SERMON NOTES

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. The devil attacks Jesus right after a big success (His public baptism).  When have you experienced temptation after a big success?
2. In Luke 1:1, the verse says that the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the desert where he was going to be tempted by the devil for 40 days.  Why do you think the Holy Spirit led him into the desert to be tempted? 
3. The Devil (adversary) and Satan (accuser), continues to live up to his name(s).  Name one way he has opposed/accused you to take advantage of a weakness or need you have.
4. It’s easy to overestimate or under estimate the devil’s power.  Which side do you lean toward and why?
5. Can the Devil use something true to ‘troll’ us to introduce a bigger lie into our lives? How do you stand in victory against his trolling
6. Read ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬.  What is the significance that Jesus faced temptation like we do?
7. How does being tempted, and successfully emerging from it, strengthen your walk?
   

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON

Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

RESOURCES

Book | Micheal Heiser | THE UNSEEN REALM

Book | C.S.Lewis | SCREWTAPE LETTERS  

Song | Hillsong Worship | Desert Song

Article | J.D.Greer | Satan’s Go To Temptation Against You

SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TO TRY

Develop a Rule of Life (ROL). A Rule of Life, is a simple pattern that we implement into our daily life. This pattern is designed to intentionally move you forward in your faith with Jesus and your spiritual life. Taking the time to develop a ROL will help create vision for your life. Living by it will lead to transformation. These Rule of Life are not steadfast unmovable block in your day to day, but rather pliable patterns to initiate growth and transformation. Their goal is your goal, to help provide direction and support as you develop in holiness as God desires. Romans 12:1-2 in the message translation encourages us to embrace Gods best in every area of our life. “Spiritual disciplines are activities that open us to God’s transforming love and the changes that only God can bring about in our lives. Picking up on the monastic tradition of creating a “rule of life” allows for regular space for the practice of the spiritual disciplines. – Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Have you ever journeyed through life and reached a point where you finally through your proverbial hands up and asked yourself, “How did I get here?” Maybe telling a lie to cover a lie to cover a lie and realizing you are living out a complicated house of cards only to see it come crashing down. How did I reach this point of giving in to temptation, committing this (fill in the blank), and now I feel like a sham or failure?

John 8:44 Tells us exactly what to expect from the enemy,  “…He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” One of the key parts of this verse is ‘from the beginning’. Meaning he has been around since before the creation of the world, he has seen all that has happened in your family line, and everything that has happened to you thus far, and all the decisions you have made. He literally has ‘all the time in the world’ to study your every move, and wait for the opportunity to strike. 

1 Peter 5:8 tells us ‘be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour’. What does ‘prowls around’ ‘like a roaring lion’ mean? When hunting, lions are masters of stealth. They stalk their prey by moving slowly and crouching near the ground, getting as close as possible without being detected. By blending into their surroundings, they can surprise their victims with a sudden pounce, giving their prey little time to react. Lions have excellent vision, allowing them to spot any movement from a distance. While stalking is a common hunting technique, lions also employ ambush tactics when the opportunity presents itself. Instead of patiently stalking their prey, they may choose to run quickly towards their target, forcing it to run towards other waiting lions or into areas where it becomes trapped. Ambushes can be particularly effective when lions have identified vulnerable or unsuspecting prey. Interestingly enough, lions roar almost exclusively in the dark of night, when the acoustics of the atmosphere are most favorable for even the smallest roar to travel the farthest distance and make the most sound. They roar as a means of asserting dominance and control over a territory. 

So how does this apply to the enemy’s tactics on us? We know that ‘there is no condemnation in Christ’ Romans 8:1, and shame is a by-product of condemnation. The feeling of unworthiness that comes from condemnation leads us to feeling shame for what we have done. This is a perfect opportunity for ‘the father of lies’ to strike. When we are in a cycle of sin and shame, we isolate ourselves and leave ourselves vulnerable to attacks and temptation. The enemy has nothing better to do than to wait for us to be unsuspecting and vulnerable to attack. 

How do we navigate this as believers? We know first and foremost in Christ’s resurrection he had victory over death, sin, and the grave. Scripture is one giant story of the enemy’s defeat! We need not be concerned with his every move, Peter instructs us to ‘be sober-minded; be watchful’. In terms of our spiritual walk, we can view ‘sober-mindedness’ as having a disciplined, controlled, and sound mind. Ask the Holy Spirit to alert you when your mind begins to wander, and ask for discipline, with His help, to redirect your thoughts on Christ and His goodness. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”. If you are constantly anxious, fearful, waiting for the other shoe to drop, or always wondering what will go wrong, these thoughts are not from the Lord, but straight from the enemy, and need to be recognized as lies and fear tactics. 

We need to replace these lies with truth. Paul urges us in Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”. When you feel powerless over the enemy and his schemes, put on the armour of God and set your mind on these things. 

Regardless of a very real enemy, we have a very real God. One that already has the victory.  –  Your Digging Deeper Team

Praying for you to walk in the Holy Spirits power this week,
Pastor Rob Hans