Beth Moore "Entrusted" Session 4: Difficult Times, Difficult People

We're nearing the end of our study of "Entrusted" by Beth Moore.  What a journey we've had these last four weeks.  Only two more sessions to finish.

Pre-Session
In the pre-session talk, a question was asked about how to know our calling.  This is Beth's answer:

• Say "yes" to God
• Ask Him to bring you to the place where you know Him
• Start walking it out
• Let Him plan the course
• The Word of God will give you just enough light to know where to take the next step

It was also said that "so many times we think there is one calling and we need to find it.  There isn't one specific thing we're trying to figure out.  It's a matter of being sensitive to where God is leading us."

Session 4

In this session, Beth weaved in bits and pieces of her own story. She shared with us her biggest eye-openers of the last 40 years of ministry.

Our scripture was 2 Timothy 2:20-26.  We focused more on verse 26 in this chapter:

"and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." ESV

Beth emphasized two thoughts here:

• God has a will for our life
• Satan has a will for our life

"It's not archaic thinking to know that there is a demonic world.  We need to know and believe there is a kingdom of darkness."

Beth strongly instructed us to not leave sound doctrine.  

Biggest Eye-Openers

1. The forces of evil are meaner and abler than most of us ever pictured.

• We had better be ready for attacks.  Second Thessalonians 2:8 says this "God will breathe on the man of lawlessness."  The kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness are not equal, but they are two opposing forces
• The enemy has great wrath.  He wants to touch God's children (Revelation 12:7-12)
• The enemy wants to prove us unfaithful.  The most effective thing the enemy can do is to entangle us to prove us unfaithful.
• The more entangled we are, the less faithful we will be with what has been entrusted to us
• We are not our own worst enemy, but we are our own worst enemy's accomplice
• We can have a sincere and pure devotion to Christ and be completely seduced by the devil
• Regular warfare is hard ball.  Seduction is curve ball.  The enemy is an artist at seduction

2.  This faith-life is a fight from beginning to end.

• The enemy will minimize what Christ has done and then destruct us. But we must "take hold" (I Timothy 6:11-12)
• We must wrestle it out (Acts 14:22) - learn to fight
• Our cloud of witnesses is cheering us on

3. Even amid the evil that beleaguers (surrounds) or befalls us, God is continually and mercifully after our good.

• Luke 22:31-32 was used to reveal to us that Peter had something that needed sifting
• We cannot hide what needs to be sifted in us.  It must be defeated in us
• The thorn stands as a guard over our life

4.  God purposely set up the system where it demands dialogue and dependency to function properly.

• Jesus is after an invasive relationship with us
• He's pushing the envelope of our communication with Him continually
• Complete dependency
• Invasion of God
• We can't walk in the gray zone
• You will be delivered.  Your life is just beginning after going through it

5.  Jesus. Is. The. Best. Part.

Anything entangling us from knowing that Jesus is the prize, you will want to deal with.

Session 5: "Fulfill Your Ministry"