In this episode, Wayne and Kimberly Jo look at spiritual warfare from Genesis 3 and the Serpent’s, deceitful temptation of Adam and Eve. They illuminate several biblical principles to help you recognize your enemy!

Wayne and Kimberly Jo introduce the concept of spiritual warfare from Ephesians 6.

Wayne and Kimberly Jo discuss self-control and our use of food. Food is a wonderful gift of God, but can be a huge struggle for the Christian.

Self-Control: Controlling the Tongue

James 3:5-10

▶️ The tongue is small, but can be deadly

James uses two illustrations:

→ “big horses” small bits 

→ “big ships” small rudders 

3 Main issues related to our speech 

1. Obscene talk (profanity) 

put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth (Col 3:8).

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving (Eph 5:4).

2. Gossip and slander

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body (Prov 18:8).

3. Criticizing and demeaning speech

▶️ The tongue is driven by the heart 

...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks  (Matthew 12:34).

▶️ The tongue should be used for good 

🔹 Praise God 

🔹 Edify others 

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (1 Thes 5:11). 

🔹 Spread the Good News 

Some good biblical advice

⚡ Eliminate profanity and harmful/hurtful speech

⚡ Look for ways to purposefully build people up 

⚡ Listen more and talk less 

… let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak…” (James 1:19). 

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent (Prov 17:28). 

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few (Eccl 5:2). 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14). 

 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! (Psalm 141:3)

Self-Control: Getting A Grip on Anger

Having a Daily Devotion with God Every Day

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matt 6:33).

The Definition of a Daily Devotion

“Our relationship with God is meant to be a love affair”

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1)

4 Reasons to have a Daily Devotion:

►Express our love for God

We spell love = time

►Hear from God

“When the Bible speaks. God speaks”

►Talk to God (Prayer)

→ Telling God you love Him

→ Telling God you need Him

→ Telling God your struggles and needs

►Power to face the day

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

The challenges of a daily devotion

►Fighting the flesh

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed (Mark 1:35). “God the best–‘not the rest’”

► The danger of making it into religious requirement

3 Things to do:

►Make it a priority

→ Calendar

→ Protect your time with God

→ Eliminate distractions

►You will need to find a place

►You will need to establish a process

→ Listen to this devotion

→ Read Bible

→ Pray

Self-Control

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,  patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” ‭‭(Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23). 

▶️ Self-Control is a characteristic of who and whose we are

We weren’t saved to sin—we were saved to serve God

The Bible says, You were bought with a price. for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor 6:20). 

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:36). 

🔹 We have been born again 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Cor 5:17). 

🔹 We are to grow in Christ 

whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked (1 John 2:6)

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation (1 Peter 2:2)

▶️ Self-Control is Spiritual Surrender

Self-discipline is a spiritual work

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:16) 

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5) 

▶️ Self-Control is connected to spiritual warfare

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do (Gal 5:16-17). 

Maybe the best thing you can do today–is get alone with Jesus. 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; 

against such things there is no law” ‭‭(Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23). 

▶️ Gentleness and Jesus 

We must never forget that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the ultimate judge (Matt 7, 25). 

Two truths about Jesus and gentleness

🔹 Jesus is inviting and “safe”

(you can come to Him–but on His terms. He also has the best benefits) 

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (‭‭Matt ‭11‬:‭28‬-29).  

🔹 Jesus didn’t compromise truth 

▶️ Gentleness and fellow believers 

🔹 We are commanded to operate in gentleness

…. walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (‭‭Eph ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬)

🔹 That includes “normal life” and also unique circumstances…

…  if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted (‭‭Gal ‭6‬:‭1‬). 

▶️ Gentleness and the unsaved world

🔹 Practice biblical avoidance

Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels (‭‭2 Tim ‭2‬:‭23‬).

🔹 Practice biblical gentleness 

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness…. (‭‭2 Tim ‭2‬:‭24‬-‭25‬). 

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame (1 Pet 3:15-16). 

Anger is a "great" motivator–but does not produce the righteousness of God. Love is the greatest and strongest motivator.

From Galatians 5:22-23… 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; 

against such things there is no law” ‭‭(Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23). 

▶️ God’s Nature is Faithfulness 

“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exod 34:6)

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23). 

▶️ God’s Desire for us is that we would display faith in Him  

The word “faithfulness” is actually the word faith. It’s the same word used to speak of faith–for example as Hebrews 11:1. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1) 

Faithfulness is believing and acting on what you know to be true in God. 

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6) 

We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7)