The Sword of the Spirit
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Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Joined Together, Growing Together
Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Sermon Outline
Respond to the crafty attempts to confuse you with what God has said.
1. Schemes of the Devil
v11 “that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil”
v17 “the sword… which is the word of God”
2. Sword of the Spirit
v17 “of the Spirit” (v12 “against the spiritual forces of evil”)
vv19-20 “also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Prayer of Confession
Our Father, you are truthful, generous and wise. Forgive us for being so mistrusting. Our fears and doubts have been a gateway to deception. We are easily provoked to resentment and cynicism towards you. We neglect reading your word. We fail to do the hard consistent work needed to grasp and understand your ways. We are filled with pride and arrogance. We are also filled with guilt and shame. Forgive every sin. May the good news work deeply and thoroughly in our lives so the fruits of the Spirit are produced in us. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What do you experience as the greatest challenges to reading the Bible?
What doubts do you have about God? When do those doubts tend to surface?
What do you do when you don’t understand a particular teaching of Christianity?
What is the role of prayer and Bible study in forming us for life? What kinds of things do you experience that would benefit from going to the Bible for guidance?
How can listening to God help prepare you to face difficulties? How does knowing scripture enable a Christian to stand firm at crucial times?
Most of us don’t know the Bible as well as we should. How do we live faithfully given there is so much we don’t know?
What do you think are some of the foundational teachings of the Bible that you need to hold firmly to? Is there a particular Bible verse or passage that speaks most deeply to you? Why do you think you resonate with that particular passage?
Why is it important that one person, Jesus, did not fall for any of the schemes of the devil? How do we benefit from his faithfulness?
What are some habits you can incorporate into your life so you are more consistently reading and meditating on Scripture?
How can you preach the gospel to yourself? How can you bring to mind God’s good news for you when you are discouraged and spiraling downward?