Satan

A real enemy

  • Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 BSB
  • Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 AMP
  • The thief comes only that he might steal and might kill and might destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. John 10:10 BLB
  • Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” Matthew 13:24-30 NKJV

Whereabouts

  • the great dragon was thrown out, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, deceiving the whole inhabited world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Rev 12:9 BLB
  • Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Job 1:6-7 NKJV

COMMENT: Satan and his angels on earth

The real cause for our troubles/struggles

  •  our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NASB 

Strategies

  • in order that Satan should not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:11 BSB
  • But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:11 BSB
 

Deception

  • Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 1 Tim 2:14 NIV
  • I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor 11:3 NIV
  • the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Rev 12:9 NASB
  • He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. Rev 20:3 NIV

Accusation

  • And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down—he who accuses them day and night before our God. Rev 12:10 BSB
  • Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” Job 1:9-11 NKJV

Thoughts

  • above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:16 NKJV 
  • I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted, Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the pressure of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me And in anger they bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within me Psalms 55:2-4 NASB

Thoughts are put into our and others’ minds. See examples

    1. Eve – doubt God
    2. Elijah – instil fear
    3. Judas – betray Jesus

COMMENTS: The devil and his demons trouble us in several ways, one of which is through thoughts causing doubt, fear, distress.

Uses humans for his purposes

Examples

  • Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:23 BSB
  • After [Judas had taken] the piece of bread, Satan entered him. John 13:27 AMP
  • Then Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve [disciples]. Luke 22:3 AMP

May constantly trouble using humans

  • Saul was still more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s constant enemy. 1 Samuel 18:29 AMP
  • And so it was that she spoke to Joseph [persistently] day after day Gen 39:10a AMP

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