Title: Satanic Attempts To Terminate Divine Destinies
Text: John 10:10, Jer. 29:11, 3 John 2
[Joh 10:10] The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
[Jer 29:11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
[3Jn 1:2] Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
Introduction
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God has big plans for you.
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The plan of God for you is that you will have life and have it more abundantly.
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The plan of God for you is that you will have an expected end.
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The plan of God for you is that you will prosper in all things, in health, and in your soul.
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So, God has big plans for you. As a result, you are a carrier of divine destiny.
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That destiny is part of the purpose for which you were created.
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However, the devil also has a plan for you.
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John 10:10 – His plan is to steal, kill, and destroy whatever God has for you.
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[1Pe 5:8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
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As a result, there is a satanic attempt to terminate your divine destiny.
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The bigger your destiny, the more he will attempt to come after you.
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If you find yourself in the midst of a war you did not ask for, it is because God has great plans for you.
Main Topic
Protecting Divine Destinies
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In order to protect what God has for you, you must live within His rules
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The Bible is God’s rule for us on how to achieve the divine destiny that He has for us
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God’s laws are good for us
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God’s commandments are for our good.
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There is nothing from God that is meant for evil against us
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To protect your destiny from being truncated, abide by what the Lord says in His Word
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As long as you abide by His Word, the roaring lion cannot get you.
There are two ways that the enemy will try to terminate our destinies
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Internal (self) destruction through temptations
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External Forces
Temptations will come
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[1Jn 2:16] For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
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The devil’s playbook has been revealed to us in this Scripture
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Lust of the flesh – anything that has to do with pleasing the flesh that is against the Word of God
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Lust of the eyes – anything that looks good to the eyes that is against the Word of God
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Pride of life – anything that puffs you up, which will most likely be against the Word of God
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The purpose of temptation is to terminate our God given destinies
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[1Co 10:13] No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Adam and Eve – Gen 3:1-7
[Gen 3:1] Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
[Gen 3:2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
[Gen 3:3] but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ “
[Gen 3:4] Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
[Gen 3:5] 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.”
[Gen 3:6] 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.
[Gen 3:7] 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.
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Pride of Life – [Gen 3:5] 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.”
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Lust of the eyes – [Gen 3:6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes…
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Lust of the flesh – [Gen 3:6] ….. 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.
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They self destruct by falling for the tricks of the devil.
Jesus’ Temptations – Matt. 4:1-11
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Temptation #1 – If you are the Son of God, command the stones to become bread – Lust of the flesh
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[Mat 4:3] 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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[Mat 4:4] But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.’ “
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Temptation #2 – Cast yourself down, He shall give His angels charge over you – Pride of Life
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[Mat 4:6] and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU,’ and, IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU DASH YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’ “
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[Mat 4:7] Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD.’ “
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Temptation #3 – All these things I will give thee, if you fall down and worship me – Lust of the eyes
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[Mat 4:8] Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
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[Mat 4:9] And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
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[Mat 4:10] Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY YOU SHALL SERVE.’ “
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Jesus did not self destruct
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Jesus overcame the temptation by quoting the Bible back to the devil
Joseph – Gen. 39:7-12
[Gen 39:7] And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”
[Gen 39:8] But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.
[Gen 39:9] There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
[Gen 39:10] So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.
[Gen 39:11] But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside,
[Gen 39:12] that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
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When the external forces that the enemy deployed against Joseph did not work, he tried internal destruction
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Joseph was tempted with the lust of the flesh
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Joseph recognized that it was a temptation from the pit of hell to destroy his destiny
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Joseph said “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
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When the woman continued to insist, Joseph ran
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[1Th 5:22] Abstain from every form of evil.
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[1Th 5:22] Abstain from evil [shrink from it and keep aloof from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.
More examples
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Samson –
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Born to be deliverer of Israel. He lost it at the laps of a strange woman.
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Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life
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Judas Iscariot –
Conclusion