Our Big Brother

May 7, 1988

(Originally Titled: Where There is No Omen)

Ephesians 4:25-32

Introduction:

Hayford Street Gang story - -"Down Kalamazoo Street were six big bullies! How could I face them?" ... What does that have to do with the rest of the what I have to say this morning? There is a connection. Look at what this verse from the Bible is telling us:

I. THE HARMONY OF THE CHURCH WORKING TOGETHER IN IN THE LORD

(Ephesians 4:25-32)

Here is a practical list of "DO" items and "DON'T DO" items that we would do well to think on and incorporate into our lives.

  1. Speaking the truth/ putting away falsehood
  2. Being angry without sinning— never holding a grudge; being persons of integrity before the Lod
  3. Learning to work hard and well, and NOT stealing
  4. Speaking words that build and bless, and NOT words that smell to high heaven.."rotten" words (verse29)
  5. But the practical admonition that I would look at in some depth this evening is found in verse 27: don't give the devil an opportunity. What do you suppose this means?

II. NOT GIVING THE ENEMY ANY ADVANTAGE!

Or, more simply— not getting all beat up by the enemy of our souls! And there is an enemy!

  1. The immediate context of the phrase is: If I am angry with my brother or sister, and have a wrong spirit toward him, then I am giving opportunity for the devil to get a wedge in, to make the most of a misunderstanding. I believe this is correct exegesis.
  2. But the broader context of the idea: don't give the devil any handhold, any advantage goes beyond just anger with a brother or sister.
    1. 1. There are OBVIOUS evils to avoid: And these evils go far beyond any list of "rules" which we could make and publish! Some people think all we need is such a list— and make it include everything.
    2. 2. The trouble is there are NOT-SO-OBVIOUS evils to avoid, too!: GOOD things can get in the way of our walk with God! Anything can become an idol if we let it!
  3. And there are PARTICULAR areas where we need to be very careful. ONE OF THESE AREAS IS IN THE WHOLE MATTER OF SEX AND SEXUAL ATTRACTION.
    1. The 'boy-girl' thing was created by God. It is not of itself an evil.
    2. But our world is OBSESSED with sex.
    3. Several lies need to be addressed:
      1. Lie #1 "IT IS ALL RIGHT TO HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS IF YOU HAVE LOVE." But remember, this is a lie! All sex outside the marriage relationship IS STILL CLEARLY A SIN!
      2. Lie #2 "SEXUAL DESIRES MUST BE GRATIFIED OR THE PERSONALITY WILL BE WARPED." I won't expand on that just now except to say it is a lie; and God has grace to make every Christian conqueror!
      3. Lie #3 "SOFT-CORE PORNO DOESN'T HURT ANYONE." Porno is a multi-BILLION dollar industry in our county; it has its lobbies.
      4. Lie #4 "EVERYONE IS DOING IT!" Everyone is NOT caught in this trap! And those who are can be set free! You don't have to take a beating from Satan on this score.
    4. Sex can become an avenue by which the enemy can OPPRESS and eventually DESTROY our lives if we do not find a way of escape. Some of you may be caught in an unclean obsession with sex or porno. You can be set free!
  4. ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS ROCK MUSIC.

    Yes, I believe there is such a thing as Christian rock music. I have very little to do with it, both because of personal taste, and because of unpleasant associations with the other kinds of rock music. At its best, secular rock music has wasted the ambitions of hundreds and thousands of mediocre talents who dreamed of making millions and finding fame. At its worst it has fueled the evil personified by a Charles Manson.

    LISTEN TO THE WORDS! REFUSE TO SING OR AGREE WITH WORDS THAT GLORIFY GOD'S ENEMIES! Secular rock music has glorified anarchy and the spirit of rebellion to break down family ties.

  5. ANOTHER SUPER-HIGHWAY INTO DEEP TROUBLE WITH THE ENEMY IS THE AVENUE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

    I know that if you are living and breathing, especially in our public schools today, you are potentially in contact with the drug culture. The enemy has a lot invested in this home-wrecking, mindªdestroying, hell-spawned avenue to damnation. Our church's and denominations (good and healthy) standards aside, the statistics show that (even if alcohol were not morally wrong, and even if) 90% of those that drink can drink in moderation and not be harmed, the 10% which cannot drink at all without addiction consumes 50% of the booze and beer. Do you understand that? 90% drinks 50%. And the other, poor, wretched, addicted 10% drinks the other 50%! That is the kind of product that sponsors A GREAT PORTION OF OUR NATION'S PROFESSIONAL SPORTS! 'THIS BUD IS NOT FOR YOU!'

  6. STILL ANOTHER AREA OF DEEP CONCERN IS ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH SO-CALLED 'EASTERN RELIGIONS.'

    Whether poly-theistic, or pan-theistic— these evil systems promise guidance or enlightenment or peace or some sort of control. Stay away from them!

    STAY AWAY FROM HOROSCOPES. They are an insult to God! He has promised to lead you. He doesn't share His guidance with the stars.

    STAY AWAY FROM OIJA BOARDS!

    STAY AWAY FROM ANY KIND OF MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM THAT PERFORMS ANY KIND OF RITUAL!

    And BE VERY CAREFUL OF SO-CALLED "IMAGING!" Imagination is one of the crown jewels in God's gift of intelligence, and it enables us to take wings. But gifts of God must always be subjects and not masters or they become dangerous. And perhaps an unsublimated imagination is as dangerous as any loose cannon there is. The evil imagination can become the avenue for bondage.

    Our prayer, our determination, our cry to God must be: No master but JESUS! No LORD but Jesus! JESUS IS LORD!

III. THESE EVILS ARE POWERFUL, BUT THEY ARE NOT ALL-POWERFUL!

[WHERE EVIL CANNOT 'STICK' THE TEFLON CHRISTIAN!]

  1. The best way to find victory over sin is never to get into it in the first place:
    1. Stay out of the garbage piles of the spirit. Have you ever been to a land-fill? One of the smelliest places on earth! You don't play on the garbage dumps! So don't go there for mental and spiritual recreation!
    2. Be an active enemy of dirt of all kinds. If you knew there was a mosquito moving into New England that carried the AIDS virus what would you do about preventing getting bitten? But the bite of some of these evils is worse than AIDS! Don't you know that soul pollution is by far the worst of all?
    3. THE BEST DEFENSE IS SIMPLY BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. Not being "experts" on the occult, or "powerful" in our own right— but simply being close to God.

      In Numbers 22-24 is a fascinating story. The king of Moab was into the occult in a big way. He went a long way to hire a prophet that knew something about Israel's God, the Aramean, Balaam. HE WANTED BALAAM TO CURSE THE PEOPLE OF GOD. But instead Balaam blessed the Israelites three times, evidently as they were totally unaware of what was going on in the hills above them. And Balak was frustrated and angry. That whole scene is a message or two in and of itself. And this is what the puzzled, mixed-up Balaam had to say about God's people (Numbers 23:21,23): "The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them . . . for there is no omen against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel ..."

  2. BUT WHATEVER YOUR SITUATION IS, JESUS, YOUR BIG BROTHER WILL WALK WITH YOU— OR RATHER, HE WILL LET YOU WALK WITH HIM!

    Yes, the best way to avoid getting "beaten up" is to stay away from these avenues of defeat. But even if you have been beaten up— and even now are all black and blue— you can be free!

    (Text:) Don't give the devil any 'handhold." James 4:7,8 SUBMIT yourselves therefore to God RESIST the devil and he will flee from you DRAW NEAR TO GOD, and He will draw near to YOU!

    If the great concern of our life is to please God— to live in a way that does NOT grieve the Holy Spirit— then we will not be in bondage to the beggarly elements of this immoral age. When I looked down the street and saw those "big bullies" from the Hayford Street gang waiting for me— I got up next to the big kid from the sixth grade— and walked right by them while they parted like the Red Sea! Whatever wants to WRECK YOUR LIFE ... and is too big for you to handle— there is a Big Brother who is willing to walk with you, and make and keep you free from the wiles of the enemy! His name is JESUS! He died to set you free! His blood can make you free! If you want to be free, you can be! TONIGHT!

#136 Power in the Blood