Proven Armor
Every believer has experienced those times when tempted to believe James must have missed it when he said, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations,” or as the New American Standard version says, “when you encounter various trials.”
How can we or why should we count it all joy when it seems we are beset with wave after wave of temptations, tests and trials? It is not uncommon to hear one ask, “Why Lord, are so many coming?” and some even ask, “Why are You doing this to me?”
More than overcomers
The good news is that we are told that we are more than overcomers and we have been provided the spiritual armor that we need to stand against each of the onslaughts.
In this study, we will examine the three families of words that are used when talking about the tests, the afflictions and tribulations and the proving of our faith. We will be able to see more clearly what the enemy is doing in an effort to cause us to fail and how the Lord proves us trustworthy to carry the anointing that has been placed inside us as believers.
We will study in detail each element of the spiritual armor He has provided for us to use and how we are to use each piece of it as we become strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Believers are told in the Word that we have been given the victory, always triumph and are more than conquerors. Yet if we leave out one key phrase in each of these verses, we miss the entire point; each is because we are in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The test and trials will come, but we have been given the proven armor of Jesus to be victorious in them all.
This teaching sets the stage for the study as we examine three keywords for temptations, tests, trials and tribulations.
- How can I count it all joy?
- How am I blessed when I have gone through trials?
- Or even “Lord, why are You doing this to me?”
This session will encourage you concerning these questions as we learn five principles from God’s Word concerning the temptations, test and trials. We will clearly see who is trying to destroy us and who has gifted us with grace to overcome in each instance.
The crown awaits.
Paul encourages us in this scripture from Acts 24.
“To always have a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward man.”
Paul says he works to position himself in this manner knowing that our enemy will work diligently cause us to be offended toward both God and man.
We will study examples of those who were offended and the impact it had. And we will also look at Jesus and how he resisted such temptations and thus proved the armor which has been made available to us.
Praise God for these words for in them is the PROMISE that IN HIM, we to can be OVERCOMERS. Does that sound like Good News to you?
Learn how the devil wants us to tire of his barrage of tests and trials and just give up. But we are overcomers and we will learn how to be strong in Jesus.
- Resisting and standing against our enemy
- Knowing His ways
- Being protected by our proven armor
This session discusses the first piece of our armor, the Belt of Truth.
Learn how the Word of God (remember Jesus said Thy word is Truth) holds each piece of our armor together and is essential for the other six to function properly.
This session discusses the Breastplate of Righteousness, which protects our heart and our identity with Jesus.
This session will pursue a study of our righteousness and the work of righteousness. Understand this gift grace is fundamental in God’s battle plan for us defeating our enemy.
The Good News that we have been put at peace with our God is key to our standing firm when attacked and in pursuing our enemy.
You will learn from Isaiah that the work of Righteousness is peace. It allows us TO STAND FIRM when facing temptations, test and trials, KNOWING GOD is not angry with you!!
Stay in this peace.
Our Faith, believing God’s Word and acting on it, shields us from all the fiery darts of the enemy. You will see that this shield is also attached to our Belt of Truth.
This session will pursue a study of faith so that we understand fully how our FAITH protects us from the onslaughts (fiery darts and arrows) that the devil launches against us.
Be confident in His Word and His faithfulness to His Word.
Our Faith, believing God’s Word and acting on it, shields us from all the fiery darts of the enemy. You will see that this shield is also attached to our Belt of Truth.
This session will pursue a study of faith so that we understand fully how our FAITH protects us from the onslaughts (fiery darts and arrows) that the devil launches against us.
Be confident in His Word and His faithfulness to His Word.
This Helmet of Salvation protects us from all the thoughts and lies as our enemy attacks our mind. This is his primary target of attack.
Learn how the knowledge of our salvation, the gift of grace given because of His great love for us, positions us to keep out the thoughts He tries to plant and maintains securely our knowledge of His love for us.
The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It is much more than head knowledge, or memory of the word.
- This sword is the Word of God spoken by us!!
- An offensive weapon
Learn how the spoken Word of God will put the stop on the enemy’s advance. He has no answer to God’s Word. See God’s word at work in both the New and Old Testaments.
Although the Lance is not directly mentioned in this chapter as a piece of the armor, most scholars would agree that this is the seventh piece of armor.
We will see that Paul has not changed subjects, but he continues with prayer. That which reaches out from us to impact others and our future as well. We will see that Jesus saw the time of prayer (all forms including praise and worship) as mandatory.
See yourself as a victorious warrior.
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