Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally,bestrongintheLordandinhismightypower.PutonthefullarmorofGodsothatyoucantake

yourstandagainstthedevil’sschemes.Forourstruggleisnotagainstfleshandblood,butagainsttherulers,againsttheauthorities,againstthe

powersofthisdarkworldandagainstthespiritualforcesofevilinthe

heavenlyrealms.

ThereforeputonthefullarmorofGod,sothatwhenthedayofevilcomes,youmaybeabletostandyourground,andafteryouhavedoneeverything,to

stand.Standfirmthen,withthebeltoftruthbuckledaroundyourwaist,withthebreastplateofrighteousnessinplace,andwithyourfeetfittedwiththereadinessthatcomesfromthe

gospelofpeace.

Inadditiontoallthis,takeuptheshieldoffaith,withwhichyoucan

extinguishalltheflamingarrowsoftheevilone.TakethehelmetofsalvationandtheswordoftheSpirit,whichis

thewordofGod.AndprayintheSpiritonalloccasionswithallkindsofprayersandrequests.Withthisinmind,bealertandalwayskeepon

prayingforallthesaints.

The Third Piece of the Armor

The Belt of Truth

Exodus28:6-8“Maketheephodofgold,andofblue,purpleandscarletyarn,andoffinelytwistedlinen—theworkofaskilledcraftsman.Itistohavetwoshoulderpiecesattachedtotwoofitscorners,soitcanbefastened.Itsskillfully

wovenwaistbandistobelikeit—ofonepiecewiththeephodandmadewithgold,andwithblue,purpleandscarletyarn,andwithfinelytwisted

linen.”

Exodus28:15“Fashionabreastpieceformaking

decisions.”

Exodus28:29-30“WheneverAaronenterstheHolyPlace,hewillbearthenamesofthesonsofIsraeloverhisheartonthe

breastpieceofdecisionasacontinuingmemorialbeforetheLORD.

AlsoputtheUrimandtheThummiminthebreastpiece,sotheymaybeoverAaron’sheartwheneverheentersthepresenceoftheLORD.ThusAaronwillalwaysbearthemeansofmakingdecisionsfortheIsraelitesoverhisheartbeforetheLORD.”“WheneverAaronenterstheHolyPlace,hewillbearthenamesofthesonsofIsraeloverhisheartonthebreastpieceofdecisionasacontinuingmemorial

beforetheLORD.

Leviticus8:7-8HeputthetuniconAaron,tiedthe

sasharoundhim,clothedhimwiththerobeandputtheephodonhim.Healsotiedtheephodtohimbyits

skillfullywovenwaistband;soitwasfastenedonhim.Heplacedthe

breastpieceonhimandputtheUrimandThummiminthebreastpiece.

Exodus12:11Thisishowyouaretoeatit:withyour

cloaktuckedintoyourbelt,yoursandalsonyourfeetandyourstaffinyourhand.Eatitinhaste;itisthe

LORD’sPassover.

John14:6“Iamthewayandthetruthandthelife.NoonecomestotheFather

exceptthroughme.

John8:31-32Jesussaid,“Ifyouholdtomyteaching,youarereallymydisciples.Thenyouwillknowthetruth,andthetruthwill

setyoufree.”

E-STOPEXAMINEYOURSALVATION

SEARCHYOURHEARTTESTYOURTHOUGHTSOP

1. Understandtheenormoustaskofthinking

correctly.

Proverbs17:28Evenafoolisthoughtwise

ifhekeepssilent,anddiscerningifheholdshistongue.

PASSAGE QUESTION

Matthew18:12Whatdoyouthink?

Matthew21:18Whatdoyouthink?

Matthew22:42Whatdoyouthink?

Matthew26:66Whatdoyouthink?

John11:56 Whatdoyouthink?

Luke5:22Jesusknewwhattheywerethinkingandasked,“Whyareyouthinking

thesethingsinyourhearts?

Luke6:8ButJesusknewwhattheywere

thinking;

Luke8:47Thenthewoman,seeingthatshecouldnotgounnoticed,cametremblingandfellathisfeet.Inthepresenceofallthepeople,shetoldwhyshehadtouchedhimandhowshehadbeeninstantly

healed.

Luke11:17Jesusknewtheirthoughtsandsaidtothem:“Anykingdomdividedagainstitselfwillberuined(Otherpassagesinthegospelssaythesamething.

1 My neighbor will not respond tothegospelifIgiveit…

2. Becauseofthefall,ourthoughtsarepronetoevil.

Genesis6:5-6TheLORDsawhowgreatman’s

wickednessontheearthhadbecome,andthateveryinclinationofthethoughtsofhisheartwasonlyevilallthetime.TheLORDwasgrievedthathehadmademanontheearth,andhisheartwasfilledwithpain.

Genesis18:12SoSarahlaughedtoherselfasshethought,“AfterIamwornoutandmymasterisold,willInowhave

thispleasure?”

Genesis19:14SoLotwentoutandspoketohissons-in-law,whowerepledgedtomarryhisdaughters.Hesaid,

“Hurryandgetoutofthisplace,becausetheLORDisabouttodestroythecity!”Buthissons-in-lawthoughthe

wasjoking.

3. Wrongthoughtsinevitablyleadtowrongbehaviorthatresults

indevastatingconsequences.

1Samuel13:11-12“Whathaveyoudone?”asked

Samuel.Saulreplied,“WhenIsawthatthemenwerescattering,andthatyoudidnotcomeatthesettime,andthatthePhilistineswereassemblingatMicmash,Ithought,‘Nowthe

PhilistineswillcomedownagainstmeatGilgal,andIhavenotsoughttheLORD’sfavor.’SoIfeltcompelledto

offertheburntoffering.”

1Samuel13:13-14“Youactedfoolishly,”Samuelsaid.

“YouhavenotkeptthecommandtheLORDyourGodgaveyou;ifyouhad,

hewouldhaveestablishedyourkingdomoverIsraelforalltime.But

nowyourkingdomwillnotendure;theLORDhassoughtoutamanafterhis

ownheartandappointedhimleaderofhispeople,becauseyouhavenotkept

theLORD’scommand.”

1Samuel18:8-9Saulwasveryangry;thisrefrain

galledhim.“TheyhavecreditedDavidwithtensofthousands,”hethought,“butmewithonlythousands.Whatmorecanhegetbutthekingdom?”AndfromthattimeonSaulkepta

jealouseyeonDavid.

2Chronicles20:22-23InhistimeoftroubleKingAhaz

becameevenmoreunfaithfultotheLORD.HeofferedsacrificestothegodsofDamascus,whohaddefeatedhim;forhethought,“SincethegodsofthekingsofAramhavehelpedthem,Iwillsacrificetothemsotheywillhelpme.”Buttheywerehisdownfallandthe

downfallofallIsrael.

1 True False Myneighborwillnot respond to thegospelifIgiveit…

4. Wearemorepowerfulthanourthoughtsandhavetheauthoritytoruleover

them.

A. Labelyourthoughts.

PASSAGE LABELANXIOUSTHOUGHT PSALM139:23EVILTHOUGHT GENESIS6:5;MATTHEW9:4TROUBLEDTHOUGHT JOB20:2;PSALM55:2;DANIEL7:25WICKEDTHOUGHT DEUTERONOMY15:9TERRIFYINGTHOUGHT DANIEL4:19FUTILETHOUGHT ROMANS1:21WHOLESOMETHOUGHT 2PETER1:3DOUBTFUL LUKE24:38RENEWED ROMANS12:2DECEIVED ROMANS16:18UNFRUITFUL 1CORINTHIANS14:14DULL 2CORINTHIANS3:14BLINDED 2CORINTHIANS4:4PEACEFUL PHILIPPIANS4:7CORRUPT 1TIMOTHY6:5DEPRAVED 2TIMOTHY3:8DOUBLE-MINDED JAMES1:8CLEAR-MINDED JAMES4:7

2Corinthians10:3-5Forthoughweliveintheworld,wedonotwagewarastheworlddoes.Theweaponswefightwitharenotthe

weaponsoftheworld.Onthecontrary,theyhavedivinepowertodemolishstrongholds.Wedemolishargumentsandeverypretensionthatsetsitselfup

againsttheknowledgeofGod,andwetakecaptiveevery

thoughttomakeitobedienttoChrist.

1 True False Myneighborwillnot respond to thegospelifIgiveit…

Deceived

B. Redirectyourthoughtstotruth.

Matthew3:9Donotthinkyoucansayto

yourselves,‘WehaveAbrahamasourfather.’ItellyouthatoutofthesestonesGodcanraiseupchildrenfor

Abraham.

Matthew5:17DonotthinkthatIhavecometo

abolishtheLawortheProphets;Ihavenotcometoabolishthem

buttofulfillthem.

Matthew10:34DonotthinkthatIhavecometo

bringpeacetotheearth.Ihavenotcometobringpeace,

butasword.

Matthew26:53DoyouthinkIcannotcallonmyFather,andhewill

atonceputatmydisposalmorethantwelvelegions

ofangels.

Isaiah55:7Letthewickedforsakehiswayandtheevilman

histhoughts.

1 True False Myneighborwillnot respond to thegospelifIgiveit…

Deceived

Ezekiel2:12ThenIturnedmythoughtsto

considerwisdom.

1 True False My neighbor will not respond to thegospelifIgiveit…

Deceived

TURNTOTRUTH

My neighbor needs Jesus and I mustshareHimwithher;I’mnotresponsiblefortheresults

TRUTH

C. Resetyourmind.

Colossians3:2Setyourmindsonthingsabove,

notonearthlythings.

Hebrews3:1Therefore,holybrothers,whoshareintheheavenlycalling,fixyourthoughtsonJesus,theapostleandhighpriest

whomweconfess.

Romans12:1-2Therefore,Iurgeyou,brothers,inviewofGod’smercy,toofferyourbodiesaslivingsacrifices,holyand

pleasingtoGod—thisisyourspiritualactofworship.Donotconformany

longertothepatternofthisworld,butbetransformedbytherenewingof

yourmind.ThenyouwillbeabletotestandapprovewhatGod’swillis—hisgood,pleasingandperfectwill.