Defense
Against Offense
By Pastor Caleb
LOVE:
THE DEVIL’S TARGET
Galatians
5:6
-Love is what activates your faith.
Hebrews 11:6
-Faith is what is required of you to please God and receive all that
he has for you.
-You better believe that the devil will always attack you in a way
that will compromise your love.
-Walking in love is a lifestyle. It’s a marathon, not a short
sprint.
FRUIT
THAT REMAINS
1
John 3:14
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because
we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
-The first fruit of the spirit that shows up in a Christian is the
love of God.
-It's how you know that you are saved.
Galatians 5:22
-The most outstanding characteristic about God is His love.
-The fruit of the Spirit is the character of Christ. The first fruit
there is love.
-Mark Hankins said, ”Your enemy the devil, does not have
any of the fruit of the spirit. Develop the fruit of the spirit and
you will overcome.”
-Since this love is a fruit, it can grow.
-There is no spiritual growth without growing in love.
-If you want to see where you spiritual growth stopped, it will be
at the same place where you quit walking in love.
THE
TRAP OF THE ENEMY
Mark
11:23-25
-The only thing that is mentioned in connection with your faith that
will hinder your faith is unforgiveness.
-The word AUGHT literally means: any little thing.
-The word FORGIVE means: release, let it go, dismiss it, cancel it,
and give up resentment.
Luke 17: 1-6
(v.3) said take care of yourself. Usually the first thing we do is
try to take care of the other person. (v.6) Sycamine, root
5
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYCAMINE TREE
1.
It grows in dry desert places. If your not seeking God or fellowshipping
with God then you will become dry and a target for sycamine trees.
2. Sycamine trees have the deepest roots of any tree
in that area.
Hebrews 12 says, "lest a root of bitterness spring up and defile
many.
-You can't just cut it down, verse 6 says that you will have to
pluck it up by the roots.
-Time won't take care of it, you'll have to use your faith to get
it out of there.
3.
Sycamine tree wood is the preferred wood for caskets.
-If you allow that thing to grow it will literally kill you. It
can kill your joy, your health, your relationships, and your future.
-"If we refuse to forgive, we burn the bridges over which we
ourselves must pass."
-The devil will bury you in the very offense that you are struggling
with.
4.
A Sycamine tree does not pollinate naturally. It pollinates through
the stinger of a wasp.
-If the devil can sting you with an offense then he can spread these
trees throughout your life. You have to refuse to be stung.
5.
The fruit of a Sycamine tree was eaten only by poor people. It was
so bitter that they could only eat a little bit at a time. The fruit
of your offense can and will bring poverty in your life by just eating
a little bit everyday.
-Mark
Hankins said, “Offense is the wedge that the devil uses
to walk right into your life."
THE
OTHER TEAM
-The other team doesn't care about those who are sitting on the bench.
-You are no threat to them as long as you are on the bench.
-Once you join the game and go onto the field you have just become
a threat.
YOUR
BEST DEFENSE AGAINST OFFENSE IS THE LOVE OF GOD
1
Corinthians 13: 4-8 (AMP)
4.
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious
nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does
not display itself haughtily.
5. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride);
it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love
(God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own
way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or
resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no
attention to a suffered wrong].
6. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness,
but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7. Love bears up under anything and everything
that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its
hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything
[without weakening].
8. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes
obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting
the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away;
as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge,
it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
John
13:34-35
34
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
35 “By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
-The key to having a long term relationship is having a short term
memory.
Psalm
119:165
“Great
peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
-The devil can stop the flow of the spirit in your life by hindering
your love.
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