09 Feb “5 Lies of the devil” | part four: ‘it’s all about you’
Key Verse: Ezekiel 28 / isaiah 14
ANNOUNCEMENTS
LIFE GROUP CONNECT: PIZZA AND GAMES – After the third service on Sunday, February 23, from 1:30 – 2:30ish! In Woonsocekt – between services but no games or pizza. If you are open for members bring a quick and easy game to play and plan on staying about an hour – REGISTER HERE IF YOU HAVE ROOM IN YOUR GROUP YOU NEED TO REGISTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
FIRST TUESDAY IN MARCH WILL BE ON THE SECOND TUESDAY, MARCH 10 WITH CHILDCARE. NO FIRST TUESDAY IN APRIL.
WOONSOCKET: Construction is underway!
Waters Church Facebook Page now has groups set up for each campus and a group set up for Life Groups.
To join the groups, just go to the Waters Church FB page and go to groups and join the ones you want. Make sure you join the Life Group (group) so we can get people interested in joining a Life group. The Heach Coaches and I will be moderating the group and adding topics for discussion.
CLASSES; Baptism class is every 4th Sunday of the Month. at 11:30 / Growth Track runs the first 3 Sundays every month at 11:30 – this is a one and done registrants only need to attend one session / Starting Point runs every 1st and 3rd Sunday at 11:30 – details and descriptions can be found on the registrations which are located under Events on the HUB.
Why were you created?
Narcissism is taking our culture by storm. Narcissism comes from the Devil and it is a contagious lie. It goes back to Adam and Eve as the Devil lied them into self-promotion.
Genesis 3:4–6 (ESV)
THREE BIG QUESTIONS about SATAN:
1. Who is Lucifer?
Isaiah 14:12 (NKJV)
Isaiah is prophesying about a foreign earthly king but also about Lucifer the fallen angel. Day Star is a morning star and it is the first star we see in the morning. Lucifer, shows up in our lives first thing in the morning, he wants us to go in the opposite direction of what our Father wants for us.
Q. What are some of your first thoughts when you awake in the morning and why (are you worrying?, praying?…)?
A. Lucifer was a CHERUB CREATED by God.
Ezekiel 28:14 (ESV)
He occupies the spacial realm of our universe.
2. Where is Lucifer from?
- Lucifer is from the “SECOND” heaven.
Cherubim are in the spacial realm of heaven. All of this is pre-human creation history. We are in the first heaven. The second heaven is the space beyond our universe and the 3rd heaven is where we go when we die.
Luke 10:18 (ESV); Revelation 12:4 (ESV)
Stars represent angels in the second heaven who rule over God’s creation. There are angels protecting us from obliteration.
Revelation 12:7–9 (ESV)
Fallen angels are on the Devil’s side. This earth is occupied by evil rebellious spirits that are active and against us. We need to be aware of their reality. The Devil is not in Hell with a pitchfork.
Q. What did you believe about angels and fallen angels prior to becoming a Christian? How did your childhood upbringing affect what you thought about the spiritual realm?
3. How did Lucifer become our adversary, Satan?
A. OBSESSION with his IMAGE and INTELLIGENCE.
The Greeks called him narcissist, the Romans called him Venus (second planet from the Sun -goddess of love and beauty – it’s rotation is he opposite direction of all), and the scriptures call him Lucifer.
Ezekiel 28:11–13 (ESV)
The prophet is talking about the physical human on earth, king of Tyre, but at the same time he is talking about Satan. We know that he was not just talking about a physical king, because the king of Tyre was not in Eden.
- He was FILLED with WISDOM and BEAUTY.
Ezekiel 28:13
The devil was beautiful. He was covered in jewels which reflect light. He was created beautifully to reflect the glory of God’s light.
2. He is MUSICALLY gifted.
Ezekiel 28:13b (NKJV); Ezekiel 28:15 (ESV)
He did not learn, he was created musically gifted. Satan forfeited his musical gifts and lost his opportunity to use his gifts for God’s glory.
Q. How has his beauty attracted you? What kinds of things have you thought you were doing to serve God’s purpose but in reality it was self-promotion?
3. He is a SUCCESSFUL and VIOLENT BUSINESSMAN.
Ezekiel 28:16 (ESV)
Question: WHAT does he TRADE? PEOPLE.
He has been doing this since the dawn of time. He trades, makes deals and he gets people to sell their souls. This is why we have slavery, sex trafficking. This comes form Satan the successful businessman.
4. He let his SELF-IMAGE CORRUPT his IMAGINATION.
Ezekiel 28:17 (ESV)
His heart was proud because of his beauty. We all have an imagination of ourselves and we don’t have the proper image. We have a perverted view of ourselves because of pride.
Q. What is preventing you from glorifying God because of your self image (some examples might be worship, get baptized (public declaration/video, become a Life Group Leader, start a business, taking a risk etc.)?
The 5 “I wills” of Satan:
Isaiah 14:13–14 (ESV) You said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
I will ascend to heaven above the STARS”
Translation: WHERE God has me is not ENOUGH.
This is the heart of those who follow him. Discontentment comes from the Devil.
Ezekiel 28:18 (ESV)
He wanted to have the fire and it ended up consuming him instead of being grateful.
Q. What is something you have received that only ended up consuming you because you did not think it was enough (inheritance, house, marriage etc.)?
2. “I will set my throne on high.”
Translation: I will take CONTROL of MY LIFE.
It is not our body, it is not our money and we do not have control. Tomorrow is not promised.
3. “I will sit on the mount of the assembly.”
Translation: I will SEEK to CONTROL others.
Some people are control freaks. It is called anxiety. We worry too much about what others thinks and we want to control what they think. We are eternally loved but the devil has us chasing our tails.
Q. What are some areas of your life that are out of your control, that you try to control and why? Why is it difficult for you to give up control?
4. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds”
Translation: I will SEEK the ESTEEM of others.
We try to please people, gain their praise. We do this on Social Media. Actors and actresses win the prize and go home empty.
Q. Whose praise are you seeking and how does this keep you from doing what you need or want to do (boss, children, spouse or other relative, friend, teacher etc.)?
5. “I will make myself like the Most High”
Translation: I will seek total INDEPENDENCE from God.
People today are doing the exact same thing. We want life on our terms. We want to do it our way. Lucifer fell into these traps even though he knew God existed and he believes Jesus exists and that He is the Son of God.
Lucifer’s temptation is a CHURCH PERSON’S problem.
Q. What, if anthing, is tempting you away from living a godly life? Who or what has your attention that doing life your way or on your own terms is your desire instead of doing life God’s way?
Lucifer let his GOD-GIVEN IMAGE become the source of untethered and all-consuming AMBITION.
Matthew 26:36–39 (ESV); Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV).
In the beginning Lucifer entered the GARDEN of God to STEAL YOU from Him.
2000 years ago, Jesus entered the GARDEN to BRING YOU back to Him.
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