Bible Study: Knowing Our Enemy, part 5

Knowing Our Enemy:  The Take-A-Ways and the Solution (Part 5)

The enemy is Satan. Revelation 12:17:  And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The Savior is Jesus.  John 3:16:  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Satan was so bold as to try to tempt Jesus, that means that no one is exempt from Satan’s attacks/temptations.

Temptation is not the same as sin, Jesus was tempted, but did not sin.

A proven method of responding to temptation is knowing and using Scripture.

We need to be aware of Satan’s tactics, he seeks to tempt us in all things.

We need to avoid tempting situations whenever possible, choose to flee!

When temptation sneaks up on us or can’t be avoided, we need to stop, step away and remember … it’s possible to overcome this temptation because others have done it.

We need to trust God:  He won’t allow anyone or anything to tempt us beyond our ability to resist.  That’s a fact, not a feeling!

We need to look, in every temptation, for a way out.  God will provide a way out, but we must look for it. 

What happens when we fail the ‘temptation’ test?  God, in His all-knowing state, made provision for that too:  I John 1:9 … If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Does that mean that we can deliberately fail the ‘temptation’ test with the intention of asking God’s forgiveness afterwards?  Here’s what Hebrews 10:26 says about it:  For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.

I John 1:7 is reassuring:  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Will we be perfect?  Will we deflect and come out a victor over every temptation Satan tempts us with?  I think we all know that the answer to both is ‘no!’  However, when we have a heart that wants to be pleasing to God and we act on that according to His word (not always our feelings), we can rest assured that while we may lose a few battles along the way, the battle for our souls will be won, in the end, by God. 

Hang on fellow Christians, if you’re reading this the battle for your soul is not over and the best news is that God is ever ready to step in and help us.  We don’t have to fight alone; all we have to do is invite Him to the fight!

Let’s wrap this study up with one last thought, one that takes us back to where we started …

When we know the enemy, we realize how much we need to know the Savior.  We know the Savior through the study of His Word!

Part 1 can be found HERE!

Part 2 can be found HERE!

Part 3 can be found HERE!

Part 4 can be found HERE!

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This series of lessons was researched, written and taught by Patsy Norwood in a ladies' Bible class in 2022.

It is my prayer that it is beneficial to you in your walk with God.

May God be gloried in all that we do,

patsy @ From This Heart Of Mine

Bible Study: Knowing Our Enemy, part 4

Knowing Our Enemy: Do We Even Stand A Chance?   (Part 4)

There are several other accounts in God’s Word showing how Satan operated:

Job (the whole book of Job): Satan even used Job’s friends and his wife to tempt him into turning against God.

David (I and II Samuel): David was betrayed by those he loved and should have been able to trust.  Satan enticed them to turn on David and they didn’t resist … even one of his sons.

The 12 Apostles (the book of Acts):  Satan used so many people to hinder the apostle’s message that Jesus Christ was the long-awaited Messiah and the establishing of His church.

Paul (beginning in Acts 13): Paul continued the message of the earlier apostles while the Jews, early Christians, Sanhedrin, chief priests and scribes all took their turn at trying to go after him.  Satan was the instigator and source behind their actions.

Early Christians: the New Testament is full of accounts of everyday Christians attacked by Satan … through others.

Satan wouldn’t be successful in his efforts if we were not willing to be used by him.  Satan doesn’t make us choose him in our actions and deeds, he just dresses the temptations up in such a way that makes it hard to resist. 

James 3:14 – 16 … But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

Galatians 5:20 … idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage, rivalries, divisions, factions …

The lesson for us is to beware and work hard not to allow Satan to use us to tempt or influence others against God.  Make no mistake, he’s all about pitting Christian against Christian too!

With all Satan's potential for influence, do we stand a chance against his wiles?  Are we defenseless pawns in the hands of the prince of this world?  Do we really have a choice?  Are the temptations just too strong?

Yes, we have a choice!  Let me say that again, we have a choice!  Let me shout that from the rooftop:  WE HAVE A CHOICE!

God gave us the ability to have that choice when He gave us His Son!

John 3:16 … For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)

Let’s break this verse down …

For God so loved … a great love

The world … you and me

That He gave … sacrificed

His only begotten Son … the one most precious to Him

That whoever believes … we’ll take a closer look at this below

In Him … Jesus

Should not perish … spiritually speaking

But have eternal life …. A home in heaven

The phrase ‘that whoever believes’ needs a closer look.  What does it mean?  Does it mean that all one has to do is believe that Jesus is the Son of God?

It is my belief that while this certainly does indicate that belief in Jesus Christ in God’s son is essential, I also believe that it means more and here’s why …

When we look at Acts 2, at the account of the day of Pentecost when the Church was first created and established, we see the following:

In Peter’s sermon, starting in verse 14, he was really letting his audience have it in trying to make them understand that their choices had just crucified the Son of God.

Upon realizing what they had done deep remorse set in and repentance began in their hearts (verse 37). 

They next asked, “what are we to do?”  Peter’s answer was ‘repent’ and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

According to Peter, what were the requirements:

(1)       Belief had to be first, they had to believe, be convinced that Jesus was the Son of God

(2)       They had to be convicted of what they had done; they had to feel remorse, they had to wish with all their heart that they had never done it.  This in essence was the beginning of true repentance.

(3)       They had to turn from their sins, ‘what must we do?’

(4)       Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin.  Did you notice the reason they were told to be baptized?  Wasn’t it for the forgiveness of their sins?

(5)       Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In other words, then you will be saved.

This is how people were added to the Church on the day the Church was established according to Acts 2:41: So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

Notice what verse 42 says they did after they were added to the Church:  They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of break and to prayer.

In other words, they dedicated their lives to living for God and growing the Church.

The phrase, ‘whoever believes’ means so much more than just saying, “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” but it is absolutely where we all have to start … and yes, we do have a choice!

(For further study on when our sins are washed away, and examples of baptism look at Paul in Acts 22:16; the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:26-34 and Cornelius in Acts 10. Then look at what Jesus said in Mark 16:15-16 …  And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned.  NASB)

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This series of lessons was researched, written and taught by Patsy Norwood in a ladies' Bible class in 2022.

It is my prayer that it is beneficial to you in your walk with God.

In part 5, we're going to wrap up this study by looking at some take-a-ways and the Solution.  I hope you'll come back for that.  Part 5 can be found HERE!

May God be gloried in all that we do,

patsy @ From This Heart Of Mine

Bible Study: Knowing Our Enemy, part 3

Knowing Our Enemy:  Satan Tempts Jesus (Part 3)

Eve might have been the first person Satan went after, but she wasn’t the last.  Satan, in his arrogance, even tried tempting Jesus.

One of the places we read about the Temptation of Christ is in Matthew 4:1-11  (More of this account can be found in Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13).

Temptation is never as great as when one makes a spiritual declaration like Jesus did when He was baptized in the Jordan.

Matthew 4:1-2: (1) Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  (2)  And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.

The stage is set:  After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptizer, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  In His human form, Jesus was at a weak point, vulnerable, alone, fasting, and ready to begin His ministry; that was the perfect opportunity for Satan to make his strategic attacks.

The instinct of self-preservation had to have kicked in which made Jesus’ response even more remarkable.  Satan looks for opportunities to tempt us too especially when we’re preparing to make choices or do something of a spiritual nature.

Matthew 4: 3-4: (3) And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” (4) But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’”

Satan appealed to the physical side of Jesus by offering Him a way to fill the hunger He was surely experiencing but Jesus responded with Scripture.  This points out the importance of knowing and even committing Scripture to memory.

Had Jesus given into His hunger, He would have been placing more emphasis on his personal desires than on God’s will.  We too should question decisions that place more emphasis on our personal desires than on doing God’s will. 

Matthew 4:5-7: (5) Then the devil took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and he said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written:  ‘He will give His angels orders concerning You’;  and  ‘On their hands they will lift You up, So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’” (7). Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Satan tried to taunt Jesus into proving He was Who He claimed He was.  Satan tried to get Jesus to rise to the occasion and go ahead of God’s plan instead of submitting to God’s timetable.  Satan misused Scripture but Jesus responded with the correct use of Scripture, He didn’t let him get by with it!

If Satan tried to twist scripture with Jesus, don’t think for a minute he won’t try it with us too.  The better we know Scripture, the less likely we’ll be deceived. 

It also seems that Satan was attacking Jesus emotionally, could he have been trying to get Jesus to question God’s love for Him by taunting Him to test God?  Would he do that to us?  I think all of us who are serious about our relationship with God know that he not only would but does!

Matthew 4:8-10: (8) Again, the devil took Him along to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; (9) and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me (10) Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” 

Satan wanted control in heaven and now it seems that he’s introducing the ‘control’ issue to Jesus.  Could he be trying to entice Jesus with the idea of having complete control as he seemly wanted. 

Satan tried to entice Jesus to make selfish choices instead of submitting to God.  Satan might have been trying to feed Jesus’ ego as well, the temptation was to entice Jesus to exalt Himself.  Satan knows no limits when he strikes his blows!

And finally, Satan knew that if he could get Jesus to fall down and worship him, then he would have won the battle that he began in heaven.  Aren’t we glad Jesus stood firmly on God’s Plan and Word!

Matthew 4:11:  Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him.

Luke 4:13 adds additional info to the account … “When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.”

When Satan saw that he wasn’t going to successfully manipulate Jesus into doing what he wanted Him to do, he left Him until an opportune time.  Satan conceded to losing this battle, but he didn’t concede the war.  'An opportune time’ lets us know that he was already looking for his next opportunity. 

If Satan continually tried to tempt Jesus, he’ll continually try to tempt us as well!

Jesus left us the example of how to overcome!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ 

This series of lessons was researched, written and taught by Patsy Norwood in a ladies' Bible class in 2022.

It is my prayer that it is beneficial to you in your walk with God.

In part 4, we're going to find the answer to the question of, 'Do we even stand a chance?'  I hope you'll come back for that.  Part 4 can be found HERE!

May God be gloried in all that we do,

patsy @ From This Heart Of Mine