Caution, Lion Country! Series

"Caution - Lion Country!"

"Knowing Our Enemy" series - Part 4 of 7

Text: Eph. 6:10-12; 1Peter 5:8 & Selected

Cross Creek Community Church

July 16, 2000

God’s Word is Powerful, Relevant, and Up to Date!

Ephes. 6:10-12

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Who is Satan?

1 Peter 5:8

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

We are living in lion country! BEWARE

Survey

Nearly two out of three adults-62%-agreed that Satan "is not a living being but is a symbol of evil." This response has remained relatively consistent throughout the Nineties. Among the more surprising findings, however, are that a majority of born again Christians deny Satan’s existence (52%); nearly three-quarters of Catholics say the devil is non-existent (72%); and women are more likely than men to reject Satan’s existence (64% vs. 59%).

Barna Research Group, Ltd., Oxnard, CA

* We can believe whatever we want, even if its wrong. Our sole authority needs to be the Word of God.

1. He is a created supernatural angelic being. Ez. 28:12-17

2. He sinned in heaven and was cast to earth. Is. 14:12-15

3. He totally corrupted the human race with sin. Gen. 3

4. He is actively involved in our world today. 1Pet 5:8

Acts of Satan

*

* Lk. 10:18 He fell from a sinless high estate

* Gen. 3:1-14 He instigated sin in the garden

* Gen 6 He polluted the world with wickedness (flood)

* 1 Chr. 21:1 He energized David to evil

* Job 1:7-2:10 He accused and afflicted Job

* Zech. 3:1-9 He opposes unbelieving Israel

* Mt. 4:3 He is the tempter

* Mt. 12:24; Acts 10:38 He is the prince of the demons

* 1 Tim. 4:1-6 He instigates false doctrine

* Mt. 4:4; Lk. 4:10-11 He perverts the Word of God

* Mt. 12:22-29 He works in demon possession

* Zech. 3:1 He is Satan, the Adversary

* Lk. 4:13 He is the devil, the slanderer

* Jn. 13:2,27 He caused Judas to betray Christ

* Acts 5:3 He caused Ananias to lie

* 2 Cor. 4:4 He blinds people spiritually

* 1 Pet. 5:8 He seeks to harm believers

* Eph. 6:11-12 He heads a celestial hierarchy of evil

* Eph. 2:2 He indwells the unsaved

* Jn. 8:44 He was branded "a liar" by Jesus

* Jn. 8:44 He is called "the father of lies" by Jesus

* 2 Thess. 2:9 He works diabolic miracles

* Jn. 8:44 He is a murderer and abides not in the truth

* Jn. 12:31; 14:30 He is the prince of this world

* Lk. 13:16 He blinds people physically and spiritually

* Mt. 25:41 He is a fallen angel

* Mt. 13:38-39 He sows tares

* Mt. 13:19 and snatches away the Word of God

* Rev. 20:1-3 He will be bound during the millennium

* Mt. 13:39 He is "the enemy"

* Mt. 13:38 "the evil one"

* Eph. 6:10-20 He is routed by Spirit-directed prayer

* 1 Pet. 5:8-9 He is overcome by faith

* 1 Thess. 2:18 He hinders God’s will in believers

* Rev. 12:9 He is the deceiver

* Rev. 12:9; 20:2 He is the dragon, that old serpent

* Mt. 13 He mixes truth with error

* Lk. 22:31 He viewed Simon Peter as a target

* Rev. 2:9 He has a synagogue who deny God’s grace

* Jn. 3:8, 10 His children are unsaved people

* Rev. 20:10 His ultimate fate is Gehenna

* Mt. 25:41 Hell was prepared for Devil & his angels

* Rev 13 He performs great miracles and wonders

*

The New Unger’s Bible Handbook, Merrill F. Unger, Revised by Gary N. Larson, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984, p. 407

The Purpose & Strategy of Satan.

1. He intends to OPPOSE God.

* From his rebellion in Heaven to now - he hates God, he hates the Jew, he hates Christians.

* His goal is to keep human being from knowing God.

* Checkout History: Slaying of the firstborn, Nero’s persecution, Roman Inquisition, Hitler’s slaughter

* Today’s hate & bias toward God. How are Christians portrayed in TV & Hollywood?

2. He intends to hinder TRUE salvation.

1. Blinding the minds of the unsaved (2 Cor. 4:4).

2. Snatching away the good seed of the word (Matthew 13:19).

3. Lulling the unbeliever into a false sense of security under the guise of "religion" (Luke 11:21).