Your Adversary the Devil

1Peter 5:8

Introduction…

           

Do you know where you live?  What’s your address?  You say, “Addison”!  No, that’s where your body lives. 

The real you, your “spirit” and “soul” live at a different address:

1.     Kingdom of God

2.     Kingdom of this world.

The kingdom is by nature the Christian life!

If you’ve been “born again” and Christ is the King of your life, you’ve moved into the “Kingdom of God”!

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col.1:13-14).

I’m glad to be in the kingdom – now that I’m in it there’s nothing more important than seeking the kingdom (Mat.6:33).

And yet because we’re in the kingdom we’re in a battle!

1.     Luk.12:32 – Do not fear, little flock, for it’s your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

2.     Mat.11:12 – And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

Jesus says that God wants to give us the kingdom and yet this kingdom can only be taken by force!  How is that?  Someone wants to keep us from receiving it.

When you consider the time in which we live, it’s a time unlike any since the days of John the Baptist.

1.     John lived between two dispensations – Law and Grace.

2.     The church lives between two dispensations – Grace & Millennial Reign.

Satan knows he has only a short time so he’s making his last stand against the church and as a result we’re in a battle!

It’s a war that has nothing to do with the war on terrorism, the arms race, the relationships between world leaders, and what’s taking place in the Middle East.

Though those are indeed a reflection of the real battle being waged between God and Satan, it’s a spiritual war by nature.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and SPIRITUAL wickedness in high places” (Eph.6:12).

This war is important because it’s being waged for your soul – the outcome will decide where you spend eternity!

If we’re going to prevail in this battle there are some things we need to know:

I. We Need To Know Who The Enemy Is…

·        The Devil!

We call him the devil but in the beginning it was not so.  His name was Lucifer and he was an archangel created to lead all of heaven in worship to the Lord.

Ezekiel said he was the anointed cherub that was upon the holy mount and walked up and down it and was perfect in all his ways until iniquity was found in him.  Because he was lifted in his beauty and corrupted by the brightness of his own wisdom he was cast out of heaven into the earth (Ezk.28:14-17).

Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Lk.10:18).  Since then we refer to him in his fallen state as the Devil.

·        Other names!

He has many names in scripture:

1.     Lucifer (Isa.14:12-14)

2.     Dragon (Rev.12:3)

3.     Satan (Lk.10:18; Rev.12:9)

4.     Serpent (2Cor.11:3); Rev.12:9)

5.     Adversary (1Pet.5:8)

6.     Devil (Mat.4:1-11; Eph.6:11)

7.     The Wicked One (Eph.6:16)

He is likened to a Lion who’s seeking to devour (1Pet.5:8), Minister of Righteousness who comes to device (2Cor.11:3-4), Fowl who seeks to steal the Word that’s been sown (Mat.13:1-9), Angel of light (2Cor.11:14), Wolf in sheep’s clothing (Jn.10:12; Mt.10:16),

He’s a:

1.     Tempter (Mat.4:3) – the source of all temptation.

2.     Destroyer (Ps.17:4) – brings destruction to all that’s good.

3.     Liar & Murderer (Jn.8:44) – lies only to kill you.

4.     Thief & Robber (Jn.10:10) – comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.

5.     God of this world (2Cor.4:4) – blinded the minds of them that believe not.

6.     Deceiver (Rev.12:9; 20:3) – kingdom is built on lies and deception.

7.     Accuser (Job.1:6; 2:7; Rev.12:3-9) – the master of guilt and condemnation.

·        Your adversary!

“Be sober (serious), be vigilant (on alert), because YOUR ADVERSARY the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, SEEKING whom he may devour” (1Pet.5:8).

           

He isn’t just:

1.     An adversary, he’s your adversary.

2.     An enemy, he’s your enemy.

3.     A liar, he’s the one who’s lying to you.

4.     A thief, he’s the one who desires to rip you off.

5.     A murderer, he’s the one who’s trying to kill you.

II. We Need To Know How The Enemy Operates…

·        The Flesh!

Flesh – our sinful, human, carnal nature that’s bent away from God.

We were born with it and yet it’s our constant enemy!

1.     It’s a law in our members WARRING against the law of our mind and trying to bring us into captivity to the law of sin (Rom.7:22-23).

2.     It’s ENMITY against God for it’s not subject to the law of God (Rom.8:7).

3.     It lusteth against the Spirit and is contrary to it (Gal.5:17).

“Dearly beloved, I beseech thee as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which WAR against the SOUL” (1Pet.2:11).

·        The World!

World – the spirit, force, power that moves contrary to and against God.

1Jn.2:15-16

The world with all its pollution, corruption, cares, lusts, fashion, wisdom is against us!

Though we’re called “out” we still live and struggle with the power and influence of its pull!

Everyday we awake we rise and walk onto the battlefield and fight and struggle the world head on!

III. We Need To Know What The Enemy Wants…

·        He wants to keep us out of the kingdom!

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them” (2Cor.4:3-4).

He doesn’t’ want us to come to a salvation experience!

Why is it so hard for some to stay in? 

·        He wants to keep us from having abundant life!

“The thief cometh not bur for to steal, kill, and destroy: I am come that ye might have LIFE and that more ABUNDENTLY (Jn.10:10).

Abundant life – full, overflowing, lavish, lush, profuse, more than enough.

I want the “abundant” life!  I don’t want to just “get buy” but I want to win the battle everyday!

·        He wants to keep us from eternal life!

He as one plan and one plan only and that’s to see us meet the same fate as himself.  He does not want us to be saved, etc.

Since you’re in this war you ought to fight to WIN!  It’s well within our reach!

1.     1Tim.6:12 – Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, Etc.

2.     2Tim.4:7 – I’ve fought a good fight, finished my course, kept the faith.

I’ve made up my mind I’m not going to loose my soul to the devil!

IV. We Need To Know What The Enemy Cannot Do…

·        He can’t penetrate the blood!

In Ex.14 the only place the death angel couldn’t go was in the houses where the blood was applied.

The devil can’t penetrate where the blood is!

“They overcome him (accuser, devil himself) by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony” (Rev.12:11).

·        He can’t harm you if you’ve put on the whole armor of God!

You’d never think about leaving your house without putting your clothes on – neither should we leave without putting our ARMOR on.

Eph.6:10-18 (Amplified)

By putting on the Armour we’re choosing to have authority in the spirit realm.

·        He can’t read your mind!

He’s limited in what he knows, yet while he can’t read your MIND but he can understand your WORDS.

Words are powerful in the spirit realm so don’t speak doubt, fear, discouragement for that gives the enemy access into your life.

What comes out of your MOUTH not only activates God but the devil.  We need to always speak FAITH in the form of PRAISE!

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise, etc.”(Heb.10:15).

We’re going to overcome him not only by the “blood of the Lamb” but the “word of our testimony” (Rev.12:11).

·        He can’t keep you from reaping a good harvest!

“Whatever a man sows that shall he also reap” (Gal.6:7).

There’s always an interval between the planting and the harvest, and it’s during that time that your faith will be tested.

If you’ll just keep the faith there’s nothing he can do to stop it!

“Let us not be weary in well doing” (Gal.6:9).

·        He can’t stop God’s ultimate purpose from coming to pass!

What is it that he can’t stop?

1.     The church from prevailing!

2.     Jesus from coming again!

3.     His final destiny of destruction!

4.     God’s will being done in your life!

Closing…

How big is the devil to you?  Is he as big as God?

Most of us give him far more too much credit!

God and the devil aren’t equals:

1.     God is omnipresent while the devil is limited to time and space.

2.     God is omnipotent but the only power he has is what’s been given him!

3.     God is omniscient while the devil only knows what God tells him!

4.     God is the creator while the devil is only the creation.

Jesus said:

1.     I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty (Rev.1:8).

2.     I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive forever more, amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev.1:18).

If you’re still living in sin then you are fighting an enemy bigger than you – but if not “greater is he that’s in you” (1Jn.4:4).

Your Adversary The Devil

1Peter 5:8

Col.1:13-14

Back to back:

1.     Lk.12:32

2.     Mat.11:12

Eph.6:12

1Pet.5:8

1Jn.2:15-16

2Cor.4:3-4

Jn.10:10

Rev.12:11

Eph.6:10-18

Heb.10:15

1Jn.4:4