AVOIDING* THE HALL OF MIRRORS
OR ESCAPING
CHAPTER 3
Master or Be Mastered (2|2)
Pages 41-46
1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
John 8:42-47 (NIV) Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
Galatians 6:7-10 (NIV) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
“Have you considered that these love songs (worship) are also was songsand shouts of victory? Every time we sing of the sacrificial love of the Father in giving His Son, and the sacrificial love of Christ at the cross, we are also rehearsing the drubbing (a beating, thrashing, booty-whoopin’) of all the powers of darkness at that same cross. If we remembered this, we might sing a little louder!” What is your response? Do you consider yourself a spectator of worship? Sometimes participant? Do you go to battle when you worship?
“If the enemy can rock our confidence and move us into human reasoning and emotionalism, then we begin to operate outside of faith, flailing around with human weapons.” How do we spot and stop being moved into human reasoning and emotionalism?
”All that huffing and puffing domes from below, under the powers of darkness, and so when we are doing that we then in the place of inevitable fear.” What do we do when we find ourselves in the place of inevitable fear?
“It’s naïve tosuggest that as long as you educate people, they will do the right thing - we need more than information to overcome the enemy; sin is powerful and irrational. There is no reasoning with it.” Do you agree? What are our options?