The Shepherding Words Podcast

Encountering Opposition

As believers who love the Lord and who are standing for His testimony, we must not be ignorant of the schemes of God’s enemy in his attacks on the church. In order to help educate and inoculate us against such attacks, the co-workers in North America have released a series of articles on ShepherdingWords.com [https://ShepherdingWords.com], which exposes the stratagems of the devil. This week we have a narration of the article titled “Encountering Opposition”. This article addresses an unpleasant subject - being confronted by those who speak against us - and a surprisingly pleasant way to respond to them. This is not a set of instructions on how to defeat opposition, but an admonition for us to realize that those humans who oppose us are not our enemies. We should approach them in love and take the Lord Jesus as grace to empower us to not be offended by their speaking. Further, we should pray for them and seek to minister something positive of the truth to them. May the Lord supply us through this speaking and equip us to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:13 [https://text.recoveryversion.bible/49_Ephesians_6.htm#Eph6-13]). The original article can be found at: https://shepherdingwords.com/encountering-opposition/ [https://shepherdingwords.com/encountering-opposition/] . The copyright for this material belongs to shepherdingwords.com [https://shepherdingwords.com] and is used with permission.

A Warning about Rumors and False Witness

Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13 [https://text.recoveryversion.bible/49_Ephesians_6.htm#Eph6-10]. As believers who love the Lord and who are standing for His testimony, we must not be ignorant of the schemes of God’s enemy in his attacks on the church. In order to help educate and inoculate us against such attacks, the co-workers in North America have released a series of articles on ShepherdingWords.com [https://ShepherdingWords.com], which expose the stratagems of the devil.   This week, we have a narration of the article titled “A Warning about Rumors and False Witness” originally published on September 7th, 2024. In the Old and New Testament there are warnings against bearing false witness, spreading rumors, and evil speaking. In our daily life and especially on the internet through social media, the words that we speak and write may be easily amplified. As this article warns, we need to exercise great care in what we post, “like”, and share lest we inadvertently bear false witness or spread rumors.  May the Lord supply us through this speaking and equip us to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The original article can be found at: https://shepherdingwords.com/a-warning-about-rumors-and-false-witness/ [https://shepherdingwords.com/a-warning-about-rumors-and-false-witness/]. The copyright for this material belongs to shepherdingwords.com [https://shepherdingwords.com] and is used with permission.

Quenching the Flaming Darts of the Enemy

Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13 [https://text.recoveryversion.bible/49_Ephesians_6.htm#Eph6-10]. As believers who love the Lord and who are standing for His testimony, we must not be ignorant of the schemes of God’s enemy in his attacks on the church. In order to help educate and inoculate us against such attacks, the co-workers in North America have released a series of articles on ShepherdingWords.com [https://ShepherdingWords.com], which expose the stratagems of the devil.   This week, we have a narration of the article titled “Quenching the Flaming Darts of the Enemy” originally published on February 14, 2022. In order to be part of God’s corporate warrior in Ephesians 6, we must learn how to quench the flaming darts of the enemy, which may come to us directly or through people who are full of their own thoughts and opinions. These darts include temptations, doubts, criticisms, slandering and accusations particularly of leading ones, all with the goal of undermining the building up of the church (Matt. 16:18 [https://text.recoveryversion.bible/40_Matthew_16.htm#Mat16-18]). As this article explains, we can and must learn to take up the shield of faith to quench these darts (Eph. 6:16 [https://text.recoveryversion.bible/49_Ephesians_6.htm#Eph6-16]) both through our long-term constitution and daily practice of spending time with the Lord first thing in the morning.  May the Lord supply us through this speaking and equip us to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The original article can be found at: https://shepherdingwords.com/quenching-the-flaming-darts-of-the-enemy [https://shepherdingwords.com/quenching-the-flaming-darts-of-the-enemy]. The copyright for this material belongs to shepherdingwords.com [https://shepherdingwords.com] and is used with permission.

Assailing the Ground of Oneness (4): Are “House Churches” Biblical?

Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13 [https://text.recoveryversion.bible/49_Ephesians_6.htm#Eph6-10]. As believers who love the Lord and who are standing for His testimony, we must not be ignorant of the schemes of God’s enemy in his attacks on the church. In order to help educate and inoculate us against such attacks, the co-workers in North America have released a series of articles on ShepherdingWords.com [https://ShepherdingWords.com], which expose the stratagems of the devil.   This week, we have a narration of the article entitled “Assailing the Ground of Oneness (4): Are “House Churches” Biblical?” originally published on December 16, 2019. As “house churches” gain popularity among believers, partly as an alternative to large denominations, we must carefully examine their scriptural basis in the New Testament. Proponents of “house churches” claim that there are New Testament examples of such churches within the cities of Rome, Laodicea and Colossae. This article, however, points out clearly the error of such claims by closely examining each of the scriptural passages, all of which describe how believers met together as local churches (one church in one city) and not as “house churches.” No matter the justification, teaching concerning many house churches in a city divides the Body of Christ and must be repudiated by us for the sake of the oneness among the believers. May the Lord supply us through this speaking and equip us to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The original article can be found at: https://shepherdingwords.com/assailing-the-ground-of-oneness-4-are-house-churches-biblical/ [https://shepherdingwords.com/assailing-the-ground-of-oneness-4-are-house-churches-biblical/]. The copyright for this material belongs to shepherdingwords.com [https://shepherdingwords.com] and is used with permission.

Assailing the Ground of Oneness (3): Was the Church in Jerusalem a “Regional” Church?

Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13 [https://text.recoveryversion.bible/49_Ephesians_6.htm#Eph6-10]. As believers who love the Lord and who are standing for His testimony, we must not be ignorant of the schemes of God’s enemy in his attacks on the church. In order to help educate and inoculate us against such attacks, the co-workers in North America have released a series of articles on ShepherdingWords.com [https://ShepherdingWords.com], which expose the stratagems of the devil.   This week, we have a narration of the article entitled “Assailing the Ground of Oneness (3): Was the Church in Jerusalem a “Regional” Church?” originally published on December 16, 2019. The New Testament clearly reveals that the proper church life should be practiced on the ground of locality, where the boundary of each church is no larger and no smaller than the city it is in (cf. Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5, Rev. 1:11). Some, however, have misinterpreted Acts 9:31 and argued that the church in Jerusalem was a regional church, which has jurisdiction over an area broader than the boundary of a city. This erroneous teaching assails the ground of oneness and produces a hierarchical system in which a central church exercises control over smaller churches. By properly expounding Acts 9:31 through the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, this article describes the biblical pattern of local churches practicing oneness in fellowship, without the existence of a regional church. May the Lord supply us through this speaking and equip us to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The original article can be found at: https://shepherdingwords.com/assailing-the-ground-of-oneness-3-was-the-church-in-jerusalem-a-regional-church/ [https://shepherdingwords.com/assailing-the-ground-of-oneness-3-was-the-church-in-jerusalem-a-regional-church/]. The copyright for this material belongs to shepherdingwords.com [https://shepherdingwords.com] and is used with permission.