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Introduction
Survivor Theme Song In one episode of the hit CBS show “Survivor II The Australian Outback” the immunity challenge had the players all stand on poles in the middle of the river. The one who stayed up there the longest won. That might seem simple, but the whole time the show host plied the contestants with temptations to come down off the pole. For Elisabeth it was warmth – he offered her dry clothes and a fire. For others it was food – peanut butter for Colby, for instance. In the end Keith tempted Tina with loyalty – “I really need this one,” he told her, so off she went. In the game of living the Christian life – as we attempt to stay close to Jesus and become like Him in everything we do, there are things out there that will tempt you to step off your pole – that commitment to following Jesus and living in Him. There are plenty of temptations out there that will try to make that happen – promising all kinds of rewards as you feel the cold and hunger of trials. Today we’re going to learn some tips on how to outwit, outplay, and outlast the enemy – and I’m not talkin’ Geri either. We begin in 1 John 2:15 with the two opposing forces – the world and the Father. (15 – 17) The will of the world vs the will of the Father – they are opposite • Don’t “set your affection” (agape) on the world system or any particular part that may be attractive • Do you have a “deep constant, abiding love and interest toward the world? Then the love of the Father is not operating in you • Agape is used only to describe the special love between God and His children, and among believers. When we take that special love and give it to something in the world then we push the Father’s love to the side. How it works in the world 1. Craving of sinful man (we all have natural tendencies) 2. Lust (we see something that we think will fulfill the craving so we set our affection on getting it) 3. Boasting (Once we’ve gotten what we want we use it as a way to lift ourselves over others) How it works in God’s Kingdom 1. Craving to be with and be like God should be our natural tendency 2. Longing to take to our own a characteristic of the Lord that we discover – or spending time in His presence as a way to fulfill that craving 3. Boasting takes on only one form: Jeremiah 9:23-24 23 This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. NIV God wants us to tell lots of people that we have a relationship with God – but that He gets the credit for everything that we do. • How do you know if you are doing God’s will? Acknowledge - Proverbs 3:6 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (acknowledge means to know) Delight - Psalms 37:4 4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Delight means soft or pliable) Filter - James 3:17 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (Use these characteristics as guidelines) • The world’s love and its rewards are temporary “The pleasures of sin for a short time.” (Heb 11:25) “Where you treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34) ? Fame lasts only until the next fad ? Beauty and power fade with age ? Money is elusive and disappears like water in the desert ? Pleasure never gets enough • We are to be sojourners here – temporary residents – don’t put down roots here – put them down in heaven by Word – Worship – Fellowship. Now we move from talking about the world system to talking about those who bring it to us – those that are anti-Christ – now we’re talking about people inside the church, a supposed safe place. (18 – 25) You can know whether someone is anti-Christ by how they treat the Son • The Spirit in you will testify to the truth of the unadulterated gospel – this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t receive teaching, but that the fundamental truth’s of the gospel should be evident to every true believer, protecting us from following false doctrine. • Don’t believe someone’s doctrine just because they say they are a Christian • Test the spirits like John will tell us in chapter 4 – test them by how they treat Jesus as God come in the flesh, who died and rose physically in paying for our sins. (26 – 29) There are those will lead you astray if you are not careful but we should Remain in the Son by continuing to acknowledge the truth about Him – and by doing what is right following His example • The challenge of the Christian life is to “remain in Him” and “continue in Him” It is the same word: “To stay in one place” The draws away from that are: 1. New enticing doctrine or knowledge 2. The world system in its pervasive nature 3. Lust for what we want but don’t have Many times in order for Satan to draw us away from remaining in Jesus, he has to change our outlook on something to get us to compromise the godly character that the Spirit is working in us. So how can help ensure that we stay in one place and don’t stray? 1. Spiritual Awareness (My Favorite Martian antennas) 2. Character Quality Control (check yourself out often - & are you moldable?) 3. Generous use of the “off” button (to the world) • (27) Some use the “you do not need anyone to teach you” to shun listening and receiving good teaching – that’s not what this says. Its saying that the Spirit’s anointing will ALWAYS line up with the truth of the gospel – and that you shouldn’t base your faith in Jesus on someone else’s words – it needs to come from your own heart – and it’s a guard against false teaching – we should all have little antennas inside our hearts that the Spirit uses to pick up on false doctrine. • (29) “If you know that He is righteous” means that people who are being molded into the character of God by the Spirit are Christians – it’s the changing life, not just the words we speak, that matters. Conclusion • Where do you get your “life” values from - the Father, or the world? • If you don’t seek to keep in the faith, other things will move you away from it • Picture yourself turning the corner and Jesus is standing there – how do you want Him to find you? • We want to know how to do God’s will? Listen to how Paul put it in: Rom 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. |
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