Building Spiritual Fitness: The Battleground

Pray

Recap:

Six Promises:

Promise 1: Christ has come into your life.

Promise 2: Since you have the Eternal Son, you have eternal life.

Promise 3: You are reborn as a new creation.

Promise 4: All your sins have been and will be forgiven.

Promise 5: You have a new relationship with God.

Promise 6: You have assurance that you will never be separated from God again.

The Battleground

Read Ephesians 6:12

Head:

What are we to understand from this passage?

Our fight is a spiritual fight

Our true enemies reside in the spiritual realm; physical enemies are merely slaves and puppets of our spiritual enemies.

Who are our true enemies? Read Ephesians 2:1-3 and identify our true enemies

The only way to defeat your enemy is to know your enemy (and yourself, according to Sun Tzu)

What does Scripture have to say about our foes?

Satan (Heb, accuser or adversary) and his demons

1 Peter 5:8

John 10:10

John 8:44

John 12:31

The World (the spiritual anti-God agendas/cultures that push people further from God)

1 John 2:15-16

Romans 12:2

James 4:4

The Flesh (our sin-nature, that aspect of us that hungers for the carnal, anti-God things of this world)

Galatians 5:17

Romans 8:6-8

Galatians 5:19-21

Strategies for Victory

Read Ephesians 6:13-18

What are all Christians called to put on?

Belt of Truth (v. 14)

Alert to deception, Christians are called to believe, speak, and receive truth, opposite to the character of Satan

Breastplate of Righteousness (v. 14)

An extension of God’s mercy and grace, righteousness preserves our lives

Romans 1:17

Sabatons (shoes/sandals) of Readiness/Preparedness that comes from the Gospel of Peace (v. 15)

Ready to quickly move in boldness to share the Gospel

1 Peter 3:15

Shield of Faith (v. 16)

The strength of faith is not determined by its capacity within us, but by the object of which it resides in.

Matthew 17:20

Helmet of Salvation (v. 17)

Let us always allow the truth of our salvation abide in our meditations, guarding our minds from fear and sin

Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (v. 17)

Hebrews 4:12

A swordsman who does not know how to handle his sword is of more use to the enemy than to the King he serves.

Likewise, as Christians, we must learn to be competent handlers of God’s Word.

Prayer

Philippians 4:6

1 Thessalonians 5:17

"To be a Christian without prayer

is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” - Martin Luther

Heart:

Questions:

What does putting on the armor of God actually look like in the life of a Christian?

How does the armor of God protect of us from sin and temptation?

From the Devil, the World, and the Flesh?

Hands:

Walk with God: How do the Armor of God help your walk with God?

Keep Christ first: How do the Armor of God help you to keep Christ first?

Keep sin out of your life: How do the Armor of God help you keep sin out of your life?

The putting on the Armor of God is abiding in God’s Word, everyday, saturating our spirit and mind with His promises, speaking and engaging with God over His Word. It looks mundane, but no meaningful interaction with the Holy, Divine, and Supernatural Word of God ever leaves us unchanged.

Pray and Meditate

Pull a Joseph and FLEE

Feel the danger

Leave the area

Experience God’s pleasure

Examine the cause of the danger and proactively set a plan to avoid it

The trick is not to focus on hating your sin more, but on loving God more.