Dependence on God: Overcoming the Devil's Deception

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing Our Vulnerability to Deception

The devil's intelligence is far superior to ours, and he uses this to deceive us by manipulating our emotions and logic. We must recognize our vulnerability and rely on God's wisdom to navigate our spiritual journey. The devil, as described in Ezekiel 28:3, is wiser than Daniel, and his intelligence is a formidable challenge for us. Despite our best efforts to secure our spiritual lives, we must acknowledge that our human wisdom and logic are insufficient against such a crafty enemy. The devil cannot possess a believer, but he can certainly influence us by playing on our emotions, logic, and even twisting God's Word to lead us astray. [02:16]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself relying on your own wisdom rather than seeking God's guidance? How can you begin to shift your reliance to God's wisdom today?

Day 2: The Internal Struggle Against Selfish Will

Our selfish will is an internal ally of the devil, constantly at odds with God's will. Romans 8:7-8 highlights the enmity between a mind set on the flesh and God, urging us to seek divine help to overcome this internal struggle. The real danger lies not just in the devil's external influence but in the ally he finds within us—our selfish will, which is at enmity with God. This internal struggle is why we must constantly seek divine help. Our instinct, in every situation, should be to cry out for help, recognizing our need for God's guidance and strength. [05:17]

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Reflection: Identify a specific area where your selfish will often takes precedence over God's will. What practical steps can you take to surrender this area to God and seek His guidance?

Day 3: Embracing Humility for Divine Revelation

True understanding and revelation come from God, not human intellect. Matthew 11:25-27 teaches us to become like infants, acknowledging our helplessness and relying on God for guidance and revelation. Jesus praises the Father for revealing divine truths to infants, not the wise and intelligent. This teaches us that true understanding and revelation come from God, not from our own intellect. We must become like infants, acknowledging our helplessness and relying on God for continuous revelation and guidance. [11:52]

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Reflection: In what ways can you practice humility in your daily life to open yourself to God's revelation? How can you remind yourself to rely on God rather than your own understanding?

Day 4: The Danger of Reverting to Human Logic

Peter's experience shows the danger of reverting to human logic after receiving divine revelation. We must maintain humility and dependence on God to avoid being influenced by the devil's cunning. Despite receiving divine revelation that Jesus is the Son of God, Peter quickly reverted to human logic, leading to a rebuke from Jesus. This shows us the necessity of maintaining a posture of humility and dependence on God, seeking His wisdom in all things. [17:39]

Proverbs 3:5-7 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision where you relied on your own logic rather than seeking God's wisdom. How can you approach similar situations differently in the future?

Day 5: Cultivating an Instinctive Cry for Help

In every situation, our instinct should be to cry out for help, recognizing our need for God's guidance. By doing so, we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit's continuous revelation and strength. In every aspect of our lives—whether in prosperity or adversity—we must cultivate an instinctive cry for help. By doing so, we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit's guidance and the continuous revelation that sustains our faith. Let us lean not on our own understanding but acknowledge God in all our ways, trusting Him to direct our paths. [18:41]

Psalm 121:1-2 (ESV): "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to develop an instinctive cry for help? How can you begin to practice this today, inviting the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen you?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves battling an adversary who is far more cunning than we can imagine. The devil, as described in Ezekiel 28:3, is wiser than Daniel, and his intelligence is a formidable challenge for us. Despite our best efforts to secure our spiritual lives, we must acknowledge that our human wisdom and logic are insufficient against such a crafty enemy. The devil cannot possess a believer, but he can certainly influence us by playing on our emotions, logic, and even twisting God's Word to lead us astray.

The real danger lies not just in the devil's external influence but in the ally he finds within us—our selfish will, which is at enmity with God. Romans 8:7-8 reminds us that a mind set on the flesh is hostile to God. This internal struggle is why we must constantly seek divine help. Our instinct, in every situation, should be to cry out for help, recognizing our need for God's guidance and strength.

Matthew 11:25-27 illustrates the importance of humility and dependence on God. Jesus praises the Father for revealing divine truths to infants, not the wise and intelligent. This teaches us that true understanding and revelation come from God, not from our own intellect. We must become like infants, acknowledging our helplessness and relying on God for continuous revelation and guidance.

Peter's experience, as recounted in the Gospels, serves as a powerful reminder. Despite receiving divine revelation that Jesus is the Son of God, Peter quickly reverted to human logic, leading to a rebuke from Jesus. This shows us the necessity of maintaining a posture of humility and dependence on God, seeking His wisdom in all things.

In every aspect of our lives—whether in prosperity or adversity—we must cultivate an instinctive cry for help. By doing so, we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit's guidance and the continuous revelation that sustains our faith. Let us lean not on our own understanding but acknowledge God in all our ways, trusting Him to direct our paths.

Key Takeaways

1. The devil's intelligence is far superior to ours, and he uses this to deceive us by manipulating our emotions and logic. We must recognize our vulnerability and rely on God's wisdom to navigate our spiritual journey. [02:16]
2. Our selfish will is an internal ally of the devil, constantly at odds with God's will. Romans 8:7-8 highlights the enmity between a mind set on the flesh and God, urging us to seek divine help to overcome this internal struggle. [05:17]
3. True understanding and revelation come from God, not human intellect. Matthew 11:25-27 teaches us to become like infants, acknowledging our helplessness and relying on God for guidance and revelation. [11:52]
4. Peter's experience shows the danger of reverting to human logic after receiving divine revelation. We must maintain humility and dependence on God to avoid being influenced by the devil's cunning. [17:39]
5. In every situation, our instinct should be to cry out for help, recognizing our need for God's guidance. By doing so, we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit's continuous revelation and strength. [18:41]
** [18:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:08] - The Challenge of Securing Our Spiritual Lives
[01:17] - The Devil's Superior Intelligence
[02:30] - The Illusion of Self-Sufficiency
[03:38] - The Devil's Craftiness
[04:54] - The Internal Ally: Our Selfish Will
[06:22] - The Devil's Tactics
[07:37] - The Blinding of Our Minds
[09:18] - The Instinctive Cry for Help
[10:50] - The Danger of Relying on Human Logic
[12:23] - The Pharisees' Mistake
[13:03] - The Call to Be Sober-Minded
[14:02] - The Infant's Cry for Help
[15:23] - Continuous Revelation and Dependence
[17:57] - Becoming Like Infants
[19:41] - Acknowledging Our Helplessness

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Ezekiel 28:3
Romans 8:7-8
Matthew 11:25-27

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Observation Questions:

According to Ezekiel 28:3, how is the devil's wisdom described, and what does this imply about our ability to outsmart him? [03:38]
In Romans 8:7-8, what is the relationship between a mind set on the flesh and God? How does this internal conflict manifest in our daily lives? [05:17]
What does Matthew 11:25-27 reveal about the type of people to whom God chooses to reveal divine truths? How does this contrast with the wise and intelligent? [11:52]
How did Peter's experience, as recounted in the sermon, illustrate the danger of relying on human logic after receiving divine revelation? [17:39]

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Interpretation Questions:

Why is it significant that the devil is described as wiser than Daniel in Ezekiel 28:3? How does this affect our approach to spiritual warfare? [03:38]
Romans 8:7-8 speaks of a mind set on the flesh being hostile to God. What does this hostility look like in practical terms, and how can believers overcome it? [05:17]
In Matthew 11:25-27, Jesus praises the Father for revealing truths to infants. What does this teach us about the nature of true understanding and revelation? [11:52]
Reflecting on Peter's experience, how can believers maintain a posture of humility and dependence on God to avoid being influenced by the devil's cunning? [17:39]

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Application Questions:

Considering the devil's superior intelligence, what practical steps can you take to ensure you are not relying solely on your own wisdom in your spiritual journey? [02:16]
Romans 8:7-8 highlights the enmity between a mind set on the flesh and God. What specific areas of your life are most susceptible to this internal conflict, and how can you seek divine help to overcome them? [05:17]
How can you cultivate an attitude of humility and dependence on God, similar to that of an infant, in your daily life? What specific practices can help you rely more on God's guidance and revelation? [11:52]
Reflect on a recent situation where you relied on human logic rather than seeking God's wisdom. How might you approach a similar situation differently in the future? [17:39]
In what ways can you develop an instinctive cry for help in both prosperous and challenging times? How can this practice open you to the Holy Spirit's guidance and strength? [18:41]
Identify a specific area in your life where you tend to lean on your own understanding. What steps can you take this week to acknowledge God in that area and trust Him to direct your path? [19:41]
How can you encourage others in your small group or community to seek God's wisdom and guidance, especially when facing difficult decisions or challenges? [19:41]

Sermon Clips

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me if in our fight against the devil we can find that or in our fight to have our inner life strengthened we can find that it is not that easy and I want to talk about something that the Lord has been teaching me about. [00:00:08]

What if I knew that the enemy who was trying to get in was a million times smarter than me not stronger than me but smarter than me then it wouldn't make much a difference. I be very thankful for the unity that we have that would be very confident that we did our best. [00:01:11]

The devil cannot come inside any Christian who's a born-again believer. A Christian who's born-again can never never be possessed by a demon or the devil or the lowest demon in the entire universe. He can never come inside of us if we're born again and if we're walking with the Lord. [00:04:35]

We must recognize that our feelings and our logic cannot be trusted compared to God's Word that we can be deceived despite us being born-again and despite are seeking to follow God in logic and in feelings because we're dealing with an enemy who's a million times smarter than us. [00:08:47]

We must live our lives as ones who are seriously in need of help the word that must come out of our being if I truly grasp the fact that I am dealing with an enemy who's a million times smarter than me and I have an ally inside of me who also hates God. [00:09:15]

Matthew chapter 11 verse 25 the context of Matthew 11:25 is he's talking to all these cities in Israel that who had witnessed in verse 20 who had witnessed all of these mighty miracles and even then didn't repent just think about it these are people who saw Jesus with their own eyes. [00:10:38]

I praise you Father in heaven that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent because they think they are so smart because they rely on their logic and they're not looking for the divine logic which far exceeds human logic they are easily fooled by the devil. [00:11:02]

The Pharisees did they studied the scriptures they saw the Son of God they looked at the scriptures and they said you know what must happen to Jesus we must kill him the most religious people took the word of God use their logic and inner killing the son of God. [00:12:15]

Be sober-minded beyond the alert he's Peters talking to Christians these sober-minded you're dealing with us an enemy who's a million times smarter than you and you've got an ally inside of you it's got to be sober-minded that's what it means to become like an infant. [00:13:23]

It's when I ask for help but I genuinely ask for help in every situation I find that the helper is available the Holy Spirit comes quickly it's when I ask for help that the helper becomes very real we are trained to ask for help when things are not going well. [00:14:32]

Peter went to the Lord went to the Father and said God show me and the father showed Peter revealed to Peter that Jesus was the son of God because then they go to this other place says err i Philip I and Jesus asks who do people say that I am and they said Elijah Jeremiah. [00:15:57]

Lean not on your own understanding you three are roles you five-year-olds you thirty five year olds you 105 year old doesn't matter lean not on your own understanding become like an infant imagine you're like a three month old and you're trying to protect this there's one word that can help you help. [00:18:51]

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Dependence on God: Overcoming the Devil's Deception

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing Our Vulnerability to Deception

Day 2: The Internal Struggle Against Selfish Will

Day 3: Embracing Humility for Divine Revelation

Day 4: The Danger of Reverting to Human Logic

Day 5: Cultivating an Instinctive Cry for Help

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Dependence on God: Overcoming the Devil's Deception

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