Christian Life Church
November 8, 2020 10:00am
3 John 3-4 NIV “It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Sunday 9:30 AM
No Greater Joy
11.08.20
3 John 3-4 NIV
“It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
The general theme: “Avoiding the Trap of Spiritual Seduction”.
Today: How to recognize Deceiving Spirits
1 John 2:18-28 NIV Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
Setting the Stage
1.Deception and Delusion are strong characteristics of the Last Days. Deception speaks of wrong processing. Delusion speaks of wrong professing.
2.Paul knew that even the great church of Ephesus would have such difficulty from inside their church as well as from outside.
Acts 20:28-31 NLT “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
3.Some issues, like strongholds, are in the process of the mind. Others are deeper, in the realm of the spirit.
A. Don’t become comfortable with the mindset of this world - rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12
B. Strongholds and “work” may be of the flesh; or they may be devilish or demonic.
C. Some works of darkness are crowded out; some works of darkness are cast out. Balance is the secret of victory.
I.Be aware of those who Deny The Christ. (vv.18, 21-23)
A.There is a Spirit of Antichrist in the world now.
1. 1 John 4:1-3 NIV Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
2. “Lawlessness” - this term is used to describe Antichrist as “The Man of Lawlessness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7)
B.There are false teachers of Antichrist in the world now.
1. 1 John 2:18 NIV Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
2. 2 John 7-11 NIV I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
3. If you are wrong about Jesus, it doesn’t matter what you are right about.
4. Some people will “wrestle the Scripture to their own destruction.” 2 Peter 3:16 KJV - As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
C.There will be the Antichrist himself who will be in the world in the last days.
1. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11 NIV
2. Antichrist will be manifested to hardened hearts who have been given over to a reprobate mind.
3. Do everything to stay tender hearted and open to the correcting, convicting power of Holy Spirit.
4. To the Christian youth of America:
a) Learn to reason well.
b) Embrace a Christian World-View.
c) Talk back to your texts; argue with your professors, even if you do it silently.
d) Even “ignorant and unlearned” people can change the world when they partner with God.
e) The Builder Generation may have been so driven to give their children what they didn’t have, that they forgot to give them what they did have. Learn from your elders. Bring out of your storehouse treasures old and new (Matthew 13:52).
II.Be aware of those who Desert the Church. (v. 19)
A. The Church Universal
B. The Church Local
C. Remember, many things are permissible, but not profitable.
III.Be aware of those who Deceive the Christian. (vv. 20-26)
A. Abide in the Church of God. (v.19)
B. Abide in the Word of God. (v. 24)
C. Abide in the Spirit of God. (v.20, 27)
D. Abide in the Son of God. ( v. 28)
11.08.20
3 John 3-4 NIV
“It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
The general theme: “Avoiding the Trap of Spiritual Seduction”.
Today: How to recognize Deceiving Spirits
1 John 2:18-28 NIV Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
Setting the Stage
1.Deception and Delusion are strong characteristics of the Last Days. Deception speaks of wrong processing. Delusion speaks of wrong professing.
2.Paul knew that even the great church of Ephesus would have such difficulty from inside their church as well as from outside.
Acts 20:28-31 NLT “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
3.Some issues, like strongholds, are in the process of the mind. Others are deeper, in the realm of the spirit.
A. Don’t become comfortable with the mindset of this world - rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12
B. Strongholds and “work” may be of the flesh; or they may be devilish or demonic.
C. Some works of darkness are crowded out; some works of darkness are cast out. Balance is the secret of victory.
I.Be aware of those who Deny The Christ. (vv.18, 21-23)
A.There is a Spirit of Antichrist in the world now.
1. 1 John 4:1-3 NIV Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
2. “Lawlessness” - this term is used to describe Antichrist as “The Man of Lawlessness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7)
B.There are false teachers of Antichrist in the world now.
1. 1 John 2:18 NIV Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
2. 2 John 7-11 NIV I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
3. If you are wrong about Jesus, it doesn’t matter what you are right about.
4. Some people will “wrestle the Scripture to their own destruction.” 2 Peter 3:16 KJV - As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
C.There will be the Antichrist himself who will be in the world in the last days.
1. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11 NIV
2. Antichrist will be manifested to hardened hearts who have been given over to a reprobate mind.
3. Do everything to stay tender hearted and open to the correcting, convicting power of Holy Spirit.
4. To the Christian youth of America:
a) Learn to reason well.
b) Embrace a Christian World-View.
c) Talk back to your texts; argue with your professors, even if you do it silently.
d) Even “ignorant and unlearned” people can change the world when they partner with God.
e) The Builder Generation may have been so driven to give their children what they didn’t have, that they forgot to give them what they did have. Learn from your elders. Bring out of your storehouse treasures old and new (Matthew 13:52).
II.Be aware of those who Desert the Church. (v. 19)
A. The Church Universal
B. The Church Local
C. Remember, many things are permissible, but not profitable.
III.Be aware of those who Deceive the Christian. (vv. 20-26)
A. Abide in the Church of God. (v.19)
B. Abide in the Word of God. (v. 24)
C. Abide in the Spirit of God. (v.20, 27)
D. Abide in the Son of God. ( v. 28)