Defeat

The Design's of the Devil  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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How do we respond when we've lost the battle against Satan?

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Introduction

You were doing well. You had found victory in the Lord. But with the overwhelming bliss that accompanies the sweet taste of victory you had become distracted momentarily. The devil, realizing the vulnerable state of his prey before him, prowled, then pounced, then preyed. A moment was all he needed. You manage to limp away bloodied and bruised, wondering how and why this had happened. You have two options at this point, you can roll over, play possum and give yourself up to be devoured entirely, or you can get up, regroup, and come back better prepared next time.
This morning we are going to continue to consider the designs of the devil. We’ve already considered how he works through deception and how he works through our own desires but this morning we want to consider how he works through defeat. When we talk about battle strategies we are usually concerned with what we can do leading up to and during the moment of temptation. Perhaps even more crucial than those strategies, are the strategies we employ moments after we’ve fallen in battle. We will fall, that much we can be sure of. The question is “how we will respond in those moments?” That decision is a battle in and of itself.

Defeatism

Defeatism

Defeatism

What is truly devastating is not that Christians sometimes fall, but rather that they sometimes stay fallen. We must begin our discussion with the idea of “defeatism” and how the devil uses defeat to our destruction. We are so consumed by the idea of defeat either as a present reality or an inevitable eventuality that we are numb to its coming and are left paralyzed in its wake. I think we find an example of this in Judas.
In we find a man who is so consumed by his sin and the horrors that resulted that he despaired of his own life. He chose the darkness of death over the light of life because in the light all he could see were the depths of his defeat.
Read with me :
Matthew 27:1–5 ESV
1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. 3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
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There are at least two questions that I believe were eating at Judas and that often eat at us when we face defeat. The first of those questions is:

How could God forgive me?

what I’ve done is so bad God can’t forgive. Before we think that this idea is silly, we need to recognize that a lot of people have this struggle.

What’s the point in trying?

Judas learned the depressing lesson that we all come to learn. You can’t take things back

I’ve already lost, what’s the point

I can’t win

How to Handle Defeat

“You don’t always do what your supposed to, but its what you do next that will define you.” Dirty Guv’nahs

Realize that this defeat doesn’t have to define you:

You can’t change what you’ve done or who you’ve been but you can change what you will do and what you will be. I saw a quote on Facebook from Wilson Adams that other day that speaks to this point, Wilson said, “It’s not too late to start doing right.” It’s not too late to start doing right. That simple truth can have such a profound impact on when experience moments of defeat.
“Such WERE some of you.”
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 cor
“But” is a powerful word, especially so in this case as it indicates the beginning of hope. This is what they were but they didn’t stay that way.
I can go from the vilest of sinners to a child of God.
A perfect example of this point is the apostle Peter.
Luke 22:31 ESV
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
Notice in vv. 33 that Peter responds with his cavalier attitude.
Lk. 22.31-
Luke 22:33–34 ESV
33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
Lk 22.
Luke 22:32 ESV
32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
In Peter is redeemed as he gets the opportunity to reaffirm his love for Christ

Realize that you have an advocate with the Father:

1 John 1:5–10 ESV
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 2:1 ESV
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
- Satan wants us to deny that we have sin in our lives. But if he can’t do that he’d rather that we our understand stops at v. 6. He’d rather us see ourselves as people who are forever in the darkness without any hope for seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is God. Satan want’s us to be so consumed by our sin that all we can think about is God’s wrath, and justice and holiness and forget about His mercy and love and forgiveness.
Satan wants us in vv. 8 and 10. He wants us to deny that we have sin in our lives so that we might have some pretense of walking in the light all while walking in the darkness. But if he can’t get us to deny our sinfulness he’d rather that our understanding stops at v. 6. He’d rather us see ourselves as people who are forever in the darkness without any hope for seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is God. Satan want’s us to be so consumed by our sin that all we can think about is God’s wrath, and justice and holiness and forget about His mercy and love and forgiveness.
This is the illustration we used in our first lesson from brother Jeff Smelser of the fish who, when he sees the net before him, swims so hastily to the other side that he is completely unaware of the plastic bag that awaits to trap him. If Satan can’t get us to deny our sin, he’ll settle for us being consumed by it.
But as John writes these things he does so with the understanding that we have an advocate when we fall.
1 John 2:1 ESV
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
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Heb. 2.17
1 John 2:1 ESV
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Satan wants us to deny that we have sin in our lives. But if he can’t do that he’d rather that our understanding stops at v. 6. He’d rather us see ourselves as people who are forever in the darkness without any hope for seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is God. Satan want’s us to be so consumed by our sin that all we can think about is God’s wrath, and justice and holiness and forget about His mercy and love and forgiveness.
Hebrews 2:17–18 ESV
17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 4:15–16 ESV
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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You know how I know Jesus could have forgiven Judas? A lesson that I’m continuing to learn, parents care more about their children. Jesus forgave Paul, the persecutor of His children. The chiefest of sinners
This is the illustration we used in our first lesson from brother Jeff Smelser of the fish who, when he sees the net before him, swims so hastily to the other side that he is completely unaware of the plastic bag that awaits to trap him. If Satan can’t get us to deny our sin, he’ll allow us to be consumed by it.
You know how I know Jesus could have forgiven Judas? A lesson that I’m continuing to learn, parents care more about their children. Jesus forgave Paul, the persecutor of His children.
Romans 5:6–11 ESV
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
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Finding Victory in Defeat

Matthew 26:33–35 ESV
33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
mt 26.
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An opportunity to learn:

Wendell Phillips, a 19th century attorney, abolitionist, and political activist said this about defeat, “What is defeat? Nothing but education. Nothing but the first step to something better.”
watch film - two types before - familiarize yourself with your opponents schemes, patterns and plays. After - watching the game tape to see where you could've improved, what mistakes you made, etc.

How could I have trusted in God more?

How did I make provisions for the flesh?

What was God’s way of escape and why did I ignore it?

An opportunity to fix:

A wake up call that your life isn’t what it ought to be

An opportunity to remember:

They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I think thats what the Proverbs writer is saying in when he says:
Proverbs 26:11 ESV
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
Genesis 1–Revelation 21
It is the fool who repeats the same mistakes over and over again. It is the fool who fails to recognize where and why he has fallen. It is the fool who finds himself regurgitating that which made sick in the first place. But the wise man is not like the fool. The wise man takes stock of the past and determines to not allow the past to repeat itself. The wise man remembers what led to his defeat and purposes to do differently.
John 1:1–18 ESV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
If we are going to find victory in defeat we need to see it as an opportunity to remember what doesn’t work
failing to get back up
Gen 1 - Rev 21
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