Identity Part 4: The Mission of Babylon – Battle for your Identity

Jeremiah 51:6 (NIV) Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the Lord’s vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves.

Revelation 18:2 (NIV) Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit…

Babylon’s 4-Step Strategy for Taking Captives

The Mission of Babylon

STEP 1:

Babylon want to separate you from .

Daniel 1:1-2 (GNT) In the third year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia attacked Jerusalem and surrounded the city. The Lord let him capture King Jehoiakim and seize some of the Temple treasures. He took some prisoners back with him to the temple of his gods in Babylon, and put the captured treasures in the temple storerooms.

STEP 2:

Babylon wants to replace your .

Daniel 1:6-7 (NIV) Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

Daniel (God is my Judge) → Belteshazzar (Bel will protect)

Hananiah (Yahweh is gracious) → Shadrach (Command of Aku)

Mishael (Who is like God?) → Meshach (Who is like Aku?)

Azariah (Yahweh has helped) → Abednego (Servant of Nebo)

STEP 3:

Babylon wants to reshape your .

Daniel 1:4 (NIV) He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.

STEP 4:

Babylon wants to silence your .

Daniel 6:7,10 (NIV) The royal administrators…have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel 6:10 (NIV) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Your must be

stronger than .

How to Break Babylon’s Hold

1. Remain .

John 15:4-5 (NIV) Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

2. Reject .

Romans 8:15 (NIV) The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

3. Renew .

Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

4. Refuse .

Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’

5. Return .

Jeremiah 29:10-11 (NIV) This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

Luke 15:17-24 (NIV) When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.