Friday, August 19, 2011

What To Do When Satan Has His Bulls Eye on You (Dodge Ball with the Devil)


Sermon Notes
August 10, 2011

Sermon: What To Do When Satan Has His Bulls Eye on You (Dodge Ball with the Devil)
Sermon Text: Luke 22: 31-34 (NKJV)

31And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

Context:
Jesus is hours from trial. The Lord’s Supper has been given. Jesus is now teaching them what they would need to know after He’s gone. He tells Peter that Satan wanting to sift him like wheat and then tells him that He will pray for him. Have you ever felt like Satan was out to get you? Jesus has a process for making or breaking you and Satan has a part in that plan. When you play dodge ball with the devil, he intends to take you out. Satan may have it out for you, but remember this is a part of God’s plan for your life. God intends to use this as a way of refining you. It’s time you learn to play dodge ball with the devil…and win.

Point 1: You Are Not The Only One (vs 31)
Satan likes to plant in your head that you are the only one going through right now. However, in this text the word “you” is plural. Satan is after all of us.
Remember:

a. You are not in this alone- you can collaborate with others, learn from them,and then draw your own conclusions.
b. You can partner with others- you can share in agreement; win or lose.
c. You can team up- the same as partnering only with more people.


Point 2: Raise Your Hand (vs 32)
If Jesus was talking to everyone why did Peter raise his hand?
Remember:

a. You may as well go first (remember Satan is after everyone).
b. Many times there are benefits in starting and finishing first.
c. You can be the leader instead of the follower and share with others how you made it through. (Deut 28:13) The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

What To Do When Satan Has His Bulls Eye on You (Dodge Ball with the Devil)


Sermon Notes
August 13 and 14 2011

Sermon: What To Do When Satan Has His Bulls Eye on You (Dodge Ball with the Devil)
Sermon Text: Luke 22: 31-34 (NKJV)

31And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

Have you ever felt like Satan was on your back? When you play dodge ball with the devil, he intends to take you out. Satan may be on your back, but whatever you’re going through is a part of God’s plan for your life. Jesus has a process for making or breaking you and Satan is in it.

Point 1: Permission (vs 31)
Jesus says Satan ASKED him for permission. The mere fact that Satan had to ask is comforting and encouraging because it tells us that Peter did not belong to Satan. Peter is God’s property. God is in complete control of what Satan does.

Often times we believe more in Satan “getting” us than God “keeping” us. You should say to yourself: “I belong to God. I am God’s property.”

A.) Pawn- Jeremiah 21:4. God is always using Satan as a pawn
B.) Purpose-Job 1: 6-8. Being under attack means that you are under God’s watchful eye. God uses Satan to prove a point and Satan is limited to what he can do. Even in the midst of your situation, God has a purpose.
C.) Plan-1 Samuel 16: 14, 15…Exodus 7: 3. God is sovereign and no one acts independently of his plan. Even evil is subject to God. God is in control of everything. Romans 8: 28

Point 2: Prayed (vs 32)
Jesus has already prayed for him. If he would have been praying, it would imply that the process is still incomplete.

At the same time that he was praying for Peter, he was also praying for us. Jesus has already prayed for you, so there’s no need to be fearful of Satan.

PRAYER INCLUDED:
-That we be one
-That we be righteous
-That we be protected from evil
-That we be purified by the word
-That we remain in him
-That we know God’s love
-That we experience complete joy in Jesus

A.) Jesus is confident about the results and he can get a prayer through
B.) Jesus knows the results and it’s a DONE DEAL
C.) He was so confident in Peter that he didn’t have to tell Peter what was going on until after the fact. John 17: 9, 15, 20


Point 3: Persistence (vs 32)
To ensure that his faith would not fail, Peter had to be persistent. He may have failed but he was still persistent.

God already knows what your end will be but you must be persistent. Persistence is the refusal to quit, not failing along the way. Proverbs 24:16. Satan does not have the final say so. Others should judge you not by how you fall down, but by how you get up. The next time Satan tries to tell you he’s going to do something, tell him “you work for God.”

A.) Have patience with yourself and others
B.) Experience the power from God through prayer
C.) Peer into your possible future




Tuesday, August 2, 2011

What’s My Ministry? Pt. 5: Do It For Jesus

Sermon Notes
Bishop Geoffrey V. Dudley, Sr., D. Min
July 27, 2011

Sermon: What’s My Ministry? Pt. 5: Do It For Jesus
Sermon Text: 2 Corinthians 5: 18-21 (NKJV)

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation….19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Paul tells the Corinthian church to be reconciled for Christ or in other words: carry out this for the cause of Christ. He’s telling them to be ministers of reconciliation on behalf of Christ. He wants them to have the “if Jesus asks me, I’m in” attitude.

Point 1:
My Ministry: Obedience is Sacrifice (vs 18; John 20:21; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8)
Obedience is better than sacrifice and to win souls requires obedience. Soul will not be saved if you don’t obey GOD’s word. You should know that if you win someone to the Lord, its an eternal mark in the kingdom. Philippians 2:21: “For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.” There comes a time when you have to be willing to do something beyond your own self-interest. Its human to want to be selfish, but be a part of something greater than you. When we don’t witness we are disobedient to a direct command from Jesus. When you’re disobedient, your faith becomes dull and you’re not able to stand on his word. Disobedience also clogs up the pipeline for blessings. Being disobedient also hinders the communication between us and God. Failure to obey is not an option in God’s army.


Point 2:
My Method: Fishy Business (vs 19; Matthew 4:19)
Jesus said that he would MAKE us fishers of men. Are you really following Jesus if you have no “fish” following you? Some of you have been in the “business” for years and haven’t had one “fish”. All Jesus wants is for you to win souls. All you have to do is catch the fish, no matter the type. If you can’t make it in this “business”, you’re probably not connected to the franchiser: Jesus.


Point 3:
My Message: Image is Everything (vs 21; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans: 8:29)
The message: you were made in God’s image. If you have sin in your life, your image is distorted. You don’t have to worry about how you look on the outside because God looks at the heart. If someone talks negative about you, that means their talking negative about God because you’re made in his image. God is diverse and he likes each of us just the way he made us, so learn to love yourself.

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