Sunday Discussion
Ephesians | Equipped to Win
Transition:
Last week we discussed the spiritual battle that every human has been born into…the war between God and the rebels, led by Satan. One of God’s great tactics is to convert soldiers of the enemy into soldiers in His army. Since God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, the winner of this war was settled before it began. And the nail that sealed the fate of Satan was the moment when Jesus, the innocent One, died in the place of sinners.
Context:
This is our last week in Ephesians. The final major subject that Paul covers is spiritual warfare, and specifically, what Christians need to do to be battle-ready. Last week we learned that we are inducted into the Lord’s army at salvation. This week we are looking into the different ways that God has equipped us to engage in (and win) every battle we face.
Opening Questions:
• What are the “ditches” we can fall into when we speak of the devil and his influence on humans? How do you maintain a healthy (balanced and biblical) perspective of the forces of evil for yourself?
• How do you generally respond to someone who says he/she does not believe in the spiritual realm and/or devils & demons, etc.?
Scripture/Storying: 6:14-24
Discipleship Questions:
• After Paul admonishes the Ephesian Christians to “be strong in the Lord” he encourages them to be prepared for battle be wearing the armor that God provided. Share a story of when you were NOT prepared for something important, and then share a story of when you were. What did you learn from these experiences?
• Discuss each piece of armor that Paul names. What is it and how is it to be used in spiritual battle? How does this specific piece of armor help you to stand strong in the Lord (v10)?
• Have you ever engaged in a spiritual battle? What convinced you that it was a true spiritual battle (and not
something that could be reasoned away by science or logic)? Share the story including what you did and how it ended. What did you learn from it? What pieces of armor were most effective for you, and why?
• Why is prayer critical when engaging in spiritual battle? What does Paul mention about prayer/praying that sticks out to you right now (v18-20)? What do you need to do to incorporate it into your own prayer life?
• What does Paul say in his closing that is speaking to you right now (v21-24)?
• Now that we’ve completed our study of Ephesians, what has affected you the most? How has it changed the way you think and/or live? Share any final thoughts.
Prayer time:
This week we are praying for Redeem All Ministries (Zimbabwe), a ministry Providence supports.
• Pray for the church they planted recently (May 19th) …for strength, protection, and growth.
• Pray for the resident Pastor-in-Training, the new disciples being raised up, and for their entire community.
• Pray that the Lord will be lifted high & magnified through their ministry.