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Key verse: Ephesians 6

First: THIS IS WHO WE ARE FIGHTING

Second: THIS IS HOW WE FIGHT

Ephesians 6:10

Getting on Board with the Move of God Involves:

1. Knowing we cannot do it alone nor can we operate in our own strength.

Ephesians 6:4-12 

A. God’s power is accessible through belief (Ephesians 1:19-20)

B. God’s working power is the same power that rose Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:20)

C. God’s power supersedes any authority (Ephesians 1:21-23)

Q. What have you tried to accomplish in your own strength that required God’s power?

TRUTH: THE CHURCH IS NOT MEANT TO SUBMIT TO THE WORLD, THE CHURCH SUBMITS TO CHRIST AND WORLD WILL SUBMIT TO CHRIST (Ephesians 5:24; Zechariah 4:6)

Ephesians 6:11-12

Getting on Board with the Move of God Involves:

2. Knowing your enemy

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” C.S. Lewis (The Screw Tape Letters)

Q. Prior to becoming a believer, what were your thoughts on Satan?  

A. Enemy Number One: SATAN/RULERS/SPIRITUAL FORCES

He is a MURDERER/DESTROYER (John 8:44a; John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8)

He is a LIAR (John 8:44b)

He is a TEMPTER (Matthew 4:1-11)

He is an ACCUSER (Revelation 12:10)

He is a COUNTERFEITER (Exodus 1-12, 2 Thessalonians 2:9)

Q. How have any of these 5 characteristics of Satan affected your walk in Christ?

B. Enemy Number Two: THE WORLD/PRESENT DARKNESS

Satan WAS the ruler/god of this WORLD (John 12:31 NLT; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Matthew 28:18)

Satan still operates in the SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE (Ephesians 2:2; John 8:44; John 13:27)

Satan hates the CHURCH – the WORLD hates the CHURCH (Mark 13:13; John 17:14; John 15:18-19; Matthew 10:34)

Q. How might Satan have tempted you to wander away from the word to follow the world?

C. Enemy Number Three: THE FLESH

THE FLESH leads to DEATH (Romans 8:6,13)

THE FLESH cannot SUBMIT to God (Romans 8:7; Galatians 5:16)

THE FLESH cannot PLEASE God (Romans 8:8)

THE FLESH DIVIDES (James 4:1-3)

Q. How have you tried to please God without the Spirit of God in you and why is that difficult?

Getting On Board with the MOVE OF GOD involves:

3. Knowing the ENEMY’S SCHEME/STRATEGY

a. Satan seeks to DIVIDE MAN from GOD 

b. Satan seeks to DIVIDE MAN from his fellow MAN

c. Satan seeks to cause us to DISOBEY GOD and UNDERMINE HIS WORD

Q. Even though you are a believer, what schemes and strategies of Satan might you have fallen for?

What is the antidote? The Antidote is the Gospel

Getting on Board with the MOVE OF GOD involves:

4. Knowing HOW WE FIGHT

Ephesians 6:13-17

a. We fight as ONE and are UNIFIED by the WORK of GOD (Ephesians 6:13; Ephesians 4:1-5)

b. We fight to expose DARKNESS and SIDE with the TRUTH (Ephesians 6:14a; Ephesians 5:11)

c. We fight our own hearts and HOLD NOTHING against our FELLOW BELIEVERS (Ephesians 6:14b; Matthew 18:35)

d. We fight to ADVANCE the GOSPEL (Ephesians 6:15; 1 Peter 3:15)

e. We fight to BELIEVE GOD over the PRESENT AGE (Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11)

f. We fight our inner thoughts by SETTING our MINDS on CHRIST (Colossians 3:2-3)

g. We fight using the WORLD OF GOD (Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 4:12)

h. We fight when we PRAY on ALL OCCASIONS for All of GOD’S PEOPLE considering their NEEDS OVER OURS  (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 2:3)

i. We fight when we SUPPORT GOSPEL PREACHING leaders and churches (Ephesians 6:19-20)

Q. What pieces of armor are you missing or do you feel are hardest to put on?

Sermon in a Sentence:

KNOW THE TRUTH AND BE SERT FREE SO THAT YOU CAN JOIN THE MOVE OF GOD AND SET OTHERS FREE.

Challenge: Read and memorize Ephesians 6:13-17  and lean on the Holy Spirit’s help in doing battle for the kingdom of God daily.