Spiritual Battle
This week we began our study time with prayer requests, followed by our opening prayer.
Everyone, let’s be sure to pray for Rosemary and her husband Mike. They have been under serious attack ever since we began the Lord, Change Me study. She asked for prayer regarding the study and for the Wednesday night women’s study group – now 40 strong. God has something very important with this study for this church and group of women; likewise with us. Pray that God would do what He needs to do in all of us participating.
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise
Is it any surprise to us that we are all under satanic attack? As we grow more deeply in our personal relationship with God, we must remember we are cutting into Satan’s territory. His strongholds in our lives are something we may have had for most of our life. As we break free from the bonds that tie us, we must remember that are in fact battling with the enemy. Breaking free means that we are no longer buying the lies Satan has been feeding us.
Who are our enemies?
Previously, we learned who the enemy was in Psalm 25; the war is always the same – Battlefield of the Mind! Our enemies are the world, our flesh (self), or Satan. We can be attacked by any one of the three or any combination of the three; one or all of the above. However, the battle is always the same; a battle for your mind.
Ongoing Spiritual War – Our Wrong Thinking
The Spiritual War it is all around us. We need God to show us how to fight the good fight of faith and make clear every step we are to take regardless of the situation or circumstance we are facing. His Enlightenment is a moment-to-moment process many times.
Remember what Joyce Meyers had to say about Satan? As long as we are alive, our minds remain Satan’s battlefield. Most of our problems are rooted in thinking patterns that produce the problems we experience. This is where Satan triumphs – he offers wrong thinking to us all.
Changing our Wrong Way
What does changing mean? It means altering, shifting, varying, adjusting leading to transforming…our mind; change our way of thinking. Do you have thinking patterns that generally cause you pain or problems? Change them with God’s help through Scripture. Change means forbearing and forgiving others as well as ourselves
Change is not easy, is it? But change is necessary to alter the course of our actions or reactions, modify our faulty way of thinking based on falsehoods to God’s way of thinking which is holy and pure; righteous.
Psalm 124 (NIV)
Psalm 124 is a great verse for us to ponder because it reminds us that apart from Jesus we can do nothing; we are quickly handed over to the enemy. Praise God that He loves us so much He sent His only begotten Son to die and pay the full penalty for each of our sins. Only by His stripes are we healed!
1 If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel
2 if the LORD had not been on our side when people attacked (when men rose up against) us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive (quickly) when their anger (wrath) flared (kindled) against us;
4 the flood (the waters) would have engulfed us (overwhelmed us); the torrent would have swept over us (gone over our souls):
5 the raging (pride) waters would have swept us away (gone over our souls).
4 the flood (the waters) would have engulfed us (overwhelmed us); the torrent would have swept over us (gone over our souls):
5 the raging (pride) waters would have swept us away (gone over our souls).
6 Praise be (blessed be) to the LORD, who has not let us (given us as prey) be torn by their teeth.
7 We have (our soul has) escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker (who made) of heaven and earth.
7 We have (our soul has) escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker (who made) of heaven and earth.
In Warren W. Wiersbe book, “The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament Wisdom and Poetry” he describes Satan’s attacks on page 342 via Psalm 124.
Expect Sudden Attack: Be Sober and Vigilant
The Deepening Flood (vv. 3-5)
Here is a situation where we stand helpless as the problem gets worse and worse. During the rainy season, and when the mountain snow melts, the dry riverbeds in Israel Israel
The Menacing Beast (v.6)
A sudden attack by a wild beast is a biblical picture of persecution (7:1-2, 10:8-11; 27:1-2; 57:4). There are twelve words in the Hebrew language for lions, which indicates that the Jewish people in that day took wild beasts seriously. Jeremiah compared Babylon
The Hidden Trap (vv. 7-8)
We must use the Word of God to throw light on our path so we can detect and avoid the devil’s traps (119:105; 91:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:7, 6:9; 2 Tim. 2:24-26). The picture is that of a helpless bird who walked into the trap in order to eat the food. Satan always has fascinating bait to offer. The Lord may allow us to fall into a trap, but nobody can keep us when He wants us to be free. The Lord not only opened the trap but broke it so it cannot be used again! The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has broken the dominion of sin and death and we can walk in freedom through Jesus Christ.
Praise God that we are not helpless! “Our help is in the name of the Lord” (v.8).
MATTHEW HENRY'S CONCISE COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLE
The deliverance of the church.
God suffers the enemies of his people sometimes to prevail very far against them, that his power may be seen the more in their deliverance. Happy the people whose God is Jehovah, a God all-sufficient. Besides applying this to any particular deliverance wrought in our days and the ancient times, we should have in our thoughts the great work of redemption by Jesus Christ, by which believers were rescued from Satan. (Ps 124:6-8)
Treasure Principle: His Word - A Lamp unto my Feet
On page 36, Evelyn tells us that when she has needed direction for her life, had He never left her groping in the dark, trying to find her way. No, Sir. He had given her His Word as a “lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” Psalm 119: 105. As she has obeyed God’s instructions, He has changed her, step by step, into the person He wanted her to be.
A Simple Act of Kindness – Big Impact
Rosemary shared a thank-you card sent to us from her sister Dotty. The card shows us how a simple act of kindness on behalf of Christ can have a huge impact on people we interface with.
Homework Review – What Touched You?
Rosemary started our discussion beginning with our Homework: Week Four; Psalm 25: 1-12. Remember, Psalm 25 was so important to Evelyn; let us make it important to us as well. Did we stick to the plan praying Psalm 25 all week? What point did God impress upon you this past week?
Shaming – Who is the Author?
Brona commented that the Lord stopped her at shame. A person was bringing up a situation to her in an attempt to make her feel ashamed for something she had done in the past and that had already been forgiven when she nailed onto the Cross.
2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
Rosemary asked “Who is the author of the shame in this case?” Satan primarily and let’s not forget about self when the conversation occurred. Satan started to play the old tapes to Brona that had been erased long ago. Once she realized what was happening she prayed and God granted her peace once again.
Note to self: Don’t pick it up again once you’ve given it to God.
Show Me and Teach Me
Cathey shared that God is sharing with her that she needs to be in the Word; not in the dine-n-dash mode that she has been in lately due to family circumstances. She learned that she needs to be more personal with God; in fact, more serious.
Show Me Right Path
Terry shared God stopped her at right path; God’s truth saves me!
Cathey shared the word path in the Hebrew language means passing back and forth; like wagon wheels going back and forth over the same spots that ruts are made.
If you ever travel to Wyoming
God’s mercy and truth makes the deep ruts for you to get into; His path is carved in the Rock.
Psalm 25:13-22
13 They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land.
Prosperity ≠ Riches
Define Prosperity? What does it mean to you?
· Increased faith
· Leading others to Christ
· Peace; it feels rich. It does not feel chaotic anymore, no more turmoil; just peace.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
Confides In Believers
God talks to us through the Bible, through prayer as well as many other ways. He confides, reveals, or better said, opens our hearts to Him. When we are right with God, when we truly fear and revere Him, He entrusts us with His truth and knowledge that others do not receive.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.
22 Deliver Israel
Critical Success Point: Only God Has the Answers
The key is going beyond what others say about us to what God says about us; who we are in Christ. The only way to do that is going to the Source: God’s Living Word - Scriptures.
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives?" (1 John 1:8,10). The question is not whether we will sin; the question is what we will do when we do sin.
There is only one thing for us to do. Go to the cross. Jesus paid for that sin by dying on the cross. Picture yourself writing your sin on a white piece of paper, then pinning it to the cross. Now, leave it there. The cross is for sinners. When Jesus looks at you, He no longer sees your sin. He cannot see the sin because He can only see the cross.
When you come to Jesus with your sin, there is nothing more you can do besides confessing and renouncing your sin. Sometimes it may require restitution with others. However, once you confess your sin and ask forgiveness, it is no longer on the ledger of debts.
There is only one thing for us to do. Go to the cross. Jesus paid for that sin by dying on the cross. Picture yourself writing your sin on a white piece of paper, then pinning it to the cross. Now, leave it there. The cross is for sinners. When Jesus looks at you, He no longer sees your sin. He cannot see the sin because He can only see the cross.
When you come to Jesus with your sin, there is nothing more you can do besides confessing and renouncing your sin. Sometimes it may require restitution with others. However, once you confess your sin and ask forgiveness, it is no longer on the ledger of debts.
Jesus is the one who sets the captives free this is done by focusing on Him not the world around us.
Chapter 4: Changed – When I Study God’s Word
We then started to look at other aspects of Chapter 4. We began our quest by looking on Page 52, the first paragraph;
Devotional Reading
“Should I let God change me through devotional reading or Bible study? That’s not a fair question, because both are essential for a well-rounded, transformed life. Devotional reading is never a substitute for deep, systematic Bible study – but it is a complement to it. And the Lord does change me when I study His Word.”
Studying the Bible is Most Important
On Page 52, we see that Paul gave Timothy excellent advice when he said, “Study to show thyself approved unto God” (2 Tim. 2:15). He also counseled him to: “Remember that from early childhood you have been familiar with the sacred writings to which have power to make you wise and lead you to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every inspired Scripture has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, or for reformation of manners and discipline in right living, so that the man who belongs to God may be efficient and equipped for good work of every kind” (2 Tim. 3:15-16,NEB, italics mine).
Evelyn said, “Digging into the bible always produces a joy and excitement that changes me into a different person. My spiritual barometer, 1 John 1:4, applies here, ‘These things [are written]…that your joy [might] be full.’ Even if I’m willing to be changed by what God is teaching me, the end result is always joy. Deep Bible study also produces spiritual maturity – Christ-likeness in me.”
Study Purpose: Find Your Lifestyle by Studying God’s Word
We must study God’s Word for direction in our life. This will include accurately observing what the Bible really says and applying it to our lives.”
Prayer Key Component to Bible Study Preparation
On Page 53, Evelyn tells us how she studies God’s Word. She says, “As I study God’s Word, approximately on third of the study time is spent in prayer.
This prayer time is divided into four categories:
1. Before the study begins
2. While observing what the Scripture really says
3. While interpreting what it means
4. When applying it to myself or others we teach
Preparation is Key to Success: Pray before the Study Begins
Evelyn tells us, that just approaching her study time in prayer “changes me”. Like her, we should pray about our personal preparation.
1. Praying for cleansing before starting to study establishes a clear communication with God.
a. How often do we need to pray for cleansing? Constantly; prayer is an ongoing process that we need to employ in order to purify or cleanse ourselves.
Cleansing of Sin
We could be a real “downer” on people because we talk about sin. We talked about sin and when sin usually occurs; David is a perfect example. It is important to note that sin that is ever-present in all of us; like King David.
We read in the Bible that David was a “man after God”, but he also was a man who sinned. He messed up a whole lot with really big things. 2 Samuel 11 gives us an account of what was going on in the place that led him to sin. Here we see that David was feeling comfortable and at ease in his surroundings. He was in the palace, well fed and clothed; everything in his life was easy. He didn’t go to war with the rest of the army. Instead, he was kicking back and relaxing. It was during this time that he was vulnerable to sin; comfortable and at ease.
1In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem Jerusalem
Did David have to follow through with sin?
No, God always has an exit or escape for us according to Scripture. He had a choice, but once he started down the path of sin he became overwhelmed with sin to the extent of killing Bathsheba’s husband and taking her as his wife.
In Psalm 51, we see the result of what happened when Nathan the prophet came to David after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. God was convicting David through the prophet Nathan. Psalm 51 is David’s confession of his sins; he repents openly, he was sorry for every time he sinned - error. The difference with David is he kept going back to God after He sinned. He knew that sin interfered with his relationship with God. That is why he is called a “man after God”; he sincerely confessed and repented his sins.
When we think of sin in our life, open or hidden, it is not that I am brought down because of it, it is the plight of human life. If I stay in sin it hurts my fellowship with God. The only way to deal with the sin is to understand that we are forgiven! Satan will do his best to interfere or mess your mind! If we pick the sin up again, it is like we are putting Christ on the cross again.
It is critical that we understand that when we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior we are sealed with the Holy Sprit and that we have eternal life. The only thing that can be stolen from us is our joy not our salvation! Satan will do everything he can to rob, kill or destroy your joy. Joy can be stolen by Satan through his wiles and schemes; dragging up old sin in our lives.
Confession and Cleansing
In order to have the heart, mind and soul of Christ we need to be cleansed of all sin. Confession – cleansing; confession – cleansing both are required.
Repentance = Turn-Away from Sin Sorrow
If we habitually sin doing the same thing over and over we probably are not sorry for what we have done. We are not in a state of repentance for our actions. We need to ask God for “Godly Sorrow” in order to fully repent and turn away from the sin once and for all.
Rosemary shared how she feels differently about her sin now than before, in her earlier years of her life. Now she can’t stand to have the sin and she is convicted immediately and repents immediately.
Psalm 51
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion , to build up the walls of Jerusalem
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
b. Expressing in cleansing prayer the hunger and thirst after righteousness that I feel in my heart assures me of ‘God’s filling’ (Matthew 5:6)
2. Praying ‘Lord, remove all preconceived ideas about this portion of Scripture I am about to study.”
Key Point: Pray to Remove Preconceived ideas about the Scripture
Don’t take scripture out of context. On Page 44 and again on Page 53, Evelyn says “Then we prayed a simple prayer. ‘Lord, remove all our preconceived ideas about this portion of Scripture. We want You to tell us afresh what You want changed in us today.’”
Quest to Figure Scripture out for Ourselves
Remember it is always possible that something we have heard or studied previously has not been correct. Praying for God to remove all preconceived ideas (for the study time) will enable Him to reveal His fresh insights to us. Like Evelyn, we should “Let my spirit soar as I thrill at new thoughts from His Word!”
3. Pray that God will take control of the study time so that all observations, interpretations, and applications will be truth. Like Evelyn, we must acknowledge our dependence on God if we want accurate, powerful, life-changing lessons for ourselves or those we are teaching.
4. Evelyn said, “Then, I ask God to be my Teacher, inviting the Holy Spirit to be operative in me as I study. In John 14:26 Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would teach you all things.” Also, Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus
The Bible is more than a textbook of poetry, history, psychology, law and letters; it is a living, personal message from God’s heart to our hearts! And studying it thoroughly, deeply and systematically produces changed people.
A good Bible study always includes three elements:
· Observation
· Interpretation
· Application
Observation
Pronouns: How to take God’s Word and Make it about You.
Rosemary asked if anyone got anything important related to the reading on Pages 55-56 regarding pronouns? What Scripture did Evelyn use to demonstrate this point?
On Page 55, Evelyn tells us that pronouns are a particularly tricky little words: They can tell us a whole story, for example: On Resurrection morning the angel, talking to the woman at the tomb, said “Remember how He [Jesus] spoke unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again’” (Luke 24:6-7).
That “you” tells us a whole story:
1. The women traveled with Jesus and ministered to Him in Galilee .
2. Jesus gave this teaching to the women (the angel doesn’t mention the men to whom this most likely was given to as well)
3. Jesus taught the women directly while they traveled with Him to Jerusalem
4. Jesus entrusted the women with some very important teaching. As we ask God to change us he will give us important just for us; entrusting us as women with something really important that we are to teach others – our families.
This little pronoun refuted several of Evelyn’s preconceived ideas about the place of women in ministry of Jesus and changing her thinking considerably.
It is about women – all across the globe, including in the United States
Plural Pronouns
Plural pronouns can be enlightening. By observing the “us” pronoun in 2 Corinthians 2:11, Evelyn saw that Paul was talking about himself as well as the Christians at Corinth
Evelyn then realized that if Paul wasn’t safe from the toehold of Satan in his relationship with the Corinthian Christians, she had better be a little more alert.
Verbs
On Page 56, Evelyn discussed the little verb “drove”; how it encompassed a whole theological truth. In Mark 1:12 we observe that “The Spirit immediately drove Him [Jesus] out into the wilderness” (RSV). And He was there forty days, tested by Satan. Again Evelyn’s preconceived idea had to be changed by one little verb. The Spirit didn’t hinder Him from going, didn’t allow Jesus to go; the Spirit drove Jesus to His temptation by Satan.
Read the Scripture portion before reading any lesson helps! Carefully observing all God’s Word has to say in the study enables teachers to evaluate lesson helps and commentaries in the light of Scripture.
According to Evelyn, unless we actually observe first what the Scripture says, we are apt to accept gullibly all the teachings in other books – right or wrong, and be changed by them – rightly or wrongly.
This is where we concluded “Lord, Change me” tonight.
We will pick back up on Page 59 next week.
Rosemary asked Mike what he thought regarding God giving us a parking place prayer. Mike said no. Rosemary shared with Mike her thoughts on what God does for us… when He gives us that spot it is such a wonderful thing. It is usually when we are having a bad day, ill, late, so forth. It is all about God’s will not ours. God is just so good, He always comes through just when we need Him to.
We also discussed the book “When God Winks At You” by Squire Rushnel; an ex-ABC producer who was responsible for many children’s programs in 70’s and 80’s. We discussed what happened to the author when he first wrote the book; he couldn’t get on TV shows. He was told “We love you but we hate the title of the book.”
In the book he relates a story about a woman in California
Someone had told the young woman to go to the Crystal Cathedral this very day that her mother would be here today! The older woman said “I hope you find her, I’d give anything to see my daughter that I had to give up for adoption years ago. Well you can imagine the rest of the story can’t you? This was the mother the young woman was looking for this very day.
Ladies, God knows everything we are doing what our needs are. He does so many things for us that we can’t even imagine! Look how He orchestrated this meeting for the two women. Only God could do this for us!
Awesomeness of God
The rest of the evening was spent watching James McDonald – Awesomeness of God video based on Isaiah 40. Link to his website: http://www.walkintheword.com/.
Homework: Week 5
Everyone
· Finish Reading Chapter 4; we will continue from page 59 next week.
· Read Isaiah 6:1-8.
· In your Spiritual Diary, create a 3-column list by turning your diary sideways (vertically). (Page 61)
· Enter Observations, Interpretations, Applications in header row.
· Review Isaiah 6:1-8 and record 1) what you observe, 2) what it means to those whom the passage was written and the meaning to us today, and 3) the application for "me".
My Observations | Interpretations | Application |
· Record as simply or as extensive as you want.
· Finally, come prepared to discuss the three (3) main points you got out of these eight verses of Scripture next week.
Isaiah’s Commission
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
No Handout: Week 5 – 02/03/11
No comments:
Post a Comment