Treating the Source Not The Symptom

Today we are going to continue looking at the characteristics necessary for an Infinite Church by exploring the benefits of Maintaining focus on the source of many of our problems Instead of treating the symptom.

This is a difficult assignment for us given that the current state of the world is focused on getting us to keep our attention almost solely on the symptoms rather than dealing with the disease of sin itself.

They would have you believe that certain people and certain ideas threats to your belief system…Now we may call them unbiblical but they are not the source of the problems we face. Satan is!

Repeat after me… Satan is the Enemy!

This is not a new phenomena in fact Satan has been doing this from the very beginning of time. Satan is the master at pointing us away from seeing the truth about who he is and making it about the wrong issues.

Genesis 3:1 NLT

1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

We often forget that Satan is the Father of Lies and a master manipulator. This error often leads us away from Gods greater plan and gets us bogged down in things that often do not bring glory to God.

Many of the public fights we see some of our bothers and sisters involved in are not useful in building the kingdom of God on earth.

They are well meaning in their heart but they are being deceived in to believing that winning these finite battles will eliminate evil.

If we remember who the enemy is instead of allowing ourselves to be misdirected it can eliminate most of if not all the unnecessary stress and anxiety many of us feel in any given situation.

If you are here today and you are not a believer this is still extremely relevant for you. It is is vital that no matter what problems we face we make sure we are working to eliminate the source of the issue not just treat the symptoms in order to bring emotional health and ultimate peace.

When we focus on the source of our problems instead of symptoms we are more likely to maintain a better quaility of life.

Let’s look at what scripture tells us about keeping ourselves focused on the real enemy.

1 Peter 5:8–9 NLT

8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

We must stay alert becuase Satan is always alert. Satan is vigilant and patient observing people so that when there is a moment of weakness it can be used to distract us from what we are really supposed to be doing And thinking.

If Satan is successful in distracting us from recognizing his influence on any given situation it is easier for us to misidentify people and ideologies as the enemy.

What I mean by this is simple...Your boss, difficult family member, Hollywood stars, or political figures that oppose your political ideologies are never the real enemy. Other Churches are not the enemy...

In fact there is no enemy for the believer except for Satan himself.

Most people are not out to get you nor are they generally interested in destroying your faith or closing churches. This rhetoric is used to get us mad….usually so we will think or vote a certain way… but it is not reality....

Blackwood Brothers and Ozzy Ozborn, Bus.

People may be lost and they may even be hostile to us at times but they are never to be seen as the enemy.

Satan is the deceiver, the father of lies, and the roaring lion seeking to devour any and all who are in a weak moment so that he can keep us distracted from the Glory of God that is all around us.

If life right now is not enjoyable, exciting or even tolerable…If your overall attitude toward the world or even your church is mostly negative you are not being influenced by the Holy Spirit...

God has created beauty that shines even in the midst of darkness but in order to see it we must stop allowing schemes of the enemy to distract us.

If we know who the enemy is we can stand firm against the real enemies schemes not the people.

Ephesians 4:14–15 NLT

14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Satan is playing the long game or the Infinite game by getting us to engage in finite thinking when eternity is at stake.

Those who clearly recognize Satan is the real enemy in the midst of struggle will be better at living God’s Infinite mission as the Infinite Church.

1 Peter 5:10–11 NLT

10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power to him forever! Amen.

When we identify the infinite enemy we are better at clarifying who we are in Christ.

This allows us the ability to engage in the infinite mission of God through His infinite church instead of getting caught up in less than worthy Causes.

Fighting for a less than Just Cause (Discipling people into a relationship with Jesus) leads us to a less than honorable life. Take some time to introduce discipling into a relationship

We were created to walk in God’s goodness…not roll in the mud with the enemy!

As a Church if we allow anything other than connecting people to God and others by creating space where everyone can belong to distract us we will never see our church multiply by developing deep, growing relationships with God, our world, and one another.

In fact the opposite will be true if we engage the finite cultural symptoms instead the disease of Sin introduced to our world by Satan.

The Church or Christian Community that knows who their real enemy is does not make those who are away from God feel like and enemy.

New Living Translation (Chapter 9)

10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

If we really want to know the genius of Jesus it was that He knew who the enemy really was…and Jesus knew who He was sent to save. He was sent to save sinful people under the influence of the real enemy.

When we know the real enemy and understand Satan is trying to get us to play by finite rules in an infinite game we will have the wisdom to understand that Satan will not be able to outlast the overwhelming never ending love of God.

Let’s live as though we are already in the throws of eternal life…becuase we are!

You are already victors no matter what scheme Satan has for you…it is just time to believe it in order to live it.

What symptom are you allowing to hide the real enemy in your life? As those who are going to help with communion come take time and allow the Holy Spirit to renew your faith in God and His infinite promise of eternal life.

If you have never accepted Jesus as your saviour or if you have fallen away at some point please take this time to say this prayer as a starting point.....then let us know so we can help you on your new journey.

Communion:

Benediction: