Stopping the Little Foxes
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15 Take us the foxes, The little foxes, that spoil the vines: For our vines have tender grapes.
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Introduction
Definition:
Original Language: lawlessness, wickedness, lawless deed.
The spirit of iniquity is the subtle influence of sin, deception, and rebellion against God, often linked to Satan’s schemes (2 Thessalonians 2:7, "the mystery of iniquity").
It starts small—through a thought, temptation, or compromise—but can lead to spiritual bondage if ignored.
Why it matters:
Recognizing iniquity early protects us from deception, which blinds us to truth.
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Iniquity leads to destruction!
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Little foxes spoil the vine!
15 Take us the foxes, The little foxes, that spoil the vines: For our vines have tender grapes.
It’s the small things, the small sins, like foxes that slip into the vineyard at night and destroy your spiritual fruit if you don’t address the hole they found into your vineyard!
You need to recognize the spirit of iniquity in its infant stages in our lives and in the church!
The goal of the enemy is to get as many as he can to jump on board with him in his own iniquity!
Why do you think he attacked Job the way that he did?
Job lost everything and still fell down to worship God!
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Only to be told by his wife that he should simply curse God and die! Job 2:7-10
7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job’s wife was asking him to justify cursing God because he owed it to himself. “Remember to love yourself first” as the mantra goes!
The thing is the spirit of iniquity starts small by making sin seem appealing or harmless.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
To start with Satan’s lie’s are the root of the deception!
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Iniquity begins by questioning authority!
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Some things you should be looking for:
Rationalizing sin (“It’s no big deal to skip prayer today”, “I need to love myself regardless how others are affected”)
Doubting God’s commands or goodness.
Excusing small compromises as “freedom” or “self-care”!
Fleshly desires and temptation.
Iniquity exploits our natural desires, tempting us to prioritize self over God. However, it typically begins by getting us to prioritize ourselves over others
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
What are signs?
Cravings for instant gratification (indulging in anger, lust, or greed).
Prioritizing personal desires over God’s will.
Feeling entitled to act on impulses without seeking God.
Hardening of the heart.
Iniquity begins to take root when we ignore conviction or justify our action and sin, dulling our sensitivity to God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, And as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
How do you know you reached this place?
Ignoring the Holy Ghost’s conviction about a behavior!
Becoming defensive when corrected or confronted with truth.
Losing joy in worship, prayer, and Scripture!
Influence of the world.
Iniquity creeps in through the worldly values or relationships that pull us away from God.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
You will know you have reached this place if these things take place in your life!
Adopting cultural norms that contradict Scripture (materialism, relativism)
Valuing worldly approval over God’s.
Spending more time with ungodly influences than godly ones!
We need to recognize and destroy the Spirit of iniquity while it is in its infancy!
Iniquity must be uprooted immediately through spiritual disciplines and reliance on God’s power! The Scripture is clear on how to destroy it before it grows!
Repent immediately!
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
As soon as you recognize the effects of iniquity you should repent unto God!
Repentance STOPS iniquities progress and restores fellowship with God!
Stand on God’s Word!
1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Fast and humble yourself and seek God’s strength!
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, And to let the oppressed go free, And that ye break every yoke?
12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
Biblical fasting humbles your flesh, sharpens spiritual discernment, and breaks the grip of sinful influences!
Combining fasting with prayer and Scripture and you will begin to find yourself growing in sensitivity to the things of the Spirit!
When fasting dedicate each fast to something instead of allowing it to be a random thing!
Rely on the Holy Ghost!
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Allow the Holy Ghost to prick your heart and respond to that!
Take EVERY thought captive!
Just because you thought it doesn’t mean you have to say it!
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
Evaluate your thoughts against Scripture.
Reject those that lead to sin and replace them with godly truths!
Submit to God and resist the devil!
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
We must surrender to God’s authority!
Once we have done that then we can actively resist Satan’s lies using spiritual weapons (prayer, Scripture, fasting, faith....)
When tempted, declare the victory: “I am covered by the blood of Jesus, and Satan has NO POWER over me!”
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Stay accountable!
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
