When an individual confesses of his sins, and repents and turns away from those sins and seeks the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, he instantaneously, in the snap of a finger, becomes a child of God, and his name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He is a NEW CREATURE in Jesus Christ and has for an enemy of his soul, Satan.
Satan did not want to lose his control and his power and dominion over them so he immediately begins a counter- attack --- a spiritual warfare -- to regain that one back into his clutches once again. From the moment he accepts the wonderful grace of God and becomes a joint - heir with Jesus Christ, a war begins and will continue as he fights for his life and death against Satan and all of his demonic forces for his spiritual survival.
When you got saved and sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit, God gave you so many things that you became spiritual heirs of through Jesus Christ; however Satan has determined to steal those very things away from you. He does not want to see you happy in Christ and neither does he want to see you enjoying the good life you have been called to enjoy. Jesus came that YOU may have abundant, enjoyable LIFE. Satan wants to see you sad, depressed and miserable.
SATAN’S STRATEGY #1: SATAN’S TARGET - YOUR MIND (Genesis 3:1-7)
Why would Satan want to attack your mind? Because it is part of the image of God that God uses to communicate with us and reveal His will and His purposes unto us. God speaks to our mind. Also, our thoughts have an affect upon the rest of our lives. Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." The word "HEART" in the Old Testament deals with your thought life and it is used that in that manner in over 200 of the 800 times the word "HEART" is used.
Another reason, because your thought life dominates and controls your attitude and how your view things and how you accept things and how you deal with things and issues that come your way. Your attitude leads to action and your action leads to achievement.
It is very important that you keep a careful watch upon your thoughts because your life cannot become any bigger than your thoughts. "As a man thinks, so is he." ( Proverbs 23:7)
SATAN’S WEAPONS - LIES:
The mind is the spiritual battleground where the battle is either won or lost. Satan is aware that if he can influence "what" you think, then he can also influence how you behave and act.
That’s how Satan came to Eve in the garden of Eden, deceiving her mind. Our bodies may be built by the proper food and exercise but our character is built by what we allow to "camp out" in our mind. God wants to influence our mind with truth and good thoughts but Satan wants to destroy the mind with his deceitful lies. He is the master, father of liars.
SATAN’S PURPOSE - TO MAKE YOU IGNORANT OF GOD’S DIVINE WILL:
If Satan can get you to question the WORD of God then he can get you to go your way never discovering God’s will.
YOUR DEFENSE - THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD:
"Ye shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall set you free." (John 8:32)
When Satan took Jesus up into a high mountain and tempted him after Jesus had fasted for 40 days and was hungry and weak in the body, he used the WORD to attack Jesus. "It is written ....." (John 1-11)
If you and I are to win this spiritual warfare we must do these things:
1) Love God’s Word
2) Know God’s Word
3) Read Gods’ Word
4) Meditate on Gods’ Word
5) Believe Gods’ Word
6) Do God’s Word
7) Use Gods’ Word.
THE STRATEGY OF SATAN: #2: SATAN'S TARGET - YOUR BODY (Job chapters 1 and 2)
If Satan cannot defeat you by destroying your mind, he will not just simply give up on you. Oh no! His next approach is to attack your body. You see, your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, (I Corinthians 6:19-20). As a serpent Satan deceives and as a roaring lion he devours. Your body is God’s tool. (Romans 6:12-13)
Satan’s weapon is your SUFFERING: By gaining control of your situations and circumstances he tries to bring suffering upon you. Satan’s purpose in your suffering is to get you to question the loving, powerful care of God for you.
Don’t cast away your confidence in God due to a moment of sufferings. It is only through being patient and holding on, that we are able to find the purpose and reason for God allowing you to go through that particular valley and test.
God’s GRACE is the provision from God for every need you may have.
YOUR DEFENSE - LOOK TO GOD FOR HELP
1) Immediately Submit Yourself to God.
2) Continue to Give God Worship, Praise, and Thanks Every Day in Spite of the Problem You Are Suffering.
3) Pray about the situation and then believe that God will find a way to work all of this to your good. (Romans 8:28)
4) Spend Much Time in the Word of God. Speak the Word of God in the problem. Give God Opportunity to Work His Power and Provision in the Situation.
SATAN’S STRATEGY: #3: SATAN'S TARGET - YOUR WILL (I CHRONICLES 21:2, 7, 8, 9-14)
Why is Satan after "Our Will?" Because to serve the Lord Jesus and to be a Christian and to serve the Lord with all of our heart, soul and mind is a decision made by "our will." God will never force Himself upon anyone. "Whosoever "will" may come and drink of the water of life freely." Your "will" helps to determine your character. Your will makes the decisions which set the course for your life.
SATAN’S WEAPON - PRIDE
SATAN’S PURPOSE - TO MAKE YOU ACT INDEPENDENTLY OF GOD
Victorious power comes about by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (Philippians 2:12-13)
We are to work out our own salvation with the guidance and instruction of God. We need God working with us and not against us. We are to seek what God’s will for our life is and not what we want.
How does God work in us? Through the Holy Spirit. (Romans 12: 1-2) The Holy Spirit can work through you when your body is yielded to God’s will. Each new day you must yield your body, mind, and spirit to God’s will. War calls for surrenderence but instead of surrendering to Satan you must surrender to God. Then you have the power to overcome Satan.
When the spirit of God is at work within you it will produce the spirit of humility, not the spirit of pride. (James 4:10) "Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord and He will lift you up."
STRATEGY OF SATAN: #4: SATAN’S TARGET - YOUR HEART AND YOUR CONSCIENCE
When you and I disobey God we feel guilty. Guilt is an emotion we feel when we receive a message of disapproval from the Holy Spirit. "You’ve done wrong." And shame and condemnation takes place.
Satan uses this guilt to bring you to judgment. Satan brings accusation while the Holy Spirit brings conviction. Conviction is a good thing. It is the sign God is at work, drawing you back to Him. The Holy Spirit sends the message that if you repent God will accept that repentance. Satan wants you to focus on the condemnation and not the pardon from the sin and from the guilt and from the condemnation. For there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. True conviction will always lead you closer to God.
YOUR DEFENSE - THE INTERCEDING SON OF GOD
Jesus stands at the Father’s right hand, ready to receive and to forgive. (Hebrew 7:25 and Luke 22: 31-32) At the throne of God is amazing grace and eternal forgiveness. Satan stands to accuse but Jesus stands to forgive, praise His Holy Name. Let Him forgive you today and make you a brand new creature in Him. The shame is not to fall. The shame is to fall and refuse the extended hand of Jesus Christ to pick you up again. ~Bits and Pieces of Sermon by Vernon Caruthers
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