Dealing With Spiritual Evil (Part 3): The Battle Lines

Jim Leffel

1 Peter 5:8-9

In addition to other means of attack, Satan strikes at believers' consciences through seduction and temptation: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life. After they fall into sin, he accuses them to God and to themselves, leaving them feeling considerably remorseful. When believers choose to repent by basking in God's love, graciousness, and mercy, they can have a cleared conscience; they can be restored; and they can be confident in God's active transformational work in their heart. They also begin to have the freedom to desire what God desires.

A Transformed Life

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 5:19-23

In order to see spiritual growth in our lives, we must have a mind set on the spirit and seek out God's transforming power. Paul describes a stagnant life lived for self, one that ends in bitterness. He then describes a life lived sacrifically loving others, the kind of life we can live as we grow with God. What does it look like to love God's way?

How to Stay Free

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 5:1-18

Grace frees us from enslavement to sin, but how do we stay free? How do we grow with God? We must actively think in line with the spirit and not with our flesh. Our role in spiritual growth is to seek, believe, and receive God's changing power.

When God Judges

Dennis McCallum

Amos 1:2-8

Amos was a prophet who spoke about God's judgment to the Assyrians. The sins of these people and this judgment is a reminder of how there must be justice from God in order Him to be good. The argument for justice needing to be served is then turned back onto the audience, who has to learn that they are just as sinful. This would hopefully lead to a lack of self-righteousness, an appreciation of grace, an eagerness to share grace, a sensitizing towards sin, and a freedom from vengeance.

Walking in the Light

Gary DeLashmutt

1 John 1:5-2:2

God is light and as such, having fellowship with Him requires walking in the light. As Christians, we must appreciate that God is righteous and His instructions have moral authority in our lives. Living in fellowship with God requires an appreciation for His righteousness, along with learning to humbly and honestly cooperate with Him as we encounter sin in our lives. As we respond to God's correction in our lives, we can enjoy deepened fellowship with God and others.

David and Bathsheba

Dennis McCallum

Psalms 32:1-5

Years after David''s throne is established, he begins making poor choices that lead his life in a bad direction. The culmination of this is when he commits adultery with Bathsheba, impregnates her, then tries to cover it up by having her husband killed in battle. A prophet named Nathan confronts him about this, and David finally chooses to admit to his wrongdoings and repent rather than continuing to lie and hide his sin. Through his repentance, we see the joy and happiness that comes from the release of guilt that God's grace offers. We also see that God's grace covers all sin, no matter how big.

The Unpredictable Jesus

Jeff Gordon

Luke 18:9-34

Jesus confronts conventional wisdom in three situations: 1) Pharisee and tax collector; 2) faith of children; 3) rich and the poor. The contrasts in each of these draws out that a life of self-sufficiency and following external rules isn't what makes people acceptable to God. It is through humility and faith in what Jesus did for humanity that makes people right with God.\r\n

Back to Square one

Jim Leffel

Romans 7:21-25

Our new identity in Christ makes us dead to the law. However, many encounter problems in their Christian life when they attempt to grow by focusing on the law instead of grace. While the law exposes our sin and highlights God's moral character, it is insufficient to cause real change as it stimulates us to rebel against God more. Instead of legalism, we are able to grow as we deepen our appreciation for God's grace in our lives and depend on Him in faith for real character change by the Holy Spirit's power.

Discovering a New Kind of Freedom

Jim Leffel

Romans 6:12-23

The freedom we experience is correlated to how we present ourselves to God: in our old self or in the new identity He has given us. Our new identity gives us freedom to stand under God's grace and present our lives as instruments to be used by Him. As we experience freedom from the enslaving old habits that are destructive, we can develop long-term, satisfying desires in our walk with God as He causes growth in our lives.