Love as a Way of Life



Study Series: The Invisible WarBy: Chip IngramLesson Title: “Your Life–Behind the Scenes” (pp. 108-118)October 29, 2017Session 09The main point of this lesson is: Our lives are influenced by forces we don’t see and often don’t even consider.Focus on this goal: To help adults open their spiritual eyes and minds to the unseen around them.Key Bible Passage: 2?Kings 6:8-17To the LeaderConsider writing the Basic Truths from this study on placards and displaying as you discuss each one during the sessions of this study. Basic Truths 1 and 2 appear in this session, 3 and 4 in the next session, and 5 in the session following that.Before the SessionPrepare to show the Wizard of Oz clip, if you choose that option to open the session (). (Step?1)During the SessionStep 1. Lead-in Play, or describe, the scene from The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy and her companions are terrified by the great and powerful Oz until Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal an ordinary man who states, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” When Dorothy and the others recognized what was going on behind the scenes they were empowered to disregard the “wizard’s” scare tactics. State that Christians must pay attention to what’s going on behind the “curtain” in this world. We’re not confronting a harmless, bumbling con-man, but powerful demonic forces whose goal is to destroy us and our witness. Emphasize we can combat our enemy’s scare tactics when we open our spiritual eyes and minds to the unseen that’s all around us. Step 2. Day 1 – There Is an Invisible World, Part 1Recall from Session 8 that we will examine five basic truths to ground us in the reality of the invisible war because, “Understanding the role of God’s protection will not help us very much if we don’t first understand exactly why we need it” (p. 105). Request someone state Basic Truth #1 from Day One (p. 109). Discuss Day One, activity 1. Explain Daniel, then in his 80s, had a vision about a great future conflict. After Daniel fasted and prayed over this vision for three weeks, God opened his eyes to see an angel that was usually invisible. This angel told Daniel it took him 21 days to come in response to Daniel’s prayer because he was battling a demonic spirit that had influence over Persia. This battle was so fierce the angel required the assistance of the archangel Michael. Ask: How does Daniel’s experience encourage you to keep praying when it seems like nothing is happening? Invite volunteers who completed Day?One, activity 2 (p. 110) to state what they learned about believing in the invisible from Balaam’s negative example.Step 3. Day 2 – There Is an Invisible World, Part 3Declare there are numerous Old Testament examples that verify the reality of an invisible world interacting with humanity. Invite a volunteer to read 2 Kings 6:8-15. Ask: How would your response compare to the servant’s? Call for responses to Day Two, activity 1 (pp. 110-111). Identify situations in which believers need to hear and believe the encouragement of 2 Kings 6:16. Invite a volunteer to read 2 Kings 6:17. Draw attention to the quote in the margin of Day Two (p. 111). Ask: What might we see if, at any given moment in our day, the invisible became visible?Step 4. Day 3 – There Is an Invisible World, Part 3Declare the New Testament also affirms the reality of the invisible world. Paul wrote Ephesians 6 (examined in Session 8) to believers who were well aware of the reality of demonic forces. Read Acts?19:13?20, noting these incidents occurred in Ephesus. Paul and other New Testament writers frequently wrote about satanic forces. Discuss Day Three, activities 1 and 2 (pp. 112, 114). Ask: Who is in believers? State that Jesus, who is in believers today, believed in and victoriously waged war against invisible satanic forces when He was on this earth. Ask: Why does the author say we need to understand the biblical dynamics of spiritual realities? How can we become more like Elisha, instead of like the servant, in 2 Kings 6?Step 5. Day 4 – We Are Involved in an Invisible War, Part 1Request adults identify Basic Truth #2 from Day Four (p. 114). Draw attention to the margin quote in Day Four (p. 115). Ask: How might our lives be different if we really believed that? Discuss Day Four, activity 1. Ask: Where does this spiritual conflict most often take place? Read the paragraph (p. 115), beginning “Paul’s observation gives us great insight….” Consider reasons that is true. Invite a volunteer to read Mark 14:32-39. Determine what believers can learn from Jesus’ example about waging the invisible battle for our minds.Step 6. Day 5 – We Are Involved in an Invisible War, Part 2Read the first paragraph of Day Five (pp. 116-117). Consider why group participants might especially feel the heat of spiritual warfare over the next few weeks. Declare Satan will fight to keep believers from acknowledging the reality of this invisible war because that is our first step in being victorious over him. Relate the author’s experiences as he prepared to teach on spiritual warfare. Invite responses to Day Five, activity 1 (p. 117).Step 7. Make It PracticalRemind adults that two of the divinely powerful weapons we have for spiritual warfare are God’s Word and prayer. Urge adults to continue memorizing Ephesians 6:10-12. Close in prayer using Day Four, activity 2 (p. 116), either all together in a large group or in smaller teams.In Your LifeWhat is your reaction to people who periodically attribute their poblems to demonic activity?Are there times when you consider their explanations valid? Are there times when you dismiss them right away? What makes the difference?Can you identify any current difficulties in your life that may be the product of spiritual opposition?Have you seen any trends of opposition in your life – areas where God wants you to grow or serve and in which numerous obstacles come up?Have you been able to overcome these obstacles? Why or why not? ................
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