LIFE of VICTORY - 3

LIFE OF VICTORY – 3

Although Christians can live a life of victory through Jesus, the way that Satan works in our lives to thwart the plans of God has been noted in the past lesson.  Satan roamed the earth in the days of Job (Job 1:7) and he is still doing the same as specified in 1 Pet.5:8.  The occult has become so popular today, but as we identified the meaning and various ways Satan works through the occult, the popularity extends back to the O.T.  Deut.18:10-12

The purpose of this lesson will be to stress the truth of Eph.6:12.  It would be easy to skim over this passage without realizing the danger it imposes on the life of a Christian.  Although we live on this earth in the form of flesh and blood, we do have a spirit unseen.  In order for Jesus to bring salvation to us, He had to become like us in flesh and blood to die for us as an eternal sacrifice.  Phil.2:7,8  

As we accepted Jesus as our redeeming Savior in obedience in faith, we were given the gift of a spirit—the Holy Spirit.  Our fleshly bodies became a temple of this Holy Spirit.  1 Cor.6:19,20   Then we became new in Christ Jesus.  2 Cor.5:17   This Holy Spirit is real.  It helps us in so many ways.  Rom.8:26; Rom.8:13,14  

If we truly realize the certainty of the Holy Spirit, why would we not recognize the truth of rulers of darkness as Satan and his demons.  Eph.6:12   As before mentioned, they do roam the earth and seek to destroy our faithfulness and obedience to our Lord.  We are well aware that Satan entered the Garden and caused Eve to sin in disobedience to God’s one command.  Gen.3:24   God even gave advice to Cain before he killed Abel.  Gen.4:7   From this time, Satan has been seeking whom he may cause to sin—separate themselves from God.  Isa.59:2; 1 Jhn.3:4

Just as there is a Holy Spirit, so we must recognize the fact that there are evil spirits that want to come into our lives to push out the Holy Spirit.  We hear people joke, “The devil made me do it.”  It isn’t a joking matter.  The devil does want to make us disobey but we have a choice.  Joshua made the important choice that we should be ready to make.  Josh.24:15

In this battle between heaven and hell as Satan attempts to win the minds and hearts of men, Paul warns the Ephesian Christians to take a stand against the devil’s schemes.  Eph.6:11   Schemes can be intriguing but deceitful.  We need to be very aware.  If Satan’s schemes were always visible, we might be more successful in combatting them, but they are not flesh and blood. (Eph.2:12)  The main thrust of the battle is against our mind and heart and then it might become evident in flesh.

Paul explains this in 2 Cor.10:3-5.  How our thoughts need to be taken captive in obedience to Christ as we stand against the devil’s schemes.  Remember from our last lesson how Satan is the father of lies; how he disguises himself as an angel of light; how he uses very clever, crafty strategies to entangle us in sin. 

Satan must have been rejoicing when Jesus died on the cross, but Jesus’ victory was soon recognized as He arose from the dead.  Now this victory must be achieved individually by each of us and we overcome temptation set before us.  The “darkness” is outside the life of a Christian.  Eph.5:8,11   Christ has rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us into His kingdom.  Col.1:13

Even though the goal of Satan is to thwart the plans of God, they still know the existence of God and believe.  They just will not obey.  Jam.2:19   Scripture gives us examples of those possessed of a demon but that demon recognizes Jesus.

One of these examples is in Lk.4:33,34.  A man was possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon; however, that demon recognized Jesus and wanted to be left alone.  Another example is found in Acts 16:16,17.  A slave girl had a spirit of divination and kept following Paul and recognizing that Paul and those with him were servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to the way of salvation.  In both cases they were removed.

Let us obey 1 Thess.5:21 for the one who practices sin if of the devil.  1 Jhn.3:8   Let us be filled with the Spirit,  (Eph.5:18) that we may also walk (live) by the Spirit.  Gal.5:25 

LIFE of VICTORY - 2

LIFE OF VICTORY – 2

If we have enemies, we should know who they are, where they are and what they intend to do.  As Christians, we do have a terrible enemy—Satan.  Since he is an enemy, we need to learn as much as we can about him and the tactics he uses against us as well as the demons that work for him.

We know that Satan first appeared as a serpent in the Garden to tempt Eve.  From the beginning Satan has wanted to thwart the plans of God.  As we think of the origin of Satan remember the Scripture in Deut.29:29.  There are several suppositions but the fact is, we do not know.  Two of the major ideas that have a lot of Scriptural backing are given by Victor Knowles and Jack Cottrell.  Generally speaking, Cottrell believes that Satan and his “angels” are fallen angels that rebelled against God and were removed from God’s presence.  This belief is set forth in his book, What the Bible Says about God the Creator.  Another belief set forth by Knowles in his book, Angels and Demons, is that demons are spirits of the wicked dead.  Both set forth their beliefs in a convincing manner with Biblical references and quotes from theologians of the past.  We know Satan is evil and continues to this day to cause mankind to fall from faithfulness to God.  God is over all and confines Satan within His power.  The importance of this study lies in the fact that Satan is real and can destroy our lives.  Illustrations of these things will be given in the following discussion.

2 Pet.2:4   Even though Satan works against God, the final power rests with God.  Some of the angels sinned so God cast them into hell.  Matt.25:41  The abandonment of the angels’ abode is also mentioned in Jude 6.  God has the final authority over them.

God’s final authority is apparent in the life of Job.  Job was a godly man.  Satan appeared before God with the sons of God.  God asked him from where he had come.  Satan’s answer is recorded in Job 1:7.  He was roaming the earth to defeat God and still is to this day.  1 Pet.5:8   Satan requested permission to harm Job in several ways.  Note that Satan had to ask permission and each time God gave him limits within which he could act.  Job 1:12

Satan is given several titles of description in the Bible.  He is a liar and murderer.  Jhn.8:44   Satan is also a tempter.  Lk.4:1,2   Satan proved to be a betrayer in the life of Judas.  Lk.22:3,4   He is a perpetual sinner from the beginning.  1 Jhn.3:8   Satan accuses Christians so is called the Accuser.  Rev.12:10   John tells us that the children of the devil are obvious because they are void of love.  1 Jhn.3:10   The devil is conceited.  1 Tim.3:6,7   We can fall into his snares.

False doctrine is a trap that is used by Satan.  2 Cor.11:13-15   This becomes a dangerous disguise for us to confront.  With all of the above characteristics, it is no wonder that he is called the evil one.  Matt.5:37 (NIV)   Satan has been given the name, Beelzebub and the prince of demons.  Matt.12:24   Revelation speaks of the dragon and the ancient serpent along with Satan, the devil and his angels.  Rev.12:9   Next come two terms used fairly often in Scriptures:  ruler of this world – Jhn.12:31  and prince of the power of the air – Eph.2:2.

Since Satan is so full of evil, let us make ourselves aware of some of his works. His main goal to  defeat God’s plan and purpose.  He attempts to do this in many ways. Satan longs to bring suffering on anyone, especially believers of God.  Lk.13:16   This does not mean that all suffering was wrought by Satan nor because of sin.  Think of Job who had faith in his Redeemer.  Job 19:25   Yet God allowed Satan to bring suffering upon him.

Satan is a schemer and is behind the scenes to take advantage.  2 Cor.2:11   Paul was warning the Corinthians that in a lack of forgiveness, Satan could use to cause sin in their lives.  Satan can look so godly that we might fall for his schemes.  2 Cor.11:13,14   Someone might begin to believe God’s Word but Satan in his deceit comes along and snatches that belief away from them.  Teaching a new Christian becomes so very important for this reason.  Mk.4:15  

Our attitudes, words, and deeds come from our heart and Satan loves to cast the thought of sin into our heart. His desire is to take out any good and replace it with evil.  He can do that in so many ways.  We listen to the wrong person.  We make excuses for ourselves and justify what we are doing.  We may even put off changing something we know to be wrong.  Acts 5:3   Desire of praise and approval may have caused them to do this.  For whatever reason, Satan put it into their hearts.  Satan also put into the heart of Judas to betray his Lord.  Jhn.13:2

Examples are given throughout the O.T. as well as the N.T. of Satan working in various ways to defeat God’s purpose.  He has many demons working for him to instill sin in our lives.  Popularity of the occult today is not new.  The practices extend far back into the O.T.  The occult is defined in 3 ways: consulting the dead, foretelling the future, and the practice of magic.  Are these things practices of today?  Definitely.  Can you find your horoscope easily?  It is available everywhere.  Does your horoscope reveal God’s plans for you? No! Rather it puts trust in the occult (supernatural, magical). 

Other tricks of the occult are automatic writing, table lifting, fortune telling (Deut.18:10), witchcraft (Gal.5:19,20), Ouija Board, palm readers, Tarot cards, spiritists (Lev.19:31), and many others not of God.  Satanists employ many of these and others.  It is dangerous to think of these things as “just a game.” 

This has been such a negative lesson but Christians must beware of these forces surrounding us.  Satan is active now but his end is sure.  Rev.20:10; Rom.16:20   Meanwhile, we can have victory through Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has given within us power far greater than he who is in the world.  1 Jhn.4:4

  

  

Life of Victory - 1

LIFE OF VICTORY – 1

We all want victory.  We can immediately think of sports or war.  Victory is overcoming in a struggle.  As Jesus was speaking to His disciples, He told them that in the world they would have tribulation but to take courage for He had overcome the world.  Jhn.16:33   Many times the “world” means inhabited earth.  But we also know that the world is often referring to “worldly”.  Paul writes to the Corinthians about worldly or fleshly wisdom.  2 Cor.1:12   This is not the wisdom of God.  2 Cor.10:4,5   This is similar to the statement that we live in the world but not of the world.

Jesus said we would have tribulation or troubles.  We can all relate to that.  Many of those troubles come in the form of temptation.  Temptation is not evil.  Jesus was tempted.  His response was powerful in that He answered Satan with the Word of God.  How we need to have the Word of God in our hearts.  Phil.2:16; Ps.19:7,8   None of us would want to get wrapped up in sin but it seems that one sin calls for another.  How closely do we stay in the Word?  David gives us the “before” and “after.”  Ps.119:67   The “after” made so much difference for now have I kept Thy Word.  Too often we fall into sin and then remember His Word too late.  God’s Word needs to be in our heart at all times.  The only way is to study His Word every day.  Ps.119:101   This kept David’s feet from every evil way as it will ours.

Temptation is an enticement to do something wrong or forbidden.  In other words—to sin.  Sin is the transgression of the law.  1 Jhn.3:4   Jesus pronounced eternal condemnation on those who practiced lawlessness—those who sinned.  Matt.7:23   Today it seems that man has lessened the meaning of sin by calling it a “failure” or a “weakness.”  Sin is sin and we are all guilty.  Rom.3:23   There are wages to pay when we sin.  Rom.6:23

“The devil made me do it” may be true in that we let the devil have the reigns in our lives.  Satan has desired to foil God’s plans for us since the Garden.  He is a liar and the father of lies.  Jhn.8:44   We have believed these lies.  Satan wants to undo God’s work in us.  Mk.4:15   When we get away from our communication with God (prayer and Bible study) we are open for Satan to enter our heart.  Judas had walked with Jesus three years and yet was vulnerable to Satan’s tactics.  Jhn.13:2

The devil knows our weaknesses and waits to make us fall into sin.  1 Pet.5:8   He is able to disguise himself as an angel of light by assuming charisma, doctrines that seem right, and an outward showing of love but it is all a deception to cause us to fall from the Truth.  The devil’s message to Eve sounded good but caused a separation from God.  2 Cor.11:13-15

The second part of Rom.3:23 gives us great hope.  We are offered a gift of eternal life but it must be in Christ Jesus.  This gift must be something we accept.  We have to believe to the point of obeying in faith.  Jhn.3:36; Heb.5:9   Because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, He exchanged His righteousness for our sin.  2 Cor.5:21   If we accept this gift, we can then escape the deception of the devil but we must continue to stand in faith to the end.  Rev.2:10

Jesus has overcome the world so we can have victory in Him.  1 Cor.15:57   This brings us victory because of our faith.  1 Jhn.5:4    As we accept Jesus as our Savior in faith and obedience, we become a new man with the gift of the Holy Spirit living within us.  This is power.  1 Jhn.4:4   Thus, we can look forward to victory in Jesus.    

Even though we look forward to this victory in Jesus, it is not automatic.  We must fight the good fight of faith.  1 Tim.6:11,12   We are given things we must pursue in this fight—righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.  We are given armor for this fight.  Eph.6:10,11   We cannot be like the Galatians in  Gal.1:6.  Satan does not let us alone just because we gave our lives to the Lord in becoming Christians.

We must leave the “old things” behind and not take them up ever again.  2 Cor.5:17   Our life is now new in Christ.  Rom.13:14   Gone is the former manner of life and we are new in the spirit of our mind.  Eph.4:22-24

     

Bk. Review-This Beautiful Mess

THE BEAUTIFUL MESS

Rick McKinley

McKinley begins with the kingdom as both beautiful, but a mess.  There is no real way of defining the kingdom, but it is the “living, breathing presence and purpose and reign of God.”  He continues.  The kingdom is like yeast worked through the dough, the mustard seed that grows from something so small into a tree, and a treasure in a field that is worth selling all you have to purchase it.

“Repenting turns us away from our own poverty and toward God’s best.”  We are the mess.  Many pertinent examples are used as well as Scriptures.  Another good quote is “The kingdom demands that I notice others, love others, pray for them, and serve them.”  McKinley becomes very practical about the kingdom.  “I can’t embrace the kingdom when my arms are full of me.”  The kingdom is already but not yet.

This book is practical and down to earth with reality of today’s culture.  One thing that bothered me was the mention several times of alcoholic drinks and nicotine, neither which has any part in the kingdom.  Perhaps it was to make a point.  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  

FILL MY CUP, LORD - 8

FILL MY CUP, LORD  8

Marilyn Barber

As printed in The Voice of Evangelism

November isn’t the only time our hearts need to be grateful to the Lord for His benefits.  It is a blessing that our country is still able to think of this as a nation and we pray it will continue to be so.  An important thought with which a Christian needs to be constantly filled is to have an attitude of gratitude.  This attitude will carry us through many times of discouragement and problems.  In the worst of times, we can always find things for which to be thankful.

David was a man full of praise and thanksgiving as he wrote psalm after psalm of thanks to God.  Ps.100:4   Enter His gates with thanksgiving…give thanks to Him…As David spoke before the assembly of Israelites, he reminded them of all that God gives and ended with an expression of thanksgiving. 1 Chron.29:13   In verse 14 David says that everything comes from You.  Why wouldn’t our hearts burst with thanksgiving?

1 Thess.5:18   Give thanks is a requirement for those in Christ.  Notice that this verse adds in all circumstances.  It is simple to give thanks when everything is going our way but in all circumstances?  That is not so simple.  If we are trying to live by God’s will, then this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  This reminds me of a little lady of 89 years as she was just coming our of surgery recovery.  As she went in and out, she would pray softly, “Count your many blessing, name them one by one.  Amen”.  She would say this over and over.  At times we don’t do this when we are in good health!

Not only do we give thanks in all circumstances, but we are to give thanks for everything.  Eph.5:20   It stands to reason that if we are to count it all joy when we fall into various trials, that we would be thankful for them.  Jam.1:2,3   We want to grow stronger in the Lord.  If we do not experience trials, we suffer atrophy just as a muscle that is not used.

It is important that whatever we say, do, or even think is worth giving thanks.  God knows and expects thanksgiving to come to Him in all these things.  Col.3:17   We say, do, and think in the name of Jesus as we give thanks.  Don’t smear the name of Jesus!  That is a definite possibility as live our lives supposedly for Him but in our own way.

Do we realize the tremendous price of our salvation?  Are we thankful or just take it for granted.  We have done what we needed to do but have we thanked the Lord for what He did.  We should be forever grateful with thanksgiving for the gift of salvation.  Paul realized how wretched he was before he came to Christ.  Rom.7:23,24   Then Paul bursts forth with this thanksgiving as he realized he had been rescued from death because of sin.  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  Rom.7:25   We forget but when we remember, it should make us ever more thankful for His forgiveness in our salvation.

A reminder of our salvation is given as we partake of the Lord’s Supper—in remembrance of me.  As we remember, we give thanks for what our Lord did for us.  The Greek word for thanksgiving is eucharistia.  That Greek word means thanksgiving.  Many times the Lord’s Supper is called the Eucharist.  1 Cor.10:16   A great feeling of thankfulness should overcome us as we partake of the loaf and cup.

Phil.4:6   Our prayers aren’t complete without thanksgiving.  We find all kinds of things to ask for.  That’s a thanksgiving within itself—that we can ask within God’s will and know that He will hear us.  However, do we just ask and ask without attributing to our gracious God His lovingkindness and mercy in the way He takes care of our needs and provides for us everything we have as well as everything He enables us to do.  What a loving God we have!  He needs to be thanked many times during the day.

Paul tells Timothy to not only pray for everyone but to include thanksgiving for them.  Our country’s leaders need a lot of prayer but we can be thankful for the freedoms we retain and pray that we may continue to retain them.  Think of the authorities in those days under the Roman Empire.  1 Tim.2:1

Paul often gave thanks for congregations and individuals that had accepted the gospel of Christ and were following the Lord.  Rom.6:17 is one example of thanks for those who once were slaves of sin but now are following gospel teaching.  Paul gave thanks for the faith of the Ephesians in Eph.1:16.  Paul also gave thanks for the Colossians in Col.1:12.  Many congregations and Christians in other locations need our prayers as well as our thanks for their faith and endurance in trials.

Giving thanks before meals may be a simple exercise.  Is it just an exercise, a form, a habit for which we do not do wholeheartedly?  Many do not enjoy the plenty that we do.  We need to pray for them but how we need to thank the Lord for our sustenance.  Jesus prayed before He ate.  Matt.15:36   If we are eating in public or with guests, this can be a powerful testimony for the Lord.  Do not be ashamed.  Pray.with thanksgiving.

We can have victory over sin and death.  Thank be to God.  He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Cor.15:57   We never have to wonder what we can include in our thanks.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!   2 Cor.9:15   

STUMBLING BLOCKS or STEPPING STONES

STUMBLING BLOCKS or STEPPING STONES

Are you free in Christ, or are you bound in the chains of resentment against the hurts of a situation or against another human being?  At first you may answer in the negative.  Look deep inside, for this kind of “cancer” is eating out the heart of many a person and becoming a weight to Christian growth and chaining that person to unhappiness and discontentment.

When young, we dream of our mate, our home, our children, our career.  Our dreams become goals, but very often the reality works out so differently from those dreams.  Facing this reality and handling the problems that go along with reality can either become a stumbling block or a stepping stone in the life of a Christian.  As a Christian the realization begins to grow that these goal are earthy – not wrong – but not spiritual.  If we rely on Jesus for the goal He set for us in Matt.6:33, the lack of achievement in these realms will be lessened.  

Sometimes our Christian life is bogged down by a hurt that we feel someone intended to inflict upon us.  We may either accept or reject

it.  Nothing can hurt us unless we allow it to do so, for it is not the words said but the way we think and feel about it that hurts us.  We are free to refuse to be hurt by a spiteful or malicious word or act.  “Least said, soonest mended” is a good saying to remember.  Use Jam.1:3 as a stepping stone.  Get over it!

The best antidote for resentment is gratitude.  Giving cancels out such bad feelings.  Courtesy, warmth, and kindness shown and sown will eventually reap the same from whom the hurt has come.  If not, we at least can have a clear conscience before the Lord.  We must be sure our own conversation is worthy of the gospel.  Phil.1:27

At times we are all confronted with tasks or problems which seem more than we can bear.  As Christians we may claim the most wonderful promises from our God.  Ps.37:5   Are we using these problems as stepping stones, or are we taking all of yesterday’s problems to pile on today’s and then worrying about tomorrow as well.  Matt.6:34   We can take the many good things of which we cannot be blind, and then praise the Lord for them.  We take the problems of this day or even of this hour and tackle it with the help of God and do the very best we can.  With faith and trust we do not let ourselves be overwhelmed with all of the burdens we can remember.  Take one day at a time or even one hour at a time with God’s help and step forward.

Trusting in God will relieve us of many burdens we cannot handle nor solve.  If we will completely surrender to God’s will, it will cost us our self-will which really leads us into problems anyway.  2 Pet.1:6; Gal.5:23   This will give us a new release from many burdens that lead us into emotional turmoil.  We sometimes want to run away, but we always have to take ourselves with us.

Part of our problem in letting go and detaching ourselves from a problem is learning what we can manage.  Some things we can change; some things we cannot change.  Eph.5:21 tells us to submit to one another.  We cannot manipulate another person.  Each problem must be considered in the light of “Can I change it or not?”  If so, then accept the challenge if it be within the Lord’s will and do our best with His help.  If not, then detach ourselves from the problem.  This does not mean it will go away.  It simply means we are using it as a stepping stone.  It is an unmanageable for us.  However, we can always pray   Matt.5:44.

Never assume that the other person is the only problem.  It is so easy to justify our own thoughts and actions.  Matt.5:29,30   Our pride gets hurt, and we bite back.  Gal.5:15   Then in our minds we tell ourselves we had real reason and the “right” to do so.  We must know ourselves.  Jam.5:9   Take inventory of your own character, motives, attitudes, and actions without any justification.  Be honest with yourself, for God sees us the way things really are.  Heb.4:13   Then as we find wrongs we have committed, make amends.  Jam.5:16   It may not be accepted or returned.  This unmanageable and out of our control.  But we have done what we should and could.  Through it all, self-pity or martyrdom will completely nullify any good we may have done. 

We must remain humble before the Lord, for we know we sin and constantly need His forgiveness, and we constantly should be willing to forgive others.  Matt.6:15

In summary, whatever our problem, whether it be a person or a situation, the effect on us is whatever we choose it to be.  We can let the problem overwhelm us and become our stumbling block that weighs down our Christian life and constricts our spirit and service plus controlling our very being, or we can use the problem as a stepping stone to greater faith and trust in allowing God to handle our problems, detaching ourselves from hostilities and resentments and letting go of them, living just for today with joy and to the best of our ability in the Lord, and living with serenity and allowing the peace of God to rule our spirits.  Col.3:15   Serenity in the Lord helps cushion whatever happens on the outside of us.  True peace of mind depends on the condition inside, not outside.  Hostilities on the outside do not demand hostilities on the inside.  Will the problems in our lives be stumbling blocks or stepping stones?

Book Review - FIRSTHAND by Ryan and Josh Shook

FIRSTHAND

By Ryan and Josh Shook

Ryan and Josh Shook are two brothers that were raised as sons of a preacher.  Yet in their life as teens, they began to loose their faith.  They felt it was a coattail faith from their parents and not their own.  As they began to feel the emptiness of spirit, they realized they needed a firsthand faith, a faith that was all their own.  Feeling that others experience this, as well, they wrote this book in hopes of helping whoever might be going through this borrowed faith.

Following are some of the quotes from their book:  We can’t be filled with God until we are emptied of ourselves.  We are free to make our own choice but then we are bound by the consequences and so have lost that freedom.  Real change comes from the inside and not what we look like on the outside.  God wants my heart, not my actions; however when He has my heart, actions will flow.

Discussion, examples, and Scriptures are involved with each of the above statements and more.  They define secondhand faith as a faith that is absorbed in yourself.  A firsthand faith moves you out of selfishness and into the lives of others as you encounter God’s grace.  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.