Don't Oppose Yourself

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2Tim 2:24-26 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

1Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Reve 12:1-5 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.

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All these references speak of the enemy trying to ensnare believers

the enemy uses various means to entrap souls

he is a hunter

he walks about, seeking whom he may devour.

so we are warned to be sober - sharp with our wits about us - be vigilant

the enemy of our soul would tempt us

persecute us

threaten us

scandalize us

use people to backbite us

use people to criticize us

...all in order to ultimately devour us

make us give up

Trophies are a hunter’s hardest catch

You do not see heads of squirrels mounted on walls of the hunter’s trophy room

You see bucks with large sets of antlers, indicating their age and wisdom and avoidance of many hunters before.

Trophies are game that have been hard to hunt and capture.

The christian is a trophy to the devil if he can catch one

we aren’t helpless animals

we are more than conquerors

The faithful children of God know how to resist

"Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus"

Jesus told the disciples in the Garden to "watch and pray"

God told Adam to "dress and keep" the garden

same thing

"Guard the garden"

this is not a game

Eccl 8:8 [There is] no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither [hath he] power in the day of death: and [there is] no discharge in [that] war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

Satan is the type of hunter that sets traps

he cannot be everywhere at all times - he is not omnipresent

he sets traps throughout the world

like a spider who cannot catch all the insects, so has to build a trap we call a web, and go about his business, to return and snatch those in his traps.

no discharge in battle against death

trap is set and if you get caught it will hold you until the devourer comes, and he comes at the end

So Paul told Timothy that a christian must acknowledge the truth when they are ensnared by the devil at his will.

he said acknowledgeing the truth will recover a soul from the snare of the devil

ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRUTH

TO CONFESS AND ADMIT IT

Jesus said you will know the truth and the truth will set you free

Acknowledge: The origin of the word is obscure, but we can think of the term meaning "act" upon "knowledge"

AC-KNOWLEDGE

when in a trap there is only one way out

USE THAT TRUTH

you hear about Israel applying the blood to their doorways

what has that got to do with living for Jesus in the dawn of the 21st century?

it means act upon the fact that Jesus blood is there for your protection against hell.

put it on YOUR address

Sad is the testimony of so many believer: "My lifestyle is no different than before I heard the truth. I still do not rebuke the devil when in a trial. I do exactly what I always did. STAND SCARED AND DO NOTHING."

APPLY THE BLOOD!!!

realize that Jesus blood gave you power and that YOU can use it by simply commanding Satan to let go

if he stands there still, rebuke him again and do not relent, for you will overcome him by the blood of the lamb and the word of your testimony

You must put two and two together and realize that power in the blood is for you to use