More Spiritual Warfare - Part 2
And then I took you to the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:23. And I talked about that verse from the standpoint that the devil takes or snatches the word away from a certain group of people. And that group of people are said that they “understandeth it (the word) not”. Luke says it this way. Luke says “keep it” instead of understanding it in Luke 8:15 and Mark says “receive it” instead of understanding it in Mark 4:20. So in three of the gospels they're trying to make it clear to you understanding, receiving, and keeping are synonyms for believing.
This is confirmed later down in that same parable, Lord says that the one who understandeth it (the word) bringeth forth fruit. So this understanding isn't talking about a mental capacity; because the Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying. They just didn't believe it. That's what he's talking about there. And when you don't believe it, the devil snatches it away to keep you blinded, to keep souls blinded. He did that in the Gospels. He's still doing it today (2 Cor.4:3-4). So, that's a little bit of insight I wanted to add to that passage.
And when I mentioned about the temptation in the wilderness that Jesus went through to show how Satan and authority over the nations, I referenced Matthew 4. But Luke 4 describes the same event with an interesting couple of details, In Luke 4:5-7 Luke describes it this way.
“And the devil taketh him Gábor Muzslai up to a high mountain showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (I like how that rolls off the tongue.) “And the devil said, All this power” (power means authority. Here we are back to him giving authority.) “Will I give thee and the glory of them.” (Look at what he says next.) “for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it.”
The devil has authority over the kingdoms of the world. He states it expressly. And Jesus doesn't argue with him. Luke's description is much more telling about Satan's authority in this world today.
Now I want to turn to 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. I touched on this and I raced past it, but I did a little more digging here. I told you that there were false apostles in in Paul's day, "deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel for Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it's no great thing..."
Notice that it's no great thing. Don't think, oh my goodness, this must be a big deal for these guys to do. No, it's not a great thing. Understand it that way. If his ministers, the word ministers is deacons, the same word we get the word deacons, are his servants.
Now, in Ephesians 2, the unsaved are not called servants when we're told they are following the prince of the power of the air. We're told the unsaved are being influenced/energized by him. They are called the children of disobedience. They're not called his servants there.
So, who are his servants? Who are his ministers?
to be continued...
And then I took you to the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:23. And I talked about that verse from the standpoint that the devil takes or snatches the word away from a certain group of people. And that group of people are said that they “understandeth it (the word) not”. Luke says it this way. Luke says “keep it” instead of understanding it in Luke 8:15 and Mark says “receive it” instead of understanding it in Mark 4:20. So in three of the gospels they're trying to make it clear to you understanding, receiving, and keeping are synonyms for believing.
This is confirmed later down in that same parable, Lord says that the one who understandeth it (the word) bringeth forth fruit. So this understanding isn't talking about a mental capacity; because the Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying. They just didn't believe it. That's what he's talking about there. And when you don't believe it, the devil snatches it away to keep you blinded, to keep souls blinded. He did that in the Gospels. He's still doing it today (2 Cor.4:3-4). So, that's a little bit of insight I wanted to add to that passage.
And when I mentioned about the temptation in the wilderness that Jesus went through to show how Satan and authority over the nations, I referenced Matthew 4. But Luke 4 describes the same event with an interesting couple of details, In Luke 4:5-7 Luke describes it this way.
“And the devil taketh him Gábor Muzslai up to a high mountain showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (I like how that rolls off the tongue.) “And the devil said, All this power” (power means authority. Here we are back to him giving authority.) “Will I give thee and the glory of them.” (Look at what he says next.) “for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it.”
The devil has authority over the kingdoms of the world. He states it expressly. And Jesus doesn't argue with him. Luke's description is much more telling about Satan's authority in this world today.
Now I want to turn to 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. I touched on this and I raced past it, but I did a little more digging here. I told you that there were false apostles in in Paul's day, "deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel for Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it's no great thing..."
Notice that it's no great thing. Don't think, oh my goodness, this must be a big deal for these guys to do. No, it's not a great thing. Understand it that way. If his ministers, the word ministers is deacons, the same word we get the word deacons, are his servants.
Now, in Ephesians 2, the unsaved are not called servants when we're told they are following the prince of the power of the air. We're told the unsaved are being influenced/energized by him. They are called the children of disobedience. They're not called his servants there.
So, who are his servants? Who are his ministers?
to be continued...
More Spiritual Warfare - Part 2
And then I took you to the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:23. And I talked about that verse from the standpoint that the devil takes or snatches the word away from a certain group of people. And that group of people are said that they “understandeth it (the word) not”. Luke says it this way. Luke says “keep it” instead of understanding it in Luke 8:15 and Mark says “receive it” instead of understanding it in Mark 4:20. So in three of the gospels they're trying to make it clear to you understanding, receiving, and keeping are synonyms for believing.
This is confirmed later down in that same parable, Lord says that the one who understandeth it (the word) bringeth forth fruit. So this understanding isn't talking about a mental capacity; because the Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying. They just didn't believe it. That's what he's talking about there. And when you don't believe it, the devil snatches it away to keep you blinded, to keep souls blinded. He did that in the Gospels. He's still doing it today (2 Cor.4:3-4). So, that's a little bit of insight I wanted to add to that passage.
And when I mentioned about the temptation in the wilderness that Jesus went through to show how Satan and authority over the nations, I referenced Matthew 4. But Luke 4 describes the same event with an interesting couple of details, In Luke 4:5-7 Luke describes it this way.
“And the devil taketh him [Jesus] up to a high mountain showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (I like how that rolls off the tongue.) “And the devil said, All this power” (power means authority. Here we are back to him giving authority.) “Will I give thee and the glory of them.” (Look at what he says next.) “for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it.”
The devil has authority over the kingdoms of the world. He states it expressly. And Jesus doesn't argue with him. Luke's description is much more telling about Satan's authority in this world today.
Now I want to turn to 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. I touched on this and I raced past it, but I did a little more digging here. I told you that there were false apostles in in Paul's day, "deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel for Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it's no great thing..."
Notice that it's no great thing. Don't think, oh my goodness, this must be a big deal for these guys to do. No, it's not a great thing. Understand it that way. If his ministers, the word ministers is deacons, the same word we get the word deacons, are his servants.
Now, in Ephesians 2, the unsaved are not called servants when we're told they are following the prince of the power of the air. We're told the unsaved are being influenced/energized by him. They are called the children of disobedience. They're not called his servants there.
So, who are his servants? Who are his ministers?
to be continued...
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