Thank you for taking time in your busy day to listen to this life-changing episode of Leading the Way Audio with Atlanta pastor and international Bible teacher, Dr. Michael Youssef.
Well, Satan has intrigued people throughout history. You know what I mean. Halloween highlights that strange creature with the red cape and horns and creepy eyes. Movies, really, no matter what time of the year they come out, bring a haunting story of fear and death. With this mysterious character.
But what is Satan really like, and what is he doing to day? Up next, doctor Youssef continues his series called Winning the Invisible War by offering you a profile of Satan that'll help you understand his current lifestyle and priorities. and if you listen carefully, it will prepare you with tools to resist his relentless attacks.
Now, a little later, here are ways that you can stand with Dr. Youssef in reaching the world with the truth of God's Word. Right now, let's listen as Dr. Youssef begins his message. The Profile of Satan.
Today, I want to give you a seven. Fold profile. of Satan the satanic work. Here's his first personality profile. Question.
Authority. You're not going to be surprised at this one. Join a church or attend church. Pretend to be sympathetic. He's a master forger.
He loves celebrities. and celebrity preachers. Yeah. He's a manufacturer. of sugar-coated poison pills.
Finally, never attacks from the front. Question authority, especially God's authority. Especially the authority of the Word of God. When the devil questioned God's authority, he was thrown out of heaven. And so He wants Christ's followers To do the same.
Satan Did exactly the same thing with Adam and Eve in the garden. He did not come to Eve and said, Hey girl, If you obey me instead of God, You will be in the lake of fire with me in the end. That doesn't work. That's not how he operates. Nor did he even come and accuse God of lying.
Read the words very carefully. He never accused God of lying. Instead, He led her to question. Question. Question?
Did God actually say that. Himir, please. Satan's strategy never changed. He turns a command from the Word of God into a dialogue. Into a debate.
Did God really say it this way? Did you hear God Correctly. Did you really understand? God rightly.
Now, today here's Howard is the argument, which I've seen it all over the place. Is this command really relevant to the 21st century? Is that really relevant for today? That was back then because of the culture of of the day. That was back then, but not today, not in this age.
You see, without making false allegation, He made it possible for Eve to debate in her mind the truth. The serpent had a good reputation in the Garden of Eden as prudent. And the scriptures say that.
So Satan uses the serpent as a mouthpiece. What is Satan doing? He's breaking down Eve's defenses. He's breaking down Eve's defenses. If I have not seen it in the last 40 years, more than once.
breaking down the defenses. Denomination after denomination after denomination, now evangelical church after evangelical church, now Christian family after Christian family. Did God really say there's that really relevant for today? He's breaking the defenses. And once you start breaking their defenses, Yeah.
Mm-hmm. He's going to get you to question the commands.
Sounds familiar? This is precisely the same argument that the homosexual lobby. used in many churches. I'm talking about the lobbying group now. And many churches have fallen forward like flies.
Himirat, please, this is important. If Satan can get you debating an issue that has been settled in the Word of God, He is two-thirds of the way in. Are you with me? If he gets you to debate, Finances and taxes, whether you should do this or that, he's two-thirds of the way in. If we can get you to debate The right and the wrong sexual activities outside of heterosexual marriage is two-thirds of the way in.
If he can get you to debate even the possibility that marriage can take place between same-sex couples, he's already two-thirds of the way in. If he can get you to believe that God only wants you to be happy. And therefore It doesn't matter what you do as long as you're happy. He is more than two-thirds of the way in. Remember this.
We all are tempted. We all are tempted. Your pastor gets tempted all the time. Every one of us. But the power of God that is poured in us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Will not only make us alert as to Satan's temptation, but he will give us the victory every time we prevail ourselves on that power.
Okay, ready. Satan does not attack churches. He joins them. Did you know that? He joins the churches.
Now, if you fall in the trap of thinking that Satan looks at churches and says, oh man, this is not a place for me. I don't want to hang around those people. Hmm. You've been making a terrible mistake. Think again.
Think again. You see, Satan has already moved into many a church. He introduced his standards in miniatur. Satan already convinced people to accept his standards. Satan turned falsehood into gospel.
He has dispatched so many of his emissaries and he placed them in leadership in churches. Satan does not fight churches anymore, he joins them. The most dangerous lie is the one that resembles the truth. Are you surprised by that? Yeah.
Let me remind you of the principal text that we looked at last message. Acts 20. Verse 28 to 30. Acts 20. Hey.
Careful attention. I wish those three words are written on every Christian leader in the world. On the walls. Pay careful attention. Pay careful attention.
to yourselves. and to the flock over whom God has placed you. Why? Why? Oh.
You notice he didn't say because people are going to come from outside the you know the secular society or the terrorist or this group or that group is going to come in and they'll really terrorize you. No, no, no, no. He said because wolves from among you. will rise. And they will not spare the flock.
Why do you think I'll weep so much? First one is Question authority. The second one. Attend church. And the third one.
He pretends to be sympathetic. Oh, he's very sympathetic. How many times have you heard someone says, I got to find me a church that meets my needs? Don't raise your hand. I've just got to find me a church that meets my needs.
Beloved, listen to me. This is satanic deception at its worst. I was going to say it's best, but it's worse. Why? Because there is no church, there is no pastor, there is no Bible teacher, there is no ministry, there is not a soul that can meet your needs except Jesus.
And if any ministry in this church is of any help to anybody. It is because it's centered on Jesus. And the Bible said, if you worship God with all of your hearts, When you seek his kingdom and righteousness first, all of your needs, not some of them, all of your needs. are gonna be met by him. When a church begins to focus solely on meeting felt needs, They slowly but surely start excluding the Word of God from the picture.
It just happens. But because ultimately the need seeker Ends up discovering that this church and these promises are empty and hollow. This is false. Because They will see how their felt needs really have not been met. They move on to another church.
Another need meter church. Beloved, having said this truth, I must hasten to say. That when a church, any church that loves Jesus, any church that worships Jesus alone, in a church that obeys Jesus and his word alone. Any church, when a church is loyal to Jesus alone, The members of the church are able to bless each other. Your enemies profile, first of all.
Is what? Question? Authority. Second. Attend church.
Third, Pretend to be sympathetic. And fourthly, a master forger. I told you in the last message that the moment I'm not alert. to Satan's deception. I get clobbered.
I get claw and I shared with you in the last message. I think I am somewhat I want to be careful here. I'm somewhat discerning. Not very discerning, but at least somewhat discerning. But Because Satan lived and served in the throne room of God.
He can Imitate God. He could imitate the voice of God. He can appear as an angel of light. That's what the scripture said. Because he wants people to think that he's God.
What better way than deceive non-discerning Christians. And they think they're hearing God. When they're only hearing either their flesh or the enemy. And all In the areas where he controls. His domain.
His domain. Those who are under his authority. to them He doesn't just resemble God, he's God. That's why the Bible called him the God of this world. You remember when Moses stood there before Pharaoh and put his staff and it became a serpent?
Snake? What do magicians do? See, we can do that. We can do magic. It's through their staffs and also because thank God Moses' staff ate all the others.
But he is a magician.
Okay. Don't ever forget that Revelation 13:13, don't forget that verse, Revelation 13, 13 says that Satan's man. Satan's man The Antichrist. He will come and deceive the whole world. He's going to perform miracles.
He really will. He said he's going to do great signs and wonders. In fact, it says Revelation 13:13 that he will be able to call fire from heaven. And people could say, Wow, isn't he great? The Antichrist Will say to the non-discerning, Do you want medicals?
Oh, I can do medicals. Look at this. Worship me. Don't ever forget also that Satan is a preacher. He really is a preacher.
He's diabolical in his preaching, but he's a preacher nonetheless. He preaches another gospel, he preaches another Jesus, he preaches another power. And all of his demons, all of his demons, they're all preachers too. They're all licensed and credentialed preachers. Trust me.
Sir Long. As people do not demand to hear the message that salvation is only, only, only Only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross can he can preach. relationships and Positive thinking, having positive thoughts, man, he's good. He's good at this, better than the real preachers. Beloved, Discernment is something that the enemy of your soul does not want you to have.
Question authority. Join churches. Pretend to be sympathetic. A master forger. He loves celebrities.
He really does. That's why he's so busy making celebrity preachers. Every time I look in the Christian press and I hear about Preacher to the celebrities or celebrity preacher fall. I said, Well, but it's not surprised. You look at a drunk derelict in the streets and say, oh, this is Satan masterpiece.
Of course, Satan is the author of all evil. But I can promise you, Satan wants nothing to do with that. He doesn't want that credit. He doesn't want that type of person to be associated with. He takes pride.
Not in this type of person. Think with me.
Someone is trying to convince people that he is God. Do you think he's going to surround himself with folks who are on skid row? No! Ah, Satan's masterpiece is someone. who's a Hollywood superstar.
Hollywood superstar. These are his people. They're beautiful people.
Someone who's accepted by the media.
Someone who's a rock star, someone who Who commands admiration and millions of screaming fans. That's Satan masterpiece.
Someone who's very understanding. an accommodating to all sorts of sexual perversion. And they call it Tolerance. Tolerance.
someone who holds high authority of leadership.
Someone who is progressive. and teaches That the Bible is an archaic book.
Someone who never judges sin even blatant sin. Remember, he appears as an angel of light. In other words, he wants his followers to appear more loving. Then those Pesky Christians. to appear more accommodating and into diversity.
and pluralism and political correctness.
Someone who never prays in the name of Jesus in public. Because he or she is very Sensitive. Toward those who are not Christians. Don't offend them. Don't offend them.
I'd rather offend him on earth. and get them to heaven. Then have them go to hell and curse me for eternity. Six profile. Satan's sixth profile.
He is a manufacturer. of sugar-coated poison pills. I read a story.
Some time ago, actually, many years ago, several decades ago. It's a true story about a British art critic who's well known. Her name is Devin. Devon took his young daughter to the ocean one day in England. And uh he wanna have a picnic and a swimming day for spending time with his daughter.
And he tried what he may to get his little girl to get into the chilly waters of the Atlantic. But to no avail. Finally, He made a little fire. And but a a kettle. And he boiled water on the fire.
And with glad drama and flair, He said, look, honey, and he start pouring the boiling water into the ocean. See, the water is warm now. And the little girl saw not. the chilly water of the Atlantic, but there's boiling water in the kettle, and cheerfully she ran into the ocean. Beloved, you can apply this to every area in life.
You can apply it everywhere to your business, to your personal relationships. For those of you singles, apply this to dating, to financial stewardship. Apply it everywhere because this little girl's story illustrates how the enemy of your soul holds up the sparkling one, he holds up the shiny one, and he tempts you. into ocean of falsehood. And deception.
And many dive in. Your enemy's personality profile. Let's go through them again. Questions? authority.
Join A church. Pretend to be sympathetic. A master forger. Loves celebrities, manufacturer of sugar-coated poison pills. Finally, As I come to the end, the seventh.
He never attacks from the front. Never attacks from the front. At least there's some sins left. for believers to condemn. as a big sin.
One of the big sins. Ah, but listen to me. There are socially respectable sins. And that's what he focuses on. Especially for For those who love the Lord and love the word of God.
Socially acceptable sins. Why? Why they become socially acceptable? Because they're so widespread. That we got used to them.
We just got used to them. Gossiping. Unforgiveness. husband's abdication of his Spiritual responsibility and leadership. Wives resentment of her husband's spiritual leadership, Spiritual pride and jealousy, and the list goes on and on and on.
Remember, Satan is not stupid. He really isn't. He knows that these are socially acceptable sins. Ah, but listen, they can neutralize your effectiveness. They can neutralize your testimony.
They can stifle the gospel. They can undermine Christian unity. And so He comes in. through these back doors. Why?
Because he knows. Most Bible-believing Christians When they Front door sins, as it were, when they fall for them, they go through. The painful experience, or we crying over the sin, repenting, and turning away from it. Oh. But these back door sins Hmm.
We don't even notice them any more. We don't notice them.
Well, I want to conclude. By telling you a story that was drummed in my ear as a boy growing up in Egypt. In the fifth century, There was a famous holy man In Egypt. By the way, the monastery movement did not start in Rome, started in Egypt in the 400s. There was a man, very wealthy man by the name of Antonios, who gave up all his wealth and built a monastery out in the desert.
And he went there to contemplate. That's where the movement started. But in the fifth century a famous holy man used to spend his time in prayer contemplation in the desert.
So righteous was this man That Satan's assigned Many demons. to trap him. But they couldn't. They used the usual methods of lustful thought, fatigue that keep him from praying, or hunger that make him abandon his fast, and all the usual stuff. And no matter what they threw at him, He had the victory.
Satan becomes annoyed with his demons.
So he took charge himself. Personal charge. And the devil approached him. Very gently. Very thoughtfully.
And he whispered, in his ear to blind side him. And he whispered softly, He said, you know. Your brother? had just been made the Bishop of Alexandria. Instantly.
That holy man's jaw stiffened. and his eyes narrowed, and his nostrils flared. Bishop of Alexandria. My brother has been made a bishop of Alexandria. What an outrage!
By the way, this is a legend. It's not real history. But they taught it to me as one, so I started that way. But I got to tell you the truth. But the point is made.
The devil No's. that he could who get nowhere with this man with the big sins. This holy man sees it a mile away coming. And so he thiomed socially acceptable sin. He knew that this man.
was guarding against temptation of the flesh.
So he ambushed him this way.
So my beloved friends. Watch out. Watch out of these socially acceptable sins. Because they truly can neutralize. Your effectiveness for Christ.
Be careful. Thank you for joining Dr. Michael Youssef for this episode of Leading the Way Audio. Do you have unanswered spiritual questions? please consider connecting with a leading the way pastor or counselor.
They'll be so glad to spend some time with you answering your specific questions right from the pages of the Bible. Reach out by filling out a short contact form. Go to ltw dot org slash Jesus. When Dr. Youssef began the ministry of leading the way, he committed to using the latest cutting-edge technologies to proclaim the truth of the gospel.
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Now as digital technologies rapidly transformed the face of our world, Dr. Yousef is, once again, leveraging the newest technologies to passionately proclaim uncompromising truth. My Faith Assistant is a platform ready to provide you with answers to your faith questions, rooted in God's Word and the trusted teaching of Dr. Michael A. Youssef.
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