Need Help with YA Talk on Spiritual Warfare

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YEARNING4TRUTH

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I am going to do a talk about “spiritual warfare” this Thursday night, and I just needed help with some things:
  1. I’m trying to look for a good commentary on Ephesians 6 concerning the Armor of God.
    I’m having a hard time giving an explanation of each piece of the Armor and what to do
    with it, like “girding your loins with truth” or putting on the helmet of salvation, I mean,
    what is the helmet of salvation in the first place or what does shodding your feet with the
    Gospel of peace mean? You know, things like that. I’m just having a hard time
    understanding what they’re all about.
  2. Any additional sub-topics that you gents and ladies think might be good to include in my
    talk.
Thanks and God bless 👍​
 
It seems like a positive book. It stresses how we are not alone, we have help from the saints, angels, the Blessed Mother.

It is important that everyone believes that Satan does exist and is active but not to be terrified. God is way more powerful and on our side.

If you wish you could distribute inexpensive St. Benedict or St. Michael the Archangel medals to the class.
 
If I am to give this talk I would use four main elements as defense against the attack, trickery and temptation of the Evil One:
• Prayers
• Word of God
• God and heavenly creatures
• Sacraments.

The fourth may raise your eyebrow because very often we are influenced by Protestants ways of doing it. But remember that they do not have the Sacraments and thus miss out on its efficacy.

Prayers are essential simply because Jesus said so. The reason why the disciple could not deliver demon was because they did not pray enough; and if they did they did not do it together with fasting.

You can invoke the precious blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross to cover you against the Evil One. That should be a powerful prayer because he was defeated on Calvary.

St Paul said to pray unceasingly. When you have a project or endeavor that is what you should do. If you are in a group, to activate 24 hours chain prayer. It is like barb wire where enemy cannot enter in.

The word of God is truth. Use that to deflect Satan’s lies. Jesus did that when he encountered the Devil when fasted in the desert.

Call upon the name of Jesus. Make use of the intercession of Mother Mary, angels and saints. Remember Mary was the woman who crushed the head of the serpent. Remind Satan of that when you ask Mary to intercede.

And Sacraments. The Eucharist and Confession are perfect foils to Evil’s attack because you are healthy by the nourishment of Jesus Christ and free from sins in Confession.

As for Ephesians 6, they are quite self-explanatory. St. Paul uses allegories but the main requirements are simple which are from verse 14-18.

The armors are:
Truth (belt) – Like a belt, truth will secure you.

Righteousness (breastplate) – When you are righteous and free from sin, it is like a breastplate – you will be protected in your vulnerable part – the heart.

Gospel (feet, where you stand on as your foundation) - Jesus is the cornerstone, and when He is your foundation, your house will not crumble.

Faith (shield) – Your faith will deflect the arrows of the Evil One which he aims at you. His trick and temptation will not hurt you.

Salvation (helmet) – We are certain of our salvation brought about by Jesus on the cross. It is like a helmet that protects our head. We will not die nor stumble.

Word of God (Sword of the Spirit) – God’s word is the sword of the Spirit. Like a sword it kills the attacker. Remember that God is bigger than Satan; the Holy Spirit gives us power to prevail but more so, to be conquerors.

And prayers and alertness. Pray whenever you think you are being attacked by the enemy or in vulnerable situation.

You may want to add community as a castle that protects you against the army of the enemy. The prayer of a group of holy people in your church or community is strong. It is like a strong wall which Satan unable to breach.

If you can expound on that, your forty minutes or so would be used up.

Good luck.

Reuben
 
Remember that the Armor of God is not necessary to “defeat” Satan, as Christ’s Passion, death and resurrection has *already *defeated him.

We need to “put on Christ” (or, the “full armor of God”) in our lives to protect us from doing Satan’s will in our lives. He can only trick, manipulate or scare us into losing the daily victory Jesus already won for us in His cross. The Armor of God is Christ in us, over us and upon us, given by His grace through our/the Faith.

We can pray with confidence “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” because we know the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against us. We are Children of the Kingdom/Light, “a royal priesthood, holy nation” (1 Peter) whose job is to destroy the works of the Devil and his Kingdom of Darkness, claiming territory for the Kingdom of Light–both in ourselves and the world around us.

St. Paul says (Galatians 3:26-7), “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have *clothed yourselves *with Christ…”

And, St. Peter declares (1Peter 2:9), “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

And (Philippians 2:15), “That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
 
may_they_be_one said:
Remember that the Armor of God is not necessary to “defeat” Satan, as Christ’s Passion, death and resurrection has *already *defeated him.

We need to “put on Christ” (or, the “full armor of God”) in our lives to protect us from doing Satan’s will in our lives. He can only trick, manipulate or scare us into losing the daily victory Jesus already won for us in His cross. The Armor of God is Christ in us, over us and upon us, given by His grace through our/the Faith.

We can pray with confidence “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” because we know the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against us. We are Children of the Kingdom/Light, “a royal priesthood, holy nation” (1 Peter) whose job is to destroy the works of the Devil and his Kingdom of Darkness, claiming territory for the Kingdom of Light–both in ourselves and the world around us.

St. Paul says (Galatians 3:26-7), “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have *clothed yourselves *with Christ…”

And, St. Peter declares (1Peter 2:9), “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

And (Philippians 2:15), “That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
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That’s really good (name removed by moderator)ut actually. Christ has already won against satan and The Armor of God is just used for protecting us against satan. Thanks, I’ll be sure to mention that in my talk.
 
So I’m struggling to understand why someone who doesn’t understand Ephesians 6 and has to come here to ask other people to explain it to them is the one getting up and giving a talk on this topic…

Seems like maybe your priest would be a better candidate to give the talk. Or someone with more background in theology, scripture, and doctrine. Has your pastor given you the OK to conduct such a talk?

Random suggestions from people here at CAF, who also hold no credentials, may not be the best way to go.
 
1ke said:
So I’m struggling to understand why someone who doesn’t understand Ephesians 6 and has to come here to ask other people to explain it to them is the one getting up and giving a talk on this topic…

Seems like maybe your priest would be a better candidate to give the talk. Or someone with more background in theology, scripture, and doctrine. Has your pastor given you the OK to conduct such a talk?

Random suggestions from people here at CAF, who also hold no credentials, may not be the best way to go.
Click to expand...
Depends on what the talk is and to whom. When I saw this thread, considering the OP is asking for (name removed by moderator)ut on the topic, the subject is probably that he/they have already known and heard, and that he is giving it to small group/worskshop within the church. If that’s the case, it would be more like group sharing and it is good for the speaker as well, since he too can learn while giving the talk.

It does not always to be a priest every time and people with credentials. How do you know they don’t? It is just that they do not tell you.

I think you give a very negative comment that could possibly pour cold water on this person who wants to do good things.

Many of the materials on such topics are all over the internet. Anybody can look for them. Asking people for their opinion and (name removed by moderator)ut does not necessarily for the him to be ignorant or that when given advice, for him to accept them all.

There is nothing wrong to ask.
 
Hello, I just wanted to inform all of you that the talk was a success. Thank you for all the feedback and (name removed by moderator)ut you have all provided. God bless and please keep me and my group in your prayers as I keep each and every one of you in my prayers.
 
YEARNING4TRUTH said:
Hello, I just wanted to inform all of you that the talk was a success. Thank you for all the feedback and (name removed by moderator)ut you have all provided. God bless and please keep me and my group in your prayers as I keep each and every one of you in my prayers.
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Praise God! And thank you for the prayers! Hope you get to do a lot more for your parish in the future…
1ke said:
So I’m struggling to understand why someone who doesn’t understand Ephesians 6 and has to come here to ask other people to explain it to them is the one getting up and giving a talk on this topic…

Seems like maybe your priest would be a better candidate to give the talk. Or someone with more background in theology, scripture, and doctrine. Has your pastor given you the OK to conduct such a talk?

Random suggestions from people here at CAF, who also hold no credentials, may not be the best way to go.
Click to expand...
Just curious 1ke, other than a calling from Jesus, a desire to learn from Him and obey Him, and a Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, what “credentials” were Peter, Andrew, James, John, et al, required to have in order to spread the Good News to the entire world?
 
may_they_be_one said:
Just curious 1ke, other than a calling from Jesus, a desire to learn from Him and obey Him, and a Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, what “credentials” were Peter, Andrew, James, John, et al, required to have in order to spread the Good News to the entire world?
Click to expand...
They have. The Holy Spirit. 😃 I’m ribbing you. I know what you mean. 😉

Yes, God can use anybody He wants to. The lowly sometimes will shame the learned and the wise. More importantly it’s to have a listening ear which some don’t have. Anybody can have a role uniquely to reach out to certain people.

To the OP - thanks for the pm. Praise tthe Lord. Praying also for you that the Lord will use you to serve Him.
 
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