Spiritual Realm
THE SPIRITUAL SPHERE
• Our commander, the Lord of Heaven’s armies, has given us spiritual intel including who we face and how he works.
Ephesians 6:10–20 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle (we do not wrestle against) 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. 13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
TRUTH#1: WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE.
• Our commander gives us intel so we won’t be ambushed. Be alert.
• There is an internal war against the flesh.
• There is also external human pressure from the culture/the world.
• We do not win spiritual battles with physical weapons.
• Notice that as we abide and allow God’s Spirit, His Word, and His people to help us build according to the divine Designer’s plan, we have someone and something working against us.
• We used to live according to worldly standards, but we no longer do. (See Ephesians 2:1-2)
TRUTH #2: WE ARE CALLED ON TO STAND FIRM.
In the Greek of Ephesians 6:14, Paul uses the imperative verb tense for stand firm; it’s an urgent issue.1
• We have the power in Christ to stand firm, if we will put on the armor of God and abide in His power.
• When, not if, the day of evil comes… see the analogy in Matthew 7:24-27.
• God’s intel includes how to win, and what weapons will work.
• The enemy tries to draw us back into seeing things through the world’s eyes. (See 1 Peter 1:17-18 & 1 John 4:1-6)
o Important things are not as important, and unimportant things are more important.
OUR SPIRITUAL WEAPONS SUPPLIED BY GOD:
• The belt of truth
o Holds all the rest of our armor together
o Knowing the truth dispels the lies of the enemy.
• Covering our heart is the breast plate of righteousness
o In this case, righteousness protects us. We are covered in Christ’s righteousness, and allowing that to change us takes weapons from the enemy.
• The gospel is like cleats that hold us firm.
o I stand in the gospel. Jesus is my Savior and Lord. Though I still struggle, I am saved by grace through faith.
o Attached to my feet so I can take ground –going into the world
• The shield of faith puts out the fiery darts/attacks on our faith.
• The Helmet of Salvation: transformed by the renewing of my mind. (See Romans 12:2)
• The Sword of the Spirit, The Word of God
o The only offensive weapon
o Jesus used this in His battle with the devil
• Prayer: at all times and on every occasion, individual prayer and corporate prayer.
TRUTH #3: THIS IS A SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY. Ephesians is a letter to the Church that applies to individuals.
• When Ephesians was written, a soldier couldn’t put on armor alone. Rome use interlocking shields to form an army.
• Praying together and supporting each other is vital.
THE CHALLENGE:
Wake up. See with spiritual eyes—this only happens as we abide.
Take your place in the body, the family, the Kingdom of God.
Abide—study the Word, be disciples, and help others be disciples.
Let’s aspire to something greater: to bring glory to God and reconciliation to lost people.
QUESTIONS TO REFLECT AND DISCUSS:
Passages to consider: Ephesians 6:10-20; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Icebreaker: Choose which one you prefer of the different pairs:
Batman or Ironman; sports or video games; treadmill or trail; saving or spending; eating in or eating out; sweet or salty; fruits or vegetables; playing the game or being a spectator.
• What, from the sermon, would you like to discuss or have a question about?
Questions:
1. Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and Ephesians 6:10-20. What do each of these passages say about the spiritual realm?
2. What helps you remember or recognize the unseen over the seen things? A) In what ways is abiding with Jesus impacting your awareness of a spiritual realm and battle?
3. What piece of the armor are you relying on these days? A) Which one do you need?
4. What can isolate you from others? A) How does isolation work as a weapon against you, especially spiritually?
5. How can you, your family, your group, and your friends help each other to be strong in the Lord?
6. As we conclude the Journey series, what has been the insight you hold on to about the discipleship journey of following Jesus and the five spheres of every area of life?