LESSON 10 - THE PROMISE OF DIVINE PROTECTION

Adults 4th quarter 2024

December 8, 2024

GOLDEN TEXT
“For he will give his angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways.” (Ps 91.11)

PRACTICAL TRUTH
God promises his divine protection to all who are faithful to his Word.

DAILY READING
Monday – Mt 4.1-10 The protection of the Word against temptation
Tuesday – 1 Tm 2.4 The protection of truth in the fight against evil
Wednesday – Ps 91.7 Divine protection against an attack
Thursday – Is 59.19 The Spirit of God will raise the standard against the Enemy
Friday – 1 Cor 15.24-26 All enemies will be annihilated
Saturday – Mt 16.18 The gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church

Suggested Hymns: 04, 225, 305 of the Christian Harp

BIBLE READING IN CLASS
Ephesians 6.10-17; Psalms 91.1-8
Ephesians 6
10 – Furthermore, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
11 – Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand firm against the wiles of the devil;
12 – for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 – Therefore, take on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and, having done everything, to stand firm.
14 – Stand therefore, having your loins girded with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 – and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 – above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17 – Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Psalm 91
1 – He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 – I will say of the Lord: He is my God, my refuge, my fortress, and I will trust in him.
3 – For he will deliver you from the fowler’s snare and from the harmful pestilence.
4 – He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will be safe; his truth is shield and buckler.
5 – You will not fear terror by night, nor an arrow that flies by day,
6 – nor a pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor a destruction that destroys at midday.
7 – A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right, but you will not be struck.
8 – Only with your eyes will you look and see the reward of the wicked.

LESSON PLAN
1- INTRODUCTION
Teacher, there are many believers in our days who fear casting out demons, are terrified by works of witchcraft, objects linked to the occult and the like. We pray that, through this lesson, your class will emerge enlightened, edified in the Word and with revived faith. Motivate your students to always seek the Holy Spirit to continue carrying out the commission given by Christ, clothed in power and equipped with spiritual weapons. Read with the class the passage from Luke 10:17-20, in which Jesus himself strengthens his disciples regarding the authority he gave them through his powerful name.
2- PRESENTATION OF THE LESSON
A) Objectives of the Lesson:
I) Raise awareness about the Christian's spiritual battle and what weapons the Lord makes available for our protection;
II) Highlight the omnipotence of God as a doctrinal basis for divine protection;
III) Understand that the infallible protection of the Most High is for those who remain faithful in intimate communion with Him.
B) Motivation: The Word of God shows us, and we must constantly remember, that our fight is not against flesh and blood. Thus, the weapons of our warfare cannot be carnal, but powerful in God to destroy spiritual strongholds. The Christian, therefore, cannot behave like a worldly person, who has no one to respond to or turn to when faced with adversity. Thus, we will see that divine protection does not fail and prevails over all evils for those who remain faithful to the precepts of His Word.
C) Suggested Method: The theme of this lesson is also a warning so that we do not forget the nature of our battle and our true Enemy. Therefore, propose a reflection on the type of “weapon” indicated to combat different problems. For example, ask if they would try to kill a cockroach with prayer or expel a demon with insecticide. It is with this logic that we act when we try to resolve battles of a natural order by spiritualizing or transferring to God the responsibility for what is ours to do. Just as when we try to fight with human weapons against enemies and spiritual battles. Finally, you can leave for meditation the passage from 2 Timothy 2.23-26 that corroborates this reflection.
3- CONCLUSION OF THE LESSON
A) Application: This lesson strengthens the faith and assurance in our hearts that our Almighty God cares for us and protects us against all evils. Even though He does not prevent us from facing them, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and provides us with spiritual weapons to defeat the Adversary. However, it is necessary that we understand that such blessings are available to those who seek Him and remain faithful to His Word, that is, those who truly “dwell in the secret place of the Most High”.
4- SUBSIDY FOR THE TEACHER
A) Christian Teacher Magazine. It is worth getting to know this magazine that brings reports, articles, interviews and support resources for Adult Bible Lessons. In issue 99, p.41, you will find a special resource for this lesson.
B) Special Resources: At the end of the topic, you will find resources that will support you in preparing your class:
1) The text “THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE OF THE CHRISTIAN” will help you delve deeper into the first topic, explaining the theological context of the expressions referring to the satanic kingdom.
2) The text “THE PROTECTION OF THE MOST HIGH GOD” expands on the second topic, detailing the scope of divine protection for those who are truly faithful, dwelling in His presence.

INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, we will use Eph. 6:1 and Psalm 91 to study God’s promise of protection to His people against the attacks of the Evil One against our lives. Thus, throughout the Scriptures, the enemy who presents himself against us is not a human being, but a spiritual being. Therefore, our battle is not against “flesh and blood,” but against Satan and his demons. Since we are in a true relationship with God, through His Son, we do not need to fear the Evil One, because the Lord provides us with spiritual weapons to be victorious in Christ.

KEYWORD: Protection

I – SPIRITUAL PROTECTION AGAINST THE ENEMY

1- Protection against the greatest enemy. There is a spiritual battle in which the Christian is directly involved. In this battle, the Devil is our enemy. To face him, the Bible presents us with some indispensable guidelines. Chapter 6 of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians reveals some very important teachings. It describes the spiritual hosts of evil and, at the same time, which weapons the Lord God makes available to us for our protection (Eph 6.12-17). Our battle is spiritual.
2- The spiritual enemies in Ephesians. In Ephesians 6.10-12, the Apostle Paul shows us that our enemies are spiritual. The expressions that the Apostle uses for these enemies are principalities, governments of evil led by the princes of darkness; powers, evil powers that rise up against the servants of God; princes of the darkness of this age, demons that lead other demons and fight against the Church of the Lord Jesus; spiritual hosts of evil, in the heavenly places, legions of demons prepared to destroy the spiritual life of believers, churches and the environment of worship of Christ. Satan and his demons develop strategies to try to stop the advance of the Church of Christ.
3- The spiritual weapons of the believer. To face the powerful spiritual hosts of evil, we have a spiritual armor, provided by God, described in Ephesians 6.14-17. An armor consisting of the following spiritual weapons:
a) Truth, a powerful weapon against the Devil's lies;
b) breastplate of righteousness, a garment that protects the believer from the deadly blows of the Evil One's temptations;
c) the preparation of the gospel of peace, the Gospel of Christ so that the believer can overcome the Devil as Jesus overcame him (Mt 4.1-10);
d) the shield of faith, a protection of the servant of God against the “fiery darts of the Evil One”;
e) helmet of salvation, a deep conviction of salvation in Christ;
f) sword of the Spirit, a powerful weapon of attack against evil attacks (1 Tim 2.4). These spiritual weapons show us that, in the battle we find ourselves in, we cannot fight with our own strength.

EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE
“THE ARMOR OF GOD.
We are participating in a spiritual battle – all believers are subject to Satan’s attacks, because they are no longer on the Enemy’s side. Therefore, Paul tells us that we must use all the pieces of the divine armor to resist these attacks and remain firm in God. […] In the Christian life, we fight against principalities and powers […]. To resist their attacks, we must always depend on God and use each piece of the armor that the Lord gives us. Paul is not only giving advice to the Church of Christ in general, but to each believer in particular.” Expand your knowledge further by reading the Personal Application Study Bible, published by CPAD, pp.1655,56.

SYNOPSIS I
Aware that the believer’s fight is not against flesh and blood, we must be clothed in the full armor of God to face the spiritual hosts of evil.

HELP CHRISTIAN LIFE
THE CHRISTIAN’S SPIRITUAL BATTLE
“The apostle Paul uses skotos to refer to the satanic kingdom. He specifies the main agents in the kingdom of darkness and concludes by saying that they form 'the spiritual hosts of wickedness' (Eph 6:12). This expression refers to 'evil spirits', a term present in Jewish thought and in the New Testament. These hosts are commanders of Satan's army: principalities, powers and rulers of this dark world, against whom we must fight, strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his might and clothed in the complete armor of God (Eph 6:10, 11). The expression 'heavenly places' or 'heavenly regions' in the present context draws our attention, because it seems to indicate heaven, the place where Christ dwells, the dwelling place of believers. However, the apostle writes: 'against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places', a term that appears five times in Ephesians and nowhere else in the New Testament (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). In the ancient world, people believed that heaven had different levels occupied by a diversity of spiritual beings. At the highest level, God lived with the purest beings. In other words, the 'heavenly regions' can mean where God is or where the spiritual powers are. The meaning of these words depends on the context in which they appear” (SOARES, Esequias; SOARES, Daniele. Spiritual Battle: The People of God and the War Against the Powers of Evil. Rio de Janeiro: CPAD, 2018, pp.33,34).

II – GOD’S WONDERFUL PROTECTION

1- The protection of those who have a relationship with God. Psalm 91 reveals divine protection for those who have a relationship with God and walk in His presence (v.1). It is a psalm that affirms that God offers rest to the soul that has a relationship with Him. In this way, our relationship with God is one of trust, and therefore He will deliver us from danger and insecurity and will give us protection (vv.2-4). In times of intense spiritual battles, counting on divine protection serves as comfort and security in times of trial.
2- God, our refuge and strength. In verse 4 of Psalm 91, two expressions draw our attention. The first, “the snare of the fowler”; this is a reference to the wiles of the Evil One to set traps against God’s servants. The apostle Peter reminds us of this strategic profile of the Evil One when he writes that “your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, prowls around seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Another expression is “pernicious plague”; which refers to protection against malignant diseases that take many lives. The blessing of “Divine Healing” was the subject of a lesson this quarter and, through Jesus Christ, it continues to be available to those who believe. Thus, even when we go through the “snare of the fowler” and the “pernicious plague,” we have in God our refuge and our strength and, therefore, we will not be shaken.
3- The Omnipotence of God. Psalm 91 presents God as the Omnipotent, the One who is the Almighty. This is the doctrinal basis for divine protection that is developed and taught throughout the Bible. The Omnipotence of God, represented in the word “Most High” (Ps 91.1), reveals to us a God who guards us, protects us and delivers us from evil (Ps 91.7). In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah it is written that, from the west and the rising of the sun, the Spirit of the Lord will raise his banner against the Enemy (Isaiah 59:19). In this context, we can have confidence in God that no strategy of the Evil One will prevail against those who are kept under his protection.

SYNOPSIS II
No trick of the Evil One will prevail against those who are kept in God, in the shadow of the hiding place of the Most High.

DEVOTIONAL HELP
THE PROTECTION OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD
“This Psalm provides security to the children of God, those who place themselves under the will and protection of the Almighty and who daily seek to dwell in his presence. The more rooted we are in Christ and in his Word, making him our life and our dwelling, the greater will be our peace and our deliverance in times of danger (cf. 17:8; Matthew 23:37; John 15:1-11).
The four names of God seen in this Psalm describe different aspects of His protection.
(1) 'Most High' (vv. 1, 9) demonstrates that He is greater than any threat or danger we may face (cf. Gen. 14:18, 19);
(2) 'Almighty' (v. 1) highlights his power to face and destroy any and all enemies (cf. Ex 6.3);
(3) 'The Lord' (vv.2,9,14; heb. JEHOVAH) guarantees the believer that the divine presence is always with him; and
(4) 'my God' expresses the truth that God becomes intimate, close, to those who trust in Him.
No harm can happen to a faithful believer, except with God's permission (cf. vv. 7-10). This does not mean that he will never have setbacks or difficulties (cf. Rm 8.35,36), but that as long as we make God our Lord and our refuge, everything that happens will work for our good (see Rm 8.28)” (Pentecostal Study Bible . Rio de Janeiro: CPAD, 2002, p.

III – PROMISES AND PROTECTION

1- The enemies will be defeated. Throughout history, many enemies have risen up against God’s plans for His Church. However, there is a glorious promise, related to the doctrine of the Last Things, in which every empire, power and force that works for evil will be annihilated. The Lord Jesus will put all enemies under His feet, including the last of them, death (1 Cor 15.24-26). Therefore, everything is being prepared for the final victory of our God, fulfilling what the Lord Jesus said about the Church: the gates of Hell will not prevail against it (Mt 16.18).
2- Security and victory for those who fear the Lord. Today, in our Christian life, we can expect security and victory in God. Therefore, we must pray to the Lord for protection before leaving home to do our tasks, before resolving any business, before taking any trip (Ps 18.2). Naturally, we must do our part, being prudent in everything, taking care of our safety, but understanding that “unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Ps 127:1). The Lord our God takes care of His people.
3- The scope of God’s protection. God is omnipotent, has all power in His hands; God is omnipresent, is not bound by time or space. In this sense, in light of the texts we studied in this lesson, Ephesians 6 and Psalm 91, God is presented as the One who protects His people. In many other biblical passages, He is presented as the One who rules over everything and everyone (Ps 33:6,9). Therefore, the promise of divine protection encompasses our lives and our entire family. Wherever we are, God’s protective blessing will be present (Ps 46:1-5). He is powerful to make wars cease, to put an end to disputes and to bring calm to our lives (Ps 33.10-12).

SYNOPSIS III
Through divine omnipotence, the enemy of our souls will be defeated and the gates of Hell will never prevail against the Church of the Lord.

CONCLUSION
In God we can enjoy protection and security. We know that our Christian life is not free from evil attacks. However, we have a God who is our protector and we can experience His refuge and strength. His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, hides us in His presence and protects us from all evil. Thus, in the strength of the Holy Spirit, and dressed in spiritual armor, we can resist the attacks and snares of the Evil One. The God of Jacob is our shield and refuge. In Him, we are safe and protected.

REVIEWING THE CONTENT
1- What does the apostle Paul present to us in chapter 6 of Ephesians?
He describes to us the spiritual hosts of evil and, at the same time, what weapons the Lord God makes available to us for our protection (Eph 6.12-17).

2- Cite at least three expressions that identify our spiritual enemies in Ephesians 6.
The expressions that the apostle uses for these enemies are “principalities”; powers; rulers of the darkness of this age; and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

3- What does Psalm 91 reveal?
It reveals divine protection for those who relate to God and walk in His presence (v.1)

4- What is the doctrinal basis for the divine protection that Psalm 91 presents?
Psalm 91 presents God as the Omnipotent, the One who is the All-Powerful.

5- How is God presented in light of the biblical texts of Ephesians 6 and Psalm 91 as studied in this lesson?
God is presented as the One who protects His people.