Know Your Enemy
Notes
Transcript
so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
How important is the church to God?
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
Church= believers, preserved, imperishable
How important is the church to you?
this church? this body of believers?
MY GOALS
MY GOALS
Share Gospel, edify believers - you - Matt 28:19-20
Show this community their true need - Christ
When the church is made to seem unimportant, taken for granted, when teh community fails to recognize the church’s importance, it hurts
REM: Angry at what God is angry about?
It hurts to know He is angry, upset, if I ever cause harm to His wishes, I feel it.
I have feelings, opinions, about all that is happening in the world, even here. What I do with that, how I share that, how I present Christ in the middle of all of it, matters to HIM.
SO.....I keep eye on big picture, tackle everything Biblically
This our next few messages in a series about the reality of the spiritual battle all around us. (WED night for details and discussion)
BIG IDEA - GOD WINS! - Already secured victory
BIG IDEA - GOD WINS! - Already secured victory
Believers - ultimate victors in Christ
Still have daily battles - more souls to win, more believers to disciple, task is the same as mine (reach lost, strengthen believers)
2 Years ago - preview - CRAS preahced
Nice to know what to prepare for, but can’t specifically predict
Enemy plays the long game, waiting for opportunities
Relentless, no idea how much time he has left
Enemy is REAL - spiritual stuff going on
Every enemy has a target - Guess whose Satan’s is:
GOD’s Institutions
Government - directs much of it
Family - wants to tear it apart
Church - needs it destroyed, but knows he can’t (Matt. 16:18)
so…he comes after you
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Overall themes: Discipline, Doctrine, Dependence
Each has strengths, weaknesses, opposition
Farmer - weather, timing
Soldier - physical enemy
Athlete - other athletes, teams
MAIN POINTS
MAIN POINTS
1) Resist enemy - James 4:7
1) Resist enemy - James 4:7
NOT defeat - God has already done this
Know Him (Wed study)
Know yourself - strengths, weaknesses
Enemy knows you
ILLUST: LaMar can’t go right
I know what frustrates him
Enemy knows what frustrates you
ILLUST - Protest signs
Vulgar - if I react non-Godly, enemy sees it, takes note, does more
enemy doesn;t care if he “pushes buttons” - won’t stop to be kind
2) Plan
2) Plan
What is your plan to grow? Change? Resist the enemy?
Proactive, plan ahead
Look at EVERY aspect of your Christian life (assuming you are a believer)
How does the enemy fight you, trip you up?
How does the enemy fight you, trip you up?
a) shame - enemy lies about you to you
b) Bible - “it’s too hard, I don’t understand”
c) attendance - what is church attendance about?
submission - choosing to obey God
humility - admitting you need God
worship - intent is coming to praise Him
faith - declaring your trust in Him
d) giving - time and specifically financially
we are materialistic
per capita giving < Great Depression
e) growth - “don’t need to be so serious
Heb 10:24, 25
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
We are surrounded by calamity - WHY? Really, why?
3) So…Challenge
3) So…Challenge
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
2 Tim 2:3-7 passage (we’ll put specifics to this next time)
Farmer - hard work, perseverance
Soldier - training, preparation
Athlete - practice, study opponent
The enemy knows you:
Reactions, patterns, responses, etc.
Decide to grow
Decide to resist
Learn from past mistakes
BIG IDEA: Respond to enemy attacks BIBLICALLY
Requires understanding of how he works
Requires understanding of God and His Word
Otherwise, we are just filling time, taking up air
When the enemy says ____________, God says______________
When the enemy does ____________, God HAS DONE ______________
So, follow God, YHWH
Know this - you are protected from damage
Not hurt, sorrow, physical health
BUT spiritual -
Enemy will hurt you, make you sad, make you angry, and so on.
Unrest, division, lack of focus
ILLUST - High fast ball - easy to see, hard to hit, frustrates
Know this, prepare, get ready for action
Stand firm, resist (Eph. 6 study)
CLOSING CHALLENGE
CLOSING CHALLENGE
How prepared is this church, our church, to thrive, to step out from the mess and point to Christ
How prepared are YOU, to thrive, to step out from this mess and point to Christ?
This church is only as strong as the believers in it
God makes NO promises to protect it if we let it decay
God WILL protect THE church, believers WILL be in Heaven with Him
Enemy would love this church closed
Because we speak truth
Would you miss it if we closed? Why? Why not?
So how will YOU follow Christ to keep it going?
How will you pray, serve, give, share with others? Yes, YOU!
Do you buy in to why the community needs us? I mean, really?
I can only assume that people who are not serious about church do not understand church, do not buy in to our mission, or are not truly believers
Satan wants to lure you into false security
Satan is reluctantly fine if you give an hour to God once in a while
Satan does NOT want you to grow
KNOW THE BATTLE (enemy does)
KNOW THE ENEMY (enemy knows you)
I’m frustrated, angry, because God is:
So, what do we do with that? (Next time)