Week 8 - STAND
CONNECT
What are you thankful for?
What challenge are you facing?
Have there been any answers to prayer?
Pray for each other.
Did anything stand out to you from last week’s follow-up Bible readings and your reading of Biblical Giving?
How did your “I will …” statement from last week go?
How did your sharing goal from last week go?
How’s your memory work coming along?
John 8:31-32 (NAB)
31 Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, 32 you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
DISCOVER
Let’s start with a review. We’ve worked through these freedom truths and freedom responsibilities:
OBEY
Obedience leads to freedom while disobedience leads to bondage, so obey the Lord and be free.
RESIST
Jesus resisted Satan by reciting the truth of God’s Word, so resist Satan by reciting the truth of God’s Word.
FORGIVE
God has forgiven you, so forgive others.
RUN
We are to be holy as God is holy, so run from temptation and sin and run to God for help to be holy.
RENOUNCE
Involvement with evil spiritually pollutes us, so renounce (openly confess and verbally reject) any current and past involvement with evil and in Jesus’ name break its power over your life.
REPLACE
Satan uses lies to control our lives, keeping us in bondage, so replace these lies with God’s truth and find freedom.
TRUST
God has not given us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control, so step out in faith and boldly follow Jesus.
And now …
STAND
God has given us spiritual armor, so intentionally put it on to stand your ground against the devil’s schemes.
Ask God to speak to you as you read His Word.
Ephesians 6:10-20 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 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 the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Have someone retell the passage in their own words.
What stands out to you in this passage?
What does this passage say about God (The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit)?
What does this passage say about people, including ourselves?
What does this passage say about the life God invites us to live?
Digging Deeper
Why is our struggle not against human agents (flesh and blood) but spiritual agents?
What are the devil’s schemes?
What does it mean to stand our ground against the devil’s schemes?
How would you describe each piece of armor?
Why is prayer a crucial piece of armor?
Truth & Responsibility
This week’s freedom truth is:
God has given us spiritual armor.
This week’s freedom responsibility is:
So intentionally put it on to stand your ground against the devil’s schemes.
How is putting on the full armor of God a good summary of all the commands we are to obey to maintain our freedom in Christ?
Warfare Prayer
Here’s a prayer exercise to help you intentionally put on the full armor of God.
THE ARMOR OF GOD
Ephesians 6:10-11
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.
Heavenly Father, thank You for issuing me the full armor of God. You have provided everything I need to stand my ground against Satan’s attacks.
I buckle on the belt of truth. Your Word strengthens me against the lies of the enemy.
This truth from the Bible is
speaking to me today …
I strap on the breastplate of righteousness. Thank you for the gift of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Because You now see me like Jesus, help me to live like Jesus—rightly before You.
Knowing that You don’t
condemn me, I repent of …
I put on the Good News of peace as combat footwear for stability and mobility in the fight. We are no longer enemies because of my sin but friends and family because of Your forgiveness. Help me to stand firm in Your peace and be ready to share Your peace with others.
I need Your peace
to guard my heart and mind
for this situation …
I lift up the shield of faith against all the flaming arrows of the evil one. When lies, temptations, fears, and doubts come flying my way, help me to believe in the protection of Your presence and Word.
I’m dealing with this
attack right now …
I put on the helmet of salvation. I recognize that my mind is susceptible to Satan’s attack. So I cover my mind with the assurance that I am saved by Your grace.
I need to take this
thought captive to make
it obedient to Christ …
I take up the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit. Satan cannot stand against the bold use of Biblical truth. So enable me to use Your Word, not only to defend myself against Satan’s attacks but to do damage to his kingdom, setting captives free.
This Bible passage is my
weapon for today …
Finally, I will stay alert and pray. As I fight the good fight, help me to stay in constant communication with You, my Commander.
Jesus, what orders
do you have for me
to follow today?
How would using this prayer exercise on a regular basis help you to intentionally put on the armor of God and so walk in freedom and stand your ground against Satan’s attacks?
Practice B.R.A.C.E.
A very practical way to take your stand against Satan is to continue to practice the acronym B.R.A.C.E. introduced in RUN.
Breathing Prayer
As you slowly breathe in and out, pray something like this, “Lord, I need Your help. Lord, I ask for Your help. Lord, thank You for Your help.”
Recite Truth
What lie is fueling this temptation? What truth would combat this temptation? Renounce the lie and recite the truth—out loud.
For example, recite this Truth about who you are in Christ:
Ephesians 5:8-10 (NIV)
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth). 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
Accountability Contact
Call or text someone. Let them know that you’re battling a temptation. Ask them to pray that you would fight the good fight and walk by the Spirit in holiness and victory.
Escape
Get out of there. Change the channel. Literally, get up and move to a public place where you won’t act out the temptation.
How would practicing B.R.A.C.E. help you take your stand against Satan?
LIVE
What truth have you discovered from today’s Bible passage(s) and conversation?
What would stop you from believing and obeying this truth?
How will you live out this truth this coming week? Finish this statement: “I will ….”
Who else needs to hear this truth? How could you share it with them?
When will we meet again?
Who will facilitate that meeting?
Pray for God’s help as you seek to follow Jesus this coming week.
FOLLOW-UP BIBLE READINGS
Here are Bible passages you are encouraged to read this coming week. We will include THE ARMOR OF GOD prayer exercise.
2 Timothy 4:7
BUDDY SYSTEM
Connect with your buddy this week and ask each other these questions:
How are your readings going?
How’s your “I will …” statement coming along?
How’s your sharing goal coming along?
How can I pray for you?