Identity Theft wk 3

Identifying the Thief!

Welcome to FFM where we believe in equipping God’s people in the spirit of love by any means necessary!

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Have you ever seen an animal in the wild, like a deer or antelope?

There senses are always on high alert.

Why?

Because A split second of letting down their guard can be the difference in getting away and living to see another day or finding the jaws of a lion wrapped around their neck.

They are listening for any sound. They are smelling for any scent. They are looking for any movement.

Identifying the Thief!

Intro:

As believers we need to be on guard against our enemies in much the same way.

We need to have our spiritual antennas up always.

Listening for anything that sounds contrary to what our God says.

Looking for anything that appears different from what our God says.

No matter who is saying or doing it.

You ever heard the saying, “Something smells fishy?”

3 Points

Point #1

Thieving Saints

John 12:1-4 NIV

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,

John 12:5-6 NIV

"Why wasn't this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

You must be able to see behavior amongst the flock that is not in line with the Spirit of God.

You know, like when God is trying to work some junk out of you but your friend Satan come and says “Who do they think they are to tell us to change.”

If not, you’ll find yourself getting sucked in and pulled off track yourself.

And if you read the other accounts of this in Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-50; you’ll see that the other disciples joined in with Judas’ take on the matter.

Jesus ends up rebuking all of them.

Watch out for thieving saints.

Point #2

Thieving Shepherds

Isaiah 56:11 NIV

They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way; they seek their own gain.

Good shepherds know the best grazing ground for their flocks.

But these leaders were ignorant shepherds going their own way like their sheep!

They were more interested in their own gain than in their people’s welfare.

Concerned only with their own pleasure, they failed to consider that judgment will come.

Ezekiel 34:1-3 NIV

The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.

Ezekiel 34:5-6 NIV

So, they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

This breaks my heart because with these thieving shepherds the flock ended up as prey for their enemies.

God had to end up going after his own people because the shepherds didn’t care about the people.

1 Samuel 2:12-17 NIV

Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”

16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”

17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.

This was in contradiction with the law for priests, who were commanded to eat the breast and upper thigh of the animals.

Be leery when spiritual leaders begin to use manipulation tactics or force.

How can I as an earthly leader make you do anything when God the leader of us all doesn’t force us.

Yes, he rewards our obedience, and our disobedience brings about righteous judgement, but he doesn’t force us.

1 Samuel 2:22 NIV

Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

1 Samuel 2:34-35 NIV

And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always.

The ark of God was captured by the Philistines, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.” Worse, when Eli heard the news, he fell backward from his seat, broke his neck, and died on the same day.

The pregnant wife of Phinehas heard the news, and she went into labor and died while giving birth (1 Samuel 4:19-21). The son was named Ichabod, a name meaning “the glory has departed.”

If U Have Time

John 10:1-2 NIV

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

He referred to those leaders who cared not for the spiritual good of the people but only for themselves.

John 10:10 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

So why does thief = Satan prevail in pulpits? I suggest that one reason is that many pastors sometimes make interpretation decisions based on oral tradition rather than based on research. We often succumb to the temptation to repeat slogans and interpretations that we have heard, instead of studying and consulting careful biblical scholarship.

Point #3

Thieving Satan

Revelation 12:9 NIV

The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

We know what he is doing in the earth. 1 Peter 5:8; looking for someone to devour.

But he doesn’t have to devour you.

James 4:7 NIV

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

What is Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?

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Steps to reclaiming your identity.

1. In prayer ask Holy Spirit to reveal any lies you believe about yourself or about God.

2. As he shows you, reject the lies and ask him for the truth about you or about God. (As often as needed.)

3. When he shows you people that were involved in your negative process, forgive them and pray for them to get free, healed and to reclaim their identity.

4. Ask God as often as you need to, to restore your true identity in him.