Ephesians 6: The Weapon Gifted by God to Christians to Resist the Strategy of Our Enemies

Class Outline:

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Heavenly hotline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation, turn off your electronic devices and put them away.  Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Weapon Gifted by God to Christians to Resist the Strategy of Our Enemies

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

The weapon is prayer!  And as we close out our study of the apostle Paul's letter to the believers in Christ in first-century Ephesus, the Lord reminds us in Second Corinthians, Chapter 10, Verse 4 that…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 10:4

…the weapons of our spiritual warfare, as believers in Christ, are not manufactured by the flesh (as human beings)…our spiritual weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of the fortresses built by our enemies to harm us…

 

In today’s lesson, the Lord reminds us to use the gift of prayer to get us through the ups and downs of this life.

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!  Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 26 comforts believers in Christ, letting us know the Lord has us covered with every spiritual blessing, even when we pray…

 

ROMANS 8:26b

…God the Holy Spirit helps our weakness when we pray…for we believers in Christ do not know how to pray as we should…so God the Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for us when we pray with groanings too deep for words...

 

The Lord leaves nothing to chance for His believers, even in prayer.  Let’s hear the nighty singers of Hillsong Worship sing about the structure of great prayer in their song…THE LORD’S PRAYER.

 

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Hillsong Worship

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for providing believers in Christ with an endless source of spiritual sustenance in the Word of God…it is truly a privileged to set aside time every week…in fact every day…to be refreshed by the thoughts of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ captured in a supernatural book…the Bible…and to be guided by God the Holy Spirit to live the resurrection life You planned for us in eternity past…

 

…thank you Father for the wisdom of the Word that keeps us on guard for the schemes perpetrated against us in Satan's kingdom…planet earth…things our enemy and Yours designs to trip us up and to rob us of mental serenity…thank you for the discernment provided by the Word of God which helps us make every decision, especially the ones that have lifelong consequences…and thank you for filling our hearts with unconditional love by which we require nothing of others because we know that You are working all things together for our good…

 

…as we study the Word of God today, help us see Your hand in everything we do…help us to know that we don’t need a PhD in the world’s disciplines to be smart…give us the confidence that every desire of our hearts consistent with Your will is going to be gifted to us believers in Christ because You love us that much… and remind us constantly that we are in Your loving care and we are free to rest in the palm of Your divine hands…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Weapon Gifted by God to Christians to Resist the Strategy of Our Enemies

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

Today's date, December 7, may ring a bell deep in your soul.  On the evening of December 6, 1941, eighty-four years ago, men and women who were defending our nation went to sleep after a typical day of hard work.  When they woke up on the morning of December 7, nothing would ever be normal for them again.

 

Over twenty-four hundred men and women were killed…with another eleven hundred or more injured, in a sneak attack then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt described to a joint session of Congress on December 8, 1941…

 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SPEECH TO CONGRESS

December 8, 1941

 

Yesterday…December 7, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SPEECH TO CONGRESS

December 8, 1941

 

The United States was at peace with that nation, and at the solicitation of Japan was still in conversation with its government and its emperor... looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SPEECH TO CONGRESS

December 8, 1941

 

 

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu (in Hawaii), the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message.

 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SPEECH TO CONGRESS

December 8, 1941

 

And while this reply stated that continuing the existing diplomatic negotiations seemed useless, it contained no threat and no hint of war or armed attack.

 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SPEECH TO CONGRESS

December 8, 1941

 

The distance from Hawaii to Japan makes it clear the attack was deliberately planned long in advance.

 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SPEECH TO CONGRESS

December 8, 1941

 

During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

 

So it is with our spiritual enemies.  Deliberate deception....premeditated plans....constant and dastardly attacks...repeated over and over...all designed to destroy us.

Japan was not successful in destroying us, and our spiritual enemies (Satan, the world, and the flesh) will not be successful either.

 

My fellow worker, Mike Gendron, an evangelist to Roman Catholics, provided amazing insights in his monthly newsletter concerning the opposition Christians face.

 

MIKE GENDRON

Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries

proclaimingthegospel.org

 

Throughout church history, there has always been a relentless opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The strongest opposition has come from apostate religions, which hold people captive with legalistic burdens and religious pride.

 

Mike says this opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel message is intensifying.  All believers in Christ can certainly see the opposition growing, even if it is simply in the absence of any mention of the Lord in our daily comings and goings.  Mike continues…

 

MIKE GENDRON

Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries

proclaimingthegospel.org

 

In our thirty-four years of proclaiming the Gospel, we have experienced continuous opposition from Roman Catholic zealots. They have picketed our conferences, harassed us with malicious phone calls and emails, and threatened us with physical harm.

 

Despite Mike's persistence, even the most convincing display of unconditional love is rejected.

 

MIKE GENDRON

Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries

proclaimingthegospel.org

 

Recently, two Catholic seminary students were picketing our conference in Southern California. We invited them to come into the conference and even fed them lunch.

 

MIKE GENDRON

Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries

proclaimingthegospel.org

 

After hearing the Word of God (and the accurate gospel message) preached for five hours, I asked them if they were ready to repent (to change their minds about having a relationship with the real Jesus Christ) and to believe the true Gospel.

 

MIKE GENDRON

Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries

proclaimingthegospel.org

 

They responded that they could not leave the Eucharist or the Roman Catholic Church because BOTH were necessary for their salvation.

 

That's not at all true.

 

So our study of the last passage in the last chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is no small matter.  As Christians, we have enemies, and they are relentless in their attempts to derail our spiritual lives.  Luckily, we have an all-powerful God on our side who is only too happy to gift us with the victory over our enemies.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ’s work on our behalf at the Cross is accurately described in Second Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verse 15…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:15

Thanks be to God the Father for His indescribable gift (the Lord Jesus Christ)!

 

Let's close out our study of this letter.  We've studied the first two parts of this passage in previous lessons; now, the finishing touches…Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verses 10 to 24…

 

EPHESIANS 6:10

Finally, brethren, be strong in union with the Lord and in the strength of His might.

 

EPHESIANS 6:11

Pick up and put on the full armor of Godso you will be able to STAND firm against the schemes of the devil.

 

EPHESIANS 6:12

For our spiritual struggle (literally, our spiritual wrestling match) is not against flesh and blood (it’s not against other human beings)…we wrestle against the rulers…against the powers…against the world forces of this (kingdom of) darkness…against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 

EPHESIANS 6:13

So pick up and put on the full armor of God (in every spiritual wrestling match)…and you will be able to resist evil on that day (with divine power)…having done everything to stand firm (against your spiritual enemies).

 

EPHESIANS 6:14

Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth…havingpicked up and  put on the breastplate of righteousness…

 

EPHESIANS 6:15

…and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace…

 

EPHESIANS 6:16

…in addition to those things, keep on taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

 

EPHESIANS 6:17

Pick up and put on the helmet of salvation, and keep on taking up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

 

Now today’s verses of study…

 

EPHESIANS 6:18

With all prayer and petition keep on praying at all times in the Spirit…and with this in view, keep on being on the alert, with all perseverance and petition,praying for all the saints…

 

And now a recommended prayer, both for Paul and for your Pastor…

 

EPHESIANS 6:19

…and keep on praying on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of mymouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel…

 

EPHESIANS 6:20

…for which gospel I (Paul and your Pastor) am an ambassador in chains…that in proclaiming the gospel message I may keep on speaking boldlyas I ought to speak.

 

To close the letter, Paul gets personal…

 

EPHESIANS 6:21

Also, so that you may know about my circumstances and how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will make everything known to you.

EPHESIANS 6:22

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.

 

EPHESIANS 6:23

Peace be to the brethren, and unconditional love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

EPHESIANS 6:24

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.

 

A reminder about the structure of the passage.

 

THE STRUCTURE OF THE PASSAGE

 

Who is the enemy?

Verses 10-12

 

We learned that Christians have three enemies…SATAN, the WORLD, and the FLESH.

 

THE STRUCTURE OF THE PASSAGE

 

How the Lord equips us against the enemy

Verses 13 to 17

 

We learned how to play DEFENSE against the enemy.

 

THE STRUCTURE OF THE PASSAGE

 

Our best weapon against the enemy…Prayer

Verses 18 to 20

 

Today we learn about an underused weapon in the face of spiritual conflict.  And then we close the study of the letter as we hear…

 

THE STRUCTURE OF THE PASSAGE

 

Paul’s Words of Encouragement to Believers at Ephesus

Verses 21 to 24

 

When we return from the break, we'll take the offering, and then we’ll conclude our study of Paul's letter to the believers in Christ in first-century Ephesus.  Take a ten-minute break.

 

TEN-MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Weapon Gifted by God to Christians to Resist the Strategy of Our Enemies

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

When the Lord blesses us financially, He wants us to raise our standard of GIVING, not necessarily our standard of living.  The Lord gives by seeking and saving lost unbelievers; unbelievers don't seek Him.  In Luke, Chapter 15, Verse 4, Jesus says…

 

LUKE 15:4

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them,

does not leave the ninety-nine sheep in the open pasture and go after the one sheep which is lost until he finds it?”

 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Shepherd and His creatures are the sheep.  Our divine Shepherd goes after His lost sheep.

 

Your generosity creates the opportunity for Barah Ministries to provide the gift of the gospel message to the lost ones the Lord brings to this ministry’s accurate teaching of the gospel message.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall, and let’s listen carefully to his thoughtful, insightful, and inspiring message on the power of giving.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

PHILIPPIANS 1:29

For to you, believers in Christ, it has been granted by God the Father for Christ’s sake….not only to believe in Him…but also to suffer for His sake…

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Weapon Gifted by God to Christians to Resist the Strategy of Our Enemies

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

What is prayer?

 

PRAYER

A deliberate interaction with God…whether formal or informal…whether audible or silent…whether public or private…where believers in Christ talk with God.

 

PRAYER

During prayer, God listens to us…and then He sends messages to us, either through the Word of God or through people…to edify us and to equip us for every spiritual battle we face.

 

Let’s close our study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians with a few thoughts about prayer.  First, we remind ourselves of the verses we are studying this week…Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verses 18 to 20…

 

EPHESIANS 6:18

With all prayer and petition keep on praying at all times in the Spirit…and with this in view, keep on being on the alert, with all perseverance and petition,praying for all the saints…

 

EPHESIANS 6:19

…and keep on praying on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of mymouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel…

 

EPHESIANS 6:20

…for which gospel I (Paul and your Pastor) am an ambassador in chains…that in proclaiming the gospel message I may keep on speaking boldlyas I ought to speak.

 

What shall we remember about the power of prayer?  Ten things…

 

1

Prayer is a gift to the human race from God.  John, Chapter 16, Verse 23…

 

JOHN 16:23b

…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you (believers in Christ), whatever you may ask God the Father in My name…He will give it to you.

 

Are you asking for the things you want?  Are you patient enough to wait and watch as the Lord orchestrates your request?

 

2

Prayer is an intimate experience powered by our Almighty God.  First John, Chapter 5, Verses 14 and 15…

 

FIRST JOHN 5:14

This is the CONFIDENCE we believers in Christ have before Jesus…that if we ask anything according to His will…He hears us.

 

FIRST JOHN 5:15

And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, and of course we do, we know that we (already) have the requests which we have asked from Him.

 

Isn’t it great to know that an omniscient God, who knew what we would pray for, has already set it aside for us even before He created us.  We have a God who ALWAYS ensures our success.

 

3

During prayer, God illuminates how much He love us.  First John, Chapter 4, Verses 9…

 

FIRST JOHN 4:9

By the initiative of God the Father, the unconditional love of the Father is manifested in us believers in Christ…that God the Father has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we believers in Christ might live the resurrection life through our union with Him.

 

God’s love requires nothing of us.  He wants us to learn to RECEIVE all He has for us free of charge.

 

4

Prayer helps us focus on what’s important in this life.  Second Corinthians, Chapter 10, Verse 5…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 10:5a

We believers in Christ…(through prayer)…are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 10:5b

…(things like worldly philosophy, personal influence, impressive credentials, legalism, asceticism, mysticism, and the do-it-yourself lifestyle)…and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of the Christ…

 

What’s important is our spiritual life, and it’s nourishment must never be ignored.

 

5

Prayer is an underutilized weapon in the Christian's spiritual life.  Why did God give His believers the gift of prayer?  So we might receive supernatural help in the journey of our lives.  In Second Corinthians, Chapter 12, Verses 9 and 10, the apostle Paul says…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 12:9

…the Lord has said to me, “(Paul)…My grace is sufficient for you…for divine power is perfected in human weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ (divine omnipotence) may dwell in me.

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 12:10

Therefore, I am well content…with weaknesses…with insults…with distresses…with persecutions…with difficulties…for Christ’s sake…for when I am weak…it is then that I am strong.

 

When we pray, we feel weak because we are…yet His power is what makes us strong.

 

6

Prayer is permission to ask the Lord for everything.  John, Chapter 14, Verse 14…

 

JOHN 14:14

If (3) you ask Me (the Lord Jesus Christ) ANYTHING in My name, I will do it.

 

7

Prayer is intentional and scheduled.  It is something we set aside time for…both daily and moment by moment.First Thessalonians, Chapter 5, Verse 17 exhorts us to…

 

FIRST THESSALONIANS 5:17

Pray without ceasing (in other words, to make it a habit to pray).

 

8

Prayer is one of God’s guarantees according to Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 16…

 

HEBREWS 4:16

Therefore (because we have such an amazing High Priest in Jesus), let us believers in Christ draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may (fully expect to) receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

What are the things we pray for?

 

9

We pray for the illumination of God’s PLAN.  Psalm 86, Verse 11…

 

PSALM 86:11

Teach me Your way, O Lord and I will walk in Your truth…

 

We pray for God’s PROTECTION.  God shields us from our enemies…Psalm 23, Verse 5…

 

PSALM 23:5

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…you have anointed my head with oil…my cup overflows.

 

Psalm 31, Verse 4…

 

PSALM 31:4

You will pull me out of the net which my enemies have secretly laid for me for You are my strength.

 

We pray for God’s PROVISION.  God carries our burdens and He covers ALL of our needs…Matthew, Chapter 6, Verse 33…

 

MATTHEW 6:33

…seek first the Lord’s kingdom and His righteousness…and all things (food, shelter, and clothing) will be added to you.

 

We pray for an awareness of God’s PRESENCE in every circumstance of life.  Psalm 46, Verse 10…

 

PSALM 46:10

God is our refuge and strength…a very present help in trouble.

We pray that we may remember to take advantage of God’s PROMISES.John, Chapter 16, Verse 23…

 

JOHN 16:23

In that day when your enemies attack, you believers in Christ will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask God the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.

 

Matthew, Chapter 21, Verse 22…

 

MATTHEW 21:22

“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

 

We pray for God’s POWER.  Colossians, Chapter 2, Verse 9…

 

COLOSSIANS 2:9

For in Jesus…the Christ (the Messiah)…all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form…

 

COLOSSIANS 2:10

…and in union with Him, you believers in Christ have been made complete…

 

COLOSSIANS 2:12

…having been buried with Him in baptism…in which you were also raised up with Him in resurrection from the dead through faith in the work of God the Father…whoHimself raised Jesus from the dead.

 

We pray for God’s PRESSURE.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 3 to 5…

 

ROMANS 5:3a

And we believers in Christ not only exult in all these things from our pastlike righteousness and justification…in our present…peace…in our future…glory…

 

ROMANS 5:3b

…but also we believers in Christ exult in our tribulations...given to us by God the Father…knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance…

 

ROMANS 5:4

…and perseverance brings about proven character…and proven character brings about hope…

 

ROMANS 5:5

…and hope does not disappoint...because the unconditional love of God the Father has been poured out within our hearts through God the Holy Spirit who was given to us by God the Father as a pledge of our spiritual inheritance.

 

Most of all…

 

10

Prayer gives us God's PEACE.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 1 and 2…

 

ROMANS 5:1

Therefore, having been justified on the principle of faith in the past, we believers in Christ now and forevermore keep on having peace with God the Father through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

ROMANS 5:2a

…and we believers in Christ have obtained our direct access to a Person of privileged rank, God the Father, who placed us into a sphere of gracein which we presently stand…

 

ROMANS 5:2a

…and through our union with Christ, we believers in Christ keep on exulting in the future hope of the glory of God.

 

What is the power of God’s peace?  Philippians, Chapter 4, Verses 6 and 7 say we believers in Christ can…

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:6

Stop worrying about anything…instead, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God the Father through prayer.

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:7

And the peace of God the Father, which surpasses all comprehension, will garrison your hearts and your minds…a gift for those of you in union with Christ Jesus.

 

Pasul finishes his letter to the Ephesians on a personal note…Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verses 21 to 24…

 

EPHESIANS 6:21

Also, so that you may know about my circumstances and how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lordwill make everything known to you.

 

EPHESIANS 6:22

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.

 

EPHESIANS 6:23

Peace be to the brethren, and unconditional love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

EPHESIANS 6:24

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.

 

The last thing we’ll remember about Paul’s letter to Ephesians is the first thing he told us.  As believers, we are IN CHRIST.  Simply stated, there is nothing better to be.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

He Wants You to Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

…and what He wants for you is that you make the most important decision of your life.

 

Even if you don’t believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you matter to God.  The Lord’s enemies matter to Him as much or more than His friends matter to Him.  The Lord created you and He wants the best for you.

 

While sharing this truth recently, a friend asked, “How do I get right with God?”

 

When we are born, we are not right with God.  Everyone is born in a state of unrighteousness, physically alive and spiritually dead as ungodly, unrighteous unbelievers in God’s eyes.  We were born sinners and we need a Savior.

 

It’s not our fault we were born this way, but it is our circumstance.

 

In First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22, the Bible says…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22a

For all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human being who comes to earth) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…

 

To God’s enemy, Satan…the ruler of this world…you don’t matter at all.  First Peter, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says…

 

FIRST PETER 5:8

Be of sober spirit…be on the alert! Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

 

You are the “someone” on Satan’s list.  Satan does not want you to be right with God.  He’s hasn’t been right with God since the day he declared God to be his enemy.  Here’s what the Lord says about that fateful day when Satan gave up his privileges...Ezekiel., Chapter 28, Verse 15…

 

EZEKIEL 28:15

“You (Satan) were blameless in your ways from the day you were created

until unrighteousness was found in you.”

 

Satan wants followers.  He doesn’t want you to be with God in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  He wants you to be with him in the Lake of Fire, and he wants you so badly that he sends false teachers with false teachings to deceive you.  In Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 15…the Lord warns us about this…

 

MATTHEW 7:15

“Beware of the false teachers…who come to you in sheep’s clothing…but

inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

 

A ravenous animal has an insatiable desire to tear you apart.  Ravenous teachers pretend to be for you, yet they want you to be twice the sons of hell that they are.

 

This gospel message offers GOOD NEWS concerning how to get right with God.  John, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17 reveal what God wants for you…

 

JOHN 3:16

“For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord Jesus Christ…to be crucified on a Cross) … so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish, but haseternal life." 

 

JOHN 3:17

For God the Father did not send God the Son (the Lord) into the world to judge the world…but the Father sent the Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him.

 

God wants you to respond positively to the good news of this gospel message so you can be right with Him.

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ…in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (the apostle Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

Getting right with God is easy.  There is no work involved.  Anyone who says you have work to get right with God is a false teacher giving you a false gospel message.  Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says you don’t have to work to be saved…

 

ROMANS 11:6

…if salvation is by grace (a free gift from God) … and of course it is…it is no longer on the basis of your works…otherwise, grace (as a free gift) is no longer grace (it is not free).

 

Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 4 says you CAN'T work for salvation…

 

ROMANS 4:4

Now to the one who works for salvation, his wage for his work is not credited to

his account as a favor from the grace of God, but his wage is creditedas what is

due for the work.

 

Your hardest work is not perfect enough to get you right with God.  So relax!  You can get to heaven when you close your eyes in this life free of charge and free of work.  Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31 says…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

John, Chapter 3, Verse 36 warns you and invites you…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

You have a choice.

 

You can spend eternity with God’s enemy, Satan, in the Lake of Fire…OR…you can have the free gift of eternal life right this minute!  RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT, RIGHT NOW. God can make you right with Him.  You can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that is the moment of eternal life for you.

 

Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 and 10 encourages you…

 

ROMANS 10:9

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is God)…and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead…you will be saved…

 

ROMANS 10:10

…for with the heart a person believes…resulting in the imputation of absolute righteousness by God (your admission ticket to heaven)…and with the mouth a person confesses (admitting faith in Christ alone) resulting in salvation.

 

You are right with God the moment He gifts you with His righteousness.  There is a consequence for rejecting the righteousness gift from the Lord Jesus Christ…in Matthew, Chapter 8, Verse 12, the Lord says…

 

MATTHEW 8:12

“…the sons of (Satan’s) kingdom (unbelievers) will be cast out into the outer darkness…in that place (The Lake of Fire) there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

Many parents are false teachers leading their children to an eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Do you want to know if you’re a good parent?  Just ask yourself a simple question.  Are you influencing your children to get right with God by having a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Sovereign God of the Universe?

 

He is the ONLY WAY to get to heaven according to John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation), and I am the truth (through the gospel message…the Word of God), and I am the resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”

 

You are either right with God or you aren’t.  There’s no time to waste!  GOD WANTS YOU.  If you want to be right with God, simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!  Take His word for it concerning salvation, and the resurrection life is yours free of charge!  You’ll be right with God for all eternity.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!So what role does PRAYER play in your life?I hope you learned it is as important as breathing.  The apostle John gives believers in Christ a glimpse of the Lord’s resume when it comes to prayer in First John, Chapter 2, Verses 1 and 2…

 

FIRST JOHN 2:1a

My little children (believers in Christ)…I (the apostle John) am writing these things written in this letter to you so that you may not sin.

 

FIRST JOHN 2:1b

And if anyone sins, and of course we do, we have an Advocate with God the Father…the paraclete (who comes to our assistance with divine power)…Jesus Christ…the ONLY righteous One…

 

FIRST JOHN 2:2a

…and Jesus Christ Himself is the propitiation for our sins (the only perfectly satisfactory payment for our sins in the eyes of God the Father)…

 

FIRST JOHN 2:2b

…and Jesus paid not only for our sins as believers in Christ…but Jesus also paid for the sins of the whole world (unbelievers as well).

 

What a great Lord we have to treat all with equal justice.  Here is Matthew West to encourage us with the song that is also a command from God…DON’T STOP PRAYING.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

DON'T STOP PRAYING

Matthew West

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

…thank you for this amazing letter the believers in Christ in first century Ephesus that You sent to the entire human race through the hands of the apostle Paul… thank him for us for his dedication and hard work in the face of unbearable resistance from the kingdom of death and darkness…unbearable, that is, if not for Your divinely power weapon…prayer…that You gifted us with, which helps us believers in Christ destroy the fortresses of our enemies…

 

…keep us mindful, as we go off into another week, that we have access to the same power that resurrected the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and that this power is ours to use both now and for all eternity…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

LISTEN TO THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Make it a habit.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

 

JOIN US FOR A DISCUSSION OF THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE

 

Either here face-to-face or on Zoom Immediately Following the Lesson

 

The Zoom link is in the newsletter.

 

GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS OR WANT US TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE?

 

Send your request to pastor@barahministries.com

 

KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com