Chapter 3

III. Be Sound In The Knowledge Of Your Protection.

A. Protection for your loins.

    1. Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having your __________ girt about with ____________...”

Note:   What are the loins? The word loins is defined as “the upper and lower abdominal regions, and the region about the hips.” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary) This is the part of the body that needs protection from lust.

 

It is no wonder that protection for the loins is listed as the first piece of armor that should be put into place.

Note:   Much of the music that you hear in the store, and many of the pictures that you see there are geared for lust.
The way that people dress (or should it be said, undressed?) for formal, casual, or sporting events is geared toward lust.

 

Notice that the armor to protect you from this temptation is truth.  It is truth that helps

you see beyond the emotional enticements, to the destruction that awaits beyond.

— Please read Proverbs 7:6-22, and answer the following questions.

    2. Verses 6-9 of that passage say, “For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man ________ of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, in the ________________, in the evening, in the __________ and dark night.”

Note:    Notice the conditions of secrecy that entices people to give in to lust — but God sees it all.

    3. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The _________ of the LORD are in __________ place, beholding the ________ and the good.”
    4. Proverbs 7:10 says, “And, behold, there met him a woman with the ____________ of an ____________, and subtle of heart.”
    5. Proverbs 7:13, 14 says, “So she ____________ him, and ____________ him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.”

Note:   The word impudent means, “lacking modesty; marked by contemptuous or (self-confident) boldness.” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary)

    6. In Proverbs 7:16-18, she continues to entice the young man to sin with her. “I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with ________ linen of Egypt. I have ________________ my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. ________, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.”
    7. Verse 21 shows that she was successful in her enticement. “With her much fair speech she caused him to __________, with the flattering of her lips she ____________ him.”
    8. Verse 22 says, “He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the __________________, or as a fool to the correction of the ____________.”

If the young man’s loins were protected by truth (to see beyond her

enticements to the destruction), he would have never lusted after her.

    9. Joseph is a good example of someone whose loins were protected by truth. Genesis 39:7-10 says, “And it came to pass after these things, that his master's ________ cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, ______ with me. But he ______________, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great ____________________, and sin against God?”
    10. Verse 10 goes on to show the importance of having your armor on every day. “And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph ______ by ______, that he hearkened ______ unto her, to lie by her, or to be ________ her.”

Illustration:    A young man helped his dad lay bricks on an addition to their home. When the job was completed, his dad used an acid solution to wash the mortar spills off from the face of the bricks. To show his son what the acid would do, he threw a little piece of hardened mortar into the pail of acid. It immediately began to fizz and bubble as the acid ate into the mortar.
    The young man noticed that the acid had a distinctive smell to it. Even though the acid was clear, or had a slight yellowish cast to it, the young man would never forget that smell. If he was ever offered a drink of such a mixture by an enemy, he would have immediately recognized that smell, and turned away, because he had seen the deadliness of the acid.
    Even so it is when your loins are protected by truth. When you know the certainty of judgment for committing immorality, then it will cause the flesh to be repulsed — not enticed, to commit that sin.

    11. Proverbs 7:25-27 says, “Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many ____________ men have been __________ by her. Her house is the way to ________, going down to the chambers of __________.”
    12. The same situation is seen in Proverbs 9:13-18, and verses 16-18 say, “Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the ________ are there; and that her guests are in the depths of ________.”

Note:   If you have gone down that wrong path — now is the time to get right with God.

    13. Isaiah 55:7 says, “Let the wicked forsake his ______, and the unrighteous man his ________________: and let him ____________ unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly ____________.”

B. Protection for your breast.

    1. Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the ______________________ of __________________________.”

Note:   The breastplate protects your heart area. What is the armor to guard your heart? Righteousness.

    2. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy __________ with all diligence; for out of it are the ______________ of life.”

Many issues can arise quickly in a day. What is really in your heart, is going to show in those times.

   3. Proverbs 23:7 says, in part, "For as he ________________ in his __________, so is he."

Note:   The Bible talks about decisions being made in the heart — not just in the mind. The mind may think about the issues that you face, but it is the heart that weighs the moral implications.

    4. Proverbs 11:3 says, “The __________________ of the upright shall __________ them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.”

Note:   The word integrity means, “firm adherence to a code of especially moral values; incorruptibility; an unimpaired condition; soundness.” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary)

    5. Matthew 12:34 says, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the __________ the __________ speaketh.”
    6. The next verse of that chapter says, “A good man out of the good treasure of the __________ bringeth forth ________ things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth ________ things.”

It can be quickly seen if your heart is set upon righteousness, or upon evil, when the opportunity arises.

    7. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit thy __________ unto the LORD, and thy ________________ shall be established.”

Note:   If you are dedicated to living righteously, then your thoughts will also be established in that direction.

    8. Psalm 37:3, 4 says, “Trust in the LORD, and do ________; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. ______________ thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine __________.”

Note:   The breastplate of righteousness will guard your heart and your life. What it means is truly putting God first in your life.

    9. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye __________ the kingdom of God, and his __________________________; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

    10. Romans 14:17 says, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but __________________________, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

C. Protection for your feet. (vs. 15)

    1. Ephesians 6:15 says, “And your feet shod with the ______________________ of the ____________ of peace.”

Note:   Many people’s feet take them to the wrong places. If you are not saved, your feet can take you to the wrong places that your flesh loves, and keep you from repenting and trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.

    2. Mark 9:45 says, “And if thy ________ offend thee, cut it ______: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into ________, into the fire that never shall be quenched.”

If you are saved, prepare your feet to take the gospel to others when you leave the house.

It will be armor to keep you from indulging in sin while you are gone.

    3. Psalm 68:11 says, “The Lord gave the ________: great was the company of those that __________________ it.”

Note:   Do not leave home without praying about your influence upon others while you are gone. The Lord has given His Word, now He desires that a great host would publish it.
    The word publish means, “to make generally known; to make public announcement of; to disseminate to the public; to produce or release for distribution.” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary)
    As you leave the house, be ready to share the gospel with other people by word of mouth, and through the printed page. Check that you have some gospel tracts with you before you leave. You can give them to people; leave one at the restaurant with your tip; place them at telephone booths; leave one in the restroom; leave some in the magazines (like bookmarks) at the doctor’s office, etc.

— Please read Romans 10:13-15, and answer the following questions.

    4. Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall ________ upon the name of the Lord shall be __________.”
    5. Verse 14 says, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they ______________ in him of whom they have not __________? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
    6. Verse 15 then says, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the ________ of them that preach the ____________ of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
    7. Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall my ________ be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me ________, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall ______________ in the thing whereto I sent it.”

When you leave the house with your feet prepared to take the gospel to others,

it is going to protect you from getting involved in sin while you are gone.

You will not want to go anywhere; or do anything; or say anything;

that would turn someone away from receiving the Lord Jesus Christ.

    8.   1 Thessalonians 5:21-23 says, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all _____________________ of ________. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved __________________ unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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