TREE OF LIFE TEACHING MINISTRY
Pastor/Teacher, Dr. Maurice H. Sykes
BE ALERT. BE DISCERNING. KNOW THE ENEMY!
God loved you and me so much, that He demonstrated His love by giving us the gift of His Son and the gift of the Holy Spirit. They reveal God's character. God is love. The characteristics demonstrated by the Lord Jesus Christ, during His earthly ministry, revealed the character of God, Himself.
In the same way, Satan and the kingdom of darkness reveal who they are by the characteristics they demonstrate. Solomon said, "...there is no new thing under the sun," Eccl. 1:9. The kingdom of darkness does not change its attack upon God's people. Directed by their leader, Satan, their characteristics are revealed THROUGH PEOPLE!
Satan's character varies, depending on his agenda and target. Darkness and evil comes at us boldly, subtly, deceitfully, blatantly, viciously, sweetly, quietly and always unrelentingly.
The kingdom has one simple agenda: corrupt, separate, steal from, kill and destroy God's people, disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. The following characteristics gives us a picture of what the kingdom conflict (spiritual warfare) is all about:
1. Subtle. Gen. 1:3 "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made."
2. Liar. Gen. 3:4 "And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die." John 8:44, "...he is a liar, and the father of it."
3. Tempter. Matt. 4:3 "And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
4. Exploiter/perverter of Truth. Matt. 4:6 "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge over you, and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone."
5. Insinuates. Gen. 3:1 "And he said to the woman, Yea, has God really said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Matt. 4:6 "IF you are the Son of God..."
6. Appeals To Weakness and Need. Matt. 4:6 "...command that these stones be made into bread."
7. Briber. Matt. 4:9 "All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
8. Satan has riches. Luke 4:5,6 "And the devil, taking Him up into a high mountain, showed to Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, All this power will I give You, and the glory of them: for they were given to me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it."
9. Entices/provokes. 1Chron. 21:1 "And Satan stood up against Israel, and enticed David to number Israel."
10. Maligns with vicious intent/Speaks evil. Job 1:9 "Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, 'Does Job fear God for nothing?'"
11. Bold/blatant/In your face. Job 1:6 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them."
12. Possesses. Luke 8:27 "...there met Him out of the city a certain man, who had demons for a long time..."
13. Deceitful/charlatan. 2Cor. 11:14 "...for Satan himself transformed into an angel of light."
14. Powerful/wicked. Eph. 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
15. Tricky/deceiver. Eph. 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
16. Hinders/impedes. 1Thess. 2:18 "Wherefore, we would have come to you, even I, Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us." Gal. 5:7 "You were running well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?"
17. Arrogant/prideful. Isaiah 14:13-14 "For you have said in your heart, 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 ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
18. Full of wickedness, evil, jealousy. Ezek. 28:15 "You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you."
19. Thief/murderer/destroyer. John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal, and to murder, and to destroy."
20. Adversary of Disciples. 1Pet. 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion, prowls about seeking whom he may devour."
21. Unchangeable Sinner. 1John 3:8 "He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning."
22. Always prowling/watching/looking for an opportunity. Job 2:2 "And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where have you come from?' And Satan answered the Lord, and said, 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'"
23. Knows God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark 1:24 "I know You, who You are, the Holy One of God."
24. Violent/does not give up easily. Mark 1 :26 "And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him." Acts 19:16 "And the man in whom the evil spirit was in, leaped on them...they fled out of the house naked and wounded."
It pays to know your enemy. Here's the shocking thing: the Christian is often used as a tool of Satan, by his influencing their tongues, tempting them with worldly-pleasing thoughts, offering them sex, influencing them to desert their loved ones, providing riches for a season...and much, much, more.
By studying the Word of God/Bible doctrine, we get to know God and we begin to love Him. His character is His Word. Also-the enemy has a character, and it can be known. It is the Spirit of God who guides us into all the Truth...about all that we need to know. Enemies are always unmasked!
"FEAR THEM NOT, THEREFORE: FOR THERE IS NOTHING COVERED THAT SHALL NOT BE REVEALED; AND HID, THAT SHALL NOT BE KNOWN." ---Mat. 10:26
"IF YOU CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YOU TRULY DISCIPLES OF MINE: AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL CAUSE YOU TO BE FREE." ---John 8:31,32
Grace to you. ---mhs
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