"Your Seat Has a Clear View"
TEXTS: Eph. 2; Luke 4, 6, 10; Matt. 16
TRUTHS:
1. The Bible provides believers with a worldview so we don’t have to operate like unbelievers. The Scriptures open our eyes up to the spiritual realities and truths that exist within our world and humanity.
2. There are wicked spiritual beings that hate the children of God. The powers of darkness are behind much of the craziness we see in the world and are at work in blinding the eyes of humanity from seeing and savoring the truth of God. When we are weak our enemy uses those seasons as an opportunity to come against us.
3. But we can take comfort in the fact that we, as believers, are seated in heavenly places with Christ. Our positioning and union with Christ enables us to see what the enemy is up to. This means we do not have to fear his work against us. The Lord encourages us to use our authority in Christ to fight back the powers of darkness and to be overcomers. We are called to fight!
4. Our authority in Christ provides us with a way to break spiritual bondage. God helps us do this not just so that we are happy, but so that freedom goes forth in our lives and in our world.
5. The religious leaders were angry with Jesus because they were deceived by the devil. They were filled with anger and hate. If we allow our hearts and lives to be filled with such things, like those religious leaders, we give the enemy a huge opportunity to destroy our lives.
6. There is one action that consistently shows up during Jesus’ earthly ministry–everywhere He went people were delivered and set free from unclean spirits.
7. The devil loves extremes. He likes nothing more than to be completely ignored or to be focused on all the time. We need to caution ourselves from sliding towards either extreme.
8. If you can’t rejoice that you are a Christian, some repentance is needed.
TALK TO EACH OTHER:
1. The Lord calls us to be "fighters". What does it look like and what does it mean to fight (concerning our faith and the darkness that comes against us)?
2. What is the healthiest way to view our enemy? If both extremes are harmful, how should we view him?
3. Jesus set people free from unclean spirits everywhere He went. What does (should) this communicate to us?
4. Why is the ability to rejoice over our salvation such a big deal? What dangers do we face if we find ourselves neglecting to do this?
TALK TO GOD:
Pray as you feel led concerning the following areas:
- To be fighters full of faith and hope
- To rejoice about our salvation in Christ
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