May 17-23, 2008

JESUS HEALS THE BROKENHEARTED – Part 4

“Overcoming Adversity” (Continued)

In this lesson you will learn how to test the spirits, whether they are of God or of the enemy, the devil. You will learn more keys for overcoming adversity, and the ultimate goal for your triumph over all forms of adversity.

I. Test the Spirits – 1 John 4:1-4.

A. Does the spirit agree with the Word or with the world? – vv. 2-3.

B. The spirit of the Antichrist is already in the world – v. 3.

II. More keys for overcoming adversity.

A. 1 John 4:4 – “You are of God little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (The Greater One lives in you!)

B. Revelation 12:11 – “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. . . .” (Do the words you are speaking agree with God’s Word?)

C. 1 John 5:4-5 – “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” – v. 4. (You were born to win!)

D. James 3:13-18 - Get rid of strife and all its relatives; i.e., unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, envy, jealousy, anger, and hurt.

1. Strife is earthly, sensual, demonic – v. 15.

2. Where strife exists, confusion and every evil thing are there – v. 16.

3. While AIDS destroys the natural immune system, strife and its companions destroy the spiritual immune system.

4. Godly wisdom is “pure, then peaceable, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” – v. 17.

E. Ephesians 4:32 – “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Choose to forgive because Jesus forgave you!)

III. Ultimate goal for learning how to overcome adversity: You can help others overcome adversity.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

· Is there an open door where you have allowed the enemy to come into your life? If so, identify it.

· What is your strategy for closing this door?

· Are you walking in the God-kind of love and forgiveness?

BE A DOER OF THE WORD

Confession: Because I am born of God and the Greater One indwells me, I am born to win! My words agree with God’s Word. Because I model my love walk after Jesus, my faith works and I go from victory to victory!

SCRIPTURE MEMORY VERSE: Ephesians 4:32 – And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”