Monday, March 17, 2025

Living in the Daze of Deception by Jack Hibbs Chapter 12 Notes

 Ch. 12: Equipped for Living in the Last Days Part 2


-we live in an age that has turned its back on logic and reason, and fallen for pseudoscientific beliefs in place of real science

-in the battle of truth, you and I are being conditioned, groomed, embracing of lies even when the truth is right in front of us

-every Christian needs to be able to answer two questions:

1-how can I protect myself?

2-where do I go from here?


-God has equipped us to stand strong against our adversary, the devil

-Scripture speaks to us to help us refocus and apply it to the times in which we live 


Jeremiah 29: 11-13

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”


-Lord guarantees that He listens when we call upon Him in prayer and when you search for Him wholeheartedly


Book of Joshua:

-he was a spy, faithful assistant to Moses, and called by God to lead Israel into the Promised Land

-God spoke to him many times to tell him to not be afraid and to be of good courage

-he was called to do great things

-he was like us as he had fears and lacked courage at times

-the whole armor of God is where you will find your strength


Bold and Ready:

-Jesus is our armor

-the spiritual world affects our physical world 

-we need to get bold and stand our ground

-to stand boldly is not being arrogant, ugly, brazen, egotistical, or ungodly

-godly boldness comes from understanding what it means to “put on the breastplate of righteousness

-you and I have zero righteousness on our own

-Christ’s blood bought payment for our sins

-Jesus turns to us and gives us His righteousness as a breastplate 

-the breastplate is over the Christian’s vitals where the things of the spirit are


***the righteousness of the Almighty God covers and protects the spiritual lungs and heart of a born-again believer


-this allows you to go into life with absolute confidence and boldness


Proverbs 28:1

“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”


-the wicked flee out of fear, falsely believing the world is after them

-the righteous have no such worry 


Psalm 56:11

“in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?”


Matthew 5:10

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”


-if you take a stand against abortion or redefining sexuality you may be labeled as narrow-minded 


2 Timothy 3: 12

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”


-do not fear repercussions

-you live in the freedom of Christ’s righteousness which will embolden ou to do the right thing

-believer’s boldness originates from the readiness that comes from the preparation of the gospel of peace 


Ephesians 6:15

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”


-the gospel of peace goes with you for your protection wherever your feet carry you throughout your day

-truth is we are justified by faith and have peace with God through Jesus Christ 


Romans 5:1

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”


-as a Christian you are no longer at war with God 

-Christ has brought peace between you and God 

-you can lay down your issues at the feet of the cross

-the Christian in complete armor is someone who shares the gospel

-God has transformed your life 


***Let Jesus Christ get ahold of your life and transform you so you can be a vessel of His spiritual power


Close and Protected:

-Paul brings our attention to the shield of faith


Epesians 6:16

“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”


-our shield is a top priority because it protects us from the fiery darts of the wicked one 

-Fiery is from the Greek pyro which we get the English word pyrotechno

-darts is belos which speaks of like missiles

-when Satan attacks he uses major firepower

-this is why we need the shield of faith

-larger shield blocked fiery darts from above and the full body from a front assault

-smaller shield personal self defense 

Roman 10:17

“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”


-every time you read Scripture or hear sound Biblical teaching your faith grows, so does your shield of faith 

-when life is throwing darts in your direction use your shield of faith

-lock your shield with other believers as Satan loves to isolate Christians so strength in numbers


Covered in Truth:

-battle ready soldiers must be strong minded warriors so you need the helmet of salvation


Ephesians 6:17

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”


-the region of the mind where Satan’s most significant attacks regarding salvation take place

-helmet is lightweight, but extremely strong to allow for movement but full protection 

-the helmet defends us against attacks on the doctrine of salvation 

-Satan knows that what we believe about salvation affects nearly every area of our lives


Romans 10:9

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”


John 10: 28-29

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”


-the moment you accept Christ, God sees you as a new creation 


2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”


-he gives you a new heart, but we are not given a new mind 

-the Bible refers to our thoughts, passions, desires, hurts, and more 

-our minds are still a work in progress and needs renewal daily

-the Holy spirit renews our minds daily


Romans 12:2

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”


-we need salvation’s truths covering our minds when Satan is determined to take us down

-immerse yourself in the scriptures that speaks about salvation

-read scriptures that tell you about the magnitude of God’s love for you


2 Samuel 22: 2-3

He said:

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

  my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
    from violent people you save me.

-the God of all creation gave His only Son to reconcile you to Himself and give you eternal life

-He will not abandon you now

-strap on the helmet of salvation firmly in place and set your mind toward eternity 

-salvation will fill you with enthusiasm and liber at you to see this world in a Christ-centered way 


Ephesians 1:20

“he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,”


-He will give you resiliency to face life’s ups and downs

-you will become a formidable warrior when suited for combat and crowned with the helmet of salvation


Romans 8:37

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”


***the knowledge that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in you

Power From on High:

-strength and protection is offered by our spiritual weaponry 


Ephesians 6:17

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”


-we are commanded to take up our sword

-Greek word is machaina means sword of the spirit which is the word of God

-the sword is deployed as an offensive weapon

-the word is associated with Roman warrior’s colossal broadsword

-but when the battle is intense men turned to hand-to-hand combat so the weapon of choice was the smaller sword (machaina) that was carried on the hip

-usually 14-18 inches long, sharp, and deadly

-used to strike a vital organ

-we have an invisible battle that mounts against you, your family, and the world around you are fierce and the enemy is unrelenting

-make sure you that you know how to fight using the sword of the spirit–word of God

-Christian without knowledge of the Word of God and some skill to use this weapon

-you need to become skillful in using the sword of the Spirit


John 14:6

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”


Ephesians 4:32

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”


***train yourself to use specific scriptures to counterattack and sly deceptive thoughts and attitudes that lead people away from God’s will


Communicating with the Commander:

-Pauls teaches that Christians needs to understand the power of their spiritual armor

-the final piece of armor is prayer

-when neglected it renders us weak in our warfare


Ephesians 6:18

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

-prayer commissions the sword of the Spirit

-prayer commissions the breastplate of righteousness

-prayer commissions prepares feet with the gospel of peace

-prayer commissions the shield of faith

-prayer commissions the helmet of salvation

-prayer commissions the belt of truth

-prayer causes all our weaponry to work together


***our constant prayers prepare us for battle and the critical hour of engagement when heaven’s support is needed most


-talking with God is natural

-Satan wants us to be so intimidated that we would rather give up on prayer and walk away

-we must maintain a constant line of communication with the Lord

-through prayer we are constantly in contact with our high command as we are deployed in this world

-when we pray we are immediately connected with all the powers of heaven above


***Prayer = connected to powers of heaven


-prayer grants us access to wisdom, insight, and understanding

-God will reveal what is to be the target of our prayers

-conversations with God as being similar to the Israelis’ communications with each other

-God allows us to see what otherwise remains invisible to the natural self

-we have that up-and-down, earth-to-heaven, heaven-to-earth connection to our Father and the Lord’s host, Jesus Christ

-constant prayers prepare us for battle and the critical hour of engagement when heaven’s support is needed most


Commissioned:

-leadership has always defined the turning points in the history of man

-leadership that inspired and encouraged people to move beyond their limitations and abilities

-we are commissioned to live beyond ourselves

-globally, nations, including the United States are imploding

-we are watching our freedoms collapse

-believers now live under an ever present specter of persecution

-amidst opposition and difficulty, Jesus Christ promises a hope that protects our minds and hearts

-we are equipped with everything needed to stand in the face of adversity

-it is easy to to just give up: scandalous conduct of elected officials, a culture falling apart, and ministries and churches failing to stand in truth

-reminder: Christ’s return will happen


***Jesus is the reason to speak up and take a stand against this age that is so very wicked


-make your life matter with a sanctified recklessness for the kingdom of God


“be the kind of believer who causes hell to sit up and take notice as heaven applauds you and the great cloud of witnesses rejoices over your faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ” (Hibbs, 213).


Living in the Daze of Deception by Jack Hibbs Chapter 11 Notes

 Ch. 11: Equipped For Living in the Last Days Part I


Consequences of the Coronavirus Pandemic:

-governments used this exaggerated threat to their full advantage

-they introduced us to a radically altered world

-changing the way we live

-all under the banner of public safety

-people are less social

-people are preoccupied with themselves, angry, violent, lawless, and tragically, more prone to suicide

-even Christians are moving further away from God 


***today, there is a fear that continues to grip our culture and world


-the fear profoundly gripping to the psyche

-powerfully seized people’s minds and hearts worldwide

-fear drove policies and protocols that affected even the simplest things in our daily lives

-a persistent fear of the unknown that caused a state of hopelessness

-fear that caused people to turn on one another


***Christians compromised and fell in line with the worldly fear even though God calls His people to courage who equips us to stand and fight 


Get Dressed:

-the Lord does not expect us to engage the dark forces invading our culture without knowing the capabilities of our weaponry and how to put on the full armor of God


2 Corinthians 10: 4-5

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”


-the apostle Paul tells us that our weapons are not carnal, but God’s strongholds

-God’s word exalted defeats any worldly argument 

-use the knowledge of God as your spiritual armament


Ephesians 6: 10-18

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle 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. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

***The word “finally” means from this point forward 


-once armored we have incredible strength and power

-notice Paul is not talking about our own strength or might, but pulling from God’s strength and on His might


***when we put on God’s armor, we are putting on Christ


Romans 13: 12-14

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”


Get Wise:

-it is easy to forget that we are fighting an enemy unlike any other entity-it is not human

-the devil’s involvement in the world is real 


The enemy’s Methods:

-Satan’s ability to hide his intentions and activities is why Paul warns to be prepared against the wiles of the devil

-Wiles, Greek word, translated methodeia from which we get our English word methodology

-the devil has methods and strategies to gain an advantage over humans

-the devil equips his armies with the best weaponry possible

-Satan will throw everything at us 


Tactical Methods:

-wearing down tactic

-confuse and intimidate tactic

-lightning and surprise attack tactic

-open ended tactic

-hot pursuit tactic


-God, in his goodness, had made us tougher than we realize 

-Jesus tells Peter that Satan asked to sift him like wheat

***Satan’s goal was to break Peter

***Statan’s goal was to destroy Peter

-God used the situation to make Peter a spiritual giant  

-Peter becomes wise, mature, and battle-hardened

-Peter’s books will bless you with his insights for your Christian walk

-overwhelming opposition can be intimidating  and it is easy to cower in fear

-when you look you only the physical army in front of you, but it is what you don’t see as God’s army is forming behind you

***Faith sees what fear cannot

-when circumstances shout at you to give up ask God to open your eyes


Get Strong:

-spiritual warfare is real

-to fight with good faith you need furnish yourselves with the armor of God daily


Ephesians 6: 13

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”


***the key reason God has given us a suit of spiritual armor is so we can withstand the fiery darts of Satan


-your first line of defense comps from the wall of protection against what is opposing you


-that wall is designed to deflect attacks 

-barriers placed in strategic locations can be an invaluable security and protection against attack

-using the Word of God will determine your level of safety during dangerous times

-when you feel the enemy pressing in with fear, doubt, or anxiety then the strategic plan is to call on the power of God believing in His promises to protect, guard, and assist in defeating the enemy


Stand Firm:

-the concept of girding your waist has to do with using a belt

-the front of the belt was to protect the lower body so they had to be strong and substantial

-the breastplate protected vital organs and had the ability to hold close combat weapons


Ephesian 6: 14

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place”


-Biblically girding yourself tightly with God’s truth enables you to stand firm, immovable, and to protect your vital organs

-girding yourself firmly with the belt of truth is essential because it will determine if you will stand or fall


1 Peter 1:13

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”


-the literal Greek text for gird is to prepare your mind for action

-we cannot afford to allow our thoughts to aimlessly flap in breeze and risk losing our enthusiasm for the things of God and our effectiveness as Christians

-in the battle for truth, the opposition is subtle in its attempts to sway our thinking

-we need to be wise to who we are listening to and what we are reading

-gird your mind with pure Biblical doctrine so you don’t lackadaisical concerning spiritual things


Hebrews 2:1

“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”


***the beautiful thing about truth is that you don’t need to create it


-God’s eternal truth stands–strong, steady, and unchanging 

-God’s desire is that each of us would walk in the truth

-the Bible is practical truth

-God’s Word illuminates everything around you that is shadowy and distorted 

-if you hold truth up like a lantern then you will be able to walk in the light

-the Bible lays down truths you should know line upon line


Psalm 119:105

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”


-our responsibility is to follow the example of Jesus to the best of our ability as He is Truth


-Pilate asked Jesus the question of what is truth?

John 5:39

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,”


Acts 17:11

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”


***there is no substitute but to consume the Bible on a regular basis and determine to put it into practice 


Get Engaged:

-the days are growing darker and more evil

-God is preparing His church and is calling us to a new level even greater commitment

-we have been appointed to be alive at this moment in time

-we should wake every morning with with anticipation and excitement at what God has planned for us each day

-the church should engage in the world battling wickedness and proclaiming the gospel 

-we are to be a shining light, love, and truth of Christ to a dark world

-church history is full of examples of men and women who wholeheartedly believed that they should engage their culture by taking a strong stand

Ex. William Wilberforce, Samuel Adams, William Care, Bonhoeffer


-Wilberforce used his position to affect change

-Wilberforce became an ardent abolitionist 

-he campaigned tirelessly for 45 years to abolish slavery 

-many times he stood alone in his pursuit

“My walk is a public one”

“My business is in the world, and I must mix in the assemblies of men or quit the post which Providence seems to have assigned me.”

-he made a speech before Parliament 

“Having heard all this, you may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say that you did not know.”

-that speech changed history

-he witnessed the slave trade’s abolishment at age 47

-on his deathbed 30 years later he learned of the final passage of the Slavery Abolition Act, allowing 700,000 slaves in the United Kingdom to be set free 

-his influence reached the United States 

Ex. Dr. Benjamin Rush, the first surgeon general; John Adams, the 2nd president; and Thomas Jefferson 


-the church militant is here on Earth, but the church triumphant is yet to come

-we will have the ultimate triumph when we stand before the Lord, rejoicing in heaven 

-build a line of defense so that we can stand strong and persevere


***Jesus prayed to His Father for us as He is not of the world but came to sanctify us to Him through truth


John 17: 16-19

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by[a] the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”


-the word, sent, implies equipment for a definite mission

-we can go forth with great courage because of the magnitude of support that truth provides

-the power of heaven is in front, behind, and on all sides of us 

***He has commissioned us to go into this world of hostile arguments, sinister agendas, and demonic doctrines to and fro throughout the whole Earth


-the Bible tells us we should refuse to look the other way and will not back down in fear


2 Chronicles 16:9

 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”


***be engaged, take a stand, and stay in the fight