James 4:7

To keep people out of the church

• Acts 2:47

• Colossians 1:13

• Acts 20:28

• The devil knows the value of the church in man’s salvation.

• Revelation 2:9 – The devil has his churches. If he can keep men there, he can keep them from salvation.

• Jesus’ first objective is to get men out of the devil’s domain and into His church. Hebrews 7:25

To get men back into his service

• II Peter 2:20-22

• II Corinthians 2:11 – The devil has many devices to get people back into his domain:

  • Trying to keep people ignorant of God’s word

  • Trying to interest people in worldly enterprises

  • Using church trouble and division to get people back into his service

  • Using evil companions to tempt people back into his service (I Corinthians 15:33)

  • Tempting people to serve themselves instead of God even as they worship

  • Tempting people with pleasure

  • Using our stinginess

  • Using chronic grouchiness and backbiting to get us away from Christ

  • Encouraging us to be adept at excuses instead of working like we should

  • Encouraging people to have a “rule or ruin” attitude within the church

I Peter 5:8-9 – Let us recognize our weak points and strengthen them.