Be Strong in Grace! Three Qualities of the Christian Worker

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Timothy has been called to suffer for the gospel. The entire world is in a spiritually divided state, active trust in God means entering into this spiritual battle. Paul illustrates our role as servants of God in the descriptions of a soldier in spiritual war, an athlete competing for the prize, and a farmer toiling in the field.

Praying Against Satan

Dennis McCallum

Luke 11

Jesus' time of prayer communicates how Christians can utilize prayer in spiritual warfare. Satan is looking to prevent people from knowing Christ personally and prayer is our main weapon to combat his schemes. As we attack Satan's kingdom and try and help people understand their need for Christ, we need to be sober and alert to Satan's counterattacks. Understanding God's Word is essential to combat Satan's tactics through prayer, both individual and corporately.

Praying Against Satan

Dennis McCallum

Luke 11:15-22

God and His people are living in the midst of a spiritual war against Satan. Jesus tells us that we are able to bind the strong man, Satan, and invade his kingdom through prayer. When we pray, we unleash God's power to destroy Satan's attacks. Therefore, we should be alert and engage in spiritual warfare.

The Supremacy of Christ

Dennis McCallum

Luke 8

Jesus' interaction with the demonic gives insight into occult powers. Occult worship is widespread within culture and is demonic by origin. However, Jesus Christ has authority over all demonic spirits and powers. The response to encountering occult and demonic powers is to ask for Jesus Christ to come into your life for spiritual protection, to discern what is from God and what is from other demonic forces, and separating ourselves from the occult.

Jesus Confronts His Enemy

Dennis McCallum

Luke 4

Christ encounters Satan in the wilderness, giving insight into aspects of spiritual warfare. Jesus was totally dependent on God when he encountered Satan's accusations, combating them with the Word of God. Satan's temptations often revolve around living for self, but Jesus demonstrated that patiently depending on God through the Holy Spirit produces real satisfaction. Learning to combat Satan's temptations and live for God's purposes is deeply fulfilling.

An Open Secret

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Thessalonians 5:18

This is a time where Paul needed to boast to the Corinthians in order to save them from being swayed by false preachers who boasted of themselves. We learn more about Paul's thorn in the flesh and the origins of it and why God never lifted it from him after he prayed for it to be taken away. There are also ways God uses His sovereignty to permit suffering to teach us that self-sufficiency and self-exaltation will fall flat when we boast in ourselves.

The Mystery Hidden for Aeons

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 11:1-15

God purposefully kept the identity of the predicted Messiah hidden from Satan, His enemy, in three different ways. First, none of the Old Testament predictions of the Suffering Servant ever clearly name him as the Messiah. Second, the Old Testament presents the Messiah's first and second comings as though one follows the other immediately. Third, the Old Testament never explicitly states that there will be two separate comings of the Messiah. The mystery was fully revealed in Christ's first coming; Jesus was the predicted Messiah. The mystery unveiled proves God's sovereignty and unconditional love for the world and allows us to freely approach Him in confidence through faith.\r\n

The Power of Christ Revealed in Action

Dennis McCallum

1 John 1:8-9

There is a spiritual war in our world between God and His angels, and Satan and his demons. Satan and his demons try to deceive and distract the people of this world, but God is the ultimate spiritual authority in the universe and is greater than his opponent. Jesus had the power to forgive sins, and he demonstrated his spiritual authority as God to the watching world.