SEARCH 201 – “GROWING GOD’S WAY. . .”

Key Verse

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
— James 4:7

Dealing With the Devil

Matthew 4:1-11
  1. The devil has been causing men to sin all through the years of time. What tactics did he use with Eve in the Garden that will likely be similar to those he will use with the inhabitants of the world after the Millennium (Genesis 3:4-5; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:14; Revelation 20:7-8)? How do they compare with his tactics today?
  2. What deception did the devil, as a serpent, use on Eve to cause her to sin (Genesis 3:1,4)? In a similar vein, what temptation did the devil use to try to overcome Jesus in the wilderness?
  3. In what forms will Satan come to us today in an attempt to overthrow our faith in God?
    2 Corinthians 11:14
    1 Thessalonians 3:5
    1 Peter 5:8
    Revelation 12:10
  4. God has promised to give us victory over the temptations of Satan. However, His promises are conditional. He expects us to take action. Using the following Scriptures, what action must we take and what is God’s specific promise as we do so?
    Ephesians 6:11
    James 1:12
    1 Peter 5:8-10
  5. What spiritual qualities must we have and exhibit in order for us to be victorious in our fight with the devil? Luke 10:19-20 and Revelation 12:11 list two very important qualities. Tell what these are, and then mention some others.
  6. 2 Corinthians 2:11 tells us we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices, and he need not get an advantage over us. How can we determine if a trial or test or thought is from the devil or from the Lord? See James 1:13.
  7. Satan is called the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2) and his realm is one of spirits, not one of flesh and blood that can be seen (Ephesians 6:12). What lessons can we learn from the story of Job regarding the debate between God and Satan over men’s souls? See Job 1:7-10; 2:3-10.
  8. Jesus said that He has all power in Heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18). He defeated the devil every time he came against Him, even to being victorious over death through His Resurrection. Since we receive our spiritual power from Jesus, what confidence can we have in our encounters with the devil?

THEME THOUGHTS

Christian maturity comes as a result of taking a realistic, practical, and God-directed approach to both the opportunities and the problems of life. That is why the admonitions found in the Bible are of proven value. They apply to the everyday experiences we face. How to gain Christian maturity is the thrust of the lessons to be studied during this quarter. The basic point to remember in considering the precepts of this unit is that submitting to Christ as our Lord and Savior comes first. With this thought in mind, we begin the unit by focusing on the reality of Jesus’ presence with us and in us. The second lesson deals with the subject of Christian growth, establishing that God’s Word outlines certain ways and means of spiritual development, and that spiritual growth is necessary. With these two lessons as the foundation for the quarter, we move into a consideration of specific areas such as decision-making, resisting the devil, avoiding physical and spiritual pollution, self-discipline, and how to deal with personal problems. Our quarter concludes with a lesson on looking at the outcome, in which we will be encouraged to see the importance of measuring our daily actions by whether these actions will draw us closer to God or move us farther away. Our goal this quarter is to reach the point where we can say with Paul, “. . . in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

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