PREPARATION. > Determine which discussion points and questions will work best with your group.

Transcription

1 EPHESIANS IN REVERSE GET READY TO FIGHT EPHESIANS 6:10-20 OCTOBER 2, 2016

2 EPHESIANS 6:10-20 OCTOBER 2, 2016 TEACHING PLAN PREPARATION > Spend the week reading through and studying Ephesians 6: Consult the commentary provided and any additional study tools (such as a concordance or Bible dictionary) to enhance your preparation. > Determine which discussion points and questions will work best with your group. > Pray for our pastors, the upcoming group meeting, your teaching, your group members, and their receptivity to the study. HIGHLIGHTS BIBLICAL EMPHASIS: Christians are called to wear the full armor of God and stand against the schemes of the enemy. TEACHING AIM: All Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. To walk in victory, we must learn how to stand against the schemes of the enemy. 2 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

3 INTRODUCTION As your group time begins, use this section to help get the conversation going. 1 Have you ever had an enemy? Without giving any names or dishonoring anyone, share what that experience was like. 2 If you knew without a doubt that an intruder who intended to harm you and your family had plans to break into your home, how would you prepare? 3 What kinds of things make you feel safe? Whether or not we realize it, all Christians are engaged in a battle with the enemy. Sooner or later, all believers realize that the Christian life is not lived on a playground, but on a battlefield. The Bible frequently reminds us of this truth, but we are prone to forget. Military soldiers who engage in war often study their enemy s battle tactics so they can understand what to expect in future conflicts. Knowing how their enemy operates gives them the opportunity to prepare for future battles. In the same way, the Bible has much to teach us about how to prepare for spiritual warfare. UNDERSTANDING Unpack the biblical text to discover what Scripture says or means about a particular topic. > Have a volunteer read Ephesians 6: According to verse 10, where is the Christian to find his or her strength? How would you describe spiritual warfare to a brandnew Christian who has yet to experience it? Do you usually recognize warfare for what it is? 3 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

4 Practically speaking, what does Paul mean when he commands his readers to stand against the tactics of the devil? Christians cannot stand on their own against the schemes of the enemy. The devil is too strong for us, but the enemy is not too strong for God (1 John 4:4). Paul commands his readers to rely on God s strength, which he primarily supplies through prayer (6:18). When we fail to pray, we not only miss out on communion with God, but we also are spiritually vulnerable. Paul makes the important point that when we engage in spiritual warfare, our battle is not against human beings. Rather, our battle is against spiritual powers (6:12). It is a waste of time and energy to fight people when the real fight is with the devil, who attempts to control people and influence them to oppose the work of God. John 10:10: A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. When you experience opposition, are you mindful that the Bible teaches us that the enemy influences people to oppose God s work or do you get frustrated with the individual? God went to great lengths in the Bible to warn us about the enemy and teach us how to stand firm against him. What does this tell us about the character of God? > Have a volunteer read Ephesians 6: What five pieces of armor does Paul describe in these verses? 4 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

5 Is every piece equally important? Does ignoring one piece leave us vulnerable? Why or why not? To engage safely in spiritual warfare, we need special equipment that is both offensive and defensive. Leaving off any of the armor leaves us vulnerable to the enemy s attacks (Eph. 4:27). Paul commands his readers to put on the armor, yield the weapons, and withstand Satan. We do all of this by faith. Paul instructs his readers to wear truth like a belt around your waist. Satan is a liar (John 8:44) and is known for dealing in lies and deceit, but the Christian whose life is rooted in truth will defeat him. 1 John 4:4: You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. What are common lies the enemy tells the children of God? What is the primary way we refute the enemy s lies? Does knowing that the devil is the father of liars cause you to think differently about white lies? Why or why not? The breastplate of righteousness symbolizes the believer s righteousness in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21; Eph 4:24). Satan is the accuser, but he cannot accuse the believer who stands forgiven in Christ and is living a godly life in the power of the Spirit. Feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace symbolize a foundation to stand on, which is the gospel. A proper foundation gives us better footing in battle. Also, we must be prepared to share the gospel with a lost world (Isa. 52:7). The shield of faith was a large shield covered with tough leather that served to protect the soldier from spears, arrows, and fiery darts. Faith is a defensive weapon that protects us from the enemy s fiery darts. The primary way the enemy comes at us is in the 5 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

6 mind. The helmet of salvation protects our thought process. When God controls our mind, the enemy cannot lead the Christian astray. Why do you think the enemy accuses God s children? What are some ways that he accuses? Are there areas you need to cover with the armor of God? Where is your greatest vulnerability? > Have a volunteer read Ephesians 6: Glance back at verse 18. What does Paul command his readers to do? 1 Peter 5:8: Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. What are common reasons believers fail to pray? Do you struggle in your prayer life? If so, how? If you could change one thing about your prayer life, what would it be? No matter how strong or talented we are, we cannot fight the enemy in our own power. Through prayer, God enables His children to wear the armor by faith and wield the sword. We cannot experience victory over Satan apart from prayer. Paul instructed his readers to pray without ceasing with all kinds of prayers and supplications, and to pray in the Spirit. We face a relentless enemy, which means we will need to pray without relenting. Paul instructs his readers to pray with perseverance. Simply put, that means to stick with it and not quit. Believers are sometimes tempted to quit praying when they don t see immediate results. But Paul commands his readers to stay alert. (6:18). The early church prayed without ceasing when Peter was thrown in prison; at the last moment, God answered their prayer (Acts 12:1-19). We are to persist in prayer and press on until we receive an answer. 6 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

7 APPLICATION Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives. 1 How can we encourage one another to stand firm in the midst of spiritual warfare? 2 When we commit ourselves to prayer, what does it show the world about our faith? 3 How can you make a deeper commitment to your prayer life? What are some different things you can begin to pray for? P R A Y Thank God for the instruction and encouragement He provides us in His Word. Ask Him to help each group member to have greater discernment in the midst of spiritual warfare. Pray that group members will devote themselves to prayer. 7 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

8 FOLLOW UP Midway through this week, send a follow-up to your group with some or all of the following information: > Questions to consider as they continue to reflect on what they learned this week: What steps can I take to deepen my prayer life? > A note of encouragement, following up on any specific prayer requests mentioned during your group gathering. > The challenge to memorize Ephesians 6:10. 8 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

9 COMMENTARY OCTOBER 2, 2016 EPHESIANS 6: :10. Paul s concluding teaching challenged believers to recognize their spiritual weaknesses and to draw on the Lord. We cannot strengthen ourselves. We need power from outside. The Lord Jesus is the One who supplies spiritual strength. Paul had already used the phrase His vast strength in Ephesians 1:19 to refer to God s active power in the lives of believers. 6: The full armor of God is required not only because we are weak but also because our spiritual enemies are strong. Our strongest adversary is the devil. We should never doubt that the devil is a real, supernatural person. He opposes God and His people with tactics, a term suggesting how wily he is. The believer s responsibility, once clad in God-given armor, is to stand. We need not flee the devil, but rather we are to boldly hold the fortress of our own souls. We do not face a physical army (flesh and blood, human beings). We face a spiritual army. Paul listed some of these evil beings. Evidently there is a hierarchy of evil spirit-beings in hostile opposition to God and His people. 6:13. For the second time, the apostle urged believers to use the full armor of God the complete kit of spiritual equipment. God the heavenly Warrior-King wears such armor (Isa. 59:17). He has now shared it with His people. In this verse, the verb take up is parallel to put on in verse 11. Both verbs suggest intentional action. To resist in the evil day means during the days until Christ s return as the conquering King. 6: Paul likened the three pieces of equipment Roman soldiers put on at the beginning of a day to God-given character traits we believers are to build daily into our lives. Belt. This wide leather strap kept a Roman soldier s undergarments from getting tangled and also held his sword at the side of his body. By application, the belt stands for truth. Many Bible students believe this refers to a Christian s sincerity or integrity of speech. For believers to lapse into intrigue or dishonesty is to fall into the devil s own game. Armor on your chest. The metal breastplate was standard for a battle soldier; it protected his vital organs during combat. 9 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

10 COMMENTARY OCTOBER 2, 2016 For the believer, it stands for righteousness. Since Paul had Isaiah 59:17 in mind, he meant uprightness of character (godliness or Christlikeness). To neglect developing our character according to God s standard of virtue is to give the devil a gaping hole through which he may attack us. Feet sandaled. The Roman soldier s hobnailed (cleated) shoes kept his feet from slipping. In the analogy, it stands for a Christian s readiness for the gospel of peace. The meaning is probably the steadiness that comes to us because we have received the good news of Christ. Without assurance that we have peace with God through the gospel, the devil will gain a great advantage, throwing us into doubts of all kinds. 6: Paul went on to speak about three more pieces of equipment. Understanding these pieces shows us actions we can take when we face spiritual battles. Shield. The Roman shield Paul had in mind was probably a long, oblong leather-covered device that covered much of the body during active battle. It was effective at dousing flaming arrows. In the analogy, this stands for a believer s faith active dayto-day trust in God to provide the strength to resist onslaughts that the evil one sends. Faith looks to the power of God when there is temptation. Helmet. The soldier s metal headgear provided both protection and decoration. Paul had written to the Thessalonians to put on a helmet of the hope of salvation (1 Thess. 5:8). So what is the salvation Paul had in mind? Probably he meant our hope or expectation of future deliverance when we receive full salvation at last. Confidence that we will be with Christ forever and that we will enjoy a future resurrection with Him provides believers strength to endure all devilish assaults. Sword. The Roman short sword was used for both defense and offense. It was efficient in hand-to-hand combat. It stands for God s Word. On the one hand, this refers to the entirety of the Scriptures, which has been inspired by the Spirit and is His gift to God s people. On the other hand, it refers to the specific biblical message that is apt for the need at hand. (Ps. 119:11; Heb. 4:12). 10 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church

11 COMMENTARY OCTOBER 2, :18. Four times in this verse Paul used Greek forms for all or every. All kinds of prayer. There is more than one way to talk to God. Here, the apostle used both a general term (prayer) and a specific term (request). All times of prayer. There is no wrong time to pray! Morning prayers, mealtime prayers, bedtime prayers, and battle-time prayers are all acceptable. Yet they are to be motivated by the Spirit, not just become a ritual or something perfunctory. Believers are to stay alert in prayer. All perseverance in prayer. Prayer is to be continual. Jesus Himself made this clear in the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8). All objects of prayer. Believers should pray for each other all the saints knowing that they are also experiencing spiritual warfare in their own lives. 6: Paul wanted the Ephesians to include him in their prayers. He too was engaged in spiritual battle. Perhaps as a prisoner he was tempted to be silent about his faith. He did not ask to be set free; rather, he prayed for two qualities that would enable the ministry of the word to blaze forth. First, he wanted clarity. When he spoke, he wanted the right message to be given. Second, he wanted boldness, not shrinking from delivering what God had entrusted to him which he recognized as the mystery of the gospel. Earlier in the letter, Paul had called himself a prisoner... on behalf of you Gentiles (3:1) and the prisoner in the Lord (4:1). Now he called himself an ambassador in chains. As an ambassador, he was the accredited representative of Jesus Christ; and he would represent Christ before the emperor s court. Even so great a Christian as Paul wanted prayer so that he would be bold enough in Him to speak. 11 Ephesians in Reverse: Get Ready to Fight Brentwood Baptist Church