Bible Study Lessons

Church of the Living God

Bible Study Lesson

Presenter: Overseer Ennis F. Tait

 

Date:   Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Series: Spiritual Warfare

Reference Scripture:  Romans 5:1-5

Today’s Discussion:    “Power Up!”

If things don’t workout the way we envision, we tend to give up on whatever it is we’re trying to accomplish.  So many believers have started on this journey to spiritual maturity.  Unfortunately, not everyone has the “will” to finish their course.   The difficulty of the journey can either discourage or inspire the believer. (Read: Galatians 6:9)

·         Weary – [ek-kak-eh-o] – to be (bad or) weak; to fail (in heart)

·         Reap – [ther-id-zo] – to harvest (in the sense of the crop) – theros/thero – to heat, i.e. summer

·         Faint – [ek-loo-o] – to relax

The lesson aim is to encourage believers to walk, live and flow in the transforming power of Jesus Christ. More importantly, we must be willing to embrace, confront and overcome the challenges associated with God’s army of believers. We have been chosen by God to build HIS kingdom. (Read: II Timothy 2:3-4)

Paul says Jesus was “raised again for our justification”.  Justification - [dik-ah'-yo-sis]

is defined as “the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law”.  Paul uses this passage of scripture to open the way for the “believer’s walk of faith”. In addition Paul provides the believer with an outline for a life of joy.  There are several spiritual blessings in the text that Paul uses to empower each believer to stay on course:

·         Peace with God – we are declared righteous by God, thereby cancelling out condemnation (Reference: John 3:16-18)

·         Access to God – we must breakdown the spiritual barriers that prohibit believers from having a healthy relationship with God (Reference: Ephesians 2:4-8)

·         Glorious Hope – Because of Christ we have the opportunity to live a life of joy (Reference: Romans 8:24-28)

·         Christian Character – the experiences we will have and the challenges we will face are designed to make us stronger. (Reference: John 16:33)

·         God’s Love – provides strength, comfort, power and direction (Reference: I Corinthians 13:4-8a)

James presents his revelatory exposition of the believer’s journey to a life of joy in James 1:2-4 – “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (KJV)