Zoom Out and see the Cross

Tonight I listened to a message by Louie Giglio called "Zoom Out Before you Jump In"-The Truth about Temptation.
It was really good. I thought I would highlight some of his points.

1. We live in a spiritual battle
-God has created and intended for our best and satan wants to destroy and "jip" us out of God's best for our lives.
2. We have a spiritual enemy.
-satan has a plan and agenda for our lives. He is a liar and we have to call that out "You are a liar".
John 8:44 "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies"
His native language is "liar". There is no truth in him.
3. His choice of sin is always cloaked in deception.
-Genesis 3 Shows a picture of satan and his deception.

How does satan operate?
1.Satan is crafty and smart.
-He understands what you are about, he knows the ingredients of how to get at you. He knows our history. Knows what to pull out to get us hooked on the line.
Genesis 3:1 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made."
2.He undermines the truth of God.
-He will attack the truth of God.
Gen 3:1b-3 "And he said to the woman, 'Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?' The woman said to the serpent, 'From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'"
3.He attacks God's intentions and His heart.
Gen 3:4-5 "The serpent said to the woman, 'You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'"
vs:6 "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and tha thte tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate."
Root of sin and temptation is saying, "I don't trust God".
4. Promises something that he can't deliver.
5. He is appealing to God given needs.
6. Uses others to influence you
7. Vanishes when we sin and leaves us broken and alone, leaves you hanging.
8. He returns to shame and guilt us with the very thing he enticed us to do.

Temptation zooms in on whatever the situation is.
Zoom out of the picture and see the cross.

Zoom out means to knowing the truths about God:
1. God is good and gives his best to us.
-Hang on.
2. Author of Life
-All sin leads to death. Every little sin is linked to habitual sin or pattern of sin and lifestyle. All leads to death and away from God. But God breathes the breath of life in us and gives us new life in Jesus
3. Always wants to give us everything we need.
4. Wants to protect from harmful choices.
-Tells Adam not to eat from that tree.
5. Pursues us even in our disobedience. When we are broken and alone.
Gen. 3:8-9 "They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
6. Faithful to his word and the consequences of our choices.
7. More powerful than satan.
8. God's merciful to us in our nakedness. Protecting from perpetual sin.
Gen. 3:21 "Then the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them."
9. Forgiveness and Grace through Jesus Christ for those who are naked and broken in sin.

Romans 5:20 "Where sin increased, grace increased."
We will never have more sin than grace. Grace will always be over sin.