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    Know Your Enemy

    We are fighting three things in our everyday lives;

    our flesh, the world, and evil.

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    To be victorious, we must learn about our enemies to defeat them.

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    The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
    John 10:10

    Who is Satan?

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    Satan is a spiritual being who led a heavenly revolt against God and was subsequently cast down into the earth (Luke 10:18).

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    His personal name, “Satan,” means “adversary.”

     

    This name indicates Satan’s basic nature: he is the enemy of God, of all God does, and of all God loves.

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    He is also called “the devil” in the New Testament.

     

    The word “devil” means “false accuser” or “slanderer.”

     

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    Satan - Fallen Angel

    The names of Satan reveal his tactics:

     

     

    Representations:

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    Satan attacks God’s Program, the Church, by:

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    Satan attacks God’s people by:

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    AND:

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    Lucifer

    Lucifer was the highest created magnificent angel by God described in Ezekiel before he was fallen:  Ezekiel 28:11-19 (KJV)

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    Lucifer - Hebrew for “day star”, “son of the morning”, "morning star", "shining one", “light-bringer”.

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    In verse Ezekiel 28:14 it says, "You were the anointed Cherub." This tells us we are not talking about a human king.

     

    The word cherub is singular for cherubim.

     

    The cherubim are symbolic of God's Holy presence and His unapproachable majesty.

     

    The "anointed cherub who covers" is the picture given to us in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had been sent out and God had placed cherubim to guard the way of the tree of life. 

     

    Lucifer was described by God in Ezekiel before he was fallen:  Ezekiel 28:11-19 

     

     

     

     

    These last 2 attributes were his downfall leading him to pride; therefore, rebelling against God (Isaiah 14:13; 1 Timothy 3:6) characterized by his conceit:

     

    5 “I will” statements in Isaiah 14:13-14:

     

    • I will ascend into heaven,

    • I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:

    • I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

    • I will ascent above the heights of the clouds,

    • I will be like the most High.

     

     

     

    As a result of this disobedience against God (heinous sin), Lucifer was banished from living in heaven (Isaiah 14:12).

     

    He became corrupt, and his name changed from Lucifer (“morning star”) to Satan (“adversary”).

     

    His power became completely perverted (Isaiah 14:12,16-17) and his destiny, following the second coming of Christ, is to be bound in a pit during the 1000-year millennial kingdom over which Christ will rule (Revelation 20:3).

     

    He eventually will be thrown into the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41). 

     

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    Satan’s priorities:

     

    • Attack the human, fallen mind, inciting the greed within  

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    • Create separation from God

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    • Create separation from each other

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    • Infanticide

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    • Annihilate mankind

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    • Destroy us spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally

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    What Satan is NOT:

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    1. Omniscient, omnipotent, infinite—he knows a lot but not everything

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    2. Power is limited not limitless-example Job 1:12

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    3. He was a created being

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    4. He can’t do what God won’t allow

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    5. He’s on a leash

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    We don’t flee from Satan-he “flees” from us. (James 4:7) He has to.

     

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    • He can’t compete with God in the life of a submitted Christian.

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    • The enemy cannot remain where God exercises his power.

     

    God exercises His power in us, the indwelling Holy Spirit, as we follow Him.

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    Jesus already defeated him on the cross through His blood. (John 12:31)

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    • The Doctrine of Jesus Christ is our victory! His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.

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    • Jesus destroyed the works of the devil. Satan comes to steal kill and destroy. (Colossians 2:15)

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    Our power and authority:

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    Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.  
    1 John 4:4

    We must respect our foe but not fear him.

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    Our responsibility is to become acutely aware of Satan’s methods but not be preoccupied by them. 

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    We can become educated about his schemes by examining his names in Scripture which reveals his agenda and his targets.

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    Remember, Satan is limited, he is on a leash. Have no fear when we follow God’s instructions in faith.

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    • He is created, therefore not omniscient or infinite.

    • He can be resisted by the Christian:  James 4:7

    • God places limitations on him:  Job 1:12

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