Satan’s Fourfold Purpose

At a party like that a person can be in a room full of people they know, yet they may not know a person there. Only when the masks are removed can they know for sure who the people are.

Did you know that Satan has always worn a mask? He knew from the beginning if anyone recognized him for who he was no one would serve him even one day. However, he comes as “an angel of light.” Who can refuse an angel of light? He LIES and DECEIVES.

Illus: This is why we, as Christians, should always strive to tell the truth. When we lie we are like Satan, the deceiver!

Jesus said to those Satan had deceived so they would not believe in Him, John 8:44, “Ye are of your father the devil...When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it.”

Yes, the Bible tells us that “...he is a liar and the father of it.” There has never been a time, since the creation of mankind, that Satan has not lied. Look at Genesis 3:1-6 to see four lies that he told Eve. Not only did he lie to Eve, he wants to tell us these four lies also.

I. SATAN WANTS YOU TO THINK NEGATIVELY ABOUT GOD.

Look at verse 1. We read, “...Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” If you think about that statement, it makes God sound like a real “party pooper.” Satan has convinced people today that God is just that--a “party pooper.” That is, he would have you think you can not enjoy life if you serve God. The real enjoyable life comes in serving Satan--and many have fallen for this lie!

Illus: I can just imagine hearing Satan saying this with his voice full of disgust -- “...hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

Satan would not make it clear that when God tells us to do, or not do, anything it is for our own good, whether we understand it or not.

Illus: God did not just sit in heaven, make man, and then randomly decide one thing would be sin and another would not. Sin is sin because it is wrong in the sight of God because He knows it is not in our best interest.

Again, Satan has convinced millions that God is a real “party pooper.”

But, God HAS NOT ruined people’s lives, SATAN HAS! This is not hard to prove. Just look at all the miserable people around us who are serving him.

Satan said to Eve, “...hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” In other words. God is certainly mean isn’t He? But, that was not what God had said at all.

Look at Genesis 2:16-17. We read, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” God placed Adam in this beautiful garden and told him he had placed him there to enjoy it. He told him HE COULD EAT OF EVERY TREE EXCEPT ONE.

Isn’t God generous! Isn’t God a good God!

Illus: God says to us, every week, that we can take the income He has blessed us with and keep 9/10 of it, and only give Him 1/10.

God is such a generous God.

Satan wants us to think of God in a negative way--as being a mean, cruel God. But you know what? I have discovered, like the author of the song, “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”

Do not ever let the devil tell you any lies that make you think negative thoughts about God! SATAN IS A LIAR! He told Eve this lie! SATAN WANTS YOU TO THINK NEGATIVELY ABOUT GOD. The next lie is...

II. SATAN WANTS YOU BE SKEPTICAL OF GOD.

Look at verses 2-4. We read, “And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” Now evidently Eve did not believe the first lie Satan told her. She answered the serpent’s suggestion by telling him what God had said, “...We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, YE SHALL NOT EAT OF IT,..”