Element Christian Church
Ephesians Week 22 - The Unseen Realm
Locations & Times
Element Christian Church
4890 Bethany Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93455, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Welcome to Element
We strive to ensure the biggest thing people think when they hear about Element is Jesus! We are a Gospel centered community who finds our identity in Jesus.
Youth (Grades 6-12) Ravine Park Trip
All 6th-12th graders are invited to go with our youth leaders to the Ravine Waterpark on July 9th! Sign ups required to ensure we have enough seat belts! See full details and reserve your child's spot at the link below.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/756461Firework Fundraiser
Help send students to camp by shopping at our Fireworks Booth beginning June 29th. Want to help even more??? Sign up to work in the booth at the link below.
https://ourelement.org/contact-us/Pumpkin Planting
We need help planting pumpkins for our annual Pumpkin Killin' event! We will be planting Tuesday or Wednesday of this week depending on when the land is available. Email Sarah.McCool@ourelement.org if you can help!
Outback Rock CTV kicks off WEDNESDAY
All details for our upcoming 'Change Their View' family event can be found at the link below:
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/733380Missions Newletter Update
Get the latest on the various local and global ministries Element helps support.
https://ourelement.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024_Spring_MissionsUpdate.pdfStart serving at Element
If you are looking for a way to meet more people at Element or feel more connected, one of the easiest ways is to start serving. From once a month for 15 minutes, to helping in our classrooms for a longer time, we have needs to fit your gifts.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/395779Download the Church Center App
Stay in the loop with Element's calendar of events, group sign ups, online giving, and other links all in one app!
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/setupThis week's song list
Interested in looking for some of the songs we sang this week? Here's the titles and original artists:
Way Maker - Leeland
The Lord Our God - Kristian Stanfill
Through the Darkness - Ryan Delmore
Great Are You Lord - All Sons & Daughters
Forever Reign - Hillsong Worship
Glorious Day - Passion
Way Maker - Leeland
The Lord Our God - Kristian Stanfill
Through the Darkness - Ryan Delmore
Great Are You Lord - All Sons & Daughters
Forever Reign - Hillsong Worship
Glorious Day - Passion
Ephesians: Week 22
The Unseen Realm
As Paul rounds out the book of Ephesians, he ends with the word “finally.” He has one more thing of vital importance he wants to tell the Ephesians (and by extension, us): Eph 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
The Unseen Realm
As Paul rounds out the book of Ephesians, he ends with the word “finally.” He has one more thing of vital importance he wants to tell the Ephesians (and by extension, us): Eph 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Read Ephesians 6:10-13.
• When you think of spiritual warfare, what comes to mind?
• How do you view the spiritual world?
• Does it bring you hope, confusion, uncertainty, and/or fear?
Sometimes people think the “spiritual world” is a myth because it is something we cannot readily see (even though we do experience it). It is a bit like microbes and germs; for many years (before telescopes), people didn’t understand cross-contamination because they couldn’t see germs. Now we know that something our eyes don’t see has a tremendous effect on our health. In the same way, we don’t see the spiritual plane, but it can and does have an effect in our world.
• How have you seen the spiritual world affect this physical world?
• How does a Biblical worldview shape our response to systemic evil in the world?
• Where are you tempted to think Satan/evil forces have more power than they actually do?
Paul wrestled against flesh and blood, but realized that he didn’t wrestle only against flesh and blood. Paul does not say that every instance of evil is caused by “the devil,” but in many cases, there is something larger and more powerful at work.
Error 1: Failing to recognize the spiritual world is there - The people of Ephesus had no trouble believing in demons; they were very superstitious. We tend to have the opposite problem and have a hard time believing in spiritual forces.
• The Bible presents them as real. Jesus spent His ministry dealing with demons on certain occasions.
• We can see the effects of the spiritual world in our world.
In Ephesians 6:11 Paul calls them the devil’s schemes. What does a schemer do? They deceive. What scheme does the devil have? He corrupts our doctrine with a self-centered “gospel”; he tries to convince us that we are right and our pride isn’t really pride.
• In what ways do you see the enemy’s deception at work?
• Where do you find yourself falling into a self-centered mindset?
• How does the Gospel challenge that mindset?
Error 2: Engaging wrongly – V11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. There are 2 types armor: defensive and offensive. If we go to war, then Jesus’ strength must be the strength in our life. We don’t need to focus on demons, let the Gospel saturate every part of our lives.
• How does it feel to know God has provided the armor for spiritual warfare?
• Are there areas in which you feel weakness/struggle in your life? How does trust in Jesus give you strength?
• How can your community remind one another of the strength and confidence found in Jesus?
Going back to Paul’s metaphor of darkness and light, we see that darkness is combated by turning the light on. Jesus has already come as the light of the world. The weapons of warfare are simple: faith (trust) in the Gospel. That is why Paul gives the imagery of armor; let the reminders of the Gospel be all over us—our head, our heart, our waist, and our hands.
• When you think of spiritual warfare, what comes to mind?
• How do you view the spiritual world?
• Does it bring you hope, confusion, uncertainty, and/or fear?
Sometimes people think the “spiritual world” is a myth because it is something we cannot readily see (even though we do experience it). It is a bit like microbes and germs; for many years (before telescopes), people didn’t understand cross-contamination because they couldn’t see germs. Now we know that something our eyes don’t see has a tremendous effect on our health. In the same way, we don’t see the spiritual plane, but it can and does have an effect in our world.
• How have you seen the spiritual world affect this physical world?
• How does a Biblical worldview shape our response to systemic evil in the world?
• Where are you tempted to think Satan/evil forces have more power than they actually do?
Paul wrestled against flesh and blood, but realized that he didn’t wrestle only against flesh and blood. Paul does not say that every instance of evil is caused by “the devil,” but in many cases, there is something larger and more powerful at work.
Error 1: Failing to recognize the spiritual world is there - The people of Ephesus had no trouble believing in demons; they were very superstitious. We tend to have the opposite problem and have a hard time believing in spiritual forces.
• The Bible presents them as real. Jesus spent His ministry dealing with demons on certain occasions.
• We can see the effects of the spiritual world in our world.
In Ephesians 6:11 Paul calls them the devil’s schemes. What does a schemer do? They deceive. What scheme does the devil have? He corrupts our doctrine with a self-centered “gospel”; he tries to convince us that we are right and our pride isn’t really pride.
• In what ways do you see the enemy’s deception at work?
• Where do you find yourself falling into a self-centered mindset?
• How does the Gospel challenge that mindset?
Error 2: Engaging wrongly – V11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. There are 2 types armor: defensive and offensive. If we go to war, then Jesus’ strength must be the strength in our life. We don’t need to focus on demons, let the Gospel saturate every part of our lives.
• How does it feel to know God has provided the armor for spiritual warfare?
• Are there areas in which you feel weakness/struggle in your life? How does trust in Jesus give you strength?
• How can your community remind one another of the strength and confidence found in Jesus?
Going back to Paul’s metaphor of darkness and light, we see that darkness is combated by turning the light on. Jesus has already come as the light of the world. The weapons of warfare are simple: faith (trust) in the Gospel. That is why Paul gives the imagery of armor; let the reminders of the Gospel be all over us—our head, our heart, our waist, and our hands.