Satan is a real being, just as real as you and me.
He is not the same as you and me, but he is just as real.
When I was in the Army, it was my job to understand the enemy.
If you are a Christian, you need to know your enemy too.
It will really help you to understand how Satan, our enemy, thinks, acts and behaves.
It will also help you to understand Satan has limits and habits and methods he likes to use.
Satan is a liar.
If you do not understand, Satan will try to fool you into thinking he can do things that he really can not do.
First you must understand: Satan is a created being.
Reading
Joh 1:1 KJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Pray
Jesus is the same Creator we read about in Genesis.
Jesus is God, is the Creator, and He existed without being created.
Nobody made Jesus, but Jesus created all things.
Jesus created the plants and Jesus created the planets.
Jesus created ants and Jesus created the angels.
Look again at verse 3
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
When we speak about Satan, Satan would love for people to believe one of two main lies:
either that there is no real being as Satan
This is a very common lie people believe today. They think of Satan like the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy.
If you do not believe that Satan exists and that he is a real being, you will never fight him or defend yourself from his attacks.
The second lie Satan likes to use is that Satan and Jesus are equal in power and ability
Both of these ideas are lies from Satan.
Col 1:12 KJV Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:note
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Jesus is the Creator and all others are created.
Jesus is unlimited. Satan and All others are limited.
Jesus is Omniscient,
Jesus knows everything.
Satan has a lot of knowledge but compared to Jesus Satan knows very little
Jesus is Omnipresent,
Jesus can be every place at the same time
Satan is limited in time and space - he can only be one place at one time
and Jesus is Omnipotent
Jesus is significantly greater in power with the power of death and the power of life and the power of resurrection.
Joh 10:10 KJV The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Which do you think is harder, killing something alive or giving life to something that is dead?
Satan originally was a holy angel named Lucifer and Satan decided to rebel against God and become equal to God.
Satan forgot that he was a created being and God was the Creator.
Isa 14:12 KJV 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.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
When Jesus created the Angels, all the angels were created, holy and good.
Jesus did not invent sin, Satan did by his rebellion to God's authority.
As a response to Satan's pride and rebellion, God told Satan, You're fired!
Satan and the 1/3 of the angels that followed him were kicked out of heaven and sent to earth.
Eze 28:12 KJV Son of man, take up a lamentation 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.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; 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: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 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 mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Satan had authority over 1/3 of the angels in heaven and Revelation tells us when Satan rebelled, the other angels followed and they all were kicked out of heaven.
Satan and the kicked out angels, now called demons, were forced to stay on earth until their final judgment.
Satan took 1 out of every 2 angels with him.
That means for every 1 demonic fallen angel there are 2 righteous, holy angels!
Satan is a liar and has been lying from the beginning
Satan lies to people and says you can become rich by playing casino games
He does not call it the sin of covetousness
Satan lies and says you deserve better: a better life, better spouse, better possessions
What he does not tell you that your discontentment is really pride and lust.
Satan lies and encourages people to use foul, dirty language by cursing and using the Lord's name in vain
He does not warn you that God is grieved by our worldly vocabulary and violations of His commands to keep His name sacred and holy.
Satan is pleased when you make God grieved and Satan gets upset when you make God pleased.
Eph 6:10 KJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 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.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Last week we saw that the Holy Spirit lives inside of us and gives us protection, wisdom and understanding.
No Christian can be possessed by a demon because they are already possessed by the Holy Spirit.
If we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee from us.
Jas 4:7 KJV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Satan has no power over a Christian unless the Christian gives him access.
According to this passage, we have the ability to make Satan, and any of the weaker demons, to leave us.
How? First you must submit to God. And the first step to submitting to God is becoming born again.
Submitting to God is also repenting of your sins even while a Christian
You will never be successful resisting Satan unless you first submit yourself to God.
You also submit to God by confessing your sin daily.
Satan knows if are close to God you are a threat to his plans
Our goal as Christians is to draw close to God, and resist the devil
It is just that simple.
END