Big Idea: Because our battle is spiritual, we must fight with spiritual weapons to stand firm with God’s armor. “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11 (NLT2) Remember Verse “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.” Ephesians 6:14-17 (NIV) How Do We Stand Firm With The Word Of God? We Stand Firm By: 1. Studying The Bible In Context “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” Acts 20:27-31 (NIV) “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 2 Timothy 2:15-19 (NIV) 2. Refusing To Water Down The Truth “Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you.” Deuteronomy 4:2 (NLT2) “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. 2 Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. 3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. 4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.” Psalm 119:1-4 (NLT2) “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. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV) 3. Applying God’s Word In Our Everyday Life “The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop–thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:14-20 (NIV) “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) What do you need to put into practice today? I will stand firm with the word of God by: Scheduling time to read the Word of God [www.YouVersion.com] The Bible from 30,000 Feet Bible - Skip Heitzig Studying to apply it in my everyday life Inviting someone to Christmas Eve 4pm or 6pm Accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior [This is only a guide – select the points you want to discuss.] Big Idea: Because our battle is spiritual, we must fight with spiritual weapons to stand firm with God’s armor. Icebreaker: What teacher or friend helped you enjoy a subject of study you once disliked? How did they encourage you? Family Corner: [Choose one or two days this week to ask questions to go deeper in faith as a family. Try this over dinner or breakfast. Keep it to 15 minutes.] What is a difficult decision you had to make recently? Did you get any counsel before you made your decision? Did it help? What is my best routine in studying God’s Word? What could I do differently? Where am I struggling in putting God’s Word into practice? Review Remember Verse: Ephesians 6:10-11 (NLT2) “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Read Ephesians 6:14-18 How Do We Stand Firm With The Word Of God? We Stand Firm By: 1. Studying The Bible In Context Read Acts 20:27-31 What was a shepherd’s responsibility? What does Paul warn against? How do people distort the truth today? Read 1 Timothy 4:11-16 How does Paul instruct Timothy? Read 2 Timothy 2:15-19 What should you pursue? [15] What should you avoid? [16-17] What does our firm foundation teach us? 2. Refusing To Water Down The Truth Read Deuteronomy 4:2 What is the warning on this verse? Read Psalm 119:1-4 What is the outcome of those who follow God’s Word wholeheartedly? What is the warning here? Read 2 Timothy 4:1-4 What does Paul encourage Timothy to do? What warning does he give? 3. Applying God’s Word In Our Everyday Lives Read Mark 4:14-20 Which soil best represents you? Why? Foot Path – represents those with hardened hearts Rocky soil – represents those who have no roots Thorns – represents those who are overwhelmed with worry & deceitfulness of sin Good Soil – represents accepting and multiplying the Good News. Read Matthew 7:24-27 What is my best routine in studying God’s Word? Where am I struggling with putting God’s Word into practice? Close in Prayer: