Sermon- The Devil creeps in
Q- How often do we think of the way the devil works?
Q- Does he do things out in the open for all to see, or does he move like a magician
craftily moving this hand while you’re looking at this one?
- The devil is not a being that will leave you alone because you told him to.
- He will not stop because you don’t follow him.
- I’m trying to keep up with comments posted to both Facebook, & YouTube. I had to
learn Sunday night how to remove a post, because someone had posted a smutty
comment.
- I saw the comment, & I was at first struck with the feeling of how could you post
something like this on a church’s YouTube channel.
- Then I realized, they’re just doing as their master calls them to do.
- It was in that moment that my prayer went from questioning their motive, to
Lord help them break free from his grip.
Q- How many people are serving the devil, & don’t even realize it?
Q- How often do we think of the people we call snake oil salesmen?
- They’ll sale you the biggest piece of junk, & say it’s the greatest thing since sliced
bread.
- Guess What Satan is.
2 Corinthians 2:11
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
- The Greek word Pleonekteo is the Word KJV defines as should get an advantage of
us.
- One Word gives us the meaning of this statement, defraud. Satan wants to
defraud us.
- He will use any means to have us follow him.
- I know he’s the father of lies. I hope that all that are listening to me knows he’s
the father of lies, but I know he has a mass of people following him.
Prayer
- Listen to Jesus’ warning in Matthew 15:14.
Matthew 15:14
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
- Jesus tells us there are people who do not realize they are going the wrong way.
Q- Are we supposed to get angry with these people for going the wrong way?
- If you stop & watch some of the things they do. Yeah, it does bring a little fury.
Q- Does that help?
Q- Does it help to know they’re blind while they do it?
- If you saw a man with a large stick walking down a street. He keeps walking into
people, & hitting them with his stick.
- At first you might think, what is this person doing.
Q- How does your emotions change when you find out he’s blind?
- You feel compassionate towards him. He still ran into & hit all those people, but
now you want to help him.
- This is the compassion Jesus gives to us.
Q- Remember the Words, Father forgive them for they know no what they do?
- Jesus knows that if Satan can make us forget that we are serving him, he will
always have control of us. That’s right, he’s the master.
- He does this by defrauding us.
- There’s a world out there that doesn’t know of the care, compassion, or Love the
flows from the very heart of God, of Jesus.
- They cannot see the Man that defended the priest’s servant who had his ear cut
off, & then healed it. All before he took Him to be judge, & then crucified!
- Jesus knew the agenda the priest’s servants had. They had come to seize
whoever Judas kissed.
- At the sound of His voice, all the guards could have fallen as dead men, but
listen to how Jesus responded after Malchus’ ear was cut off.
Luke 22:51-53
51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
- Those Words, Suffer ye. That’s the Greek word eaó (eh-ah'-o)Which means allow
you.
- Here’s the great awakening, the men standing before Jesus were blind. Their leaders
were blind, & in their darkness they are about to do something no other person, who
could see, would ever do. They were going to have Christ crucified!
- Jesus said, this is your hour, the hour of darkness.
Q- Why would He allow such a thing be done to Him?
Matthew 16:21
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
- In order for any of them, & any of us to be saved. Jesus had to die for us.
Q- Why would a person put a smutty post on our comment section?
- They May have had wrong intentions, but they just came to the place where they
might find salvation.
- It’s found in the man that the blind crucified, & it’s found in the message they
unknowingly tried to cover up. Salvation is found in Jesus alone. There’s no other
way.
- I’m praying for them. This might be the moment God pulls the scales from their
eyes.
- Paul was a man that was totally against Christ, but when he met Christ on the
road to Damascus, Listen to what happened when Ananias came to him.
Acts 9:17-18
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
- Look, Saul saw the form of Jesus, heard His voice, but wasn’t saved yet.
- Then, when he allowed his eyes to be opened. The scales fell from his eyes. This
is both literally, & figuratively. Saul could see again, but now he knew Jesus is the
Savior.
- The person who made the post. They know Jesus is inside, but until they open
their eyes & see Him. They will live a life of darkness.
- The world needs the light turned on. The world is full of things that excite, &
please us, but they’re temporary.
- Here’s my last verses, & then I want to pray the sinner’s prayer. For anyone
that wants to pray with me. It’s the same as the moment Ananias placed his
hands on Sauls shoulder & revealed to him, it was Jesus who he saw.
- You’re looking past the label, & you’re seeing the Savior that died for your
sins.
- In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus told us how hard it is to overcome the darkness we’re walking in. Listen,
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
- Three Words, that find it.
- If you’re not willing to look. You will never find it.
- If you’re willing, Pray this with me, & then post again. That’s what we’re called to
do. Accept Jesus as our Savior, & then tell someone about it. Share your good
news. So pray with me.
Prayer
"God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!"
- The Lord came to save all. Listen, all that will come!
- When we come, He gives us peace/assurance.
- So, we’re going to close with, it is well with my soul.
- Before we sing, let me close with prayer.
Prayer
