The Bated Hook (Part 1)

Transcription

1 The Bated Hook (Part 1) The Purpose of This Series Satan is not always as blatant as we might believe. He is subtle and delights in deception. The Bible says that he even disguises himself as a messenger of light. "Lured" is a series that equips believers with the Word of God to expose and resist Satan's deadly bate, the bate of offense. We will find ourselves far short of our full potential in Christ if we fail to learn how to deal with this tragic lure of Satan. Our response to this bate will determine our future. You can expect to find freedom as you boldly confront his deadly traps and learn to escape it's grip! The Purpose of This Message The purpose of todays message is to help us take our eye off ourselves and see what could be bringing needless pain and distraction in our lives. Satan sets out to kill us, but if he can t he will steal and attempt to destroy everything we have, the most valued commodity...relationships. You cannot afford to live a life lured by the distractions and temptation that Satan so creatively lays in our path. Today is the beginning of exposing his work in our lives and setting us free for a life time of joy and confidence in Christ! My Call And Purpose For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) Created For Purpose Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:26-28 (NKJV) And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7 (KJV) Represent God in the Earth Garden City, Kansas 1 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

2 Spirit, Soul & Body Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NKJV) Spirit The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart. Proverbs 20:27 (NKJV) Soul- The Mind, the Will and the Emotions Body-The vessel with the hidden treasure We are a Spiritual House Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5) you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 7) Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone," 8) and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10) who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:4-10 (NKJV) This is why people are offended with Christianity, Offense NT:4625 Skandalon (skan'-dal-on) ("scandal"); probably from a derivative of NT:2578; a trap-stick (bent sapling), i.e. snare (figuratively, cause of displeasure or sin): KJV - occasion to fall (of stumbling), offence, thing that offends, stumblingblock. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.) What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31) but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32) Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33) As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." Romans 9:30-33 (NKJV) And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! Galatians 5:11-12 (NKJV) The Enemy Garden City, Kansas 2 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. Genesis 3:1 (NKJV) Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 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. Ephesians 6:11-13 (NKJV) Wiles NT:3180 Methodeia (meth-od-i'-ah); from a compound of NT:3326 and NT:3593 [compare "method"]; travelling over, i.e. travesty (trickery): KJV - wile, lie in wait. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.) Offense is one of Satan s most deadly traps to hold God s people captive! Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" 61) When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? 62) What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63) It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64) But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65) And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." 66) From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67) Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" 68) But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69) Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 70) Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" 71) He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. John 6:60-71(NKJV) But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21) Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23) But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24) And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25) in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26) and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:20-26 (NKJV) Lured Into Captivity The Lord God has sworn by His holiness: "Behold, the days shall come upon you when He will take you away with fishhooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. Garden City, Kansas 3 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

4 Amos 4:1 (NKJV) The Assyrians would lead their captives into captivity with hooks in their jaws or nose. And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. 11 Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. 2 Chronicles 33:10-12 (NKJV) Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. Jeremiah 16:16 (NKJV) The scattering of the people is to be like that of hunted animals, of which but few escape, the ancient method of hunting being to enclose a large space with beaters and nets, and so drive everything within it to some place where it was destroyed. The destruction of the whole male population was one of the horrible customs of ancient warfare, and the process is called in Herodotus "sweeping the country with a drag-net." The same authority tells us that this method could only be effectually carried out on an island. Literally, understood, the fishers are the main armies who, in the towns and fortresses, capture the people in crowds as in a net, while the hunters are the lightarmed troops, who pursue the fugitives over the whole country, and drive them out of their hiding places as hunters track out their game. (from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) Send for - translate, 'I will send many;' "I will give the commission to many" (2 Chron 17:7). I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters... - successive invaders of Judea (Amos 4:2; Hab 1:14-15). So "net" (Ezek 12:13). As to "hunters," see Gen 10:9. Nimrod, "the mighty hunter," the first founder of an empire on conquest; Mic 7:2; the Chaldees were famous in hunting, as the Egyptians, the other enemy of Judea, were in fishing. "Fishers" expresses the ease of their victory over the Jews as that of the angler over fish; "hunters," the keenness of them pursuit of them into every cave and nook. It is remarkable the same image of "fishers" and "fish" is used in a good sense of the Jews' restoration, implying that just as their enemies were employed by God to take them in hand for destruction, so the same shall be employed for their restoration (Ezek 47:9-10). So, spiritually, those once enemies by nature (fishermen many of them literally) were employed by God to be heralds of salvation, "catching men" for life (Matt 4:19; Luke 5:10; Acts 2:41; 4:4); (cf. here Jer 16:19). "O Lord, the Gentiles shall come unto thee" (2 Cor 12:16). (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) Prosperity in the midst of Judgment Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. Daniel 2:48-49 (NKJV) Garden City, Kansas 4 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

5 The Spiritual Force of the Blessing and the Curse "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2) And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: 3) "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. 4) "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. 5) "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6) "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 7) "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. 8) "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 9) "The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10) Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 11) And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12) The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13) And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. 14) So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15) "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Deuteronomy 28:1-15 (NKJV) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2) But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. 3) He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV) Daniel Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17) If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18) But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." Daniel 3:16-18 (NKJV) Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29) Therefore I make a decree that any Garden City, Kansas 5 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

6 people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this." 30) Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:28-30 (NKJV) Nehemiah Ezra And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me. Nehemiah 2:8 (NKJV) And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:8-10 (NKJV) The Example of the Apostle Paul This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. Acts 24:16 (NKJV) The most effective way for the enemy to blind us is to cause us to focus on ourselves. One way the enemy keeps a person in offense is to keep the offense hidden, cloaked in pride. Pride causes us to view ourselves as the victims, Power Point Offense will cause our hidden self to be exposed! Offense will keep us from dealing with our own character flaws. Offense is the number 1 indicator of our love walk But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36) "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37) Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38) This is the first and great commandment. 39) And the second is like it: Garden City, Kansas 6 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

7 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:34-40 (NKJV) Offense will affect every relationship Offense will lead to a cycle of Broken Relationships You begin to filter every relationship through past offenses. When we filter everything through past hurts, rejections and experiences, we find it impossible to believe God. The deadly progression of Offense, Betrayal and hatred... Betrayal in the kingdom of God comes when one believer seeks their own benefit or protection at the expense of another believer. A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle. Proverbs 18:19 (NKJV) Christian s who tear a brother or sister in Christ down to build themselves up often live in the struggle to find significance and only experience rejection! We set ourselves up for offense when we require certain behaviors of people we have relationships. The Spiritual Stronghold of Offense A spiritual stronghold is a mind-set impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable, situations that we know are contrary to the will of God. - That None Should Perish by Ed Silvoso Fear of Offense Offense will cause you to disconnect from God s purpose for your life. An offended Christian is one who takes in life, but because of fear of being hurt cannot release life to others! Ambassadors for Christ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NKJV) Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19) We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:17-19 (NKJV) Being a receiver of God s love Transmit His love to the world The Good News of the Gospel: Jesus Christ has Redeemed Us from the Curse Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, Garden City, Kansas 7 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

8 character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-6 (NKJV) How to Love by Faith by Dr. Bill Bright Founder & President of Campus Crusade for Christ International Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) Other Scriptures And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10) that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11) being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJV) From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 23) But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." Matthew 16:21-23 (NKJV) Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! Matthew 18:6-7 (NKJV) Offense NT:3900 Paraptoma (par-ap'-to-mah); from NT:3895; a side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e. (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression: KJV - fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.) But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16) And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17) For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. 20) Garden City, Kansas 8 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)

9 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21) so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:15-21 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." Matthew 11:4-6 (NKJV) Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?" So they were offended at Him. Matthew 13:53-57 (NKJV) Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8) "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 9) And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" 10) When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: 11) Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." 12) Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" 13) But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14) Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." Matthew 15:7-14 (NKJV) Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20) Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21) It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22) Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23) But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:19-23 (NKJV) Garden City, Kansas 9 Lured- Bated Hook (Pt. 1)