Wolves In Sheep Clothing

The devil’s ways aren’t full in your face head on attack. He looks for your weaknesses...your longing to be accepted, your desire to do good but not understanding the principles of the Word of God, your hormones.

The enemy will always offer you something that you think you need. It will be a counterfeit of what God has for you and it will lead to your destruction.

(Joshua thought that allies would be a good thing, “but he didn’t consult the Lord”)

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

Intro

When I was about 3 years old, I lived in Georgia. Liked riding my big wheel, my bike with training wheels, and my electric race car. There was a older kid down the road who was called “brudder kidder” He liked to torment the younger kids. One day on the way home from the pool, I was walking by his house and he and a friend were on the corner. They said they had some doughnuts that they had just made, and offered me one. I thought that he was finally being nice. I took a big bight only to discover that he had given me a mud doughnut. They started laughing hysterically, and I ran home crying to my mommy. That was my first lesson that I remember in which I learned that not everything is as it seems. The title of tonight is… wolves are clever in their hunt of sheep. They have been known to kill one sheep and then tear it’s skin off and wear it to fool the other sheep. They will look, smell, and act like a sheep until it is time for the kill. There are people who you think have your best interests in mind, but are only interested in what they can get out of it. They may be intentionally malicious, or they may just not know any better. As Christians you will constantly run into people who are either intentionally against you, or they may just be controlled by the Enemy, and you will not realize your danger. Want to look at a similar circumstance from the Word.

Joshua 9: 1-16

Background – God had led them in victory over two of the mightiest cities of ancient times. Jericho with it’s huge walls, and the city of Ai. They were finally in the Promised Land and were in the process of taking over, but the enemy was clever and put a plan into motion.

v. 1-2 People have heard that God is doing something in Forerunner. This city’s demonic stronghold has been served it’s eviction notice! God is raising up an army that is mobile, agile and hostile towards the Devil!

v. 3 Be assured though that the Enemy is going to do everything he can to overcome us…he has already tried much! See the thing about God’s people is that if we get knocked down we don’t stay down. But beware of the enemy’s tricks

v.4-13

as you heard the enemy resorted to deception. Here was the enemy that God had called them to destroy disguised as a friend.

The Bible says that Satan appears an angel of light.

2Cor 11:14-15 (NKJV) “…For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

*Neither the Devil nor his agents are going to come up and tell you what their true intentions are… (the people not necessarily possessed or something, but the devil is manipulating them through their sin...If they are not true children of God then the Devil is their master)

*The enemy will extend to you the hand of friendship and peace all in deception. If he can he will get you so wrapped up in something that it will be impossible for you to pull free, and you will never inherit your Promised Land completely.

*Do you understand that you have a Promised Land? You have a life of blessing and life and joy that God has called you to? And do you also know that the enemy will do everything he can to stop you.

*Is it any wonder that when you begin to make ground in your spiritual life, that all of a sudden that guy/girl you have been eyeing for months, or from your past gives you a call.

*If you don’t think that there are people walking around out there with Hell’s anointing on them to tear down Christians then you are a fool.

*Is it any wonder that when you are trying to get your life under the Lord’s control that temptations are stronger and everything seems to be in your face? “P.E. – you don’t understand…it’s too hard.” Listen you can either whine about it the rest of your life or you can put on the armor of God and go to war with that Devil. God is calling you; yes you, to be mobile, agile, and hostile toward the devil’s kingdom!

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