Satan And His Devices Series

Satan And His Devices

Sermon by: Mark D. Hodges

I John 2:15-17

Introduction:

The February 26, 1974 edition of Insight told the story of Major William Martin, a British subject who was buried near Huelvo on the southern coast of Spain. Martin never knew the great contribution he made to the Allied success in the Second World War, especially in Sicily, because he died of pneumonia in the foggy dampness of England before he ever saw the battle front. The Allies had invaded North Africa. The next logical step was Sicily.

Knowing the Germans calculated this, the Allies determined to outfox them. One dark night, an Allied submarine came to the surface just off the coast of Spain and put Martin¡¦s body out to sea in a rubber raft with an oar. In his pocket were secret documents indicating the Allied forces would strike next in Greece and Sardinia.

Major Martin¡¦s body washed ashore, and Axis intelligence operatives soon found him, thinking he had crashed at sea. They passed the secret documents through Axis hands all the way to Hitler¡¦s headquarters. So while Allied forces moved toward Sicily, thousands and thousands of German troops moved on to Greece and Sardinia--where there was no battle.

Satan works with more cunning than even the Allied plan.

Every since the Garden of Eden, he has continued to work toward man¡¦s demise.

He uses all kinds of devices to deceive the Christian and destroy the lost person.

Our military has a division called "intelligence.¡¨

Its main emphasis is on getting to know the enemy.

It would be very difficult for us to fight if we don¡¦t know anything about the deceptions and devices of our enemy.

Our enemy is real and it would do us well to be on alert.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Satan is constantly working behind the scenes, using his devices to influence the way people think ¡V their attitudes and ideas.

Satan has contaminated this world with his way of thinking.

That is why the Bible says, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The Bible refers to "world" three different ways:

1) The Material World (Psalm 90:2).

This is the beautiful planet earth that God created, yet it has been cursed.

2) The Mortal World (John 3:16).

This is referring to human beings that God created ¡V yet God loved them even in their sinful state.

3) The Malicious World (James 4:4).

When the Bible is making reference to this ramification of ¡§worldliness,¡¨ it is referring to a way of thinking or a mind set. sinful

„h The world looks exciting and attractive.

„h The world wants your undivided attention.

„h The clamor is always saying look at me, try me, buy me, watch me, experience me, wear me, taste me, drive me, fly me, etc.

„h The world wants you! With your full attention.

„h The world produces a desire for more.

Satan uses his system ¡§of the world¡¨ to lure people into his trap of devices.

Worldliness is often presented as something beautiful, desirable, and enlightening.

As Eve thought after agreeing with Satan¡¦s temptation, ¡Kit was pleasant to the eyes, and desired to make one wise¡KGenesis 3:6.

Eve was ready and willing to sin when she started looking at things from a worldly view (Satan¡¦s point of view), instead of a heavenly view (God¡¦s point of view).

Christians would gain so much territory (strength) if they would understand and constantly keep in mind that:

„h The way of the world never gives lasting joy.

„h The way of the world cannot satisfy our deepest needs and longings.

Why?

Because the world always crowds God out.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

The leader of this world system is Satan, the "prince of this world" (Luke 4:5-8 & John 12:31).

Satan uses all kinds of devices in this spiritual warfare that we daily face.

Because of his cunning devices, many Christians have suffered from his profound infiltration.

If we are going to be successful as Christian warriors, we must come to the understanding that Satan uses basically three tactics in trying to defeat the Christian.

Satan uses the device of¡K¡K.

I. ALLURING APPETITE

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh¡K¡K verse 16.

The ¡§lust of the flesh¡¨ refers to our evil desire to satisfy the impulses that stem from our fallen nature called ¡§the flesh.¡¨