Satan Is:

Satan is:

· Deceiver

· Tempter

· Accuser

· Causes us to withhold forgiveness

Recognizing the enemy and knowing his tactics is the key to winning any battle. Many a great military leader has discovered this truth on and off the battlefield. When we do not know our enemy, we are then most prone to loosing the battle.

One tactic of the enemy we all have, Satan, is to confuse us about his own tactics. Satan would have us to believe that we are powerless over him; therefore it is pointless in fighting against him.

The United States of America has egg on our face over the war in Iraq. We stated that Sadam has a build up of weapons of mass destruction and we must go in and destroy this ruthless dictator before he wreaks havoc on the rest of the peace-seeking world. As it turns out, we did not know our enemy and we became confused and found ourselves in a mess with the rest of the world. Please don’t get me wrong, I do support our war effort, I do support our president, but I do however believe we had bad information, confusing information about our enemy.

Just as the US had bad information, I believe that we as Christ’s followers have been given some very bad information, or most often a lack of information. What do we need to know about our common enemy?

First, Satan is the source of all evil. God knows no evil. God is the exact opposite of evil. How then is this world, the world that God created, have so much evil? It all started in the garden my friends. God created this world for mankind to enjoy. A simple and pure life with no worries. Enter Satan;

Genesis 3:4-7 (NKJV)

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

From that moment on, sin had power in this world. Satan was given the keys to this world and the air above it.

John 12:31 (NKJV)

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

There’s nothing we can do about it so why fight it? If this is the way it has to be then why fight it?

1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

You might be thinking that you don’t really have a problem with Satan and this message doesn’t apply to you. Oh how you are wrong my sisters and brothers!! By simply choosing sides with Jesus, you have angered and declared all out war with the Devil.

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

You didn’t choose this adversary, he chose you by your declaration of being a Christian. You cannot ignore Satan’s claims against you. Be not deceived, he is your enemy. If you choose to ignore him, you will wind up with more than egg on your face. Satan wants you to believe that you and he aren’t really at odds with each other. Meanwhile, the old Devil is poking you with temptations, lies, corrupt thoughts. He is leading you out of the will of God right into his greedy little grubby hands, laughing all the way not to the bank but the other place! You had best beware, Satan IS your enemy.

Are You Convinced Yet?

OK, OK you say – the Devil is my enemy. What do I need to know about him? You need to know that Satan seeks to take that that doesn’t belong to him. If you have given your life to Jesus, you belong to Him now and forever my friends. Please do not allow Satan to enter your heart and make you think that you have committed some serious sin that has put you at odds with God.

Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.