This study was first taught on December 27, 2020

Topic: Dealing with Opposition Against God’s Will for You (1): Obtaining Wise Counsel

(use the audio to study)

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Background
We have been examining Satan’s strategy to implement his policy of stymying the gospel’s spread, “That it spread no further”. He tried persecution but it backfired. Then he introduced the prosperity gospel which weakened the church and made her to become pleasure-seeking and pleasure-loving, and eventually, she slept!

And while the church slept, Satan spoiled her. He carted away its treasure—faith, humility, holiness, truth, doctrine, etc., made her captive to pleasure, worldliness, and deception, and, corrupted her by infiltrating her with sons of belial posing as pastors and church leaders.

Sometimes one may wonder why God does not do anything about he corruption of the church? If He uproots these false prophets, some weak Christians may also be uprooted along. Also, God allows those who come to him out of deception to fall away so that those who are standing will remain. Again, God wants to prove those who are truly His and to make them endure till the end (<strong>Matthew 24:9-13</strong>). At the end of the age, He will separate the ‘tares’ from the ‘wheat’.

We saw how King Jehoshaphat almost scuttled the Davidic Covenant when he aligned with Ahab by marrying Ahab’s daughter for his son. Today, we see the church in alliance with the world, carnality engaging in spiritual work, and false prophets gaining a foothold in the church. We must, however, resist Satan by holding unto God’s word and teaching it everywhere.

Scripture Text(s)
Acts 4:18-31
We see in these verses, the events that followed the release of Peter and John by the Sanhedrin, and this will form the subject of our discussion today.
For many people, “being let go”—a taste of freedom after incarceration—is viewed as a major victory and they would usually go to sleep thereafter. But not Peter and John! They knew that the threat was real and the what they did after their release by the Sanhedrin is helpful in how we obtain wise counsel to deal with opposition against God’s will for us.
1 Kings 18:24-29; 22:1ff; 2 Chronicles 10:1-16; 9:1-12; Luke 11:31; Proverbs 24:6; 11:14; John 14:16-17; 2 Samuel 15:31-37; 16:23; 17:1ff.

Conclusion
Let your companions who you turn to in times of difficulty be Spirit-filled, and let them be there with you in the execution of the counsel they have given. This is where the Holy Spirit, our Paraclete is most useful—He not only gives us counsel, but He is there with us to ensure the orderly and effective execution of His counsel. No matter the counsel that come from men, always seek God’s counsel—before and after (<strong>1 Samuel 23:1-5</strong>)! Finally, any counsel that does not lead you to God and to do His will is no wise counsel!

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