We’re diving into a new series as we move toward Easter and celebrating the victory that Jesus secured us — Easter proofs that Jesus wins the victory over sin, death, the devil and ultimately will set all things right again..but until then, we still navigate life within a battle zone…this side of heaven.

As we follow after Jesus, we navigate life within the reality - that there is an enemy who longs to distract and detour you from following closely.
…Our enemy is not other people, but the Scriptures declare the truth of the work of the devil that seeks to stop the work of God.

We are told to resist him and to stand firm in our faith through Christ.
We resist & we rest. …and we keep on following after Jesus…even amidst the tension of the tug-a-war.

Books speaking into this series:
John Mark Comer: Live No Lies
C.S. Lewis: The Screwtape Letters
Louie Giglio: Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at your Table

What does the Bible say about the existence of evil?

There is no way to read the Bible seriously and hold onto the thought that Satan and evil are only occasional and not significant themes of the book.

Genesis practically begins its discussion of human life with the assertion that humanity has been severely influenced from the start by a hostile influence. In some 33 separate instances, in all 4 Gospels and the Book of Acts, we are told explicitly of the reality of supernatural evil.

In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul says that our most significant struggle in life "is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers ... authorities ... [and] cosmic powers of this present darkness" (Eph. 6:12)

For centuries, teachers of the Way of Jesus used a paradigm that seems faded in the modern era, that of “the three enemies of the soul.”
The world. The flesh. And the devil.
They saw the 3 enemies of the soul as a kind of counter-trinity to God himself.

Why is the world such a mess?
Why am I such a mess?

The Scriptures & ancient followers of Jesus, remind us that we are IN A WAR.

We are at war with the world, the flesh and the devil.
And the 3 enemies strategy is as follows:
—Deceptive ideas (the devil)
—that plays to disordered desires (the flesh)
—that are normalized in a sinful society (the world)
We are in a ‘TUG A WAR’ for our souls allegiance and the focus of our hearts…Jesus wooing us with the truth on one side and the devil, flesh and world calling to us from the other with lies to chase after… which will we follow??

“Our fight with the devil is first and foremost a fight to take back control of our minds from the captivity to lies and liberate them with the weapon of truth.”
-John Mark Comer

“There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.”
~C.S. Lewis

Resist the LIES…

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. 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. -Jesus (John 8:44)

The Devil will speak lies and try to get us to buy the lie… (see Genesis 3)

Jesus (the Teacher)

Jesus was continually proclaiming truth in a way that invited humanity to follow him, his teachings, his ways because (as the Author of LIFE) it would lead to the best possible way to live, to flourish!

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

Jesus and the apostles warn us over and over again of the dangers of lies, of deception, false doctrine, and false teachers who are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

You fight the devil’s lies by simply choosing to not think about them.
==You replace the devil’s lies with God’s truth. (The truth of Scripture).

The key is think Scripture.
Every time an identified lie comes into your conscious awareness, don’t fight it head on; just “change the channel.” (replace with Scriptural truth)

-Romans 12:2a
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
-2 Corinthians 10:4-5 also

“As we first turned away from God in our thoughts, so it is in our thoughts that the first movements toward the renovation of the heart occur. Thoughts are the place where we can and must begin to change.”

--Dallas Willard (Renovation of the Heart book)

The practices of Jesus are effectively counter-habits to those of our flesh, the pull of the world and the enticing lies from the devil. Every time we practice a habit of Jesus, our spirit gets a little stronger and our flesh gets a little weaker. The way we fight back and RESIST isn’t through willpower — but through the Spirit’s power. And we get access to that power via the practices of Jesus.

Whether you joined us here or online, we are grateful to worship with you!

NEXT SATURDAY is our Easter Family Festival 10am - 2pm on campus. Invite a family! Read more in the app.

Join us next week as we continue our series, Resist & Rest, culminating on Easter Sunday.