LUKE 22:31-34
Pastor Rick Jackson
The Devil has a will for your life! The Devil's will for you
is that you never be saved! [2 Co. 4:4] In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
But he has a will for saved people too! See what Jesus told
Peter in Lk. 22:31! Peter was God's man in Satan's sifter! The Devil wants to
ruin our testimony, wants us to be defeated, discouraged and despondent! Peter
knew what that was like and he warned us about it in 1 Pt. 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
So, what are some characteristics of a backslider that we
might avoid them like the plague?
I. PRIDE [Lk. 22:33]
1 Peter 5:5 ... for
God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride
goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 21:4 An high
look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
II. PRAYERLESSNESS
[Lk. 22:40, 45]
Luke 18:1 And he spake
a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to
faint;
James 4:2 ... ye have
not, because ye ask not.
III. ACTING WITHOUT
THINKING [Lk. 22:50-51, Jn. 18:10]
Mt. 26:52-54 Then said
Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take
the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to
my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
IV. FOLLOWING AFAR
OFF [Lk. 22:54]
1 Samuel 14:36 And
Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until
the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do
whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near
hither unto God.
Saul didn't follow that advice and the consequences weren't
good.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to
God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify
your hearts, ye double minded.
V. KEEPING WRONG
COMPANY [Lk. 22:55]
2 Cor. 6:14-18 Be ye
not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with
idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell
in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto
you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is
the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way
of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
VI. DENY THE LORD (BY
LIFE OR LIPS) [Lk. 22:57-60]
Matthew 15:8 This
people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me.
2 Peter 2:1 But there
were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying
the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Timothy 2:12 If we
suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Titus 1:16 They
profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
If you are backsliding in any area come back to the Saviour.
Confess that sin as sin and start anew living for the loving Saviour! If you
are not a Christian you aren't a backslider, you're lost! Come to the Saviour
now!
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