Offertory scripture:
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Hebrews%2010:23-25&version=NKJV
Sermon message: Don’t let the thief rob you, part 3
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Peter%205:8&version=NKJV
“But he may NOT devour me!”
Jesus’ words of caution about the thief:
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=John%2010:10&version=NKJV
What to do to not let Satan steal from you:
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=James%204:7&version=NKJV
Jesus’ encouragement:
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2019:26&version=NKJV
Not only can we stop Satan from stealing from us, we can also get back what was stolen from us.
Review of things Satan wants and tries to steal from us: (last couple of weeks)
Unity, joy, generosity, and zeal.
Reminder: How to get your zeal back:
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
Revelation 2:4-5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Revelation%202:4-5&version=NKJV
Don’t sit around waiting for your zeal to come back, go ahead and get back to the things that get you excited for the kingdom of God.
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
2 Timothy 1:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=2%20Timothy%201:6&version=NKJV
Analogy: keeping a wood-burning fire going — keep putting wood in to keep the fire going.
In the passage from 2 Timothy, “stir up the gift” translates to:
Repeat the earlier action
Do it enthusiastically
Be on fire for Christ in Jesus’ name
Point #1: don’t let the enemy steal your focus
When your focus isn’t right, you will begin to see things incorrectly.
When you’re not focused, you can end up anywhere.
Focus brings power in to your life.
Pastor thinks that focus is a spiritual gift from God that is available to anyone.
Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 30:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=2%20Chronicles%2030:12&version=NKJV
Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
Joshua 1:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Joshua%201:7&version=NKJV
And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
Matthew 14:28-30 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Matthew%2014:28-30&version=NKJV
Peter may have failed to stay focused when on the water. But Noah succeeded at staying focused when he was building the ark. Nehemiah also succeeded at staying focused when rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. In both cases each man had people trying to distract him or discourage him.
that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
Nehemiah 6:2-3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Nehemiah%206:2-3&version=NKJV
Plain of Ono: “oh no!” (Play-on words.)
Who or what is Satan using to distract you or get in the way of your focus?
Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
Luke 9:51 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Luke%209:51&version=NKJV
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Hebrews%2012:2&version=NKJV
Paul: “follow me as I follow Christ”
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Philippians%203:13-14&version=NKJV
Point #2: don’t let Satan rob you of your faith.
Faith pleases God
Faith moves mountains
Faith brings rewards
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Hebrews%2011:6&version=NKJV
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Galatians 6:9 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Galatians%206:9&version=NKJV
Satan will use delays and disappointments to try to rob us of our faith.
Take David: he encouraged himself in the Lord, no matter what the trial or challenge, whether it was Goliath, Saul, or Absalom.
Paul encouraged himself in the Lord when facing obstacles and counseled Timothy the same:
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Timothy%206:12&version=NKJV
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=2%20Timothy%204:7&version=NKJV