How can I resist evil
Where does evil come from? There is a triple alliance:
- World – the enemy around
- Flesh – the enemy within
- Devil – the enemy above
Why should we believe that the devil exists
a) Scripture: The Bible presents a personal, spiritual being in active rebellion against God
- Old Testament (Isaiah 14; Job 1; 1 Chronicles 21:1)
- Jesus (Luke 10:17–20)
- Peter (1 Peter 5:8–11)
- Paul (Ephesians 6:11–12)
b) Tradition: Christians down through the ages have believed
c) Reason: It makes sense of the world we see around us
- Why do bad things happen?
Strong warning
Avoid two extremes: Disbelief vs. unhealthy, excessive interest
What are the devil’s tactics
The devil wants to destroy our lives (John 10:10) through
- Doubt (Genesis 3:1, Matthew 4:3)
- Temptation (Genesis 2:16–17)
- Deception (Genesis 3:4)
- Condemnation
But, ‘there is… no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus.’ (Romans 8:1)
What is our position
• We are transferred from the dominion of darkness to the kingdom of Jesus
• We experience God’s love
• It’s a process – we won’t be complete until Jesus returns
How do we defend ourselves
‘Be strong in the Lord… Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.’ (Ephesians 6:10–11)
How do we attack
• Prayer: ‘Pray in the Spirit on all occasions…’ (Ephesians 6:18)
• Action: ‘Don’t be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good’ (Romans 12:21)
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Close in group prayer.
Where does evil come from? There is a triple alliance:
- World – the enemy around
- Flesh – the enemy within
- Devil – the enemy above
Why should we believe that the devil exists
a) Scripture: The Bible presents a personal, spiritual being in active rebellion against God
- Old Testament (Isaiah 14; Job 1; 1 Chronicles 21:1)
- Jesus (Luke 10:17–20)
- Peter (1 Peter 5:8–11)
- Paul (Ephesians 6:11–12)
b) Tradition: Christians down through the ages have believed
c) Reason: It makes sense of the world we see around us
- Why do bad things happen?
Strong warning
Avoid two extremes: Disbelief vs. unhealthy, excessive interest
What are the devil’s tactics
The devil wants to destroy our lives (John 10:10) through
- Doubt (Genesis 3:1, Matthew 4:3)
- Temptation (Genesis 2:16–17)
- Deception (Genesis 3:4)
- Condemnation
But, ‘there is… no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus.’ (Romans 8:1)
What is our position
• We are transferred from the dominion of darkness to the kingdom of Jesus
• We experience God’s love
• It’s a process – we won’t be complete until Jesus returns
How do we defend ourselves
‘Be strong in the Lord… Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.’ (Ephesians 6:10–11)
How do we attack
• Prayer: ‘Pray in the Spirit on all occasions…’ (Ephesians 6:18)
• Action: ‘Don’t be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good’ (Romans 12:21)
Save this worksheet by pushing the EMAIL-button
Close in group prayer.