What's Next?

Whether you heard the message from Sunday or are part of one of our “What’s Next” groups at Venture, here’s a way for you to go deeper.

this week's next steps

I will read, meditate, and pray through Ephesians 6

I will pray through my spiritual armor every morning for the next week

I will memorize Ephesians 6:11

Say yes to Jesus - click here

This week's Bible reading plan

This week's fill-in notes

This week's study

This week we kick off of 21 days of prayer/fasting to “Break Free” from spiritual strongholds.
Over these 21 days please use this page for further study into the weekly stronghold teaching as well as for daily prayer direction.
We will conclude this 21 day focus with our Break Free night on 10/5.

WEEK 1: We have an enemy & we have weapons to fight him
This week, we kicked off our new series, “Break Free.” We all face battles, both seen and unseen! Over these four weeks, we will learn what tools God has given us to fight these battles and how we can use them to protect ourselves from the attacks of the enemy. While sometimes, the battles we fight are physical, a lot of them are actually spiritual! The devil wants to see us fail. He wants us to not call on God in our time of need. He wants us to suffer. And he most definitely wants us to go into battle unprepared. The devil has schemes. He actually wants us to battle. But, instead of battling him, he wants us to battle each other! This distracts us from the true spiritual battle that is waging on.

How do we do this?
This week our focus is on ensuring that as followers of Jesus we are standing strong and “armored up. " We armor up by taking off our former way of life and putting on our new, righteous, self, by praying at all times, and by boldly declaring the gospel.

As the things of this world try to encroach on your God-given territory and take over, we encourage you to run through the prayer and declaration below and picture yourself putting on your God-armor. Memorize it, practice it, and use it as often as you need it. Notice as you exercise the weapons that God has given you to fight that His Spirit is active in your life, that your mind begins to be renewed and that your life begins to be transformed to look more like Jesus.

EPHESIANS 4:22-24 & 6:10-20 (CSB)
22 to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation 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 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

PRAYER:
Day 1: Ask God to help you turn from your old self/ways.
Day 2: Ask God to help you choose to put on your new self/ways: created in God's likeness of righteousness, purity and truth.
Day 3: Ask God for help to stand your ground against the enemy's schemes and strategies.
Day 4: I will actively PUT ON:
-The BELT, the sphere, OF TRUTH
-The BREASTPLATE, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
-The SHOES OF PEACE, which are the firm foundation that come from the GOOD NEWS (the Gospel).
-The SHIELD OF FAITH to stop (quench), the fiery arrows of the devil.
-The HELMET OF SALVATION.
Day 5: I will actively TAKE UP:
-The SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the WORD OF GOD (Rhema Word = dagger for close combat). Declare the truth of God's Word today.
Day 6: Stay constantly alert by praying in the Spirit.
Day 7: Pray for opportunities and boldness to speak God's words boldly and fearlessly.

REMEMBER: You have weapons and armor that GUARANTEE you victory EVERY TIME.

Questions to Consider:

How do we practically "hold our ground" against the enemy and keep standing up for truth?
Do you have all the pieces of the armor of God memorized? Are you daily outfitting yourself with the Armor of God?
Have you considered adding a daily prayer to your routine, perhaps as you get dressed each day (physically), to also speak out the spiritual armor you're putting on?
Do I/you pray in the Spirit at all times? What does this really mean in Ephesians 6:17? How could I pray in tongues (my Spiritual language) more often?
In preparation for the rest of this series, consider Ephesians 6:10-17. What areas of your life do you find yourself needing the armor of God?