A Sinner’s Guide to Life 

Wk 11 “Sneak Attack” 

1 Peter 5:8-11 

Darin Elquist 

June 30, 2024 

Message Notes 

Subtle Ways Satan Tries to Destroy the Church 

 1. Instilling Pride  

Romans 12:3 

3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 

2. Human Loyalties 

1 Corinthians 1:11-13  

For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.  

12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.”  

13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 

Be loyal only to Jesus and His Word, the rest of us are only human.

3. Avoid Agendas   

Philippians 2:3-5  

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves;  

4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 

4. Avoid Majoring in the Minors  

2 Timothy 2:14 

14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly exhort them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the listeners. 

2 Timothy 2:23 

23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 

5. Avoid Favoritism 

James 2:1-4 

1 My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.  

2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in,  

3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”  

4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 

6. Avoid Being Double-Minded 

This is easier to say than it is to do isn’t it?  

Ephesians 4:1-4  

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,  

3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; 

Satan is real and he wants to destroy you, your family, and your church.

Because we all have the power of the Holy Spirit inside us, we have the power to resist.

We need to resist his temptations every single day. 

1. Why do you think Peter wrote the letter we call 1 Peter?  What are some of the topics he touched on in the 5 chapters? 

2. Read 1 Peter 5:8-12, what is meant by a sober spirit in verse 8?  How can we resist the devil?  Who wrote the letter of 1Peter? 

3. What does it mean in verse 10 “after you have suffered for a little while”? 

4. Are all the problems of the world caused by Satan?  Why or why not? 

5. What are some ways Satan tries to divide or destroy the church?  Does Satan have total control of what happens on the earth?  Why or why not? 

6. Read Ephesians 6:10-12, what is meant by “spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places”?  Are these battles avoidable? 

7. Read Philippians 2:3-5, what is humility?  What is the purpose of the church? 

8. Darin used the phrase, “Avoid majoring on the minors”.  What does that mean/what are some things considered minor and what are things we would consider major?  What are some ways we can major on the minors and why would that be a problem? 

9. Please pray for the leadership of the church and that God will continue to grow and guide His church in Spanish Springs.