The Armor of God, My Protection from Satan and His Demons – Eph. 6:10-18
Illustration: Today I learned that my Mother has a deadly form of c-121 ovarian cancer. More than ever I need to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. But I need something more. I need to continue to march forward with the full armor of God. Here are some of the guidlines that I cling to for life.
1. Aim: To lead the people to understand how they can take up the full armor of God as they march forward toward the upward call of Jesus Christ.
2. Explanation of the Aim: Paul teaches us how to be strong in Lord in this lesson on taking up the full armor of God. Too many Christians are defensive minded when Paul lists armor that is completely used for soldiers who are in forward motion in the good fight of faith. There is no armor on the backside of a Christian who runs away from the battle.
Paul emphasizes that our battle is not against flesh and blood indicating that we should be cautious against lashing out at human opponents. The real enemy is the evil that comes out of peoples’ sinful nature, the world and the devil. The battle cannot be successfully waged unless we use spiritual armament and weaponry.
3. The Bible Story: Spiritual strength and courage are needed for our spiritual warfare and suffering. The Christian armor is to be used in every situation. There is no putting off our armor till we have done our warfare, and finished our course. The combat is not against human enemies, nor only against our own sinful nature, nor only against the evil that is in the world.
We battle against all forms of evil of which the devil is the originator. Satan is a clever enemy who has many ways of beguiling unstable people. The devil assaults us in the things that belong to our souls, and works to deface Christ’s image in our hearts. We must resolve by God’s grace, not to yield to Satan. Resist him, and he will flee. If we give way, he will gain ground. If we distrust either our cause, or Christ, or our armor, we give him advantage.
4. Prepare to Teach: The INTRODUCTION allows the people to see if they can recall what is involved in the “full armor of God”. Ask the people if they can explain what each element of our armor does for us? See if the people are able to describe what each part of the armor of God does for a forward thinking Christian?
The BIBLE STORY concentrates on making observation, interpretations and applications from the full armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18. Help the people to see a picture of what a soldier would look like when he is equipped with the full armor of God.
The MEANING FOR OUR LIVES gives the people an opportunity to make applications from the lesson. Ask the people what part of their armor is strongest? Ask the people what part of their armor is the weakest and why is this so? Have the teacher explain how to put on the full armor of God every morning during their daily devotions. Give examples of how each part of the armor of God helps the Christian have both an offensive as well as a defensive strategy toward spiritual warfare.
Guidelines and Lessons for Spiritual Warriors
Thank God that he has given us the belt of truth so we can fight against the evil lies that try to make us detour from Christ’s path. Only believers have the ability to understand God’s truth through the Spirit’s illumination.
1. The belt of truth helps us fight against evil lies, distortions of fact or sinister insinuations against us. We can thank God that He guides us in all truth.
2. We also can praise God for giving us the breastplate of righteousness since the devil often tries to attack our emotions. The breastplate guards our heart and assures us that God protects us from feeling like we are not loved or approved. The righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, is a breastplate against the arrows of wrath. The righteousness of Christ implanted in us, fortifies our hearts against the attacks from Satan.
3. The shield of faith is useful for warding off the insults, accusations and setbacks that the evil one throws at us. With faith in God we are given an eternal perspective that helps us see beyond the difficulties in our circumstances.
4. The shoes help to take the good news of forgiveness through Jesus Christ to those who need salvation. Satan would want us to think that the task is too difficult to help win the lost. The shoes of God give us the motivation to continue to be His witnesses throughout the world.
5. The helmet of salvation protects our mind from doubting God’s saving work that He has completed through Christ. Many struggle with assurance of salvation because they fail to appropriate the advantages of their salvation.
6. The sword of the Spirit is useful as the only offensive weapon for the Christian solider. By memorizing and meditating on the Bible one is able to surge forward with the kingdom and righteousness of God. When we are tempted we need to use the sword of the Spirit against the world the flesh and the devil.
7. The essential parts of the armor of Christian soldiers, who had to sustain the fiercest assaults of the enemy, are here described. None of the armor is for the back. God provides nothing to defend those who turn back in the Christian warfare.
Application: We must have great determination, resolution and conviction to stand our ground when we are assaulted by evil. Motives to obedience, amidst trials, must be drawn from a clear knowledge of the gospel. Faith, as relying on unseen objects, receiving Christ and the benefits of redemption, and so deriving grace from him, is like a shield, a defense in every way.
Application: Faith helps us apply the word of God and the grace of Christ quenches the darts of temptation. Salvation must be our helmet. A good hope of salvation, a Scriptural expectation of victory, will purify the soul, and keep it from being defiled by Satan.
Application:
Learn to use the word of God to subdue all evil desires and blasphemous thoughts as they rise from within one’s mind.
Application: Allow the scripture to answer every unbelief or distortion of your identity in Christ. A single text, well understood, and rightly applied, at once destroys a temptation or an objection, and subdues the most formidable adversary.
Application: Prayer must fasten all the other parts of our Christian armor. There are other many duties in the Christian life, but prayer is essential. Though set and solemn prayer may not be popular, when other duties are to be done, yet short pious prayers are vital. We must use holy thoughts in our ordinary intercession.
Quote; A proud heart will be vain in prayer. We must pray with all kinds of prayer, public, private, and secret; social and solitary; solemn and sudden: with all the parts of prayer; confession of sin, petition for mercy, and thanksgiving for favors received. And we must do it by the grace of God the Holy Spirit, in dependence on, and according to, his teaching.
Application: We must persevere in particular requests, notwithstanding discouragements. We must pray, not for ourselves only, but for all saints. Our enemies are mighty, and we are without strength, but our Redeemer is almighty, and in the power of his mighty we may overcome.
Application: Wherefore we must encourage ourselves through prayer. Always pray without ceasing, rejoice always and in everything give thanks.
Memory Verse: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Eph. 6:11)
The Meaning for Our Lives
Give the people an opportunity to make applications from the lesson. Ask the people which part of their armor is the strongest? Ask the people which part of their armor is weakest? Ask them why they think the way they do about their strengths and weaknesses. Have the teacher explain how to put on the full armor of God every morning during devotions. Ask the teacher to explain how each part of the armor of God has a vital role to play in the offensive and defensive aspects of spiritual warfare.
Response
Song: Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war.
Prayer: Ask the Lord to help the people be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might as they take up the full armor of God.
At Home: Ask your friends, family and associates how they make sure they are utilizing the full armor of God.
Conclusion: Jesus said, "Be of good cheer I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
"Faith is the victory that overcomes the world." (I John 5:,4,5)
Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good." (Rom. 12:21)
