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In the book of Hebrews, we read about Jesus having
been designated a high priest after the order of Melchezidek. Then the author
says that there is much to learn about this, but it is impossible for the
people to learn more because they do not understand the basics.
For although by this time you should be teachers,
you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles
of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food. For
everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for
he is a baby. But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of
use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the
teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection—not
laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God
(Hebrews 5:12-6:1).
Hebrews
5:12 For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to
have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations
of God.
“The rudiments of the first principles” is a
translation of the Greek “stoicheia stoicheia” which is a double emphasis and
means the very basics that form a foundation for knowledge, so that we have the
tools to understand and interpret the truth. In other words, unless we know how
to add, subtract and multiply, we will not be able to do division when it comes
to arithmetic, or for that matter, algebra or geometry.
Alternatively, unless
we know the alphabet, we will not be able to spell or read and write. Likewise,
unless we understand the Ten Commandments, we cannot interpret and fully
understand the truths of God in the rest of the Bible. The very basics is line
upon line or row upon row and is like learning how to count with our fingers,
as in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. When putting a jigsaw puzzle together we need first
to line up the frame, the outline, to help us understand the picture. This is
the milk
Isaiah
28:9-10 Whom will he teach
knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the
milk, and drawn from the breasts? 10 For it is precept on precept, precept on
precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.
.…You
have come to need milk, and not solid food.
1 Peter 2:2
as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may
grow….
It is very difficult for new Christians to realize
that the need to become a baby in their thinking regarding the spiritual realm.
Everyone of us needs to become a baby. Unless this is understood, we cannot
walk in the righteousness of God. We cannot be overcomers. We cannot receive
the complete inheritance that Jesus has bequeathed us.
Acts 26:18 to
open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power
of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance
among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
Ephesians
1:18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is
the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints.
Ephesians
5:5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the
Kingdom of Christ and God.
Colossians
1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light.
Colossians
2:6-8 As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him, 7
rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were
taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving. 8 Be careful that you don’t let anyone
rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,
after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.
Hebrews
5:13 For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of
righteousness, for he is a baby.
Matthew
11:25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and
revealed them to infants.
Matthew
18:3-4 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as
little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Whoever
therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the
Kingdom of Heaven.
John 3:3-7
Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I
tell you, unless one is born anew he can’t see
God’s Kingdom.”4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” 5 Jesus
answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit,
he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom! 6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is
spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
Hebrews
5:14 But solid food is for those who are full-grown, who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
2 Timothy
2:15 Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who
doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.
2 Timothy
3:15-16 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to
make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. 16 Every
Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for instruction in righteousness.
Hebrews 6:1
Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press
on to perfection
Ephesians
5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and
gave himself up for it; 26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the
washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the assembly to
himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it
should be holy and without defect.
1 John 2:6
he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.
1 John
3:8-9 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the
beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the
works of the devil. 9 Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his
seed remains in him; and he can’t sin, because he is born of God.
…not
laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God
Luke 1:77:
to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins…
Hebrews
9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works
to serve the living God?
Galatians
5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual
immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife,
jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envy,
murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you,
even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not
inherit God’s Kingdom.
Romans 3:20
Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For
through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
Romans 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have
known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless
the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
Hebrews
10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins.
Hebrews
10:39-11:1 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of
those who have faith to the saving of the soul. Now faith is assurance of
things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
Hebrews
11:6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who
comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those
who seek him.
Colossians
2:6-8 As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him, 7
rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were
taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving. 8 Be careful that you don’t let anyone
rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,
after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.
The Bible is written so people can continue to grow
in the knowledge of the truth. Contrary to what many seem to think, we grow in
the knowledge of God’s truth only one lesson at a time and this only happens
once we understand the previous lesson. It is easy to think otherwise because
people have been known to memorize much of the Bible. Students of the Torah
have been known to be able to quote the five books of Moses verbatim. Others
have even been said to have memorized the complete Old Testament. Only this
does not guarantee understanding the truths of the Word of God. This can be
compared to people who can read but not comprehend, or a savant memorizing the
names and addresses and telephone numbers of people in an entire city, yet not
knowing them. Growing in the knowledge of the truth requires experiential
understanding not mere conceptualization or academic philosophizing.
For us to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ, this has to be of a devotional nature—experiential and heart-felt. This
is why we read the first verse in chapter six of Hebrews and it informs us
about repentance from dead works. We cannot repent from dead works unless we
genuinely regret what we have done, because we feel sorry with a contrite
heart. We are directing our attention towards the Lord God, and expect to have
the assurance of forgiveness given to us. This is experiential, not
theoretical. Salvation is experiential and this why we read that we need to
have our faculties trained from practice to distinguish right from wrong.
Jesus said that we need to become like children to
enter the kingdom and we will not learn the truths of God unless we are as
babes.
Jesus called a little child to himself, and set
him in the middle of them, and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you
turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom
of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is
the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:2).
At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you,
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and
understanding, and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for so it was
well-pleasing in your sight. All things have been delivered to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father,
except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him. (Matthew
10:25-27).
What this means is Jesus searches the hearts of
every person to see who is acceptable to Him. Only those who are willing to be
humble and acknowledge that they are in need of a teacher to teach them the
truths of life, are acceptable. Unless we realize that just like little
children (babes), we are not able to run, unless we have first learnt how to
stand and keep balance on our feet, there is no way we are going to understand
the truths of God. Understanding the only Ten Words written by the Finger of
God is essential for us to grow in faith and knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Our faculties have to be trained by putting these truths into practice.
Nobody learns skills overnight. Everyone learns
skills by actually practicing what is required to become proficient in those
skills. Most skills are made up of many micro-skills, that are not often taught
as such but are essential to learn before a skill can be recognized as having
been mastered.
In respect to running, we have mentioned balance
and standing, but in order for us to be able to run we have to be able to walk,
to see and to hear. We also have to learn how to move our feet, legs, hands,
breathe correctly, and our muscles have to be strengthened and the skin on our
feet toughened. For most people there
are at least ten prerequisites needed before they are able to run: 1) Move
hands, 2) move legs, 3) move feet, 4) strengthen muscles, 5) eyesight, 6)
crawl, 7) hearing, 8) stand, 9) walk, 10) toughen souls of feet.
We need to become like little children and learn
how to walk in the truths of God, if we are to able to run in the spiritual
realm. Paul said that there is no condemnation to those who walk in the spirit.
Walking in the spirit does not mean lying on the ground in the spirit, but
walking upright. Many claim that Romans, chapter eight, states that the law is
death and the spirit is life. However, you will notice that those who set their
minds on the flesh do not understand the law, because it is spiritual, and
those who walk according the flesh set their minds on that which belongs to
this world and do not submit themselves to the law because they are hostile to
God, and cannot please God (Romans 8:4-8).
The Ten Commandments are the milk of the word, the
beginning of our moral and spiritual life. Unless we know what they are, we can
never know when we are doing wrong. The more thoroughly we understand them,
then the more competent we are to walk in the spiritual realm.
The Ten Commandments are said by many people to be
outdated and done away with and are no longer relevant or applicable today.
If the Ten Commandments are no longer applicable,
does this now, mean that it is all right to murder and steal? Do you like
people stealing from you? Would you like somebody to murder someone you
loved?
“You shall not murder” and “You shall not steal”
are just two of the Ten Commandments. Surely if these two commandments are
still applicable today, the other eight must be also.
The First thing that a Christian needs to understand is that the law is
spiritual. Too many people think the Ten Commandments are not spiritual. They
think that they are just some rules that a man wrote which have no genuine
spiritual value. This could be because many people claim that simple
commonsense tells us that it is wrong to murder someone or to steal from
somebody else. Where is the spiritual
value in what is basically a matter of ethical human behavior?
Unfortunately, many Christians reading the Bible
will tell you that the law is of no value, because, today, Christians are
spiritual and not carnal. Yet Paul, the very Apostle whom most of these
Christians claim states the law has no value, says that the Law is spiritual.
Romans 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual…
In fact, Paul even states that the Jewish Nation
possessed the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law (Romans 2:20).
However there is a distinction to be made between
the term “The Law” being a reference to the Ten Commandments, and when the term
“The Law” refers to what is known as the “ceremonial law” or when the term “The
Law” is a reference to both the Ten Commandments and the ceremonial law. Often
the term “The Law” is a reference to the whole Mosaic Covenant and includes not
only the Ten Commandments and the ceremonial laws, but also other statutes like
not eating off a tree until the fourth year (Leviticus 19:23).
The Law can refer to:
The Ten
Commandments (Matthew 19:17)
The ceremonial
laws of sacrificial offerings (Hebrews 10:1-8)
The
statutes (1 Corinthians 9:9)
The
Prophets (1 Corinthians 14:21)
The
complete Old Testament canon (Romans 2:20)
All that God gave to Moses and the Prophets has
significance for us today. However, what God gave to Moses has greater
significance than what many people realize.
In order to interpret the scriptures correctly, you need to understand
what is written in the five books of Moses. This includes Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Nevertheless when Moses was on the Mt
Horeb, he was not only told by God what to do, he was also shown heavenly
things.
Hebrews
8:5: They serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses
was warned by God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for he said, “See,
you shall make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the
mountain.”
If we are to understand the Heavenly things of
God, we need to understand the Mosaic Covenant. If Moses was given a copy of
what exists in Heaven then it is to your advantage that you learn what they
are. Don’t you agree?
Many people say that there is no need to look into
the Old Testament. What do you think?
Many Christians claim that since Christ died once
for all, the Old Testament is finished and of no value. What do you think?
For whatever was written in the Old Testament was
written for our instruction Do you accept this? Have a look at Romans 15:4.
“For whatever things were written before were
written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of
the Scriptures we might have hope”
When Paul was writing to Timothy about the sacred
writings, he wrote: “But you remain in the things which you have learned and
have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. From infancy,
you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:14-15). To what
writings was he referring? Was he referring to the book of Revelation or the gospel
of John, or the book of Acts, or the Epistle of Peter, or Epistle of Hebrews,
or the Egyptian Book of the Dead, or the Hindu Upanishads, or the Jewish Old
Testament, which includes the five books of Moses and the Prophets?
The following scriptures are quoted from the New
Testament, but they refer to other writings from where they are quoted.
However, these writings are not from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, or
from The Vedas, or from The Bhagavad Gita, or from The Koran,
or from What Confucius Says. When you read “it is written”, where do you
think what is being referred to as “it is written” is to be found?
1
Corinthians 1:19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the
discerning to nothing.” (Isaiah 29:14)
1
Corinthians 1:31 that, according as
it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
1
Corinthians 2:9 But as it is
written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t
enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”
(Isaiah 64:4)
1
Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of
this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise
in their craftiness.” (Job 5:13)
1
Corinthians 4:6 Now these things,
brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes,
that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written,
that none of you be puffed up against one another.
1
Corinthians 6:16 (ESV ) Or do you
not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For,
as it is written, "The two will become one flesh."(Genesis 2:24)
1
Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in
the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.”
Is it for the oxen that God cares? (Deuteronomy 25:4)
1
Corinthians 9:10 or does he say it
assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows
ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.
(Proverbs 12:10; Isaiah 40:11)
1
Corinthians 10:7 Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is
written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” (Exodus
32:4)
1
Corinthians 10:11 Now all these
things happened to them by way of example, (and 2 Tim. 3:14-16) for our
admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. (Psalm
102:18)
1
Corinthians 14:21 In the law it is
written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak
to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord. (Isaiah 28:11)
1
Corinthians 15:54 But when this perishable body will have become
imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is
written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (Isaiah 25:8)
2 Corinthians
4:13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is
written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.”We also believe, and therefore
also we speak; (Psalm 116:10)
2
Corinthians 8:15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left
over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” (Exodus 16:18)
2
Corinthians 9:9 As it is written, “He has scattered abroad, he has given to
the poor. His righteousness remains
forever." (Psalm 112:9)
Galatians
3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it
is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are
written in the book of the law, to do them." (Deuteronomy 27:26)
Galatians
3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse
for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”
(Deuteronomy 21:23;)
Galatians
4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and
one by the free woman. (Genesis 16:2-4,15; 21:1-2,10)
Galatians
4:27 For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you that don’t travail.
For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband.”
(Isaiah 54:1-5)
Hebrews
10:7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is
written of me) to do your will, O God.” (Psalm 40:7-8)
Luke 4:8
Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship
the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’” (Deuteronomy 6:13-15)
Deuteronomy
30:10 if you will obey Yahweh your God’s voice, to keep his commandments
and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if you turn to
Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul.
Psalm 1
is often quoted by people who tell you that you need to meditate the Word of
God. You will find that these people will claim to be NEW TESTAMENT Christians.
They are not Old Testament Christians. They belong to the New Covenant. The Old
Covenant has been done away with.
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in
the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the
seat of scoffers; but his delight is in
Yahweh’s law. On his law he
meditates day and night. He will be
like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its
season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
Yes, the old covenant of sacrificial offerings has
been done away with, once for all. This is very clear. Jesus himself became the
sacrificial offering and covers us for our sins. Jesus died once on behalf of
all. When He died, He who knew no sin actually became sin, so that He might
bequeath to us His life. This is a very legal transaction that took place,
whereby, the Son of God lives on Earth and then bequeaths His inheritance to us
when He dies. When the human Son of God dies on our behalf as a sin offering,
He dies on behalf of the human race to redeem mankind from the reign of the
Evil One. As a consequence of this, the ceremonial offerings of the Law were
nailed to the cross along with all the accusations against mankind, and the
nation of Israel was no longer required to learn about faith towards God through the ceremonial rites. A
new covenant was instituted. However, this new covenant did not mean that sin
ceased to exist. This new covenant was the completion of what the old covenant
could not do, which is to make atonement for sin. Once atonement for sin had
been made, and the death of the righteous Jesus established, His will was then
made known to all of creation. The will of Jesus reads like this:
I, Jesus, born of the
Virgin Mary, have allowed the Devil to capture me and agree to take my life as
a ransom for every human being who has lived, and will live on this Earth,
under his reign. Upon my death, I, Jesus, Son of God, bequeath my right to live
forever to all who believe that I am greater than the Devil and have been
raised from the dead and desire to know me personally; for I am the Lord of
lords and the King of kings.
In fact in the book of Romans we read that in The
Law exists the embodiment of knowledge and truth; that is, the knowledge of
true reality and eternal truths.
Romans 2:20
An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the
embodiment of knowledge and truth (ESV).
Hebrews 10:1
For since the law has but a shadow
of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can
never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make
perfect those who draw near (AMP[i]).
Note what
Romans 7:7 says: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be!
However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have
known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
Romans 3:20
Because by the works of the law, no
flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge
of sin.
Romans 3:20
For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged
acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the
real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [not
mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance,
faith, and holy character] (AMP).
Two things
are evident in the previous scriptures.
1) The
Law is not some natural thing; it is spiritual and comes from God.
2) The
Law leads to salvation.
For the Jews, just like so many people today,
identification was a very important issue. Male circumcision was the means by
which the men liked to identify themselves as being distinctly separate from
the heathen. This was a sign given to Abraham that he was circumcised of heart.
However, it was a sign that every male descendant originating from Abraham was
required to possess, and those who joined with Abraham were required to possess
this sign of identification also. As far as Abraham was concerned circumcision is
the identifying mark of being chosen of God and not Sabbath-keeping.
Circumcision is indisputable. A person is either circumcised or he is not,
there is no argument over whether anyone worked on the Sabbath day by rescuing
an animal in distress or benefitted from the services of someone else’s labor.
Genesis
17:10-14 This is my covenant, which
you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among
you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your
foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you. He who is
eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your
generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any
foreigner who is not of your offspring. He who is born in your house, and he
who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your
flesh for an everlasting covenant. The uncircumcised male who is not
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his
people. He has broken my covenant.”
Genesis
17:23-27 Abraham took Ishmael his
son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money;
every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their
foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.
Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years
old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the same day both
Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised. All the men of his house, those
born in the house, and those bought with money from a foreigner, were
circumcised with him.
1
Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is
nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of
God
Matthew
5:18 For most certainly, I tell you,
until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen
stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are
accomplished.
Isaiah 8:20
Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they don’t speak according to this
word, surely there is no morning for them
The best way to gain the most out of a Bible Study
is for participants to work through the scriptures at a pace that is acceptable
to all the members of the group. Everyone ought to be given the opportunity to
present how he or she sees the scriptures and what they might mean for each
one. There are no accolades from God for
being the first to finish anything, only for humility (Philippians 2:1-8).
When leading this study, it pays to begin with the
introduction and also to read up and be conversant with the context of the
texts and the broader implications of what they may mean. This way you are able
to serve the other participants with better guidance. It is imperative to the
success of each fellowship group that those leading understand this is about
upholding the Royal Law of God and not human legalism. Mercy triumphs over
judgment. Blessed are the merciful.
As you continue in this Bible Study, take your
time and prayerfully seek the truth of the Milk of God’s Word. Every person who
completes this study in a group (it takes around twenty-six weeks of two hour
discussion in groups of three to six) is truly fortified within. Indeed when we
become stronger in the spiritual realm then we find it easier to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians
6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood,
but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers
of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in
the heavenly places. 13 Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may
be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand
therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and
having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having fitted your feet
with the preparation of the Good News of peace; 16 above all, taking up the
shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery 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 with all prayer and requests, praying at all times
in the Spirit.
[i] AMP Amplified Bible Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962,
1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.
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