Dan the Elder
Well-Known Member
LUCIFER, SATAN, THE DEVIL, THE THIEF, THE BEAST, THE SERPENT
Is Satan Real? The short answer is Yes – as real as you and I. He was created as a beautiful angel known as Lucifer (the morning star) but he let pride take over. He’s referred to in:
Isaiah 14:12-15
“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world.
For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.
He believed that lie and was cast out of heaven to earth and vengefully tried to sell the same lie to Eve in the Garden of Eden:
Genesis 3:4-5 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
God gave Ezekiel the following “funeral song” for the King of Tyre; but it sounds as though it applies to Lucifer, who may have “possessed” the King of Tyre:
Ezekiel 28:12 -19 “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone—red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you
on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. “You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you. Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire.
Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you will exist no more.”
He is still using the same lie today; that man, by acquiring more and more knowledge can become equal to God. A majority of people today think themselves so “wise and knowledgeable and rich” that they have no need of God. There are even some that believe through technology and “evolution” men will become gods. Its all the same lie. There IS a GOD and its not us!
SATAN COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY!
John 10:1 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!”
John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life”.
HIS TOOLS ARE DECEPTION, DISTRACTION, DIVISION, AND DESTRUCTION. He is using everything, continually, because he knows his time is short.
I Peter 5:8-9 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are”.
HE LOVES SIN, HATRED, JEALOUSY, HYPOCRICY, LYING, LUSTING, PRIDE, ADDICTION AND DEPRESSION!
Galatians 5:19-21 “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God”.
HE HATES JESUS CHRIST, THE BIBLE, CHRISTIANS, AND ALL THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Galatians 5: 22-23 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
HE WILL WATCH FOR A WAY TO ATTACK A CHRISTIAN THRU THEIR GREATEST WEAKNESS, AT THEIR WEAKEST MOMENT. HE MAY USE BEAUTY, FLATTERY, PERSUASION, HALF-TRUTH PROPAGANDA, SEDUCTION, COMPROMISE, ATTRACTION, PRIDE, INTEREST, PHYSICAL AILMENTS OR THREATS, ANGER, DOUBT, LOYALTIES, EMOTIONS, DESIRE, FEAR, STRESS OR FATIGUE, OR FALSE TEACHERS. HE WON’T STOP OR EVER LET UP.
HE WILL USE MOVIES, TV, INTERNET, “EXPERTS”, AND FALSE TEACHING FROM THE PULPIT!
I Corinth. 11:13-14 “These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
SATAN IS NOT GOD – HE IS NOT OMNICIENT, OMNIPRESENT, OMNIPOTENT OR SOVEREIGN. BUT HE HAS MANY DEMONS THROUGHOUT THE EARTH DOING HIS BIDDING. HE KNOWS THERE IS GOD – AND THE SON OF GOD, JESUS CHRIST; IN FACT, HE STILL GOES TO HEAVEN TO REPORT ON HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, TO MAKE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST CHRISTIANS, AND ASK FOR PERMISSION TO ATTACK CHRISTIANS. HE KNOWS THE BIBLE AND PROPHECY BETTER THAN ANY HUMAN. HE IS A VERY OMINOUS AND FEARFUL ADVERSARY. HIS EFFORTS AREN’T JUST FOR YOUR BODILY DESTRUCTION AND DEATH – HIS OBJECTIVE IS TO ETERNALLY CLAIM YOUR SOUL IN HELL. HE ALSO KNOWS HIS TIME TO EXIST AND RULE OVER THE EARTH IS LIMITED, AND WILL SOON END. THAT IS WHY WE SEE SO MUCH EVIL ABOUNDING EVERYWHERE. HE HAS ALL HIS MINIONS WORKING 24/7/365 TO CLAIM AS MANY SOULS AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS WHY PAUL WROTE IN EPHESIANS 6:12
“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
THIS BATTLE IS NEVER ENDING, AND NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO FIGHT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS WE HAVE TO FIGHT OUR OWN “SINFUL NATURE”! AS PAUL SAYS IN:
Romans 7:18-19 “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway”.
IF WE’RE TRUTHFUL, WE HAVE TO ADMIT THAT’S THE WAY IT IS WITH EVERYONE OF US! SO PAUL, WHAT’S THE ANSWER?
Romans 7:24-25 “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin”.
IF YOU ARE THINKING YOU’RE PRETTY “HOLY” AND DON’T SIN, YOU NEED TO READ MATTHEW 5 (THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT) AND:
I John 1:8-10 “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts”.
SO, WHAT ARE WE TO DO TO COMBAT SATAN AND OUR SINFUL NATURE? REMEMBER:
I Corinthians 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
AS I SAID EARLIERL SATAN KNOWS HIS TIME IS ALMOST UP. HIS DESTINY IS LAYED OUT IN:
Revelation 20:1-3 “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished”.
AFTER THE THOUSAND YEARS, SATAN WILL BE RELEASED TO FORMULATE HIS FINAL BATTLE AGAINST THE LORD [ARMAGEDDON], AND THEN:
Revelation 20:10 “Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever”.
HE IS VERY AWARE OF THESE SCRIPTURES AND IT MAKES HIM DETERMINED TO “STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY” AS MANY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE HIS END. SO, WITH PAUL, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO “FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT” UNTIL THE LORD COMES TO RESCUE US FROM HIS GRIP!
Ephesians 6:10-11 “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil”.
In the same chapter it tells us what that armor is:
Ephesians 6:15-18 “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere”.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN JUST DO ONCE A WEEK (ON A SUNDAY MORNING), IT MUST BE DONE DAILY. AS I SAID EARLIER, SATAN IS ALWAYS WORKING – HE DOESN’T SLEEP. NO ONE IS IMMUNE – JUST ASK SOME WELL KNOWN TELEVANGELISTS WHO HAVE FALLEN. THE DEVIL COMES TO “STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY”. TELL YOU WHAT -- YOU PRAY FOR ME AND I’LL PRAY FOR YOU.
God Bless, Dan
