Every Believer’s Battle Against Unbelief Part 3

God’s Way Bible Study

Every Believer’s Battle Against Unbelief Part 3

Tuesday, December 12, 2023


3 areas of battle in our fight of faith.

  1. Battle area of information. 

  2. Battle area of time. 

  3. Battle area of the inner man/self 

Battle area of the inner man/self /ego

Main actor: self (pride)

Manifestation: idolatry 

 The faith we are called to is not faith in a plan or a set of principles, but faith in a person, Persons have wills. Faith always involves a clash of wills. Not my will, but Yours be done.

But if we see our faith as belief in a trustworthy PERSON, then we will not pick and choose but we will believe every word that proceeds out of His mouth. 

Matthew 4:4 (NKJV) But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

We are identified as believers, not because of a belief system we subscribe to, but because of a PERSON in whom we trust in and obey. 

If we see our faith merely as belief in a set of principles, then we will treat our faith like a buffet. We pick and choose what we like, we ignore or even reject what we don’t like. 

James 2:10-11 (NLT) 10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law..

It is a dangerous proposition to try to reduce the word of God to a set of principles. 

Instead, it is better to see the Bible as God's autobiography. 

Through it, we get to know God. We learn of His ways (principles) as we learn of Him. We learn of His character as we read about His dealings with men. 

If the focus is not on God, whatever else it may be on, it is idolatry. 

Idolatry is having another god besides Yahweh. The very first of the 10 commandments addresses that. Our relationship with God flows from this first commandment. If we allow any other god, it matters little if we obey all the other commandments. 

At the end of all idolatry is self. 

There are two forms of idolatry… self-glory and self-preservation.

Self-glory 

Self-glory is concerned with looking good, instead of being good. It desires to be well known, to be famous or failing that, to be notorious. It enjoys celebrity status a little too much. 

This is a form of self-worship on public display. Self is the idol that is worshiped. Self contends the position of prominence and preeminence which is the exclusive reserve of God.

Isaiah 42:8 (NLT) “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.

Starting with Lucifer, to Adam and Eve, to Herod and every megalomaniac who has ever been called Great, we will observe a pattern of self-glory.

 Self-glory contravenes Jesus’ injunctions. In Matthew 6, Jesus warned us against seeking glory and recognition from men. We should not seek it in the areas of charity and spirituality.

 Charity: Matthew 6:1-4

Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don't’ do as the hypocrites do– blowing trumpets in the synagogues and the streets to call attention to their acts of charity.! I tell you they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father who sees everything will reward you.

Spirituality: Matthew 6:5-6

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on streets corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and your Father who sees everything will reward you.

Self-preservation.

This is a more subtle kind of idolatry than the glory-seeking type. It is the self-preserving kind. We place a high value on our lives, as we should, but there is a level of self-interest, self-preservation which goes too far and crosses into idolatry. 

“Those who serve God out of fear will also serve the devil, when he scares them enough.”

 All worshipers of idols through the ages have been driven by self-interest. Appease the gods so that natural disasters can be averted, so that your crops can be plenty, so that you can have victory in battle… It was all for the sake of self. 

Sacrificing humans to gods was essentially self-preservation at any cost. This is idolatry at its worst. 

It is unfortunate that many Christians come to God with the same mindset of self-preservation. Many serve God for their bellies. Others serve God for protection, promotion and prosperity.  

The teachings of Christ clearly negate that. 

Mark 8:34-38 (KJV)

34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

If we come to God only for blessings, and not for God Himself, that is idolatry.

Philippians 3:18-20 (NLT) 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

We should not serve God as a means to an end. God must be the end because whatever we hold as our end is the god we are pursuing and serving.

Idols are served because of the benefits they offer. God is not an idol. God's word is not an idol. We serve God because we deem Him worthy. Any benefit He offers is an added blessing. 

Matthew 6:33 (KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The Highest Purpose of Faith 

If we are to seek God, not because of His benefits, why then are we supposed to seek Him? 

  • We are to seek Him because we deem Him worthy.

  • Pleasing God is our highest goal. 

Revelation 4:11 (NLT) “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NLT) So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

New American Standard Bible

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

Hebrews 11:5 (KJV) By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5 (NLT) 5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 

Final Thoughts.

God is not against glory nor is He against pleasure. 

Romans 2:7 (NLT) He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

Psalms 16:11 (NLT) You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

The problem He has with us is that we have a tendency to settle for less, way less than He has planned for us. He wants us to practice the ultimate form of delayed gratification.

Hebrews 11:25-26 (NLT) 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.


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The Heart of A Servant

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Every Believer’s Battle Against Unbelief Part 2