Threats To Spiritual Vitality & Victory

“THREATS TO SPIRITUAL VITALITY & VICTORY”

By: Dr. Dennis Deese - www.dennisdeese.com

JOHN 18:10-27

The observable threats are extremely lethal because they are drawn from one who was extremely close to the Lord. Satan uses extreme measures for those closest to the Lord.

The warning of God: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

There are at least seven threats we can draw from Peter’s life:

1. DISREGARDED GOD’S WORD

Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat:

Luke 22:33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

Luke 22:34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Luke 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Seed by the way side, seed into stony places, seed among the thorns, seed into the good ground Matthew 13:19ff

1. Cold & Callous

2. Casual & Careless

3. Careful & Contemplative

2. PRAYERLESSNESS 18:1

Luke 22:41 -45 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

Luke 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Psalms 53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people [as] they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

3. SELF-CONFIDENCE 18:10

Matthew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all [men] shall be offended because of thee, [yet] will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

John 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?

IV. UNWILLINGNESS TO TRUST GOD 18:11

Contrast Jesus: John 18:12

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

A Legion: A regiment of the Roman army, the number of men composing in the time of Christ consisted of six thousand; thus, the Lord says, “I can call more than 72,000 angels right now if I wanted to.”

One Angel killed 185,000 Assyrians 2 Kings 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they [were] all dead corpses.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

22. THE FORCE OF UNBELIEF 18:4-8

Judas - 18:2-3, 5

The band of Men - 18:4-8 They experienced a miracle and were still unchanged