Four Truths About Satan's Lies Series

Find Ephesians 6 with me as I want to speak to you about Four Truths about Satan’s Lies

Here’s why you are alive: to gather around the throne of Jesus Christ at the end of history. All of life is about gathering around the very throne of God at the end of time – this is the purpose of your life, my life, and our lives. History and all of life stands for one reason to spread the good news that Jesus reigns and we joyfully submit to Him!

Jesus said there is no other name where any of us can be saved except through Jesus and the cross (John 14:6). And Jesus commanded every one of believers to spread the good news of gospel to every corner of the earth. This is your life’s purpose.

Satan does everything possible to lie and deceive us from life’s purpose. Let me show you his handiwork. The Bible says there’s a day coming when Christ will return and throw Satan into the pit. He will be shut and sealed in “so that he might not deceive the nations any longer” (Revelation 20:3b). Because our enemy is not sealed up, shut down, or thrown away. Instead, he’s busying deceiving the nations.

There’s no doubt his mission is crystal clear: to keep lost people lost by denying them access to Jesus.

Today launches our 8th annual missions week. Today, I want to take us to the tip of spear and the edge of the knife of this fight of spiritual warfare– missions and evangelism.

Today’s Scripture

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm… 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:10-14, 18-20).

In this classic passage on spiritual warfare, Paul details out for us all the equipment we need. In Ephesians 6 Paul introduces us to each piece of Roman armor and its spiritual counterpart. Paul wrote this letter was in prison and he was jailed for spreading the message of Jesus throughout the Roman Empire. He sees how the common Roman solider is dressed and helps us make the corresponding analogy of “whole armor of God.”

And he rounds out the entire section with the words to pray so “that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19b).

Like three points of a triangle, the Bible connects your life’s purpose is a triangle of spiritual warfare, prayer and sharing the gospel. Let me repeat that crucial triangle for all of us: the Bible connects spiritual warfare, prayer and sharing the gospel.

Remember, spiritual battle is the mother of all battles. We fight against invisible, spiritual forces. To fight in this invisible, spiritual realm we need the armor God provides us. When we become Christians we receive great benefits and privileges, but we actually have to learn the discipline of using those benefits and privileges. Knowing what to do with the armor God provides us is essentially learning the discipline we need to effectively use the armor of God.

While prayer isn’t listed as a weapon, we can think of putting each piece of the armor of God daily with prayer. We pray as we buckle the belt of truth. We pray as we take up the shield of faith. And we pray as we fasten on the breastplate of righteousness. We pray as we put on each piece of armor God provides to believers.

Again, I want to speak to you about Satan’s Four Truths about Satan’s Lies.

1. He Closes the Nations to Gospel Access

Satan convinces government leaders and cultural influencers that governments should restrict the gospel’s access. Each year, a group called Open Doors offers a list of the top fifty nations where it is hardest to be a Christian. Nations like North Korea, Afghanistan, Libya, Iran, Sudan, and India are all closed to the gospel.