Pastor A. Mark Garcia 08/21/2013 Bible Study Operation Giant Slayer OBJECTIVE: North Park Apostolic Church KILL THE PERSONAL GIANTS IN YOUR LIFE. MISSION: TO SEEK AND DESTROY ALL GIANTS THAT HINDER YOUR GROWTH IN GOD AND SUBSEQUNTLY HIN- DERS THE BODY OF CHRIST AS A WHOLE. PHASE I IDENTIFY ALL FALSE FORMS OF RELIGION THAT YOU MAY HAVE PARTICI- PATED IN, INCLUDING FALSE DOCTRINES THAT ARE CAMOUFLAGED AS CHRISTIANITY AND DENY THE DIETY OF JESUS CHRIST. Ephesians 4:5 (KJV) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Jesus Christ is the only Lord and Savior; there is only one faith that leads to the Lord which is the gospel of Jesus Christ; only one baptism that identifies us with our Lord and that is water baptism by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. SEEK THE GIANTS OF FALSE DOCTRINE NEW AGE MOVEMENT (NAM) In the NAM man is central. He is viewed as divine, as co-creator, as the hope for future peace and harmony. A representative quote might be: "I am affected only by my thoughts. The New Age Movement is a religious system with two basic beliefs: Evolutionary Godhood and Global Unity. What is Evolutionary Godhood? It is the next step in evolution. It will not be physical, but spiritual: For the most part, the NAM espouses evolution, both of body and spirit. Man is developing and will soon leap forward into new spiritual horizons. The second major element of the New Age Movement is Global Unity which consists of three major divisions: Man with Man; Man with Nature; and Man with God. Man with Man: The NAM teaches that we will all learn our proper divine relation-
Pastor A. Mark Garcia Bible Study Page 2 NEW AGE MOVEMENT (NAM) ship with one another and achieve harmony and mutual love and acceptance through the realization and acceptance of this divine proper knowledge. Within this hoped-for harmony is economic unity. The average New Ager is looking for a single world leader who, with New Age principles, will guide the world into a single harmonious economic whole. It is also hoped that this leader will unite the world into a spiritual unity; that is, a one-world religion. Man with nature: Since the NAM says that God is all, and all is God, then nature is also part of God. Man must then get in tune with nature and learn to nurture it and be nurtured by it. In this, all people can unite. Man with God: Since the NAM teaches that man is divine by nature, all people, once they see themselves as such, will be helped in their unity of purpose, love, and development. The goal is to fully realize our own goodness. There are no moral absolutes in the New Age. Therefore, they claim to have a spiritual tolerance for all "truth systems." They call this harmonization." MORMONISM BELIEFS The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 461). Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163). God used to be a man on another planet (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321; Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 613-614; Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 345; Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 333). There is a mother god (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 443). God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children (Mormon Doctrine, p. 516). If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation [the context is the full gospel including exaltation to Godhood] outside the church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints (Mormon Doctrine, p. 670). Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, 1856, p. 247). Good works are necessary for salvation (Articles of Faith, p. 92). There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 188).
Page 3 JEHOVAH S WITNESS BELIEFS The Holy Spirit is a force, not alive (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 406-407). Jesus was Michael the archangel who became a man (The Watchtower, May 15,1963, p. 307; The New World, 284). Jesus was only a perfect man, not God in flesh (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 306) Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body (Awake! July 22, 1973, p. 4). Their church is the self-proclaimed prophet of God (The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197). They claim to be the only channel of God's truth (The Watchtower, Feb 15, 1981, p. 19). Only their church members will be saved (The Watchtower, Feb 15, 1979, p. 30). Good works are necessary for salvation (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, p. 150, 152). The soul ceases to exist after death (Let God be True, p. 59, 60, 67). There is no hell of fire where the wicked are punished (Let God be True, p. 79, 80). Only 144,000 Jehovah's Witness go to heaven (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 166-167, 361; Let God be True, p. 121). Only the 144,000 Jehovah's Witness are born again (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p. 76; Watchtower, Nov 15, 1954, p. 681). Only the 144,000 may take communion (Blood transfusions are a sin, Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp. 72-73). ISLAM BELIEFS Allah will judge all people on the day of judgment (3:30; 35:33-37; 99:6-8). If your good deeds exceed your bad deeds, and you believe in Allah, and sincerely repent of sins, you may go to heaven (3:135; 7:8-9; 21:47; 49:14; 66:8-9). There is an eternal hell for those who are not Muslims, not practicing Islam, and not of the truth faith (3:77). Jesus was a very great prophet, second only to Muhammad. Jesus is not the son of God (9:30) and certainly is not divine (5:17, 75)) and he was not crucified (4:157). Salvation is through forgiveness of sins obtained by Allah's grace without a mediator. The Muslim must believe Allah exists, believe in the fundamental doctrines of Islam, believe that Muhammad is his prophet, and follow the commands of Allah given in the Koran. This information was acquired from the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry.
Page 4 ROMAN CATHOLICISM Even though the Roman Catholic Church does not deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, it does practice praying to the dead or dead saints and praying to Mary as the mother of God. 1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; DESTROY THE GIANTS OF FALSE DOCTRINE This is accomplished through the prayer of faith in Jesus Christ; through repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and renouncing all effects of false doctrine from your life. Prayer: Lord, in the name of Jesus, I acknowledge and thank you for dying on the cross and shedding your blood for my sins. I want to be pure and right before you, I recognize that I can t do this without you, but through faith in you Lord, you can and will make me right before you. I ask you to forgive me for participating in false doctrines and beliefs such as whether knowingly or unknowingly. I recognize it as sin in my life. I am sorry and change my mind about this behavior and chose to follow your Word and truth. I nail this sin to the cross to be covered by your blood and accept that you have forgiven me. Because you have forgiven me, I now disown, renounce and let go of any and all involvement with and command it to be released from my life. Lord Jesus, Thank you for setting me free and slaying these giants from my life, and ask that you continue to lead me in all your truth. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Pastor A. Mark Garcia Bible Study Page 5 PHASE II IDENTIFY ALL PERSONS, THINGS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE LOVE AND WORSHIP ABOVE GOD. THESE GIANTS GREATLY HINDER AND ARE MAJOR OBSTACLES TO OUR GROWTH, PROMISES AND BLESSINGS FROM GOD. WE MUST IDENTIFY THESE GIANTS OF SIN IN OUR LIVES. IDENTIFY AND SEEK THE GIANTS OF PERSONS, THINGS AND ACTIVITIES. Though we don t ever consider ourselves as gods our behavior and actions can say otherwise. SELF The love of self must be in its proper perspective or else it is pride and/or being a god unto self. Though we don t ever consider ourselves as gods our behavior and actions can say otherwise. Jesus makes this very clear in the following scripture: Mark 12:29-31 (KJV) 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. The giants that hinder obedience to this command is Pride, Selfishness, Self-Centeredness and being Selfabsorbed. THE LOVE OF MONEY Scripture is very clear that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). This giant has caused many to turn away from God. See the story of the rich young ruler in Mathew 19:16-22. The love of money can be masked in ambition, business, multiple jobs, get rich quick schemes and even religious motives. We love what money can do; but please understand money is just a tool to function in this world. Your ultimate source for things is God and God alone. Matthew 6:33 (KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Page 6 ACTIVITIES What activities are obstacles to your walk with God? That keeps you from intimate relationship with God? We must have these areas of our life in balance. They may include: Hobbies, Church Activities, TV and Movies, time on the computer, exercise and even sleeping to name a few. PEOPLE We are called to love people, but never to worship them. We can certainly look to people as examples to emulate. For even the Apostle Paul said, Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Cor 11:1 NKJV). Some examples of people we may have idolized are Celebrities, Athletes, Musicians and Singers, Pastors and Leaders, and even Parents, Spouses and Children. Keep God First! If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead. William Law
Page 7 DESTROY THE GIANTS OF PERSONS, THINGS AND ACTIVITIES This is accomplished through the prayer of faith in Jesus Christ; through repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and renouncing all persons, things and activities that are not in proper balance in your life. Prayer: Lord, in the name of Jesus, I want you to be first and foremost in my life. I want to live a life that always has you first and with a goal of pleasing you in all I do. Please forgive me for allowing persons, things and activities to distract me and put me out of balance in my relationship with you. Lord Jesus, I want to love you first with all my being in everything I do and to love others as I love myself. I confess that I have put myself and other people, things and activities before you and ask you to forgive me of my sin. Lord, forgive me for the specific sin of to distract me and come between my relationship with you. I nail this sin to the cross to be covered by your blood. I accept that you have forgiven me. I renounce and disown this sin of from my life and put it in its proper balance in my life. Lord Jesus, I chose to worship you and to have no other gods before me and ask for your continued strength and help in this area of my life. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
Operation Giant Slayer North Park Apostolic Church Primary Address 2515 Lemon Grove Ave. Lemon Grove, CA 91945 Phone: 619-229-2800 Fax: 619-667-8821 E-mail: npac@apostolicpower.org VISION STATEMENT We are called to be a Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-dependent church that operates with simplicity and excellence as we love God with all our being and love all others with the same passion. We re on the Web! www.apostolicpower.org MISSION STATEMENT To passionately pray, preach, teach and live through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is His greatest act of love toward us.