Armor UP!Standing in the Lord’s Strength

Week 1: Surveying the Scene

October 2, 2016

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CONTENTS 

Introduction Sermon Notes:

Surveying the Scene Ephesians 6:10-13

Announcements MBC Prayer Requests for October 2-8 Helpful Online Tools and Apps for Personal Bible Study Week 1 Group Reflection Week 1 Personal Growth Study

 

Introduction:As Hitler’s appetite for power and territory grew, his army began to march across Europe. In some cases, the fight could hardly be called a battle. The German army advanced, with its tanks and with technologically advanced weapons. In some of the underdeveloped nations, their armies made a futile effort to resist Hitler’s aggression, fighting back with spears and even rocks. It was no contest at all, because these nations were not equipped for the battle.

The same could be said of Satan, and those whom he opposes. Many of his victims do not even know there is a war going on. They make easy prey. Christians should know that we are in the midst of a great spiritual struggle, although many seem not to believe it. And even more distressing is the fact that many who consider themselves “in the war” do not understand the nature of Satan’s schemes, of the weapons which he employs, or, more importantly, of the weapons which God has provided for our defense.

Ephesians 6:10-20 is perhaps the clearest definition of the spiritual battle which we find from the pen of the Apostle Paul. It not only assures us that there is a spiritual battle, but it warns us that apart from God’s might before us, we are hopelessly underpowered. This passage informs us as to what our divinely appointed weapons are. Beyond this, these weapons imply the nature of the struggle which we are in. The weapons which God has provided for us are those weapons which best strengthen the Christ-follower in the midst of the battle. Thus we can learn a great deal about the nature of Satan’s opposition from simply considering each of the weapons at our disposal.

Throughout this study, we will gain insight and confidence into God’s provision for his followers in this battle. These weapons direct our attention to the struggle itself, and to our grasp of its gravity. May God give us open hearts and minds to understand the spiritual battle, and the means which He has provided for our victory!

Glad to be your pastor,

  Jeremy K. Bratcher

Ephesians 6:10-13 Key Notes from the Text: 

v. 10 “be strong in the Lord”—the Christian’s strength does not come from within, but rather is supplied by God! (cf. Phil. 4:13; Col. 1:11)

v. 11 “schemes of the devil”—methods of deceit and trickery (cf. Eph. 4:14)

v. 12 “Our struggle is not…”—the literal meaning is a hand-to-hand combat where the battle is all in and no holds barred meaning wounding,

pain and death can be part of the struggle.

v. 13 “the evil day”—not an end times reference, but an awareness of evil in the present day.

Surveying the Scene (Sermon Notes from Ephesians 6:10-13)

AnnouncementsWorship and Prayer Time — Prayer is an invitation to seek God’s wisdom and favor. Let’s join together on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room as we enter into a season of prayer for MBC’s impact and influence in our city. 

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox UPDATE — Now is the perfect time to shop for your shoebox items! Try to include a “wow” toy (doll, soccer ball with a pump, or a stuffed animal). Add other toys, hygiene items, school supplies and possibly clothing items. Collection Sunday is November 13th. If you wish to participate in the packing party, it is set for Monday evening, November 7th at 7:00 p.m. in Leuschner Hall. Monetary donations are always appreciated and we will do the shopping for you. 

Purls to the World Meeting — Sunday, October 9th at 11 a.m. – Purls to the World is a ministry of Magnolia. We knit, crochet and sew various items for a variety of organizations. We meet the 2nd Sunday of each month Room 422, upstairs in the Sanctuary. Contact Valerie Pugsley at 714.220.9237 or email to Nancy Brown at luvgardening@cox.net for more information. Let’s Sing God’s Praises in Worship — Join us on Thursday, October 13th at 7:00 p.m. in the music room for our next Let’s Sing. Everyone is welcome! Contact Sylvia McCain for more information at 714 827-2664.

Trunk or Treat! — Monday, October 31st

Trunk or Treat is on the move!

This Halloween, join MBC in the community at Maxwell Elementary School.

Sign-up in the Courtyard this morning to reserve your car’s spot in this exciting opportunity to bless a local

school in our city!

Candy Needed — We are collecting candy for our Trunk or Treat Event on Monday, October 31st. We will need at least 10,000 pieces of individually wrapped candy. Look for the candy barrel in the courtyard Sunday mornings or you can bring your candy to the church office during the week. Thank you in advance! 

Prayer Sheet for October 2-8“LET US PRAY WITHOUT CEASING”

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Col. 4:2 NIV

CURRENT HEALTH NEEDSBuck Bernier – He is scheduled to have back surgery on November 10th.

Lisa Conway – She is recovering from back surgery. She is in a guarded stage of her recovery, so no physical therapy just yet. Pray for complete healing.

Alli Nordell – She broke her leg while attending Hume Lake Camp. She is walking with crutches and doing better. Pray for complete healing.

Pam Price – Her out-patient kyphoplasty surgery was scheduled for September 30th. Pray for complete healing and a quick recovery.

Bob Quintana – He had a medical emergency last Sunday while here at church. Pray for God’s favor over him.

Bev Soeltz – Her physical therapy is helping and she is feeling better every day. She just needs an appetite. Food doesn't have any appeal to her and she needs to put on weight to get stronger.

SHUT-IN – Unable to attend churchLois Bowman birthday 3/6 Art Dagen birthday 7/151800 W. Culver Ave. 555 East Memory Lane A119Orange, 92868 Santa Ana, 92706714 586-6726 714 543-6871

Helen Gibbs birthday 10/178441 Castilian DriveHuntington Beach, 92646714 960-4852

ON-GOING HEALTH NEEDS Craig Baxter – Multiple SclerosisTerry Favello - Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, for updates go to: www.caringbridge.org/visit/terryfavelloPaula Rice – Rare kidney diseaseJan Sapien – Ongoing chemo treatmentsMike Sawyer – Parkinson’s disease

UNEMPLOYED Dianne Chapman, Richard Chapman, David Pugsley, John Showalter

Helpful Online Tools and Apps for Personal Bible StudyOn the Web:

 www.bible.org :  Home of the NET Bible and incredible background study resources. The NET Bible is full of notes from some of the best Hebrew and Greek scholars of our day. Bible.org offers self-paced theological studies, outlines and study guides for each book of the Bible. Bible.org is key word searchable.

  www.openbible.info: Features include a searchable topical bible, interactive cross referencing and Biblical lands geocoding. The topical search tool is worth your interest.

 www.biblestudytools.com: Features several tools for study (as the name suggests): concordances, language tools, maps, commentaries...it even has an interlinear Bible (that is searchable and provides pronunciations and root word guides for those who desire to know more about Biblical Greek and Hebrew). 

 www.biblemap.org: Created using Google maps, this site offers a satellite view of Bible lands. The map is linked to Bible references and is searchable by book and verse.

 www.biblegateway.com: This site offers a dozens of translations that are searchable by book, chapter and verse. 

Thru the App Store:

  The Bible App by Life.Church: The best single app for Android and iOS users featuring daily bible studies, devotions and numerous free to download translations. 

  Echo Prayer: Keep your prayer life moving forward with organizers and reminders of when to pray, for whom to pray and for how to pray. 

  Life Conversation Guide: Using the “three circle” conversation, this app is easy to use for telling others about God’s great love for them.

Structure of Ephesians 6:10-20

Heading: “Be strong in the Lord” (10)

Means of Achievement: “Put on the full armor of God…” (11a)

Purpose: “So you can stand against the devil’s schemes” (11b) 

Explaining the Problem: “For our struggle is…against…forces of evil” (12)

Repetition of Means: “Put on the full armor…” (13a)

Repetition of Purpose: “so…you may….stand” (13b)

Call for Commitment: “Stand” (14a)

Means By Which We Stand: “having fastened on the belt of truth” (14b)                   (These four verbs are “having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (14b) participles.) “as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness 

given by the gospel of peace” (15)

“take up the shield of faith” (16)

Call to Be Equipped: “take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the        (This verb is imperative) Spirit” (17)

Means of Equipping: “praying at all times in the Spirit” (18a)                             (These three verbs are “keep alert with all perseverance, making participles) supplication for all the saints” (18b)

Personal Prayer Request: “that words may be given” (19)

“boldly to proclaim the gospel” (20)

Ephesians 6:10-13“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 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 firm.”

MEMORY VERSE:

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 firm.

10:13

KEY WORDS and PHRASES for FURTHER STUDY:

Use the following cross-referenced verses to help with understanding key words and phrases.

Strong in the Lord: Philippians 4:13; 1st Peter 4:11; 1st Samuel 30:6; 2 Timothy 2:1; 4:17; 1 Timothy 1:12; Psalm 28:7; 18:32-34; Nehemiah 8:10; Isaiah 40:31; Habakkuk 3:19; John 15:5; Mark 12:30

Might/Power: http://bit.ly/2cn6UzA; http://bit.ly/2caUDgj; http://bit.ly/2caTTrD   ;   1 Chronicles 29:11; Job 26:14; Psalms 66:7; 145:11; Jude 1:25 Revelation 7:12 

Stand: http://bit.ly/2cn6FVo Daniel 11:32; Matthew 12:25-26;Mark 10:49; Mark 13:9; Romans 5:2; Romans 11:20; 1st Corinthians 15:58

Spiritual Warfare: http://bit.ly/1VlOQVo; http://bit.ly/2cndwxW; http://bit.ly/2ceR4nN   ;   2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Matthew 4:1-11;                              http://bit.ly/2cIi1mi; Psalm 140:7 

Group Reflection:

1. Talk About ItDiscuss one of the following:

1. Have you ever been deployed to serve in a war? If you are able, describe the feelings you had while deployed.

or

2. What do you think about supernatural powers—spirits, demons, devils, angels, etc.? 

 

2. Dig Into ItThe following questions will help guide you through the passage for deeper understanding.Begin by reading Ephesians 6:10-13

1. What imperative does Paul give in bringing his letter to a close? v. 1. What “mighty power” is Paul referring to? See also Ephesians 1:19-23.

 

2. What reminder does Paul give of the kind of war being waged? v. 12.                   Compare with 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

 

3. Who are the true adversaries of every believer? v. 12b-d. How many of them are named, and where do they dwell? See 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 1:13; 2:15.

 

4. What does Paul emphasize for a second time?  In preparation for what? With what outcome for the well-equipped believer? (v13)

 

 

3. Think About ItThe following questions engage your thoughts about the text. What do you see or feel from what you’ve read? 

1. How is one made “strong in the Lord”? v. 11. Why does Paul give such a command to believers? v. 11b. See also Ephesians 4:26-27. 

2. What does Paul mean by “the full armor”? (Look back at the Sermon Notes)

3. Do you think this “war” can be won by human means and methods? Why do you think this? 

 

4. Why do you think Paul describes our action “to resist” and “stand” rather than “to pursue and conquer”? See also James 4:7.

 

4. Apply ItThe following questions will help guide you in applying the text in your life today!

1. Where have you most recently struggled spiritually? Do you see this as spiritual warfare or something else?

2. How do you need to be strengthened in the Lord for this battle?

3. Take time to pray for each other to be strengthened for the spiritual battles each are facing.

Personal Growth Study:PART ONE: Ephesians 6:10-20

Pray for God to guide your reading today. Then, read the passage through 3 times slowly. After you have read the passage through three times, write a summary of the passage.

SUMMARY:

 

Personal Growth Study:PART TWO: Ephesians 6:10-13

Pray for God to guide your thinking today. Then, read the passage through one time slowly. As you are reading the passage, write down the facts. 

Make a verse-by-verse list of all of the outstanding facts. Don’t get caught up in the details, just pinpoint the most obvious facts.

Who is speaking? What is the subject? Where is this taking place? What is happening? When did it happen? What is the passage saying to the audience?

NOTE: Be LITERAL in your answers—try to use the exact words from the verses to write your facts.

Facts from the Passage:

v. 10

v. 11

v. 12

v.13

 Personal Growth Study:PART THREE: Ephesians 6:10-13

Pray for God to give you wisdom today. Then, read the passage through one time slowly. 

Re-read your summary from Part One and your facts from Part Two. Today we want to engage meaning. What does the fact in your passage mean? How can the truth be rightly interpreted? What commands are in the passage? What lessons are in the passage for Christians to learn?

NOTE: Think SPIRITUAL as you answer.

Interpreted Meaning from the Passage:

v. 10

v. 11

v. 12

v.13

Personal Growth Study: PART FOUR: Ephesians 6:10-13

Pray for God to give you insight today. Then, read the passage through one time slowly. 

Looking back at lessons you wrote from yesterday, turn the lessons into question form that you might ask a co-worker, a classmate, a neighbor, a family member, or a friend. 

Don’t rush this. Take your time and listen to God’s lead.

NOTE: Be THOUGHTFUL with the questions you write.

Questions from the Passage’s Lessons:

v. 10

v. 11

v. 12

v.13

Personal Growth Study:PART FIVE: Ephesians 6:10-13

Pray for God to give you conviction today. Then, read the passage through one time slowly. 

Review your questions from yesterday, then answer your own questions.

NOTE: Be PERSONAL with the questions you write.

Answering My Questions from the Passage’s Lessons:

v. 10

v. 11

v. 12

v.13

Personal Growth Study:PART SIX:  Ephesians 6:10-13

 

Pray for God to give you courage today. Then, read the passage through one time slowly. 

Review the five previous days of your interaction with the passage. Then write down what you think God is leading you to do as a result your encounter with His word this week.

How will you respond to God’s word? Pinpoint what God is saying TO YOU from this passage. Write down what you will do now about what God has said.

NOTE: Be Intentional with your response today.

To Follow Jesus through this passage I will respond by…

  

Your Name        Today’s Date

THIS WEEK @ MBCSUNDAY:   9:30 a.m.  Worship Gathering/Kids Ministry

10:30 a.m.  Social Connection11:00 a.m. Formation Gathering    

(see the Welcome Booth in the Courtyard  for opportunities)

MONDAY: 6:30 a.m. Men’s Prayer Gathering   9:30 a.m.  Stonecroft Women’s Bible Study TUESDAY:

12:00 p.m.  ALANON  7:00 p.m. Youth GroupWEDNESDAY:

6:30 a.m. Men’s Prayer Gathering7:00 p.m. Worship and Prayer Time

THURSDAY:7:30 p.m.  Worship Team Practice

FRIDAY:

SATURDAY:

Visit us online at www.magnoliabaptist.org.

720 S. Magnolia Ave.Anaheim, CA 92804714.827.0553

Baptist ChurchMAGNOLIA