YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL
I PETER 5:8-9
THE SATAN
HIS STRATEGY
KEVIN SPACEY, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, “THE GREATEST TRICK THE DEVIL EVER PULLED WAS TO CONVINCE THE WORLD THAT HE DIDN’T EXIST.”
C.S. LEWIS, “THERE ARE TWO EQUAL AND OPPOSITE ERRORS INTO WHICH OUR RACE CAN FALL ABOUT THE DEVILS. ONE IS TO DISBELIEVE IN THEIR EXISTENCE, THE OTHER IS TO BELIEVE, AND TO FEEL AN EXCESSIVE AND UNHEALTHY INTEREST IN THEM.”
ANDREW DELBANCO, THE DEATH OF SATAN: HOW AMERICANS HAVE LOST THE SENSE OF EVIL
“THE DRIVING MOTIVE IN WRITING (THIS BOOK) HAS BEEN THE CONVICTION THAT IF EVIL, WITH ALL THE INSIDIOUS COMPLEXITY WHICH AUGUSTINE ATTRIBUTED TO IT, ESCAPES THE REACH OF OUR IMAGINATION, IT WILL HAVE ESTABLISHED DOMINION OVER US ALL.
HIS IDENTITY
35 TIMES HE IS CALLED, “THE DEVIL,”
54 TIMES HE IS REFERRED TO AS SATAN
8 TIMES “THE WICKED ONE”
5 TIMES “THE EVIL ONE”
HE IS ALSO CALLED, “THE DESTROYER,” “ABADDON,” “APOLLYON,” “LUCIFER,”
SUPPORT TEXT
GEN.3:1-5
JOHN 8:41-42
JOHN 10:10
HIS ACTIVITY
“ROAMING AND ROARING”
JOB 1:7-8
NT WRIGHT, EVIL AND THE JUSTICE OF GOD
“THE BIBLICAL PICTURE OF SATAN IS A NONHUMAN AND NONDIVINE QUASI-PERSONAL FORCE WHICH SEEMS BENT OF ATTACKING AND DESTROYING CREATION IN GENERAL AND HUMANKIND IN PARTICULAR, AND ABOVE ALL ON THWARTING GOD’S PROJECT OF REMAKING THE WORLD AND HUMAN BEINGS IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
RENE GIRARD, I SEE SATAN FALL LIKE LIGHTENING
“SATAN DOES NOT CREATE BY HIS OWN MEANS. RATHER HE SUSTAINS HIMSELF AS A PARASITE ON WHAT GOD CREATES BY IMITATING GOD IN A MANNER THAT IS JEALOUS, GROTESQUE, PERVERSE, AND AS CONTRARY AS POSSIBLE TO THE UPRIGHT AND OBEDIENT IMITATION OF JESUS. TO REPEAT, SATAN IS AN IMITATOR IN THE RIVALISTIC SENSE OF THE WORD. HIS KINGDOM IS A CARICATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”
SUPPORT TEXT:
I PETER 5:6-7, HE COMES IN THROUGH THE DOOR OF PRIDE AND ANXIETY.
EPH.4:25-27, HE GAINS A STRONGHOLD…
OUR STAND, VS.8-9
RESOLVE,
WE ARE TO BE MENTALLY AWARE, “BE OF SOBER SPIRIT”
WE ARE TO BE MORALLY ALERT, “BE ON THE ALERT”
RESIST,
ATTACK … PRAYER AND THE WORD, “IT IS WRITTEN”
ARMOR, EPH.6:10-18
REVELATION 12:3-4, 11
SATAN’S DESTINY
REVELATION 20:10