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A Different Struggle

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word 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. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. EPHESIANS 6:10-19 NIV

A different struggle requires different armor

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-6 NIV

This different armor consists of:

The belt of truth holds us together when falsehood tears us apart

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist EPHESIANS 6:14 NIV

The breastplate of righteousness allows us to stand in Jesus’ perfection and not our failures

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. PHILIPPIANS 3:9 NIV

The helmet of salvation reminds us we’ve already been rescued from these powers

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves COLOSSIANS 1:13 NIV

The shoes of gospel peace allow us to stand in the midst of the struggle

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. ROMANS 16:20 NIV

The shield of faith guards against what is unexpected

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. EPHESIAS 6:16 NIV

The sword in our hands, is the scripture in our hearts

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. PSALM 119:11 NIV

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. PSALM 119:105 NIV

Prayer is what keeps us standing in this spiritual struggle

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 KINGS 6:17 NIV

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Take a few minutes to slow down, releasing to God any burdens from the day. Invite God into this time, asking Him to help you be real with yourself and Him during this time. When you consider your current struggles, how much awareness do you carry about the spiritual realm? Ask God to open your eyes to anything He might want to make you aware of, specifically, as it relates to your circumstances. Next, ask Him to reveal any particular spiritual armor you might need to be more intentional with. Finally, ask God to reveal anything that you might be taking as “truth” that is actually contrary to God’s truth. Confess these areas to God and ask Him to replace these with His truths in your life. End your time by thanking Him for meeting you here, and ask God for a greater awareness of His truths throughout your life.

Discussion Questions

  1. PERSONAL REFLECTION: Begin group time by completing the Personal Reflection Guide, (link found on the top of sermon notes). Use this time to examine your awareness of spiritual truths in your circumstances . (Tip: playing some soft background music is helpful here!)
  2. REAL WITH SELF: Which pieces of armor were the best reminders to you of what our faith offers us in our fight against the forces of evil?
  3. REAL WITH SELF: When do you notice you’re more inclined to trust yourself or something else other than the armor that God supplies to stand firm in the spiritual war we are in? How do you notice self-reliance creeping in as you encounter battles?
  4. REAL WITH GOD: The shoes of the gospel of peace represent the Word of God alive and active in you. Do you have a favorite life verse, or promise from God, that you have utilized in the battles of life? How has that come in handy for you to combat the Enemy’s disruption in your life?
  5. REAL WITH OTHERS: Faith comes from knowing and trusting God to be and do what He says about Himself in the Bible. In what ways have you seen your faith grow in the last year and what did God use to transform you?
  6. TAKE ACTION: Freedom is found in increasing our awareness of God’s truths in our lives. As you read your Bible this week, ask God to allow the truth of His word to seep into your life, exposing any false thinking and replacing it with His truth. If you need guidance on where to start, consider using the “Different” Bible Reading Plan (found in the Library section on the app).