Thu June 11

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the word against.

Reading

Ephesians 6:10-12—The Spiritual Battle

Optional Reading

John 16:1-11

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

The Christian life is a battle.
It is a battle against Satan and his attacks.
We fight in Christ who has already ultimately won.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

Why might we say Christianity is a spiritual battle?
How do we fight this battle?
If Christ has ultimately won, why do we have to fight?

Notes

(See Saturday for authors.)

Without doubt one of the most uneasy areas of the Christian life is what we call the spiritual battle. It is uneasy because of the fearful threat of the devil, who cruises the earth looking for victims: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). Our “ancient foe” has been a threat since Eve “was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,” and he remains active (2 Cor 11:3). He had access to the heavenly council and sought to discredit God by attacking Job (Job 1:6–12). Satan not only tempts individuals but also influences nations (Dan 10:13, 20–21; Rev 20:1–3). This is complicated by the believer’s repeated problems with his or her own temptations. Are these temptations caused, intensified or used by Satan, or are temptations independent of Satan’s activities? We know from James 1:13–15 that God does not tempt us. James does not say, however, that temptation comes instead from Satan; rather it comes from our own “evil desire.” Another passage in Ephesians, 4:26–27, does tell us that the devil can employ a human situation, in this instance anger, to gain a “foothold.” …

Christ himself has gained ultimate victory over all hostile powers in the universe. That means that Paul’s instructions about the spiritual battle are not given as a means by which we gain that ultimate victory. That belongs to Christ himself. … we must apply the result of Christ’s victory in our own lives. The victory of Christ in the supernatural arena must be achieved in our personal lives on earth.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 144a, 111d

Prayer

Give thanks that Christ has gained the ultimate victory.
Pray for the preparation for preaching God’s Word this Lord's Day.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.