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FBMC Bible StudyDecember 4, 2019Isaiah 12:2 “See, God has come to save me, I will trust him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”“Gifts from God”(COURAGE)Ephesians 6: 10-18 (NKJV)10?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—The apostle Paul is writing to the Church of Ephesus and in doing so, writes to emphasis under the theme of UNITY. He stressed the importance of UNITY in a church. A believer must be united with God as well as with fellow believers inside the church. Question, what are some benefits of a UNITED church?Why do you think it is important for a church to be UNITED?It is believed that while traveling through the Roman empire, Paul observed the training, exercises, duties, unity and marching formation of the Roman army; Roman soldier. (This is probably why he refers and compares the life of a Christian/ believer to that of a soldier in many of his writings). Here in Ephesians 6, we see an example of a believer, as well as a church family, being together and equipped to face the attacks from our enemy.Armor of God Bible Study Adapted from Jack Zavada’s “Armor of God study” and Lauren Abraham’s “Armor of God”The Armor of God, described by the Apostle Paul in?Ephesians 6:10-18, is our spiritual defense against attacks by?Satan. But if you were to leave home every morning wearing a full suit of armor, you would feel pretty silly. Fortunately, that's not necessary. Although invisible, the Armor of God is real, and when used properly and worn daily, it provides solid protection against the enemy's onslaught. None of these six pieces of armor require power on our part.?Jesus Christ?has already won our victory through his?sacrificial death on the cross. We only have to put on the effective armor he has given us. Let’s look at each of the pieces of the Spiritual Armor:*Belt of TRUTHThe Belt of Truth is the first element of the Armor of God. In the ancient world, a soldier's belt not only kept his armor in place but, if wide enough, protected his kidneys and other vital organs. Just so, the truth protects us. Practically applied, you might say the Belt of Truth holds up our spiritual pants so that we're not exposed and vulnerable.Jesus Christ called Satan the "father of lies (John 8:44)." Deception is one of the enemy's oldest tactics. We can see through Satan's lies by holding them against the truth of the Bible. The Bible helps us defeat the lies of materialism, money, power, and pleasure as the most important things in life. Thus, the truth of God's Word shines its light of integrity into our lives and holds together all of our spiritual defenses.Jesus told us "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6, NIV)What did Jesus mean hen He said, “I am the truth?”Why is it important for us, as believers, do “wear”; possess TRUTH?*Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESSThe Breastplate of Righteousness guards our heart. A wound to the chest can be fatal. That's why ancient soldiers wore a breastplate covering their heart and lungs.Our heart is susceptible to the wickedness of this world, but our protection is the righteousness that comes from Jesus Christ. We cannot become righteous through our own good works. When Jesus died on the cross, his righteousness was credited to all who believe in him, through justification. God sees us as sinless because of what his Son did for us. Accept your Christ-given righteousness; Let it cover and protect you. Remember that it can keep your heart strong and pure for God:"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (Proverbs 4:23, NLT)??What does it mean to “guard, protect” your heart against the wickedness of the world?How can we do this?*Shoes of the Gospel of PEACEIt may seem strange to consider shoes to be part of your armor, but can you imagine going to battle shoeless? You would most likely be in pain with every step, as you pass over all kinds of harsh landscape. Ultimately, it would inhibit your ability to fight. So, how can the gospel of peace be related to shoes? To start, we must understand what the gospel of peace is. The word “gospel” means “good news,” referring to the sacrifice Jesus made for us so that we can be saved. As a result, this brings us peace. As Christians, we are called to share the good news of Christ with others. Having our shoes fitted with the gospel of peace allows us to do this successfully.John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” With God’s strength, we can be brave in sharing our faith with others. Jesus already defeated death, so we do not need to be afraid. Our shoes equip us to walk through rough areas. In the same way, having hope in Jesus helps us walk through the trials we face. John 16:33 says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Just like having a good pair of shoes can help us walk across rough terrain, having confidence in Christ allows us to boldly proclaim His name. While we may face persecution in this life, we can rest in knowing the Savior of the world loves us and cares for us.Having our feet fitted with the shoes of the gospel of peace allows us to be ready to share God with others at all times. As Christians, we should always be prepared, as we never know when an opportunity may arise to share the good news of the gospel with someone else. Ultimately, the shoes of peace equip us to fight for Christ in the spiritual battles we face. ~ Lauren AbrahamWhy is it important to have on the shoes of the Gospel of Peace?*Shield of FAITHNo defensive armor was as important as the shield. It fended off arrows, spears, and swords. Our Shield of Faith guards us against one of Satan's deadliest weapons: doubt. Satan shoots doubt at us when God does not act immediately or visibly. But our faith in God's trustworthiness comes from the unassailable truth of the Bible. We know our Father can be counted on. Our Shield of Faith sends Satan's flaming arrows of doubt glancing harmlessly to the side. Furthermore, with soldiers standing side by side, holding their shields up together, the shields form a wall; protecting the whole unit from Satan’s darts and arrows. We keep our shield held high, confident in the knowledge that God provides, God protects, and God is faithful to his children. Our shield holds because of the One our faith is in, Jesus Christ.- Why is Faith important? How can we use it to “protect” ourselves against Satan?*Helmet of SALVATIONThe Helmet of Salvation protects the head, where all thought and knowledge reside. Jesus Christ said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32, NIV). The truth of salvation through Christ does indeed set us free. We are free from vain searching, free from the meaningless temptations of this world, and free from the condemnation of sin. Those who reject God's plan of salvation battle Satan unprotected and suffer the fatal blow of hell.1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that believers "have the mind of Christ." Even more interesting, 2 Corinthians 10:5 explains that those who are in Christ have divine power to "demolish arguments and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ." The Helmet of Salvation is a crucial piece of the armor as it protects our thoughts and minds. We cannot survive without it.What does it mean to have the “mind of Christ?”What do you think were the things Christ thought of; about?Sword of the SPIRITThe Sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the Armor of God with which we can strike against Satan. This weapon represents the Word of God, the Bible: "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)When Jesus Christ was tempted in the desert by Satan, he countered Satan’s motives and ploys with the truth of Scripture, setting an example for us. Satan's tactics have not changed, so the Sword of the Spirit is still our best defense.Give a recent example of when you used God’s Word to help you battle through a storm; crisis moment. What are some of your favorite scriptures you turn to when facing:DiscouragementStressSadness/sorrowsPRAYERFinally, Paul adds the Power of Prayer to the Armor of God: "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 Lord's people." (Ephesians 6:18, NIV). Every smart soldier knows they must keep the lines of communication open to their Commander. God has orders for us through his Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Satan hates it when we pray. He knows prayer strengthens us and keeps us alert to his deception. Paul cautions us to pray for others as well. With the Armor of God and gift of Prayer, we can be ready for whatever the Enemy throws at us.When was the last time you had a meaningful, intimate, focused prayer with God?How would you rate your prayer life?If you are not satisfied with your prayer life, what changes are you willing to make to have a stronger prayer life? ................
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