discipleship
| 1.5 page studies
All Out War Part 2
(Study on Spiritual Warfare)
Say: Left to ourselves and in our
own power, we are completely defenseless against Satan.
Ephesians 6:12 says, "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."
Satan has excellent tactics and will win every time
to destroy our hearts, reputation, and our very lives.
Do: Read James 1:13-15 (All scripture texts
are printed below). As the leader, briefly highlight
the progression from "temptation" to "death". Say:
"Temptation by itself is not sin. It is temptation
which leads someone to become enticed by lust. Lust
leads to the act of sin, which lead to death. Spiritual
death to the unbeliever but broken fellowship with God
for the believer.
Ask: What is our hope for dealing with temptation?
Say: "The two 'W's' help us to
deal with temptation from this passage. We need to
Watch Out (verse 12) and we need to find
a Way Out (verse 13)."
Ask: "Today, what do you feel are some of Satan's
effective tactics that you personally need to Watch
Out for and what are those weak points in your
life the he might try to attack?" (This may be a personal
question for some. Don't put anyone on the spot but
help them feel comfortable and transparent to share
with others). Suggestion: If it would be helpful, put
people into groups of 4-5 to discuss this question for
5 minutes.
Ask: "What are some possible Way Outs
for some of Satan's tactics that he's throwing at you?"
(Continue discussing in small groups or bring everyone
together to discuss together).
Say: "Our ultimate defense is to put on the
armor of God. Let's take a look at our ultimate protection."
Read: Ephesians 6:10-18 together as a group.
(See text below).
Do: Highlight for the group the 6 main pieces
of armor of God listed in this passage. These pieces
are; 1) the belt of truth, 2) breastplate of righteousness,
3) feet fitted with readiness, 4) shield of faith, 5)
helmet of salvation, 6) sword of the Sprit. One bonus
piece to mention in verse 18 is 7) prayer.
Do: Go through each piece of armor one by one
and ask, "What do you feel this piece of armor
means?"
Below is a brief commentary on each piece of armor
to help you explain it to the group after they've first
discussed what each piece of armor means.
Do: After you've gone through and discussed
all the pieces of the armor of God, Ask: "According
to Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary, what would you
guess is the most important piece of armor?" Follow
up by asking why they feel that piece is most important.
Answer: Shield of Faith.
Some people may have guessed the Shield of Faith but
continue by asking: "Why would you feel the Shield of
Faith is perhaps the most important piece of armor?"
Final practical application:
Say: "Think about some of your weak areas where
Satan may try to attack you."
Ask: "Which of the pieces of armor of God is
especially meaningful to you right now?"
Close in Prayer
Scriptures and Notes:
James 1:13-15
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is
tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil,
nor does he tempt anyone;
14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil
desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth
to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth
to death.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful
that you don't fall!
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common
to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be
tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you
can stand up under it.
Ephesians 6:10-18
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 saints.
Selected sections of the Expositor's Bible Commentary
and Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Armor of God
1. The Belt of Truth
The belt tied tightly around the waist
indicated that the soldier was prepared for action.
To slacken the belt was to go off duty. The "belt"
served an essential purpose. It gathered in the short
tunic and helped keep the breastplate in place. The
sword also hung from the belt. The belt of truth around
our waist is said to be the truth of the gospel and
the truthfulness of God and His Word. The belt of truth
protects us from false teaching and false living. Truth
is found in God's word and we must hold on to it. Is
our doctrine and beliefs completely in line with the
truth of God's Word?
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness
The heart protector. Breastplate secures
the vital organs and shelters the heart. Holiness,
godliness, uprightness and integrity of character are
all part of being righteous. We put on the righteousness
of Christ which fortifies the heart against the attacks
which Satan makes against us. We have no fear when
we are living a righteous life. Our hearts are protected
and we remain strong in God. Is there any sin in our
lives we need to deal with or is there any area where
we need to make changes so that we are living a righteous
life?
3. Feet fitted with readiness
The army boots of the soldier was described by Josephus
as "shoes thickly studded with sharp nails" so as to
ensure a good grip. For the believer it is the readiness
to go out at any moment to announce the Good News to
others. We need to be ready in season and out of season
to share the Gospel message with others. Are you ready?
Have you been trained how to clearly communicate the
Gospel message?
4. Shield of Faith
To cover all the rest, we are to take up the shield
of faith. We hold up the shield in front of us for
protection. We must have faith in God. With this shield
the believer can extinguish the fiery arrows from Satan.
We can quench the flames with our shield to keep the
fire of Satan's work from spreading.
The breastplate protects the vital organs but the shield
we turn in all directions. Our enemy the devil is wicked
and he tries to make us wicked. His temptations are
called darts, because of their swift flight, and the
deep wounds that they give to the soul. Faith will
cause all of Satan's darts to be ineffective so that
we might be effective for Him. Do you understand who
God is so that you can totally put you trust in Him?
5. Helmet of Salvation
The helmet is the hope of full salvation. We must
know that our salvation with God is secure. Christ
died for us. With our salvation secure in Christ we
can have boldness and assurance in our relationship
with God and keep our minds from being polluted by Satan.
Knowing our salvation brings us comfort and peace.
Do you know for sure that Christ is in your life?
6. The sword of the Spirit
This is our only offensive weapon that is part of God's
armor. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.
As Jesus used the words of Scripture to repulse the
tempter, so must the Christian use the inspired Word
of God to drive away Satan. Jesus said that we do not
live on bread alone but by every word that comes from
the mouth of God. Scriptural arguments are the most
powerful arguments with which to repel temptation and
render Satan's tactics ineffective. How well do you
know God's Word so that you might use it as an offensive
weapon against sin and temptation?
7. Prayer
We must remain alert as a soldier in Christ through
prayer. We must keep watch as we prepare for battle
as well as pray during the battle. At the critical
hour of spiritual battle, prayer support is most required.
Through all this we need to stand firm. Are you praying
about everything? Are you giving all the issues in
your life to God in prayer?
|
Adobe
pdf
