Getting To Know Your Enemy - Part 2

Temple Baptist Church - 10-12-2011

Ephesians 6:10-13

Introduction:

A. Though I will not do a study on Angelogy or Demonology at this time, I do want to give a little more insight into the person and work of Satan as forewarned is forearmed. God’s people are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge and knowing your enemy, Satan, is no exception.

B. In 1 Peter 5:8, we find an analogy: Satan is compared to as “roaring lion” who walks about seeking whom he may devour. In that verse, we see several things:

1. Satan’s Desire - “your Adversary”

a) We Need To Realize That We Have An Enemy

b. Adversary - One who has enmity at heart.

2. Satan’s Danger - “a roaring lion”

a) We Need To Realize That He Is A Formidable Foe

b) We Are No Match For Him In Ourselves

3. His Disposition – “the devil” Here are some of the descriptive names given to Satan in the Bible:

a) Devil – One who slanders or falsely accuses - Revelation 12:10 And I heard a great voice in the heaven saying, Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been cast out, who accused them before our God day and night:

b) Satan – One who withstands - Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

c) Serpent – cunning - 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

d) Dragon – power and cruelty - Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

d) Lucifer - Light Bearer - 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

C. Tonight, I want to look at three things that Satan desires to do.

1. Satan Wants To Damn The Lost. (God made man for salvation and Heaven, not hell.)

a. Satan Wants To See Their Minds Deluded. 2 Corinthians 4:4 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, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

1) He wants them blinded to their need.

2) He wants them to reject the love and sacrifice of Christ.
b. Satan Wants To See Their Bodies Destroyed. Job 20:11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

Psalms 38:7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

1) He destroys their minds through sin.

2) He destroys their bodies through sin.

3) He destroys their happiness through sin.

c. Satan Wants To Damn Their Souls. Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

1) He will blind them to the reality of hell.

2) He will blind them to the reality of God’s holiness and justice.

2. Satan Wants To Defile The Saved. (He cannot touch your salvation, but he can destroy both your life and usefulness.)

a. Satan Wants To Defile Your Testimony. 2 Samuel 12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

1) He causes the lost to blaspheme God.

2) He causes the lost to perish without a witness.

b. Satan Wants To Destroy Your Usefulness. 2 Timothy 4:10a For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica.

1) He leads the saint astray.

2) He exposes their sin to the world.

c. Satan Wants To Destroy Your Happiness. John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Psalms 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

1) He lies about the glories of the world.

2) He reminds you of your spiritual failures.

d. Satan Wants To Destroy Our Posterity. Psalms 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

1) He does not want them trained for the Lord.

a) They need correction.

b) They need compassion.

c) They need consistency.

d. They need conviction.

2) He does not want them either saved or useful.
e. Satan Wants To Destroy Your Reward. 2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

3. Satan Wants To Divide The Church. 1 Corinthians 1:10-11 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

a. The Causes Of Division

1) Church Division Comes Through Carnality – James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

2) Church Division Comes Through Biblical Ignorance - Ephesians 4:2-7 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

3) Church Division Comes Through False Brethren - 3 John 9-11 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

Acts 20:28-31 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

4) Church Division Comes Through Satanic Influence - 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

b. The Results Of Division

1) Division Destroys The Fellowship Of The Church. (People sit on the pews of the church with malice and unforgiveness in their hearts. They are Achans!)

2) Division Destroys The Commission Of The Church. (Missions has been damaged because of gaining a family and then loosing a family through spiritual nonsense!)

3) Division Destroys The Testimony Of The Church. (Church fights and splits have been detrimental to the prosperity of the church, both physically and financially.)

4) Division Destroys The Posterity Of The Church. (Children both see and hear the ungodliness of the parents. It affects their spirituality and, eventually, they are lost.)

5) Division Destroys The Worship Of The Church. (God and His Holy Spirit are grieved with this division and worship is neither holy nor acceptable.)

6) Division Destroys The Evangelism Of The Church. (Instead of keeping our eyes upon the harvest and doing all that we can to win souls, our time is spent in bitterness and souls are lost.)

7) Division Hinders The Prayers Of The Saints. (Malice and unforgiveness are sins and when we regard iniquity in our hearts, our prayers go unheard.)

8) Division Damages The Believer.

a) It Will Divide You From The Pastor – Your Friend

b) It Will Divide You From The Pulpit – God’s Message

c) It Will Divide You From The People – Your Brethren

d) It Will Divide You From The Peace Of God – Your Joy

e) It Will Divide You From The Place – God’s House

f) It Will Divide You From The Purpose – God’s Harvest

9) Division Brings Reproach Upon The Name Of Christ

a) It Brings Confusion Of The Church’s Purpose

b) It Brings Reproach Upon The Testimony Of The Local Church

c) Ultimately, It Damns Sinners To A Devil’s Hell