BE FIGHTING FOR YOUR FAMILY

March 13, 2003

God’s timing…

Wednesday, February 22, 2023, during prayer time with the “Cover Tennessee” gals, Holy Spirit stirred this word in my Spirit and I wrote Nehemiah 4:14 in my journal:

“After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’” (Neh 4:14 NIV)

On February 26, 2023, just four days later, I arrived at Cornerstone Church in Athens, Georgia to hear Pastor preach part 1 of “Fight For Your Family.”  Want to guess what scripture he led with?  You got it, Nehemiah 4:14!  The  next week he preached, and I watched part 2.  Below are 10 points, notes from his sermons, and links to listen.  Good stuff.

FIGHT FOR MY FAMILY (pt. 1 & 2)  by Pastor Scott Sheppard

“Feelings will help you fall in love, but you are going to have to fight to stay in love.”
  -Scott Sheppard

10 Fighting for Your Family Principals:

1. Repent right away. No fake apologies like, “Well, I am sorry I made you feel…”   Only say, “I am sorry. I was wrong and I will not do it again.”
2. Forgive right away (and like crazy).

Love like Jesus. Love gives everything, love is not about what you can get but about what you can give.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 NKJV)

Why forgive like crazy? because we have been forgiven like crazy.

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NKJV)

3. Choose to speak life. We either build up or break down with words.

“Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”  (Proverbs 18:21 NKJV)

4. Speak each other’s love language. (“The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Chapman—Did I mention this book was in my bag at church because I was reading it at the same time?! )

Love language #1: Words of affirmation. …
Love language #2: Acts of service. …
Love language #3: Gifts. …
Love language #4: Quality time. …
Love language #5: Physical touch.

5. “Tell me what you want, what you really, really want.” What do you need me to do? Show and tell me. You cannot break up a marriage that serves one another.

Ask: 

What do you need more or less of from me?
Is there anything that’s making you feel second?
Is there anything you need me to stop or stayer?

“Submit to one another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:21 NKJV)

6. Get the right help.

 “For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors [there is] victory.”(Proverbs 24:6 NKJV)  

Talk to Godly people! Don’t seek counsel from bitter people. Only take advice from people that have been where you want to go. Healthy family! Health life!

8.  Don’t stop dating your spouse.
   Dating has nothing to do with money but making time for each other.
9. Continue to go after God.
   Fight for your time with God pursue Him.

 “I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NKJV)

9:  Do not quit!

“Love suffers long [and] is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails. But whether [there are] prophecies, they will fail; whether [there are] tongues, they will cease; whether [there is] knowledge, it will vanish away.”  (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NKJV)

Hebrew word, ahvah:  a love of my will.  I choose to love you.  Love you no matter.  You cannot get rid of me. I am not going anywhere.

10. Stay connected to the Vine.
    Wounds are past and present. Relationship shrapnel is everywhere. We cannot do it on our own.  We can do all through Him and nothing without Him. The enemy wants to destroy but…

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”  (1 John 4:4 NKJV)

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 (NKJV)

In presence of God things change—

• Hurts are healed
• Things turns around
• Hope is restored
• Confusion turns into clarity

BUT…

• You have to fight to pursue God
• You have to fight to stay connected.
• You have to fight to stay connected to vine.
• You have to fight to repent.
• You have to fight to forgive.
• You have to fight to  speak words of encouragement.
• You have to fight to stand.
• You have to fight to never quit.
• You have to fight!

Sermon links:
FIGHT FOR MY FAMILY (pt. 1) by Scott Sheppard
FIGHT FOR MY FAMILY (pt. 2) by Scott Sheppard  

I enCOURAGE YOU  to fight for your families.  Fight for your spouse!  Fight for your sons!  Fight for your daughters! Fight for your future generations!  Fight for your homes!

Viva Magenta:  Live. Breathe.  Be…fighting!