Living for Christ
Faith in Christ, over time, will result in obedience to God’s Word, even though there will be ups and downs (James 2:17). However, the Bible says, the Christian life is like a battlefield with three specific enemies.
SATAN: Satan is a vicious enemy who will aim to destroy you and your walk with Christ. The Bible calls him a “roaring lion” who is always looking to destroy believers (1 Peter 5:8). His biggest weapon is to keep you away from God’s Word…and your dependency on Christ. Then he can launch his weapons of doubt and discouragement. You don’t need to fear him. He can only defeat you if you let him. Prepare for battle (Ephesians 6:10-18)!
THE WORLD: Although there is nothing wrong with money or material success, it is very easy to get so focused on possessions and success, that God becomes secondary to personal ambition. God wants to be your first and highest focus in life…and you will only be truly satisfied when you give Him his rightful place (Matthew 6:33).
“FLESHLY” DESIRES: We all are assaulted daily by images and desires that are outside the will of God. This includes temptations such as sex outside of marriage, gossip, anger, addictions, and other destructive behavior (Galatians 5:17).
As you grow in Christ, you will experience more and more victory over these attacks. Your growth in Christ, and your victory over temptation will largely depend on you following God’s growth plan. In the Christian life you are either growing or shrinking.
Growth is God’s Plan for You
God’s growth plan for you as a Christian is as follows:
- Walk in the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit–lesson 2).
- Trust God with your life (Faith–lesson 3).
- Know and trust God’s Word (God’s Word–lesson 4).
- Pray to God (Prayer–lesson 5).
- Fellowship with other Christians (Fellowship–lesson 6).
- Obey Christ (Obedience–lesson 7).
Connecting the Pieces
Extreme living with Christ begins to take shape as the pieces of the puzzle connect.
If you are serious about growing in your new relationship with Christ, then spend time going through the next lessons—looking up the Bible verses—and telling God you want to live the extreme life He has planned for you