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TEN THINGS ABOUT OUR ENEMY (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.      Satan, the adversary of man, has been discounted by many.

1.       Some see him as having been made up by man in an attempt to explain evil.

2.       Some believe that he is just a personification of evil.

3.       Still others see him as a fictitious character to keep children in line.

 

B.      Jesus, however, believed that Satan is real.

1.       He was tempted by the devil in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1).

 

Then was Jesus led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be temped of the devil.

 

2.       In His explanation of the Parable of the Tares and Wheat, Jesus said that the enemy was the devil (Matt. 13:39).

 

The enemy that sowed them is the devil…

 

3.       In Matthew 25:41, He taught that the everlasting fire of hell was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41).

 

C.      Satan is not a myth.  He is real.  And, he is the enemy of man.  It is incumbent upon us, therefore, to come to a deep understanding of him.

 

D.     We began “A Study of Our Enemy” last week.  Today we want to continue that study.

 

I.                   OUR ENEMY HAS MANY DISGUISES

 

A.      Disguise:  to change the appearance of someone so as to conceal identity or mislead

1.       The Certified Financial Planner commercial where a DJ poses as a financial planner.

a.       One of the ladies said:  “You seem knowledgeable, professional.”

b.       He asks two people:  “Would you trust me?”  Both of them answer:  “Yes.”

2.       Satan is the true master of disguises.

 

B.      His very first disguise was as s serpent in the Garden of Eden.

1.       Genesis 3:1

 

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.  And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

 

2.       Some people scoff at a talking snake.

a.       All of this is brand new to Eve.

b.       God spoke directly to the couple from heaven.

c.        Eve is still in a state of complete innocent.

 

C.      Other passages also teach us about the disguises of our enemy (II Cor. 11:13-14).

1.       False teachers had entered into the church at Corinth.  They were presenting themselves as apostles of Christ.

2.       Paul describes them as they really were (I Cor. 11:13).

 

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

 

3.       In verse 14, he tells them that they should not marvel or wonder at this.

 

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

 

D.     The purpose of Satan’s disguises.

1.       He wants to trick and to fool human beings.

2.       He wants to bring harm and devastation through his disguises (Ex., alcoholic beverages).

a.       What God says:

1)      Proverbs 20:1

 

Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging:  and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

 

2)      Proverbs 23:31-32

 

Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in his cup, when it moveth itself aright.  At the last it biteth like a serpent, and it stingeth like an adder.

 

b.       Satan, however, loves to disguise it.

1)      It tastes so good.

2)      It allows one to relax.

3)      It removes inhibitions.

4)      It makes one more sociable.

5)      It has many health benefits.

6)      It just makes a person feel good.

c.        Satan’s disguise deceives.  “At the last it biteth like a serpent, and it stingeth like an adder.”

1)      Car wreck

2)      DUI

3)      Hurt or kill others in an accident

4)      Ruined character

5)      Loss of Christian influence

6)      Addiction

7)      Loss of wife, children, job, health, life and soul

d.       Some will say:  “That will never happen to me!”  This leads to our next point about the enemy.

 

II.                OUR ENEMY CANNOT BE TRUSTED

 

A.      When describing the enemy’s character, Jesus said that Satan is a liar (John 8:44).

 

B.      He proved this in his dealings with Eve from the outset.

1.       He told Eve:  Ye shall not surely die (Gen. 3:4).

2.       Paul writes of this incident, and says:  The woman being deceived was in the transgression (I Tim. 2:14).

 

C.      The lies Satan can tell are amazing.

1.       Sometimes he just boldly contradicts the truth of God’s Word as he did with Eve (Ex., baptism, Mark 16:16).

 

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 

2.       Sometimes he deceives us into thinking that there will be no consequences for our actions that oppose God.

3.       He deceives us into thinking that we know more than God.

4.       He will deceive us into thinking that God is trying to remove fun and happiness from our lives by His prohibitions.

5.       He deceives us into thinking that other things like riches and power provide the same type of security that God provides.

6.       He deceives us into thinking that just a little bit of religion is enough.

 

 

 

D.     Instead of giving heed to Satan’s lies, we must trust God implicitly.

1.       Psalm 2:12b

 

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

 

2.       Psalm 18:30

 

As for God, his way is perfect:  the word of the Lord is tried:  he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

 

3.       Psalm 31:6

 

I have hated them that regard lying vanities:  but I trust in the Lord.

 

4.       Proverbs 30:5

 

Every word of God is pure:  he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

 

III.             OUR ENEMY IS RELENTLESS

 

A.      To be relentless means that the enemy does not let up.

 

B.      Following Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, these words were penned by Luke:  And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season (Luke 4:13)

1.       This means that he left Him until he saw another opportunity to tempt the Son of God.

2.       Satan departed until another occasion to tempt presented itself.

 

C.      Satan’s relentlessness:

1.       He will come, then leave, then come again.

2.       He will use one method of temptation to day and another method tomorrow.

3.       He will tempt us when we are alone, or, when we are with others who are easily swayed.

4.       He will tempt us in the little things and in the big things.

 

D.     Satan never tires.  Satan never rests.  Satan is “on duty” 24/7/365.

 

IV.              OUR ENEMY CAN BE RESISTED

 

A.      Two passages in the New Testament:

1.       James 4:7

 

Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 

2.       I Peter 5:9a

 

Whom resist stedfast in the faith…

 

B.      The word “resist” means “to stand against, to oppose.”

1.       Joseph resisted the constant advances of Potipher’s wife (Gen. 39:7-15).

2.       Moses refused the pleasure of sin found in the land of Egypt (Heb. 11:22-25).

3.       Joshua and Caleb refused to let Satan fill their hearts with fear after spying out the land of Canaan (Num. 14:6-9).

4.       Jesus stood up to Satan’s attacks three times with the words:  “It is written” (Matt. 4:1-11).

5.       Peter and the apostles refused to be silenced by Satan, even when the council of the Jews forbade them from speaking (Acts 4:18-20).

 

C.      We can defeat the enemy.

1.       Just say:  “No.”

2.       Don’t associate with certain people.

3.       Refuse to go to certain places.

4.       Don’t be intimidated by Satan’s allies.

5.       Affirm always that you will do the will of God.

 

V.                 OUR ENEMY HAS BEEN AND WILL BE DEFEATED

 

A.      Satan’s background.

1.       Satan and his loyal angels fell from heaven after they had sinned.

2.       The earth became Satan’s domain.  He is “the god of this world” and “the prince of the power of the air.”

3.       When Jesus came to earth, Satan’s territory was invaded by deity.

4.       Satan sought to rid himself of the Son of God by crucifying Him.

 

B.      Jesus, however, rose from the dead and defeated Satan.

1.       Hebrews 2:14

 

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil.

 

2.       A crushing blow was given to the head of Satan when Jesus rose from the dead (Gen. 3:15).

 

C.      In the last day, Satan will be completely defeated.  All of his evil activity will cease, and he will be cast into the fires of hell (Rev. 20:10).

 

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.      It is staggering to think about how many people have aligned themselves with our adversary.

1.       The atheists, agnostics, and skeptics

2.       All non-Christians

3.       Those who align themselves with the doctrines and religions of man

4.       The immoral

5.       The unfaithful child of God

6.       The lazy and the slothful

7.       The false teachers among us

 

B.      My friends, Satan, nor anyone who aligns with him, will win on the last day.

 

C.      Only Jesus and the redeemed will be victorious (Rev. 17:14).

 

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them:  for he is Lord of lords and King of kings:  and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.