09 Aug ‘Dear John’ | Part 5 ‘Crush the Spirits of Deception, Gnosticism, Anthichrist’

Announcements:

Serve Team Block Party: Aug 11 at 6:00 – 8:00 –  go to waterschurch.guide to register. Make sure you text waterschurch to 41411 so you will get updated information.  

All announcements can be found at:  waterschurch.guide

Key Verse: 1 John 4

No Body? No Brotherhood

1. Don’t Fear the Bully.

1 John 4:1-3 (NLT)

We may hear different people speaking on tv, at church, or an event etc., but in those that are speaking there is either a spirit of Christ or deception. John repeats himself because he knows we will forget what he said and be deceived and lied to. John is protecting the Church. He wants us to be aware of the spirit of Cain

Q. What experience have you had with the kind of deception John is speaking about?

Spirit of Cain:
John is protecting the Church. He wants us to be aware of the spirit of Cain. The spirit of Cain brought a curse to all men and women (Cain killed his brother Abel with a stone out of jealousy, he was angry, he wanted revenge). Without God’s Spirit, it is impossible to love one another.

Q. How have you loved people differently after becoming a Christian?

Genesis 4:9 (NLT)

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.
Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Q. Why is it important to realize that as Christians, we are our ‘brother’s keeper’?

2. You Have Overcome
1 John 4:4-5 (NLT)

If you are in Christ, you have overcome. Only the Holy Spirit can bring people to the cross. We have overcome by the Spirit of God that is in us. Faith in Christ allows us to overcome.

Q. How does the knowledge that Christ is greater than the devil help you deal with your struggles and how differently did you deal with your struggles prior to becoming a Christian?

3. The Shoes are Already on Your Feet

1 John 4:6 (NLT)

We have the message of reconciliation.

Genesis 45:15 (NLT)
Joseph who was hated by his brothers wept over his brothers. Joseph could have raised a stone to his brothers and killed them, but he recognized the mercy of God. God had another plan.

Q. Who have you reconciled (or need to reconcile) with as you recognize God’s mercy?

Ephesians 6:14-15 (NLT))

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NLT)

“You haven’t wept enough over your sins.”