• Let’s Talk About Satan
• Some Things We Should Know
• Introduction
• In the recent news there has been much talk about identifying who the
enemy is.
• Not only is it wise to know who the enemy is, but we also need to know
as much about him as possible.
• That way, we are prepared for whatever he sends our way, and we will be
prepared for it.
• Since Satan is our enemy, let us learn some things about him……
• Satan Is Real
• Satan talked with God (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6)
• This is also the ONLY time in human history where God allowed Satan any
power at all.
• Satan talked with Christ (Matthew 4:1-11).
• Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel (1 Chronicles
24:1).
• However the parallel account in 1 Kings 24 says that the Lord was angry
against Israel, and David was moved to have a census taken.
• Satan Is Real
• There is no other account of Satan talking with anyone recorded in Scripture
that I am aware of.
• Now some might take us back to the garden of Eden, but that is circumstantial.
• The scripture in Genesis only mentions the serpent. The New Testament
tells us that Eve was deceived.
• Satan is called the great deceiver, so the opinion is that Satan was speaking
through the serpent.
• Satan Is Limited
• The only occasion where Satan did something in the physical realm was
recorded in Job.
• Satan is blamed for much of the problems of this world.
• Rightfully so, because he is the god of this world, and being the top
dog means all things that happen are his responsibility.
• But Satan gets blamed for more than he does.
• Satan Is Limited
• We read that Satan has been bound up until the end of time (Revelation
20:2,7)
• Satan is being tormented day and night forever and ever is spoken in present
tense (Revelation 20:10)
• Today, Satan does not have the power to move a blade of grass or a mist.
Satan has no power to make you or me do anything.
• Satan has no power, except what we give him.
• Satan Is Limited
• There are places in the scriptures where it says Satan entered a heart,
caused a natural disaster, and other things.
• But these instances all came about because of the sin that the people
were committing.
• Remember that James 1:14-15 tells us that we are tempted by OUR OWN LUSTS.
• Satan Is An Accuser
• Satan was ready to accuse Joshua the High Priest in Zechariah 3:1—but
in verse 2 the Lord said to Satan ”The LORD rebuke you, Satan!”
• Satan accused Job of obedience with false motives, yet God knew better.
• Michael the archangel disputed with Satan over the body of Moses.
• So Satan does also with all righteous souls.
• He/she sinned is the accusation, which is true, but these have been washed
of their sins and no longer live in their sins.
• Satan Has No Power On Earth
• Do not blame Satan if you sin.
• Satan has NEVER MADE anyone sin.
• Yet he has caused people to sin the sin they were going to do anyway.
• Satan has no power in the physical realm.
• Satan Has No Power On Earth
• God does not make people obey Him even if He has the power to do so.
• Even Satan does not have that power.
• Satan is limited to the spiritual realm.
• Even though it is said of him that he is the prince of the power of the
air, he cannot make anyone sin against God.
• Since Satan Is Limited:
• He stands as the antithesis of God and all that is good.
• Satan is equated with evil, and evil is that which destroys.
• Thus, the destroyer as one of his names or titles.
• So how does Satan influence us if we are enticed by our own lusts?
• That is really the $64,000.00 question.
• Other Qualities Of Satan.
• What? Satan has qualities?
• Yes, he does, and after hearing these qualities perhaps you might be envious
of Satan and seek to follow these qualities.
• This may be difficult to swallow, but you will see shortly what I mean.
• KNOWLEDGE OF SCRIPTURE
• Satan knows every word of the Bible.
Although his employment of Scripture is certainly abusive, the tempter is indubitably
well versed.
• In an instant he can perfectly recall an obscure passage and quote it
verbatim.
• Despite the wicked misapplication, his knowledge of the inspired text
far excels that of many so-called disciples.
Study and search the scriptures.
• 2nd Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17; Acts 17:11
• Christians must get to know the text. Don’t let Satan put you to
shame.
• BELIEF IN GOD
• The demons certainly believe in God, confess Christ, and even offer worship!
• James 2:19; Acts 19:11-17; Luke 4:31-35
• Some pretend Christians don’t even do all that, much less go any
further.
• The devil is less foolish than atheists because he at least acknowledges
God. (Psalm 14:1).
• If we come to God, we must believe in His existence and trust Him to reward
His diligent seekers. (Hebrews 11:6)
• Do you seek God any more diligently than the devil does?
• FEAR OF HELL
• Clearly, demons worried that the Lord would banish them to torments. (Mark
5:1-7)
• After all, that’s the whole reason God made hell: to punish the
devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41).
• Yet, some who say they believe in God, blatantly mock His justice in eternally
punishing sinners.
• Yet, Scripture shows that scare tactics are an appropriate means of motivating
obedience to the gospel. (2nd Corinthians 5:9-11; Luke 12:4-5; 2nd Thessalonians
1:7-9)
• Hell is real. The devil knows it and so should we!
• TRUST IN GOD’S PROVISION
• Satan understood that righteous Job was protected by God. (Job 1:6-10).
• Those whose trust really is in God should never despair, knowing that
He will fulfill our needs if we put Him first. (Psalm 37:25-26; Matthew 6:25-34)
• Qualities Of Satan
• Up to now, we can see that Satan has qualities that we really recognize
we need to have these things.
• For the most part I feel we all can say that we have accomplished these
qualities in ourselves.
• Yet there is one more quality that Satan has that should really put us
to shame.
• ZEAL TO WIN SOULS
• Our adversary the devil actively stalks his prey. He wages spiritual warfare
against us. He has devices at play. He is a master of disguise. He seeks to undo
the spread of the gospel. Satan relentlessly pursues souls. (1st Peter 5:8; Ephesians
6:11; 2nd Corinthians 2:11; 11:3, 13-15; Luke 8:12).
• We are wise if we win souls to Christ. Whether we are preachers and teachers
or merely students inviting others to meet the Master, there is work to be done
(Proverbs 11:30; Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:4; John 1:40-42; 4:39-42).
• Does Satan out us to shame in the zeal for souls department?
• Satan Can Become Your Master
• While we might dispute such a statement, it is true.
• Romans 6:16 tells us we are the servants of the one we serve.
• That is either God by practicing righteousness and obedience or Satan
by failing to do what God commands.
• And we know that most of the world serves Satan.
• Conclusion
• We have not covered everything.
• We certainly do not want to minimize his influence…
• Yet at the same time if we are determined to serve Christ and God, Satan
does not need to scare us.
• Satan may come into this room, and we need not fear him, because he has
no power if we are children of God.
• What we must remember is that Satan is trying to keep you out of heaven,
and he is always on the job.
By Carey Scott with some help from Victor Studdard
and Bryan Dockens
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