Mature Class Study, teacher Edith Tolbert.
We’re in a warfare and need to make sure we’re fighting on the right side of the battle. We need a battle plan.
James 4:6-7…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit…to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee…
If we submit to God, we’re able to resist the devil and he will flee. Being submitted 100% means we get saved, go on to be sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit so we get rid of the carnal nature. We completely sell out by giving everything about us to God. Jesus came to defeat the devil and destroy his works. The devil’s works of sin are destroyed in us when we’re saved.
I John 3:7-10 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous…He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin…because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither…loveth…his brother.
It says whoever commits sin is of the devil. Sin is the line that divides if we’re saved and serving God with all our heart. We will still be sinning if we’re not saved and just professing or religious minded. The scriptures are very plain that you can’t live in sin and be a child of God. Many religions say you have to sin every day or you can’t help but sin. Some say you’ll fall into sin some way but God understands and loves you, so it’s alright. God doesn’t want us to sin. Jesus came to deliver and free us out of sin. The scripture says “sin is the transgression of the law.” Other verses say “all unrighteousness is sin” and he that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin. Sin is willfully disobeying what God says in his word. We don’t know all the word when we’re first saved, but we learn as we study and attend services. God knows if our heart’s desire is to obey.
I John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
If we’re double-minded, we will want to serve God but will be drawn back to the world and not be able to resist the devil. That’s why it’s so important to sell out and be totally submitted to God, so we can resist the devil and God will fight for us.
James 1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
The devil will destroy you, ruin you, confuse you, make you end up in hell, and make you impatient. He’s full of hatred for you, has no kindness for you, has no pity, condemns you, and continually finds fault. He has no sympathy. He discourages to cast you down, and causes doubt and division. That’s the spirit we’re fighting, but God has victory for us to overcome the devil in every trial. Jesus overcame and will help us by having all the armor of God with the shield of faith and God’s word.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:16-17 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
The shield of faith helps us believe all God says. We overcome with the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit, God’s word. It’s important to start every day reading the word and meditating on it during the day to help us fight the enemy. The devil was a liar in the beginning. There’s no truth in him but he’s clever so he tries to get you to believe what he says.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning …because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Adam and Eve knew God specifically said they could eat freely of every tree in the garden except for one tree.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded…Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
The devil contradicted and twisted what God said to say they couldn’t eat of every tree. He wanted Eve to feel deprived. The angels in heaven are designed to praise God. God wants people to choose to serve him because they love him.
Genesis 3:1-4…serpent was more subtil than any beast…God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree…? And the woman said…We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst…God hath said, Ye shall not eat…lest ye die. And the serpent said…Ye shall not surely die:
King Saul got lifted up in pride and disobeyed God. Samuel anointed David to be king when he was about 15 years old because he was a man after God’s own heart. David went to Saul and volunteered to go kill Goliath when the Philistines came against the Israelites. David’s brothers were angry and accused him of being proud. David was confident in God and gave God glory for helping to kill the lion and bear. We need the same confidence and faith that God is going to deliver us.
I Samuel 17:34-37 And David said…Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I…smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as…them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God…The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and…of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said…Go, and the Lord be with thee.
David went to kill Goliath with five stones and a sling. Goliath was proud, arrogant, and thought he was going to destroy him, but David’s confidence in God didn’t fail. He knew God was going to fight the battle for him.
I Samuel 17:43-47 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David…said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David…Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord…whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand…and I will give the carcases of …the Philistines this day unto the fowls…and to the wild beasts…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all…shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s…will give you into our hands.
God doesn’t tempt us (James 1:13) but we’re tempted by our own lusts. He tests what’s in our heart to see if we’re totally submitted to his way above everything else or if we give into the lust of the flesh. The devil tempted Jesus after he fasted 40 days. There were 3 types of temptation: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life. Jesus was tempted by the lust of the flesh when he was hungry and weak. He defeated the devil with scripture, saying he didn’t live by bread alone but by the word of God. He trusted God to supply what he needed. The devil misquoted Psalm 91:9-11 by leaving out “to keep thee in all thy ways” as he tempted Jesus to do wrong. The devil doesn’t want us to know God will keep us in all our ways and guide us so we don’t fall. Jesus was tempted by the lust of the eyes when the devil showed him the city. The devil offered the kingdoms and glory of the world if Jesus would worship him. Jesus was tempted by the pride of life and enticed to prove he was the son of God by jumping from the temple pinnacle. Jesus told the devil to go then angels gave him food and ministered to him. Jesus defeated every temptation by God’s word. That’s why we need to know God’s word.
Matthew 4:1-10 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil…fasted forty days…was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter…said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread…he answered…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up…a pinnacle of the temple, And saith…If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down …is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest…thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said…It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord…Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him…kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith…All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt…worship me…saith Jesus…Get thee hence, Satan: for…Thou shalt worship the Lord…
God wants us to cast all our cares on him and not be weighed down by cares, fears, anxieties, and worries. It hinders us in fighting the enemy. If we take the shield of faith and sword of the Spirit, God will help us resist and defeat the enemy.
I Peter 5:7-10 (Amplified Classic) Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset – rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.