"Satan Is Real"
Author: Dr. Neal Gray
Passage: Ezekiel 28:1-19, KJV
Purpose: Just like in war, a Christian needs to know who the enemy is, and something about the characteristics and habits of the enemy. Then develop a strategy for fighting and staying alive. The enemy for the Christian is Satan. The winning strategy is to take complete refuge in the Lord Jesus.
INTRODUCTION
Opening
With a sermon message titled, "Satan Is Real," I must BEGIN WITH A SHOUT OF PRAISE TO OUR GREAT ALMIGHTY GOD, and recognition to Him for all that He has done, and is doing for us. SO LET’S TOGETHER PRAISE GOD WITH...
* Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15), and,
* Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
==> Our God leads us "to triumph in Christ" in the battles we face on earth!
But you know, as a Christian, that you struggle against temptations, against trials and doubts--all of them coming from "the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places," (Ephesians 6:12b). WE HAVE AN ENEMY, an enemy of the soul. He is a person, and he has real power. You need to know something about the enemy in order to make it through. Yes, SATAN IS REAL.
Structure of the Book of Ezekiel
Our Scripture today comes from the Book of Ezekiel. It was written during the time of the Israelite’s 70-year bondage to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule, about 6 centuries before Christ Jesus was born.
The first half of the book, (chapters 1-24), warns of God’s judgment upon the people if they did not change, if they did not revive the genuine worship of God.
The middle eight chapters, (chapters 25-32), deal with God’s judgment upon the Gentile nations. If God did not spare His own people because of their sin, how could the nations around her hope to escape God’s judgment? The passage today is in this section.
The last major division of the book, (chapters 33-48), focuses on Israel being restored. God would again bless Israel and her people.
Judgment on Tyre
Through the prophet Ezekiel, God speaks clearly about the judgment and downfall of the city of Tyre. Tyre was a city/nation to the north of Israel.
==> So fierce would God’s judgment be upon Tyre, that she would never again exist; Tyre would be utterly destroyed by God, (cf. Ezekiel 26:19-21).
You can read about the destruction of Tyre in chapters 26-27.
Scripture
But we’re interested today in the personages of Tyre. There are two:
1. The leader, a prince or ruler, who is a mere man; and,
2. The king of Tyre, who is none other than Satan himself.
In the first half of our Scripture, Ezekiel 28:1-10 tells us something about the man who has been influenced by Satan. And then verses 11-19 tell us something about Satan himself. Let’s look together.
IN HEAVEN
Introduction
It is so very important to know something about the enemy, don’t you think?
Just recently, (in early October, 2000), one of our Navy ships, the U.S.S. Cole, was seriously damaged; and 17 men and women were killed by some men on a suicide mission. We still don’t know for sure who was responsible; we don’t know who the enemy is. So the U.S. cannot take action.
But with the "attack on America" on September 11, 2001, our government officials WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE who was responsible. And so the U.S. can take action, and, in fact, is taking action.
==> Yes, knowing who the enemy is, and something about him helps. So let’s see what EZEKIEL TELLS US ABOUT SATAN, WHO IS OUR ENEMY.
Satan’s Creation
Satan is a created being, an angel. All angels, including the one we know as "Satan," were created by God through His Son, the Lord Jesus. The Bible makes this very clear, (see John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17).
SATAN WAS CREATED BY GOD, wonderfully made, beautiful and holy. God describes him in our passage:
"Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ezekiel 28:15)
Satan was called by God, "the anointed cherub" and "covering cherub," (cf. vv. 14, 16). Cherub angels speak to God’s presence, glory, holiness, and sovereignty. They were created for this exalted ministry. A CHERUB IS THE HIGHEST CLASS OF ANGELIC BEINGS.
==> So, Satan, before his fall, was a high-stationed guardian for God. HE HAD been "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty." HE HAD.
Satan’s Sin
But perversion occurred in this most wonderful and high angel of God.
Without explanation as to how or why or when it happened, God says, "iniquity was found in thee," (v. 15). Iniquity and wickedness rose up from within this exalted angel of the morning.
Why? The only clue as to what happened is found in verse 17: "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness," (v. 17a).
The sin of Satan was a proud heart (of himself) and self-occupation (with himself). When Satan took a look at himself, and...
* Upon his beauty
* Upon his wisdom
* Upon his perfection
* Upon his power
* Upon his high station
...he became enthralled with himself, and HE LIFTED HIMSELF UP WITH PRIDE.
==> From this passage, and the realities we know to be true, we can safely say that pride in one’s self, PRIDE THAT PUSHES GOD TO THE SIDE, IS THE ORIGINAL SIN AGAINST GOD. It was a sin back in eternity past, and it is still sin today.
Satan’s pride in his wonderfulness perverted him.
Satan Cast Out
Our God is a holy God, and He will not tolerate sin.
Because of Satan’s sin of arrogance and violence, God did not allow him to remain in his privileged position near the throne of God. GOD CAST HIM OUT. God took away Satan’s privileged position near the throne of God.
"By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee." (Ezekiel 28:16a, 17b)
So our Holy God cast Satan out of His heaven, "out of the mountain of God." Where did God cast him? God cast him to the earth, that he may be seen. WE CERTAINLY SEE THE AWFULNESS OF THIS PUFFED-UP ANGEL OF EVIL.
And though it doesn’t say it in this passage, we know that Satan’s ultimate destination and punishment is in hell:
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Revelation 20:10)
Yes, SATAN IS REAL. He sinned against God, and God cast him out.
==> But GOD IS REAL, too. Our God is a Holy God. And GOD ALONE IS GOD!
ON EARTH
Introduction
Now, as we all know, Satan is loose to roam the earth and to rule the world.
When Satan Fell From Heaven
When did Satan fall from his position to bring sin to earth? In Job chapter 38, we find that all of the cherub angels "sang together," and all of the angels "shouted for joy" at God’s amazing act of creating the universe, (cf. Job 38:4-7). So the fall of Satan was sometime after "God created the heavens and the earth," (cf. Genesis 1:1).
We can’t say for sure if Satan fell before or after man’s creation. But we are absolutely certain that Satan had fallen before the temptation of Adam and Eve, (found in Genesis chapter 3), because Satan was there in the Garden of Eden.
Satan Brought Sin and Wants Us to Sin
Satan brought sin to mankind. And he brought the exact same sin that made him fall--PRIDE OF ONESELF THAT PUSHES GOD ASIDE.
Recall the story of the temptation and sin in the Garden of Eden. The serpent, who is Satan, brought up the issue of God’s instruction to eat freely from any tree, except one. Eve confirmed the instruction, and included, "God has said, ’Ye shall not eat from it...lest ye die.’"
But Satan convinced her to push God aside:
And the serpent said unto the woman, "Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5)
Satan brought doubt against God’s Word. And just as Satan liked the idea of placing himself on the same level as God, the first humans also liked the idea that "ye shall be as gods."
==> SO BEWARE: Just as he did to Adam and Eve, Satan would make us...
* Doubt God’s goodness
* Doubt His word, and,
* Doubt His concern for us.
And just as he did to Adam and Eve, Satan continually...
* Emphasizes God’s restrictions as unjust and unfair
* Plays up God’s warning and word as untrue, and,
* Accuses God of being selfish at man’s expense.
==> Yes, unashamedly Satan brought sin to the entire human race. Satan maligns God’s character and challenges God’s authority. And FOOLISH HUMANS THAT WE ARE, we have all succumbed to the temptations of Satan TO PUSH GOD ASIDE.
It is a horrible, horrible situation.
Satan Rules the World with Sin
We don’t know exactly why, but for a time THE LORD IS ALLOWING THE DEVIL TO RETAIN SOME OF HIS POWER. We might guess why God allows it--far better that we simply understand that it is in God’s plan.
We can know something about the enemy. We know that Satan’s power is great and he uses it all over this present world. PRIMARILY, he uses his power against God and against God’s people.
His attack on Adam and Eve was really an attack on the character and control of God. Satan convinced the first humans Adam and Eve to sin. Satan brought sin into the first family, inducing Cain to slay Abel (see 1 John 3:12).
In our Scripture passage, Satan has corrupted "the leader of Tyre" to the same type of sinfulness. This leader thinks in his heart, "I am a God, I sit in the seat of God." But God reminds him, "Yet thou art a man, and not God," (see Ezekiel 28:2).
And ever since then SATAN HAS BEEN BUSY PROMOTING PRIDE AND SIN as an acceptable way of life. Indeed, all across the world "the mystery of iniquity doth already work...with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved," (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-10).
Because of Satan’s influence, the whole world is chasing after this godless way of life. He rules over this world, for the Bible calls him "the god of this world." By his influence, Satan is KEEPING THE MINDS OF THE UNSAVED BLINDED from the Gospel truth of Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:4).
In general, SATAN SEEKS TO DEFEAT BELIEVERS in both in their church and in their individual lives. We are in a battle, and the wise Christian does not dismiss it as superstition..."Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices," (2 Corinthians 2:11).
==> We are in spiritual warfare. And the Bible tells us to...
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11)
God’s plan includes the PLAN OF SALVATION, and the PLAN OF PROTECTION. You and I are not at the mercy of Satan. Thank God Almighty again and again!
TRIED TO SWAY JESUS
Introduction
So arrogant and desperate is this fallen morning angel, that HE EVEN TRIED TO CAUSE JESUS TO SIN AGAINST GOD!
Satan Tried to Cause Jesus to Sin
You can read all about it in Matthew 4:1-11. But the final word is that THE LIVING WORD DEFEATED ALL OF THE TEMPTATIONS THAT SATAN HAD. How did Jesus defeat Satan? With faith in this one simple sentence:
Then saith Jesus unto him, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, ’Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.’" (Matthew 4:10)
==> Jesus did not sin against God. And friend, if you have the same faith and take the same attitude as Jesus did, you will not sin against God either!
God the Son Is the Victor
Yes, Satan is real. He causes the whole world to sin, and makes them think that they love doing it. Satan still thinks he has the victory over all men.
==> But Jesus is real, too. And JESUS ALONE IS THE VICTOR!
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
THE BELIEVERS’ STRATEGY
Introduction
So now you know something about the fall of Satan, and about his activity of causing men and women to sin. What is our strategy to keep out of the clutches of this evil one?
We Know the Enemy
We know the enemy. He is the devil, called Satan. Even Jesus recognized Satan and his power. We know who the enemy is. We must keep certain facts in mind, however.
1. Power of Satan. He should be respected. Never regard lightly the power of this evil one. Even the archangel, Michael, respected Satan’s power. Puny man is no match for him.
"Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, ’The Lord rebuke thee.’" (Jude 1:9)
2. His sovereignty is restricted. Satan is a mere creature. He can do only what God permits him to do. And God will not allow him to touch our salvation, nor to separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).
3. Be aware of his schemes. The strategy of Satan is to accuse, deceive, plant doubts, tempt you to pride and fleshly satisfaction, divide the Christians, discourage, distract, and anything else to oppose God’s purposes.
We Know Our Savior
BUT WE HAVE A SAVIOR. And we know our Savior. He is Christ the Lord!
1. Christ purchased our victory! Jesus defeated and judged Satan by His death on the Cross and His resurrection to life. Our Savior is exalted above all powers. They are subject to Him. We are in His care, both now and for all eternity!
2. Christ prays for our victory! Jesus prayed that we might be kept from the evil one (John 17:15). He intercedes for us and is our defense against Satan.
"[Jesus the Christ] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)
3. We are in Christ! We stand before God in Christ’s righteousness, not our own. Christ’s righteousness is sinless and spotless; Jesus presents us to the Father in His own perfect righteousness.
We Decide to Follow Jesus
We have decided to follow Jesus and His Word. The BIBLE CALLS FOR ACTIVITY in resisting the powers of evil. We resist in the following ways:
1. In our allegiance to God. Victory demands our complete submission and obedience--in love and faith--to God’s commands.
We are to humble ourselves before God. Then we can resist the devil, and by God’s grace the devil will flee away from us!
"But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, ’God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:6-7)
2. In the armor from God. We can stand "against spiritual wickedness," (see Ephesians 6:12), against Satan and his demons. But only when we stand in the full armor provided by God.
3. In our actions of godliness. We pray. We remain alert, watching in soberness. We guard our attitudes against leaving open any unholy spot for Satan’s fiery darts. We forgive others. We make no provision for the flesh to sin against God. We control anger.
==> In general, WE DEDICATE OURSELVES AND OUR LIVES TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. Victory for life comes by relying on God’s authority, His control, and His promises of eternal blessings. Amen.
Christ Jesus has given us all He has, including His Holy Spirit to help us. Let’s walk in the Spirit, beginning today and continuing until we go home to be with the Lord. Okay? Good.
The Holy Spirit of Christ Gives Life
Yes, Satan is real. He is our enemy. He desperately desires to lead you to voluntarily sin against God.
==> But we have the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit of God; the Trinity is real, too. And THE LORD PROTECTS AND LEADS US INTO ALL TRUTH!
* I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. (John 17:15)
* But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:57)
CONCLUSION
Your Life Is Real
Beloved, your life is real, too. Very real. What will you do with it? To whom will you give allegiance?
To the Jews who challenged Jesus’ teaching, Jesus flatly told them:
YE ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, AND THE LUSTS OF YOUR FATHER YE WILL DO. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)
==> Anyone and everyone is free to allow the devil to lead them--straight into death and hell. The test is this: DO YOU WANT TO DO THE THINGS THAT THE DEVIL WANTS? Do you wish to elevate yourself, such that you say, "I don’t really need God in my life"?
Friend, today is the day for truth. And Jesus has brought us the truth!
==> You are, thank God, also very free to choose to follow God. Jesus will bring you into His family, and you will become a son or daughter of God. The Almighty and True God can be your Father.
Friend, today is the day for settling whom you will follow. I choose today to follow God the Father and Jesus Christ.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD." (Joshua 24:15)
I pray you give all of your allegiance to the Lord.
Hymns & Reading
Suggested hymns and readings from the "Sing to the Lord" hymnal:
Responsive Reading.....................#645
Blessed Assurance.................Hymn #442
How Firm a Foundation.............Hymn #689
Lead On, O King Eternal...........Hymn #641
Where the Spirit of the Lord Is...Hymn #310
AMEN.
SERMON NOTES
1. Satan was created by ______ .
2. Satan, before his fall, was a high-stationed __________ for God.
3. The sin of Satan was a _____ heart, and self-occupation with ________ .
4. Yes, Satan is _______ . But God is _______ , too. And God alone is God!
5. Satan brought _______ to mankind, by bringing _______ against God’s Word. He told Eve that she would not die, but rather, "You will be like _____ ."
6. He even tried to cause _______ to sin against God! But, he could not.
7. Yes, Satan is _______ . But ______ is real, too. And ________ alone is the Victor!
8. Keep these facts in mind about Satan:
* * His power should be respected
* * His sovereignty is restricted
* * Be aware of his ________
9. Our safety is in Christ Jesus because...
* * Christ _________ our victory!
* * Christ ________ for our victory!
* * We are in Christ!
1 0. The Bible calls us to resist the devil...
* * In our allegiance to God
* * In the ________ of God
* * In our actions of ___________
1 1. Yes, Satan is _______ . But we have the _________ , ______, and ______ _______ .
AMEN.
-----------------------------------------
Copyright 2001
Practical Holiness Ministry (r)
"BRINGING PRACTICAL IDEAS TO
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE." (tm)
You may reprint or publish or hopefully
preach this material as long as it is
not-for-profit, except that it may
profit one’s soul, (see Mark 8:36).
Dr. Neal Gray is Pastor of the Baltimore
Parkville Church of the Nazarene.
You can reach Dr. Gray by e-mail at:
mailto:drngray@earthlink.net
Also, please visit the church’s website:
http://www.ForMinistry.com/21234BPCOTN
LEARNING. MENTORING. SERVING. (tm)
2 Pet. 3:18 - 2 Tim. 2:2 - Matt. 20:26-28
All Scripture is the King James Version.
Used with God’s blessed permission.
------------------------------------------
----------- FREE SUBSCRIPTION ------------
Receive our Sermon Messages each week at
your e-mail address! Send a brief e-mail
message to...
mailto:practicalholiness@earthlink.net
Simply indicate that you wish to receive
the sermon messages.
------------------------------------------
