enemies Archives - Steps to Life

May 31 – June 6, 2020

Key Text

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:5).

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 505–510.

Introduction

“There is help for us only in God. We should not flatter ourselves that we have any strength in wisdom of our own, for our strength is weakness, our judgment foolishness. Christ conquered the foe in our behalf because He pitied our weakness and knew that we would be overcome and would perish if He did not come to our help.” That I May Know Him, 269.

Sunday

OUR GREAT ADVERSARY

Who is our greatest enemy, and how does he manifest himself? 1 Peter 5:8.

Note: “The more nearly the Christian imitates the divine Pattern, the more surely will he make himself a mark for the attacks of Satan.” The Great Controversy, 510.

“Men under the influence of evil spirits will work miracles. They will make people sick by casting their spell upon them, and will then remove the spell, leading others to say that those who were sick have been miraculously healed. This Satan has done again and again.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 53.

Why is he working so hard against us? Revelation 12:12.

Note: “Satan is a diligent Bible student. He knows that his time is short, and he seeks at every point to counterwork the work of the Lord upon this earth.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 16.

“The great conflict that Satan created in the heavenly courts is soon, very soon, to be forever decided. … Now, as never before, Satan is exercising his deceiving power to mislead and to destroy every unguarded soul.” Ibid., vol. 7, 141.

Monday

PROTECTION FROM OUR ENEMIES

When we are overwhelmed by the work of the enemy, what can give us courage? Psalm 61:1–3; Isaiah 59:19, second part.

Note: “The enemy cannot overcome the humble learner of Christ, the one who walks prayerfully before the Lord. Christ interposes Himself as a shelter, a retreat, from the assaults of the wicked one. …

“There is no power in the whole satanic force that can disable the soul that trusts, in simple confidence, in the wisdom that comes from God.

“Christ is our tower of strength, and Satan can have no power over the soul that walks with God in humility of mind. … In Christ there is perfect and complete help for every tempted soul. Dangers beset every path, but the whole universe of heaven is standing on guard, that none may be tempted above that which he is able to bear. … If we will give ourselves unselfishly to the work, never swerving in the least from principle, the Lord will throw about us the everlasting arms, and will prove a mighty helper. If we will look to Jesus as the One in whom we may trust, He will never fail us in any emergency.” My Life Today, 316.

“In the daily life you will meet with sudden surprises, disappointments, and temptations. … Look unto Jesus at all times and in all places, offering a silent prayer from a sincere heart that you may know how to do His will. Then when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard for you against the enemy.” The Adventist Home, 214.

How can we rise above our enemies? Psalm 119:98; Proverbs 16:7.

Note: “Could our spiritual vision be quickened, we should see souls bowed under oppression and burdened with grief, pressed as a cart beneath sheaves and ready to die in discouragement. We should see angels flying swiftly to aid these tempted ones, who are standing as on the brink of a precipice. The angels from heaven force back the hosts of evil that encompass these souls, and guide them to plant their feet on the sure foundation. The battles waging between the two armies are as real as those fought by the armies of this world, and on the issue of the spiritual conflict eternal destinies depend.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 119.

Tuesday

ENEMIES WHICH CAUSE DEEP WOUNDS

From where do our “enemies” sometimes come? Micah 7:6. Why? Amos 3:3.

Note: “Between the believer and the unbeliever there is a radical difference of tastes, inclinations, and purposes. They are serving two masters, between whom there can be no concord.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 174.

Who turned against David? Psalm 41:9. As David sought comfort from the Lord, what assurance was he given? Verses 11, 12.

Note: “When your names are cast out as evil, and friends turn against you, remember how Jesus was treated on earth. Spies were constantly upon His track, seeking to catch Him in His words, that they might find accusation against Him. Can His followers expect better treatment than He received?” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 234.

Tell how Jesus had a similar experience. Luke 22:48.

Note: “Judas the betrayer did not forget the part he was to act. When the mob entered the garden, he had led the way, closely followed by the high priest. To the pursuers of Jesus he had given a sign, saying, ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast’ (Matthew 26:48). Now he pretends to have no part with them. Coming close to Jesus, he takes His hand as a familiar friend. With the words, ‘Hail, Master’ (Matthew 26:49), he kisses Him repeatedly, and appears to weep as if in sympathy with Him in His peril.

“Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, wherefore art thou come’ (verse 50)? His voice trembled with sorrow as He added, ‘Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss’ (Luke 22:48)? This appeal should have aroused the conscience of the betrayer, and touched his stubborn heart; but honor, fidelity, and human tenderness had forsaken him. He stood bold and defiant, showing no disposition to relent. He had given himself up to Satan, and he had no power to resist him. Jesus did not refuse the traitor’s kiss.” The Desire of Ages, 695, 696.

Wednesday

DELIVERANCE THROUGH LOVE AND KINDNESS

How should we treat those who hurt us? How did Jesus give us an example of this? Matthew 5:43–47; Romans 5:6–8.

Note: “Not because we first loved Him did Christ love us; but ‘while we were yet sinners’ (Romans 5:8) He died for us. He does not treat us according to our desert. Although our sins have merited condemnation, He does not condemn us. Year after year He has borne with our weakness and ignorance, with our ingratitude and waywardness. Notwithstanding our wanderings, our hardness of heart, our neglect of His Holy word, His hand is stretched out still.” The Ministry of Healing, 161.

“Even sinners whose hearts are not utterly closed to God’s Spirit, will respond to kindness; while they may give hate for hate, they will also give love for love. But it is only the Spirit of God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the Highest reveal their high estate.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 75.

How can we practically love our enemies? Romans 12:20, 21.

Note: “We may never know until the judgment the influence of a kind, considerate course of action to the inconsistent, the unreasonable, and unworthy. If, after a course of provocation and injustice on their part, you treat them as you would an innocent person, you even take pains to show them special acts of kindness, then you have acted the part of a Christian; and they become surprised and ashamed, and see their course of action and meanness more clearly than if you plainly stated their aggravated acts to rebuke them.” Medical Ministry, 209, 210.

Tell of a time where this spirit was practiced. What were the results? 2 Kings 6:18–23.

Note: “Every word of love, every act of kindness—even the cup of cold water that has been given in the name of Christ—is recognized and rewarded.” The Signs of the Times, February 10, 1888.

Thursday

GOD GIVES THE VICTORY

How can we have victory over our great enemy, the devil? James 4:7–10.

Note: “To us, as to Peter, the word is spoken, ‘Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not’ (Luke 22:31, 32). Thank God, we are not left alone. He who ‘so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16), will not desert us in the battle with the adversary of God and man.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 119.

When does God promise to deliver us? Psalm 50:15.

Note: “Sweet and abiding will be the influence emanating from Him who seeth in secret, whose ear is open to hear the prayer arising from the heart. By calm, simple faith the soul holds communion with God and gathers to itself rays of divine light to strengthen and sustain it in the conflict with Satan.” Steps to Christ, 98.

“Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name.” In Heavenly Places, 256.

“When it becomes the habit of the soul to converse with God, the power of the evil one is broken, for Satan cannot abide near the soul that draws nigh unto God. If Christ is your companion, you will not cherish vain and impure thoughts; you will not indulge in trifling words.” That I May Know Him, 250.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What should we consider if we find life easy, without any struggles with the enemy?

2 What makes the soul invincible to the attacks of the enemy?

3 Why do we sometimes clash with relatives and supposed friends? Who else had this experience?

4 What works most effectively in dealing with the inconsistent and unreasonable?

5 How does prayer give us the victory over our enemies?

“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.”

Luke 6:37

Notice in the last part of that verse we are told that if we forgive, we will be forgiven. True forgiveness comes from only one Source—the Lord. As human beings, we sometimes like to think that the other person deserves what they get because of what they have done. Somehow we find it so hard to find forgiveness from the heart. When mistreated or, in our opinion, been dealt with unfairly, it is so easy to justify our desire to retaliate. We need so much help with that.

Forgiveness is a gift from God and is given to us from above. It not only comes from God but is required by Him and is an essential characteristic to have if we are ever to enter into His kingdom. Jesus has told us in the Lord’s prayer that He would forgive those who have forgiven others or as we forgive others. In our personal lives we need to learn how to forgive from the heart.

One of the best ways to learn how to do this is to contemplate on the life of Christ. We are told, “It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” The Desire of Ages, 83. Take each point one by one and meditate on each scene.

As we think about the value of things in this life we see that sin is the most expensive thing that is in this world. You may think it is expensive to buy a fancy car. You may think it is expensive to buy a luxurious house. But the most expensive thing in the world is sin, because sin cost the blood of our Saviour, God’s only dear son. It is only by His blood that we are cleansed from sin, and by accepting the gift we were offered at Calvary that we are able to forgive others.

The forgiving spirit is a gift to each of us from God. We cannot buy it. We cannot earn it, but we must accept it. It is well for us to remember that God forgives. In fact, in Micah 7:19 it says, “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

He takes our sins and casts them into the depths of the sea where they cannot possibly be retrieved. He not only forgives us, but He casts away our sins so that they are not part of us anymore. David said that he takes our sins and puts them away as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). This is the extent that we are to forgive others and to the same measure that we forgive, we will be forgiven.

One of the Bible writers that many of us, if not all of us, have gained a real Christian experience from is Paul. He witnessed the forgiveness of sin, which contributed to his conversion and subsequent life. The letters he wrote to encourage the early church, which make up a large part of the New Testament, have been a wonderful blessing and encouragement to Christians throughout the ages.

“The Saviour had spoken to Saul through Stephen, whose clear reasoning could not be controverted. The learned Jew had seen the face of the martyr reflecting the light of Christ’s glory—appearing as if ‘it had been the face of an angel’ (Acts 6:15). He had witnessed Stephen’s forbearance toward his enemies and his forgiveness of them. He had also witnessed the fortitude and cheerful resignation of many whom he had caused to be tormented and afflicted. He had seen some yield up even their lives with rejoicing for the sake of their faith.

“All these things had appealed loudly to Saul and at times had thrust upon his mind an almost overwhelming conviction that Jesus was the promised Messiah.” The Acts of the Apostles, 116.

Paul said he witnessed Jesus Christ through Stephen in his forbearance towards His enemies and his forgiveness. Paul thought upon that forgiveness and the appearance of Stephen as he gave up his life—his face looked like an angel.

I have long thought about how he was converted by that forgiveness and how important it is to each one of us. We never know how our actions or our expressions will affect the experience of another person. Let us from day to day continue with a forgiving spirit and a Christlike experience.

Remember always that others need our love and they need our forgiveness. May we always remember to do this as day by day we walk in the Christian way.

Ruth Grosboll, matriarch of Steps to Life, lived a long life in the service of her Master. She served as a missionary nurse in Myanmar, formerly Burma. In her later years she held the position of receptionist and correspondent at Steps to Life Ministry, blessing many people with her heartfelt encouraging letters. She is sadly missed to this day.