Page 29 - Youth Discipleship Student Textbook

We live in Vanity Fair. Satan has influenced the world to seek pleasure and fame. Youth culture shouts
the lies of Satan and captures the hearts of so many.

Satan does not care about what direction a person takes with his life, as long as it is not the narrow path
toward Christ. He does not care if they seek drugs, sex, entertainment, position, power. He does not
care about which road they take to destruction. His goal is to sidetrack every person, so they don’t
believe in Christ by whatever means at his disposal. Then if they do come to Christ, his goal is to make
sure they certainly do not serve Him with their lives.

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Galatian 5 gives tell us of the results of his work: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which
are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths,
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factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like;

A youth minister must fully understand that he is in a battle for the hearts of teenagers. Ephesians 6: 12
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says, For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers,
against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places. The passage continues to describe the tools of discipleship and concludes with verse
18 telling us to win the battle “with all prayer and supplication, praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”

5.4 Let’s Practice…

1.-2. What two passages of Scripture describe Lucifer’s fall in heaven?

3. What are Satan’s primary activities today?

4. Explain how Satan is so successful in capturing the minds of youth.

5. Explain how Satan is assisted by every man’s old sin nature in defying God.

6. Explain how John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (especially about Vanity Fair), is so relevant to today’s
ploy of Satan to capture the hearts of youth.

7. What must a youth minister understand to do battle in youth ministry?

5.5 Let’s Personalize this Lesson…

Activity: If you joined the military of your country, you probably would have to go to a
training camp. In the US, we call it “boot camp.” It is a time of intensive training where one
learned how to be a faithful soldier. In a sense, in taking this course, you are in boot camp.
Take time right now to commit you mind and ways to God, trying to learn to be the very best
soldier of Jesus Christ.

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