In this sermon, Carlton McLeod acknowledges the spiritual battles believers face and provides encouragement from scripture for those facing various challenges such as losing loved ones, sickness, anxiety, financial struggles, temptation, and marriage difficulties. He also addresses those struggling with discipling their children, questioning their faith, being influenced by worldly ideas, and feeling weary. McLeod urges listeners to turn to the Bible and prayer for comfort, guidance, and strength, emphasizing the importance of trusting in God's plan and sovereignty.

Few here would doubt the veracity, the volume, the viciousness of the spiritual war raging around us. Indeed, most of us here are actively engaged in this battle, giving our all to understanding and obeying Christ and His word, fighting the daily sin battles that we all must fight, discipling our children for those of us who have them, and giving everything that we have to serve our King. And although our Lord is and will be victorious, and although we are blessed to see battles won and the enemy pushed back in many quarters. Some in this room are surely today wounded warriors. Just in sitting quietly and listening to conversation is the short time I've been here.

I've heard much of what I was going to say to you today and it's been a bit of a blessing to think that I may be on the right track here. And so when I'm weak what I do is go to the Bible. As a matter of fact, at 53 years old and been pastoring now for 26 years, I'm getting to the point where I'm using more scripture and less my own ideas. I don't know if that's good or bad. But when I'm wounded and when I'm hurting, I go to the Word and I go to prayer.

And so I have 11 quick things to say to you here today and I pray that this finds you where you are for some of the wounded warriors in the room. Number one, some of you lost loved ones recently. The Bible gives us an answer for great encouragement. Paul's word to the church at Thessalonica says this, "'But I would have you not be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also would sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain into the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. I can't read that without getting a little excited. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Scripture says precious in the sight of the Lord are the death of his saints.

For those of you who've lost loved ones be strong in him. He loves you and he's going somewhere with all of all of our challenges. Number two, some of you have had great physical challenges, sickness within the last year or two. Scripture declares in John 11 and four, when Jesus heard that, he said, "'This sickness is not unto death, "'but for the glory of God, "'that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.' "'There's a lot one can say there, but it's good to know that even in my sickness, God is still on the throne. Is any among you afflicted?

Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer of the faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. So if you're dealing with the sickness, God hears, God knows he's with you. He's not left you, nor has he forsaken you. Trust him that there's a sovereign plan, even in the midst of your sickness.

Number three, some of you are worried and anxious. You've arrived here at this conference in this state. 1 Peter 5 and 6 and 7 says, humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time casting I love that casting all of your cares upon him for he careth for you I wonder how many of you today would would really really serve yourself to cast all of your cares upon the Lord knowing that he cares for you Paul tells the church at Philippi be careful for nothing or be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, I love this verse, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts in mind through Christ Jesus. So if you're worried, if you're anxious, if you don't know what you're going to do with this or that, God does, He knows, just trust Him. Some of you may be having money problems.

I know that hasn't happened to anybody in the room, but some of you may be having money problems. Here's the word, not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in whatsoever state I am there within to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me he says in that same chapter a few verses down but my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Some of you are being tempted by the devil. Here's the Bible.

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 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood against but against principalities and powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand are you standing in the evil day I love this from John the revelator in his first epistle but he committed sin is of the devil and the devil sent it from the beginning but for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil hallelujah to Jesus some of your marriages aren't as holy and ordered as they look You've come to a church and family life conference, and I know the pressure's on to make sure everybody's neat in a row, but maybe it's not actually that way. Here's some encouragement for you. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the savior of the body.

Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself for no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord does the church. So if your marriage is struggling, go back to the basics.

Go back to the fundamentals. Peter says, like ye wives, be in subjection. He goes on to tell the husbands, dwell with them with understanding and knowledge, giving honor to the wife as unto the weaker vessel and being heirs together of the grace of life. So if your marriages are hurting, go back to the word. Trust the word.

It is sufficient. Some of you may be struggling with disciplining and discipling your children. Proverbs says, train up a child in the way that he should go. And when he is old, he will not depart from it. Don't stop now.

Don't stop training them now. Some of you are familiar with Deuteronomy chapter six, here or Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one Lord and thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might. And these words I command thee, this day shall be in thine heart and thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children. Don't stop teaching, Keep on going. I know sometimes it's difficult.

You don't always see the fruit, but don't stop now. Perhaps some of you younger ones among us are questioning what they've been taught. You grew up in a Christian home. You grew up in a good church, but You've been on TikTok too much lately, perhaps, and you're trying to figure some of these things out. Is this really true?

May Paul's admonishment to Timothy encourage you. Flee also youthful lust, 2 Timothy 2, verse 22, and follow, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them. That means your friends matter that call on the Lord out of a pure heart, but foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender stripes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach patience and consider meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. If God, peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

It's okay to repent and say, Lord, I've gotten off track and how I've been thinking and how I've been honoring my parents. And I've let a few of these worldly ideas trip me up. Some of you perhaps have been influenced by a word I learned from Kevin Swanson, the cultural zeitgeist. Well, Colossians gives us an answer, as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, So walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. But beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy in vain deceit at the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ.

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught. We read in 2 Thessalonians 2, whether by word or our epistle, now the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and have given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. I'm just reading the Bible to you. But if you find yourself here, go back to the scriptures for your encouragement and for your holiness.

Some of you may, you might be extraordinarily frustrated because you've been doing all these things and nothing seems to be working. And let us not be weary in well doing. For in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Some of you precious saints just might be tired.

You're here kind of a last gasp, you know, I'm gonna go to this conference and maybe something will change. Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, That the everlasting God the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary, there is no searching of his understanding, he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might, He increases strength. I could use a little increased strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord, if I was home at my church, I'd say this the way I really wanted to say it but I'm gonna be good.

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as Eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Can I get just one hallelujah in the building right there?

Glory to God. Beloved, may this conference be a balm and gilead for you in your household may your faith Hope and charity be renewed may the lord lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight the paths of your feet May the Lord do these things in you. When I'm a little weary I go to Isaiah a lot. Scripture says in Isaiah 41 and 10, fear thou not for I am with thee. Do not be dismayed for I am thy God.

I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. He says, for I am the Lord thy God. I will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not. I will help thee.

He will help thee. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of his word, and may you be thoroughly equipped, thoroughly furnished unto all good works in this conference. In Jesus' name.