In today’s sermon, Pastor Jim reviewed from last week how very real Satan is. Noting we can not see the wind but it is real as we see its effects. We cannot see Satan but know he is real just as his effects are seen in a sin drenched society in which we live in which the enemy, Satan comes in to destroy everyone and everything in his path. in John 10:10a, Jesus declares these words about Satan, how he comes to steal, kill and destroy but how Jesus says in John 10:10b how He comes to give life and life more abundant!
Isaiah 14:12-17 declares this about Satan: “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, is this the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”
Ezekiel 28 says this about our enemy, Satan: “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more. ’”
Jesus quoted from the Book of Enoch much and Jude 8-10 quotes from it saying this about Satan: “In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.”
Revelation 12:7-9 says this about Satan: “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”
The devil always takes things God gives us and perverts them taking for instance God’s plan of sex in marriage to be used in bad ways such as fornication, adultery, homosexuality, etc. Music, food, the media, etc can be used for good but the enemy gets his hands on it and perverts it turning it into bad things. We wonder why kids kill themselves and then find they were listening to heavy metal music talking about suicide and see why!
1 Peter 5:8 says this about Satan: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Job 1:6 says this: “One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” Pastor Jim declared there is a spiritual dimension out there you cannot see but you must know it is there most definitely! Jesus said in Matthew 6:13: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Satan takes many shapes- he can come as the most beautiful woman in the world or the most handsome man ever seen but we must pray as Jesus asks saying what the Lord’s prayer says in Matthew 6:13: “deliver us from the evil one.”
When you got saved, the force that pushed you to the altar was the Holy Spirit! John 10:1-5 declares this: “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” These verses tell us we are the sheep and Jesus is the Shepherd. Jesus calls us and we hear His voice when He speaks to us! How can we know it is His voice you might ask? The Holy Spirit will bring things to your remembrance. There are other voices out there and Joyce Meyers has written a book called: “The Battlefield of the Mind.” When we spend time in prayer, read and study the Word of God, you can know the voice of God. What two things will He tell you? He will say to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and spirit and to love your neighbor as yourself! Ephesians 6:12 says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This verse tells us our war is not against flesh and blood but against Satan and he is no one to mess with!
Where are you spending your time? Are you listening to bad music encouraging suicide or sex with anything? Do you know why bad things are happening to you? Because this is where you are spending your time! Spend time with God instead and have victory in your life! John 14:15-18 says this:
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
There is a supernatural force tugging at you and we must war against this force and tell your enemy, Satan this: Satan, I rebuke you in Jesus name, go from me! James 4:7 says: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Satan will flee from you when you go to church, listen to good music, read your Bible and pray! When you love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself he has to flee from you! When Satan comes knocking at the door of your mind and says who are you, tell him this: “I am a blood bought child of God, saved by Jesus Christ and I rebuke you, Satan in Jesus name, go away! It is a war! Be a warrior and fight! All of us need to pray this each and everyday: “Lord Jesus, deliver me from the evil one!” Satan has to flee as James 4:7 declares!
South Texas Christian Church has two weekly services; one on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. with an exciting Bible Study before at 9:30 and one on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. with supper afterwards! Come hear the whole Word of God taught at all services and know the Lord has great things coming through our third year of ministry! Visit us online at: www.stxcc.org
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