THIS IS HOW WE DO IT PT 17 Summer Growth Group Notes Week 5 PASTOR BOB RICE: SUNDAY AUGUST 12, 2018

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1 THIS IS HOW WE DO IT PT 17 Summer Growth Group Notes Week 5 PASTOR BOB RICE: SUNDAY AUGUST 12, 2018 Main Text: Peter 5: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 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. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Review: 1. Before you fight you must be fit. a. Ephesians 6:10 God s responsibility is to provide the armor, our responsibility is to put it on. 2. The armor is a consistent, militant, mindset that aggressively seeks to achieve God s desired outcome in any given situation. Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 3. How do you put on the armor? o Identify it o Apply it to a given situation 1

2 4. Our opponents are not people but organized spiritual forces that seek to influence us. Eph. 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Every battle has the goal of taking and occupying turf, real estate. (the real estate of your mind) The goal of our spiritual battle is influence. Who are you going to believe? o GOD, yourself, the world, or the devil. o The battle takes place in the mind (your mind sits in the highest place in our body) o However, the enemy sits in a place higher place than our mind. Eph. 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places. (the 1 st heaven) We must wage war from our true seat, the 3 rd heaven, which gives us an elevated position of authority over our enemies. o One of the main duties of the general in times of battle is to pick the location of the fight. o The strategic advantage is always owned by the side operating from an elevated position. Ephesians 1 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, (3 rd heaven) 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Ephesians 2 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 2

3 This gives us authority over the enemy and every situation of our lives insuring victory. Our problems occur when we are fighting from the earth in our own strength on our own. Lesson Notes: 1. The evil day is the time of trial when the forces of evil directly attacks you with a ferocity greater than your natural abilities can handle. (when literally all hell breaks loose in your life) Eph. 6:13 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. 2. There are 2 categories of armor: the armor that you have and armor that you take up. The armor that you have is the mindset that you always wear. Truth Righteousness Preparation of the gospel of peace Prayer The armor that you take up, is the armor that you use while attacking or are under attack: Shield of faith Helmet of salvation Sword of the Spirit 3. The 1 st and most important weapon is truth. Eph. 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Your waist is your core. This is where you real strength comes from. o That s why women love 6 packs. o Everything is stronger when your core is strong. o All of the armor was connected to the belt. Truth is the most important weapon? o Because Satan is a liar John 8:44 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does 3

4 not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. Lying is his only weapon o The only weapon that can fight a lie is the truth. o The truth is simply God s view of the matter that you are dealing with. o The only source of truth is God. o Not feelings o Not logic o Not even facts o We merely discover truth. 4. Righteousness must be the most characteristic attribute of your life. Eph. 6:14b having put on the breastplate of righteousness, The breastplate is the largest piece of armor that we wear. Righteousness is what you should be known by. 5. As we walk through life we must do so with the purpose of spreading the gospel. Eph. 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; This piece of armor can also be described as walking on mission. This piece of armor affects your sense of purpose. This piece of armor affects your behavior around others, because your behavior affects your witness. 6. All ideas that come into our minds must be sifted through the Word and will of God. All ideas that don t line up with God s Word must be blocked, and not be allowed to spread. 4

5 Eph. 6:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Good lies spread like wildfires. The fiery darts of the wicked one are meant to cause distractions that take you out of the battle. The shield of faith is able to put out the devil s distractive fires quickly. 5

6 THIS IS HOW WE DO IT PT 17 Summer Growth Group Questions Week 5 PASTOR BOB RICE: SUNDAY AUGUST 12, 2018 Questions: 1. From Sunday s Sermon, was there a particular point, comment, or scripture that caught your attention or challenged you? 2. What does it mean to take authority over a situation? Give examples. 3. What does the Apostle Paul mean by the evil day? Give examples. 4. What are the 2 types of armor? Compare and contrast how they work. Give examples. 5. Why does Pastor Rice believe that truth is the most important weapon in our arsenal? Do you agree or disagree? Why? 6

7 6. Why is God the only true source of truth? 7. Why should your life be characterized by righteousness? 8. Will walking with the preparation of the gospel of peace effect your life? 9. Why does the devil shoot fiery darts? Give some examples. 10. How does faith block the effects of the fiery darts? 7