Satan's Battle Strategy, Part I Series

Satan’s Battle Strategy, Part I

Theme: Strategy #1:Keeping the believer out of the Word.

Text:

I Peter 5:8, Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour."

John 10:10, "The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy, but I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly."

Matthew 12:43-45, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none. Then he saith, "I will return unto my house from whence I came out." And when he is come he findeth it empty , swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be to this wicked generation."

James 4:7, "Submit yourself therefore unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

Introduction:

As you can see from these Scripture references about Satan and his activities, he is the adversary of every believer. As such, he is committed to doing all he can to discourage, disarm, and defeat us in our Christian walk.

There are five things mentioned in the Scriptures of our teaching text that Satan is intent on doing in our lives, if he can.

(1) He said he would return to his house." He calls our body "his house."

(2) He will come to steal.

(3) He will come to kill.

(4) He will come to destroy.

(5) He will come to devour.

When we are born again, Satan immediately launches a strong counter attack to violently oppose what God is doing in our lives. He will camp at your doorstep and everything God gives to you, Satan will try to take away from you. He will actively challenge every step of faith you endeavor to take, and he will openly contest you in your spiritual growth every day you live.

Our Scripture texts also tell us some good news. Satan can be resisted. He can be forced to flee from us. Here’s some truth to live by.

No one can steal your victory in Christ - if you don’t let them.

No one can take your joy in the Lord - if you don’t let them.

No one can take God’s peace from you - if you don’t let them.

No one can take your songs of praise - if you don’t let them.

No one can hinder your spiritual growth - if you don’t let them.

As believers, we need to remember that the devil is not going to give us up without making a strong effort to get us back. We also need to remember that he has had several thousand years of practice in doing what he does and in that time he has gotten quite good at it.

In this two part teaching, I want us to look at two areas of our Christian walk that Satan has made a battleground to come against us in:

Area #1 is the Word of God.

Area #2 is the Prayer Closet.

In part one of this study, I want to suggest to you three reasons why Satan’s strategy is to keep us out of God’s Word.

Point I:

Reason #1 - Satan knows what the Word of God is capable of doing in the believer’s life once they have been introduced to its truth.

II Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness."

II Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth."

After a number of years serving the Lord and doing spiritual warfare with the devil, I have come to some conclusions about our adversary and one of them is this: I really don’t think the devil gets overly worked up or too concerned when church people get those little religious "spasms" every now and then. By religious "spasms" I mean those little bursts of spiritual fervor that is usually brought on by a small crisis or the result of the last 3 or 4 day revival the church experienced. By now, Satan knows those "spasms" usually don’t last long because they were generated, in most cases, by feelings and not faith. He knows that when they pass, everything will return to the same old routine of life again. What really grabs his attention is to see a believer come into the presence of God with an open Bible and an open mind saying, "Lord, I want to learn what Your Word teaches."