_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." (2Cor.11:1-4)
I. II. The apostle Paul is WARNING THE CHURCH because the serpent wants to A. The serpent wants to destroy the Church / Bride (See PHASE 10, Page) B. This is his nature (to rob / kill /) C. He will put his man of sin inside the Church / Bride
II. The apostle Paul is WARNING THE CHURCH because the serpent wants to A. The serpent wants to destroy the Church / Bride (See PHASE 10, Page) B. This is his nature (to rob / kill /) C. He will put his man of sin inside the Church / Bride
0. The first Marriage and it's purpose was corrupted by the serpent (Gen.1:26-31; 2:7-25; 3:1-24) By one man (the first Adam Rom.5:12-21, 1Cor.15:45-46) sin entered the world and man was driven from the presence of the Lord. "But God who is rich in mercy" (Eph.2:1-9) provided a way back into God's presence, beginning with one man, the "last Adam," Jesus (Rom.5:12-21) who gave Himself "a sacrifice for sin." (Heb.10:1-10) with the ultimate goal of marriage. (Eph.5:25-32) A. NOTE: How many times the serpent (Lucifer, Satan, Devil, Dragon) has corrupted God's purpose since the Garden of Eden. How many times we have been warned to Watch and Pray. Don't sleep. Don't be beguilded as Eve was. B. God revealed his plan of restoration 1. The Old Testament is His Blueprint 2. New Testament is His resoration according to the pattern / Blue Print
A. As the serpent
"Now the serpent was more subtil (cunning [usually in a bad sense]:—crafty, prudent, subtil. Strong's OT#6175) than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
1. As meaning the Church (Eve) needs to take heed, and be on guard to how the serpent (the dragon, devil, satan) still operates today. (1Cor.15:45-46 "first the natural then the spiritual")
2. Put "on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (travelling over, i.e. travesty (trickery):—wile, lie in wait.of the devil. Strong's NT#3180 ) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph.6:10-18)
a. The whole armor (Eph.6:11) We must include all. These are all necessary to stand against the "wiles" (tricks, deception) of the serpent (dragon, devil, satan Rev.12:9) Nothing else will protect you, "for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (in our flesh Strong's NT# 4559)
b. Put on - Our responsibility / our choice (1) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal.3:27) (2) Put on the new man (Eph.4:25, Col.3:10, 2Cor.5:17) (3) Put off the old man with his deeds (Col.3:9, Rom.6:1-11) c. For we wrestle (Eph.6:12) (1) The Church to make known the manifold wisdom (Eph.3:10) (2) More to come....
d. Not against flesh and blood (Eph.6:12) (1) Our weapons are not carnal (fleshly) 2Cor.10:4 (2) Our weapons are spiritual (2Cor.2:14)
e. There is a spiritual armor that we MUST put on BEFORE we stand. We do this by "submit to God" (James.4:7) first. which includes the truths (1) Stand therefore with truth (Eph.6:12) (2) Righteousness (Eph.6:14, 2Cor.5:21) (3) Preparation of the Gospel (Eph.6:15) (4) Faith (Eph.6:16, 1Thes.5:8) (5) Salvation (Eph.6:17, 1Thes.5:8) (6) Holy Spirit (Eph.6:18) (7) Praying always (Eph.6:18) (8) Watching always (Eph.6:18)
B. Be on full alert While we are being preparing to be presented as a chaste virgin, we must be on alert (watch / pray) discern the beguilement. (Trickery, wiles Strong's NT# 3180) Note: The serpent wants to destroy our "virginity" which will eliminate us from being the Bride, because he knows that the seed of the woman(the Bride of Christ)will crush his head. (Gen.3:15, Rom.16:20)
C. Don't use your own words when you wrestle with the serpent / Devil without the headship of Christ.
Eve did all the talking instead of the "first Adam" (i.e. usurped - to act of oneself, dominate) and was deceived and addedto the Word. (Gen.3:1-7, 1Tim.2:11-14 / Compare Gen.2:16-17 with Gen.3:1-3)
1. Eve - a picture of the Church (Eph.5:21-32, 2Cor.11:1-4) Note: The Church at Laodicea is a picture of The last day Church "usurping" it's authority over the "last Adam" (Rev.3:14-22)
2. Let your words be few / be not rash (alarmed / agitated / anxiously Strong's OT# 926) (Eccl.5:1-2) a. Our words are corrupt and inconsistent, full of loop-holes which are useless in our wrestling against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph.6:12, 2Cor.10:4-5) (1) Our words / speech (1Cor.1:19-29; 2:1-14) (a) Will be come to nothing (1Cor.1:19) (b) Our words will be made to look foolish (1Cor.1:20-21) (c) Let your words be few (Eccl. (2) Carnal - pertaining to flesh, i.e. (by extension) bodily, temporal, or (by implication) animal, unregenerate:—carnal, fleshly. [Strong's NT#4559] (a) . (b) . (Much more to come) (c) .
b. God's Word is "given by inspiration of God," and is the only Word that is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correctionfor instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, (a perfect Bride / Eve) thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2Tim.3:16-17) c. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 3. Don't add or diminish from it (Deut.4:2; 12:32, Prov.30:5) Review: PHASE 1
4. We must submit to God FIRST, THEN resist the Devil and he will flee. In this order. (Eph.5:21-32, James.4:7) Jesus left us an example that we should follow in His steps. (Matt.4:1-11, 1Peter.2:21) a. FIRST Jesus lived a submitted lifestyle to God the Father (1) I and my Father. (John.17:21) The Bride will be one (Eph.5:31-32) (2) If you have seen me you have seen the Father (John.14:9)
(3) Not my will but thine be done (Luke.22:42) (4) Laid down His life (John.10:18) as a Burnt Offering (5) Jesus said, "for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30) b. THEN Jesus resisted the Devil with the inspired written Word of God then the Devil will flee from you, because of the Word. (Note: Isa. My people have gone into captivity because of a lack of knowledge / eye sight put out / Samson Judges. 16:) Note: A new twist. The devil then used the word to contradict the word. But Jesus came back with the Word. (Matt.4:5-7, 8-10)
c. THEN the devil left Him (Matt.4:11) (1) Because Jesus was submitted to His Father (2) Because Jesus resisted the Devil (3) Then the Devil left Him.
Note: The seven sons of Sceva (Acts.19:13-16) They were resisting the evil spirits, but failed to be submitted to God which ended in them leaving the evil spirits!
5. Don't allow yourself to be manipulated by the serpent as Eve was(Gen.3:1-5, Matt.4:1-4) a. The serpent created doubt "Yea hath God said" / The mind Rom.12:1-2 b. This caused Eve to add to the Word of God (1) Eve = Church today / Modern day translations (things omitted, deleted) (2) Where was Adam? (a) If he was there with Eve, why wasn't he doing the talking? (b) As the head he was to protect Eve. (1Cor.11:1-12, Eph.5:21-32) (3)Look at the example of Abraham and Sarah (a type of the Church 1Peter.3:1-6, Eph.5:21-32) Sarah became anxious and rash (hasty) with her mouth which eventually resulted in producing Ishmael (Gen.15:1-15; 16:1-, Gal.4:21-31) Abraham should have remained steadfast to God's promise, but gave into Sarah's "amazement" (afraid, terror Strong's NT#4423)
Note: The lineage of Ishmael consistently "persecuted" the lineage of Isaac. (the seed of the woman Gen.3:15)
The admonition (warning) is the same to us today. Christ (the last Adam 1 Cor.15:45-46, 1 Cor.11:1-10, 1 Tim.2:11-12, Eph.6:12)
D. Jesus is our (Eve) headship(Eph.5:21-32)
E. Our natural abilities are useless when it comes to spiritual warfare. (2 Cor.10:4, 1 Cor.2:1-14)
Note: This study is on going 1Cor.13:9-12, John.16:10-15