Off the Shelf Sunday School--Ephesians

Call To Arms (6:10-20)

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 of the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

1.??Paul experience significant demonic activity in Ephesus. He warns the Christians in Ephesus to rely on the power and provisions of God to resist evil. (Acts 19:13-20)

2.??Paul explains how to be strong in Lord and access his power. ??

A.?We must put on the full armor of God. The devil will attack in various ways such as through confusion, discouragement, moral failures and false teaching. ?Therefore, we to be protected from every direction. Self-control based on faith, love for God and the hope of salvation are where we begin. (1 Th 5:8)

B.?Demonic attacks and temptations come from the ideas of the world and the desires of the flesh that contradict the Bible. What are some examples?

?Demonic attacks can also be more direct. Can you think of some examples?

C.?Christians are always on duty. We must remain alert. This requires studying the Bible, prayer and fellowship with other Christians to help us recognize and resist evil. (1 Pt 5:8-9)

The devil tries to get people to doubt, deny, disregard, and disobey the Bible. Through science and logic, the cultures of the world seek to convince people that they can get along very well without God. (1 John?2:15-17).?

The flesh tempts us to think that we can find satisfaction, joy, and fulfillment based on the things of life. (Eccl 1&2)

D.?There are multitudes of evil angels working against us. These angels are powerful and seek to destroy us through mental, physical and spiritual methods. We are helpless without the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us and protect us. (Ps 25:4-5; 32:7-8; 119:133)

3.?Paul says that evil times will happen to everyone. When this happens, Christians are commanded to be like soldiers standing in their faith and?doing their duty. This means that we are to continue to obey, love and serve God according to his commands despite opposition.

4.?Paul describes the various sources of protection available to Christians.?He uses the armor of the Roman soldiers to describe them.

A.??The Roman soldier would first put on a belt that would hold the breastplate and sword scabbard in place. Paul describes the belt as the truth of the gospel and the breastplate as representing our righteous standing by faith in Jesus. ?These are the foundation of our relationship with God. Christians must seek the truths of the Bible and live according to God’s will for our lives.

B.??Next the Christian is to go forth and share the gospel. Roman infantrymen wore tough sandals studded with sharp, thick nails on the bottoms to increase traction. Do you think that sharing the gospel is a good indicator of the spiritual health of a Christian or of a church? Why? What is within the Christian that gives traction to our actions? (Mt 28:18-20; 1 Cor 9:16)

C.???Soldiers moving into enemy territory need a shield to protect them. Likewise, Christians need to rely on their faith to share the gospel and live according to God’s commands. (Heb 11:1) ????

The Roman soldier’s shield was wood covered with leather to make it?flame retardant. It was rectangular in shape and about two and one-half?feet wide by four feet long. With it the soldier could protect his whole?body.?Before a battle in which flaming arrows might be shot at them, the soldiers wet the leather covering with water to extinguish the?arrows. The Roman legionaries would close ranks with these shields, the first row holding theirs edge to edge in front, and the rows behind holding the shields above their heads. In this formation they were practically invulnerable to arrows, rocks, and even spears.?Do you see?any possible analogies between this picture and being part of a local group of Christians?

D.???The helmet protects the head and our ability to think and act correctly. Christians have the assurance of salvation and the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit to set our minds on God and heaven. (Mt 6:19-21; 1 Th 5:8-11; Heb 12:2)

E.??The sword carried by the Roman infantryman was short and two-edged.?Soldiers used it to thrust and cut in hand-to-hand combat. The Bible is?like a sword because it is the word of God. (Heb 4:12)

The words of?God are powerful and can not be changed or challenged because God is almighty and he is king of everything. Jesus used the words of Scripture to repulse the devil. Christians are to memorize and use the Bible to fight against fears and temptations. (Ps 56:3-4; 1 Co 10:13; Phil 4:6-9) What Bible verses do you use when tempted??

5.????Paul says that Christians are to pray in the Spirit continually. (1 Th 5:17)?What does this mean?

Prayers are to be inspired and led by Holy Spirit.?Prayers are not to be?mindless repetition. Our minds must be focused on what God is telling us and how he is leading us in prayer. Paul says that all kinds of prayers should be prayed. What kinds of prayers are there?

PRAY acronym: P=praise and thanksgiving; R=Repent is to change your thinking and admit sins; A=Ask for others; Y=Yourself

6.?????Paul asks for prayer that he might fearlessly or boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel. Where is Paul when he writes this epistle??Why do you think?he is concerned about boldness in his witness for Jesus??

7.????Do you think there is a reason why Paul lists prayer after his discourse on preparing for spiritual warfare??Why not start with prayer?