Overcoming the Snare of the Fowler

 With Bishop Ronald K. Powell

1 Peter 5:8–9; Luke 10:17–19; Matthew 4:1–3; Ephesians 6:11–13; Isaiah 14:12–17; Ezekiel 28:12–17

1 Peter 5:8-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

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Luke 10:17-19 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Seventy Return with Joy

¹⁷ Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

¹⁸ And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

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Matthew 4:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)

Satan Tempts Jesus

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

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Ephesians 6:11-13 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Isaiah 14:12-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

The fall of Lucifer

¹² “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
¹³ For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
¹⁵ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.

¹⁶ “Those who see you will gaze at you,
And consider you, saying:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
¹⁷ Who made the world as a wilderness
And destroyed its cities,
Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’

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Ezekiel 28:12-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹² “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“You were the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
¹³ You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The sardius, topaz, and diamond,
Beryl, onyx, and jasper,
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.
The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
was prepared for you on the day you were created.

¹⁴ “You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
¹⁵ You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,
Till iniquity was found in you.

¹⁶ “By the abundance of your trading
You became filled with violence within,
And you sinned;
Therefore I cast you as a profane thing
Out of the mountain of God;
And I destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the fiery stones.

¹⁷ “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;
I cast you to the ground,
I laid you before kings,
That they might gaze at you.

Bible Facts about Pride

1) It was how the devil deceived Adam and Eve into rebelling against God.

 Genesis 3:4-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

1) God hates pride and actively resists it.

Proverbs 6:16-19 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
¹⁷ A proud look,  A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

 2) Because it is sin. Pride exposes us to spiritual attacks, and it also negates our spiritual authority.

 The Answer for Pride/Humility Cures Worldliness

James 4:6-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

3. Three Practical Reasons Why We Worship God

 1) To Keep Our Lives God-Centered

Psalm 103:1-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies/ A Psalm of David.

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
² Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
³ Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷ He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
⁹ He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
¹² As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. ¹⁴ For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

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2) To Keep Our Faith in God Strong and Active

Psalm 16:8-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.

3) To Keep Everything in its Correct Perspective

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 Matthew 6:13 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ And do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

³ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving,^]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

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Psalm 149:6-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
⁷ To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
⁸ To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
⁹ To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!

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What is the Holy Spirit saying to me through this message?

Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.