Drive out sin radically - Deut 7:1-6

Drive out sin radically
March 10, 2013
Deut 7:1-6

INTRO
- Paul tells us to leave behind the sin that so easily besets us
- Heb 12:1 - Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
- Let us lay aside the sin that so easily besets us
- What does it take for us to actually do this?
- How would you lay that sin aside?
- It takes forgiveness and the blood of Jesus to lay it aside
- Otherwise it clings to us like some sticky goo
- But to lay it aside
- That means I totally no longer want that thing that so easily beset me
- I no longer want it to have even a little bit of me
- I have laid it aside
- I radically no longer want it
- This evening we will look at radically putting sin out of our lives

READING
- Deut 7:1-6

BACKGROUND
- Israelites had been in Egypt for 430 years
- Egypt in the Bible represents sin
- Inhabitants of the land were wicked
- Child sacrifice
- Israel had been freed from slavery, just as we have been freed from sin
- We have not been freed to once again become slaves to sin
- The Israelites had been freed from sin, were not to tolerate coexisting with it once again

TOTALLY DESTROY SIN
- Just as God told the Israelites to exterminate the squatters in Abraham's land, he wants us to absolutely destry the sin in our lives
- God says not to look at our sin with pity, or give ourselves over to serving it, it will ensnare us v16

NO COMPROMISE
- When the Israelites took the land, they did not obey the instruction to wipe oput the inhabitants
- As a result they were ensnared
- Baal worship
- Later the whole nation went into captivity, and eventually scattered
- No fellowship with darkness - Eph 5:11

WE ARE HOLY
- Because I am holy to th Lord - v.6
- Wherever God is, is holy
- Moses at burning bush - the ground where you stand is holy
- Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit come to dwell in our spirit
- Our spirit became alive and is holy
- All kinds of blessing is for those who obey him with their whole heart - Eph 1:3
- God will not do this because of our greatness, but because he loves us and is faithful to the covenant he made with us
- We made that covenant with him when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior

DO NOT FEAR
- We may fear the sin it seems stronger than us but God says dont be afraid
- God will take care of it with his outstreched arm, signs and wonders
- Do not be terrified because the Lord your God who is among you, is a great and awesome god

SONG
- Our God is an Awesome God

What is a Stronghold? - 2 Cor 10:4

What is a Stronghold?

March 3, 2013

2 Cor 10:4

Introduction

- Once I drove out to Wales, and saw a castle on the river Wye

- This castle was now in ruins, after many hundreds of years of disuse

- It was nothing like Buckingham Castle or other castles you may have seen

- It was a fortification, designed to be able to keep out intruders

- The walls were thick, the windows were narrow, it was surrounded by a moat which was now dry

- But the drawbridge was down

- This is the kind of fortification Paul is referring to when he speaks to the Corinthians about spiritual warfare

- Today we are going to take a look at the subject of strong holds

Our soul - a castle

- During recent weeks we have been talking about our soul

- 1 Thes 5:23 talks about us being made up of spirit, soul and body

- When we accept Jesus sacrifice on our behalf, the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit come to dwell in our human spirit - John 14:16-17, 23

- This spirit part of us is now secure and safe from the enemy - Eph 1:13

- We do still however need to protect our soul from the enemy's attacks.

- We can liken our soul to a castle, which has a protective moat, thick walls, and a drawbridge

- When the drawbridge has been raised, and the windows have been shut, the enemy has no entry points

- He can fire arrows at us as much as he wants but he cannot get through to capture the castle

- The question is, what happens when we let our guard down?

Who is our enemy?

- Jesus describes the enemy

- John 8:44 - Satan a liar and a murderer

- Easton's Bible Dictionary says:

- "Satan means adversary; accuser. When used as a proper name, the Hebrew word so rendered has the article "the adversary" (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7). In the New Testament it is used as interchangeable with Diabolos, or the devil, and is so used more than thirty times.

- "He is also called "the dragon," "the old serpent" (Rev. 12:9; 20:2); "the prince of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30); "the prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2); "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4); "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2).

- "The distinct personality of Satan and his activity among men are thus obviously recognized. He tempted our Lord in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). He is "Beelzebub, the prince of the devils" (12:24).

- "He is "the constant enemy of God, of Christ, of the divine kingdom, of the followers of Christ, and of all truth; full of falsehood and all malice, and exciting and seducing to evil in every possible way." His power is very great in the world. He is a "roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). Men are said to be "taken captive by him" (2 Tim. 2:26). Christians are warned against his "devices" (2 Cor. 2:11), and called on to "resist" him (James 4:7).

- "Christ redeems his people from "him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14).

- This excellent summary shows he is a force to be reckoned with

- Ways in which he operates are:

- Rev 12:9 - deceives whole world

- John 10:10 - thief - kills steals and destroys

- 1 Pet 5:8 - roaring lion - seeking opportunity to devour

- James 4:7 - he can be resisted

The enemy's tactics

- Satan is a liar, and one of the main ways he attacks us is through lies

- When we let our guard down, not being alert and vigilant, we can fall prey to Satan's lies - this affects our thinking

- He is a thief - he robs us of joy, fulfillment, our future

- When we listen to him, we lose out on what God has purposed for us, just like Adam and Eve - the battle is being played out inside our head

- He is angry at us and seeks our destruction - he will use circumstances, attitudes and people to try to cause us to give up - discouragement is a negative emotion - once again, in our soul

- He tries to break down our defenses, and then get to us

- Satan is a control freak

- He desires to control our lives through his deceptions and hatred

But don't give up!

- Mark 9:23 - All things are possible to him who believes

- 1 Jn 4:4 - Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world

- Eph 6:11-18 - defensive armor

The Christian's armor

- Eph 6:11-18 - description of Roman armor

- Most of the armor is defensive

- Belt of truth verse 14 - truth defeats lies

- Breastplate of righteousness - need to be living a clean lifestyle

- Footwear - preparation of the gospel of peace

- Shield of faith - With God all things are possible - He quenches the fiery darts from the enemy

- Helmet of salvation - God gives a sound mind, when we are saved he cleans up our mind little by little - this is the soul about which we are speaking

- Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God - truth is in God's Word

- Praying in the Spirit

Conclusion

- Satan would like to get a foothold in our mind

- He wants to use that foothold to progressively take over more real estate in our minds

- But God is greater than him, and is well able to protect us from him

-Next week we will continue looking at strongholds

What am I thankful for? - Psa 77:11

What Am I Thankful For?

March 3, 2013

Psa 77:11

Introduction

- How many here have a praise report this morning?

- Each one has something to be thankful for

- Often we only look at today's circumstances, and forget the things God has done for us

- Sometimes we become depressed and discouraged

- David had this happen to him too

- He had been anointed to be king, and yet Saul was still on the throne

- He grew tired of waiting, tired of running for his life

- He wrote a psalm which shows the way out of discouragement

- Today we are going to look at what God says to us about thankfulness

Reading

- Psalm 77

Be positive

- Paul too experienced a lot of adverse things in his life

- He learned that it was better to look at the positive things than to dwell on the negative

- Phil 4:8 - whatever is true, noble, right

- It is better to look at the positive things, because it causes a release of chemicals in your brain which are beneficial for you and make you feel better

- What are the positive things in your life?

- During this service, list as many as you can remember, on the slip in your bulletin

- Each of us has a lot of positive things to remember

- You may say no, pastor you dont understand me

- But each of us is blessed to be alive, to be saved, to have a gl;orious future ahead of us

- Go ahead and fill out the list, during the service.

- I will ask for some testimonies at the end of the service

Be content

- Paul experienced a lot of bad stuff

- 2 Cor 11:23-30 - Paul defends his credentials for ministry to the Corinthians

- Paul experienced a lot of hardship, things we have not even come close to

- And yet Paul was a man of peace

- He repeatedly prays for peace for individuals and for churches, in the many letters he wrote to his sheep

- Paul learned to be ok with whatever situation he was placed in

- Phil 4:10-13 - I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances

- This of course means we are content to be where God has placed us

- It means we trust that he is taking care of things

- Paul mentions this in verse 19

- God has all the resources, all he asks of us is that we put him first

- Then he will supply all our need

- Mat 6:33 - seek first the kingdom of God

Remember

- God does intervene in our lives in so many ways

- Psalm 77:11

- Remember those times

- that time we were inattentive on the road and narrowly missed an accident

- that time he intervened and gave us the perfect job for that moment in our life

- the time he answered our prayers when our baby was burning up with a fever

- that time we were sitting in the exam room and could not remember what we had studied

- Add these things to your list too

- The people who made us welcome when we moved into a new city

- The home that God allows us to live in

- The children he has given us for a time

- They will grow up and leave home, and perhaps move far away

- But we have been blessed to enjoy and rear them for a time, before they spread their wings

Testimonies

- What things have you written on your list, to be thankful for?

Song

- We Will Remember - Tommy Walker