Look Out Below

“LOOK OUT BELOW” 3/2/04

1 Peter 5:8

A woman and a man are involved in a car accident. It’s a bad one. Both of their cars are demolished but amazingly neither of them are hurt. After they crawl out of their cars, the woman says, "So, you’re a man... That’s interesting. I’m a woman. Wow, just look at our cars! There’s nothing left, but fortunately we are unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days." The man replied, "I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God!" The woman continued, "And look at this, here’s another miracle... My car is completely demolished, but this bottle of wine didn’t break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune." Then she hands the bottle to the man. The man nods his head in agreement, opens it, drinks half the bottle and then hands it back to he woman. The woman takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap back on, and hands it back to the man. The man said, "Aren’t you having any?" She replies, "Nah. I think I’ll just wait for the police...”

Sound like something that you’ve experienced? You see that is one way that Satan works as well; he will make you believe that it’s OK and then leads you into sin, then sits back and watches you get the results of that sin.

We as a Church right now are on a Spiritual high. And I know at least one person who isn’t happy about it. So while it is possible to continue on this high, it would be easy to sit back and see where God will work next. But we also need to be ready and be alert because Satan is going to do everything in his power to knock us down.

My sermon is titled, “Look out below”. The phrase, “Look out below” is one that is used as a warning to others that something is coming and to look out. So look out below, because if you have not already been attacked this week then it’s coming.

So this morning we will be looking at who our adversary is, what ways he attacks us, and how can we defeat him.

Who is our adversary

Many people think that Satan is someone who is red and has horns out the side of his head, a tail in between his legs, and a pitch fork at his side and lives below us in Hell with flames all around.

Quite the opposite, I believe the description of Satan is more like the one portrayed in the movie, “The Passion”. Satan was an angel who was trying to be a God and it got him kicked out of heaven. I believe he can take on many forms in appearance.

His residence is not Hell. He will be cast there eventually, but right at this time he is everywhere. A traveling salesman you could say. He goes all over the world looking for souls to condemn and to Christians to defeat.

For those of you who made decisions last week, he will really be after you. This is why I feel God inspired my sermon. Satan wants to get to you now before you can inflict anymore damage. There will be those who will be watching you and if Satan can snuff out your flame now, others will be less likely to follow your decision.

Remember the parable of the sower found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke? He explains the parable in Luke 8:11-15. When the seed is sown one of four things happens.

1. One hears and then Satan snatches what they heard away before they get saved.

2. One hears, receives Christ, and they have joy but because they have no root they fall away.

3. One hears, receives Christ, and the cares, the riches, and the pleasures of this world choke them. When I think about choking, I think about cutting off one’s air supply. When Satan chokes us, he tries to cut off our spiritual supply.

4. One hears, receives, and then bears fruit, or leads others to Christ.

I want to see us all in that last category.

Who is Satan? He is a thief and a liar. He will steal your peace and happiness by telling you that he has something better to offer.

How does he attack us?

How much time do you have? The list goes on and on in the ways he uses. He will try every trick in the book.

He will use others. If you ever felt like you are being attacked it could be the influence of Satan trying to bring you down. There have been times where I have been on a spiritual high and along comes someone trying to knock me down. It could be a family member, a friend, or a coworker. It could be a total stranger, some one in another car cutting you off, or someone you are sitting with in a pew.