Know Your Enemy
November 5, 2017 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We have an enemy that has already been defeated, but just doesn’t act like it yet.
Focus Passage: Ephesians 6:10-12
Introduction: Two 6 year olds struggled with the problem of the existence of the devil. One boy said, "Oh, there isn't any devil." The other, rather upset, said, "What do you mean, there isn't any devil? It talks about him all the way through the Bible!" the first replied, "Oh that's not true, you know. It's just like Santa Clause, the devil turns out to be your dad." G. Lewis, Demon Possession, ed. J. Montgomery.
I. Not Each Other
a. We are one the same team
b. Our enemy tries to divide us (divide and conquer)
c. It gets our attention off of him
II. Our Real Enemy
a. Liar
i. Twists Scripture mixing Truth and deceit
ii. Makes people question God and faith
b. Tempter
c. Accuser
d. NOT Omniscient
e. NOT Omnipotent
f. NOT Omnipresent
g. Gets blamed and takes credit for things he doesn’t have anything to do with
III. Our Real Hero
a. Read the Book; Jesus wins!
b. Satan will be cast into the abyss for eternity
i. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. …When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 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. (Revelation 20:1-10 NASB)
c. Get right with Jesus; it’s the only relationship that matters!
Application/Invitation:
Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst;
he promises honor and pays with disgrace;
he promises pleasure and pays with pain;
he promises profit and pays with loss;
he promises life and pays with death.
Thomas Brooks.
Jesus promises the best and delivers
Jesus promises honor and delivers
Jesus promises joy and delivers
Jesus promises abundant life and delivers
Jesus promises life and paid with his own.
Rick Boyne
