IDENTIFYING THE ENEMY In his book, ‘ How come it’s Taking me so long to get Better’ Dr. Lane Adams views Christian life as a military campaign. First there is the invasion of enemy held territory, and then the establishing of the beachhead. According to the scriptures, each of us is like an enemy held island, cut off from the land mass. Paul describes this life of isolation as he writes, “remember that at that time you were separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” Eph.2:12. That is isolation. Continuing to describe our situation, Paul says, “you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is at work in those who are disobedient. Eph. 2: 1-2. What Paul means is that a spirit used to have powerful influence over our lives, keeping us in spiritual darkness. But then another Spirit invaded us from outside. Paul explains this event, “ But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgression--- it is by grace you have been saved. Eph. 2: 4-5. Conversion! That was the time of God’s invasion. And who was the other Sprit? He was God’s Holy spirit, who entered our lives and set the stage for the battle of life. Now that God has established a beachhead in your life, His Holy spirit is capturing the entire island, a little at a time. This conquest – the believer’s growth in to sanctification ( holiness of character) will include a life time battle and conflicts. Little by little we turn over our spiritual lives, finances, morals, ambitions, plans, fears, family, jobs hidden secrets to which we cling, unhealthy habits, wrong desires, doubts and many other areas. As we turn over these areas to God’s Spirit, the warfare rages, for the enemy has a strong foothold and does not give up easily Eph. 6: 12. But there is good news. The enemy has been defeated. The war has been won by our commander – in- chief, Jesus Christ. However victory is ours only when we yield our struggles to Christ, letting Him live and act through us. As we fight the battle with God’s strategy and strength we win. When we attempt to fight the enemy in our strength and using our own strategies we loose. In this chapter you will discover the enemy’s nature, location, strengths and weakness. YOUR ENEMY’S NATURE ‘ For our struggle is not…… forces of evil in heavenly realms. (Eph. 6:12) Your battle is against spiritual beings who are led by Satan himself. But who is Satan? Is Satan a mere force of evil, or is he a being with a personality? Is he ugly or beautiful? A myth or a reality?
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1.List everything you now believe about Satan. Try to describe him in five words or phrases.
2. Circle the phrase in each pair below which you think describe him. • • • • • •
Impersonal force Harmful Beautiful In hell All powerful More intelligent than man
created being harmless ugly out of hell limited in power less intelligent than man
Now that you have stimulated your thinking about this enemy, check your views against the teachings of the Old and new Testaments. 3. Isaiah 14: 3-23 is a prophecy against the king of Babylon. However, as Isaiah prophesied, he saw through the earthly king to the power behind him. The prophets vision shifted back and forth. a) In 14: 12 what name did Isaiah say was this power’s sinned?
before he
b) From Isa. 14: 13-14, explain Lucifer’s (light bearer) sin
4. Ezekiel had a similar experience of seeing the spiritual enemy behind an earthly king. Ezek. 28: 1-9 is a prophecy condemning the king of Tyre but 28: 11- 19 addresses the evil one himself. a) Describe Lucifer before his fall ( 28: 11- 15)
The cherubim are an order of angels. Cherubim flanked the atonement cover ( KJV mercy seat ), the symbolic throne of God in the temple’s Holy of the Holies ( Exo. 25: 18-22). Lucifer was in Eden to serve or instruct the first humans (Ezek. 28: 13), and
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after they sinned other cherubim were appointed to guard holy Eden and the tree of life from fallen men’s return (Gen. 3: 24). “Guardian” in Ezek 28: 14 and 16 means ‘ one who covers’, for the cherubim covered God’s throne with their wings, shielding and proclaiming His glory. For Ezekiel’s vision of fallen cherubim see Ezek. 10. b) What was Lucifer created to be and do?
c) Lucifer was the greatest among the greatest class of created beings. From Ezek. 28; 15- 18, describe each aspects of his sin?
d) How did God respond (28: 15- 19)?
e) What lesson can you draw from Lucifer’s attitude towards the nature and purpose God had ordained for him? Why does sin lie at the root of all sin?
5. Since his fall the titles ‘Lucifer’ and ‘son of the dawn’ have been striped from the enemy, yet now he has many other names. After each of the following cross- references, write what the name it gives reveals about him? Matt. 12: 24- 27, Beelzebub, the prince of demons
Mark. 4: 13-15, Satan (resister, adversary)
2 Corinthians 6: 15 Belial ( worthlessness)
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Revelation 9: 11 Abadon, Appolyon ( destroyer)
Revelation 12: 9 the ancient serpent called devil
Revelation 12: 10 the accuser of brothers.
At this point you should be aware that you are not fighting some harmless creature or the figment of someone’s imagination. Satan is real. But where does he live? YOUR ENEMY’S LOCATION One of the most successful strategies of warfare is the ambush. The enemy camouflages himself and waits for the unsuspecting victim to pass by. Unaware of his enemy’s nearness, the soldier is entrapped. Likewise, a person who thinks that Satan lives in hell and is not loose on earth will receive many surprises. 6. a) For whom was hell ( ‘the eternal fire’) prepared ( Matt. 25: 41)? b) Revelation 20 describes the events surrounding Christ’s second coming. From 20: 1-3 and 7-10, describe what will happen to Satan at that time? c) By implication, then, where is satan now, and where is he not?
7. Where do Eph. 2: 2 and 6:12 say Satan is?
8. a) According to Job 1: 6 where does Satan go and why?
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b) How can you reconcile these facts with Ezekiel’s prophecy that Satan was banished from heaven?
9a) Where else does Satan go, and what does he do there Job. 1:7?
b) Explain in your own words how Peter describes Satan’s activity 1 Pet. 5:8?
The devil uses his access to this planet to do everything he can to lead people away from personal relationship with God. He will try to make you ‘good’ by human standards or ‘religious’ if he can prevent you from coming to the cross for forgiveness of sin. But your enemy’s nature and location are only part of information you need to win the battle. Consider also his strength and weaknesses. YOUR ENEMY’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES 10. Over what four areas of life does Satan exercise power? Job. 1:12, 14- 15, 19
Matt. 13: 19.
Luke 8: 27-29, 35
Luke 13: 11
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11. Describe how you or someone you know has experienced Satan’s activity in one of these areas?
12. What limits to Satan’s power do Job 1:12 and 2:6 reveal?
13. According to Colossians 1: 15-16 why was Christ greater than Satan even before His incarnation and crucifixion?
14. Remember that Satan is your adversary, accuser, the witness you in God’s court of justice. Why did Christ’s death on the cross utterly defeat Satan.( Colossians 1: 21, 22, 2 Cor. 5: 21)
15 How can you let that defeat become real in your experience ( Col. 1: 23, James 4:7)
Moreover, Satan predicted that Job would curse God if he allowed Job to be tested, and yet Job did not curse God. Therefore, the devil is limited in his knowledge. He may think he knows how men will react under specific circumstances, but he does not have that foreknowledge. Furthermore, since Satan had to leave earth to go before God ( Job 1:7, 2:2), he cannot be present everywhere at the same time. Only God is present everywhere at once. Satan is a created being. Therefore must send one of his lieutenant demons to persecute most people. You have been drafted in to a spiritual warfare. Whether you want to fight or not you are involved in spiritual battles everyday of your life. Do I know the enemy well enough to win the battle? Am I willing to pay the price?
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