The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, June 3, 2026, we begin a new Bible study series on Heaven.  In this series, we'll be breaking down truth from myth, giving clarity to Revelation, and answering common questions people have about heaven and the end times.  It's the destination of all Christians, so we ought to know about where we are headed and what to expect.  Join us for in-person worship and some mid-week encouragement for the soul at 6:00 p.m.

If you can't join us in person, you can always participate through our Facebook page - we go "live" at 6:00 p.m., and you will have a front row seat.  If you can't join us live, there are 3 ways to watch the message later - on Facebook, on YouTube, or here on our website.  Messages are posted the following day and you can watch a replay of any message anytime!  

If you want to keep some notes from a message, you can download the notes for a specific message from the "Past and Future Messages" page of our website.  There are many ways to be spiritually fed and encouraged.

This past Wednesday night,  May 27, 2026, we talked about fighting battles.  We all have battles, and most battles we face are battles of faith.  We don't need guns or knives for these battles, we need something else to get through them with a positive outlook, standing strong.  The Bible tells us - “Fight the good fight of the faith.” – 1 Timothy 6:12.

In most of our battles, there’s nothing we can do.   That makes it frustrating.  And I get it.  We’re not the doctor.   The administrator.   Judge.   Insurance adjuster.  We have no control over that neighbor, boss, co-worker, family member, friend.

We are Fighting a Battle of faith . . .  it’s a spiritual battle. 

The struggle is against what’s unseen – an unknown future, but not an unknown Enemy.  Our Enemy is the Enemy of God.  We call him Satan, or the devil, or the evil one . . . plenty of names for him.  And the Enemy comes to us during these battles and whispers in your heart and mind.  He'll try to make you afraid, make you doubt.  He'll say, "If God loved you, why would He allow this to happen?"  He'll try to make you question how this can end well.  But understand that the Enemy of our life is a Liar.  Jesus said, “there is no truth in him.”  He’s the “Father of lies.” - John 8:44.

He also called him a thief.  John 10:10.  A thief’s purpose is to steal your joy, peace, calm serenity.  This Enemy will also try to steal your faith. . . your calm assurance that God will fix this, change the situation, providing healing. 

So don't be surprised that the Enemy works through people to create situations  that are really our battles - our "good fight" of faith!  This is a noble & worthy struggle; the most important one.

The good fight of the faith is in the mind. It’s not a physical battle.  The Apostle Paul wrote that it is "not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  Eph. 6:12.  To fight this fight, we need the armor of God.  We need “the belt of truth" buckled around our waist and “the shield of faith" so we "can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” – Eph. 6: 14, 16.

Truth.  What is it?  That’s the word of God.

Shield of faith?  A shield deflects; it holds off those defeated thoughts so they don’t penetrate and harm our faith.

Faith – “is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” – Heb. 11:1

In your storm - your battle - your test - are you confident that it will all turn out okay?  Do you have assurance that God can heal, can mend, can cure?

If you need some help in this battle, let us share 3 ways to get through the battle with faith & hope.

 #1 – you need a Bible.  It builds faith.  It is filled with stories of victory and words for encouragement.  The way you fight the good fight of faith is, first, by standing on truth from the Bible.

The Bible reminds us that the "light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” – John 1:5.  Get it?  Light always wins.   Jesus is the light, so Jesus always wins.   Through Jesus, we are victorious.  The Bible says in Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  And Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:37 – “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”  Those are some of my favorite, "go to" scriptures.  Maybe they will help you, or lead you to your own scripture.  Stand on it.  Claim it.  It will build your faith and give you a positive thought to dwell on instead of worry.

#2 – Always remember that you are never alone.  God is always in it with us.  Consider the story in Daniel 3 - King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue and required everyone to bow down and worship it.  Anyone who refused to obey would be thrown into a blazing furnace.

But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego paid no attention to that command; they refused to “worship the gold statue” Nebuchadnezzar set up.  The King was furious.  He had Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego brought before him.  They still refused to serve his gods "or worship the gold statue you have set up.”  The King “flew into a rage” and ordered the furnace be 7 times hotter that it ought to be.  It was so hot, it killed the soldiers that threw them into the furnace.  They were tied up, fully dressed, in the furnace.  But verse 25 says that King Nebuchadnezzar shouted - “Look!  I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”  He had them brought out, and he ”saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!”

That story is a powerful reminder that God is the "fourth man" .. . God is in the fire with you.  God is the reason you got out.

I understand that nobody wants the fire.    We wish it away.   But it’s there we grow; it's there we are tested & refined.  It's there our faith is build and made strong.

“Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns.” – 1 Peter 1:7

#3 – Desire Peace and Let it Rule! 

Whether you live in fear or in faith is up to you.  Consider Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.”  If you can “LET” it, then you can control it.  So take every thought captive!  Ask - Is this the Enemy throwing seeds of doubt?  Or is this the Word of truth coming to me?  God will build you up and move you forward, fear will hold you back.  

That's why we have to put on the full armor of God . . .  so we are able to stand our ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” 

When you have done all you can do, just stand.  God fights for you.  Recall that Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the LORD’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.” – Exodus 14:13.  Let that sink in.   It is true for your battle, too.