Preparing the Bride

Session Overview

Session 1 - Preparing the Bride: Intimacy, Identity, and Hope of the Church

This session explores the biblical basis for the church as the Bride of Christ, highlighting intimacy, covenant, holiness, and hope. It examines the Bride’s identity and future union with Christ, concluding with a call to prepare the Bride through sanctification and faithfulness in anticipation of the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Session 2 - Old Testament Types and Jesus as the Bridegroom

This session examines Old Testament portraits of Rebekah, Ruth, and Esther as prophetic patterns of the church—chosen, redeemed, and prepared. It then explores Jesus’ revelation as the Bridegroom, grounded in covenant imagery where God’s people are His bride, presenting a unified vision of the church called and prepared by the Spirit for faithful obedience, intercession, and joyful anticipation of Christ’s return.

Session 3 - Betrothal and the Bride of Christ

This session uses Jewish betrothal customs to illuminate the church’s identity as the Bride of Christ, tracing each stage—from covenant and betrothal to the groom’s return and the wedding feast—through New Testament parallels. Salvation is presented as a binding betrothal to Christ, calling believers to purity, devotion, and watchful readiness as they prepare for His return and the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Session 4 - Cultivating Bridal Love Through the Word and Prayer

This session focuses on the Bride’s preparation through intimacy with Christ, cultivated by the Word and prayer. It emphasizes wholehearted love, abiding prayer, and the “oil of intimacy” as a personal inner life formed in fellowship with the Spirit and essential for readiness to meet the Bridegroom. The lesson calls believers to intentionally nurture this hidden life of devotion as the foundation for obedience, endurance, and faithful love.

Session 5 - Purified for the Bridegroom

This session explores how Jesus prepares His Bride through purification and sanctification, rooted in His atoning love. It highlights the transforming work of the Word, the Holy Spirit, and life within Christian community. Through repentance, pruning, and refining, Christ forms a radiant and holy Bride prepared for union with the Bridegroom.

Session 6 -  Love That Abounds in Knowledge and Discernment

This session examines how the Bride of Christ is prepared through a mature bridal love that grows in knowledge and discernment. It defines bridal love as wholehearted, covenantal intimacy formed through the Word, prayer, worship, and obedience flowing from delight rather than duty. The lesson outlines traits of mature love that lead to joyful holiness and faithful devotion sustained by hope in Christ’s appearing.

Session 7 - Characteristics of a Ready Bride

This session explores watchfulness and readiness as essential characteristics of the Bride of Christ in a distracted age. Drawing from Matthew 24–25, it highlights spiritual alertness, wise preparation, faithful stewardship, and compassionate action as marks of a prepared Bride. The session calls believers to steady devotion, reliance on the Holy Spirit, patient endurance, and tangible love in anticipation of Christ’s return.

Session 8 - The Sevenfold Spirit of God

This session examines the sevenfold Spirit of God and His role in preparing the Bride of Christ. Drawing from Isaiah and Revelation, it explores how each dimension of the Spirit forms Christlike character through wisdom, power, discernment, intimacy, and reverent obedience. The session highlights how this work of the Spirit cultivates spiritual maturity and equips the Church to reflect Christ and advance His kingdom with readiness and devotion.