REFINED BY FIRE

1. REFINED BY FIRE JoLynn Gower 493-6151 352-2458 jgower@guardingthetruth.org

2. WORD FOR THE JOURNEY • Matthew 7:21-23  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROMME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' • Does: poieo: to perform (especially as a poet) • Practice: ergazomai: to perform or work • Matthew 7:13-14  "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

3. THE OPPOSITION • Luke 22:31-32  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." • You: humas: second person, plural • Since there is opposition, it is important to know something about the enemy • Where is the enemy located? Who exactly is the enemy? What sort of weaponry does the enemy have? What kind of weaponry do we have?

4. WHAT CAUSES FAILURE • Judges 2:8-10 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. • Judges 3:1-2  Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan; only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly).

5. FIGHTING A WAR: distraction • If you don’t know you’re in a war, you don’t fight • Recognizing enemy tactics is very important • Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." • Distracted: perispao: drawn away, particularly by circumstances 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

6. FIGHTING A WAR: deception • John 8:41-44  "You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”  Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

7. PRINCIPLES OF WARFARE • CONCENTRATION: the ability to amass forces at a critical time and at a critical place • OFFENSIVE ACTION: exercising initiative and imposing strategy on an enemy that must move in a defensive way • If we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by distraction, deception, disappointment, discouragement, dejection, despair, or demoralization, we offer a point of entry to the enemy • The enemy may begin with distraction and deception, but he will move quickly toward other entry points • 2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…

8. MAKE AN EXCHANGE • Philippians 4:6-9  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. • Guard: phroureo: to be a watcher in advance; to mount sentinels • Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. THE ENEMY SPECIALIZES IN DISTORTION AND MISINFORMATION

9. HOW DO YOU THINK? • Proverbs 23:6-7  Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies; For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you. • Romans 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. • We can’t keep attacks from knocking on the door, but we can certainly refuse to let them in • Ephesians 4:26-27  BE ANGRY, ANDyetDO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.

10. RECOGNIZING TRAINING • James 1:2-4  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. • Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. • Perseverance: hupomone: abiding under • Proven character: dokime: refined

11. WE WILL SOMETIMES FAIL • Matthew 26:33-35  But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too. • John 18:3  Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. • Cohort: generally at this time 500 men; 10 cohorts made a legion • John 18:10-11  Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

12. JESUS’ RESTORATION OF PETER • Mark 16:7 "But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.'" • John 21:15-17  So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs.”  He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.”