In his resonant closing sermon of 2024 at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, Pastor Jack Hibbs challenged his congregation to fortify their spiritual defenses for the coming year.

In a spirited message, Hibbs emphasized the necessity of adopting a daily regimen of spiritual preparation to confront the challenges of modern life, the Christian Post reported.

During the gathering, the prominent pastor highlighted the urgent need for Christians to armor up every morning, borrowing the biblical metaphor of the 'full armor of God' from Ephesians 6 to underscore his point.

Inspiration From Ephesians: Embrace The Full Armor Of God

Hibbs explained that the spiritual armor includes components such as the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the belt of truth. Each piece, he insisted, plays a vital role in a believer's defense against spiritual adversity.

"Christians, listen carefully, you can't go outside without the armor of God," he remarked, illustrating the dangers of facing the world spiritually unprepared. He likened unprotected Christians to participants on the reality show “Naked and Afraid,” vulnerable and exposed.

The Importance Of Daily Spiritual Practices

With spirited conviction, Hibbs stressed the importance of remaining vigilant through prayer and engagement with scripture. "Every day with Jesus is going to be one of, 'Let's armor up,'" he proclaimed, emphasizing the act of preparing spiritually as soon as one wakes.

"So we’ve got to wake up first, and then the next thing we do after our big toe hits the ground is we armor up. We put on the armor of God," Hibbs elaborated, suggesting that such daily rituals are essential for maintaining spiritual fortitude.

He emphasized the importance of constant vigilance, stating, "We are in a war," and urging believers to remain perpetually prepared to counter spiritual threats.

The Role Of Faith And Dedication

Pastor Hibbs also touched on the concept of active faith, describing it as an ongoing commitment that must be consciously maintained. He conveyed this thought by calling on his followers to view their faith as a verb, an active component of daily life.

Highlighting Romans 12:1, Hibbs urged his followers to live as 'living sacrifices,' which he defined as a state of complete dependence on divine mercy. This, he argued, would fortify them against spiritual challenges.

"Yes, if you are naked you should be afraid, very, very afraid — but how much more so for the Christian? Do not go out into this new year without your spiritual armament on, you will be naked. That's why you're afraid," he asserted, dramatizing the risk of spiritual negligence.

Motivating Believers To Engage With God's Command

Hibbs concluded his sermon by invoking John 14:31 and urging his congregation to adhere to God's commands and actively engage with His divine plan every single day. He motivated his followers, declaring, "Every day, arise, let us go from here because God's Will and plan is for us to be ahead every day, amen? And none of us want to miss that, in Jesus' name."

He delivered a clear message, emphasizing that 'armoring up' is not merely a defensive measure but a proactive approach to living a spiritually fulfilled life. He called Christians to march forward actively, armored by faith, and fully committed to God’s plan rather than existing passively.

This compelling call to action deeply resonated with the congregation. Many shared their intentions to adopt this daily practice of spiritual readiness as they stepped into 2025.