sword of the Spirit
How is our salvation accomlished?
By grace we have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is a gift of God. Eph 2:8-9
What are the two jobs of a messenger?
Get the message out
Get the message right
What is the 'great exchange' between Jesus and us?
He took our sin and gave us His righteousness.
What is one list from this passage?
Parts of the armor
What we do/don't wrestle against
What does COMA stand for?
Context
Observation
Meaning
Application
What is the sword of the Spirit?
the Word of God
What is faith?
confidence in God's promises even when we can't see them or when they don't feel true
Why is the 'truth' the foundational thing that believers can't take off?
Believing the truth of God's word (about who we are, our sin, Jesus as Savior) is how we become a Christian
Give me two repeated words from the passage.
strong/strength
whole/all
stand/withstand
prayer/pray
What are two context details of this passage?
Written by Paul to Ephesus churches
AD 60
Chap 1-3 What to believe; Chap 4-6 What we should do
Letter
How do we use the sword of the Spirit?
read, study, memorize, understand; use it to resist temptation
Why is it a gospel of PEACE?
the gospel makes a way for us to have peace with God and with others
How did Jesus wear the belt of truth when he was tempted?
He resisted temptation using scripture.
According the passage, why should we put on the whole armor of God?
to stand against the schemes of the Devil; to withstand in the evil day
What are 3 things we look for when making observations?
Repeated words/phrases
Lists
Main points
Give me an example of a time Israel failed but Jesus succeeded.
Israel complained about food; Jesus trusted God
Israel tested God with water; Jesus refused to test God
Israel gave glory to a false god; Jesus refused to accept the glory of God before the right time
How does faith help us defeat temptation?
We give in to temptation when we believe that what sin has to offer is better than what God has promised. Faith allows us to recognize Satan's lies and trust God's promises are true.
Why is it significant to us that Christ resisted temptation in the desert?
If Jesus had sinned, He could not have been the perfect sacrifice for our sin. We would be lost to sin.
According the passage, when and why do we take up the shield of faith?
in all circumstances; to extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one
What does this teach about:
God?
Humans?
Community/the church?
Missions/unbelievers?
Give me an example of a wrong weapon to use in the fight against temptation.
fear of getting caught
fear of what people think of me
Draw and explain the 3 circles method of sharing the gospel.
How does the breastplate of righteousness help us when we feel buried in shame?
It reminds us that our only righteousness comes from what Christ did. We choose to believe the Jesus has redeemed us and we are no longer under condemnation.
According the passage, why does Paul ask for prayer?
That he can boldly proclaim the gospel
Share one application point from this passage.