Reversing Satan's Power Grab

REVERSING SATAN’S POWER GRAB

2 Chron. 13:1-20

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Sal, a pilot for a major airline, carries his running clothes in a backpack, freeing his hands for his luggage. As he was heading to a plane in full pilot uniform one day, he noticed passers-by grinning at him in the terminal.

2. Sal smiled back. He thought, “Well, I’ve been a pilot for 10 years now. I’m becoming recognized by a lot of people! Some of them were probably on my last flight.”

3. His ego was brimming until he got to the cockpit and took off his backpack. That’s when he saw the “Parachute” sign his co-workers had stuck to his backpack!

4. Sometimes we could all use a parachute! We’re going to read about a king who jumped and let God catch him.

B. TEXT

13 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah….3 Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.

4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim…and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! 5 Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? 8 And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord…You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. 10 “As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. 12 People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.” 13 Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them. 14 Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the Lord. The priests blew their trumpets 15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 17…there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men. 18 The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages. 20 Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down and he died. 2 Chron. 13:1-20

C. THESIS

1. Tonight we’re studying how Satan tries to get power over us, how we can get back our momentum, and how we can cause Hell to lose power over us.

2. The title of tonight’s message is “Reversing Satan’s Power Grab.”

I. SATAN’S POWER GRAB

A. SATAN GETS POWER

1. POWER GRAB (Def.): “To seize power suddenly, at a moment when no one is paying attention, and once possessing the power, the grabber can’t be divested of the power.”

2. Satan made a “power grab” in the Garden of Eden when Adam & Eve were naïve and could be taken advantage of.

3. The same thing happened to the line of David due to the sins of Solomon, Abijah’s grandfather who:

a. took many wives,

b. wives that were idolaters, and

c. he allowed and aided their idolatry, even building them temples for their deities outside Jerusalem.

4. This caused God to pronounce judgment on him: “The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord…. ‘Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates…. 12 not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son.’” 1 Kgs 11:9-12.

5. This was fulfilled in 1 Kgs. 12:3,16,25 when the northern 10 tribes cast off Solomon’s son Rehoboam and followed Jeroboam. Only Judah and Benjamin remained to David’s line.

6. Thus Rehoboam, Abijah’s father, lost a large amount of territory -- 5/6th of the heritage of David’s spiritual victories!

B. THE DANGER OF REGRESSION

1. It’s possible for Satan to regain power over some areas of your life if you allow him, but it doesn’t have to happen that way!

2. We must take positive steps to stop backsliding or we’ll do it automatically. Why?

3. Because things naturally go from order to disorder (entropy). Weeds grow automatically, no help is necessary. But anything that is profitable (wheat, corn, etc.) takes effort to produce.