We must acknowledge that our enemy, the devil, has a specific agenda. He wants to deceive and blind us, leading us away from the truth and into darkness. But as children of light, we must be aware of his tactics and stand firm in the truth.
The devil wants to blind us with lies and shroud us in darkness, but we must resist him with the truth of God's Word and the light of Christ. Let us gird our loins with truth, shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and stand firm against the devil's schemes.
I. The Devil Wants Lies Where There Should Be Truth (John 8:44)
A. The Truth of God's Word (John 8:45-47, 37-38, 31-32)
* The devil distorts and twists God's Word to lead us astray
* We must know and study the Bible to recognize and resist his lies
B. The Truth of Honest Speech (Ephesians 4:25)
* Honesty and integrity are hallmarks of a Christian
* We must speak the truth in love, exposing the devil's deceptions
II. The Devil Wants Darkness WhereThere Should Be Light (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
A. Light Has Come, Exposing Evil (John 3:19-21 )
* Jesus is the light of the world, revealing sin and Satan's schemes
* We are called to shine the light of the gospel in a dark world
B. Christians are Children of Light (Ephesians 5:8)
* We are transformed by the light of Christ and called to walk in His light
* We must put on the armor of light and expose the devil's darkness
1. The Devil Wants a Place to Stand Where None Should Be Given (Ephesians 4:27)
* Don't give Satan an opportunity to sift us like wheat
* Stand in the faith and shield ourselves with faith
2. The Devil Wants Confusion Where There Should Be Order (1 Corinthians 14:33)
* Heavenly wisdom reflects good conduct in meekness
* Self-seeking leads to confusion and chaos
3. The Devil Wants Peace Where There Should Be War (Jeremiah 6:14)
* We must wage war against the world, sin, and error
* The separating power of truth and godly living
4. The Devil Wants War Where There Should Be Peace (James 4:1)
* Conflict and strife among brethren
* Praying always and watching with all perseverance
5. The Devil Wants Senselessness to Abound Where People Should Come to Their Senses (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
* The correction of truth calms the spirit and restores sober thinking and watchful living
* The helmet of salvation
6. The Devil Wants Tolerance Toward Sin Where There Must Be Resistance (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9)
* Humility cures worldliness
* Resisting the devil "in the faith," not in the opinions of men.
The devil wants to undermine our faith and create chaos and confusion, but we must resist him with the whole armor of God. We must stand firm in the power of God's might, with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
As Christians, we are in a spiritual battle against a cunning, crafty, and powerful enemy - the devil. But we are not unaware of his schemes, and we have the assurance of victory in Jesus Christ. Today, we will explore the Christian's battle against the devil and how we can stand firm in victory.
I. The Devil's Tactics: Cunning, Crafty, Deceptive, and Powerful (Ephesians 6:11-12; 2:2)
* The devil seeks to deceive and devour us
* We must be aware of his schemes and tactics
II. The Christian's Response: Standing Firm, Not Surrendering (Ephesians 6:11, 13)
* We must take a stand against the devil's schemes
* The sword of the Spirit is our weapon of defense and offense
III. The Assurance of Victory: Jesus Christ (1 John 3:8; Revelation 12:9-11)
* Jesus has already defeated the devil on the cross
* We are victors in Jesus, and the devil is a defeated foe.
As Christians, we are in a battle against the devil, but we have the assurance of victory in Jesus Christ. We must stand firm, using the sword of the Spirit to defend ourselves against the devil's schemes. Let us be vigilant, courageous, and faithful, knowing that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. Amen.
