Post by Micheal on Aug 7, 2007 20:55:31 GMT -6
Is God. ;D
Today's Bible study is about defense in our spiritual lives. Take a quick look at my series on the armor of God (Ephesians 6). Every piece except for the sword is for defense. This, to me at least, says that you go a lot more on defense than offense. We're not supposed to go looking for trouble in other words. Sure, there are times when we will have to fight back, but for the most part we are supposed to be focused on helping others and defending ourselves.
The first verse I'm going to use is found in Romans 8:31. "What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, then who can be against us?" Think about that for just a second. God, the supreme being, the creator of all that is, the One who holds the very fabric of reality in His hands, is on our team. So who can stand against us? I wonder who in their right mind would even try.
Well, satan for one. But he can NOT make us do anything. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil stalks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. I'm not telling you this to scare you, but to encourage you. Notice that is says he stalks about LIKE a roaring lion. He isn't a lion who can devour, unless we let him. Verse 9 tells us to take a firm stand against him. He is already defeated. In truth he is a toothless, clawless, harmless, cowardly lion. The only way to be defeated by him is to jump in his mouth and let him gum you to death.
Jump over to James 4:7. A lot of people use this verse in their lives, but they only apply the second half. This verse tells us to "humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil and he will flee." We can make the devil flee by resisting him. This is true. But the part that most people ignore is that we have to humble ourselves. If we don't humble ourselves, admit that without God we can do nothing, then we can NOT resist satan. Remember that next time you are under attack. Humble yourself so that you can resist.
I'm gonna wrap this up with a verse from 1 Corinthians. Chapter 10 verse thirteen. "Remember this. No temptations that you experience are any different from what every man has experienced. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." This goes hand in hand with the verse from Romans. In addition to being on our side, God will keep that temptation from becoming so strong that you have to give into it. Turn to Him and you will not stumble.
Today's Bible study is about defense in our spiritual lives. Take a quick look at my series on the armor of God (Ephesians 6). Every piece except for the sword is for defense. This, to me at least, says that you go a lot more on defense than offense. We're not supposed to go looking for trouble in other words. Sure, there are times when we will have to fight back, but for the most part we are supposed to be focused on helping others and defending ourselves.
The first verse I'm going to use is found in Romans 8:31. "What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, then who can be against us?" Think about that for just a second. God, the supreme being, the creator of all that is, the One who holds the very fabric of reality in His hands, is on our team. So who can stand against us? I wonder who in their right mind would even try.
Well, satan for one. But he can NOT make us do anything. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil stalks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. I'm not telling you this to scare you, but to encourage you. Notice that is says he stalks about LIKE a roaring lion. He isn't a lion who can devour, unless we let him. Verse 9 tells us to take a firm stand against him. He is already defeated. In truth he is a toothless, clawless, harmless, cowardly lion. The only way to be defeated by him is to jump in his mouth and let him gum you to death.
Jump over to James 4:7. A lot of people use this verse in their lives, but they only apply the second half. This verse tells us to "humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil and he will flee." We can make the devil flee by resisting him. This is true. But the part that most people ignore is that we have to humble ourselves. If we don't humble ourselves, admit that without God we can do nothing, then we can NOT resist satan. Remember that next time you are under attack. Humble yourself so that you can resist.
I'm gonna wrap this up with a verse from 1 Corinthians. Chapter 10 verse thirteen. "Remember this. No temptations that you experience are any different from what every man has experienced. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." This goes hand in hand with the verse from Romans. In addition to being on our side, God will keep that temptation from becoming so strong that you have to give into it. Turn to Him and you will not stumble.