Guarding the Mind: Resisting the Devil's Schemes

 

Summary

In Ephesians 6:10-13, Paul exhorts believers to be strong in the Lord and to put on the whole armor of God to withstand the devil's schemes. The devil's attacks are multifaceted, targeting both the church collectively and individuals personally. Today, we focus on the devil's attacks on our minds, a theme prevalent in the New Testament epistles. The devil often targets our understanding, knowing that if our minds go astray, so will our actions.

One significant danger is approaching the Bible with a purely theoretical mindset, treating it as an academic subject rather than the living word of God. This can lead to a detachment from the person of Jesus Christ, reducing our faith to mere intellectual assent to doctrines rather than a vibrant relationship with God. The devil exploits this by encouraging an intellectual pride that puffs us up, making us feel superior in our knowledge while losing sight of the humility and love that should characterize our faith.

Another danger is reverting to reliance on works rather than faith, a subtle shift that can occur even after beginning our Christian journey in the Spirit. This is a common trap where we start to depend on our actions, knowledge, or traditions rather than solely on Christ's finished work. The devil also tempts us to become obsessed with one aspect of the truth, losing the balance and fullness of the gospel. This obsession can lead to spiritual pride and division within the body of Christ.

Moreover, the devil can sidetrack us with an overemphasis on externals, such as church traditions or prophetic teachings, leading us away from the core of the gospel. Finally, he can plague us with doubts, making us question our faith and standing with God. It's crucial to recognize that being assailed by doubts is not sinful; it's the devil's tactic to unsettle us. We must stand firm, clothed in the full armor of God, to resist these attacks and remain steadfast in our faith.

Key Takeaways:

- The devil's primary attack is on our minds, aiming to lead us astray in understanding, which affects our entire spiritual life. We must guard against treating the Bible as mere theory and instead engage with it as the living word of God, meant to transform us and deepen our relationship with Christ. [02:53]

- Intellectual pride is a subtle danger that can arise from knowledge. True knowledge of God should lead to humility and love, not arrogance. We must remember that we see only in part and remain humble before God, recognizing our dependence on Him. [21:14]

- The temptation to revert to works-based righteousness is ever-present. We must continually rely on faith in Christ alone, recognizing that our righteousness is as filthy rags and that we are saved by grace through faith. [24:48]

- Obsession with one aspect of truth can lead to imbalance and division. The gospel is vast and comprehensive, and we must embrace its fullness rather than fixating on a single doctrine or practice. [27:53]

- Doubts are a common attack from the devil, but they are not inherently sinful. Recognizing that these doubts often come from the enemy can help us stand firm in faith, rejecting them and trusting in God's promises. [41:05]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Ephesians 6:10-13
- [00:51] - The Wilds of the Devil
- [01:41] - Personal Attacks on the Mind
- [02:34] - The Devil's Attack on Understanding
- [03:54] - The Danger of Theoretical Knowledge
- [05:21] - Avoiding Intellectual Detachment
- [07:45] - Knowledge vs. Relationship with Christ
- [09:00] - The Risk of Intellectualism
- [11:33] - Reactions to Intellectualism
- [13:58] - The Preacher's Danger
- [16:12] - The Power of Truth
- [18:03] - Intellectual Pride
- [22:35] - Returning to Works
- [25:07] - Obsession with One Truth
- [29:01] - Focus on Externals
- [33:16] - Spiritual Cranks and Prophetic Teaching
- [39:58] - Doubts and the Devil's Tactics
- [43:06] - Conclusion and Call to Armor Up

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Ephesians 6:10-13
- Galatians 3:3
- 1 Corinthians 8:1

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#### Observation Questions
1. According to Ephesians 6:10-13, what is the purpose of putting on the whole armor of God? How does this relate to standing against the devil's schemes? [00:10]
2. In the sermon, what are some of the ways the devil attacks our minds, as mentioned by the pastor? [02:16]
3. How does the pastor describe the danger of approaching the Bible with a purely theoretical mindset? [07:16]
4. What does the pastor say about the relationship between knowledge and intellectual pride? [19:21]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of putting on the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-13 help believers resist the devil's attacks on their minds? [43:06]
2. What might be the consequences of treating the Bible as an academic subject rather than the living word of God, according to the sermon? [07:16]
3. How does the pastor suggest believers can avoid falling into the trap of intellectual pride? [21:14]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that an overemphasis on one aspect of truth can lead to imbalance and division within the church? [27:53]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your personal Bible study habits. Do you find yourself approaching the Bible more as an academic subject or as the living word of God? How can you shift your focus to deepen your relationship with Christ? [07:16]
2. Have you ever experienced intellectual pride in your faith journey? How can you cultivate humility and love in your pursuit of knowledge about God? [21:14]
3. Consider a time when you relied more on your works than on faith in Christ. How can you remind yourself daily of the importance of grace and faith in your life? [24:48]
4. Think about a doctrine or practice you might be overly focused on. How can you embrace the fullness of the gospel and maintain balance in your spiritual life? [27:53]
5. Have you ever been plagued by doubts about your faith? How can recognizing these doubts as attacks from the devil help you stand firm in your faith? [41:05]
6. Identify a specific distraction in your life that prevents you from focusing on Jesus. What steps can you take this week to minimize that distraction and strengthen your relationship with Him? [07:16]
7. How can you ensure that your engagement with church traditions and teachings remains centered on the core of the gospel rather than becoming an end in itself? [29:01]

Devotional

Day 1: Guarding the Mind Against Deception
The devil's primary attack is on our minds, aiming to lead us astray in understanding, which affects our entire spiritual life. We must guard against treating the Bible as mere theory and instead engage with it as the living word of God, meant to transform us and deepen our relationship with Christ. The devil knows that if he can distort our understanding, our actions will follow suit. Therefore, it is crucial to approach Scripture with a heart open to transformation, allowing it to shape our thoughts and actions. [02:53]

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you been treating the Bible as mere theory rather than the living word of God? How can you begin to engage with Scripture more deeply today?


Day 2: The Humility of True Knowledge
Intellectual pride is a subtle danger that can arise from knowledge. True knowledge of God should lead to humility and love, not arrogance. We must remember that we see only in part and remain humble before God, recognizing our dependence on Him. Intellectual pride can create a barrier between us and God, as well as between us and others. It is essential to approach our faith with a spirit of humility, acknowledging that our understanding is limited and that we are continually in need of God's wisdom and guidance. [21:14]

"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their craftiness.'" (1 Corinthians 3:18-19, ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify an area in your life where intellectual pride might be hindering your relationship with God or others? How can you practice humility in that area today?


Day 3: Faith Over Works
The temptation to revert to works-based righteousness is ever-present. We must continually rely on faith in Christ alone, recognizing that our righteousness is as filthy rags and that we are saved by grace through faith. This subtle shift towards works can occur even after beginning our Christian journey in the Spirit. It is vital to remember that our salvation is not based on our actions, knowledge, or traditions, but solely on Christ's finished work on the cross. [24:48]

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe." (Romans 3:20-22, ESV)

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you find yourself relying on works rather than faith? How can you shift your focus back to trusting in Christ's finished work today?


Day 4: Embracing the Fullness of the Gospel
Obsession with one aspect of truth can lead to imbalance and division. The gospel is vast and comprehensive, and we must embrace its fullness rather than fixating on a single doctrine or practice. This obsession can lead to spiritual pride and division within the body of Christ. It is important to maintain a balanced view of the gospel, recognizing the richness and diversity of its teachings and allowing them to inform and shape our faith. [27:53]

"For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." (Acts 20:27-28, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a particular doctrine or practice that you have been overly focused on to the detriment of other aspects of the gospel? How can you begin to embrace the fullness of the gospel today?


Day 5: Standing Firm Amidst Doubts
Doubts are a common attack from the devil, but they are not inherently sinful. Recognizing that these doubts often come from the enemy can help us stand firm in faith, rejecting them and trusting in God's promises. It is crucial to understand that being assailed by doubts is a tactic used by the devil to unsettle us. By standing firm, clothed in the full armor of God, we can resist these attacks and remain steadfast in our faith. [41:05]

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness." (Ephesians 6:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: What doubts have been troubling you recently? How can you actively stand firm in your faith and trust in God's promises today?

Quotes


The Apostle exorts us to so be clothed with the power of God that we may be able to withstand these Wilds of the devil and we've seen already that these Wilds are manifested in many different ways there are certain General respects in which the devil has manifested these WS throughout the running centuries certain big movements in the church. [00:57:16]

There is no end to the ways in which the devil attacks the church and God's people he may attack them as a whole or in masses and then he comes and he attacks us one by one and we are considering this more individual personal attack of the devil upon us as it comes to us along three main routes the Mind first of all. [01:41:00]

The moment you think that you can decide and determine what is true and what isn't you've already succumbed to the Ws of the devil very well we've considered that and we just glanced also at the terrible danger that arose very early in the church along the line of some esoteric knowledge some vague ad mixture of philosophy and mysticism. [04:30:00]

The danger of becoming theoretical in our whole attitude towards this precious knowledge now I must repeat again what I said last Sunday that these particular Temptations are of course those to which the more intellectual able type of person is subject it can happen to all but it is the particular danger of those who have got minds and who desire understanding. [06:03:00]

The danger and of course the Devil comes with all his wilds and if he can persuade us to come to this condition he is more than satisfied in other words it is the failure to realize that the ultimate end ultimate end of all knowledge is to bring us to a knowledge of the person we are not to stop at the knowledge itself. [07:43:00]

It's a terrible thing this and a terrible danger that we should become more concerned about and interested in our intellectual knowledge of Christian truth than in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ himself that's the danger and of course the Devil comes with all his wilds and if he can persuade us to come to this condition he is more than satisfied. [07:23:00]

The moment you begin to find yourself regarding this truth as just a subject for study you've already succumbed to the devil this is of course the peculiar danger of certain types of persons the danger I say of regarding the Bible is just a textbook I'm always made to shiver in a spiritual sense when a man comes to me and says you know I'm a great Bible student. [12:06:00]

The danger of having started in the spirit to go back to the flesh now there is of course the great theme of the epistle to the Galatians in many ways Galatians 3:3 are ye so foolish having begun in the spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh now it's it's a very big subject this I I'm not proposing to stay with it. [22:35:00]

The danger of being obsessed by one aspect of the truth I use the term obsessed quite deliberately because uh while it falls short of ay Psychopathic Obsession in the strict medical sense there is no doubt about the reality of the obsession which the devil undoubtedly does give to certain people what I mean is this that he fixes your attention upon one aspect of the truth only. [25:07:00]

The devil can be very subtle at this point he will plague them in with doubts but he succeeds of course in this way by suggesting to them that the doubts are their doubts and that doubts are always and invariably sinful now that's a very subtle thing isn't it what the devil does is to conceal himself and to make you think that the doubts are arising in yourself. [41:05:00]

There is nothing sinful in being assailed by doubts some of the greatest Saints have been attacked by doubts hurled at them by the enemy right to the end of their life that isn't sin they hated the thoughts they rejected them that's a proof that they're not theirs it is the moment you begin to accept them and to agree with them that it becomes yours. [41:05:00]

As certain as you're a Christian the devil is going to attack you with these very wilds and with all his subtlety and they'll come at you from every direction most of all perhaps when you're reading the scriptures or when you're praying but don't allow him to persuade you that they're your doubts if you hate them if you reject them. [41:05:00]

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