Class Outline:

Wednesday February 23,2022

The best, and perhaps only, way to get your eyes off of people and their sins (purposeful and weakness) is to put your eyes on Christ. Your eyes will be upon Him for all eternity in heaven, we should start doing this now.

Successfully standing firm cannot be accomplished in any other way than Jesus’ way. Every legitimate desire can only be fulfilled in Christ.

Jesus is the only one who can save us and He performed the work of that salvation, not in some way He devised, but in complete submission to God the Father’s will and plan. Can we gain the victory in any other way - a way of our own device?

COL 1:15-16

And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities —  all things have been created by Him and for Him.

[from Miles’ book with some alterations] “All things have been created by Him and for Him,” and that includes you and everybody you know, and all people who have ever existed. What this means is that every legitimate ultimate desire that you have can only be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Do you want significance? It can only be found in Him. Do you want meaning? Follow the way of Christ and He will give it to you. Do you want true life that is ultimately indestructible? It belongs to Jesus Christ and it is His to give. Do you want a loving family? Jesus has made and earned your adoption into the family of God. Do you want to be a part of a great team, something much bigger than yourself with great victory or defeat on the line? Jesus will give you a church. Do you want purpose and a mission? The Lord Jesus promises to use you in His quest to save and re-create the world. Do you tire of trying to live up to what you think are God’s impossible standards? Jesus promises to give you rest while you reach ahead. Do you want to be forgiven, finally, once and for all? Forgiveness of this kind is only found in Christ Jesus. We were made to worship Him and receive everything good and valuable from Him alone.

2TI 4:1-8

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Paul so often felt the terrible evil that tried to stop his mission and he felt it from people, but notice his response to one of the worst of them:

2TI 4:14-18

Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching. 16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

We must acknowledge that the struggle will be difficult. Our enemy is not reasonable. We acknowledge that we have not always lived up to the standard of life that the struggle demands (last Sunday’s message). We acknowledge that Jesus has already completely won the victory and that He leaves us to stand firm against His enemy while He supplies us with His very own armor and indwells us, which is our hope of glory.

Know your journey. Don’t be spiritually asleep while you are awake to the world. Know what you must do and do it a day at a time.

Doing it requires ability. Ability is power. The world runs on power. The human soul runs on power. God was freed to give sinful humanity power when Christ satisfied His justice. Righteous and justified before God, God is free to empower us. The power flows when we do what He wills. That’s what it is made for. Other powers available to us are from the flesh, self-will, selfishness, pride, desire, passion, etc., all give enough power to keep the lights on, but to do and live like Christ demands God’s power.

God’s power flows, from the Holy Spirit within, when we do His will.

PHI 2:12-13

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.