LET ME WARN YOU AGAIN…
LUKE 22:31-34
31: And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
33: And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
34: And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
1. THERE IS A DEVIL
- FALLEN ANGEL
- SINS OF REBELLION AND PRIDE
- CONTINUALLY FIGHTING GOD AND HIS WORK
- MIGHTY, BUT NOT ALMIGHTY
- ENTIRELY EVIL… HEADS UP ALL EVIL IN THE WORLD
THE BIBLE TELLS US HE EXISTS!
OUR OWN LIVES AND EXPERIENCES TELL US HE EXISTS!
WE DON’T GO VERY FAR DOWN THE ROAD OF LIFE BEFORE WE MEET HIM!
HE TEMPTS US… AND DOES EVERYTHING HE CAN TO TEAR US DOWN.
MODERN (LIBERAL) “THINKERS”(?) SCOFF AT THE IDEA OF A LITERAL DEVIL.
WHAT QUALIFIES THEM TO MAKE SUCH A JUDGMENT? THEY ARE UNSAVED… AND THE BIBLE SAYS THE UNSAVED ARE UNABLE TO DISCERN SPIRITUAL THINGS.
ASK YOURSELF THIS…
IF THERE’S NO DEVIL… WHO’S RESPONSBLE FOR ALL THE EVIL IN THE WORLD? GOD? NOT MY GOD!
IF THERE’S NO MASTERMIND OF EVIL…
WHO’S BEHIND ALL THE WAR IN THE WORLD?
WHO’S BEHIND ALL THE POLITICAL GARBAGE?
WHO’S BEHIND GREED?
WHO’S BEHIND THE LUST AND SIN? THE SELFISHNESS?
WHO’S THE CAUSE OF JEALOUSY AND HATRED IN OUR HEARTS?
WHO HAS BEEN MAINLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FAMILY UNIT THAT GOD PRESCRIBED FOR MAN IN HIS WORD?
IS THE DEVIL REAL?
ASK EVE
ASK JOB
ASK JESUS
ASK ANY MAN WHO HAS TRIED TO LIVE FOR GOD AND CONTRIBUTE TO HIS WORK
2. THE DEVIL DESIRES THAT EVERY SOUL WOULD END UP IN A LITERAL BURNING HELL… WITH HIM!
SOME MEN SAY, “ SATAN NEVER TEMPTS ME!”… AND PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THE WORLD AND TO THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AS SOME MEGA-PIOUS, “HOLIER-THAN-THOU” “SAINT”… A SAINT WHO ENDS UP LEADING THOSE FOLKS INTO MORE TROUBLE THAN THEY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE GOTTEN THEMSELVES INTO!
SOME MEN SAY, “ SATAN NEVER TEMPTS ME!”…
MAYBE THAT’S BECAUSE HE ALREADY HAS YOU IN HIS CLUTCHES, AND DOESN’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT YOU.
3. WHAT DOES THE DEVIL WANT YOU TO DO?
HE WANTS YOU TO DRIFT AWAY FROM CHURCH
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO THAT?
WE DISOBEY
HEBREWS 10:25
WE DISOBEY THE COMMAND TO RERMEMBER HIM IN THE LORD’S SUPPER
WE DISOBEY THE COMMAND TO TITHE
WE DISOBEY THE COMMAND TO WITNESS
WE EMBARRASS CHRISTIANITY… OUR TESTIMONY SAYS, “THERE IS NOTHING TO CHRISTIANITY.”
WE STARVE OUR OWN SOULS AND SPIRITUAL LIVES.
HE WANTS YOU TO TAKE IT EASY… RELAX
AMOS 6:1
Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
- CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A SOFT RELIGION… NOT A SOFT BED TO REST ON WHILE YOU’RE WAITING FOR YOUR TRIP TO HEAVEN. IT’S A BATTLE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
I TIM 6:12
12: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
PAUL’S TELLING US THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NO BED OF ROSES.
GIVE WAY TO RELAXATION… YOU IMMEDIATELY LOSE THE BATTLE.
IT’S EASIER TO STAY HOME ON SUNDAY NIGHT THAN COME BACK.
IT’S EASIER TO STAY IN BED ON SUNDAY THAN GET UP AND GO TO CHURCH.
IT’S EASIER TO STAY HOME AND WATCH TV ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT THAN COME TO BIBLE STUDY.
IT’S EASIER TO REST THAN RESIST. IT’S ALSO EASIER FOR THE DEVIL TO CATCH YOU OFF GUARD… AND WIN AN EASY VICTORY.
HE WANTS YOU TO NEGLECT THE BIBLE
VERY SIMPLY, THE DEVIL KNOWS THAT IF YOU STORE GOD’S WORD IN YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DEFEAT HIM.
ILLUSTRATION:
Agnostic to preacher sitting at the same table in a train’s dining car:
“Do you preach the Bible?”
“Yes”
“You don’t understand it all, do you?”
“No.”
“Well, what do you do about that?”
“Just as I do in eating this delicious fish. When I come to a bone, I lay it to one side on my plate and go on enjoying the fish. If some fool insists on choking to death on the bones, that’s his problem.”
DON’T LET LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE WHOLE BIBLE KEEP YOU FROM IT. YOU CAN UNDERSTAND ENOUGH TO FEED YOUR SOUL WITH WHAT YOU NEED.
THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO NEGLECT YOUR PRAYER LIFE
SOLDIERS GO TO BATTLE ARMED, WHY SHOULDN’T WE?
THE DEVIL RARELY DEFEATS A PRAYING MAN OR A PRAYING CHURCH.
WHEN WE SEE GREAT VICTORIES HERE AT WEST SHORES, THEY DON’T COME FROM OUR WORDS OR OUR WORK… BUT OUR PRAYERS!
HE WANTS YOU TO LOWER YOUR STANDARDS.
AGAIN, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SAY, “THERE’S NOTHING TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.”
REMEMBER WHEN CHRISTIAN BUSINESSMEN DIDN’T OPEN ON SUNDAY?
REMEMBER WHEN CHRISTIANS WOULDN’T TAKE A JOB THAT REQUIRED THEM TO WORK ON SUNDAY?
REMEMBER WHEN CHRISTIANS WOULD NOT GO OUT TO LUNCH ON SUNDAY, EVEN THOUGH RESTAURANTS WERE OPEN?
REMEMBER WHEN CHRISTIANS WOULDN’T TAKE A JOB THAT REQUIRED THEM TO WORK ON SUNDAY?
WE ALSO CAN LOWER OUR STANDARDS BY ALLOWING THINGS TO TAKE UP RESIDENCE IN OUR HEART THAT DON’T BELONG THERE.
REMEMBER… IF YOU DON’T HAVE LOVE IN YOUR HEART FOR EVERYBODY… THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR CHRISTIANITY.
HE WANTS YOU TO CRITICIZE THE CHURCH
LOOK…
THE GOSPEL-PREACHING CHURCH IS THE ONLY AGENCY IN THE WORLD THAT IS FIGHTING STATN AND HIS WORK.
HE GENERALLY ATTACKS FROM THE OUTSIDE FIRST, BUT THAT NORMALLY SERVES TO MAKE THE CHURCH STRONGER.
THEN…
HE ATTACKS FROM THE INSIDE. AND THIS ALMOST NEVER FAILS TO WREAK HAVOC ON A CHURCH.
GOD BLESS THE CHRISTIAN WHO LOVES HIS CHURCH AND STANDS UP FOR IT!
IT ISN’T WHAT IT SHOULD BE, BUT IT’S THE BEST THING GOD’S GOT GOING ON EARTH RIGHT NOW!
HE WANTS YOU TO LOSE YOUR TEMPER
CHRIST TOOK ALL THE ABUSE THEY HEAPED ON HIM, YET HE DID NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
WHEN WE BLOW OUR STACKS, WE DON’T LOOK LIKE CHRIST VERY MUCH, DO WE?
PROVERBS 16:32
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
HE WANTS YOU TO ACT LIKE A CHILD
THE BIBLE SAYS TO BE “CHILD-LIKE”… NOT CHILDISH.
I’M SURE OUR PASTOR COULD GIVE YOU CHAPTER AND VERSE ON HUNDREDS OF CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE ACTED LIKE BABIES… INCLUDING TEMPER TANTRUMS.
SOME EVEN GET IT TOGETHER AND ASK FORGIVENESS, ONLY TO FALL AND DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN!
HE WANTS YOU TO MAKE SERVING CHRIST A LOWER PRIORITY
EVERY CHURCH HAS MEMBERS THAT SAY, “SOMEDAY I’M GOING TO BE A BUSY CHURCH MEMBER… I’M GOING TO BE ACTIVE.”
PERHAPS YOU’RE ONE.
BUT YOU KEEP POSTPONING IT… NEVER QUITE GETTING AROUND TO IT.
GOD MAY NOT HAVE CALLED YOU TO SERVE IN THE LIMELIGHT, BUT IN SOME MORE OBSCURE JOB. BUT IF YOU LET SATAN KEEP YOU FROM SERVING CHRIST, YOU MISS OUT ON THE GREATEST BLESSING AVAILABLE TO THE CHRISTIAN.
HOW DO WE DEFEAT SATAN?
BY STAYING CLOSE TO CHRIST (he’s beat him before)
BY GETTING BUSY FOR GOD (“Idle hands (minds)… )
BY RESISTING HIM (resist and he will flee… James 4:7)
BY TRUSTING GOD’S STRENGTH FOR OUR DELIVERANCE. (We don’t have to win the battle… just lock arms with the Lord)
