Are You Ready for Battle (Lesson one)

A look a Christian Virtue

Ephesians 6:10-12 NASB

(10)  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

(11)  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

(12)  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Christian virtue includes identifying our true enemy.  Wow!  Do we have an enemy?  If so, who is it?  If you are a Christian, you better believe that you have an enemy.  Paul is explaining just who our enemy is and giving us a run-down of the equipment God has provided for us as we prepare for battle.  

What?  Battle!  Yes, we are in a spiritual battle.  Paul says, “Be Strong in the Lord”.  He tells us to put on the full whole armor of God.  He then explains why.  Our enemy the devil is working 24/7 to cause us defeat.  Satan is using every devious scheme and devise against us.  The very moment you become a Christian, you are enlisted in God’s army and are in battle with our true enemy, Satan. 

We don’t struggle with each other.  We are to love our neighbor saved or lost.  We are to show them the love of God.  That does not mean we accept the sin that has them bound but we show them the love that Christ has and the Holy Spirit will do the rest.  

So prepare for battle against Satan and love sinners to Jesus. 

All about Blessings (Lesson five)

Ephesians 1:22-23 NASB

(22)  And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

(23)  which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

The Blessings of Christ are for the benefit of the church.  By the church we mean the born again believer in Jesus Christ.  God promised Abraham that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed and that blessing is God’s Son.  God’s plan is for Jesus to be the Head over all things to the church.  

 
Jesus is the husband and the church, the born again true believers in Him is His bride.  What a blessing it is know that you are saved.  What gift that God has given?  Seeing what God has done, knowing what Jesus has done should we not live our lives as His bride waiting for the bridegroom to come. 

All about Blessings (Lesson four)

Ephesians 1:15-21 NASB

(15)  For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,

(16)  do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

(17)  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

(18)  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

(19)  and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

(20)  which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

(21)  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Our Blessings are for now and eternity.  Who are the people that have had an impact on your spiritual journey?  These people had an impact on Paul and he thanked God for them. 

I was saved at the age of 11.  That was 40 years ago.  Oscar Bradford was about 70 years old when I was saved.  He was like a grandpa to me.  He would pick me on Sunday evenings, we would visit different churches, after the service we would stop at the Dairy Cheer, and he would buy me an ice cream cone.  We would talk about Jesus and the goodness of the Lord.  Oscar had a huge impact on me as a young Christian.  I will never forget him and one day I will see him in heaven. 

 
God intends for us to have an impact on the lives of others.  We are to be a blessing to them.  You never know who might be watching.  Who have you impacted on their spiritual journey?  Ask God to give you the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.

All about Blessings (Lesson three)

Ephesians 1:9-14 NASB

(9)  He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

(10)  with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him

(11)  also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

(12)  to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

(13)  In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

(14)  who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of 

 God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

All blessings are ours in Christ.  Let’s look at a few of these blessings. 

The time will come when God will bring everything under the authority of Christ.

We have an inheritance from God.

Everything happens according to God’s plan.

The Holy Spirit seals our position in Christ.

The Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance as children of God..

The Spirit guarantees that we have been purchased as the people of God.

Do you have friends and loved ones who you would like to see receive these blessings?  Tell them about the love of Jesus and pray that God’s Holy Spirit will convict them of their sin.

All about Blessings (Lesson two)

Ephesians 1:4-8 NASB

(4)  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

(5)  He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

(6)  to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

(7)  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

(8)  which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

We are chosen for God’s blessings.  These blessing include but are not limited to, God loving us before the world began, choosing us in Christ, making us Holy, redeeming us so we are without fault before Him, adopting us into His own family and bringing us to Himself through Christ.

Aren’t you glad that God chose you.  His love is beyond anything we could ever imagine and certainly, beyond what we deserve.  I am glad God’s grace is sufficient.  If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior check out the tab at the top of the page labeled “How to be Saved”