{"id":43421,"date":"2022-09-30T22:20:31","date_gmt":"2022-10-01T03:20:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/the-church-moving-forward-2-enemies-to-defeat-bible-outlines\/"},"modified":"2022-09-30T22:20:31","modified_gmt":"2022-10-01T03:20:31","slug":"the-church-moving-forward-2-enemies-to-defeat-bible-outlines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/the-church-moving-forward-2-enemies-to-defeat-bible-outlines\/","title":{"rendered":"The Church Moving Forward #2 – Enemies to Defeat – Bible Outlines"},"content":{"rendered":"

INTRODUCTION:<\/p>\n

Our Theme in this series of lessons – THE CHURCH MOVING FORWARD – is stated in Philippians 3:13-14<\/p>\n

1. Paul believed in moving ahead – not falling back<\/p>\n

2. He believed we should not be satisfied with where we are presently – but we need to be moving forward<\/p>\n

B. With this in mind, consider how that the Lord’s church is described as a body, both in its life and its function<\/p>\n

1. Romans 12:4-5<\/p>\n

2. Bodies are designed to live, act, and to work<\/p>\n

a. It is natural for the body to function in such a way that life today promotes life tomorrow<\/p>\n

b. The same is true for the church – life today promotes life tomorrow<\/p>\n

C. The body also has enemies that can damage or even kill it<\/p>\n

1. Diseases<\/p>\n

2. Accidents<\/p>\n

D. Likewise, the church has enemies that can keep it from moving into the future<\/p>\n

1. There are enemies that can damage\/cripple the church<\/p>\n

2. There are enemies that can kill the church<\/p>\n

3. Therefore, we must be ready to fight these enemies if the church is going to move forward<\/p>\n

E. If the Church is going to move forward we must realize that there are<\/p>\n

1. Challenges to Accept<\/p>\n

a. Making a difference in the world<\/p>\n

b. Evangelizing our communities<\/p>\n

c. Developing leadership<\/p>\n

d. Abiding in the word of God<\/p>\n

2. Enemies to Defeat<\/p>\n

DISCUSSION:<\/p>\n

A. THE ENEMY OF IGNORANCE<\/p>\n

1. Ignorance comes in many forms<\/p>\n

a. Isaiah 45:20<\/p>\n

1) Here we have reference to the ignorance of the pagans who make his god out of a tree<\/p>\n

2) Today ignorance in shown in many by their worshipping of nature, crystals, idols, ancestors, etc. – Ignorant Worship<\/p>\n

b. Jeremiah 5:21<\/p>\n

1) This is stubborn ignorance – refusing to listen God<\/p>\n

2) Many today simple refuse to see-they refuse to hear<\/p>\n

c. Hosea 4:1, 6<\/p>\n

1) They were specifically ignorant of the word of God<\/p>\n

2) This was going to destroy them today as well<\/p>\n

2. Ignorance is a real problem<\/p>\n

a. Causes us to follow the wrong path …<\/p>\n

1) Isaiah 59:8<\/p>\n

2) There are many paths – but only one path to heaven<\/p>\n

b. Causes us not to do right …<\/p>\n

1) Amos 3:10<\/p>\n

2) We can do no better than we know<\/p>\n

c. Causes God’s wrath to come upon us _ Zechariah 7:11-12<\/p>\n

d. Causes us to be lost _ Matthew 13:15<\/p>\n

e. Causes us to please ourselves – not God _ Romans U10:3<\/p>\n

3. How do we defeat this enemy?<\/p>\n

a. Heed the words of the Psalmist _ Psalm 119:97<\/p>\n

b. 1 Timothy 4:13<\/p>\n

c. 2 Timothy 2:15<\/p>\n

B. THE ENEMY OF UNBELIEF<\/p>\n

1. Many do realize this, but unbelief is a problem for both the saved and the unsaved<\/p>\n

a. John 8:24<\/p>\n

1) This is a simple fact – people will die in their sins unless the believe in Jesus<\/p>\n

2) It is a matter of life and death<\/p>\n

b. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4<\/p>\n

1) It is a terrible thing to be blind – more terrible to be spiritually blind, to be plagued with unbelief<\/p>\n

2) Satan can blind people to the glory of the gospel, and thus, groping in unbelief<\/p>\n

c. Hebrews 3:12<\/p>\n

1) Normally we think of the unsaved as being unbelievers<\/p>\n

2) The Hebrew writer is here addressing his brethren<\/p>\n

2. Unbelief can keep the church from moving forward<\/p>\n

a. How might unbelief affect us?<\/p>\n

1) If a person knows Gods word; and yet, does not believe it, what value will it be in their lives?<\/p>\n

a) There will be no desire for obedience<\/p>\n

b) They will see no need for obedience<\/p>\n

2) Many, evidently, do not believe that God cares how they live<\/p>\n

3) Some do not believe that God has a plan to save<\/p>\n

4) Some do not believe that it matters how we worship<\/p>\n

5) Evidently, many do not believe that it matters how committed we are<\/p>\n

b. We should be like the man who cried out to Jesus<\/p>\n

1) Mark 9:24<\/p>\n

2) Someone once said, “Be great believers. Little faith will bring your souls to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your souls.”<\/p>\n

C. THE ENEMY OF APATHY<\/p>\n

1. A wife once asked her husband, “Do you think the world’s problems are caused by ignorance or apathy?” The husband replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”<\/p>\n

2. Apathy is very similar to the attitude expressed by the church in Laodicea, for which Jesus condemned<\/p>\n

a. Revelation 3:15-16<\/p>\n

b. They were lukewarm, they were lacking passion – they were unconcerned<\/p>\n

3. The Bible very plainly condemns apathy and neglect:<\/p>\n

a. Judges 5:23 – neglecting their duties … would not help Gods people they were apathetic<\/p>\n

b. Isaiah 32:9 – they were at ease, careless, apathetic<\/p>\n

c. Jeremiah 48:10 – neglecting their duties<\/p>\n

d. Amos 6:1 – at ease, apathetic<\/p>\n

e. Matthew 7:26 – hears and does not<\/p>\n

f. James 2:14 – faith without works cannot save<\/p>\n

g. James 4:17<\/p>\n

4. How does apathy destroy us?<\/p>\n

a. Causes us to be lukewarm about the church – its purity, its doctrines, and its worship<\/p>\n

b. Causes us to be lukewarm about lost souls<\/p>\n

c. Causes us to be lukewarm about righteousness<\/p>\n

d. Friends, apathy is an enemy of the church<\/p>\n

D. THE ENEMY OF SIN<\/p>\n

1. This is the most obvious enemy, but sin happens to people – don’t know, don’t believe and who don’t care<\/p>\n

a. Ignorance, unbelief, and apathy all lead to sin<\/p>\n

b. If the church practices sin, how can we remain the church?<\/p>\n

c. Ephesians 5:25-27<\/p>\n

2. Notice what the Bible has to say about the enemy of sin<\/p>\n

a. Hebrews 12:1<\/p>\n

1) A runner does not run a race hampered by weights<\/p>\n

2) Sin hampers our Christian race<\/p>\n

b. Hebrews 3:12-13<\/p>\n

1) We need each other to help avoid having a heart hardened by sin<\/p>\n

2) If it happens – sin will cause us to leave God<\/p>\n

c. James 5:19-20<\/p>\n

1) The error of sin can kill the soul<\/p>\n

2) We need each other to stay on the right track<\/p>\n

CONCLUSION:<\/p>\n

A. For the church to move forward, we must recognize and defeat our enemies<\/p>\n

B. Four great enemies of the church are: Ignorance … Unbelief … Apathy … Sin<\/p>\n

C. These are all enemies that we can do something about.<\/p>\n

D. Are you under attack today? FIGHT!!!<\/p>\n

See also:<\/h3>\n