Summary: IS SATAN ATTACKING YOU....? FEW OF US HAVE EVER BEEN IN THE POSITION OF THE MAN JOB, BUT IF YOU EVER ARE HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO WHEN SATAN ATTACKS!

TITLE: WHAT TO DO WHEN SATAN ATTACKS

TEXT: JOB 1:1 - 11

INTRO:

HERE IN THE BOOK OF JOB, WE READ OF A –

A. GODLY MAN V.1 – HE FEARED THE LORD

B. RIGHTEOUS MAN V.1 – PERFECT AND UPRIGHT

C. BLESSED MAN V.2 – 4 TELLS OF HOW GOD HAD PROSPERED HIM

D. TESTED MAN V.12

WE FIND THAT GOD ALLOWED SATAN TO COME AGAINST HIM TO PROVE THE KIND OF MAN JOB WAS. AND IN JUST A SHORT MATTER OF TIME, JOB’S-

· SATAN HAD STRIPPED JOB OF EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD

NOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER FELT LIKE THIS MAN (MAYBE NOT TO THE SAME DEGREE), BUT SATAN HAS CAME AGAINST YOU? I’M TALKING ABOUT WHEN THE DEVIL HAS BEEN –

· WORKING OVERTIME IN YOUR LIFE

· DOING ALL HE CAN TO DEFEAT YOU

· CONSTANTLY CAUSING TROUBLE IN YOUR LIFE

· I BELIEVE WE ALL HAVE!

WELL FOLKS I BELIEVE WE ALL NEED TO LEARN A VALUABLE LESSON TONIGHT IN THAT: ANYTIME WE PRESENT A DANGER TO THE DEVIL HE IS GOING TO COME AFTER US WITH EVERYTHING HE’S GOT.

* IN LUKE 22:51 WE FIND SATAN WANTING TO SIFT PETER – AND I BELIEVE THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE DEVIL KNEW THE DANGER PETER PRESENTED AS A PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL – THINK ABOUT IT – 3,000 WERE SAVED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST ALONE!

* IN DANIEL 9 WE FIND AN ANGELIC WAR GOING ON IN THE HEAVENS, THE PRINCE OF PERSIA WARING AGAINST GABRIEL TO THE POINT THAT GABRIEL HAD TO CALL FOR MICHAEL TO COME HELP HIM.

* IN LUKE 4 WE FIND SATAN TEMPTING JESUS TRYING TO MAKE HIM SIN SO AS TO DISQUALIFY HIM AS THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

* IN LUKE 22 WE FIND SATAN ONCE AGAIN COMING AGAINST JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND ONCE AGAIN, THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE SATAN WAS TRYING TO KEEP JESUS FROM GOING TO THE CROSS. SATAN KNEW CALVARY WOULD BE THE PLACE OF HIS UTTER DEFEAT!

WELL FOLKS – DON’T BE ALARMED WHEN THINGS SEEM TO GO HAYWIRE IN THIS CHURCH AND IN THIS CHURCHES’ FAMILIES. YOU SEE WE PRESENT TO THE DEVIL AND EXTREME DANGER THEREFORE WE ARE HIS # 1 TARGET.

I PETER 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW WAYS SATAN LOVES TO ATTACK A CHURCH LIKE OURS.

1. DIVISION

ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS SATAN CAN DESTROY A CHURCH IS TO GET A CHURCH DIVIDED! HE MAY CAUSE AN ARGUMENT OVER SOME DISAGREEMENT AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT – CHRISTIANS ARE ANGRY WITH ONE ANOTHER. BUT SATAN JUST DOESN’T STOP THERE, THAT ANGER SOON LEADS TO A WICKED OLD BITTER SPIRIT WHICH DOMINATES YOUR THINKING AND DAY IN AND DAY OUT YOUR MIND IS CONSUMED WITH WICKED THOUGHTS TOWARDS THAT BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST.

MY FRIEND IF YOU HAVE A BITTER SPIRIT AGAINST ANOTHER CHRISTIAN HERE TODAY – YOU’RE NOT RIGHT WITH GOD!

EPHESIANS 4:31

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

HEBREWS 12:15

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

2. DISRUPTION

MY FRIEND, I’VE SEEN IT HAPPEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT PREACHER? I’M TALKING ABOUT A DISRUPTION IN THE SERVICE –

· KIDS FIGHTING BEFORE THE SERVICE

· PEOPLE COMING IN DURING INVITATATION TIME

· PEOPLE TALKING WHILE THE PREACHER IS PREACHING!

FOLKS LISTEN, IF YOU ARE A PERSON THAT TALKS THROUGH THE SERVICE, REALIZE THAT YOU ARE A TOOL BEING USED BY THE DEVIL! DID YOU EVER STOP TO THINK THAT THE PERSON YOU ARE TALKING TO MIGHT BE LOST AND ON THEIR WAY TO HELL – AND YOU ARE KEEPING THEM FROM LISTENING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD!

3. DISCOURAGMENT

YOU MAY BE HERE THIS MORNING AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING GOOD IN YOUR LIFE, YOU ARE –

· SERVING THE LORD, TEACHING A CLASS, BUSY WINNING SOULS

THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN OLD SMUTTY FACE RAISES HIS HEAD IN YOUR LIFE. YOU LOOSE A –

· JOB AND HE TRIES TO DISCOURAGE YOU WITH THAT

· FINANCIAL PROBLEMS ARISE

· A CAR BREAKS DOWN

MY FRIEND YOU CAN MARK IT DOWN WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO SERVE THE LORD – THAT’S WHEN SATAN IS GOING TO COME AGAINST YOU WITH THE FIERCEST OF HIS ATTACKS!

ILL. SOMEONE CAME TO DR. JOHN RICE ONE DAY AND SAID, I DON’T BELIEVE THE DEVIL ATTACKS US CHRISTIANS THE WAY YOU CLAIM THAT HE DOES. DR. RICE SAID, “YOU TWIST HIS TAIL THE WAY I DO, YOU PREACH AGAINST SIN THE WAY I DO AND YOU’LL SEE THAT HE DOES.”

FOR THE MESSAGE THIS MORNING, I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME 3 THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO WHEN SATAN ATTACKS?

I. PRAISE AND WORSHIP THE LORD! V.20 - 21

HERE IN OUR TEXT SATAN HAD ROBBED JOB OF HIS –

· HEALTH – PUS RAN FROM HIS SORES

· FAMILY – ALL HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS WERE DEAD

· WIFE – SHE TURNED AGAINST HIM – CURSE GOD AND DIE

· FRIENDS – THEY CAME AGAINST HIM AND ACCUSED HIM OF LIVING IN SIN.

BUT JOB RETAINED HIS INTEGRITY

· JOB STOOD HIS GROUND

· JOB DID NOT WAIVER, WHINE AND BELLYACHE

· OR FALSELY ACCUSE THE LORD. JOB ACCORDING TO V.20 – 21 …arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

MY FRIEND WHEN SATAN COMES AGAINST YOU, WHEN HE COMES AGAINST THE MEMBERS OF THIS CHURCH LET’S LEARN TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE THE LORD! THE LAST THING SATAN WANTS TO SEE US CHRISTIANS ON OUR KNEES GIVING GLORY TO GOD WHEN THINGS ARE GOING BAD.

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING WE DO WHEN SATAN ATTACKS? MOST OF THE TIME WE BEGIN TO MURMUR AND COMPLAIN AND SOMETIMES BLAME ONE ANOTHER. BUT FOLKS WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT’S JUST WHAT SATAN WANTS US TO DO!

ILL. WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE OUT IN THE HOT, DRY DESERT WITHOUT ANY FOOD OR WATER AT ALL, THE FIRST THING THEY BEGAN TO DO IS ACCUSE MOSES AND AARON AND MURMUR AGAINST THE LORD.

FOLKS THAT’S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO! THAT DOES NOTHING BUT FUEL THE FIRE. IF YOU WANT VICTORY OVER SATAN AND ALL HIS DIRTY DEEDS YOU NEED TO LEARN TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP THE LORD!

ILL. WHEN PAUL WROTE TO THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS AND TOLD HOW SATAN HAD CAME AGAINST HIM – PAUL DID NOT WHINE, BELLY ACHE AND COMPLAIN – NO! PAUL SAID, For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! WHAT WAS HE DOING – PRAISING THE LORD!

ILL. I HAVE A PREACHER FRIEND OF MINE NOT FAR FROM HERE WHOSE CHURCH HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF FOR GOD – SOULS ARE BEING SAVED, BUS ROUTES ARE BEING STARTED (BUT THEN SATAN ATTACKED) 60 PEOPLE WALKED OUT THE DOOR AND LEFT THE CHURCH WHEN THE PREACHER PULLED OUT OF THE CONVENTION. HE WAS DISCOURAGED, BUT YET HE STILL CONTINUES TO THIS DAY TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP THE LORD.

WHY DOES SATAN HATE OUR PRAISE AND WORSHIP OF GOD? IT IS BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE WORSHIPED.

ILL. 5 TIMES IN ISAIAH SATAN SAID –

· I will ascend into heaven

· I will exalt my throne above the stars of God

· I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north

· I will ascend above the heights of the clouds

· I will be like the most High.

YET GOD SAID HE IS GOING TO HELL!

LISTEN, WHEN SATAN ATTACK US AS A CHURCH – LET’S PRAISE AND WORSHIP THE LORD! NOT ONLY SHOULD WE –

1. PRAISE

II. PRAY

EPHESIANS 6:18

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

YOU SEE IT IS IN PRAYER THAT WE BATTLE AND WAR AGAINST SATAN.

EPHESIANS 6:12 - 13

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against princ-ipalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

ILL. IN EPHESIANS 6 PAUL GIVES SOME 5 DEFENSIVE PIECES OF ARMOR THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN NEEDS TO WEAR. BUT THEN IN V.17, 18 PAUL GIVES 2 OFFENSIVE WEAPONS WE CHRISTIANS ARE TO USE AGAINST SATAN AND ALL THE DEMONS OF HELL. ONE OF THEM IS THE –

1. SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS MY LAST POINT

2. SECRET WEAPON OF PRAYER!

JAMES 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

ILL. LEE ROBERSON ONE TIME WAS HOLDING REVIVAL IN A SOUTHERN STATE AND SEVERAL DAYS HAD PASSED BY AND NOTHING WAS HAPPENING AT ALL. SATAN WAS WORKING, PEWS WERE EMPTY, ALTARS WERE EMPTY, EYES WERE DRY AND NO ONE WAS BEING SAVED AT ALL. SO THAT NIGHT DR. ROBERSON STAYED UP WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER ASKING GOD TO BIND THE FORCES OF EVIL AND GIVE VICTORY THE VERY NEXT NIGHT. THE NEXT NIGHT WHEN HE CAME TO THE CHURCH – 2 POLICEMEN WERE STANDING AT THE FRONT DOOR SO AS TO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE IN! THAT PLACE WAS PACKED! THAT NIGHT AFTER LEE ROBERSON PREACHED 134 PEOPLE WALKED THE ISLE AND GOT SAVED!

LISTEN FOLKS, THERE’S POWER IN PRAYER – IF GOD’S PEOPLE WILL SIMPLY LEARN TO PRAY!

ILL. SOMEONE ONCE ASKED JAMES CORBETT, AT THAT TIME HEAVY-WEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING A MAN MUST DO TO BECOME A CHAMPION. HE REPLIED, "BE WILLING TO FIGHT ONE MORE ROUND."

ILL. THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON SAID THAT THE BRITISH SOLDIERS AT THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO WERE NOT ANY STRONGER THAN NAPOLEON’S SOLDIERS THEY WERE JUST WILLING TO FIGHT FOR FIVE MINUTES LONGER.

WELL FOLKS THAT’S WHAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE FOR US TO BE VICTORIOUS OVER SATAN WHEN HE ATTACKS. THE SECRET FOR VICTORY IS: "TO FIGHT JUST ONE MORE ROUND. BE BRAVE FOR FIVE MINUTES MORE – PRAY WITHOUT CEASING UNTIL WE GET AHOLD OF HEAVEN AND GOD PULLS THROUGH FOR US. THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VICTORY AND DEFEAT!

1. PRAISE

2. PRAY

III. PULL OUT THE WORD OF GOD

IN LUKE 4 WHEN SATAN CAME AGAINST JESUS, EVERY SINGLE TIME JESUS CAME BACK AGAINST HIM WITH SCRIPTURE! WHY? BECAUSE SCRIPTURE IS TRUTH AND SATAN CANNOT STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF TRUTH.

FOLKS THIS BIBLE IS A WEAPON OF VARIOUS SORTS. GOD LIKENS HIS WORD TO A –

· LIGHT IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS

· FIRE IN JEREMIAH 23

· HAMMER IN JEREMIAH 23

· SWORD IN EPHESIANS

· TWO-EDGED SWORD IN HEBREWS

SO FOLKS IF YOU WANT TO –

· SHINE A LIGHT IN SATANS EYE

· PUT A FIRE UNDER HIS BEHIND

· PUT A KNOT ON HIS HEAD

· AND A DAGGER IN HIS HEART

MEMORIZE, MEDITATE AND VOCALIZE THE WORD OF GOD! WHEN THE VERY WORDS OF GOD ARE SPOKEN –

· ALL HELL TAKES NOTICE

· SATAN TREMBLES AND DEMONS FLEE IN TERROR

· BECAUSE THEY KNOW THIS BOOK OPENLY SHOWS THEIR UTTER DEFEAT!

COLOSSIANS 2:15

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

AS I CLOSE THIS MORNING - REMEMBER THIS WHEN SATAN ATTACKS:

1. SATAN IS A DEFEATED FOE!

THERE IS A PLACE CALLED CALVARY WHERE THE VILE SERPENTS HEAD WAS CRUSHED IN GLORIOUS VICTORY.

2. SATAN CANNOT HARM YOU

GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD!

THE ANGELS OF THE LORD ENCAMP ROUND ABOUT THOSE THAT FEAR HIM!

A. WE ARE IN GOD’S HAND JOHN 10:29

B. JESUS IS WITH US HEBREWS 13:5

3. HIS DAY IS COMING

REVELATION 20:10

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.

BUT UNTIL THAT DAY WE NEED TO –

1. PRAISE

2. PRAY AND UTILIZE THE WORD OF GOD.