Do You Believe?

November 9, 2014

Do you believe… “You are who God said you are and that you can do what He said you can do?” So often Christians are quick to believe theologically deep concepts like the Trinity but yet fail to apply simple faith in believing what God said about their identity. The biblical teachings on the believer’s identity are not “secrets” in the Word of God but rather are bold truths stated clearly for all to read. However, once you understand and mentally grasp all that God said you are and can do- the one main question that still remains is, “Do you believe?” Therefore, all temptation from the Devil can summed up in him trying to get you to doubt what God said you can do and who you really are.

SERMON TEXT

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT), “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

REVIEW

  • KNOWING WHO YOU ARE: (1) There are only two types of people in the world; “Sinners,” Romans 5:19 & “Saints,” Philippians 1:1. (2) Though there are two types of saints; “Worldly Christians,” 1 Corinthians 3:3 & “Disciples,” John 8:31; everyone is expected to be a disciple, Matthew 28:19-20.
  • SOUL THEOLOGY: (1) When you were born again you became a new person in both your soul & spirit, John 3:3 & 2 Corinthians 5:15. (2) Though your body is still sinful, you are to count it as dead and live a holy life pleasing to God by His Word, 1 Peter 1:22-23.

DO YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN DO WHAT GOD SAID YOU CAN DO?

  1. SATAN’S FIRST TEMPTATION TO MANKIND: He tried to get Eve to doubt what God said they could do, “Did God really say…,” Genesis 3:1-13.
  2. ROARING LION: Today the Devil is like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour by getting people to doubt God’s Word, specifically what God told them to do, 1 Peter 5:8-9.
  3. EXAMPLES: (1) Did God really say… you couldn’t have sex? No, He just said I couldn’t have sex outside of marriage, Mark 10:6-9. (2) Did God really say… you will always be hurt? No, He said He would heal my broken heart, Isaiah 61:1. (3) Did God really say… you will always be alone? No, He said He would never leave me or forsake me, Hebrews 13:5.
  4. SWORD OF THE SPIRIT: Use the Word of God as your sword and defeat the Devil, Ephesians 6:17!
  5. DEFEAT THE DEVIL: We defeat the Devil by: (1) Knowing God’s Word, (2) Believing it is True, and (3) Acting on it in Faith.
  6. DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE: Eve fell because though she knew God’s Word, she was not strong in faith to really believe it and act on it.

DO YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE WHO GOD SAID YOU ARE?

  1. SATAN’S FIRST TEMPTATION OF JESUS: The Devil tried to get Jesus to doubt who He was because He was now in the flesh, “If you are the Son of God,” Luke 4:1-13.
  2. MISTAKEN IDENTITY: Now when a person gets born again the Devil wants them to still think they are a sinner because they are in the flesh, instead of living as a new creation, 2 Corinthians 11:3.
  3. EXAMPLES: (1) If you are a saint… then prove it by never sinning again! Even if I do sin, I am still a saint and can be forgiven, 1 John 2:1-2. (2) If you are a saint… then you should never be tempted! I am still a new creation even though I am tempted because I live in a sinful body, James 1:13-15. (3) If you are a saint… then you should never have problems in your life. Jesus never promised I would never have problems, but He did say that He would give me power to over come them, John 16:33!
  4. SWORD OF THE SPIRIT: Use the Word of God as your sword and defeat the Devil, Ephesians 6:17!
  5. DEFEAT THE DEVIL: We defeat the Devil by: (1) Knowing God’s Word, (2) Believing it is True, and (3) Acting on it in Faith.
  6. FOLLOW JESUS’ METHOD: Whenever the Devil tempted Jesus, He responded with the Word of God. Therefore, every time the Devil tempts you to doubt what God said about you- speak the Word! Use the chart below to know the Word of God in every situation. If you work the Word, it will work for you!

KnowingVerses

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

  1. TWO SOURCES OF TEMPTATION: There is both internal temptation (from your sinful body) and external temptation (from the Devil).
  2. DEFEAT ALL TEMPTATION: Defeat both kinds of temptations with the Word of God.
  3. WORK THE WORD: (1) Know it, (2) Believe it, and (3) Act in Faith on it (in your thoughts, words, and deeds).

2 Corinthians 10:4-5, “4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

 

 

 

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Posted in Identity Series