March 11, 2018

Sunday School
The Whole Armor of God - Part 3
References: Priscilla Shirer (Lifeway); Bible Hub; GotQuestions.org; Google; Matthew Henry; StudyLight.org

Satan's Tactics and Believers Way Back

#1 against the believer’s passion – The enemy wants to dim our whole desire for prayer & spiritual things.  Ephesians 6:10-20 – The Whole Armor of God

#2 against the believer’s focus – The believer tends to focus on the wrong thing such as a person, life situation, money, etc.  2 Corinthians 11:14 – And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

#3 against the believer’s personality/character – Satan magnifies insecurities in one’s self, so that doubt creeps in.  Ephesians 1:17-19 – I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  That power is the same as the mighty strength.

#4 against the believer’s family – the enemy will try to fragment/divide the believer’s home, pitting father against mother and children against parents and one another. Genesis 3:1-7 – Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”  “You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”……

#5 against the believer’s confidence – remembering past mistakes, wishing you could go back and change things.  Revelation 12:10 – Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.  For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

#6 against the believer’s own calling – Satan magnifies your worries, fears and anxieties so that we lose confidence.  Joshua 14:8 – But my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.

#7 against the believer’s purity – the enemy tries to move the believer towards the sins of the world.  Isaiah 59:1-2 – Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But our iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not heart.

#8 against the believer’s rest & contentment – the enemy seeks to stress your life to the breaking point.  Deuteronomy 5:15 – Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord you God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

#9 against the believer’s heart – the enemy uses every opportunity to keep old wounds, hurts and bitterness uppermost in the believer’s mind so that there seems to be no way forward.

Hebrews 12:15 – See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

#10 against the believer’s relationships – the enemy disrupts friendships and community affiliations that wreck our true relationship with Christ.  1 Timothy 2:8 –Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up hold hands without anger or disputing.

Remember, that believers need to have a plan, a way to see and act on whatever comes unto them. And remember that prayer is one of the greatest tools.

Sermon
Psalm 100:1-5 - Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endures to all generations.

Topic: What Should We Bring To Church?

• Parents bring to church for their children: candy, gum, toys, baby bottles, smartphones with games.
• Adults bring to church: books, word puzzles, note paper and sometimes their bibles.
• We should be making a joyful noise!
• We need to bring a right spirit to the Lord....one that is constant, steadfast and immovable in the Word of God.
• The word noise means a shout.  We should raise an anthem of praise to the Almighty God.
• Psalm 40:1-3 - I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  And He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.  Blessed is that man that makes the Lord his trust, and respect not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
• 1 Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
• We need to bring a serving spirit to the Lord...willing to be in bondage to God's will; serving God with gladness and a spirit of laughter.
• We need to bring a submissive spirit to God......willing to bow down. Remember, God made us and not we ourselves.  We should submit to God's purpose for us.
• God took clay and molded it into His image and breathed life into our souls.
• God saved us that we might serve Him.
• Bring a spirit of sacrifice to God.  We are meant to praise God.
• Psalm 150:6 - Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.