“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV) 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:14-18 (NIV) Big Idea: By putting on the full armor of God, we are equipped to stand firm against the enemys’ schemes. I Will Stand Firm In Truth By:1. Guarding Against Deception Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 (NLT2) Size Up Our Enemy: Adversary, Slanderer, Tempter, Accuser, Liar, Defeated His Tactics:Fear: Impending doom, Violent dreams, Unresolved anger… Doubt: Does God really say…? Really care about you? Really forgive? Compromise: To make us ineffective, Insecure, and Unproductive The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:8-11 (NIV) 2. Developing a Strong Foundation in God’s Word “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV) “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT2) 3. Putting Truth Into Practice "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV) 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV) Are you ready to seek truth for your life? I Will Stand Firm In Truth By: Guarding Against Deception Developing a strong foundation in God’s Word Putting truth into practice Sign up for Believers baptism [This is only a guide – select the points you want to discuss.] Big Idea: By putting on the full armor of God, we are equipped to stand firm against the enemys’ schemes. Icebreaker: Where do you see the devils’ schemes played out in the world today? Read Ephesians 6:10-18 Whose strength must we fight in? [6:10] Why? What makes up the Armor of God? What pieces of armor do you need most in your life? I Will Stand Firm In Truth By: Small Group Discussion Guide: Standing Firm In Truth Introduction: Welcome to our small group discussion on standing firm in truth. Today, we’ll explore how we can guard against deception, build a strong foundation in God’s Word, and put truth into practice in our daily lives. Let’s open with prayer, asking God to reveal His truth to us and to strengthen our commitment to live by it. Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and the truth that gives us a strong foundation. Help us to guard our minds against deception, deepen our understanding of Your Word, and put Your truth into action. May our time together encourage and strengthen us in our journey with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 1. Guarding Against Deception Size Up Our Enemy: Adversary, Slanderer, Tempter, Accuser, Liar, Defeated. Scripture Reading: John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, 1 Peter 5:8-11. In John 10:10, Jesus contrasts His purpose with the thief’s intent to steal, kill, and destroy. How does understanding the enemy’s tactics (fear, doubt, compromise) help us guard against deception? What are some specific ways you’ve seen these tactics in your life? How can taking “every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5) help us resist these attacks? Reflect on a recent situation where you struggled with fear, doubt, or compromise. As a group, discuss practical ways to counter these tactics with truth from Scripture. 2. Developing a Strong Foundation in God’s Word Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Paul warns that people will turn away from sound doctrine. Why do you think people are often drawn to “what their itching ears want to hear” rather than to God’s truth? How does studying and applying Scripture help build a strong foundation that keeps us grounded in truth? Share any specific Bible verses that have helped you resist deception or false beliefs. Challenge each person to share a Bible reading or memorization plan that has helped them develop a habit of staying rooted in God’s Word. (Consider setting a group goal to memorize a specific verse this week.) Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” How can memorizing God’s Word help us stand firm against deception? How can we hide His Word in our hearts daily? 3. Putting Truth Into Practice Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:21-27 Jesus compares the person who puts His words into practice to a wise man building on a rock. What does it mean to have a foundation built on rock? How does this foundation protect us when challenges come? Why do you think Jesus emphasized doing His words, not just hearing them? What are some ways you can put God’s truth into action in your life this week? As a group, discuss one specific action you feel God is calling you to take in obedience to His Word. Pray for each other to follow through and build a foundation that stands firm. James 1:22: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” How does simply hearing God’s Word without action lead to deception? How can we encourage each other to live out God’s truth consistently? Closing Prayer: Lord, thank You for the truth that sets us free and the strength to stand firm against deception. Help us to deepen our foundation in Your Word, be vigilant against the enemy’s tactics, and to live out Your truth in all that we do. Strengthen us to be faithful and to reflect Your light in a world that desperately needs You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. What practical steps can we take to seek God’s truth in our decision-making processes?