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September 17, 2019 1:00 am
We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming. There's the word again. You can translated by the crafty methods of deception, but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into him who was the head, even Christ. Once again ladies and gentlemen, the primary attack of the enemy is upon the mind of the believer says a true Christian doesn't have the power to destroy a believer what he can influence believers.
So, what exactly can Satan do what power or influence. Can he exert on us. What can we do about it. These are the kinds of questions were looking at today unwisdom for the heart, our teacher, Stephen, Davey is taking us back to God's word to help us understand and respond to Satan's tactics. This lesson is called unmasking the serpent. Let's pray together as we open God's word.
Dear God.
Today we have a difficult and potentially confusing topic as we talk about our enemy, and yours, would you please help us and guide us as we study and learn together pray in Jesus name, amen.
Here Stephen with today's lesson. The question remains for us just how does Satan seek to impact the life of the believer. Furthermore, cannot Christian be demon possessed.
For that matter what power does the demonic world hold, or have potentially over the church at large, and over every believer in particular will.
I want to answer those questions, not by exegete eating everybody stories that everybody is ever heard but by executing the Scripture. There are three different words used in the Bible to refer to Satan's specific attacks against the believer. The first word appears in second Corinthians chapter 2 verse nine to turn in your Bibles. There will begin with that text. Second Corinthians chapter 2 verse nine for this and also I wrote that I might put you to the test. Whether you are obedient in all things, but whom you forgive anything. I forgive also friending what I have forgiven if I have forgiven anything I did it for your sakes, in the presence of Christ in order that no advantage to be taken of us by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his scheme. Now, as we attempt to unmask the serpent and reveal not only his true nature as we have some of his ways is approaches his pattern is plotting against the believer, we discover this interesting word schemes. As Paul warns the believer of the schemes of Satan, the Greek word is know I am a it refers to the intellectual activity of the mind infected could be translated the plans of the mind are the purposes of the mine in a sinister way as it relates to Satan. It can refer to evil plotting or evil strategies or desires literally evil, scheming word appears again. A few chapters later in chapter 10 turnover there. Second Corinthians chapter 10 and look at verse three for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses by the way, to stop here for just a moment.
This passage has produced a number of fanciful viewpoints within the modern spiritual warfare movement. Many people sort of fancy a believer on a stallion writing against the castle with a lance and a battle cry and sort of crashing the castle fortress walls of demonic strongholds and bringing them crashing to the ground. The word fortress. Here is a reference to that which a person relies upon intellectually that reasoning that an unbeliever hides behind many biblical scholars believe, as Paul wrote this particular passage he was thinking of Proverbs chapter 21 verse 22. Where in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, you have the very same word fortress appearing. There were Solomon wrote a wise man brings down the fortress in which they trust. In other words, the fortress is a metaphor for intellectual ungodly reasoning. It is not some mystical castle inhabited by demons, it is referring to mental intellectual arguments that Satan uses to intellectually deceive the unbelieving world that is in in a very real way, what we with the gospel attack.
Paul wrote the God of this world has blinded the minds of them who do not believe not. Can we be sure that Paul is referring to mental defenses in the minds of unbelievers who are motivated and encouraged by Satan in the demon. Do we really know that these fortresses aren't a reference to some sort of territorial stronghold that needs to be crushed by some sort of cosmic warfare. Yes, all you have to do is read the next verse, sometimes just the next verse clears things up as you allow the commentary of the Bible to explain the Bible look at second Griffin's 10 verse five he goes on to describe the fortresses. He says we are destroying speculations that word is Lynn gives Moss gives us our transliterated word. What logic demonically inspired logic or worldly reasoning. He says we are also destroying every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. This this is a reference to lifting one's self up. It is a metaphor for building a tower of of human reasoning from which the unbeliever stands in his attack is at war against the character and the nature of God were also the text says taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Paul is saying literally.
We constantly with his present tense, for we constantly capture we constantly bringing into captivity every anti-God thought now if you want to know how the daily battle goes against the mental schemes of Satan, who seeks to deceive the believer and harass the believer and Rob the believer of peace and assurance.
Here's how were to do it on a daily basis. Here's the battle. Philippians 411 just quoted to you. Finally, brother, and whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise dwell on these things. The things you've learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things in the God of peace will be with you now.
Most believers in here including myself would be very hesitant to ever say that Satan has captured our minds with his scheme, but how many would say that the state of their mind and their spirit could be characterized by peace. Would you describe your mind and your life in general with the word like spiritual serenity, if not the discipline of Philippians 48 ask the question as Satan comes against us in the way he would go against the world, and trying to intellectually deceive them. He also comes against us in the battle for our thoughts answer this in your own heart the television. The movies that you watch this past week where they according to Philippians for a pure and true.
The things you read where the excellent and honorable. The conversations you had the relationships that you have the friendships that you participated in this past week. Were they right where they of godly reputation. Did they create the potential for praise to God. It's when you do that than you can say my mind is captured every anti-God thought and brought it into captivity. These are the schemes the battle the mind of the believer.
There's a second word that describes the attack of Satan against the believer, we have not only the schemes of Satan, but we have the system of Satan.
Take your Bibles and turn to Ephesians chapter 6 verse 11 we can begin at verse 10 finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Now it's actually a different Greek word than the one we recently read just a moment ago that's translated also schemes the rather unfortunate translation here. It's a different word.
It is the Greek word Matthias gives us the English transliterated word method. The methods of Satan were to clothe ourselves in the armor of God, which will enable us to stand the methods that is the systematic planning and strategy is aware of Satan were to so do battle against these methods, Peter wrote. Instead, that Satan is like a roaring lion prowling around seeking someone to devour. The word means to discredit to destroy. This is the challenge to the believer. This is the warning to the believer that we are given in Ephesians 6 the specifics as to what those methods are, by which he devours, by which he destroys all of which we are to be alert.
However, if you backup just a page or two to Ephesians 4, the same Greek word Matthias appears again. Look at chapter 4 verse 11, he gave some as apostles, some is profit some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers verse 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.
There's the word again you could translated by the crafty methods of deception, but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head, even Christ. Once again ladies and gentlemen, the primary attack of the enemy is upon the mind of the believer. The deceptive lies of Satan continually buffet not only the unbeliever but the believer. Whether they are communicated to the media or the pride of her own sinful heart in nature, it could be through the temptation of the flesh or the philosophy of a greedy world system that seeks to ensnare us. The battle is real. It is deadly serious. It is more than a peach or two. It is daily effort and battle.
I'm convinced that every believer here tonight will encounter this week. A method of the enemy: a daily test.
I like to think of it as a daily test of integrity told many people that I believe every Christian has a daily test of some sort related to integrity or purity or godly purpose or honesty, you name it. Every day you face the tests.
What I want you to do and what I encourage myself to do by reminding you is to go out of here and tomorrow when you wake up say okay I'm in a look for the test. It is a lot of times big thing but it is deadly. Given their new heads here and he can discredit you. Let me suggest at least four methods are many but let me give you for that Satan and his demons use against the believer. I'll give them to you and to find them versus temptation. Let me define it this way. This is an attempt to discredit the believer and destroy fellowship with God. Another method is persecution. This is an attempt to discourage the believer and damage trust in God.
There is division. This is an attempt to disrupt the community of believers and dissolve unity. So with temptation. We have an attempt to discredit the believer persecution and attempt to discourage the believer division an attempt to disrupt the community of believers and then deception and attempt to distract the believer dilute the purity of the gospel. In other words, Satan is not lobbing LeRoy peaches at us. We have the lose is not a little cleaning up time. It's a matter of God's reputation which we been entrusted with. It is a matter of Christ's glory and honor in the world. It is a matter of being usable by Christ. The church in the world. It is a matter of enjoying the preciousness of unity is a body of believers. It is a matter of protecting the purity of the gospel. The systems of the serpent are designed to destroy all of that. If they can. He is ruthless.
He is patient he is organized. He is cunning he is proficient is not all there's another word found in first Timothy turn their further unmasks the serpent reveals to us just one more nuance of his ways. When I only have the schemes of the serpent in the systems of the serpent. We have the snares of the serpent. First Timothy chapter 3 verse six. Here Paul is giving the qualifications for the elder, those who will lead the sheep the congregation of the church.
He writes that an elder in verse six should not be a new convert. You could literally render that not newly planted, as if you were referring to a tree. This is an immature a believer so that he will not become he says conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. In other words, destroys life by virtue of his pride to be sure that you don't put a man into this position.
Who is newly planted and verse seven. He must have a good reputation with those outside the church so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil turn over to second Timothy chapter 2 verse 24 is now making a general a larger application, as it were a says the Lord's bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach patient when wrong with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth and they may come to their senses. These unbelievers and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will and here's the point I want to make.
Paul uses a word in one text of a believer who is actually being promoted as it were, within the body being set aside being voted on being given the responsibility of the role of elder and he doesn't want that man to be caught in the snare of the devil and lose his credibility. But he also uses the same words snare in reference to an unbeliever who is he says here totally caught up totally snared by the devils systems and schemes that we know that unbelievers can be possessed by demons who've ensnared them so I guess the question would be, since the same word was used in a believer also be possessed or literally inhabited by demonic spirits know many proponents of what you read out there what you might pick up the Christian bookstore typical genre of the modern day, a spiritual warfare movement would say yes they would point to modern-day deliverance ministries that deliver believers from all sorts of demons. The demon of cancer, the demon of poverty, the demon of sloth, but they have absolutely no biblical ground to stand upon.
Furthermore, they do not understand redemption for when a person is redeemed. Paul said in Colossians 113 that God at that point delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son, our redemption frees us from the claim of Satan the sanctuary of God which we become. Cannot have room in it for as a sanctuary, as it were for Satan or demonic beings we have escaped the darkness.
Peter wrote in first Peter tonight and we have been brought into a marvelous light of those who believe that you can be owned by God and inhabited by demons do not draw on Scripture for their belief or they misinterpret Scripture, but they draw on subjective experiences on the stories that seem to circulate all about know where ladies and gentlemen in the New Testament.
Do you ever see an illustration of a believer inhabited possessed by a demon, one off the road and I wholeheartedly agreed never in the New Testament epistles are believers even warned about the possibility of being inhabited by demons, neither do we see believers rebuking binding or casting demons out of a true believer. The epistles never instruct believers. In fact, the cast out demons, whether from a believer or unbeliever is an interesting thought Christ and the apostles were the only ones who cast out demons. I might add, is a sign of Christ being truly the Messiah, the son of God, and in every instance, listen in every instance of exorcism. The demon possessed person was an unbeliever. Every time never in the New Testament was a believer ever exercised only the unbeliever the exorcism was viewed as the acceptance of salvation or the demonstration or exercising of faith. So what we have. Certainly we have conflict with the enemy were talking about the serpent schemes and snares right which you need to understand this is vastly different than believing that demons can spatially inhabit a believer you are a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is sealed you and he will never leave.
Using a carve out a little room and allow demon to inhabit.
But the enemy can influence you the life of Peter, Satan was allowed access into his life. Jesus said to them, Peter, Satan is going to sift you he's going to sift you like wheat, but once you've repented. You will in effect, he says have more effective ministry or member Peter was an alert on never deny you. I mean everybody also leave you, they just haven't reached the plateau that I'm on spiritually.
Though all run, but you got somebody very special here. He said Jesus at all to be sifted and whenever you go through that and you repent. Confess you to be usable and read Peter's epistles. Such a wonderful thing to see how this man matured and was humbled. The third illustration is of an unbeliever that is Judas.
He was actually inhabited were told by Satan, thus proving he was an unbeliever, the spirit of God and the servant of hell cannot occupy the same temple but Satan so impacted the life of Judas to do in effect the will of God in order to advance redemptions plan and fulfill prophecy. He was used in, and I can't help but think of the fact that Satan so hates God and so despises God and so hates God's purpose and so despises the work of God against God who is sovereign holds Satan as it were a like a puppet on a string. We see him being used in the lives of believers to do things and unbelievers to actually fulfill the work of God is rewrites in our minds. The thought that God is wringing his hands in heaven, hoping that Satan doesn't quite win. There are several illustrations of church members who are impacted by Satan were not sure if they were believers or unbelievers. Some of them were not told, but Satan was allowed to infiltrate their minds to maintain or to bring about the deception or morality or whatever and it ultimately however was used by God to maintain moral and doctrinal purity within the church in first Corinthians 5. You might turn there and for strength in chapter 5 we have the story of the immoral man. The immoral man who is living in an incestuous relationship with his stepmother in the church refused to deal with it.
I just sort of put blinders on their eyes and said well you know going to come to church and put something in the offering plate. We are alone, should we as of the church. It will just be tolerant of sin.
Paul wrote prescriptions five verse four. Some words that don't sound very tolerant. He said in the name of our Lord Jesus when you are assembled, that is when you've gathered as a church and I with you in spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver that man to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flash that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Evidently he was a believer, but unrepentant in his immorality to Satan here is in effect allowed to cause the death the early premature death of an unrepented believer because of his refusal to repent and the act of Satan was literally the agency of God that brought discipline about to its final stage that you go to the next epistle of Corinthians in your read I think is the second chapter you discover the truth that man repented and then Paul had to write the church and say now, forgive them and bring them back in. But the threat was there that could have been fulfilled. God could have used Satan to bring about the death of this man. Paul says the same thing in first Timothy chapter 1 verse 18 the right ear of two men who have rejected the faith. He says they have suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander whom I have delivered over to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme Paul's instruction is a lot different than what we hear today rather than delivering people from Satan. Paul is saying the church sometimes delivers people to Satan. There's a deliverance ministry will read about in the bookstores design and miscellany books, but it may purify the church. The church would send that unrepentant believer or unbeliever, not knowing at that point but they are because of their unrepentant out from underneath the protection of the body. The assembly who knows what God would do that only in the life of that person.
But in the church it stands now, for truth and purity.
He did a drastic thing you remember in the early church in acts chapter 5 were Ananias and Sapphire, a husband and wife decided to lie. People were selling their property and bringing money and laying it at the apostles feet so that it can be used by the community that was in need and Ananias arrived first at that meeting and he delivered the money and Peter asked him Ananias. The fact is that would you have gotten from the sale of this property and analyze evidently said yes. Peter responded, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit.
In other words, why has he so dominated you, why have you deceived in your mind and heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the price of the land and as he heard those words that I was as Ananias fell down and breathed his last biblical way of saying he croaked, then Safari came in here is the wife.
She's a little late. She finally arrived, Peter said tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price and ionize in the congregation is holding their breath. She said yes that was the price and Peter said the men who have just buried your husband are at the door and they shall carry you out as well, and she breathed her last. The church had two funerals. You get the idea from that since we know from other passages we have read that Satan is the agent at times in bringing the death of a believer that Satan, as it were, the just the destroyer, the deceiver, the hater of the church is is is waiting as it were for permission from sovereign God to destroy a believer's life.
How do you avoid the snares, his schemes as systems.
Let me give you two things to take with you two principles for the believers who wish to finish well. Principle number one is the principle of consecration consecration is simply allowing the one owns the vehicle to operate the vehicle. He owns God owns principle number two is the principle of concentration. Who are you looking at you following what are you allowing to influence you as your teacher, your guy. These are basically issues of concentration and always believer so I'm consecrated. I know that I belong to God will what it concentrating on consecration concentration are two ways to defeat the siren song served. So today let's consecrated ourselves to God and concentrate on the things that will draw our heart and our mind closer to God, our Bible teacher, Stephen Devi is the pastor of colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina is currently working his way through a series entitled angels, demons and other flying creatures. The lesson you just heard is entitled unmasking the serpent.
Do you know someone who struggles with this topic and could benefit from hearing this lesson.
If so give us a call today at 86 648 Bible and we can tell you how you can get a copy of this lesson. To add to your library or share with a friend. We recently heard from someone who ordered an entire CD set and wrote to tell us this, my friends and I learned so much through Stephen Davies preaching and are excited to begin listening together to the entire book of Revelation that we ordered on savings. Thank you for making your sermons available to order and glean from over and over again that came from John in West Virginia.
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Call us today at 86 648 Bible, and of course join us tomorrow for more wisdom for the heart