Sermon Study Guide

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Maranatha Bible Church

Chicago

Sermon Study Guide

The Spirit of Babylon - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Pastor Daniel Batarseh|Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Scripture References

Genesis 11:1-9Obadiah 1:3Luke 12:17-20Genesis 12:1-2Genesis 9:7Acts 2Daniel 1:1-7Isaiah 47:10Jeremiah 29:7Revelation 18:2-5

Sermon Summary

Pastor Daniel Batarseh traces the 'Spirit of Babylon' from the Tower of Babel to the end times. He warns that this spirit seeks to redefine identity and promote human unity apart from God.

Key Takeaways

1Unity without God is not a utopia; it is a concentration of human evil that leads to judgment.
2The spirit of Babylon attempts to rename and rebrand believers to separate them from their God-given identity.
3External reforms and societal resets fail because the root problem is the internal condition of the human heart.
4The church must prioritize deep biblical teaching to counter the daily 'reconditioning' of the world.
5Believers are called to pray for the welfare of the society they live in, even if that society is hostile to their faith.

Discussion Questions

Use these questions for small group discussion or personal reflection.

1Why is human unity apart from God viewed as a 'recipe for disaster' rather than a positive goal?
2In Genesis 11, the people wanted to 'make a name for themselves.' How do we see this same desire manifesting in social media and modern culture?
3How does the strategy of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 1 compare to the way modern education and media influence young people today?
4Why is it significant that God reversed the confusion of Babel at Pentecost (Acts 2)?
5Jeremiah told the exiles to pray for the welfare of Babylon. How can we pray for a culture that often opposes our biblical values?
6What does it look like practically for a Christian to 'come out of' Babylon while still living in the world?

Application Points

Practical ways to apply this message to your life.

Evaluate your daily thoughts for 'I' and 'My' statements that mirror the pride of the rich fool in Luke 12.
Commit to saturating your mind with Scripture daily to maintain a biblical filter for news and culture.
Actively engage in the spiritual and biblical education of your children to counter worldly influences.
Pray specifically for the welfare of your city and nation, asking God for order and peace.
Identify one area of your life where you have been tempted to 'conform' to worldly identity and reaffirm your identity in Christ.

Personal Reflection

Take time to quietly reflect on these prompts.

How is the Holy Spirit speaking to me through this message?

What areas of my life need to change in light of this teaching?

Who can I share this truth with this week?

What is one specific action I will take as a result of this sermon?

Prayer Points

Thank God for His Word and the truths revealed in this message.
Pray for understanding and wisdom to apply what you've learned.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live out these truths in your daily life.
Pray for others who heard this message, that they too would be transformed.

Notes

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