Question: Who is your “adversary”? The word adversary means against, opposes,
enemy. Who is against you?
Answer: “Satan”
As a rule, most people think that the Devil is a myth or a fable made up by
religious people to scare you. People visualize Satan as a man in a red suit
with a goatee, horns, a tail and as one who carries a pitchfork.
This picture of
the devil IS a myth. But don’t be deceived, Satan is very real! He is the “god
of this world”, (2 Cor. 4:4) and is not to be taken lightly. We must be aware of
his tactics; his scheming, his lying, his deception and all his evil ways.
It is suggested that you not spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about
or looking for Satan around every corner or under every rock, but you must be
aware of him, his power, his tactics and his goals.
Therefore, this writing is
to apprise you of the objective of our “enemy” as his goal is to keep you from
knowing and belonging to God, and to keep you from spending eternity with your
Creator in heaven.
He wants you to be cast into the Lake of Fire with him,
(misery loves company). He will also entice you to vie for self-centered goals
like pride, power, accumulation of wealth, promiscuity and sin of every variety.
We are spiritual beings and must be aware of the spiritual power of darkness. As
Christians, we can’t hide our heads in the sand like an ostrich, but instead, we
must know our enemy. Every great general has said, “know your enemy” before you
can enter into battle with him.
We are at war with Satan! It is not a war we
have chosen but it is one we have to fight. Don’t fret, God has given us the
tools with which to battle our enemy.
Using Biblical insight
Using Biblical insight, we will see how Satan operates, where he came from and
who he is.
I. Satan was created by God (Ezekiel 28:12-17). This lamentation is addressed to
the King of Tyre, who symbolizes Satan. This passage provides us with insight
into Satan’s state when created by God. (Please read this passage before continuing).
A. Verse 12 shows that Satan was created full of wisdom and beauty, “…..Thus
says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect
in beauty.”
B. Verse 14 says that he was given a place on God’s holy mountain. “…..You were
on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery
stones?
C. Verse 15 reveals that he was created a holy and righteous being. “You were
perfect in your ways from the day you were created.”
D. Pride took him over and was the beginning of his fall. Verse 17, “Your heart
was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of
your splendor; I cast you to the ground………”
II. Satan’s Rebellion and Fall (Read this passage first; Isaiah 14:12-15). As in
the book of Ezekiel, this passage in Isaiah also has a double meaning. Although
these verses are a proverb against the king of Babylon, they also show that he
was a type of Satan.
A. Satan, in this passage is known as Lucifer which means “Light Bearer” and
“son of the morning”. Lucifer sought to exalt himself to be equal to, or above
God in verses 13, 14.
Isaiah 14:13,14“You have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the
congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights
of the clouds, I will be like the Most High”
These verses are known as the “I wills” of Satan. “I will” occurs five times in
these two verses.
B. As he was filled with himself, he declared, “I will be like God.” It was this
act that caused him to be thrown from heaven and become the devil and Satan.
III
III. Satan’s Names and Titles
A. Satan means “adversary”. 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober (self-controlled), be
vigilant (watchful) because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring
lion seeking whom he may devour.”
B. The accuser –
Revelation 12:10, “……the accuser of our brethren, who accused
them before our God day and night, has been cast down.”
Satan’s goal is to have
us condemn ourselves so that we do not expect the grace and forgiveness of God
to “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9), when we confess our sin
to Him and then repent.
C. Lucifer – “light bearer” (Is. 14:12). Satan can come as an “angel of light”
to deceive even the elect.
2 Cor. 11:14 “….For Satan himself transforms himself
into an angel of light.”
D. The book of Revelation describes him as the dragon.
Revelation (12:7) “And war broke out
in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his
angels fought.”
E. Devil means “slanderer”, 1 Peter 5:8 . Satan likes nothing better than to
defame and slander God’s people.
F. “Murderer & Liar” –
John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the
desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and
does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a
lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. “
G. “Father of Lies” –
John 8:44. All lying is handed down from the “father of
lies”, Satan.
**(To be continued in lesson two)
1.) The Devil is a myth or a fable made up by religious people to scare you.
a) True b) False
2.) Who is your enemy?
a) Iraq b) Those who attack me c) Satan d) All of the above
3.) Where does it say, in describing Satan, “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty”?
a) Isaiah 14:12 b) Ezekiel 28:12 c) Isaiah 14:14 d) Ezekiel 28:22
4.) What characteristic initiated Satan’s fall?
a) Pride b) Arrogance c) Lust d) All of the above
5.) Which verse, in Ezekiel 28 says “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty….”?
a) Verse 12 b) Verse 13 c) Verse 15 d) Verse 17
6.) In two books of the Old Testament, the text shows that there were double meanings in two of the proverbs that were quoted. Which book expresses a proverb against the King of Babylon as well as Satan?
a) Jeremiah b) Amos c) Isaiah d) Ezekiel
7.) Isaiah 14:13, 14 are known as the “I wills of Satan”. How many “I wills” are there?
a) Five b) Six c) Seven d) Four
8.) As Lucifer sought to exalt himself to be equal to, or above God, what exactly did he say?
a) I will ascend into heaven b) I will be like the “Most High” c) I will exalt my throne above the stars of God d) All of the above
9.) Satan has many titles and names, which one is known as “light bearer”?
a) Angel of light b) Lucifer c) Lightening d) All of the above
10.) Which book describes Satan as the “father of lies”?
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airmoni
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PearlB
"Thank you SOOOoooo mcuh for this course in the basics. It is simple and powerful. It's a good review for me and helps to clarify some blurred issues."
