SPOTIFY BATTLEGROUND PLAYLIST
Pastor Curtis compiled some songs to remind us of the spiritual struggle we face and the victory that the Lord has won for us. Although musical tastes vary (greatly!) from person to person, hopefully the words will encourage you to be strong and stand firm.
RESOURCES FOR PRAYING AT ALL TIMES
Jesus told his followers to "stay alert" in prayer. Spend some time reflecting on what Jesus said in Mark 13:32-37, 14:32-42; Luke 21:34-38.
Take a moment to reflect on how prayer is connected with perseverance/devotion in these passages (Acts 1:14, 2:42, 6:4; Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2).
On several occasions Paul asked people to pray for him (like he did in Ephesians 6). What do you learn about prayer requests from these passages: Romans 15:30-32; 2 Cor. 1:11; Colossians 4:3-4; 1 Thess. 5:25; 2 Thess. 3:1-2?
Pastor Curtis quoted from D.A. Carson's For the Love of God. Read the entire quote.
RESOURCES FOR the sword of the SPirit
Read Matthew 4:1-11
How many times does “It is written” appear?
Who says it each time?
Read the cross references to Jesus’ replies.
Read the cross reference to Satan’s use of Scripture. Does he leave anything out? Were those words important?
Does Satan change his temptation to match each setting?
Questions to answer:
Is there some way that I need to adjust my Scripture intake to give me more access to specific divine sayings?
Does my use of the Word of God demonstrate that I believe that it has sword-like qualities for crushing Spiritual enemies? Do my friends/family know I believe that?
Am I able to spot variations on categories of temptation?
What do you tend to rely on when tempted? Reason? Emotion? Instinct? Scripture?
How can you make consistent deposits in having “utterances” of God at the Spirit’s disposal when you are under attack?
Check out the following resources:
FighterVerses.com – a five year memory verse course, including many freebies, apps and songs.
Seeds Family Worship – 187 Scripture songs
RESOURCES FOR THE HELMET OF SALVATION
Similar to the breastplate of righteousness, the “helmet of salvation” language comes directly from Isaiah 59. Take some time to see the bleak picture of humanity and God’s people that chapter presents.
Read Ephesians 2. The first part of the chapter provides a picture of what we were saved from, and how we have been saved. The second part of the chapter gives us a picture of some of what we were saved for.
Answer some of these questions related to the helmet of salvation:
As one who has believed in Jesus, how does that fact that I am saved from God’s wrath help me grow in my assurance and confidence in the love of God?
As one who has believed in Jesus, how does that fact that I am saved from bondage to sin, the world and our enemy help me in living in spiritual freedom?
As one who has believed in Jesus, how does that fact that I am saved from death give me hope even as I live today?
RESOURCES for the shield of faith
Pastor Curtis closed the message looking at a few verses in Psalm 91. Spend some time prayerfully in this Psalm, asking the Lord to help you in any unbelief you might have. (Psalm 18 also has imagery of the Lord’s protection.)
Look up these other passages in Ephesians that speak of faith/trust and jot down any bigger picture thoughts on how faith works in the Christian life – 1:13, 15, 19; 2:8; 3:12, 17; 4:5, 13; 6:23.
Read these stories in the life of Jesus to grow in your appreciation of the role simple faith plays in following Him: Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 5:21-43, Mark 9:14-29; Luke 8:40-56; John 4:46-54, John 11:17-27, John 14:1-11. (You could also spend time in a particular gospel, and see the number of times belief/faith is mentioned.)
As you pray, ask the Lord to help you grow in your confidence of His goodness, His wisdom and His power.
RESOURCES for GOSPEL SHOES OF PEACE
Pastor Curtis closed the message with four specific pathways for us to “put on the readiness of the gospel of peace.”
Take to heart the work Jesus did to bring you peace
Work to keep the peace that Jesus brought to His church
Take God-given opportunities to announce peace
Anticipate and act on ways that will advance peace
Read through Isaiah 52-53. As you read about the “good news” of peace in Isaiah 52:7, spend some time thinking about the cost of that peace in the death of Jesus prophesied in Isaiah 53.
Ephesians 2:11-22 gives a fuller description of peace. Take some time to appreciate the vertical aspects of that peace (peace with God) and horizontal dimensions of peace (peace with each other).
Make a list of specific ways you can be “eager” to maintain unity and peace within a family of believers (Ephesians 4:3).
Fill out your understanding of the reconciliation and peace-making of God by spending some extended time reading and meditating on 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Romans 5:8-11 and Colossians 1:20-22.
RESOURCES FOR THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Righteousness was described as “meeting the standard.” Write down some of the “standards of Micah 6:8, Matthew 22:37-39 and 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Read Isaiah 59. The chapter talks more about the “backdrop of an unrighteous world.” Pay attention to all the signs that the world is a mess, and look at what God does about it.
Spend some time learning more about what Paul teaches about the righteousness we have credited to us in Romans 4:13-25.
Ephesians 4:23-24 says that those who have put their faith in Jesus are re-created in righteousness. Read Ephesians 4:25-5:5 to appreciate the difference righteousness makes in the lives of believers.
Pastor Curtis closed the message encouraging us to remember a helpful “sentence” and a “mental picture” from Scripture.
“Christ's battle strategy is to do what is right and good, and to say what is true and helpful.” (David Powlison)
2 Peter 3:13 – But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
You can access the message on the Belt of Truth here.
RESOURCES FOR THE BELT OF TRUTH
In his message on the Belt of Truth, Pastor Curtis mentioned a “Heart and Mind Sweep.” Take some time to work through these questions that will help you assess inputs in your life.
Also, he shared some questions to help you (and others alongside you) to assess truth in specific battlegrounds:
What is the truth about God in this battleground?
What is the truth about me in this battleground?
What is the truth about others in this battleground?
What is the truth about the world in this battleground?
SOME NEXT STEPS
Review the passages in Ephesians that speak of truth: Ephesians 1:13; 4:15, 17-25; 5:9.
Spend some time in these writings of the Apostle John, and jot down what these passages teach us about truth.
John 1:14,17
John 8:32, 40, 44-46
John 14:6,17
John 15:26
John 16:7,13
John 17:17,19
1 John + 2 John + 3 John
You can access the message Strengthened by the Lord here.
QUESTIONS & RESPONSES
Where are we? We are in a battle.
Who is on our side? The Lord is on our side.
What has the Lord given to us? His armor.
What are we called to do? Be strengthened and stand.
SOME NEXT STEPS
Identify 2-3 areas that are battlegrounds for you in your walk with Jesus. Over the next few weeks we will work through how the armor of God equips you in the battle.
Take some time to think of others who are close to you that are wrestling through their own spiritual battles. Ask God to help them grow stronger and stand firm.
Jot down what each of these passages have to say about the spiritual conflict we are in: Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:7, 10:3-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:8, 1 Timothy 1:18 and 2 Timothy 2:3-4.
Look up these passages which will help familiarize you with the Old Testament context for the armor of God: Isaiah 11:1-5; 49:2; 52:7; 57:19; Psalm 91:4-5.
Read through Ephesians looking for these words: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word. Write down some of the surrounding context of these words.