alpha@wefc

How Can I Resist Evil? Sat, 07 Nov, 2009

We are to resist evil on 2 fronts:

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A.  Human Evil

1.  By nature, our hearts turn away from God and towards evil.

The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.

– Genesis 6:5

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

- Romans 7:21

You have heard that it was said.. ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment…

- Matthew 5:21-22

The Toddler’s Ten Commandments

1. If I like it, it’s mine.
2. If it’s in my hand, it’s mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it’s mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.
5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it’s mine.
8. If I saw it first, it’s mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it becomes mine.
10. If it’s broken, it’s yours.

2. But when we become Christians, God performs “heart surgery” on us, and recreates us in Christ.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

- Ezekiel 36:26

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

- 2 Corinthians 5:17

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B.  The Devil’s Schemes

1.  The Devil’s aim: to destroy by turning us away from God.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

- John 10:10

2.  The Devil’s tactics: deception, doubt and despair.

• We see this clearly in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). God gives Adam and Eve 3 things: (a) Permission (b) Prohibition (c) Penalty.
• The Devil’s deception: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat of any tree in the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1); “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). Leading to doubt and despair: sin, bondage, fear, addictions, idolatry.

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C.  What has God done to help us? Plenty!

1.  God has freed us from slavery to sin, into life in Christ!

He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us in to the kingdom of the Son he loves

- Colossians 1:13

2.  Satan has been defeated by Christ’s death on the cross.

He forgave our sins … and having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

- Colossians 2:13, 15

3. God has given us authority and spiritual resources/arsenal with which we are to do battle.

We are to put on “the full armour of God”.

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

- Ephesians 6:10-18

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D. Conclusion

Let’s be aware of evil – but let’s not live in fear, because God has given us everything we need to fight evil wherever we face it. Ultimately the victory has already been won for us!

Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

- James 4:7

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- Ps Timothy P