Asking For A Friend #10

Asking For A Friend #10

Part of Asking For a Friend—Finding Answers for Tough Questions

August 4, 2024

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I. The Bible says God has not given us a spirit of fear. What does that mean? Are there particular spirits of depression, addiction, bitterness, lust, etc. that need to be cast out?
• Demons are evil spirits that create

in individuals,

in families, and spread

in cultures as worldviews. (Eph. 4:27-29, Dt. 5:9-10, 1Tim. 4:1)
• Spirits are not associated with particular sins, but rather with particular

,

, and

. (Jn. 8:44, Jn. 10:10, Dan. 10:13, 2Tim. 1:7)
• In some cases we need to exercise discernment by taking our thoughts

and

to our own soul. (2Cor. 10:3-5, Ps. 42:5)
• In some persistent cases we need to

and

an evil spirit that is hounding and haunting us as a stronghold. (Mt. 4:1-11, Mt. 18:18-19, Lk. 11:21-26)

II. In a culture where sexuality and gender expression are in the spotlight, how do we reach out to a culture that is being told their biological sex is interchangeable? Should we use pronouns?
• Identity is pre-programmed

via DNA and

via the spirit. (Mk. 16:5, Zech. 5:5-11)
• Nature is

meaning that we can determine identity by designed purpose.
• We cannot change identity, but we can

identity or

at a divergent identity.
• When our

are incongruent with

and

we need to resist our feelings.
• How we “reach out” with the Gospel: 1. Christians need to rediscover their spiritual “

” (Rom. 1:16) 2. Christians need to stop being

in gender confusion (Ex. 31:1-11, Judges 4:1-22) 3. Christians need to remember discipleship is “

” (Rom. 7:19-25) 4. Christians need to remember that grace without truth is meaningless, but truth without grace is

. (Jn. 8:1-11) 5. Sharing our faith may include or exclude the

people use. (Rom. 14:1-5, Jn. 2:7-10, Acts 17:16-23, 2Ki. 5:15-19, Lk. 7:34)

III. How do we take the plank out of our own eye? I can be so critical of others and see everyone’s flaws. In my mind I have solutions to fix the problems of others, but when it comes to myself I struggle to make needed changes or exercise self-discipline. I know the Holy Spirit is working in me and through me but it feels like nothing changes.
• The closer we get to Jesus the more we are convinced that the worst sinner is

because we exclusively compare with

. (1Tim. 1:15)
•

is the only spiritual weapon to achieve freedom in some cases of spiritual bondage. (Jas. 4:11-12, 5:15-16)
• We should pray for a “

” that the Holy Spirit convict the person of the sin and change their heart before we confront. (Jn. 16:8-11, Rom. 8:1-17)
• When we confront a sin in others, we should share a struggle we

have and invite mutual accountability. (Jas. 5:16)

IV. How do Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons understand the nature of God? How do Christians dialog with them in a meaningful way?
• Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the Trinity of God which renders them a

religious movement. (Mt. 3:13-17, 28:19, 2Cor. 13:14)
• Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus was created by Jehovah as the

and is now a lesser god than Jehovah following his name change. (Jn. 1:1-3, 8:58, Col. 1:16, Heb. 1:1-6, Phil. 2:6-11)
• Mormons believe that Jesus is the “

” of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother in an act of procreation. (Lk. 24:39, Jn. 2:19-21)
• Mormons believe that Jesus and

are siblings who both offered a plan for redemption but Jesus was chosen. (Lk. 10:18, Isa. 14:12-14, Ezek. 28:12-19
• The

, the

, the

, and the

are heretical texts. (Gal. 1:8)