Hello! Here is the next in the "Armour of God" series.
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Overarching Verse - This is the verse to memorize during this entire series. Take it in small chunks along the way to memorize. For the younger ones, focus on the first verse or two.
Ephesians 6:11-17 - Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powersof this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,with the breastplate of righteousness in place,and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvationand the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God.
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Song
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Illustration
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Read Ephesians 6:10-20
Breastplate in Roman Times:
It isn't surprising that soldiers needed to wear a breastplate going into a battle. This protects our vital organs, like our heart and our lungs. It covered the chest and belly. Back then there weren't things like guns and bullets. This protected them from things like swords and arrows on the battlefield. Some breastplates were metal, fitting tight to teh shape of the soldiers body. Others were more like a chain and leather, having more flexibility and coverage than others.
Spiritual application:
In the Ephesians passage Paul is telling us that we need the breastplate of righteousness. We need to be covered in righteousness. Righteousness is the perfect holiness of Christ, and it comes from God alone. Righteousness is to be right in God’s eyes. It is like perfection. It is about turning away from the temptaion and sin Satan has set up and to follow God’s plan for our lives.
The armor we put on each day comes only from God. We cannot somehow make these things appear in our own lives. He is the giver of these things. We need to ask Him each day to help us put these pieces on. Righteousness is about making a choice to regularly spend time with God. Therefore, when we encounter temptations and doubts on the battlefield, we come fully equipped to combat them, with the armor of God.
When we continually put on the breastplate of righteousness, we secure it with the belt of truth, to keep the breastplate in place. The belt of truth comes from God. We learn about Truth himself, and ignore the half-truths of this world that come from Satan.
Once we have the breastplate of righteousness in place, we can combat the snares Satan has set up for us that attempt to take us away from the path of right living in God’s eyes. Mark 4:15 says, "And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them." Satan is looking for those who are following the word of God. He wants to take that away. We need to be ready! Are you ready?
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Discussion Questions
1. Are you? Are you ready for his schemes? What are some things we can do to prepare for his attacks?
2. What does it mean to be righteous? How can we become righteous?
3. What are some things that hold us back from living a righteous life? What is standing in your way right now? What will you do about it?
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Prayer
As you go to prayer as a family, take this time to think about where you are at. Are you prepared for the attack of Satan? Remember that this is not always visible. We aren't always aware of the enemy and his schemes in our lives. He is sneaky! That is why we have to be intentional in putting on our armor, in preparing ourselves for him. Ask God to help you put on the breastplate of righteousness each day. When you go to prayer now and every morning after this, pray specifically for each piece of armor, preparing your mind and spirit for any attacks that might come your way. Thank Jesus for always being by you, helping you in the fight and encouraging you along the way.
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Thank you for using this resource. I hope that you have found it helpful as you incorporate Family Worship Time in your home. Please leave a note if this has been helpful to you. I'd love to hear how you implement these in your home.
Thank you!
Rachel
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