August 30, 2015

LOOKING BACK
Fighting for Your Life: The Invisible War

Covered by Christ
Ephesians 6:10-17

Were all in a fight for our lives. Once we embrace that reality, we realize how exposed and
vulnerable we are. Satan, by his very nature, is an accuser. He relentlessly hurls thoughts of guilt
and shame at our very hearts. Praise the Lord that Hes given us armor! Through Christ, we can
put on the breastplate of righteousness and the shoes of the readiness of the Gospel of peace.
This putting on is an active receiving (by faith) what is already ours in Christ and living in
awareness of it.
Thinking It Through (agree/disagree consider/contemplate)

We know that justification is a point-in-time past event. At the time you trusted Christ you
were at that precise moment declared righteous by God. You were justified. For the apostle
Paul, justification was not only a past event; it was also a present reality. This is where so many
Christians miss it. They can look back to the day that they trusted Christ But today they seek
to live their lives as if it depends upon them (And in the context of this section of Ephesians,
they try to carry out spiritual warfare as if it depended on them). In their mind they have
reverted to a performance relationship with God. And so the thinking is, if I had my quiet time
and if I havent had any lustful thoughts and these kind of things, then I expect God to bless
me today (Or I can expect to victorious in the ongoing spiritual war) We want to earn Gods
blessings. The apostle Paul didnt do that. Paul looked outside himself and saw himself clothed
in the righteousness of Christ. He saw himself declared righteous....
~Jerry Bridges along with comments from John Piper
Working It Out
1. Why do you think it is so easy to drift towards a performance-based relationship with
God?

2. How does Romans 5:1-2 incorporate and connect the themes of justification
(righteousness), peace and standing?

3. Do you think that we understand the weight of the truth that through Christ we can be
at peace with God? Why or why not?

4. In spiritual warfare, why is it important to be settled in Gods peace?

LOOKING AHEAD
Fighting for Your Life: The Invisible War

Protected by Faith
Ephesians 6:16

Where did that come from? is a question often posed when were blind-sided by adversity that

appears out of nowhere. Our passage - Ephesians 6:10-17 warns us to open our eyes to the
invisible war that is taking place all around us. In this daily battle our faith, we learn, is a shield
that we must deftly use to fend off flaming arrows aimed our way.

In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16
1. Why does our verse begin with In addition to all? What does this suggest?
2. Draw a sketch of what you think this Roman shield looks like that Paul had in mind.
3. What are some things unique to a shield as compared to the other parts identified in our
passage?
4. Why do you think our text says with which you will be able to extinguish.?
5. Can you think of how the adjective flaming describes the effects of these personal
attacks?
6. How do these passages add to our understanding of the evil ones schemes against us?
Luke 4:13
John 8:44
2 Corinthians 11:3
1 Peter 5:8
Revelation 12:10