The Power Of God To Overcome Resistance Of The Christian Lifestyle

Intro: Since the freeing of Iraq we have seen resistance from terrorists. These terrorists do not belong to Iraq as citizens. They are instead Syrians, Iranians, Jordanians, etc.. They resist the setting up of a free Iraq! Yet they do not even belong to the nation of Iraq.

How much that is like our life. We if we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ are a part of His “free” Kingdom of God!!

The Devil much like the terrorists does not want the Kingdom of God set up in the nation of America, in the state of Arkansas, and more especially in the dwelling place called our heart!!

The devil is a resistor to the setting up of the united people of God!! When that people are set up and working together for a common purpose the devil (like the terrorists in Iraq) realizes it will be difficult if not impossible to impose His devices of deception on those people.

So we have an enemy that seeks to resist our freedom and liberty in Christ. Our freedom not to sin, not to be slaves to our sin nature, not to be slaves to the ways of the world!!!

The devil wants us to do nothing more than to slave ourselves out to him, or to society, or our selves.

[Jesus told us in this world you would have persecution (resistance to the Christian lifestyle)

Why do you say Christian lifestyle Bro Bill?

Because what is the persecution or resistance supposed to get you to do?!!!!

(It is supposed to get you to stop confessing Jesus and seeking to live holy and acceptable to Him.)]

I want to show you 3 things today from Acts that will help us to be aware of the resistance and how we can ultimately glorify God in spite of the resistance.

Why are we not talking about persecution this morning? Because Satan has finally figured out that persecution matures and builds the church, but subtle ongoing resistance will rot the church from the inside out!!!

We must realize

I. There will always be resistance to living a Christian lifestyle.

A) Several Sources of Opposition (resistance)

1) Satan (ultimate source of resistance)

In the Bible he is called Satan (deceiver) Rev 12.9, Accuser of the brethren (1 Peter 5.8) (rearing his ugly head in ch 4 of Acts), Enemy Matt 13.28,29, Father of lies (John 8.44), and many more.

He is the originator and instigator of all resistance (persecution)

2) Society (represented by the Sadducees and Temple Captain in this passage) They did not want to lose their power or position.

Some say they originate as far as 400 years before Jesus and others that they only appeared in the 1st Century. They were highly connected to the Temple of God. They disappeared in 70 AD when the temple was destroyed.

They did not believe in

a) resurrection of the body

b) immortality of the soul

c) existence of spirits and angels

d) divine predestination, man controls destiny

They were the theological liberals of the Day. Rel elite

They were the ones who had Jesus crucified and were now confronting the Apostles.

3) Self (our old sin nature)

a) We are supposed to take this off like a tattered old garment. (Ephesians 4.22-23 NIV)

“22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life(former lifestyle), to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it’s deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

My devotion today Proverbs 6.23

God’s commands and discipline are a way of life.

b) We are to put on the new man!

New attitudes, desires,

Put in the Greek is a verb an action word. It thus speaks of active, living faith. Where the child of God daily puts on the new man!!! You can’t be a pew potato. Because when it comes to the resistance of Satan if you are a pew potato you will be a mashed potato.

Have you ever wondered how you can be an impact in the world for Calvary Baptist Church, and the Lord Jesus Christ? (I hope you have because we were created in and for Christ Col 1.16)

§ Don’t respond to the resistance of your Christian lifestyle the way Satan, Society, and your sin nature (self) would have you

1) Compromise (truth), 2) Deny Christ, 3) Forsake the fellowship.

§ Do respond the way the righteous Son of god would

1) Stand for truth, 2) Witness Christ, 3) be faithful to the Christian fellowship

B) Sadducees and others were disturbed at what was preached (Acts 4.2)

1) The came to them while they were preaching

Ephistemi (came upon them)