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Two Problematic Questions:
Why did God not instantly destroy all evil
Why is the church so imperfect when we are supposed to be God’s New Creation
Matthew 6
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 2
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged.
He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under,
according to the time he had learned from the wise men.”
Matthew 13:24–43
Questions:
What power does the enemy have?
What are his tactics?
How does he attack Kingdom work?
How do we recognize him?
How do we respond?
1. What power does the enemy have?
“You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)
“These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. (Mark 4:15)
Then shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be released from this imprisonment on the Sabbath day?” (Luke 13:16)
2. What are his tactics?
preys on our weak points, Mark 8:
But after turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”
Luke 22:
“Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat,
but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Especially tries to attack leaders
He is a defeated enemy
Then the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!”
So he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (Luke 10)
Do not fear! God will keep us safe:
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Mat 6:13)
I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one. (John 17:15)
James 4 – Recognize your Authority in Christ
So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.
Ephesians 1 – our Authority
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge of him,
— since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened — so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength.
Eph 1 cont’d
This power he exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms
far above every rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And God put all things under Christ’s feet, and he gave him to the church as head over all things.
Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus