How To Build a Covering by Brother Duke Hansen

         Good morning. This morning's message is going to be some information for you. You can apply it immediately to your life, or use it as a start point for further study of the scripture and obtain a greater knowledge for your faith. All of us need to build and maintain a covering for ourself. The first scripture is going to be from the book of Deuteronomy. The apostle Paul would write in his first letter to the Corinthian church the following;

        19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have in God, and ye are not your own?

        20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

        So, this earthly vessel you are currently is supposed to be a temple of the Holy Ghost. We are going to talk a bit about not only establishing that temple, but, we are going to speak about building a covering for it. There are expectations the Lord wrote to us regarding our temple and its covering. We are born into a world of sin. Generational sins and iniquities have been passed down family lines since the garden. We need to be born again before any of the covering can begin. If God starts a work in you, you should follow the instructions to fulfill the work. When God begins his process, he has written guidance for us to keep ourselves rooted or grounded.

        Within this rotten and easily corruptible vessel is a temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in. Once you are saved, the old is tore down and a new home begins construction when you are truly saved that is addressed in Deuteronomy chapter 22 and verse 8.

        8 When thou builds a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.

        Now, looking at this verse, I was thinking to myself, "What is a battlement for the roof?" It's a defensive architecture like you see in walls or castle turrets where there are little square or rectangular openings so you can fight. Not only are you in a defensive position, you also have the opportunity to fight back. You are elevated where you can keep watch out for potential dangers. You need to remember that your personal walk with Jesus is an ongoing fight with your flesh. Your flesh doesn't want to hear law, rules, instructions that restrict it but it wants to hear things that give it a good feeling. Let's turn to Psalms chapter 127.

        Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen wakes but in vain.

        Solomon wrote a song in this psalm about building a house. It references the instructions from Deuteronomy. In the book of Job, Job's tragedies and afflictions stem from the fact the covering he applied to his life, home, and possessions, that knowledge was not given to his children. You can build up walls of protection to guard yourself, set a watch for danger. If you aren't following God's instruction, all that you do is in vain. You won't devote time or effort into anything you don't see value in. God gives us the tools, blueprint, and easy to read instructions in building your house.

        Let's look at the simplicity in building a covering. Now, if you study the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, you see a lot of recording and reporting that work off each other, See it as a large detailed puzzle which each book provides pieces that fit together. The book of John is different because he was present during Jesus' ministry and known as Beloved. John knew Jesus' true identity and states it in the opening chapter. So, you read and study the gospels then to the book of Acts and there are significant transformations written. Not only do you have the conversion of Paul but also the rise of Peter and the gospel being given to the gentile. I say all this to say, if you don't think you can, you can't do or you won't do. A spirit of defeat has never obtained any victory.

        Paul writes in Ephesians the start place to build a covering. Prayer is where you begin to build. You need to learn how to be born again. A three step process in true repentance, water baptism, and then obtaining the Holy Ghost. Once those three steps have been accomplished, the work within you isn't finished. There is no eternal security. The work on you truly begins.

        So, what does it mean to repent? You ask 10 different people from 10 different denominations and you are probably going to get four different interpretations by man on how to repent. the Bible shows that being born again you see who you are and who God is. You understand what the footing is on your covering. Everything has its own line of perfection. To be perfected is a learned skill.

        If we look at building this covering, you have prayer to begin and you need boundaries established not only for others in your life, but for yourself. The more alert you want to be about your surroundings as well as yourself, God will help and reveal things to you. In Paul's letter to Timothy, he wrote of the unshakeable faith of Timothy's mother and grandmother. I want to say again, building up your faith builds up your covering.

        Looking at Ephesians chapter 6, the first few verses are instructions Paul writes for children and parents in the home. A person willing to face his problems and open to the correction, is an example of inward strength and power. Our spiritual life is not complex, it's designed to be simple.

        When Jesus was on earth, he told his disciples to take up their cross and follow him. Breaking that down to you today, if you are truly his you need to kill your flesh with it's desires. 

        So you have prayer to start your covering, you establish boundaries for yourself and your life. You have worship as a tool used to build. Worship isn't just singing a slow song on Sunday morning. You can worship in the morning if you pray, on the way to work, in a silent moment, in a quiet place. You were made for praise and worship. Lets look at verse 10 of Ephesians chapter 6.

        10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

        Internal strength is so important. The ability to stand and resolved is key. Weak or lazy people will not remain standing.

        11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

        12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

        13 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.

        Every piece of armor listed in the verses after are a deed or an act you need to do on your walk. The first item Paul writes about is the belt of truth. Without the truth, you can't loosen or bind things in your life. Truth is the strength to identify something in your life and to change it. Beware of the froward person. That person and their mouth are disobedient and rebellious. They are habitually disposed to being the opposition. So, as you grow closer to God, you may have people in your life that are froward. They Trojan horse a lie disguised as a truth. It is why I say that you only need 2-3 people or confidants in your life. The pleasure of sin for your flesh causes it to recoil at truth. You can build your covering, but it is vital that you pass that knowledge to your children. An individual covering is not generational. You are not protected because your great grandpa had the truth at one time in his life. 

        This week, closely read the rest of Ephesians 6. Study the components of the armor. It's an attribute of God you need to wear and walk in daily. Dig into the word. Meditate on it. Allow the change he wants to do in your life. The scriptures this morning are a mere touch of the surface what a Christian life is. In the subject of averages, of risks and failures, following the instructions written in the Bible has a zero percent failure rate. Every person who followed this book's instruction are a victor and overcomer. If you take the time, God will do so as well.