Victory Over Satan

7LW-017

How Satan Works In Man's Life

This morning, we continue in our study of the 7 Last Words, Segment Number 17, explaining the full significance of the statement of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross when He said "It is finished."

It is always important for us to remember that the chief desire and motivation of Satan has always been to be like God, the creator. This is taught in Isaiah, 14:14. When Satan is contemplating his rebellion against God to replace God upon the throne as the sovereign of the universe, Satan says to himself, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High."

Satan is Real

It is a great mistake to think of the devil as someone of a cartoon character with horns, all red, with a tail with a spike on the end of it, and a pitchfork in his hand. He is not ugly. Another place in the Word of God tells us that Satan was created the most beautiful and the wisest of all the creatures that God has ever made. He has never lost that attraction in his appearance. In his conduct, he has.

Satan Wants to Be Like God

What the devil wants to be is like God. He wants to replace God; but he wants to be in rebellion and opposition to God. He doesn't want people to be revolted by him. He wants them to be attracted. Therefore, it is important to realize that this is the driving force of this creature. He wants to be worshiped by mankind as God properly is.

Satan Controls Earth For Now

Satan became the controlling authority on Earth in place of Adam when man rebelled against the Law of God in the Garden of Eden. Up to that point, Adam was in charge of the whole Earth. But when he sinned under the guidance of Satan, then Satan took over the authority over this world. That's why it is important to realize that he runs this world. I'm amazed at how easy it is for Christians to forget this. So we jump into living life in this world. It just slips by us if we're not careful, and we're moving in elements of society that are directly the results of the influence of Satan.

Satan Blinds Mankind About How to Go to Heaven

The apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:4, after declaring in a previous verse that the gospel is completely hidden to those who are perishing, that nobody can understand the gospel until God the Holy Spirit gives you understanding of that. In verse 4 Paul says, "in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." The first thing that Satan does is keep people blinded about how to go to Heaven. He gives them all kinds of ways that are his plans. It looks very much like God's plan, but it deviates at a critical point, namely faith alone in Christ alone.

"In whose case the god of this world," the Greek word for world there is actually the word for age. The age in which we live, in which society is organized, and the world in which we live, Paul in Galatians 1:4 calls an "evil age." "Who gave Himself for our sins, [Speaking of Jesus Christ,] that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, [or we could translate it "evil world"] according to the will of our God and Father." The concept of an age, a period of time, is related to society that existed at that time.

So understand that there is no television program unless Satan says, "OK, put it on," and then his demons go out and get it operational. There is no corporate activity in this world, in the business world, unless Satan approves and sends out his agents to put it into motion. There is nothing in the way of religion outside of the true faith of Christianity that gets put out unless Satan says, OK, put it out. What he does is get as close to the reality of Scripture as he can. Then he puts a deviation where the little bit of poison in a good piece of bread and you've got the deadly factor without realizing that you're eating that particular thing, that he wants you to have, the cyanide that will destroy you. Everything in our society is that way. But you say there are so many good things, so many nice things.

Yeah. There used to be a thing called theme parks, Disney World, at both ends of the country. We think of Disney as wholesome. But now the whole Disney Corporation is dedicated by Satan to give on this front of wholesomeness, but behind there is antagonism toward God. They have a whole day called Gay Day. One youth leader did like we used to do, took the kids on a trip camp in the high point. We've done this ourselves, going to Disney World in Orlando and Florida. And they walked in and they found that the place was full of fruitcakes all over. He storms up to the booth. He said, "Why didn't you tell me that you do this sort of thing? I've written you. I told you what kind of a group I've got, a group of church kids here. Look at this! In the Word of God, God says this is an abomination. He loathes it. I'm going to spend the day in the presence of this at Disney World?" It is really hard if you are not careful to think that yet everything is OK.

Reggie White. Green Bay Packers star, football star, gets up and makes a speech, makes a presentation on an occasion. He calls our society practices evil, make no bones about it, outright, forthright. Boy, the roof collapses on him. [His sponsors say...] "How dare you say that gays are an offense to God and the evils that are accepted in our society are condemned by the Word of God." It costs him 6 million dollars in the things that he would sponsor or endorse in advertising. But Mr. White has said "What I said was true because it was in the Word of God. That is God's point of view." He has proceeded to buy himself a movie studio, a production facility. He said, I'm going to see if we can start making movies that are wholesome God honoring, Biblically true. We'll put that out on the screen and let people see what it is like to be the opposite of what Hollywood is putting out.

Satan is a God of this age. The first thing he does is to blind us on the doctrine of salvation, bringing in works in some way. Now, if by the great fortune and the mercy of God, you're one of those that are touched for salvation, (Bible calls that election. You are chosen.) then your eyes suddenly become opened by the Holy Spirit and you are able to believe the gospel. Up to then you're not interested, and you can't believe it. Suddenly you believe the Word of God, you're open to it, you receive it, and you become a child of the royal family of God. Satan has lost you. Here's what this verse that we just read says. He's constantly trying to blind people to the gospel.

Satan Even Tries to Disorient Christians

Now you are a Christian, what will he [Satan] do next? The next thing he will do is to get you as a Christian in the Age of Grace, to be disoriented to the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The whole charismatic movement is Satan's magnificent campaign against causing Christians to waste their lives, chasing rabbits of supernatural things and miracles and spiritual gifts that have served their purpose in that God is phased out.

We had a few girls who got upset in summer camp because their leader suggested to them that there are some of these miracle gifts that no longer exists. The Bible says that the devil is the greatest miracle worker of all. And when we point them to Matthew 7:21-23, where Jesus tells a group of people, 'you're not in my family. Out!' [and they said] 'But Lord, we called you lord, we cast out demons in your name. We performed miracles. How can you say you don't know us?' And Jesus said, "Depart from me, I never knew you." Were they casting out demons? Yep. Were they performing miracles? Yep. But it was by the power of Satan, not the power of God. It is so deceptive that these people are going to go screaming with tears into the Lake of Fire saying, 'But I thought I was saved. I have a whole big denomination to prove it.' This is the subtlety that these poor girls in camp couldn't understand. It brings them up short when you say, 'So, you've got somebody at your church who's a healer?' [and they say] 'Yes, I heal people all the time.'

We suggested to them, well, if you want to really be sure that this is God doing this and that healing is taking place, just ask the person to go and raise someone from the dead. If anybody needs healing, it's somebody who's dead. Because in the Bible, that was the ultimate expression of the gift of healing. The apostle Paul had the gift of healing; he raised people from the dead. Those pathetic little kids look at you dumbfounded because they're not sophisticated enough to deal with those religious leaders they have who have played on their emotions and their experiences and deceived them. Berean Youth Club Summer Camp is a fun operation, but it goes deep into the heart and mind on impacts that we have no idea of what can be made of in the future.

Satan is the driving force for evil today in all the institutions, all the activities of society; and in subtle and open ways, he promotes rebellion against God. So just be on your guard. As several of our counselors told the kids, this [the Bible] is your guide. If it's in the Bible, it is true. If somebody told it to you, it may not be true. But if it's in Scripture, that's the guideline.

Satan Is the Father of All Lies

Well, what's the guideline about Satan? We have his characteristic very clearly defined. John 8:44, Jesus says to the religious leaders of Israel who are opposing His ministry and His call to join Him in the millennial kingdom. In verse 44 Jesus says "You are of your father the devil," So much for the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. Only we who are in Christ, our brothers, only we who are in Christ have God as our Father. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do to the desires of your father. [So what are the desires of Satan? Here's the thing to be on guard. Here's your clue.] He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies." The devil is really the smartest creature that God ever made, and he's going to lie. Do you think he's going to do it in a stumblebum way? He's going to do it with great finesse. He's going to tell a lie so that you're going to have to crinkle up your forehead and say, this doesn't sound right, but I can't say that it's not true. That's the way the devil lies.

He's [Satan is] always able to confuse. In fact, when he starts performing miracles in the Tribulation, he does it the same way, with great finesse, great flair. The Bible says that even those who are believers, (there won't be Church Age believers, they'll be back on Jewish-ground believers,) they will look and say, 'Gee, I don't know. Is this of God or not?' And they will almost be deceived by the miracles of Satan. Now, what did he do to Eve? He lied to her about a basic relationship to God, destroyed the human race. What did you do to her first son? He caused him to be a murderer. Those who are loyal to Satan often end up shedding blood, their own or others. The religions that Satan creates are characterized by the shedding of blood. This is why Islam has always had a history of blood shedding of the worst kind, because this is the characteristic of Satan.

Satan hates God and he hates all those who are true to His Word, His Scripture. If you're one of those people who loves God, are true to His Word, and loyal to Him, then you are the target.

It is the country club church Christian types that are not bothered too much by the devil. They are going along in their country club programs, whoopty-do operations for every kind of group in the church to do this and that, and caring for people's social needs instead of the focus of spiritual needs, and the devils not going to bother you because that type of group is not going to affect him.

I guarantee you that a group that goes to summer camp, as we did earlier, we were under the gun and we could not afford for one minute to let up on our caution, on our care, on our good judgment. Because, we know that his majesty the devil wants to silence those who proclaim the truth of God. He hates God. He hates those who proclaim His word.

This great spiritual deception as I indicated, I want to read it to you, is certainly portrayed in Matthew 7:21-23. I don't know how many times I've read this to poor charismatic people who are trying to play the miracle game. Then they're stunned by this verse. They don't know what to make of it. [Verse 21] "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven." What is the will of the Father, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? [Verse 22-23] "Many will say to Me on that day, [the day in which they face God.] 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, [Did we not give predictions? Yes, you did. You stood up and you prophesied. Charismatics do this in every service. Did it in Your name] and in Your name cast out demons, [Yes, they did.] and in Your name perform many miracles? [Yes, they did.] And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" Isn't that interesting? I'm giving communications from God, and that's lawlessness? I'm casting out demons out of people, and that's lawlessness? I'm performing miracles, and that's lawlessness? Yes, because that's the work of Satan. He can and he does that.

This should give you a cold chill when you realize that if it were not for your understanding of doctrine, you'd be a sitting duck for it, for the devil. It is only the knowledge of the Word of God that gives you stability.

In one of our little groups of girls, the older girls, were discussing with their counselor in a cabin one evening a spiritual matter. And it was something along these lines of spiritual gifts and activities. One of the girls said to the counselor, 'Well, that's because you just know these verses and we just don't know. So we don't know where the answers are, where the verses are.' And one little girl, who's one of our bright ones in Berean Christian Academy who was in the group, says, 'I know where the verses are. I know those verses that answer what you're saying to how you're wrong.' This kid was well trained.

That's what people who are listening to their experience and who are listening to their feelings, their Old Sin Nature, and who are listening to their church authorities will always revert to, someone is an authority who speaks for me.

When I was a teenager in the city of Chicago, I used to from our church engage in street meetings. And we would set up ourselves up on a busy corner down on Madison Street or something, there in the west side of Chicago a busy intersection. It's like a big shopping mall. And a couple or 3 of us were with instruments and I'd be there with my trombone playing and the other guys, and we'd gather a crowd. And then someone would get up and we'd just tell them the gospel. This was strong Roman Catholic territory. Then we would go through the crowd while the speaker is speaking and we would give out tracts and we'd talk with people. I remember as I spoke to one young man, he said, well, I don't know why you're wrong, but if you'll come down the street to St Mel's, my priest will tell you why you're wrong.

Always an authority on a human level, it's consistent! This kid in Summer Camp had exactly the same thing. Both of them. The guy on the street in Chicago and the one at Summer Camp got it from the devil whispering in the ear. Satan is fully able to deceive in spiritual matters because he leads people to seek God through Old Sin Nature emotions and experiences and those emotions and experiences, he himself supplies so that they think they have the real thing instead of the illumination of the Word of God.

The Result of Listening to Satan

The result is that Satan is able to create the condition of Isaiah 5:20 in society. You tell me if this indeed is not America today. Isaiah 5:20, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" A nation that has cut itself off from the Bible no longer has a standard of God's rights and God's wrongs. Those things all come out backwards. Suddenly what God says is evil is called good, and what God says is good is called evil.

How Satan Brings Christians Down

The whole lifestyle of Satan that we must be on guard against, I remind you again, is in 1 John 2:16. This is where you will slip up. 1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world," That is society. "the lust of the flesh," this is the lust patterns of the Sin Nature to violate the will of God, the moral code to fulfill the desires of the Old Sin Nature, that's what people live for all day long, but not the Christian, "and the lust of the eyes," The desire of the lost for wealth, to have things, covetous greed. This is a very, very tricky one. That's a Christian who is all caught up in the lust of the eyes, the things that can be accumulated, and the things that can be had, until service for God is lost sight of completely. Instead of having the means to serve God, it is used as a means to get more for serving him someday. The third characteristic of life under Satan is the boastful pride of life. That is, the pretense of the lost that they have fame and power. These people I call ignorant intellectuals. They're on TV all the time discussing matters of one kind and another. These people know not God. They're going to spend eternity in a Lake of Fire. They are high IQs and devoid of spiritual insight. They're ignorant intellectuals, the pride of life, putting on the front.

Everything in society today is governed by Satan through his demon angels to promote these 3 features. If you watch yourself on these 3 characteristics, you'll be under the protective custody of God. You cannot love God and serve God and be true to Satan at the same time. 1 John 2:15 says "Do not love the world," the system of organization of Satan, "nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." James 4:4 has to be for a thoughtful Christian, something that he would take to heart and meditate upon. James 4:4 says "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." This is not a small thing. This is a critical passage in 1 John 2, how the devil works, these are the 3 characteristics. This is what he's out to do and this is how he brings Christians down.

Guarding Against Satan

You cannot move along in this world without constantly being on guard to test out what you're going to do with yourself, with your children, with your family, with all that you are and have, to see that the devil isn't manipulating you for his means. It's only as you walk under the guidance of the Spirit of God and the Word of God that you will avoid that. The satanic deception about the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and reconciling all mankind to God's absolute righteousness is one of the great deceptions of Satan. We've been looking at that terrible wall that has separated God from man. And which Christ has removed for us. Everybody is born into the human race. The problem that Adam created was that we were all slaves in the slave market of sin. God solved that by redemption. We all have moral guilt. God solved that by expiating, clearing our record through death of Christ. We are all born spiritually dead, so we can't pay the penalty of spiritual death. We were given regeneration. We were all faced with the holiness of God. That was handled by satisfying the justice of God and imputing to us the absolute righteousness of God. Then we are confronted with the block of being in Adam. The baptism of the Holy Spirit takes us out of Adam, places us in God the Holy Spirit. Isn't that interesting? Charismatics are always running around trying to have people come forward in meetings to get the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that takes you out of Adam and places you in Christ.

You see what I mean? The devil will deceive you as a Christian upon the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit. If you're wrong about the Holy Spirit, just blow off your life. You're hanging on by a thread. God is still giving you a chance to get straight on this. When He's decided you're never going to be, He'll snuff you out, take you to Heaven.

Placed In Christ Deals with Christian's Position Before God

All this [the blocks in the wall between God and man] has come crashing down. So now a lost human being, because this has become the cross of Christ, can now believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and step over into eternal life with the Triune God. Being placed in Christ deals with the Christian's position before God.

God the Father now views a Christian as being in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, no longer here in this terrible condition of being in Adam, the place of death. The Christian is no longer in Adam, so he is protected from eternal death and the Lake of Fire. The Christian can never be removed from this position in Christ, because it has all been the work of God that put you there. You cannot undo the work of God. It's perfect. At the rapture of the church, when we come to meet the Lord in the air, the Christians position in Christ becomes his actual state. He really does have a glorified body free of a Sin Nature.

Results of Being "In Christ"

Adopted Into the Family of God

Certain results from positional truth that we have pointed out is the Christian in Christ has been adopted into the family of God. That means that you immediately possess the rights and privileges of an adult in the family of God. You have the full capacity of doctrine and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joint Heir with Jesus Christ

And it also means that your joint heir with Jesus Christ, of all that the Father has for the Son. All that Christ possesses, you will someday come into in a full inheritance. This is your spiritual inheritance in Heaven. Your salvation is not your inheritance. That is a gift of God. That is new birth. But your inheritance is all that God has in heavenly places. Can I describe it? Not in the least. Not in the least. I can't begin to think or imagine what is there. Adoption into the family of God is our position now. It will be fully our condition when our bodies are resurrected, Sin Nature removed, and we go to be with the Lord in Heaven.

Set Apart to a Divine Purpose

There is another great result of being in Christ, and that is positional truth relative to sanctification. Sanctification means being set apart to a divine purpose. Sanctification of a Christian in Christ, you are sanctified in your position. You are forever set apart to eternal life in Heaven, no repeal possible. This is one of the greatest sadnesses. All of us have relatives who are forever trying to keep themselves saved. They cannot understand the difference between position in Christ and the fact that our actual condition is sinful. But our position is something that God has created and it's irrevocable. Sanctification is the work of God for the believer, how God views a Christian from the point of salvation on. Sanctification does not imply that we are sinless in our daily lives. It's just that our destiny is going to be Heaven.

Freed From Control of Sin/Learn to Say No!

Then, in our daily experience, sanctification has an effect. We are freed from the control of the sin nature. We can say no. My heart goes out to the people who have, and to all of us, when sin comes along and we get stuck to it, and we stick to it, and fall under it. Satan is always trying to do that. But at the same time, we have the power to say no. Whatever grief we bring upon ourselves is because we chose to say yes instead of saying no. This word no is one of the most important languages of the Word of God. One man once told me, now in heaven and who knows a lot better, "Dr. Danish you're just so negative when you speak, just so negative." I said, "What do you mean? Like the Ten Commandments? All those thou shalt nots?" And that is the great word of the English language - No! When you listen to God and obey the moral code, which is no, you will find yourself able to do a lot of things to which you can't say yes.

In the rearing of children, I was reminded here again by Summer Camp, we get kids from homes now, as we never used to before, where 3 quarters of mothers are in a workforce, only a fourth of children grow up where they walk around the house and the mother is there. And the result is that these parents are tired, worn out, and they're getting their kids on their own as fast as they can in one way or another, letting them have latch keys, letting them take care of themselves, giving them a car so they can transport themselves and be out from under their surveillance authority and control, the whole bit, because we're just so busy; which is what [the Book of] Daniel told us. At the end before the Lord returns, people are going to be running to and fro, a madhouse operation. And when we get kids in summer camp, it is amazing to me to see these kids who suddenly are in a structured program. You're standing in a formation to raise and lower the flag. You're being told where you're going to go for every activity of the day. You're being told when you must move this way, or that way. And you better get on with it. These kids aren't used to that. Nobody at home tells them. Then they come up and they say, 'gee, I don't think I'd like to do that.' They have their opinions. I know that the parents say, 'well, let's talk it over.'

Had a boy at summer camp. He didn't like the structured programs one year and he wanted to call his parents. We don't let kids call thier parents. I said, 'No, you can't call them.' [He said] 'Well, I don't like this,' because he wasn't used to being told what to do. So I said, 'Well, write a letter. Tell them to come and get you.' [He said] 'Oh, OK.' He gave me the letter. I mailed it on our way home at the end of camp. Parents never arrived for some reason. We've got these couple of girls 'I want to call home.' I know that after they get into the program a couple of times, those kids are the ones that are elbowing in line to get in line for the next activity, having a great time. But these children don't know better. They had to be told.

In summer camp, I've been reading from The Book of Virtues by Bill Bennett and also a Christian Book of Virtues. At every meal, I give them a gem of wisdom. I got to thinking about these kids we have in Camp and this word no. We enforce it. It's a real word. And it is part of the thing that is our heritage as Christians, our sanctification, are being set apart to do right. If you expect your kids to be set apart, to do right, at least you need to along with teaching them right, you have to teach them "No."

Rules for Children Translate to Our Christian Life

At Berean Christian Academy, what do we do? We teach 6 things, that's all: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Respect, Religion and Restraint. Susanna Wesley of the Methodists, when the Methodists were a better breed than they are today, Susanna Wesley had a lot of children. I forget how many? One hundred I think, it was a lot. She sat down and wrote out rules of order. You want to raise your kids? You have to use the word no!

Sanctification - setting apart to what is right. Just think what would have happened had Eve said 'No' to Satan, what a difference. Just think of all the things in your own life that had you said at a point, 'No, that's sinful. God doesn't allow that.' What a lot of grief that would have saved.

Here are the laws of Susanna. "1. It had been observed that cowardice and fear of punishment often lead children into lying till they get accustomed of it, which they cannot leave. To prevent this, a law was made that whoever was charged with a fault of which they were guilty, if they would ingenuously confess and promised to amend, that they would not be beaten. This rule prevented a great deal of lying in a family and would have done more if one in the family would have observed it. But he could not be prevailed upon, and therefore was often imposed on by false colors and equivocations, which none would have used but one. Had they been kindly dealt with, and some, in spite of all, would always speak the truth plainly. 2. That no sinful action as lying, pilfering a church, or on the Lord's Day, disobedience, quarrelling, etc., should ever pass unpunished."

You say 'no,' the kid does it. 'Didn't I say no to you? That's the wrong thing. I said no to you. Here's the consequence. Very painful consequence. You don't want to do this again.'

"3. That no child should ever be tried or beat twice for the same fault, and that if they are men, they should never be abraded with it afterwards." You don't call attention to it "4. That every single act of obedience, especially when it crossed upon their own inclinations, should be always commended and frequently rewarded according to the merit of the case." Reinforcing positive conduct. "5. That if ever any child performed an act of obedience or did anything with an intention to please, though the performance was not well, yet the obedience and intention should be kindly accepted, and the child with sweetness directed how to do better for the future. 6. That proprietary, the rights of property, be invariably preserved, and none suffered to invade the property of another in the smallest matter, though, as it were, but of the value of a farthing or a pin, which they might take from the owner without much less against his consent. This rule can never be too much inculcated on the minds of children, and from the want of parents or governors doing it as they ought, proceeds that shameful neglect of justice which we may observe in the world. 7. That promises be strictly observed and a gift once bestowed, and so the right passed away from the donor, be not resumed, but left to the disposal of him to whom it was given, unless it was conditional, and the condition of the obligation not performed. 8. That no girl be taught to work till she can read very well, and that she be kept to her work with the same application, and for the same time that she was held to in reading. This rule also is much to be observed for putting children to learn sewing before they can read perfectly is the very reason why so few women can read fit to be heard and never to be well understood."

Mrs. Wesley turned what she was doing, conquering their will or subjecting their will. To manage her large family, she set up a household in which these rules were kept, and she knew that the first rule of rearing a child is to break his will. If you do not break the will of the child, you will have grief.

That sanctification in the Christian life sets this aside, break our will and accept the will of God. If you are not willing to break your will of the Sin Nature and accept the will of God, you will have grief. Now, Susanna, when children did disobey, and they were spanked, they were not allowed to cry loudly. They could have tears, but they could not howl. If they spoke loudly, were raucous, big trouble. Every one of those kids, I think it was like 16 really, grew up to be a princely man, a princely woman, because they learned what it is to say no to the sinfulness of nature. What does Proverbs say? Apply the rod. You will make him black and blue. But he will not die. But you will drive the spirit of rebellion far from him. The spirit of the Old Sin Nature will be driven far from him. So one of the things that is so practical in positional truth, because we are no longer in a position in Adam, but we are in a position in Christ, we have the freedom to do right and we have the freedom to be able to enjoy the consequences of just saying no.

The Holy Spirit Uses Our Stored Knowledge of Bible Doctrine

We Christians in our daily experience, have been freed from the sin nature. We have the Spirit of God indwelling us permanently. He guides us through the Word of God when we are in Temporal Fellowship. Of course, if you don't know much Bible, He's not going to guide you. See, this is what people get in trouble with out in the emotional realm. They want guidance from God, but they have no doctrine. We've already shown you how the chart works. Doctrine stored in the Human Spirit is what the Spirit of God kicks up. He doesn't give you a revelation to your mind. He gives you a revelation from the Word of God. If you don't have it because your preacher isn't teaching it, then you're not going to have much leading of the Spirit of God. So what will you do? You'll fall back every time upon a Sin Nature, and that means how you feel about things or some experience you've had. The basis of sanctification in the Christians daily life, the Christian is given the ability to have positive volition to the will of God so you can have peace and joy in your soul. The Christian is given freedom from being dominated by the Sin Nature so you're not driven to do what is evil. God wants the Christian to have fellowship with Himself. He wants him to walk in light as God is in light. The Christian is given the means of remaining in fellowship with God through the simple technique of the confession of known sins.

Christ has done everything that we need to be set apart for the life that God has in store for us. The Christians in Christ has the means to be able to live the godly life. If you do sin, you have 1 John 1:9 to fall back on, to confess and to be restored again.

Sanctification's Huge Ultimate Consequence

Sanctification, the setting apart in Christ. This has a huge ultimate consequence and the end of it is this wall removed. It's all tied together. What we're talking about this morning in the possibility of having a life where everything about you: you have just so much time, you have just so much treasure, you have just so much talent, all of it focused into eternal consequences because this wall is removed. Because this wall is removed, you have been set apart by God to the fulfillment of the plan for which you were born. Not many Christians can say at the end of their lives, 'I've lived the plan.' Paul could. The apostle Paul says I've run the course. I have fulfilled my mission. I am ready to go home. He had the advantage of knowing that he was on his way out. Most of us don't. But most of us know that sooner or later that's what's going to happen and that the time has come for them to plan to use that time, that treasure and that talent for the things of eternity. Take it with you, folks. That's what you have been set apart for. That's what sanctification is. You are positionally set apart now. Someday you'll stand before him, fully set apart. That's when the Judgment Seat of Christ will come into the picture. There you will see what you did with what you were able and what you had. Don't blow it. The wall has been removed. You've been set aside for everything that God has for you.

Tonight, sanctification in Christ and His ultimate expression and the final crumbling of this wall. As we close down this series, please join us.

Benediction

Our Father, we thank You for this, Thy word and for the magnificence of what Thou has done for us in setting us apart. You have adopted us into Thy family so that we are sons and daughters with full adult privileges, those equally what Christ in His humanity possesses and Thou has furthermore set us apart in our sanctification to a life that can be above the crowd, can beat the sin nature at its own game, can make our lives count for eternity, and in the process save a lot of people from the fire in the condemnation of being lost, because we have lived the life that Christ has given us. We pray, our Father, that we will appreciate the fact that we have been set apart by Thee and we pray that therefore we have been indeed saved to serve. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Dr. John E. Danish, 1999

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