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The Serpent’s Strategy (Genesis 3:1-7)

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We’re in a message series called “Spiritual Warfare.” Our warfare is a battle between obeying God and obeying Satan. Behind every significant decision in your life is a choice to obey God or the devil.

How does this play out? As a believer, God is speaking to you through His Spirit as you ponder a decision in life. But there is something else going on with every decision. Satan is seeking to inject his direction and ideas into your mind. He can do that in a number of ways.

Satan can directly tempt you in your mind. Or he may use something that you read or watch. Or he may use a friend or relative to tempt you to follow his guidance. Oftentimes, the obvious choice is the wrong one, the one that Satan is pitching to you. He’s hoping that you don’t take the time to pray and find out what God is saying. So, it comes down to a choice. A choice to follow God and reject the temptation. Or a choice to follow Satan and reject God’s direction.

When you choose to follow God’s direction, the result is blessing in your life. When you choose to follow Satan’s direction and sin, the result is curses upon your life.

1 John 2:16 (NIV2011)  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

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Facing Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11)

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We’re in a message series called “Spiritual Warfare.” The Bible teaches that as believers, we are in a battle against unseen evil spiritual forces. Behind every conflict in the world, whether armed battles or cultural battles between right and wrong, are invisible demonic beings. The recent Supreme Court decision legalizing homosexual marriages is a recent example of the unseen battle coming out into the open.

Isaiah 5:20 (NIV)  Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

In this decision, that which the Bible clearly calls evil has been celebrated as good. The institution of marriage created by God has been perverted by applying the concept to unholy unions.

Proverbs 17:15 (NASB)  He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

When our judges justify and promote sinful lifestyles and condemn those who follow God’s truth, it is an abomination to the Lord and judgment is sure to come. God’s Word is truth and true believers follow God’s truth in all of the Bible. When Jesus Christ changes a heart and someone becomes a new creation in Christ, they then understand what is true and what is false, what is blessed and what is cursed. As we proclaim God’s truth, sinners will repent, hearts will change and ultimately, society will come to its senses once again. …

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Detecting the Deceiver (2 Corinthians 11:2-15)

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December 7, 1941 started as a peaceful Sunday morning, but at 7:55 am, Pearl Harbor was attacked by 200 Japanese aircraft. People often say that the attack was without warning, but that’s not the case. In the months leading up to the attack, the Pearl Harbor commanders were warned three times to prepare for war, as negotiations had ceased. Little was done to prepare. On the morning of the attack, a decoded Japanese message indicated that war was at hand. Four hours before the attack a Japanese submarine was sighted, but no report was made. On the morning of the attack, radar operators saw a large blip which they considered a squadron of aircraft approaching Pearl Harbor. Their report was not heeded. As a result of ignoring the attack warnings, 2300 Americans were killed, 1300 injured and 1000 were missing.

Today, we begin at new message series called “Spiritual Warfare.” The Bible warns us repeatedly to prepare for spiritual warfare. However, many ignore those warnings and as a result, Satan’s attacks kill, injure and lead astray friends, relatives and neighbors.

In this series, we’re going to look at questions, such as:

  • Who is our real enemy?
  • What is their plan of attack?
  • How can we defend ourselves in battle and be victorious?

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

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Fight the Battle (Ephesians 6:10-19)

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 Fight the Battle Message Introduction

Today, we’re continuing our message series called “Bondservant.” A bondservant, serving the Lord lays their life on the line for their master. A servant is also a warrior or soldier for their Captain. Today, our message is entitled “Fight the Battle.”

Around the world today, there are many armed conflicts. Last year there were 4 conflicts with more than 10,000 deaths. An additional 10 conflicts had more than 1000 deaths and 18 conflicts that had more than 100 deaths. These physical armed conflicts are simply outwards symptoms of a spiritual battle. The unseen war between the kingdom of God and the dominion of Satan.

Every person, whether they know it or not is aligned with one side or the other in this unseen spiritual battle. On the side of the kingdom of God are believers, and those who are not believers are aligned with the dominion of darkness. The Bible talks repeatedly of our responsibility as warriors in this conflict.

1 Timothy 6:12a (NIV)  Fight the good fight of the faith.

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Walk with the Spirit (Galatians 5)

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Walk with the Spirit Message Introduction

Today, we’re continuing our message series called “Bondservant.” Our slide shows a chain representing that everyone is a slave or bondservant, serving a master. The question is who is your master, who are you a slave to?

Bob Dylan wrote a song called “Gotta Serve Somebody” and I’d like us to listen to the first part of the song. “Gonna have to serve somebody, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” Everyone serves somebody and there are only two choices, the devil or the Lord.

If you’re serving the Lord, you know it. But most of the people who aren’t serving the Lord don’t know that they are serving the devil. The devil hides himself and is the ultimate puppet master. People worship and serve idols, things like money, pleasure, drugs, prestige, themselves. But behind all of them is the devil, who they are really serving.

The tag line in our slide is “free to be a slave.” Jesus came to set people free from serving the devil, free to choose Jesus as your master, free to be Jesus’ slave or bondservant.

Today, my message is entitled “Walk with the Spirit.” We’re going to be talking about the contrast between a person serving the devil and a person serving the Lord.

Romans 8:8-9 (NIV)  Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.  You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

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Grow to Spiritual Maturity (1 Peter 1-2)

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Grow to Spiritual Maturity Message Introduction

Today, we’re continuing our message series called “Bondservant.” Every believer or disciple of Jesus Christ, is His bondservant. He is the master, we are His slaves, according to the Bible. As master, Jesus is not a cruel tyrant, but a loving master.

In this series, we are going to discover how we can grow as disciples or bondservants of Jesus. We want to learn how to more useful to the master. God created you for a purpose. When you believe in Jesus and are saved, you begin a journey to fulfill that plan and purpose.

Today, our message is entitled “Grow to Spiritual Maturity.” Let’s think about physical growth for a minute. Physical life begins at conception. That tiny baby grows in its mother’s womb for 9 months and then is born into the world. That baby then grows, learns to walk, talk and do many other things. The baby becomes a child and begins its education, as it continues to learn and grow. Ultimately, the child becomes a mature adult, becoming a productive part of society.

In the same way, when a person becomes a believer in Jesus, the Bible tells us that they are born again and saved. That new believer, whether they are 8 years old or eighty begins their spiritual life as a spiritual infant. The new believer must than experience spiritual growth until they become a mature, spiritually productive disciple of Jesus.  …

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