The Opposition

1
The Opposition

• May 3, 2008

2
Who or What is the Opposition?

• The World
• The systems and structures that influence our
  lives
• The Flesh
• Our old nature left over from our old life
  without Christ
• The Devil
• The chief of the fallen angels
• Satan
• Hebrew word to act as and adversary

3
Our Flesh

• Our Flesh
• our sinful nature
• our old sinful selves
• That pattern of rebellion against God that we had
  built prior to our redemption by Jesus Christ
• New rebellion that we add to our character and
  not deal with
• Sin
• Anything that directs us away from God or
  challenges His supremacy in our lives.

4
Our Sinful Nature

• When you follow the desires of your sinful nature
  (flesh), the results are very clear sexual
  immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling,
  jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition,
  dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild
  parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell
  you again, as I have before, that anyone living
  that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of
  God. Galatians 519-21

5
Our Sinful Nature

• It is obvious what kind of life develops out of
  trying to get your own way all the time
  repetitive, loveless, cheap sex a stinking
  accumulation of mental and emotional garbage
  frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness trinket
  gods magic-show religion paranoid loneliness
  cutthroat competition all-consuming-yet-never-sat
  isfied wants a brutal temper an impotence to
  love or be loved divided homes and divided
  lives small-minded and lopsided pursuits the
  vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a
  rival uncontrolled and uncontrollable
  addictions ugly parodies of community. I could
  go on.

6
The Common Condition of Man

• So the trouble is not with the law, for it is
  spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I
  am all too human, a slave to sin. I dont really
  understand myself, for I want to do what is
  right, but I dont do it. Instead, I do what I
  hate. But if I know that what I am doing is
  wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is
  good. So I am not the one doing wrong it is sin
  living in me that does it. And I know that
  nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful
  nature. I want to do what is right, but I cant.
  I want to do what is good, but I dont. I dont
  want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
  But if I do what I dont want to do, I am not
  really the one doing wrong it is sin living in
  me that does it.
• I have discovered this principle of lifethat
  when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do
  what is wrong. I love Gods law with all my
  heart. But there is another power within me that
  is at war with my mind. This power makes me a
  slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh,
  what a miserable person I am! Who will free me
  from this life that is dominated by sin and
  death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ
  our Lord. So you see how it is In my mind I
  really want to obey Gods law, but because of my
  sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

7
The Root of Sin is Broken

• We know that our old sinful selves were crucified
  with Christ so that sin might lose its power in
  our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For
  when we died with Christ we were set free from
  the power of sin. 8 And since we died with
  Christ, we know we will also live with him.
  Romans 66-8

8
The Provision of God for Victory

• For if you live according to the sinful nature,
  you will die but if by the Spirit you put to
  death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
  because those who are led by the Spirit of God
  are sons of God

9
Be Filled!!

• Dont be drunk with wine, because that will ruin
  your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy
  Spirit, Eph 518
• Filled is plural ALL ARE TO BE FILLED
• Filled is present tense BE BEING FILLED
• Filled is passive BE FILLED BY SOMEONE ELSE
• Filled is a command

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How to be filled with the Holy Spirit

• Get rid of sin and rebellion in our lives
• Only do it with Spirits help
• Recognize your thirst for more intimacy with God
• Find out what quenches the work of the Holy
  Spirit in our lives
• Consciencoucly submit yourself to God
• Learn to deny yourself
• Spend time in prayer

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What Can You and I Expect From the Devil?

• Lies and misinterpretation
• Temptation
• Attempts to confuse us
• Slander
• Difficulties and Trials
• Some sickness and illnesses
• He will take advantage of our weaknesses

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The Joy of Overcoming Our Sinful Nature

• For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a
  slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit
  of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that
  we are God's children. 17Now if we are children,
  then we are heirsheirs of God and co-heirs with
  Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in
  order that we may also share in his glory.

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Homework

• The World
• The systems and structures that influence our
  lives
• Observe and catalogue the influences of the World
  on you
• What are they ?
• How do they affect you?