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye
shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love
of God, and always retain a remission of your
sins and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the
glory of him that created you, or in the
knowledge of that which is just and true. - And ye will not have a mind to injure one
another, but to live peaceably, and to render to
every man according to that which is his due.
8Frequent Temple Attendance
Helaman 335
May we establish the temple as the great symbol
of our membership, faithfully keep our sacred
covenants, and joyfully, voluntarily, and quietly
submit to Gods will as we faithfully endure the
trials necessary to become acquainted with God.
Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did
wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and
firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto
the filling their souls with joy and consolation,
yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification
of their hearts, which sanctification cometh
because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
9Frequent Temple Attendance
Testimony
May we establish the temple as the great symbol
of our membership, faithfully keep our sacred
covenants, and joyfully, voluntarily, and quietly
submit to Gods will as we faithfully endure the
trials necessary to become acquainted with God.
True Conversion
Temple Attendance
Obedience
Submit to Gods Will
Covenants
Taking the Atonement to Heart
Spiritual Self Reliance
Refiners Fire
10Hope in the Atonement
Elder Carl F. Eyring
May we pay ever-more attention to the life,
example and Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ
through frequent, sincere repentance to ensure
the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost that
all may withstand the evil designs of the
adversary.
To live up to our possibilities, we must have an
enduring faith in Jesus and his way of life an
abiding faith that he brought to the world the
ideology that will bring peace a steadfast
confidence that we can create a newness of life
after his pattern through daily repentance a
dynamic courage and faith which, when we have
gone into the waters of baptism and have thus
shown to our fellowmen that we propose to become
ideal members of this Church, will compel us to
live, day after day, so that we might expect the
companionship of the Holy Ghost-the privilege of
those who are truly candidates for the celestial
kingdom of our Father.
11Hope in the Atonement
May we pay ever-more attention to the life,
example and Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ
through frequent, sincere repentance to ensure
the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost that
all may withstand the evil designs of the
adversary.
Weekly Sacrament
Renewing of Covenants
1. Take Upon Ourselves the Name of Christ
2. Always Remember Him
3. Keep His Commandments
12Spiritual Advantage Over Satan
Meaningful Service
Matthew 1039
Prayerfully seek, (invite) and perform
meaningful service that all may lose his life
for the Lords sake, learn wisdom, and findeth
his life.
He that findeth his life shall lose it and he
that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
13Spiritual Advantage Over Satan
Diligently Concerned Watchmen
DC 10154
Inspire and ask all roommates, friends, and ward
members to be spiritually sensitive and
courageously responsive watchmen on the tower.
And behold, the watchman upon the tower would
have seen the enemy while he was yet afar off
and then ye could have made ready and kept the
enemy from breaking down the hedge thereof, and
saved my vineyard from the hands of the
destroyer.
14Spiritual Advantage Over Satan
DC 12145
Charity and Inclusion
Prayerfully seek the blessings of virtuous
thinking, gentle speech, and heartfelt service to
foster friendships, ward unity, social
confidence, and self-esteem.
Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards
all men, and to the household of faith, and let
virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly then
shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence
of God and the doctrine of the priesthood shall
distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
15Ward Committee Meetings
Ward Council Meeting 1000am 2nd and 4th
Sundays. Room C-207
16In conclusion
Every member of the BYU 156th ward is invited to
NOT stay the same spiritually, but to fully
engage in the battle for advantage over Satan
in your PERSONAL LIVES, in your CALLINGS, and
in PLANNING WARD ACTIVITIES with various ward
committees.
May the Lord bless us all with the strength and
resolve to battle with focus and intensity.
17Hope in the Atonement
And again, believe that ye must repent of your
sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves
before God and ask in sincerity of heart that he
would forgive you and now, if you believe all
these things see that ye do them.
Mosiah 410
Inspire individual faith in the Atonement thru
frequent, sincere repentance to ensure the
companionship of the Holy Ghost that all may
withstand the evil designs of the adversary.
"If men come unto me I will show unto them their
weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may
be humble."
Ether 1227
Daily we need to repent of our weaknesses.
While partaking of the sacrament, the Lord will
show us what we need to change in our lives. We
need to tell Him what we improved last week and
ask what we need to work on during the coming
week.
LDS Church News 1996
Harold B. Lee
We must repent daily. In order for good to
blossom it must be cultivated and exercised by
constant practice, and to be truly righteous
there is required a daily pruning of the evil
growth of our characters by a daily repentance
from sin.
To live up to our possibilities, we must have an
enduring faith in Jesus and his way of life an
abiding faith that he brought to the world the
ideology that will bring peace a steadfast
confidence that we can create a newness of life
after his pattern through daily repentance a
dynamic courage and faith which, when we have
gone into the waters of baptism and have thus
shown to our fellowmen that we propose to become
ideal members of this Church, will compel us to
live, day after day, so that we might expect the
companionship of the Holy Ghost-the privilege of
those who are truly candidates for the celestial
kingdom of our Father.
Elder Carl F. Eyring