Sermon for 10/4/2009
Ephesians 6:10-14 STAND
Introduction:
Play Susan Ashton’s Song “Stand”
WBTU:
Read Ephesians 6:10-14
The word Stand is used 4 times.
Thesis: May we stand firm with this strategy best described from an acrostic of the word STAND
For instances:
S= See Satan’s schemes
A. (Gen 3:1 NIV) Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ’You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?"
B. Temptation questions God’s commands. “Did God really say?”
C. We need to know God’s commands. The devil is a master of twisting Scripture. We see when the devil tempts Jesus, at one point, the devil quoted Scripture to Jesus.
D. Even if we know the Scriptures, many times it is easy to rationalize our way out of them. “Well, when God gave that command he didn’t know about my situation.”
E. Situation ethics, moral relativism, postmodernism, teaches that there are no absolutes. Take for instance, adultery. The Bible says that adultery is wrong and not good. Let’s say that a lady is not loved at home. Her husband is a workaholic and when he is home he is distant and does not communicate. This lady gets lonely and desires some affection. We see the temptation is there to go out and have an affair. Some people today would blame the husband for the problems in the marriage. He did not make it easy on her, but still is it alright for her to go and have an affair. No, it is wrong.
F. Take for instance something not so black and white- gluttony. (Mat 4:2 NIV) After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. (Mat 4:3 NIV) The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."(Mat 4:4 NIV) Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"
G. (Phil 3:19 NIV) Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
I. Temptation isn’t just some desire, but rather Satan’s scheme to get us to fall.
J. Take captive those thoughts that lead to sin. (2 Cor 10:5 NIV) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
T= Tell yourself the truth
A. (Gen 3:2 NIV) The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, (Gen 3:3 NIV) but God did say, ’You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’"
B. Did God say not to touch it? No. (Gen 2:16 NIV) And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;(Gen 2:17 NIV) but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
C. Eve overstated God’s directions. Some people overstate God’s directions on dress. The Bible says to dress modestly. Some people like to give what the Lord means by that (no pants for women, no muscle shirts for men)
D. Satan used this to his advantage. “Eve is that reasonable.” God says not to have premarital sex, Satan says, “Is that reasonable?” God says not to give into bitterness, Satan says, “Is that reasonable?” Satan wants us to think that God’s commands are extreme. We cannot obey them.
D. On this issue of premarital sex, does this mean that we cannot show any kind of affection toward members of the opposite sex? No, but we better watch ourselves. (Eph 5:3 NIV) But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.
E. On the issue of bitterness, there will be times we will get angry and upset. However, don’t let it turn into bitterness. (Heb 12:15 NIV) See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
F. (1 John 5:3 NIV) This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome
A= Analyze your thinking
A. (Gen 3:4 NIV) “You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. (Gen 3:5 NIV) "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
B. Satan lied. This is what he does. He even suggested that God was actually withholding something good from them- the knowledge of good and evil.
C. Satan challenged God’s wisdom by implying that God doesn’t really want his children to experience the good life. As a result, Eve concentrated on satisfying her own needs, rather than depending upon God to provide.
D. (Mat 7:11 NIV) If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
E. When we begin to think that God doesn’t want the best for us, we’re being tempted. Satan wants us to believe that God doesn’t care about us and God wants to make us miserable. God will give his children what is best in the best way at the best time.
F. Analyze your thinking. Let’s say that we are poor and God hasn’t provided the job that we need. I am going to steal to get what is best. No, God will provide. (Psa 37:25 NIV) I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
G. Take every thought captive. Ephesians 6:13- stand your ground. Give the devil an inch and he’ll take a mile.
N= Name the advantages of resisting.
A. (Gen 3:6 NIV) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
B. Even though the garden was filled to overflowing with wonderful food, she desired the forbidden thing. This is the way the devil works. Gets us focused on the seemingly good things the temptation offers.
C. Instead of focusing on the good things God provides, we focus on what God knows is bad for us. For some people an affair seems irresistible even though their spouse is attractive. Alcohol screams at us to indulge even when we know that sobriety is better.
D. Name the advantages of resisting the temptation. If we are struggling with lust, what are the advantages of staying pure? If we are struggling with respecting our parents, what are the advantages of honoring them? If we are struggling with wanting that new thing that we know is too expensive, what are the advantages of not buying it?
E. (Psa 107:17 NIV) Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
D= Determine the godly response
A. (Gen 3:7 NIV) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Gen 3:8 NIV) Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
B. Instead of going to God for forgiveness and restoration, they hid and then blamed each other. Then God explained to them the consequences of their sin.
C. When we give into temptation, we often try to use our own methods to make us feel better; but nothing works.
D. Determine the godly response. If we haven’t sinned, run away from the temptation. (James 4:7 NIV) Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Each time we do that, we grow stronger. Stand firm!
E. If we fall, we need to quickly confess our sin, claim God’s forgiveness and cleansing, and count on His strength for the next temptation. We might need to confess it to others, Celebrate Recovery!
Conclusion and invitation:
A. For those outside of Jesus Christ, there is no way that you can overcome temptation. Give in time after time. On our own, we fall flat on our face.
B. (Rom 13:14 NIV) Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
C. (Gal 3:27 NIV) for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
D. Ephesians 6:14- Stand firm. Stand by, stand for, stand still and stand up.
E. (1 Cor 10:13 NIV) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
