Know Your Enemy预览

DAY THREE

His Schemes

“Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring- those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”  Revelation 12:17 NIV

So whether it’s Satan himself or one of his demons, we must understand we will be attacked by evil. The verse above says that his main target is those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. His enemy is us: Christians. So we must be aware of how he works to be prepared for the battle.

We can learn as we read about his encounters with our forefathers in the Bible and we can also heed several warnings given about him in the New Testament. I want to focus on some major characteristics to help you recognize his work when you see it. 

Satan is a Liar

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 NIV 

Jesus spoke these strong words to Jews who were still claiming their heritage and link to Abraham. Yet, he knew that they had plans to kill him. He confronted them with the Truth: their plan was not from God or Abraham, but from the devil. He tells them that the devil is the Father of Lies. You can study scripture and see him lying to Adam and Eve in the very beginning, making them doubt what God told them. You can see him lying to Jesus when he was tempted in the desert. He tried to convince Jesus that he had something more to offer him than God.  

The Enemy lies to us, trying to make us doubt God and God’s goodness and provision. He will try to make us question our very identity in Christ. He also lies to us about our choices, trying to convince us that the Bible is not relevant and that there is really no such thing as sin. Jesus is the Truth, so Satan will do whatever he can do to persuade our lives away from the truth. 

Sometimes he lies to other people about us and tries to persecute us or discourage us through them.  Once, after Jesus talked about His eminent death, Peter pulled Him aside and said, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned to him and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:22-23 NIV

It even says “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV

Have any of you been deceived by something that seemed good on the surface, but proved to be devastating? 

OUR DEFENSE-  As the Casting Crowns song says it, we must choose to listen to the Voice of Truth. We must be in God’s Word, for it is Truth, and we can line everything we are hearing against this standard. We must pray and listen to the Spirit of Truth. We must be in fellowship with other believers, other truth-bearers, to help us discern lies and truth. 

Satan is the Accuser

I’m sure you have experienced this. You are tempted to do something you shouldn’t, and as soon as you fall for the temptation, you hear a voice saying, “You are horrible. I can’t believe you did that. Are you really a Christian? You are worthless!” This accusing voice sounds strangely familiar to the voice that tempted you in the first place. They are one and the same!

In Revelation 12, describing Satan, it says:

“For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” Revelation 12:10b

So, not only does The Accuser cast accusations at us directly, but it says he is accusing us before our God. Sometimes he comes before us and accuses others in our ear, and we have to be careful not to pass on this accusation to others, becoming accusers ourselves.

OUR DEFENSE

In the same passage as above, it also says: 

“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ…they overcame him (the accuser) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Revelation 12:10a, 11a

Any time we hear The Accuser’s voice, we remember who we are in Christ, bought by His blood and living testimonies to His grace and glory. We must be careful to view our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with this same Light.