"All Faith Claims Are Tested"
TEXTS: John 14:30; Job 1; Deut. 13; 1 John 5; Jude; John 10:10
TRUTHS:
1. The Bible gives us a picture of a courtroom to help us understand the “claims” that our enemy makes on our lives ( the Book of Job). The enemy stands before the Lord and makes claims that we have no legal right to be a child of God. Jesus comes to our defense and intercedes on our behalf. This scene is revealed so that we have the right understanding concerning the unseen spiritual world.
2. Continually growing and obeying God keeps our lives free from the claims the enemy makes on our lives.
3. The Kingdom of God is set up so that we will need and rely on others. No one gets set free from spiritual wickedness and bondage on their own.
4. We don’t know if something is real until it is tested. The Lord uses our adversary to test and mature our faith.
5. We should strive to love the Lord with our minds. This requires that we exercise caution concerning what we fill our minds with. We need to be aware of what makes us vulnerable and make sure we practice self control so we don’t find ourselves in those positions.
6. False teaching and doctrine bring despair and death to our souls. Many receive false teaching and think they are growing but, in reality, the teaching they are allowing themselves to be fed is bringing death. The thief in John 10 is not talking about Satan–it is referring to false teachers.
7. Our adversary wants us to be proud and worried about impressing other people.
8. Satan primarily works in our minds. We can open doors that allow him to do his work and it is our responsibility to close them.
9. 1 John 5 instructs believers to pray for one another so that the Lord can cancel the claims the enemy has made on our lives. As a result, freedom and victory can be poured out from heaven into our lives.
TALK TO EACH OTHER:
1. How does one shut a door in their mind that they potentially opened for the enemy to do his work?
2. How can you discern false teaching? What are the main characteristics of this type of dangerous teaching?
3. How have you noticed the enemy attacking your mind as you have sought to follow Jesus? How does he work in our minds and what are the common things he does to steer us away from the faith?
4. 1 John 5 calls us to pray for other believers so that the Lord can bring life to them and cancel the claims the enemy has made concerning them. What truth does this reveal about the Kingdom of God? What truths should it communicate to us?
TALK TO GOD:
Pray as you feel led concerning the following areas:
- Obedience so we live free from the claims of the enemy
- That we would be quick to pray for others (1 John 5)
Remember to read Jeremiah 23 this week
Comments