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For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
There are three wills that exist in this Universe.
o There is the will of God—to deliver man from the bondage of sin.
o There is the will of man—to enjoy sin for a season.
o And then there's the will of Satan—which desires worship from angels and men.
This morning I want to share with you what the Bible has to say about Satan.
Who is Satan? How powerful is he? Why is he here, and where is he going?
The Bible teaches us that Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is leading this world down a path of destruction and eternal judgment.
There are many people today that don't believe in Satan. That is, that he exists as a personal being. And yet Christ testifies that he beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven (Luke 10:18). Christ was there when Satan was cast out of heaven. Speaking of the wicked heart of the Jews and their refusal to hear the truth, Jesus said:
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Christ believed in the personal existence of Satan.
11: Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12: Son of man, take up a lamentation [a mournful, weeping, song] upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
As we read these verses, it should become apparent that God is speaking to someone other than the human king of Tyrus. It is believed that God addressing Satan (Lucifer), the evil force controlling the works of the king of Tyrus.
13: Thou hast been in
No human king has ever been in the garden of Eden.
… every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: (this being was clothed in beauty) the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes (these are musical instruments) was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Satan was a beautiful angelic creation of God, by the name of Lucifer (Na-Tash) The Shining One. Forget about the cartoon character of red tail, pointed ears, and horns.
Satan didn't appear to Eve as a snake. He came to her in beauty and in craftiness. He came to turn her away from the word of God. Satan's whole wardrobe consisted of beautiful and precious stones. How ironic, when you think that his doctrine left Adam and Eve in fig leaves. (Genesis 3:7)
14: Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth [a position of authority and
leadership]; and I have set thee so [God says, I purposed it so]: thou wast upon the holy
15: Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Lucifer, at one time, was perfect in obedience to the will of God. In fact, His name means Lightbearer, or the Shinning One.
In verse 15, God says Satan was "perfect in his ways." Perfection comes when we walk in the light of God. In the truth of God.
7: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Adam and Eve were perfect, not in themselves, but in the presence of God. They walked with God in the cool of the day. And at one time, Satan also walked in the cool of the day with God. But what happened?
15. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
What was that iniquity? Pride.
16: By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned:
17: Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
Lucifer began to prefer himself over God.
Isaiah's prophecy is even more specific. Turn with me to Isaiah Chapter 14.
12: How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13: For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Everything was not enough with Lucifer.
I heard a man say one time, "Now I've got plenty of money and I'm in need of nothing, but what is it that you need from me and how much are you willing to pay?"
Someone might say, if I only had enough money, I'd be happy and I'd be satisfied. But if money is the god of your life, you will never have enough money, and you'll never be completely satisfied. One evening after a revival service a local businessman told me, "If I had a million dollars I'd quit my job and go into the ministry." Here's a man that will never enter the ministry because his heart is already set on the easy life that money, enough money, can bring him.
Enough is never enough when your heart is controlled by money, or things. True peace and true satisfaction comes when the heart is under the control of God the Holy Spirit.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This is what the human heart needs...to be made afresh and anew in the Lord Jesus Christ!
5: And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7: He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
These are the promises God extends to all believers. But for the unrepentant and rebellious of heart, such as Satan and all other unbelievers, the Bible says,
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death.
And so, the problem with Satan was the overwhelming desire for possessions, and power, and the need for worship.
By the multitude of thy merchandise they have
filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will
cast thee as profane out of the
And so we see from Scripture that Satan was the angel Lucifer (The Shining One, The Lightbearer) who lost his relationship, position, and authority with Christ because of his unquenchable thirst for possessions, power, and worship.
In the book of Job, Satan controls the lives of men and the weather. (Job 1)
In the book of Exodus we see Satan's ministers mimicking the wonders and miracles of God. (Exodus 7:11-12)
Satan is a powerful being in this world. But the Bible says,
…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Paul says that Satan in the last days will come in the same power, displaying signs and lying wonders with the goal of deceiving the Christian Church!
7: For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8: And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10: And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Satan in these last days will preach a false gospel, cast out demons, communicate with the dead, and heal the sick. Satan is a powerful being! He can work hate and discontent in my life and in your life, even as we are Christians striving to serve the Lord Jesus. He has destroyed many a church fellowship that thought it had arrived spiritually and felt it was immune to the tricks of the devil.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Satan wants to be the God of your life!
He wants your allegiance, and He wants your worship!
That was his goal in heaven
Isaiah 14:12-14 Five times Satan said in his own heart, I will..
o I will ascend into heaven,
o I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
o I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
o I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
o I will be like the most High.
Worship was what Satan wanted in Heaven, and worship is what he wants on this earth. Consider his temptation of Christ (Matthew 4:1-11). Satan meets Christ in the wilderness.
Satan's first temptation—If thou be the son of God, change these stones into bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Satan's second temptation—If thou be the son of God cast thyself off this pinnacle. The angels will come and minister to you. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
And finally, the last temptation.
8: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11: Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Please note that each time Satan came at the Lord, the Lord repelled him by quoting Scripture. And the devil ran left him alone. In fact, the Bible says, angels came and ministered to the Lord.
Satan wants worship. He wants your worship. For a short time he will get worship
4: And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5: And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6: And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7: And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9: If any man have an ear, let him hear.
For Christians: Satan wants to destroy your testimony any way he can. For the unsaved: He wants physical and spiritual control.
17: Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Satan is going to be cast, one day, into hell where all of those that believed his lie and followed him will be waiting to receive him. And they will be amazed at his appearing.
9: Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
10: All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?
11: Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, (here is where human flesh and fallen angelic spirits will find common ground) and the noise of thy viols (his devilish music will be brought to a halt) the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee...
16: They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17: That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Christ has broken the bonds of Satan!
5: The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
6: He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.(no one can stop it)
Eternal judgment will be the lot for the devil and his demons.
7: The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
When Satan is no longer around to lead people in rebellion against God (though the human heart, without Satan's influence, can certainly rebel against God) there will be a great time of rest and peace upon this earth. It will be a time when Christ himself (the Prince of Peace) will be reigning upon this earth.
Maybe, even without knowing it, you've been worshipping the devil. He's convinced you that material possessions, money, wealth, power, sex, alcohol, drugs, etc., are better gods to serve than the only true and living God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he has convinced you of these things, you're not happy, you're not satisfied, and you find little true peace in your life.
Today the Lord stands ready to liberate you from the bondage of Satan's grasp. How can you be set free? Act now by following these simple steps.
1. Confess Christ as your Lord and Savior.
… if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
2. Ask Christ to forgive you of your sins.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
3. Pray the prayer of faith.
"Lord I believe that you are greater than Satan. I ask you to forgive me of my sins, come into my life, and live your life in me. I rebuke the devil in Jesus name, and I plead that the blood of Christ cover my heart and my soul. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I acknowledge you today as my Lord and my Savior"
4. Tell someone that you have committed your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
5.
Go to a
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
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