Lesson #2

Recently, things have been going well. I reflected on the lesson that I gave on Sunday, and I think it went well. And I guess that I want to reiterate on what was said:

Spiritual warfare is a very revalent subject for any Christian.
Genesis 3

Observations:
Satan did not ask permission, ask Eve if she was busy, he came right up and started talking to her.
He distorted what God had said.
Because of Eve's relationship with God, all the devil could do was suggest, not order or command Eve to do anything, because the devil has no power over us.
He opened her eyes to the fact that the fruit looked and would taste good, she had never noticed it before.
Satan will come back.

"Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
If we are not being persecuted, then it means that Satan is leaving us alone, and we are not bothering him by serving God.

"Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?"
"If we say we have no sin, we decieve ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
"If a person says, 'I have come to know him, but does not follow his commandments, such a person is a liar, and in him the truth does not exist."
"I am the way, the truth, and the life."
(2Tim3:13;Prv20:9;1Jn1:8,2:4;Jn14:6)
Belt of Truth
So we conclude that Jesus is the truth, and until we confess our sins to him, he is not in us. Thus, we are liars and our lives our lies. (See also belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness.

After we confess our sins, God makes us righteous.
"Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God."
"..and to clothe yourselves wih the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
"And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
(Rom5:19;Eph4:24;Hebrews10:10)
"But if we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
(1Jn1:9)
So, after this happens, we put on the breastplate, which is the second peice of armor.

"And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all the saints."
"For God did not call us to impurity but holiness."
"And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshy body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him-- provided that you continue securelyu established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven."

(1Thes3:13,4:7;Col1:21-23 except for last sentence)

Footwear (different translation)
"As shoes for you feet, put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace."
"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. ...To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel..."
"Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing."
(Eph6:15;1Cor9:19-23a;Phil1:27-28)

Shield of Faith
"But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one."
(2Thes3:3)
So, our faith that God protects us, and repells all the flaming arrows from the evil one, is our shield. Now, the shield could be used for many things. For example, the Romans often used their shields to make a wall, and when applied today this would be like a group a believers praying for the same thing. The Romans also used their shield as stretchers for the injured or weak, this would be like lifting somebody up in prayer. Your faith that prayer will be answered is what lifts them up, thus you would be using your shield of faith. The last use, possibly a more minor one, is when the Romans were in battle, they might use their shield to push a fellow soldier ahead of them, and give them more momentum when in battle. This might also apply into praying for somebody with persecution, or instead of praying for a request, lifting a particular conversation up to God. Your faith that he would be acting in the situation would be like you using your shield to give them support.

Helmet of Salvation
"For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God."
"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus."
"He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything."
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirirs of the universe, and not according to Christ."
"And you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority."
"Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God."
"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."
(Col1:9-10;Phil2:5;Col1:18,2:8,10,18-19,3:2)
If Jesus lives in your heart, it changes how you feel, and you won't feel the same as you did before. But if he lives in your mind, then it will change the way you think. The mind always has more control over the heart, it always has the final say. Therefore, if we truly want to obey Jesus, we have to think like him, so our thoughts, mirroring his, will override the desires of our hearts. But it is harder to make room for Jesus in our minds, because our minds are more cluttered. It is our human nature clutter our minds with little things and allow them to become obessions. TV, cellphones, video games, music, etc., all clutter up our minds and prevent Jesus from renewing our mind. Thus, we should be more aware of how much time is spent thinking about video games, thinking about calling so and so on the phone, watching too much tv, so our minds will be more focused and honed and more productive, in our own lives and in serving the Lord.

Sword of the Spirit
"Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divideds soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account."
(Heb4:12-13)

Two observations:
No piece of armor protects the back, and the sword is the only weapon used for offense. When Jesus was tempted, he used scripture to combate the devil, and so should we.

Therefore, we should all clear our minds and be aware of the forces at war around us. We should put on all the pieces of the armor and start familiarizing ourselves with the word of God, so sharpening our sword.

See this page for the interactive picture of a Roman soldier.