OUR ADVERSARY: SATAN. Teacher: Yvon Prehn

Transcription

1 OUR ADVERSARY: SATAN Teacher: Yvon Prehn

2 CLARIFICATION NECESSARY Mormon view Jesus and Lucifer, spirit brothers Since both Christ and Lucifer were born of the Father, they were brothers in a spiritual sense, as all of us are brothers and sisters in that sense we are all the sons and daughters of God. In the war in heaven, every single spirit-child of Heavenly Father took a stand. Since Lucifer and his followers were cast out, their progression stopped. They will ever remain spirits, without the opportunity to earn mortal bodies or immortal, resurrected bodies in the afterlife. All of the rest of us took Christ s side in the war in heaven. Clarification Necessary: Mormon view is totally untrue, need to know correct one We did not exist as spirit children along with Jesus and Lucifer before life on earth Our choice in a previous life did not determine our destiny now

3 WHY STUDY? KNOW YOUR ENEMY Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph. 6:10-11 No military commander could expect to be victorious in battle unless he understood his enemy. Should he prepare for an attack by land and ignore the possibility that the enemy might approach by air or by sea, he would open the way to defeat.... No individual can be victorious against the adversary of our soul unless he understands that adversary; unless he understands his philosophy, his methods of operation, his methods of temptation. We hear very little about today about Satan, and consequently many who recognize Satan s existence and acknowledge that he is the enemy of their souls are ill-prepared to meet him. Dwight Pentecost, The Adversary The Devil (author & Professor Emiteritus, DTS) An incorrect view will result in an incorrect defense IF you don t recognize the enemy, you won t know when you represent him and not the Lord

4 IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE IN THIS STUDY 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. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hold a materialist or a magician with the same delight. C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, an absolute necessity to read Our goal: a balanced, correct, biblical view APPLICATION of primary importance

5 A SHORT COURSE ON THE DOCTRINE OF SATAN In the coming weeks we ll look at: His beginning His sin and fall His judgment What he does today Doctrine of demons Believer defense Sources: Ryrie Study Bible, gotquestions.org, equip.org, many apologetic sites, carm.org, Thompson Chain Ref. Bible Throughout applications and challenges

6 NAMES AND OVERALL FACTS Lucifer: Latin: light-bearer or son of the morning Satan: Hebrew: ש ט ן,( ha-satanה "the opposer", the adversary Devil: Greek, diabolos "slanderer" Not an eternally existing pre-existent spirit A created being NOT equal to God, not a brother of Jesus Application: Our universe is not dualistic, in no sense does Satan pose a final threat to God or his people However, God has allowed Him a measure of freedom at present so how are we supposed to react? That s what we will study.

7 CURRENT ACTIVITIES Satan isn t in hell now. He is on earth. All of the popular mythology about Satan being in charge of hell is simply false. That is his ultimate destiny, but right now: Prince of the Power of the air Eph. 2:1-2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. Prince of this world John 12: 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. God of this world 2 Cor 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The evil one John 5:19 We know that we are God's children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. The father of lies 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 HOW did all this come about???????????????

8 SATAN S BEGINNING Thus says the Lord GOD: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.....with an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. Ezek. 28:12-15 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Isa. 14: These passages prime examples of the layered meaning of some prophecies Example: passage of as in the days of Noah Messianic psalms While these two passages are referring specifically to the kings of Babylon and Tyre, they also reference the spiritual power behind those kings, namely, Satan Also, in God s judgment upon them, the protection and ultimate victory of his people, we see that the passages are talking about more than these specific isolated kings and situations

9 HIS SIN PRIDE Isa. 14:13-14 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High." Ezek. 28:16-17 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from among the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. Pride defined: St. Augustine: "the love of one's own excellence Websters: a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority; conceit; arrogance. Lucifer s pride caused him to be cast out of his position, 1/3 of the angels fell with him. (Rev.12:4 the imagery of Satan as a dragon and angels/demons as stars ) Their fate set, no redemption possible.

10 BIBLICAL WARNINGS ABOUT PRIDE: Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV) and a progression of what follows from pride These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 13:10 Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor. Obadiah 1:3The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground? 1 Tim. 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

11 WHY PRIDE IS THE ROOT OF EVIL It is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Other vices may sometimes bring people together: you may find good fellowship and jokes and friendliness among drunken people or unchaste people. But pride always means enmity - it is enmity. And not only enmity between man and man, but enmity to God..... Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man... It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone..... In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that - and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison - you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you..... That raises a terrible question. How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshipping an imaginary God. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity It is by grace we have been saved....

12 FINAL APPLICATION An angel near to God fell because of pride Pride is a constant temptation and one of his greatest weapons Remember Satan is a deceiver and pride will never seem like pride, we ll have many ways to justify ourselves God is God. All we do and have is by His grace only.