Jesus Destroyed the Works of Satan - Zac Poonen - August 1, 2012

Zac PoonenAugust 2, 20121h 1mWatch on YouTube

In this collectionZac Poonen Sermons434 messages

http://rlcfchurch.org/jesus-destroyed-the-works-of-satan River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA

Summary

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, which include the wrong concepts and ideas about God and Christianity that we absorb from the world. The speaker repeatedly challenges common interpretations of scripture, such as those concerning anger or speech, by asking, "Has God really said...?" He argues that doubting God's word, like Eve did, is the root of sin, and that true understanding requires recognizing the devil's subtle lies.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

Jesus came to take away sin and destroy the works of the devilChrist appeared both to take away our sins and to dismantle all the wrong concepts and works that Satan built in our lives during our unconverted days.

Satan's first tactic: making Eve question and doubt God's wordThe devil's entry point into human life is getting people to question whether God really said what He said, fostering the unbelief that serves as the root of all sin.

Has God really said that anger is a serious sin?Many believers do not take scripture seriously when it warns that heart anger and careless words can lead to severe judgment, because the devil has convinced them sin is not that serious.Matthew 5:22

Moving beyond living under the blood while remaining defeatedJust as slaves remained in bondage because their masters hid Abraham Lincoln's emancipation proclamation, many Christians sing about the blood of Jesus while remaining ignorant of the power available to destroy sin's works.

The Edenic test: Will you choose the Creator above His creation?God made temptation attractive so humanity would face a choice: to seek the Creator above all attractive, forbidden created things rather than serving self.Genesis 3:6

Overcoming temptation through faith in God just as David defeated GoliathJust as David did not kill Goliath with physical muscle or a mere stone, but through active faith in God, believers must face fleshly attractions trusting in the Lord.

Overcoming the lie that a loving God would not withhold anything goodWhen God says no or allows difficult trials, Satan whispers that God does not truly love us, a thought pattern Jesus came to destroy so we can trust the Father's love unconditionally.

Learning contentment within the boundaries God has establishedDiscontentment and covetousness mirror Satan's original rebellion, whereas trusting God's appointed boundaries—like financial limits or personal gifts—prevents us from breaking through walls where serpents bite.

The spirit of self-justification and human righteousnessAdam and Eve's fig leaves picture human self-righteousness and self-justification, an attitude detestable to God that leads directly to pointing fingers and blaming others.

Entrusting yourself to God rather than defending yourselfFollowing the example of Jesus, who stayed silent under false accusation and entrusted Himself to the righteous judge, believers must remove the pointing of the finger and let God be their vindicator.Isaiah 54:17

Rejecting condemnation and opening your heart to the Holy SpiritWhile the Holy Spirit brings gentle conviction to change us, condemnation is from the enemy or the old covenant; believers are called to open their hearts to the Spirit of Christ to conquer every work of Satan.2 Corinthians 3:9