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Let not your hearts be troubled.          (Intro)

We ended the last study with these words of Jesus, as He gave us all a warning and a command…
(ESV of the Bible used in this study.)

Matthew 5:13-16  “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”  (14)  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  (15)  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  (16)  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

— In our discussions we found that many of us, I would venture to say, all of us are involved in spiritual warfare of one sort or other… These may involve life’s struggles, (health, finances, directional needs, unsaved loved ones, etc.) – We cannot allow these ongoing battles to make us feel discouraged. Don’t let the ‘Great Deceiver’ get you down!
– We must fully understand that Satan and all his host of fallen angels are already defeated, all that is left for them in their remaining time, is to try to take as many of God’s precious mankind to destruction with them.

That is where we get the title for this study: Let not your hearts be troubled.

In these verses, Jesus tells us that we need to keep our ‘saltiness’.
– We can’t yield even one inch, we need to be found opposing Satan’s lies and deceptions…

See Matthew 5:17-18  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  (18)  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

— This rebukes any effort to compromise God’s Word given to us in scriptures (the Bible).

Jesus also commanded, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden … In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

— We as a fellowship, must be like a city of lights set high on a hill, for all to see…
God’s church, His people, should not be seen as a discouraged and defeated group, just complaining about life and waiting for the end.

— If we become discouraged we must seek God’s renewal of spirit, His Holy Spirit’s revival within us. Then we can pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get back into the battle, with the full assurance that our God cannot be defeated, and in serving Him, VICTORY awaits.

 

This brings us to explore how to overcome
troubling thoughts and discouragement…

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‘Let not your hearts be troubled.’ – *Check all the answers you agree with.*    (Pg.1)

Matthew 5:17 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Q1. Do we see any efforts to compromise God’s Word (the Bible) Today?    ☐ Yes…      ☐ No…

Comments:____________________________________________________________________

Jesus also commanded, us to be the light of the world. (Jesus needs to be seen in us.)

Q2. Do bitterness, anger, judgementalism, or lack of compassion show Jesus to the world?

Comments:____________________________________________________________________

— If we become discouraged we must seek God’s renewal of our spirit… We need His Holy Spirit’s revival within us. Then we can pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get back into the battle, confident that our God cannot be defeated and in serving Him, victory awaits.

Q3. How is the Holy Spirit able to help us cast off a defeated attitude?

☐ The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see who God really is.  –  ☐ The Holy Spirit comforts us.
☐ The Holy Spirit casts out lying spirits.  –  ☐ The Holy Spirit reveals all truth.
☐ The Holy Spirit heals, even hidden wounds.  –  ☐ The Holy Spirit is equal to occultic power.

Comments:____________________________________________________________________

See how Jesus taught His disciples to overcome troubling times…         

As we read in John 14:1-7  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (2) In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (4) And you know the way to where I am going.” (5) Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (6) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (7) If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

— As we read further, this didn’t settle the disciple’s fearful thoughts about Jesus leaving them, as Philip, one of the disciples asks Jesus to show them God the Father…

John 14:8-14  Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” (9) Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (10) Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. (11) Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. (12) “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. (13) Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.   –   (Aren’t these mazing and wonderfully powerful words?)

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‘Let not your hearts be troubled.’  – *Check all the answers you agree with.*            (Pg.2)
— We need to remember, this is before the ‘Day of Pentecost’, When they received the Holy Spirit…

Jesus tried to prepare them, as He answered Philip in John 14:10-11…  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. (11) Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Q4. Even though Jesus is ‘God the Son’ (God in human bodily form), and ‘God the Father’ sits on the throne of Heaven, can they be separated one from the other?      ☐ Yes…     ☐ No… Comments:____________________________________________________________________

Jesus says in Vs.12… “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do because I am going to the Father. ”

Q5. Because Jesus was going to the Father, what power was going to be given to His followers?

☐ The Holy Spirit   –   ☐ Occultic powers   –   ☐ High Tech power   …to solve all our problems.

The reason we are given God’s Holy Spirit is found in Acts 1:6-11… So when they had come together, they asked him (Jesus), “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (7) He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (9) And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. (10) And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, (11) and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Q6. Why have we, as followers of Christ, been given the Holy Spirit?

☐ To be witnesses that Jesus, mankind’s Savior, is alive and is Lord over all.
☐ To display our Occultic powers    –    ☐ To gain glory, fortune, and fame in ministry.

We close with John 16:13-15… When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (14) He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (15) All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Q7. Who does the Holy Spirit glorify (turn us to praise and lift on high)?

☐ Himself.     –     ☐ Jesus.     –     ☐ God the Father.
To be lights in this darkening world, we must be courageous and faithful…
and allow the Holy Spirit in us to bring the glory to God.
We will close with further discussion and a time for prayer.  …(KRK)