Subject: "Spiritual Holocaust"

Text: John 10:10 "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."

Holocaust: When I think of Holocaust, my mind immediately thinks of Adolf
Hitler.
                Born in 1889, he wanted to be a painter or an architect.  He
wanted to 
                draw pictures to earn a living.  But then the devil entered
the picture, that
                stealer, that killer, that destroyer and hatred entered his
heart.  Before
                it was over, what's known as the "Holocaust", over 6 million
Jews were put 
                to death.  God's chosen people!  These are the works of Adolf
Hitler.  This 
                is what he set out to do, and he died trying to accomplish
it.

My Intent: I intend to expose to you the devil, his tactics, and what he's
come to do 
                to the Child of God.

                There are three things here in John 10:10 that Jesus said the
devil has 
                come to do:  
                1)  Come to steal
                 Def.  To take something not rightfully belonging to one
without it's 
                 owner's consent.  
                 There are ten things I think the devil is stealing today
from the christian.
Stealing our:  1)  Praise from our lips.
                     2)  Blessings from the windows of heaven.
                     3)  Worship (we can't worship like we should)
                     4)  Quiet time/Prayer time with God.
                     5)  Dedication and Faithfulness to God - (other things
become more
                          important)
                     6)  Joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.
                     7)  Love for one another.
                     8)  Understanding and forgiveness (someone falls,
restore them!)
                     9)  Excitement for Christ and His church.
                   10)   Ultimately He's out to steal our soul!
                    He's stealing from us on every hand!  When are we going
to take back                 
                    what he has stolen???
I'm reminded of a song I know that says:
                    We've been deceived by the devil too long;
                    We're gonna tear the devil's kingdom down.
                    What he said was his, CHURCH it's been ours all along!
                     We've got to tear that devil's kingdom down!

He's a liar and the father of lies!

But Jesus said, "I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it
more
abundantly!

                   2)  Come to kill:
                   Def.  To cause life to cease in
                   There are five ways I feel the devil is trying to kill the
christian.
Kill our:          1)  Hope for eternity (without hope we tend to give up)
                     2)  Strength in the Lord
                     3)  Minds (attacks with lies and deceit, tries to toss
us to and fro)
                     4)  Faith in fellow christians
                     5)  Our very life, our physical body, (he would like
nothing more than
                          to choke the very life out of you)
                    BUT HE CAN'T CROSS THE BLOODLINE!
But Jesus said, "I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it
more
abundantly."

                   3)  Come to destroy:
                   Def.  To break past mending, demolish, put an end to
                   There are five ways I feel the devil is trying to destroy
the christian.
Destroy our:   1)  Confidence in ourselves as believers
                     2)  Confidence in fellow christians
                     3)  Marriages -divorce rate at an all-time high,
homosexuals, live in 
                          partners, adultery and fornication)
                     4)  Families (broken homes, kids torn between parents,
etc)
                     5)  Faith in God

We've given place to the devil in our lives:
                     a)  in our homes (spare bedroom)
                     b)  in our automobiles (he's enjoying the ride)
                     c)  in our churches (sit right here devil, this is your
pew!)
                     d)  ultimately, he ends up the "lord" of your life (the
wrong thing to be)
        
It's time to put the devil in his place!  Let's send him back to HELL where
he belongs!
Put him under your feet and you will have a victorious life because...

Jesus said, "I am come that ye might have life and that ye might have it more
ABUNDANTLY!"

Rev. Bruce Johnson
Mt. View Family Worship Center
Church of God, Cleveland Tenn.