male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
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Doug Batchelor: It's remarkable
to look back and to see how the
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Lord has led through time,
and it's through progression in
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providence His
will is made clear.
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Throughout scripture, step
by step, the Lord has led His
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people from
generation to generation.
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Even here at "Amazing Facts,"
I clearly see God's guiding all
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the way from that very first
15-minute broadcast in 1966.
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From radio, to television,
to publishing, to global
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evangelism, it's evident that
God has a divine plan in motion.
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Friends, the Lord has
a plan for you as well.
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Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'I know
the plans that I have for you,'
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declares the Lord, 'plans to
prosper you, not to harm you,
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plans to give you
hope and a future.'"
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That great hope is Christ, and
through Him, "Amazing Facts" is
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moving forward.
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But you might wonder, what
is God's specific purpose for
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your life?
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As you trust God with your life
and walk with Him day by day, He
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will wonderfully
unfold His good plan for you.
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We pray that today's program
will be a stepping stone to
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strengthen your walk with
Jesus, giving you clarity and
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fulfillment in the days ahead.
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And remember, stay tuned for
the very important free offer
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following this presentation.
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¤¤¤
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Doug: Our message, today,
may have a little bit of an
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intimidating title,
talking about "When Satan Goes
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to Church."
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You know, I remember reading in
history about Oliver Cromwell,
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when he became the
lord protector of England.
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And this is following the
execution of King Charles, not
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too many kings were executed,
but he was a scoundrel.
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And Cromwell came into power.
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And it was customary back
then, that, when they had a new
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leader, they didn't have
photographs, they had painters,
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and they would get just the most
skilled painters that would then
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paint the leaders.
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And Cromwell gave some
very interesting instructions to
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the painter.
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You see, the custom was, back
then, if you painted some royal
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figure or some dignitary,
that the artist would do the
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old-fashioned version of
Photoshop, he would kind of
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remove the blemishes, and make
their eyes a little bigger and a
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little brighter, and the skin
a little smoother, and just make
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them look the best they could
possibly look and still look
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like them.
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But Cromwell said, "I desire
that you would use all of your
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skill to paint your picture
truly like me, all of these
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roughness, pimples, warts,
and everything as you see me;
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otherwise I will never
pay a farthing for it."
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This is where we get the
expression, "We want to have it,
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warts and all."
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And so the portrait of Cromwell
ended up having some blemishes
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on it, because he said, "I don't
want you to smooth it over.
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If it's going to be
me, I want it to be me."
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Well, we're going to be
preaching about the church,
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today, warts and all, so to
speak, what the Bible has to say
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about some of the devil's
strategy that he is using in the
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last days to deceive.
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Now, part of the reason
we're doing this, you read in 2
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Corinthians 2, verse 11, "Lest
Satan should take advantage of
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us; for we are not
ignorant of his devices."
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Now, it's so much better
for us to talk about the devil's
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strategy before an attack,
as opposed to in the middle of
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an attack.
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You know, I'll be very
honest with you, I'm a little
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frightened of success, because,
"A haughty spirit goes before
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a fall."
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And the Lord has greatly blessed
this church, it has grown, we
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are doing wonderful, compared
to many other churches, in
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baptisms, in growth, in tithe,
lovely people, great experience.
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And that's when you
need to brace for impact.
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And if I was the devil and I saw
that there was a church that was
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prospering in its local
ministry, in its international
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ministry, I would not sit back
and cheer them on, I'd want to
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do everything I
could to stop it.
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If you go to Revelation 12:12,
it tells us there, "Therefore
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rejoice, O heavens,
and you who dwell in them!"
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Because the devil had been
cast out, they finally had peace
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in heaven.
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"Woe to the inhabitants
of the earth and the sea!
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For the devil has come down to
you, having great wrath," very
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angry, furious, "Because
he knows his time is short."
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Now, that's one thing that we
could learn from the devil, he
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at least knows his time is
short, I hope you know our time
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is short.
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Let's read on, go to verse 13.
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"Now when the dragon saw that he
had been cast to the earth, he
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persecuted the woman."
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Who is, "The woman that
brought forth the man Child"?
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This is the bride of Christ,
the church, that presents the
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Messiah to the world.
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You know, the Bible tells us
there are seven examples in the
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Bible of women who were barren,
but then, through a miracle,
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they had a baby, these were
miracle baby boys, and they were
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all types of Christ.
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And so this woman is the
consummate example of the church
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who introduces the Messiah,
brings forth the Messiah, she's
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got 12 stars above her head,
representing the tribes in the
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Old Testament, the apostles in
the New Testament, this is the
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bride of Christ.
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How does the
devil feel about her?
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"The dragon saw that he'd been
cast to earth, he persecuted
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the woman."
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He can't persecute the man
Child, it says He was caught up
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to God's throne.
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So, since the devil can't reach
Jesus, he goes after the object
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of Christ's supreme regard.
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What institution, what body of
people on the earth, does Jesus
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have a special love for?
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That would be more than the
church, this is His redeemed,
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this is His bride,
and the devil hates her.
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"The dragon saw he had been
cast to the earth, he persecuted
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the woman.
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But the woman was given
two wings of an eagle, that she
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might fly into the wilderness
to her place, where she is
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nourished for a time, a
times, and half the time."
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After God saved Israel out
of Egypt, they went into the
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wilderness, and
God fed her there.
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So it's harkening back to that.
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During the time of Elijah, when
there was a famine three and a
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half years, Elijah fled
into the wilderness, he was fed
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miraculously there by God.
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God will feed His church, amen?
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"So he spewed water out of
his mouth like a flood after the
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woman, that he might
cause her to be carried away by
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the flood."
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Now he wants to drown her.
If it's not fire, it's flood.
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"But the earth helped the woman,
and the earth opened its mouth
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and swallowed up the flood which
the dragon had spewed out of
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his mouth."
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You notice, everything he tries,
he tries to destroy her, but
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she's given wings of an eagle,
he tries to drown her, but the
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earth opens its mouth.
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Now go to verse 17.
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"And the dragon was enraged," if
he was wroth before, he's really
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mad now, "Enraged with," what?
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"The woman," "The dragon
was enraged with the woman."
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Just as the church is the
object on earth upon which Jesus
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bestows His greatest love and
regard, the church is the object
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on earth that infuriates the
devil the most, because it is
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the vehicle by which
Jesus redeems the lost.
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And the devil doesn't want them
to be saved, he wants everyone
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to go down with him, he
knows his time is short.
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Now, we're going to be
looking at seven things,
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time permitting.
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If we run out of
time, I'll just stop.
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We're going to be looking
at seven things, seven of the
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stratagem that the devil uses to
overcome God's people, and I've
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sort of divided them up, to make
it easy to remember, as desire,
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disgrace, defamation,
discord, distractions, dialogue,
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and disguise.
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Very proud of myself, that I
was able to make those all begin
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with one letter.
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Number one, the
desire of the devil.
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Turn in your Bibles, please, to
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the book of Job
chapter 1, verse 6.
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"When the Devil Goes to Church,"
you know it happened long ago.
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"Now there was a day when
the sons of God came to present
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themselves before the LORD."
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Oh, I would like
to be there, right?
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Be in this heavenly meeting
where the sons of God, probably
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these representatives and
leaders of unfallen worlds, they
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come to present themselves
before the Lord in this
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celestial gathering.
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And I don't know that it was in
heaven itself, because Satan was
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cast out of heaven.
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But it says here,
"Satan came also among them."
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Well, it sounded like such
a pretty picture until it says
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that the devil showed up at this
meeting in the presence of God.
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You know, he's very
audacious in that he will invade
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sacred places.
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You know, when I was reading
this, and I thought about the
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audacity and boldness of the
devil, that here there's this
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heavenly meeting, and all that
he's done to the world, and he
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shows up.
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Now, if he would show up in
the courts of God's presence,
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wherever this was, then should
we be shocked he might show up
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in church?
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The devil's not scared of
a church building, he is not
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scared of professed believers.
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And we're going to find out,
as we go through this series, he
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often shows up, even in church.
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Matthew chapter 4, verse 5, kind
of shocking, do you know the
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devil will take you to church?
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That's right.
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When Jesus was tempted of
the devil in the wilderness, it
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says, "Then the devil took
Him up into the holy city."
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What, the devil will
take you to a holy place?
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"And set Him on the
pinnacle of the temple."
00:10:34.56\00:10:37.37
The temple, what's that?
00:10:37.40\00:10:38.70
The church.
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Here the devil takes Jesus
to church, talk about a turn
00:10:40.10\00:10:43.51
of events.
00:10:43.54\00:10:45.67
Why is he doing it?
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Because he wants to disgrace the
Lord in front of the church so
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that he can gain possession
and get more mileage out of it.
00:10:54.78\00:10:59.42
"He says to Him, 'If you're the
Son of God, throw Yourself down.
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For it is written, "He will give
His angels charge over you,"
00:11:03.89\00:11:07.03
and, "In their hands they will
bear you up, Lest you dash your
00:11:07.03\00:11:10.10
foot against a stone."'"
00:11:10.13\00:11:11.63
He wanted to see Jesus fall
right in front of the church,
00:11:11.67\00:11:15.77
and there's nothing
the devil likes more
00:11:15.80\00:11:19.24
than to disgrace professed
believers by having them fall
00:11:19.27\00:11:24.25
visibly in front of the
church, where everyone can laugh
00:11:24.28\00:11:27.85
and mock.
00:11:27.88\00:11:29.22
You know where the devil was the
most successful is when David
00:11:29.25\00:11:33.62
sinned with Bathsheba?
00:11:33.66\00:11:35.66
Look at all the shame
and disgrace that brought on
00:11:35.69\00:11:38.16
God's people.
00:11:38.19\00:11:39.53
When Peter, who would be the
great spokesman, when he denied
00:11:39.56\00:11:44.10
even knowing the Lord
with swearing and cursing.
00:11:44.13\00:11:46.50
The devil wants you to fall and
he wants you to fall right in
00:11:46.53\00:11:48.80
front of the church, he
loves to disgrace God's people.
00:11:48.84\00:11:53.71
Why did the devil
take Him to the temple?
00:11:53.74\00:11:56.44
Couldn't he have taken Him
to a cliff in the wilderness and
00:11:56.48\00:11:58.75
said, "If You're the Son of
God, why didn't You jump off
00:11:58.78\00:12:00.98
the cliff?"
00:12:01.02\00:12:02.32
"No, no, no, not here, I want
Him to fall in the courtyard of
00:12:02.35\00:12:06.05
the temple, probably on
a Sabbath, when everyone's
00:12:06.09\00:12:10.79
watching, and so the people
in the world will look and say,
00:12:10.83\00:12:13.23
'Ha-ha, they say
they're Christians.'"
00:12:13.26\00:12:14.96
How many times have you heard
people out in the world that
00:12:15.00\00:12:17.40
say, "I don't want to be a
Christian," and then they start
00:12:17.43\00:12:20.14
to point at the hypocrites
or the hypocrisy in the church?
00:12:20.17\00:12:22.97
And it is true, there are a lot
of Christian leaders that have
00:12:23.00\00:12:26.44
fallen, there's a lot
of hypocrisy you can see.
00:12:26.47\00:12:29.38
I mean, all you've got to do is
flip the channel a little bit.
00:12:29.41\00:12:31.98
I went like this, but you don't
have those on your TV anymore,
00:12:32.01\00:12:36.55
and now it's like this.
00:12:36.58\00:12:38.25
All you got to do is change
channel on the television and
00:12:38.29\00:12:41.62
you can see a lot of examples of
these snakes that are out there
00:12:41.66\00:12:47.86
bilking people out of their
money, promising them prosperity
00:12:47.86\00:12:51.57
and blessings and all these
things, if they'll just send
00:12:51.60\00:12:54.17
their money.
00:12:54.20\00:12:55.50
And then you find out from their
personal lives that they're
00:12:55.54\00:12:58.21
totally out of the Lord's
will in the way they live.
00:12:58.24\00:13:03.24
So he wants to
disgrace the church.
00:13:03.28\00:13:08.28
Another one of his
tactics is the defamation of the
00:13:08.32\00:13:11.49
devil, slander.
00:13:11.52\00:13:14.69
He is called, "The
accuser of the brethren."
00:13:14.72\00:13:18.56
You go back to the book of Job,
Job 1, verse 9, "Satan says to
00:13:18.59\00:13:22.56
the Lord, 'Does Job
serve God for nothing?
00:13:22.60\00:13:26.20
The only reason he serves You
is because You've made a hedge
00:13:26.23\00:13:28.67
about him, You've just blessed
him on the right and on the
00:13:28.70\00:13:30.84
left, and in every way.
00:13:30.87\00:13:32.17
And of course everyone
will serve You if You do that.
00:13:32.21\00:13:34.04
He doesn't love You.
00:13:34.08\00:13:35.41
You take away his blessings, he
will curse You to your face.'"
00:13:35.44\00:13:38.01
There, Job, I'm sorry, the devil
is in heaven, slandering Job,
00:13:38.05\00:13:44.09
he's defaming Job in front of
the Lord, and this is one of the
00:13:44.12\00:13:48.26
devil's favorite things to do,
is he's called, "The accuser of
00:13:48.29\00:13:52.66
the brethren."
00:13:52.69\00:13:54.00
Look at Zechariah 3, verse 1
and 2, I know I'm jumping around
00:13:54.03\00:13:57.30
a little.
00:13:57.33\00:13:58.67
Says, "Then he showed me Joshua
the high priest standing before
00:13:58.70\00:14:02.10
the Angel of the Lord, and Satan
standing at his right hand," to
00:14:02.14\00:14:07.34
accuse him, "To oppose him,"
to defame him, to slander him.
00:14:07.38\00:14:13.45
Why?
00:14:13.48\00:14:14.82
You read on, it says that Joshua
the high priest is wearing
00:14:14.85\00:14:17.42
clothes that are dirty, and
the devil's pointing and saying,
00:14:17.45\00:14:21.56
"Ah, look at his dirty
clothes, You can't save him.
00:14:21.59\00:14:23.89
These are Your people?"
00:14:23.93\00:14:25.23
See, the high priest represented
the people, he would bear
00:14:25.26\00:14:27.30
their sins.
00:14:27.30\00:14:28.63
And so when it talks about
the high priest having dirty
00:14:28.66\00:14:30.87
clothes, it's basically saying,
"The church, they're full of
00:14:30.90\00:14:33.70
hypocrites, they're full
of sin, you can't save them."
00:14:33.74\00:14:36.91
How does the Lord respond to the
devil's accusations and slander?
00:14:36.94\00:14:41.68
"The Lord rebuke you, Satan!
00:14:41.71\00:14:44.28
The Lord who has
chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!
00:14:44.31\00:14:47.55
Is this not a brand
plucked from the fire?"
00:14:47.58\00:14:50.85
I have saved them.
00:14:50.89\00:14:52.35
And then it says He told
the angel, "Take away his filthy
00:14:52.39\00:14:55.49
garments, and give
him clean garments."
00:14:55.52\00:14:58.59
What happened to the high priest
in this vision is what the Lord
00:14:58.63\00:15:03.50
wants to do for us.
00:15:03.53\00:15:04.97
Do not be discouraged about
being a Christian because you
00:15:05.00\00:15:08.50
see hypocrisy in the church or
if you see it in your own life,
00:15:08.54\00:15:13.51
because the devil is going
to stand around and point the
00:15:13.54\00:15:16.18
finger, and look at your
failings and try to discourage
00:15:16.21\00:15:19.95
you, and think,
"There's no hope for me."
00:15:19.98\00:15:21.45
Remember, he did
it for God's people.
00:15:21.48\00:15:24.52
In fact, if you look there in
Revelation chapter 12, verse 10,
00:15:24.55\00:15:29.92
"I heard a loud
voice in heaven."
00:15:29.96\00:15:31.69
We're back in chapter 12 again.
00:15:31.73\00:15:33.36
"I heard a loud voice in heaven,
saying, 'Now salvation, and
00:15:33.40\00:15:36.67
strength, in the kingdom of our
God, and the power of His Christ
00:15:36.70\00:15:40.40
have come, for the accuser of
our brethren, who accused them
00:15:40.44\00:15:46.41
before our God day and
night, has been cast down.'"
00:15:46.44\00:15:51.21
See, the devil wants to oppose
the work of God in your life so
00:15:51.25\00:15:57.79
that he could also oppose the
work of God through your life.
00:15:57.82\00:16:02.59
He's trying to stop what God
wants to do in you, by cleansing
00:16:02.62\00:16:05.86
you and by transforming you,
so that God can't do anything
00:16:05.89\00:16:09.66
through you.
00:16:09.70\00:16:11.27
And so that's why the devil
comes to church and he attacks
00:16:11.30\00:16:13.97
the church.
00:16:14.00\00:16:15.94
Then you've got the discord
of the devil, he wants to cause
00:16:15.97\00:16:21.54
division in the ranks.
00:16:21.58\00:16:23.71
Now, I hope that's not
a surprise for anybody.
00:16:23.75\00:16:25.91
Proverbs 6:16, I like this
verse, Solomon said, "These six
00:16:25.95\00:16:30.15
things the Lord hates, Yes,
seven are an abomination unto
00:16:30.19\00:16:34.19
Him," it's interesting he starts
with six and then he ends the
00:16:34.22\00:16:36.06
seventh, kind of like the week:
"A proud look, A lying tongue,
00:16:36.09\00:16:41.43
Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked
00:16:41.46\00:16:45.40
plans, Feet that are swift to
running to evil, A false witness
00:16:45.43\00:16:50.17
that speaks lies," and here's
what he saved for the seventh,
00:16:50.21\00:16:55.01
"One who sows
discord among brethren."
00:16:55.04\00:17:00.78
You know, one of the most
successful ways that the devil
00:17:00.82\00:17:03.55
causes problems in the
church is by spreading discord.
00:17:03.59\00:17:06.96
How many of you remember reading
in the Bible the story where
00:17:06.99\00:17:09.49
Mary Magdalene, or Mary of
Bethany, I believe, Saint Mary
00:17:09.52\00:17:13.53
is anointing the feet of Jesus
in Simon's house at that dinner,
00:17:13.56\00:17:17.93
and the smell of the
perfume fills the house?
00:17:17.97\00:17:20.80
And then Judas, who is rebuked
by the generosity of Mary when
00:17:20.84\00:17:26.91
he was a thief.
00:17:26.94\00:17:28.61
Then Judas says,
"Wow, what a waste.
00:17:28.64\00:17:33.21
This ointment, if it had been
sold, it could have gotten 300
00:17:33.25\00:17:37.35
pence, and look at how much
we could have done for the poor,
00:17:37.39\00:17:39.85
and she just poured it all out.
00:17:39.89\00:17:41.56
What a waste."
00:17:41.59\00:17:43.29
Here he is, he's supposed to be
an apostle, but he's really the
00:17:43.32\00:17:46.13
accuser of the
brethren, isn't he?
00:17:46.16\00:17:48.16
And he's also sowing discord.
00:17:48.20\00:17:50.60
And the other apostles
go, "Yeah, it is a waste."
00:17:50.63\00:17:53.74
And Jesus rebukes Judas, He
doesn't call him out by name,
00:17:53.77\00:17:57.71
but He said, "Let her alone.
00:17:57.74\00:17:59.67
What she has done will not be
forgotten wherever the gospel is
00:17:59.71\00:18:03.21
preached, because she's
anointed Me before My burial."
00:18:03.24\00:18:06.82
We usually give people flowers
after they're dead and they
00:18:06.85\00:18:09.02
can't smell them, right?
00:18:09.05\00:18:11.22
He said, "She's done
this for Me while I'm alive."
00:18:11.25\00:18:15.16
But there he was, he
was trying to sow discord.
00:18:15.19\00:18:18.16
Then one of the things the devil
does when he comes to church is
00:18:18.19\00:18:21.60
he tries to cause distractions.
00:18:21.63\00:18:24.40
You know, there's a story in
Mark 1:21, Mark chapter 1, verse
00:18:24.43\00:18:30.14
21, that helps bear this out.
00:18:30.17\00:18:35.98
Does the devil go to
church? Unfortunately, he does.
00:18:36.01\00:18:41.22
Praise the Lord God
comes to church too.
00:18:41.25\00:18:44.69
"Then," this is Mark 1:21, "Then
they went into Capernaum, and
00:18:44.72\00:18:48.19
immediately on the Sabbath
He entered the synagogue."
00:18:48.22\00:18:51.16
On the Sabbath, He went to
church, that's what that means.
00:18:51.19\00:18:55.96
"And they were astonished at His
teaching," on the Sabbath day,
00:18:56.00\00:18:59.37
in the church,
He's teaching the Word.
00:18:59.40\00:19:02.17
"And He taught them as
one having authority, and not
00:19:02.20\00:19:04.34
the scribes."
00:19:04.37\00:19:05.71
And people are being
moved and inspired by the Word.
00:19:05.74\00:19:07.74
Well, the devil
couldn't have that.
00:19:07.78\00:19:09.58
It says, "Now there was a
man in the synagogue with an
00:19:09.61\00:19:11.95
unclean spirit.
00:19:11.98\00:19:13.98
And he cried out."
00:19:14.02\00:19:15.32
And you wonder how often he had
been to that church and nobody
00:19:15.35\00:19:18.85
knew he had an unclean spirit,
but when Jesus was making
00:19:18.89\00:19:22.56
headway, the devil
couldn't take it anymore.
00:19:22.59\00:19:26.16
It says, "He cried out,
saying, 'Let us alone!'"
00:19:26.19\00:19:29.40
What does "us" mean?
00:19:29.43\00:19:31.73
More than one.
00:19:31.77\00:19:33.20
"Let us alone!
00:19:33.23\00:19:34.54
What have we to do
with You, Jesus of Nazareth?
00:19:34.57\00:19:36.91
Did You come to destroy us?
00:19:36.94\00:19:38.57
I know who You
are--the Holy One of God!"
00:19:38.61\00:19:42.11
Right there in the church
service, how could He continue
00:19:42.14\00:19:45.25
preaching with that going on?
00:19:45.28\00:19:47.25
Wouldn't that be distracting?
00:19:47.28\00:19:48.62
Please, don't
anyone do that right now.
00:19:48.65\00:19:50.52
I'm not sure I've got the
gift of exorcism, so let's not
00:19:50.55\00:19:54.12
find out.
00:19:54.16\00:19:55.96
Right there in the middle, the
devil, why did the devil go to
00:19:55.99\00:19:59.46
church that day?
00:19:59.49\00:20:02.76
It's not the
first time it happened.
00:20:02.80\00:20:05.17
"But Jesus rebuked him, saying,
'Be quiet, and come out of him!'
00:20:05.20\00:20:11.37
And when the unclean spirit had
convulsed him," he didn't just
00:20:11.41\00:20:14.64
come out, there was this big
convulsion, "He carried on with
00:20:14.68\00:20:18.75
a loud voice,
he came out of him.
00:20:18.78\00:20:22.12
And they were all amazed,
so that they questioned among
00:20:22.15\00:20:25.02
themselves,
saying, 'What is this?
00:20:25.05\00:20:27.29
What new doctrine is this?
00:20:27.32\00:20:29.02
For with authority He commands
even the unclean spirits, and
00:20:29.06\00:20:32.39
they obey Him.'"
00:20:32.43\00:20:34.20
So what do we do
about distractions?
00:20:34.20\00:20:37.07
As often as possible, when the
devil distracts you, bring your
00:20:37.10\00:20:41.60
attention back, whether
it's in church or in your
00:20:41.64\00:20:44.21
private devotions.
00:20:44.24\00:20:45.57
People say, "Pastor Doug,
I'm praying and my mind wanders,
00:20:45.61\00:20:47.84
what do I do?"
00:20:47.88\00:20:49.21
As soon as you
recognize it, bring it back.
00:20:49.24\00:20:50.58
And what I do is I pray, "Holy
Spirit, help me stay focused,
00:20:50.61\00:20:55.18
and when my mind wanders,
help me recognize it and bring
00:20:55.22\00:21:00.26
it back."
00:21:00.29\00:21:01.62
And it's amazing how far and how
often your mind can wander when
00:21:01.66\00:21:04.39
you're trying to pray, the devil
is always trying to distract us.
00:21:04.43\00:21:07.76
And the more I'm being
distracted when I'm praying, I'm
00:21:07.76\00:21:10.20
thinking to myself, "The devil
really doesn't want me to pray
00:21:10.23\00:21:13.00
today for some reason."
00:21:13.03\00:21:14.90
That's the time you
really need to pray.
00:21:14.94\00:21:17.87
So, don't let him distract
you, you know, you've probably
00:21:17.91\00:21:20.94
noticed here and I don't want
to be unkind, but when I see
00:21:20.98\00:21:23.75
there's a major distraction
in the worship service, I stop,
00:21:23.78\00:21:27.65
because I thought, "I'm wasting
my time right now," until we can
00:21:27.68\00:21:29.78
resolve it.
00:21:29.82\00:21:31.12
Whether it's if the mic isn't
working, I'll say, "Is something
00:21:31.15\00:21:33.82
wrong, we're getting feedback?
00:21:33.86\00:21:35.16
Let's fix it."
00:21:35.19\00:21:36.83
If parents are trying to settle
down their children, you can
00:21:36.86\00:21:39.29
just pause and give them a
chance to take care of that.
00:21:39.33\00:21:42.03
But if people are
being distracted, you need to
00:21:42.06\00:21:44.37
address it.
00:21:44.40\00:21:45.70
Did Jesus address it?
00:21:45.73\00:21:47.07
Yeah, we need to focus, we want
to hear His voice when we come
00:21:47.10\00:21:51.14
to church.
00:21:51.17\00:21:52.51
Now, I've got more I want to
share with you, but I'm going to
00:21:52.54\00:21:54.38
close with this.
00:21:54.41\00:21:55.64
I'm not going to give you all of
the answers today, but how do we
00:21:55.68\00:21:58.81
deal with the devil and his
devices to try to bring us down?
00:21:58.85\00:22:05.49
I want to direct you to Psalm
91, go to Psalm 91 with me.
00:22:05.52\00:22:14.83
"He who dwells in the secret,"
this is verse 1, Psalm 91.
00:22:14.86\00:22:18.00
By the way, this is a
good Psalm to memorize.
00:22:18.03\00:22:20.87
"He who dwells in the secret
place of the Most High Shall
00:22:20.90\00:22:24.21
abide under the
shadow of the Almighty.
00:22:24.24\00:22:27.51
I will say of the Lord, 'He
is my refuge and my fortress.'"
00:22:27.54\00:22:31.21
What is He?
00:22:31.25\00:22:32.48
He is our fortress, a fortress
protects you, God protects us
00:22:32.51\00:22:37.55
against the enemy.
00:22:37.59\00:22:38.89
"'My God, in Him I will trust.'
00:22:38.92\00:22:40.52
Surely He will deliver you
from the snare of the fowler."
00:22:40.56\00:22:44.93
In the Bible, the devil is
called the fowler, someone who
00:22:44.96\00:22:47.30
traps birds.
00:22:47.36\00:22:49.33
"And from the
perilous pestilence.
00:22:49.36\00:22:51.63
He will cover you with His
feathers, And under His wings
00:22:51.67\00:22:54.40
you shall take refuge;
His truth," what is it that
00:22:54.44\00:22:57.44
saves us?
00:22:57.47\00:22:58.77
"His truth will be your
shield and your buckler.
00:22:58.81\00:23:03.08
You will not be afraid of the
terror by night, Nor the arrow
00:23:03.11\00:23:06.21
that flies by day, Nor
the pestilence that walks in
00:23:06.25\00:23:09.08
darkness, Nor the destruction
that lays waste at noonday.
00:23:09.12\00:23:12.55
A thousand may fall at your
side, And ten thousand at your
00:23:12.59\00:23:15.32
right hand; But it
will not come near you.
00:23:15.36\00:23:17.79
Only with your eyes will you
see, And look at the reward of
00:23:17.83\00:23:21.06
the wicked."
00:23:21.10\00:23:22.40
Why?
00:23:22.43\00:23:23.77
"Because you have made the Lord,
who is my refuge, Even the Most
00:23:23.80\00:23:26.77
High, your dwelling place."
00:23:26.80\00:23:29.07
It's talking about abiding,
if we abide in Him, we will be
00:23:29.10\00:23:34.71
protected from
the devil's devices.
00:23:34.74\00:23:39.01
Because you've made the
Lord your refuge, "No evil will
00:23:39.05\00:23:42.15
befall you, Nor will any plague
come near your dwelling; For He
00:23:42.18\00:23:45.89
will give His angels charge over
you," and the devil actually
00:23:45.92\00:23:48.42
misquoted this to Jesus, "He
will give His angels charge over
00:23:48.46\00:23:51.99
you, To keep you
in all of your ways."
00:23:52.03\00:23:53.76
You will have
angelic protection.
00:23:53.80\00:23:56.23
"In their hands they will bear
you up, Lest you dash your foot
00:23:56.26\00:23:59.20
against a stone.
00:23:59.23\00:24:00.60
You will tread upon the lion."
00:24:00.64\00:24:02.30
What is the devil
compared to in the Bible?
00:24:02.34\00:24:04.74
"Goes around as a roaring lion."
00:24:04.77\00:24:06.61
"You will tread upon the lion
and the cobra, The young lion
00:24:06.64\00:24:11.15
and the serpent you
will trample underfoot."
00:24:11.18\00:24:14.92
What's the serpent?
00:24:14.95\00:24:17.19
So, talking about the devil,
these are symbols for the devil.
00:24:17.22\00:24:19.99
"Because he has set his
love upon Me, therefore I will
00:24:20.02\00:24:24.23
deliver him; I will set him
on high, because he has known
00:24:24.26\00:24:28.03
My name.
00:24:28.06\00:24:30.00
He will call Me, and I will
answer him; I will be with him
00:24:30.03\00:24:33.80
in trouble."
00:24:33.84\00:24:35.14
Doesn't say you won't have
trouble, but He'll be with you
00:24:35.17\00:24:37.14
in trouble, amen?
00:24:37.17\00:24:38.51
"I will deliver
him and honor him.
00:24:38.54\00:24:41.31
With long life," namely eternal
life, "I will satisfy him, And
00:24:41.34\00:24:46.45
show him My salvation."
00:24:46.48\00:24:48.42
"He that dwells in the
secret place of the Most High."
00:24:48.45\00:24:51.42
If we are abiding in Christ,
we don't need to be afraid that
00:24:51.45\00:24:55.26
there are devils in the world,
God will protect us, amen?
00:24:55.29\00:24:58.69
Doug: Do you sometimes feel like
your faith is a little lukewarm,
00:25:02.86\00:25:06.50
do you struggle with motivation
when it's time to go to church,
00:25:06.53\00:25:10.34
does it seem, lately,
like you're being more easily
00:25:10.37\00:25:13.01
overcome by temptation?
00:25:13.04\00:25:15.21
Well, friend, don't despair,
you're not alone, millions of
00:25:15.24\00:25:18.31
Christians struggle with the
same challenges, they want to
00:25:18.35\00:25:21.22
keep their
experience vibrant and strong.
00:25:21.25\00:25:23.89
If you're longing to renew your
passion for Jesus, there are
00:25:23.92\00:25:27.46
some very real, practical
steps you can take to experience
00:25:27.49\00:25:31.76
a spiritual revival.
00:25:31.79\00:25:33.36
So, to help you reignite that
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00:25:33.40\00:25:36.50
"Amazing Facts" would like
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I promise that your faith will
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And after you read this
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Doug: Thank you for
tuning in to "Amazing Facts."
00:26:13.90\00:26:16.57
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Doug: Is there anywhere you
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Yes; please join me, Doug
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presentations will transform
00:26:58.55\00:27:01.98
what we know about the
world and your purpose in it.
00:27:02.02\00:27:05.32
Bible prophecy is fast
fulfilling, are you ready?
00:27:05.35\00:27:08.82
announcer: For more
information and to register,
00:27:08.86\00:27:10.86
visit prophecyodyssey.com.
00:27:10.89\00:27:13.29
female announcer: Let's
face it, it's not always easy to
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understand everything
you read in the Bible.
00:27:16.13\00:27:18.43
With over 700,000 words
contained in 66 books, the Bible
00:27:18.47\00:27:23.17
can generate a lot of questions.
00:27:23.20\00:27:25.17
To get biblical, straightforward
answers, call into "Bible
00:27:25.21\00:27:28.51
Answers Live," a live,
nationwide call-in radio
00:27:28.54\00:27:31.35
program, where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Batchelor and ask
00:27:31.38\00:27:34.82
him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:27:34.85\00:27:36.82
For times and stations in your
area, or to listen to answers
00:27:36.85\00:27:40.02
online, visit
BAL.AmazingFacts.org.
00:27:40.06\00:27:44.59
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00:27:45.26\00:27:50.53
male announcer: Don't
forget to request today's free
00:27:50.57\00:27:52.03
offer, it's sure
to be a blessing.
00:27:52.07\00:27:54.20
And thank you for
your continued support
00:27:54.24\00:27:56.20
as we take the
gospel of Jesus Christ
00:27:56.24\00:27:58.54
to the world.
00:27:58.57\00:27:59.87
We hope you'll join
us next week as we delve
00:27:59.91\00:28:02.18
deep into the Word
of God to explore more
00:28:02.21\00:28:05.05
Amazing Facts.
00:28:05.08\00:28:07.22
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00:28:17.26\00:28:24.20
announcer: This
presentation was brought to you
00:28:24.23\00:28:25.53
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
00:28:25.57\00:28:28.90