Be Afraid of not your enemy, but your heart stolen by the enemy

Be Afraid of not your enemy, but your heart stolen by the enemy

The reason why there is EYF is because God really want to direct our hearts into experiencing Christ’s love and perseverance in this end times, so that we can continue and see every worth to live a set-apart life of exalting Christ in our times here on earth. This is the place where remnants are raised. And we’re called remnants not because we do not have problems or setbacks, neither it’s because we have better conditions than others. God gives us just enough conditions, conditions that He can use to spread His gospel in this end times, conditions in which the glory of God is manifested when we walk in His truth.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” [Lk 22:31-34]

- [utter sadness. Call you by name – you turn attentive]

- [Satan needs God’s permission to do harm on you, just like in the case of Job, he needed to go to God before he can lay his hand on job]

- that he might sift [ongoing action, shaking and torturing] you like wheat [Meaning, he will come and attack you and attempt to weaken your faith, so that you cannot stand firm to the end, and fall through the holes],

- but I have prayed for you [What God had already done, just like how he had prepared for Jesus to die in substitution of you]

- that your faith may not fail [suggest that this is the thing that Satan wants to rob away from you],

- and when you have turned back [And Jesus is completely confident that his Father will answer his prayer, Jesus knows that Simon will deny him three times.]

- strengthen your brethren [the greater purpose of me allowing Satan to come to you – so that when you turned again, stood up -> you will be all the more one-minded in living for the gospel].

A few key things:

1. Jesus is emotionally related to Peter [you]

2. Satan is really powerful – he could go up to God, and demand to have you. To do what?

3. Satan wants to sift you as wheat

4. God allowed, but Jesus prayed for you – so that you can stand in faith, knowing you will surely be attacked by Satan

5. God will enable you to turn again -> and that will be a seasoned person with character – the strengthened becomes the strengthener

How did Satan sift you as wheat? (How does Satan weaken your faith in Christ today?)

Steal our heart from the truth: Doubting God (Disbelief)
- Deeming God’s words impractical, thus stop connecting to it
- yield to lies (Satan’s voice)
- look down on supremacy and absoluteness of His world by valuing the relative & transient situations/conditions we’re in
- Turning point - God wants to direct us to: Let God be true and every man a liar
- - verifying all things through the truth ==> let the truth direct your heart, your desires, your emotions
  - what if i cannot reconcile and find connections with His word?
  - - Before going to all justification, know that your enemy is Satan - supernatural; only supernatural weapon e.g. God can fight Him
    - consciously train yourself to surrender to the Word first —> seek, and confirm. You’ll start hearing the right voice, and rejecting the wrong voice (disbelieving spirit)
    - Confirm and confirm —> until it becomes your spiritual stare [FIXED perspective]
    - - through deep prayers (test of Time – why does Jesus has to pray three times, why God put the Israelites through the wilderness for decades?? ): sometimes God didn’t allow you to reconcile with the truth right away (you feel the unpeacefulness and uncertainties in prayers) this is because God wants your heart of yielding to Him (not just lip service, not just the superficial relationship, but a deeply rooted relationship and trust in Him) – You can be praying, but the one who will seek His face to the end is when he truly meets God in his inner place, not through the tangible outcomes. God wants our hearts, not our actions - because God wants to develop a God-acknowledge and God-fearing heart in you!
        (Rend your heart not your garments! – actually in praying according to the truth of God, it’s Father’s most basic and pressing desire for you to meet Him in your spirit)
Not knowing how deeply Jesus is related to me
- Misunderstand His personality, thus diluting the work on the Cross
- The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.. Jn 10:10”
- Just like how jesus spoke to Peter, he was also emotionally, spiritually, and physically related to me.
  Sometimes, we do not believe is because we’ve not understood jesus correctly – and we do not know how he’s related to us. Like how jesus spoke to Simon Peter “Utter his name… with emotions; have prayed for you – knowing the intensity of the trials, struggles and temptations from Satan, he does not want to lose you in paradise – I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
- - Php 2:6 – 11
    à Who, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage
    à rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness
    à And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!
    à Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Complete victory)
    à and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father
  - This Jesus is, in His personality, character:
  - - 1. Highest > Lowest (the son of God, of same status as God)à but he came to the lowest, as servant to serve us, wash the feet of disciples, and stand being misunderstood (Peter – Lord, why do you wash my feet; when people rejected him)
    - 2. One mind, one heart: to obey the Father, led by the Spirit, and go up the cross [even when he was misunderstood, not appreciated]
    - 3. Flesh – like you and me (and he’s without sin, because he lives by looking to God, the kingdom)à he struggled his whole life (33.5 years) à he has emotions too (he also grieved, when he was to be separated from Father, as the wrath of God was on him as he carried the sin of people on the cross) à he is also subjected to all kinds of lust, temptations, false truths, truths that distort God’s word à so that He will not walk the path of cross
- Turning Point: Blessing only comes through JC and because of the Cross, you’ve been set free
- - just like how He had prayed for Peter, He is praying for you
  - Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV)
  - It’s putting one’s whole belief and energy in living out the person of Jesus that defines blessings
    à Person of Jesus: His purpose (full obedience to the father, to love God and men), His way (in spirit of truth and humility), His mind (so that my father may be glorified through me)
  - As true believers of Christ, we are not called to a miserable life, but we’re called to follow Jesus, to be made like Him everyday in joy. We are not called to show religious piousness, yet we are called to join Christ in His setting apart life, and if need be, embrace suffering that come.
  - 1 Peter 1:3–5,
    We have been born anew unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
  - So if you think follow Jesus is hard, that’s because you’ve not understood how deeply related He has made himself to be, with you. And how much empathy he has of your current difficulties.
  - When you know Jesus correctly, you will approach God boldly, and want to be more and more like Jesus -- we are not forbidden to have good physical wealth, successà yet because we know Jesus is coming, we live as we have none of these, and put value in what we have in this world, other than live out Christ and build His church (and in the process, like how Father exalted Jesus, God will also lift you up)
Roaring Flesh —> unable to taste the sweetness of gospel
- fallen nature
- flesh always oppose the spirit
- Turning Point: Live by the spirit —> and taste the sweetness of gospel through submission
- - dead in flesh - but ALIVE in spirit [new heart, new spirit]
  - heart of submission —> joy of submission
  - And it can only be filled when we believe, listen and do the will of God. When you step out of listening to witnessing the works of God in your life, in your spirit.
    <Jn 4:34> My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
  - Greatest reward: enabling power of Holy spirit
  - focus on the inner >> outer ==> when your inner is filled, you are in every abled state to enjoy the outer to the fullest
Trials, Suffering, Struggles [TSS] Not interpreting it correctly = Accusations [Heart stolen]!
- Accusations are the very that thing seep into our hearts without us knowing. We receive insinuations all the times, and sometimes we don’t even know
  -       have I done something that embitter God that’s why im facing all these? That’s why my boss scold me, everyone hates me
  -       is it because I have made the wrong calls, that’s why things start to fall apart, because God has taken away the blessings from me?
  -       Am I not caring enough to my family, is that why there are still not converted. Your life must have been so horrible that they see nothing out of you
  -       Why isn’t there people who will believe in Christ at work? Is it because they saw me losing temper and losing grasp of self that they also think Christian is nothing good?
- Little do we realize that we’re actually interpreting our weakness and struggles wrongly when we look into our lousiness. And we have undermined what God can do and will do through in His children, through the TSS you’re experiencing
- Turning point: Trials and sufferings are permissible [Satan has demanded] -> so that you will be strengthened & refined in faith – Spiritual maturation in progress
- - How to interpret it? à apply the truth of God to it realistically, if not you will continue to feel crushed, and aimlessly sorrowful. Christianity is realistic, thus God gives us realistic trials and problems à so that you are driven to apply the truth realistically.
  - Purify your motives as you pray against the accusations and through problems. Let your concerns and struggles = Jesus’ struggles
  - 1. You really care about God’s glory and His will be done, not our will
    2. You regard his holiness and righteousness more importantly – Way of Gospel vs Way of World
    3. People of God - Strengthened becomes the strengthener

We are aliens and exiles in the world not merely because our values differ from those who don't know God, but also because our struggles are different than those who don't know Satan.

For those whom God loves, He perseveres to the end. Therefore, don’t be afraid, but be aware à and make every effort to stand firm in the test through his word, Jesus Christ, Spiritual satisfaction, and interpreting the trials and sufferings correctly!

As we continue to grow older (physically, spiritually), we truly meet certain setbacks and pains in our lives, but truly thank God for our setbacks – because without them, we will remain contented about the shallow logic we have about God, without these challenges, we will not be able to taste how loving is the love of God. (eg medicine, you will not know it tastes bitter until you truly eat it à Job 42:5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. – actually these challenges are what that truly let you know God, His disposition and make you grow in intimacy with Him)