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Session 2 – Week 3: Sword of the Spirit - Meditation
Ephesians 6:10-‐18 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:10-‐18 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Mighty Men & their Weapons • • • • •
Become Fully Equipped Understand the Armor, Weapons, and Mission Develop Effective Pratices Stand and Fight Spiritual Battles His Goal: Seek and Save the Lost
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-‐edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Defense but also Offense • Not only survive the attack of the enemy • But also – subdue the enemy – stop oppression – rescue the captives – set people free – win the war for men’s souls
Revelation 1:12-‐18 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
Revelation 1:12-‐18 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-‐ edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
The Catch
We must internalize what our Lord has said
Scripture Meditation Allowing the Word of God to be changed from a book into the Sword of the Spirit in our lives through meditating on it. But how?
Visualizing Obedience Psalm 119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Psalm 1:1-‐3 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
God’s Self-‐Revelation Meditation is focusing our minds on the person and self-‐revelation of God so that he might make himself known to us, to speak to us while we listen, and to change us while we are willing, and to prepare us to carry out his purpose. Psalm 48:9 “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.”
Joshua 1:7-‐9 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Our Problem: Work Bias What do our cultural idols say? • There is no substitute for hard work.
-‐ Thomas A. Edison • Leaders aren't born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.
-‐ Vince Lombardi
We Know There’s a Problem • We don't think about pilgrimage in this country. We don't think about meditation. The idea of taking a six-‐week walk is totally foreign to most Americans. But it's probably exactly what we need. -‐ Emilio Estevez • At the end of the day, I can end up just totally wacky, because I've made mountains out of molehills. With meditation, I can keep them as molehills. -‐ Ringo Starr
Three Types of Prayer • Verbal – spoken conversation with God • Meditative – internalizing God’s Word and listening to the Spirit • Contemplative – silently enjoying God’s Love Half an hour's meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed. -‐ Saint Francis de Sales
Lectio Divina – Divine Reading 1. Read – slow and gradual reading of the scriptural passage, perhaps several times 2. Meditate –focus on a specific topic or passage or phrase listening to the inner message of the Scripture delivered through the Holy Spirit, allowing the written word to become the Living Word that is applied to the heart and life of the listener
Lectio Divina – Divine Reading 3. Pray – talk with God about what the passage is saying; listen for any instructions from Him for action you should take 4. Contemplate – outward silence with inward expression of love for God, using words as kindling for the fire of that love, not a fine speech given to God
Lectio Divina – John 15:9-‐17 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit— fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
Questions for Discussion 1. Which part of John 15 9-‐17 were you drawn to focus upon during reading? 2. If you are able to share it, what did the Lord prompt in you from that passage during meditation? 3. What sense of God’s love or character did you gain from the passage? 4. Where in your schedule might you make room to do this more often?