Aligning with God: Love in Conflict
Summary
### Summary
Today, we continued our series, "Which Side Are You On?" We explored the idea that the world is embroiled in various wars—political, cultural, and physical—and that God has a side in each of these conflicts. Many of us are also fighting personal battles and seeking God's intervention. However, we often mistakenly believe that these global issues don't affect us. The truth is, God needs us to be involved in His larger mission, and when we align ourselves with His agenda, He helps us win our personal battles.
We revisited the concept that everything is spiritual, emphasizing the ongoing spiritual war between God and Satan. We discussed the importance of aligning our political views with biblical principles, as God's Word has guidance on all major issues of our time. We also touched on the idea that our votes are seeds that will yield a harvest, and God will hold us accountable for what we support.
Today's focus was on loving our political enemies. We delved into 1 John 4, which warns us to test the spirits to see if they are from God. Those who acknowledge Jesus Christ are from God, while those who don't are influenced by the spirit of the Antichrist. We are at war with these agents of Antichrist, but our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces behind them.
Despite this, Jesus commands us to love our enemies, including our political adversaries. This love is not just a superficial act but a deep, agape love that mirrors God's unconditional love for us. We are to bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who persecute us. This is how we imitate God, who blesses both the just and the unjust.
By loving our enemies, we can soften their hearts and help them see the truth about Jesus. Our honorable behavior can lead them to honor God, even if they initially oppose us. This is how we can stand out in a world full of conflict and hatred, by embodying the love of Christ.
### Key Takeaways
1. Everything is Spiritual: Recognize that every aspect of life is influenced by the spiritual war between God and Satan. Aligning with God's side in this war is crucial for experiencing His blessings in our personal battles. Ignoring the larger spiritual context can hinder our own spiritual growth and victories. [01:09]
2. Biblical vs. Political: Our political views should be rooted in biblical principles. The Bible provides guidance on all major issues, from the economy to social justice. Voting and supporting policies that align with God's Word is a way of sowing seeds that will yield a harvest, for which God will hold us accountable. [02:52]
3. Testing the Spirits: We must discern whether those who claim to speak for God are truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. Those who acknowledge Jesus Christ are from God, while those who don't are influenced by the spirit of the Antichrist. This discernment helps us navigate the spiritual battles we face. [07:13]
4. Loving Our Enemies: Jesus commands us to love our enemies, including our political adversaries. This love is not just a superficial act but a deep, agape love that mirrors God's unconditional love for us. By loving our enemies, we can soften their hearts and help them see the truth about Jesus. [29:48]
5. Standing Out Through Love: In a world full of conflict and hatred, we are called to stand out by embodying the love of Christ. Our honorable behavior can lead even those who oppose us to honor God. This is how we can make a lasting impact and help others see the truth about Jesus. [35:52]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:09] - Everything is Spiritual
[02:52] - Biblical vs. Political
[04:09] - Spiritual War and Custody Battle
[05:29] - Love Your Political Enemies
[07:13] - Testing the Spirits
[08:48] - Spirit of Antichrist
[10:19] - Agents of Antichrist
[11:52] - Paul’s Struggles
[13:18] - Difficult Times in the Last Days
[14:44] - People as the Cause of Difficult Times
[16:19] - Characteristics of Agents of Antichrist
[20:43] - Hard Hearts and Closed Minds
[22:13] - Jesus’ Miracles and Unbelief
[23:58] - God’s Anger Against Wickedness
[25:10] - Evidence of God’s Existence
[26:57] - Suppressing the Truth
[28:14] - Paul’s Persecutions
[29:48] - Love Your Enemies
[31:08] - Types of Love
[32:43] - Bless Those Who Curse You
[34:23] - Be Like God
[35:52] - Stand Out Through Love
[37:41] - Spiritual Weapons
[39:02] - God Loves Your Enemies
[40:31] - Jesus Heals His Enemy
[41:59] - Winning Through Love
[43:29] - Conclusion and Invitation
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 John 4:1-3 - "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."
2. Matthew 5:43-45 - "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
3. Ephesians 6:12 - "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 John 4:1-3, what is the test to determine if a spirit is from God? How does this help us discern the spiritual battles we face? [07:13]
2. In Matthew 5:43-45, what does Jesus command us to do regarding our enemies? How does this contrast with common human behavior? [29:48]
3. Ephesians 6:12 describes our struggle as not being against flesh and blood. What does this imply about the nature of our conflicts and how we should approach them? [10:19]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does recognizing that "everything is spiritual" (1 John 4:1-3) change the way we view our daily lives and the conflicts we encounter? [01:09]
2. Jesus' command to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-45) includes praying for those who persecute us. What might be the spiritual and practical outcomes of obeying this command? [34:23]
3. Ephesians 6:12 suggests that our true battle is against spiritual forces. How should this understanding influence our interactions with people who oppose us or hold different views? [10:19]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent conflict you had. How might recognizing the spiritual dimension of that conflict (1 John 4:1-3) have changed your approach or response? [01:09]
2. Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-45). Think of a political adversary or someone you strongly disagree with. How can you start praying for them this week? [34:23]
3. In what ways can you align your political views and actions with biblical principles, as discussed in the sermon? What steps can you take to ensure your votes and support reflect God's Word? [02:52]
4. The sermon emphasized the importance of testing the spirits (1 John 4:1-3). How can you practically apply this in your daily life to discern truth from deception? [07:13]
5. Jesus' example of loving and healing even those who came to arrest Him (Luke 22:49-51) is powerful. How can you show similar acts of kindness to those who oppose you? [40:31]
6. The sermon mentioned that our honorable behavior can lead others to honor God (1 Peter 2:12). Can you think of a situation where your actions might have influenced someone's view of Christianity? How can you continue to be a positive influence? [41:59]
7. Reflect on the idea that God loves your enemies just as much as He loves you (Matthew 5:43-45). How does this perspective challenge your current attitudes and behaviors towards those you consider adversaries? [39:02]
Devotional
Day 1: The Spiritual Battle in Everyday Life
Recognize that every aspect of life is influenced by the spiritual war between God and Satan. Aligning with God's side in this war is crucial for experiencing His blessings in our personal battles. Ignoring the larger spiritual context can hinder our own spiritual growth and victories. [01:09]
Ephesians 6:12 (ESV): "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been ignoring the spiritual battle? How can you start aligning these areas with God's will today?
Day 2: Biblical Principles in Political Views
Our political views should be rooted in biblical principles. The Bible provides guidance on all major issues, from the economy to social justice. Voting and supporting policies that align with God's Word is a way of sowing seeds that will yield a harvest, for which God will hold us accountable. [02:52]
Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Reflection: Reflect on your political views and actions. Are they aligned with biblical principles? What changes can you make to ensure they are?
Day 3: Discernment in Spiritual Matters
We must discern whether those who claim to speak for God are truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. Those who acknowledge Jesus Christ are from God, while those who don't are influenced by the spirit of the Antichrist. This discernment helps us navigate the spiritual battles we face. [07:13]
1 John 4:1-3 (ESV): "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God."
Reflection: How can you better discern the spiritual influences in your life? What steps can you take to ensure you are following the Holy Spirit?
Day 4: Loving Your Political Enemies
Jesus commands us to love our enemies, including our political adversaries. This love is not just a superficial act but a deep, agape love that mirrors God's unconditional love for us. By loving our enemies, we can soften their hearts and help them see the truth about Jesus. [29:48]
Matthew 5:44-45 (ESV): "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
Reflection: Think of a political adversary or someone you strongly disagree with. How can you show them agape love today?
Day 5: Standing Out Through Christ's Love
In a world full of conflict and hatred, we are called to stand out by embodying the love of Christ. Our honorable behavior can lead even those who oppose us to honor God. This is how we can make a lasting impact and help others see the truth about Jesus. [35:52]
1 Peter 2:12 (ESV): "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."
Reflection: How can you embody Christ's love in your daily interactions, especially with those who oppose you? What specific actions can you take to stand out through love?
Quotes
1. "God needs you involved in the big war. He needs you involved in the things he's trying to do in this earth. He needs you on his side. And when you're on his side helping to advance his agenda, that's when God can actually help you to win the wars in your own life. That's when God can take you to the next level." [01:09] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Everything is a spiritual thing. There is a spiritual war that's going on between God and his enemy Satan. And it is influencing every part of this world around us. It is behind everything that we're seeing, we're experiencing. And we need to recognize that. And we need to make sure that we are indeed working with God and against his enemy Satan versus working with his enemy, but then expecting God to bless us." [01:09] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We ultimately came to the conclusion that we really need to make sure our views politically line up with God's. And it's when we're doing that and we're voting accordingly that we are on God's side." [02:52] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people. One translation, I believe it's the King James Version says, you have overcome them. But that sounds to me like I'm actually in a battle against those people. You know, as those of us who've been around the Bible for a while, we're familiar with the scripture. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, right? We're wrestling against principalities, powers, rulers that are darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places." [08:48] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Spiritually immature Christians hate, curse, do evil and argue with people. Spiritually mature Christians love, bless, do good and pray even for their enemies. Why is this so important to not do evil for evil, insult for insult?" [35:52] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "God loves your enemies just as much as he loves you. When he looks at them, it's like what the Bible says in Matthew 9. He saw a multitude of people and he was moved with compassion because they were hurting, hopeless, oppressed. They were oppressed. And the reason why so many of them are hurting people is because they're hurting people. They're deceived. They're discouraged. And yes, some of them will never turn to God, but some of them will if you learn to love them." [39:02] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Yes, we are to stand against the people of Antichrist. We're supposed to fight against what Satan is trying to do in this world, in schools, in government, entertainment, media, you name it. We're supposed to use our votes. We're supposed to be active to fight against the evil that is infecting this world. But while we do that, we are still supposed to try to win the people that are behind it. And we win them when we learn to love our enemies." [43:29] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "God has an amazing future for you, one that is greater than anything you can create for yourself. But the way to get to that future is to do things God's way, to actually apply what you just heard. So I want to encourage you to do just that." [44:47] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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