Message Notes

(I) A NECESSARY CALL TO ARMS!

1. General awareness insufficient

2. Special awareness needed

(II) A NEED TO DISTINCTLY IDENTIFY THE ENEMY

1. Identification made by the Lord Jesus Himself

2. Mention of “the wicked one” (Matthew 13:18)

3. Tactics of “the wicked one”

a) To snatch away the word of God (Matthew 13:18)

b) To sow tares

“The enemy who sowed them is the devil”     Matthew 13:39

(III) AN APPRECIATION OF THE DEADLINESS OF THE ATTACKS OF THE WICKED ONE

1. The work of snatching away the word of God from the heart!

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart”   Matthew 13:18

a) The audacity of the Devil!

b) The authority of the Devil!

2. The work of sowing tares

“But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”   Matthew 13:25

a) The cunning of the Devil

b) The choice of sowing tares “while men slept”

3. The Results of the work of the Devil

a) Lawlessness (Matthew 13:41)

b) Destruction of souls (Matthew 13:41)

(IV) A VITAL APPROACH ADOPTED

1. Comprehension of the work of the Devil

2. Courage to battle powerful evil forces

3. Clad in the full armour of God    (Ephesians 6:10-18)

4. Commitment to “fight the good fight of faith”

Be Strong!

Be Strong!

We are not here to play, to dream, to drift;

We have hard work to do and loads to lift;

Shun not the struggle- face it; it’s God’s gift.

Be strong!

Say not, ‘The days are evil. Who’s to blame?’

And fold the hands and acquiesce- oh, shame!

Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God’s name.

Be strong!

It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,

How hard the battle goes, the day how long;

Faint not- fight on! Tomorrow comes the song.

– Maltbie Davenport Babcock –