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1. Spiritual Victory.

Where does our victory in spiritual warfare come from?

What do the following verses tell us?

· 1Corinthians 15:57

· Romans 8:37-39

· Ephesians 6:10-13

· Matthew 17:14-21

In whose name and authority do we minister in? Matthew 28:19-20.

What else does the Bible tell us about the role of the Holy Spirit enabling us? Acts 1:8, 1John 1:4.

Living the Kingdom of God is not just about ‘talk’, what else is it?

2. Self Reliance.

In Ephesians 6:11 Paul refers to ‘The strategies of the devil’. What else does he say in 2 Corinthians 2:11b?

Read about the strategy of the devil to tempt Eve to be self reliant. Genesis 3:5.

What was the phrase/words he use to tempt Eve with?

Discuss in your group Danny’s comments from Sunday.

“Satan’s whole plan is not to make you into God haters, but to woo you away from the truth and forgiveness of God, by trusting in yourself and not in God.

Self-reliance in ripe in the western world.”

What is the end result of those who trust in their own way to be good enough for God and be saved? Proverbs 14:12, Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23, Romans 1:25.

What is the result of the Christian’s work for God done their own way in their own strength? See 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, John 15:5b.

3. The Story of King Asa.

Read about King Asa’s reliance on God. 2 Chronicles 14:1-15.

Discuss his attitude of dependence. 2 Chronicles 14:11.

About 26years later King Asa had another opportunity to rely heavily on God for help. Read about how differently he handled it. 2 Chronicles 16:1-10.

Discuss Hanani’s words to Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:7-9. What does he say in v.9 about the heart attitude God is looking for in people?

Read also Jesus’ words to the church at Laodicea. Revelation 3:14-19.

4. Conclusion/Application.

What do you learn from the above as a warning? How does using God’s armour help?

Share your thoughts with each other in your group.

5. Further Discussion.

If you have time, read and discuss Danny’s comments on 5 areas that Satan is attacking in our society.

“So those five things that I feel that are under attack in our society today are-

1. The truth of the Bible.

Even what they teach in our schools, as truth, called Evolution tries to undermine the very first truth called Creation.

If we don’t believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, we won’t read it and do what it says.

We become reliant on ourselves and not on the God that gave us the handbook of life (2nd Tim 3:16-17)

2. Purity.

The watering down of purity in our thoughts, attitudes, actions – can lead to self-centred attitudes that only fulfils what we want – our desires.

That is why Pornography is such a struggle in our society, it isolates people, and it degrades the opposite sex into just being an object, not a loved creation of God.

There are many men and women that truly love the Lord, but are trapped in the bondage of pornography too, we need to regain this ground for the sake of our marriages, our children, our own self-worth and relationship with God –

because it is an addiction just as strong as any drug available – it brings shame, Isolation and unrealistic expectations.

If this is a struggle for you, or someone that you know, or you want to be prepared more for your children, church has just ordered some awesome resources that we will be using early next year to help and assist each of us in this battle for

sexual purity. (Psalm 66:18)

What starts as a look, if not guarded becomes a stare, that becomes a desire that develops into a action

3. Marriage .

Christian marriage should be one of the closest, most mutually fulfilling, and satisfying and intimate relationships that we can ever have here on earth between the opposite sexes.

It is so holy and pure it depicts Christ relationship with us – the church.

Your spouse should be the most important thing to you, next to the Lord.

It seems that for some, the marriage commitment is no longer “for better or worse, richer or poorer”, it seems that many have taken on the attitude of self-reliance with

“For until something else better comes along” or ’As long as I am getting everything that I want” or “I think I could be happier with that person”.

My friends – God has ordained marriage to be life long, mutually satisfying – and it is, as long as each party puts the other person first.

4. Families.

Our families that we are blessed with can never be something that we take for granted.

If we have a self-fulfilling attitude, it will isolate us from them, how can we ever mould and love the children that we are responsible for.

How can we champion the children that God has loaned to us if we are not investing our time and resources into them?

5. Empathy for others.

Jesus has always been very clear in this.

If we have an attitude where we are the most important people in the world, how can we faithfully express Gods love to all those around us?

In our family we have this motto – we are blessed to bless

I can never say to someone, God bless you, if they are hungry or cold and I can do something about their situation.

If Jesus came to show compassion to us, surely in our thankfulness to God we can do the same thing to the people around us?

The only way we can successfully combat the Spiritual battle that we are each involved with, is to give our total independence from ourselves, back to God.

I would like to leave you with these closing thoughts.

James 4:7

Tells us to humble ourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

If the Devil will flee from us when we are submitting to God in the way of being humble – obviously the closer the walk and daily relationship I have with God will make the lies of Satan less powerful in my life – because I am listening to

God’s promises, and not Satan’s lies.

God does not ask us to behave in order to be saved, but to believe, because it is faith in Christ that saves the sinner by grace.

Friends, we all fail, we all do things that we know doesn’t honour or please God, but it’s not about changing our behaviour just to please God.

It’s about getting to know God better, submitting our wills and desires to Him, allowing him the authority over our lives and He will change us from the inside out.

My passion to please myself, when I am walking close with Him diminishes because I choose to be repentant and not remorseful.

Repentance before God means a change in our lives, because we love Him and I choose to serve Him with my life, I freely submit my will to Him.

Being remorseful is sorry for what we have done, but we don’t change our behaviour because I still want to do what I want to do!

I pray that this morning you have been challenged and encouraged to understand that we are each in a spiritual battle, but you are on the side that has already won – Jesus has conquered death – Satan’s time is limited – Jesus is

coming back.

May we give glory to God,

By the way we live,

And the truth we hold onto.

Let us listen and obey Gods truths

And not the devil’s lies.”

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Bible Study Armour of GodEphesiansFaithSatanSpiritual Warfare