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episode 74: PART 4 of FOUR - The Christian’s Conflicts - Chapter 14 - The Christian Life by Sinclair B. Ferguson
with Pastor William Shifflett. Visit Pastor Williams Good News Blog - https://williams-good-word.org/
James 4:7-8 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. How do we resist the devil?
When the devil flees from us, how long is he gone?
It says to, “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Is this how we draw near to God?
1. Distinguishing Christ from Satan.
2 Corinthians 11:14 - And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
“How can we distinguish the voice and hand of Satan from the voice and hand of our Lord Jesus Christ?” There are four ways:
Would you expand on each point?
A. Christ’s voice is always in accord with Scripture.
B. Christ’s hand and voice have His characteristics. James 3:17 - But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
C. Christ is gentle in spirit. Ephesians 6:16 - In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
D. Christ calls us into the fellowship of His suffering. Philippians 3:10 - that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death,
John 12:24-26 - Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Mark 8:33 - But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
2. Distinguishing between Satan and our own hearts.
“We look in vain, by and large, for spiritual guidance at this kind of level in today’s church.”
Do you agree?
Thomas Watson:
“How shall we perceive when a motion comes from our own hearts, and when from Satan?”
Then he gives 3 points. Would you comment on each point?
A. Motions to evil as come from our own hearts spring up more leisurely, and by degrees.
B. The motions to evil from our heart are not so terrible. (blasphemy, self-murder).
C. When evil thoughts are thrown into the mind, when we loathe and have reluctance to them, strive from them, and flee from them, it shows they are not of our own heart.
John 10:27 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
How does this verse help us in our Christian life?
Next time: Crucifying Sin
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