Satan’s Background
Introduction
A Pam’s reading a book on “birth orders”.
1 According to the book, your birth order determines how you act, your personality, strengths & weaknesses.
a Fascinating, & right more often than it is wrong.
b See/understand why people do what they do.
2 The devil has a history, background
a The earliest book in Scripture is Job, & we see Satan attacking/accusing Job in chapters 1 & 2. (Silent for many years after that).
b David putting his faith in numbers, not God. Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. 1 Chron 21:1 (NASB)
aa In Zechariah 3, he opposes the High Priest of Israel at a worship service.
bb Tempts Jesus (Matt. 4) with a threefold temptation just like he did our ancient father, Adam. He doesn’t change his approach (lust of the flesh, eyes, & the pride of life).
3 Satan influenced Peter to get Jesus to stay off the cross. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God 's interests, but man's." Matt 16:22-23 (NASB)
a Satan entered Judas’ heart to betray. And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. Luke 22:3 (NASB)
b Sifted/shook Peter like wheat. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat...Luke 22:31 (NASB)
B Satan attacks body & soul.
1 "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" Luke 13:16 (NASB) Satan crippled a woman for 18 years.
a In the early church, filled the hearts of Ananias & Sapphira, causing them to lie to the Holy Ghost. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? Acts 5:3 (NASB)
b ...to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' Acts 26:18 (NASB) When lost people were saved, they were delivered “from the dominion of Satan...”
2 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus . 1 Cor 5:5 (NASB) Satan can kill Christians who are embarrassing the testimony of Christ and the Church with their immoral behavior.
a Power of death-ONLY with Jesus’ permission!
b Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Cor 7:5 (NASB) Satan attacks marriage, marital fidelity, sexual enjoyment.
c ...so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. 2 Cor 2:11 (NASB) Satan seeks to gain advantage over you.
aa Disguises himself as a heavenly messenger. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 2 Cor 11:4 (KJV)
bb Hinders the ministry of the church. For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.1 Thess 2:18 (NASB)
cc ...that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders...2 Thess 2:9 (NASB) Work signs, miracles (Exodus)
d Could go on & on!
3 The enemy causes trouble at good churches. Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.25 "But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.26 "But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.27 "The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'28 "And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?'29 "But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Matt 13:24-29 (NASB)
a You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies . John 8:44 (NASB) Father of all those who are not believers in Jesus.
b You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 (NASB) Causes illness
c Neither give place to the devil. Eph 4:27 (KJV) Can take over a physical location.
aa Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:11 (KJV) He has plans, schemes, an agenda
bb Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Tim 3:6-7 (KJV)
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Tim 2:26 (KJV) He instills pride, sets traps, & takes captives.
4 No need to be overwhelmed, discouraged, or oppressed.
a And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20 (KJV) Satan is under your feet!
b You have received the victory of Calvary that overcomes the enemy.
aa Because of Calvary...
bb And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone , where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev 20:10 (NASB) One day Satan will be confined to hell, prepared for him & his demons.
c The devil can be resisted, & he will flee from believers. Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NASB) Hallelujah!
C I believe the enemy is the Great Pretender/Imitator.
1 We know God has an order in the angelic armies, & since the devil impersonates what he sees, he has an order, too. 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. Eph 6:12 (KJV)
a Principalities (KJV), rulers (NASB): hierarchy of hell-names given to angels cast out of heaven.
aa Top-ranking demonic beings (Greek: arche), chief
bb Equivalent of archangels
cc And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind , and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.Eph 2:1-3 (NASB)
Hold sway over the souls of people, operate in the souls of the disobedient.
dd Control over continents/nations.
ee Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Dan 10:12-13 (NASB) Daniel was informed by the angel Gabriel that the archangel Michael had to be dispatched to overcome the principality of Persia.
ff Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church...Eph 1:20-22 (KJV) These demons are subject to Christ.
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus...Eph 2:6 (KJV) Also subject to the Spirit-filled believers in Christ.
b Powers (Greek: exousia) means “delegated authority”, like that of a policeman.
aa These demons operate invisibly in governmental centers, such as national govvernments.
bb They cannot separate us from the love of God. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)
cc Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken...Matt 24:29 (KJV) At the end of the age they will be shaken!
dd Subject to Christ! ...who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. 1 Peter 3:22 (NASB)
c Rulers of darkness (kosmokrator)
aa Kosmas: order or an arrangement
bb Kosomokrator: “to seize or take hold of governments for the sake of darkness & evil”.
cc Take over offices, legislators, courts
d Spiritual forces of wickedness (literally means spiritual fakes).
aa Wicked is “poneria”, from which we get the words fornication & pornography. These are unclean spirits we deal with every day.
bb Some of these demons’ names are Beelzebub (lord of the flies) & Abaddon or Apollyon (destroyer).
cc Demon means “to torment the mind”.
dd We deal with demons day in & day out.
2 We must be prepared for when they attack!
D The battle is real!
1 On Wednesday night, we’ll discuss 12 disturbing facts about demons.
a Can a believer be demon possessed?
b (IL) Do cockroaches possess a house? No, they infest, make a mess, make people sick, carry disease & disruption.
aa Demons cannot possess, but they can harass, oppress, depress, & suppress the Christian.
bb Spirit is off-limits, but mind, body of an unfaithful believer is open to attack.
2 Pray
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