Satan's Background

Satan’s Background

Introduction

A Pam’s reading a book on “birth orders”.

1 According to the book, your birth order determines how you act, your personality, strengths & weaknesses.

a Fascinating, & right more often than it is wrong.

b See/understand why people do what they do.

2 The devil has a history, background

a The earliest book in Scripture is Job, & we see Satan attacking/accusing Job in chapters 1 & 2. (Silent for many years after that).

b David putting his faith in numbers, not God. Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. 1 Chron 21:1 (NASB)

aa In Zechariah 3, he opposes the High Priest of Israel at a worship service.

bb Tempts Jesus (Matt. 4) with a threefold temptation just like he did our ancient father, Adam. He doesn’t change his approach (lust of the flesh, eyes, & the pride of life).

3 Satan influenced Peter to get Jesus to stay off the cross. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You."23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God 's interests, but man's." Matt 16:22-23 (NASB)

a Satan entered Judas’ heart to betray. And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. Luke 22:3 (NASB)

b Sifted/shook Peter like wheat. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat...Luke 22:31 (NASB)

B Satan attacks body & soul.

1 "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" Luke 13:16 (NASB) Satan crippled a woman for 18 years.

a In the early church, filled the hearts of Ananias & Sapphira, causing them to lie to the Holy Ghost. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? Acts 5:3 (NASB)

b ...to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' Acts 26:18 (NASB) When lost people were saved, they were delivered “from the dominion of Satan...”

2 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus . 1 Cor 5:5 (NASB) Satan can kill Christians who are embarrassing the testimony of Christ and the Church with their immoral behavior.

a Power of death-ONLY with Jesus’ permission!

b Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Cor 7:5 (NASB) Satan attacks marriage, marital fidelity, sexual enjoyment.

c ...so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. 2 Cor 2:11 (NASB) Satan seeks to gain advantage over you.

aa Disguises himself as a heavenly messenger. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 2 Cor 11:4 (KJV)

bb Hinders the ministry of the church. For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.1 Thess 2:18 (NASB)

cc ...that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders...2 Thess 2:9 (NASB) Work signs, miracles (Exodus)

d Could go on & on!

3 The enemy causes trouble at good churches. Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.25 "But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.26 "But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.27 "The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'28 "And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?'29 "But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Matt 13:24-29 (NASB)