Memory Text: Ephesians 6:12 NKJV “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places].”

Sunday, December 11 Finally…the War
Luke 22:31 KJ21 “And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.”
Ephesians 6:10 KJ21 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”
Ephesians 6:10 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY Those who would approve themselves to have true grace must aim at all grace, the whole armour. It is called the armour of God, because he both prepares and bestows it. We have no armour of our own that will be armour of proof in a trying time. Nothing will stand us in stead but the armour of God. This armour is prepared for us, but we must put it on; that is, we must pray for grace, we must use the grace given us, and draw it out into act and exercise as there is occasion. The reason assigned why the Christian should be completely armed is that he may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil--that he may be able to hold out, and to overcome, notwithstanding all the devil's assaults, both of force and fraud, all the deceits he puts upon us, all the snares he lays for us, and all his machinations against us.

Monday, December 12 The Wiles of the Devil
Ephesians 6:11 MKJV “Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Ephesians 6:11 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN No opening at the head, the feet, the heart, the belly, the eye, the ear, or the tongue, is to be given to Satan.
Job 2:9 NRSV “Then his wife said to him, "Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die."”
Zechariah 3:1 NRSV “Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.”
Mark 4:15 NRSV “These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.”
Luke 22:3 NKJV “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.”
2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NKJV “10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also [forgive]. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
1 Thessalonians 2:18 NKJV “Therefore we wanted to come to you——even I, Paul, time and again——but Satan hindered us.”
2 Peter 3:4 MKJV “and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since [the] fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of creation.”
Revelation 12:12 MKJV “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and those tabernacling in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and in the sea! For the Devil came down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a little time.”

Tuesday, December 13 The Enemy We Face
Ephesians 6:12 KJ21 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Ephesians 6:12 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES There is undoubtedly here an allusion to the ancient games of Greece, a part of the exercises in which consisted in wrestling.

Wednesday, December 14 Be Strong In..His Might
Joshua 10:25 ESV “And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.””
Isaiah 35:4 ESV “Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.””
Daniel 10:19 ESV “And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.””
1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Thursday, December 15 Put On…Stand
Ephesians 6:11 ASV “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Matthew 16:24 God’s Word to the Nations “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me.”
Luke 13:24 God’s Word “"Try hard to enter through the narrow door. I can guarantee that many will try to enter, but they won’t succeed.”
Acts 14:22 God’s Word “They strengthened the disciples in these cities and encouraged the disciples to remain faithful. Paul and Barnabas told them, "We must suffer a lot to enter the kingdom of God."”
2 Timothy 2:3 God’s Word “Join me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”
Philippines 4:1 God’s Word “So, brothers and sisters, I love you and miss you. You are my joy and my crown. Therefore, dear friends, keep your relationship with the Lord firm!”
James 5:10-11 God’s Word “10 Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They were patient when they suffered unjustly. 11 We consider those who endure to be blessed. You have heard about Job’s endurance. You saw that the Lord ended Job’s suffering because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”
1 Peter 4:1 God’s Word “Since Christ has suffered physically, take the same attitude that he had. (A person who has suffered physically no longer sins.)”

Friday, December 16 Further Study
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 MKJV “3 For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 5 pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ;”
2 Corinthians 10:3 COMMENTARY BY BARNES He means that in conducting this he was not actuated by worldly views or policy, or by such ambitious and interested aims as controlled the men of this world. This refers primarily to the warfare in which Paul was himself engaged as an apostle; and the idea is, that he went forth as a soldier under the great Captain of his salvation, to fight his battles, and to make conquests for him.