SWORDS Bible Study Part 2 Victorious Living

By Mari

This week is more about the battle in which we are engaged and how to live VICTORIOUSLY through it!

We understand by faith that having trusted in the word of God we are saved and sealed eternally. The very GOOD news we live in!

We understand by faith that we await the redemption of our body!

Rom_8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

So on to the crux of the matter.  Why were we left here on earth in this body instead of instantly transported to our home in heaven?

It sounds pretty scary to stick around and fight a SPIRITUAL battle that rages around us, doesn’t it?

It also seems foreign to fight in a realm in which we cannot see the enemy, and for some believers it is even worse, as there is not much taught today that this realm even exists.  We know it does because as we have seen in the word of God that the Lord gives us armour for the SPIRITUAL battle we are told we are in! Read again Ephesians 6:10-20!

You see, God NEVER tells us something for nothing.  He does not leave us here in an evil, fallen world, though saved and sealed in the Spirit of God without a good reason!

It is necessary that we know we are in the Lord and as such a new creature in Christ, a member of the body of Christ, the church and are no longer our own. We are to walk forward in Christ to be victorious here!

We see that He gave us armor to equip us for a SPIRITUAL battle.

He gave us the completed word of God so that we would take it up and LIVE in it as well as take the gospel of the grace of God to others, which they may hear and also believe.

He gave us specific instructions, promising to work in us, and it is up to us to put His working in us into effect!  He doesn’t tell us the following for nothing:

1Co_6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Because our bodies belong to Him, we are to strive not to sin in the body, to avoid evil, even the APPEARANCE of evil! (ITh.5:22).

Our mind is no longer our own either.  We NOW have the mind of Christ presented to us in the Scriptures…

1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

…and we must learn to think the way He thinks about things!  We are not to be vain in our minds and allow our minds to pursue what is not of God. Else we are subject to a feeble, worldly mind without any strength of character or clarity of thought!  We are to be strong in GRACE DOCTRINE; THIS is how we gird up our mind in truth (Eph.6:14)!

It is no longer our right to think about things any way we want!  Our mind is to reflect His mind, His way of thinking.  This is why we are told to think on CERTAIN things.  We are not told to think on, settle into if you will, our woes and discomforts, or the problems of the day; we are not to allow thoughts like that to eat away at our time.  We are told to REDEEM the time!

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

We are told HOW to have a stable and peaceful mind, what to think on, the word of God, and the things of Php 4:8!

Our emotions are not left up to us either!  We are told that if we are careful for nothing, but pray about everything, with thanksgiving letting God know our requests…then the peace of God will guard our hearts (emotions) and minds:

Php_4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

But if we do not live as Christ has given us direction in this area, if we worry and fret instead of pray, we will be confused, not having our life with and in Him, not having His peace. I can testify to the grief of not guarding one’s heart!

If you are willing to deny yourself the propensity to constant worry, to fret and dwell in the issues and the problems of this life, instead pray and make your requests known to God, then you will be able to “hear” Christ in His word over what can be a din of unbalanced emotions!

Do you know why a soldier was called a “G.I.” in World War II?  “G.I.” stands for “Government Issue.”  You see, the government didn’t just issue the soldier his gun, his helmet, his boots, etc., the soldier HIMSELF was Government Issue!  In the same way, WE as ambassadors of Christ are issued by the government of heaven, for the spiritual battle in which we are to be engaged against Satan’s unseen host spiritually battling against us on earth.  WE are to be involved in a ministry for the praise of God and for others to know truth, the doctrines of God rightly divided.

Our body, our mind, our soul are the Lords.

We are commanded to study His word! To show OURSELVES approved unto God.  A workman that will not ever be ashamed. We are to rightly divide the word of truth!

2Ti_2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

We should understand CLEARLY WHO we are in Christ.  How do we get this knowledge? From the word of God rightly divided!

We are His children, His heirs and joint-heirs with Christ, His ambassadors, His soldiers, a workman who is not ashamed!

Rom_8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom_8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

2Co_5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

2Ti_2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2Ti_2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

 

We should understand CLEARLY WHAT our mission is.

Our mission is the ministry of reconciliation to the lost, and even to those who may be saved…but do not know what IS the fellowship of the mystery.

 2Co_5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Eph4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

 

We should understand CLEARLY WHEN our mission is activated.

The moment we heard the gospel and believed!

Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

 

We should understand WHY we have been given this ministry of reconciliation between God and man.

He saved us and called us with an holy calling, NOT according to our works, but according to HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE. He has given this ministry of reconciliation to His SAINTS…WE who have believed the gospel of the grace of God. (1 Cor 15:1-4) He has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! Those who believe the gospel of the grace of God as revealed to the Apostle Paul, which is the preaching of the risen Jesus Christ from Heaven. We have been stablished in this gospel of grace.  We have been stablished in Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.

Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

 

We should understand CLEARLY TO WHOM the message is to be given.

Which is NOT only to the lost, but ALSO to the saved who are not taught about the fellowship of the mystery.

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

 

We should understand CLEARLY IN WHAT WAY the gospel of the grace of God is given to others, which is in Christ, through the word of God in charity and love, faithfully and with boldness.  It is never in haranguing, shaming, anger or in disgust for another’s lack of knowledge.

We should understand that we are no longer our own. We were bought with a price! We are His messengers today to a lost world! We give the message and God works in them, just as he has in us who will believe.

Together lets “war a good warfare,” SWORDS, not putting away faith or a good conscience!

1Co_6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Ti 1:18-19 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

 

To believe God and to be His ambassador in an evil, fallen world, using the tools and instructions God has freely given us means living a VICTORIOUS life in HIM!

Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Gal_2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

Stand for the truth of God’s word.  Stand for what God has told us saves us today.  Study the epistles, Romans through Philemon, given by the risen Christ to our Apostle (Paul) to the Gentiles (us). Be a good soldier, an ambassador for Christ. Do not be taken in by an angel of light or his transformed ministers of light who want you confused and mixed up in wrong doctrine that will NOT save any one.

We walk by faith today, not by sight.  Trust God and His ways.

We will conclude this study next week.

 

The Gospel of the Grace of God by which you are SAVED: 1Co 15:1-4 I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you…By which also ye are saved…How that Christ died for our sins…And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: