This title applied to this teaching should cause every believer to have a "wait a minute, moment! What are you talking about here" reaction. Our mind should jump to some of our favorite verses and reject that thought. Of course, we all know the scriptures state that abundant life is that which Jesus has provided for each believer in the body of Christ. John records those very words of Jesus here in John chapter 10.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
Even though we know this scripture, have we ever been in a situation where we or someone else we know is not really experiencing the more abundant life? We might say, ”I know that the Bible says that Jesus has provided for me life and life more abundantly, but that is not exactly what I am experiencing in my life or in my ministry right now.”
Sometimes believers will ask, “What is wrong with me and my Christian experience”? Is there just something about me that God doesn’t like? Is God displeased with me? It seems that everything I try to do good just ends up being held up or hindered or at least falling short! Is God testing me?
Let's look at a passage of scripture that Paul wrote to young Timothy. Let’s read it slow and pay close attention to the well of information contained in such a small passage.
2 Tim 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Whoa! That is a wild passage of scripture! What think ye? Notice the last part of verse 26! who are taken captive by him (the devil) at his will.
On a personal note here, I have never heard anyone else in the body of Christ teach on the passage of scripture. I have also found the newer Bible translations to mess with this passage probably because they could not believe it is saying what it is saying. Examining the Interlineal Greek and the Strongs dictionary shows the KJV did a good job translating this passage. However I ask everyone to do their own study.
Now, when we examine this passage of scripture, it should make us stop and think, just what could it be in our life that would place us in a position that would give the devil the authority or the ability to take us captive at his will! Does it? Selah! Can the Devil take believers captive at his will?
We know from the “Lord’s prayer”, that the Lord wants us to be lead away from the temptations of the Devil, but if we were to should fall into one of the Devils traps, the Lord also wants us to be “delivered” out of that evil trap of the Devil.
First of all, let’s look at some of the meanings of some of the words in this passage.
strive is #3164 machomai (makh'-om-ahee) middle voice of an apparently primary verb; to war, i.e. (figuratively) to quarrel, dispute:
The very first thing that we as believers must accomplish, is to be able to discuss the scriptures without fighting or getting our feelings hurt, if someone violates our “pet doctrines”, or happens to see something a bit different than we see it.
There is only “one Truth” and if two people are looking at the same Scripture and they are opposing each other then one of them is wrong! They cannot both be right. However, it is possible they are both wrong. We must all be willing to allow our thoughts, our emotions, our beliefs and indoctrinations, to be challenged and compared to the Word of God. If we are wrong, we must conform to the Word of God and leave off trying to make the Word of God conform to our feelings, wishes or personal doctrines.
We must be willing to allow the Holy Scriptures to be our only standard of “Truth”, above anything else, or anyone else, or any experience we might have had that seemed so good or so bad! The only thing on earth, which can discern every thought and intent of the heart of man, correctly, is the Word of God.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of every thought and intent of the heart
discerner (#2924 kritikos); decisive ("critical"), i.e. discriminative. 2923 krites (kree-tace'); from 2919; a judge (genitive case or specially): 2919 krino (kree'-no); properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish:
If we are not willing to let the Word of God be the “only” critic and judge of every thought and intent of our heart, then we are not in a position, which will allow God to flow all of his blessings to us, and through us. In fact, failing to allow the Word of God to discern every thought and intent of our heart could possibly set us in a position to where Satan can take us captive “at His will”! The last thing that we want is for the Devil to be able to do whatever he wills to do in our life! Is that a true statement?
We are the only ones, who can hinder God’s blessing from flowing to us freely!
Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
uprightly is #8549 tamiym (taw-meem'); entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth:
To walk upright with God is simply to believe that Jesus Christ is the “ONLY” way, the “ONLY” truth and the “ONLY” life. Jesus, himself, made that statement!
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If anyone believes that there is any other way to God the Father, other than, through the Lord Jesus Christ, his Son, then they are deceived. The bad thing about someone being deceived is that we are deceived!
Deceived 1. To cause to believe what is not true; mislead. 2. Archaic. To catch by guile;ensnare
When Paul went into Thessalonica and started preaching the “gospel of the Kingdom”, which was a covenant change to the people of his day, they tried to kill him. Those people had lived through the end of the dispensation of the law, which happened at the time when Jesus rode into town on the back of a donkey.
Then when Jesus rose from the dead, that act of God began something new which is; “The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”. That newness of life was initiated into the earth and into the hearts of men. This began on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. So the people, who were living at the time of Paul, had actually transitioned out of the dispensation of “The Law of Moses” into the “dispensation of grace”, which is the church age. Those people had hundreds of years of ancestor tradition. Transition was very hard for some of those people to believe and accept. They could not accept change! We can see this in Thessalonica.
Acts 17:5 But the Jews, which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Those lewd fellows of the baser sort had intentions of killing Paul and Silas! The whole ministry team had to get out of town in a hurry! But, notice the difference in attitude of those in Berea!
Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:11 These (the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed;
So we can see that Paul, whom God had ordained to usher in the main teachings of this new “dispensation of Grace”, ran into much resistance in Thessalonica and the reason was that he was preaching something different that what they were used to hearing. They were not even willing to dialogue with Paul, or search the scriptures, or even try to see why he was teaching what he was teaching. They just wanted to kill him.
We seem to have some of those "lewd fellows of the baser sort" running around today. Preach anything different from their “denominational organizations of church”, which they have heard and they might get out their “prophet rocks” with evil intent!
Let’s examine some words here. Look at the word “gentle” in this passage.
Gentle is #2261 epios (ay'-pee-os); properly, affable, i.e. mild or kind:
affable 1. Easy and pleasant to speak to; approachable. 2. Gentle and gracious.
If you think about the structure of most churches and ministries today, the Pastors and Ministers are not readily approachable, and especially if you tell them, up front, that you want to challenge some area of their doctrine, which is being taught to their congregation.
Not only must the servant of the Lord not strive; but be gentle unto all men, but they must be “apt to teach”.
Apt to teach is #1317 didaktikos (did-ak-tik-os');from 1318; instructive ("didactic"):
didactic 1. Intended to instruct. 2. Morally instructive. 3. Inclined to teach or moralize excessively.
#1318 didaktos (did-ak-tos'); from 1321; (subjectively) instructed, or (objectively) communicated by teaching:
#1321 didasko (did-as'-ko); a prolonged (causative) form of a primary verb dao (to learn); to teach (in the same broad application):
We can see that the servant of the Lord must first learn the “Truth” of the scriptures and then be able to teach, that which has been properly learned from the Spirit of Truth. We must become able to discuss scripture without getting into a fistfight. You have heard the saying, “You just don’t discuss politics or religion”! Well, that is from the Devil. Notice what God commanded, even under the Law of Moses! The people did not have bibles.
Deut 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
Under the dispensation of “grace”, we have a better covenant established on better promises and we should, even more ready and willing to speak of the greatness of God and His Word, because the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we have the testimony of Jesus written in our bible and we can carry the Word of God with us.
Not only must the servant of the Lord not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach.
Then we see the word “patient”! Let’s learn what a patient teacher would look like!
Patient is #420 anexikakos (an-ex-ik'-ak-os); from 430 enduring of ill, i.e. forbearing:
#430 anechomai (an-ekh'-om-ahee); to hold oneself up against, i.e. (figuratively) put up with:
forbear 1. To refrain from; resist. 2. To desist from; cease. 3. Obsolete. To avoid or shun. --intr. 1. To hold back; refrain. 2. To be tolerant or patient in the face of provocation. -
provoke 1. To incite to anger or resentment. 2. To stir to action or feeling. 3. To give rise to; evoke.
4. To bring about deliberately; induce.
As a teacher of the Word of God, we might have to put up with some nonsense from fellow believers. Especially from those who have been indoctrinated by denominations and religion. Also there are many other doctrines of demons, which have just been accepted as “OK” by our elders and passed to us, as truth. In fact, many teachings are nothing more than the doctrines of men, which can made the Word of God of no effect in our lives. Notice the patience of Jesus, while he was on the earth!
John 12:46 I am come, a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejects me, and receives not my words, will have one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
A patient teacher will be gentle, even with someone who is trying to cause a disturbance with the teaching of the scriptures. There are those who will challenge the Truth of God’s Word with their “experiences” or their “feelings”, or what they heard “Brother so and so say.” Experiences, feelings and what Brother So and So said are not a discerner of every thought and intent of the Heart. Only the Word of God is the discerner of the heart of man.
That is why “with meekness” follows “patient” in this scripture. An instructor must be meek.
meekness is #4240 prautes (prah-oo'-tace); mildness, i.e. (by implication) humility:
humble 1. Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful. 2. Showing deferential or submissive respect.
Arrogance and pride are the opposite of wisdom! The Bible has a lot to say about pride and none of it is good. Here are some samples;
Prov 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
Prov 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
Prov 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
Prov 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Prov 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Prov 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
An arrogant and prideful person will not receive instruction and cannot be taught. A person of humility will submit themselves to the correction of the Scriptures. Correction is one of the purposes of the Scriptures.
2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
The next thing that we see that servant of God must be able to do, is to give good instructions to those who are opposing themselves.
instructing is #3811 paideuo (pahee-dyoo'-o); to train up a child, i.e. educate,
that oppose themselves is # 475 antidiatithemai (an-tee-dee-at-eeth'-em-ahee);
to set oneself opposite, i.e. be disputatious:
Anytime we are not willing to allow the Word of God to discern our thought and intention, we become like children and find ourselves being tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. (Ep 4:14)
When we follow teachers with false doctrine, heresies, denominationalism, religion, rituals or religiosity, we are the ones, who have set ourselves in opposition to God’s Word. We are opposing our self by not allowing the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all Truth.
Paul says that when we do that, Satan can take us captive at his will.
Modern day English would say, “Satan can do whatever he wants to do”! Is that serious? Sure, it is! That is why Jesus gave gifts unto men and one of these gifts is “teacher”!
teacher One who teaches, especially one hired to teach.
teach 1. To impart knowledge or skill to. 2. To provide knowledge of; instruct in. 3. To condition to a certain action or frame of mind. 4. To cause to learn by example or experience. 5. To advocate or preach. 6. To carry on instruction on a regular basis in.
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (What are these gifts?)
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (What is the purpose for these gifts?)
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
It is the God-given responsibility of the 5-fold ministry of the body of Christ to teach us the “Truth” of the Word of God correctly! Also to lead us into the paths of righteousness to the point that Satan has a hard time finding any legal right to accuse us, because we are not opposing ourselves, by acknowledging the lie. The “lie” is anything that differs from the Truth of God’s Word.
It was hard for me to come to terms with the fact that many of our 5-fold leaders are not teaching 100% truth. Peter helped me with this fact, when he compared what happened in the Old Covenant and warned of what would happen in the New Covenant.
2 Pet 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:
Peter is giving some stern warnings of what the devil had planned for the church! False teachers!
false teachers is #5572 pseudodidaskalos from 5571 and 1320; a spurious teacher, i.e. propagator of erroneous Christian doctrine:
#5571 pseudes (psyoo-dace'); from 5574; untrue, i.e. erroneous, deceitful, wicked:
damnable is #684 apoleia (ap-o'-li-a); from a presumed derivative of 622; ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal):
#622 apollumi (ap-ol'-loo-mee); to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:
heresies is #139 hairesis (hah'-ee-res-is); from 138; properly, a choice, i.e. (specially) a party or (abstractly) disunion:
#138 haireomai (hahee-reh'-om-ahee); to take for oneself, i.e. to prefer:
The 1828 version of Webster’ Dictionary states this about heresy: In Scripture and primitive use, heresy meant merely, sect, party, or the doctrines of a sect, as we now use denominations or persuasions, implying no reproach.
pernicious 1.a. Tending to cause death or serious injury; deadly. b. Causing great harm; destructive. 2. Archaic. Evil; wicked.
covetousness is #4124 pleonexia (pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah); from 4123; avarice, i.e. (by implication) fraudulency, extortion:
#4123 pleonektes (pleh-on-ek'-tace); holding (desiring) more, i.e. eager for gain (avaricious, hence a defrauder):
feigned is #4112 plastos (plas-tos'); from 4111; moulded, i.e. (by implication) artificial or (figuratively) fictitious (false):
feigned 1.a. To give a false appearance of. b. To represent falsely; pretend to. 2. To imitate so as to deceive. 3. To fabricate. 4. Archaic. To invent or imagine. --intr. To pretend; dissemble.
Make merchandise is #1710 emporeuomai (em-por-yoo'-om-ahee); to travel in (a country as a peddler), i.e. (by implication) to trade:
We can see that around 65 AD Peter is trying to alert the body of Christ to the up and coming false teachers! He was correct and we can see them in abundance now!
However, if a God appointed minister, who has waited upon his calling, comes into our midst and with gentleness and meekness, and can effectively instruct us correctly in the “Truth” of God’s Word”, then notice just how easy it is for us to undo, and get free from, what false teachers and the devil have been able to ensnare us with!
2 Tim 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
recover is #366 ananepho (an-an-ay'-fo); from 303 and 3525; to become sober again, i.e. (figuratively) regain (one's) senses:
The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to use a word here for recover, which shows a person becoming intoxicated, to the point of losing control of their senses. I’m talking drunk and maybe passed out here!
Other people can do what they will to a person in that state of mind. They could rob them! They could harm them physically! They could violate them sexually! They could even kill them, because, a person, in that state of intoxication, cannot protect or defend themselves.
This is the imagery, which Paul is using to instruct the believers! If you choose to acknowledge the lie instead of the Truth, then the Devil can take you captive at his will. You will be like a drunken man without defenses.
snare is #3803 pagis (pag-ece'); from 4078; a trap (as fastened by a noose or notch); figuratively, a trick or stratagem (temptation):
stratagem n. 1. A military maneuver designed to deceive or surprise an enemy. 2. A clever, often underhand scheme for achieving an objective.
who are taken captive is #2221 zogreo (dzogue-reh'-o); from the same as 2226 and 64; to take alive (make a prisoner of war), i.e. (figuratively) to capture or ensnare:
#64 agreuo (ag-rew'-o); from 61; to hunt, i.e. (figuratively) to entrap:
#61 agra (ag'-rah); (abstractly) a catching (of fish); also (concretely) a haul (of fish):
Jesus told his disciples that he would make them fishers of men! Well, there is another fisher of men out there and it is Satan and the kingdom of darkness. His best bait, so far, is the lie!
The three “A’s of victory” are these; ACKNOWLEGEMENT, AGREEMENT, and AUTHORITY!
If we acknowledge the “Truth” of God’s Word, and we come into agreement with the “Truth” of God’s Word, then we will walk with the authority of Word of God ruling our life.
The three “A’s of defeat” are these; ACKNOWLEGEMENT, AGREEMENT, and AUTHORITY!
If we acknowledge the “lie” of the devil, and we come into agreement with the “lie” of the devil, then we will walk with the authority of the devil’s lies ruling our life. That is why it is very important that we know the Truth of God’s Word!
We can see from these scriptures that which places a person into a position where the Devil can take that person captive at his will. That happens when anyone believes his lie, no matter where the lie comes from.
The simple way we recover our self out of the hand of the Devil is “to repent to acknowledging the Truth!” It is so simple to do that anyone can do it.
In our Christian walk, most of the time we are “repenting for some sin”! Our mind is familiar with that form of repenting. I am repenting for gossiping, for resentment, for anger, etc. Notice carefully the wording in 2nd Tim 2:25.
2nd Tim 2:25b God will give them repentance to acknowledging the truth.
Most of us are not familiar with repenting to anything! However, when we look at the Greek this makes more sense.
repentance is #3341 metanoia; compunction (for guilt, including reformation): by implication reversal (of decision)
With the definition of this Greek word repent meaning to reverse, if we are traveling north and we repent (reversal of decision) then we are going south.
The simple way to recover our self out of the snare of the Devil is to repent from acknowledging the lie and now repent to acknowledge the Truth.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
“Truth” will not make you free! It is the “knowledge of the Truth”, that will make you free!
Anyone who has a Bible lying somewhere around the house, has the “Truth of God”. Of course, that does not mean that they know the Truth of God. Peter says it this way;
2 Pet 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be (it is potential but up to us) partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Grace and Peace multiplied in the name of Jesus.
Compiled by Jerry Thomas 11/24/2008.
All scripture references are (KJV) unless otherwise denoted.
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