LOGOS BIBLE STUDY

LESSON 110 115 - SATAN: THE ENEMY OF OUR FAITH

I. HIS ORIGIN

A. He is an angelic type being created by God. 1. A Cherub - Ezekiel 28:13-15.

a. a. A Cherub is a special ruling and guarding class of b. angel, (can be called a

prince) - John 12:27-31.

i. He ruled (covered) the planet earth before his rebellion against God cost him his position - Ezekiel 28:16-17.

2. As an angelic being, he is called one of the "Sons of God" - Job 1:6.

a. "Sons of God" is merely an expression describing those beings who God made by design, as though His offspring.

i. Note from whence he came; the earth, his assigned place – Job 2:2.

ii. Note also how God pointed out a righteous man on earth in spite of his efforts to corrupt mankind.

B. His name is Lucifer, which means: Son of the Morning" and "Bright Morning Star" -– Isaiah 14:12-13.

1. Loss of his position in God's Kingdom brought a change in his name.

a. Names were given based on character traits and position.

2. He is now called Satan which is his title, meaning "accuser" (or "accuser of the brethren") which describes his behavior.

a. He is also referred to as "the devil" which is not a name but a description of his evil and vile corrupt nature.

b. Devil means slanderer or accuser.

3. His angels and demons still call him by his God given name.

a. They do not consider the rebellion over and assist him in fighting against God and His Word.

C. His original purpose and function was to rule the earth for God as the "covering Cherub" - Ezekiel 28:14-19, Job 1:7.

1. It appears that God set Cherubs, ruling or chief angels, as protectors or authorities over specific items of His creation; which may include other inhabited planets.

a. The Bible only deals with earth, mankind and those things that pertain directly to man.

b. Therefore it does not say much about the rest of God's creation.

2. Lucifer was one of the elite, top-level, ruling beings of the angelic order of seraphim, cherubim, archangel, etc.

D. As a prince or ruling angel (cherub) he was given great wisdom, power and a magnificent appearance.

1. Wisdom to rule all that was under him as God's agent.

2. Power, might and ability to rule and control spiritual and natural forces as well as physical beings.

NOTE: Satan is not like God who is all knowing; all powerful; and is everywhere present at all times.

a. Satan is limited in knowledge, power, time and space; He can only be in one place at a time.

i. He depends on angels, demons and other spirit beings under him to assist him.

a a. There is a hierarchy or rank of spirit beings under his influence -– Ephesians 6:12

3. He was a magnificent creation - this led to pride and his downfall (rebellion) -– Ezekiel 28:17 and Isaiah 14-13.

II. HIS REBELLION - Isaiah 14:13-14.

A. It appears that he thought more of himself than he should have; then he began to covet money, power,, a greater recognition, a higher position and God's throne.

1. Typical rebellion; "I can do it better myself"; I know more than he does"; "I don't want to do it his way, I’ll do it my way".

B. He tried to turn the rest of the angels or "Sons of God" against God - Ezekiel 28:18.

1. He filled God's place (sanctuary) with the "iniquity of his traffic".

a. This refers to his slandering God before his own subjects and leading those he could into open rebellion.

C. The angels that followed him were not in the Cherub class but a lower rank who respected his higher position.

1. He probably took much time to subtly beguile them the same way he worked on Eve in the garden.

NOTE: He was cast down before kings and nations - Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28:17. This implies that there were beings living on earth and or elsewhere. Some he was able to influence others he did not. This can only be considered theoretically since the Bible only deals with mankind on planet earth.

D. We assume that only the earth and its inhabitants, which were under Lucifer, followed him in the rebellion along with what other angels joined in.

1. No other inhabited planets in the universe seemed to be involved in this rebellion; (if there are others that are inhabited which is a possibility given the greatness of God).

a. a. If such is so, tTheir respective covering Cherubs and inhabitants remained loyal to God - as may be implied in Matthew 18:11-13.

III. THE RESULT OF LUCIFER'S REBELLION

A. He lost his relationship to God. 1. Thus he lost his God appointed position and authority to rule the earth.

a. Being disenfranchised he is now operating on his own terms.

B. The inhabitants of earth, under his dominion and influence followed him - Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28:17.

1. This put the whole earth in rebellion against God - Romans 8:19-22.

C. God had to judge the earth in its entirety - Jeremiah 4:23-26.

1. God destroyed the inhabitants and life forms on earth with water.

a. This was not the flood of Noah's day - Genesis 1:2.

i. KJV - "was" is actually "became" in the original language.

ii. Earth was originally created as a livable place - Isaiah 45:18; and 2 Peter 3:5-7.

iii. It was changed into a state of desolate darkness as a result of sin and

rebellion of earth's cherub or guardian angel.

2. The earth remained in this condition of chaos for an unspecified period of time.

a. It was during this time that God began to plan out his program for earth which included mankind and Satan's continued interference -– Ephesians 1:20 and 1 Peter 1:24.

i. The word "world" comes from "cosmos" and means "social system" referring to mankind.

ii. God planned things concerning man before he formed man and established the social system of mankind.

3. God then began the six day remaking of the surface of the earth to place it under new leadership - MAN.

a. For which Lucifer became extremely jealous and hateful of man.

IV. SATAN OPPOSES MANKIND (God's representation)

A. He wanted rule of earth back from man.

1. Earth was placed in man's hands - Genesis 1:28.

a. God took His hands off from that time and hence, only intervenes in man's affairs upon invitation (prayer requests).

B. Satan's wisdom and subtlety at work - Genesis 3:1-4.

1. He shows up in the garden as NACHASH, "the shinning one", and functions as a serpent to mesmerize, beguile wisely deceive God's form, Adam, (actually Eve, Mrs. Adam).

a. Satan's name, Lucifer, means Bright Morning Star; thus the "shinning one" and "mesmerizing one", (nachash).

i. More wise, subtle than any earthly creature or beast of the field - Genesis 3:1 & Ezekiel 28:17.

2. Man's dominion over earth has been handed over to Satan - Luke 4:6.

a. He is the "god" of this world - 2 Corinthians 4:4

i. In this current degenerate age.

C. Promise of his defeat immediately after his victory over man - Genesis 3:15.

NOTE: Satan has never lost sight of his goal to defeat God and take over His throne. The warfare still goes on. The battleground is the earth and mankind who is made in the image of God and represents God on this earth. Satan thinks he can defeat God by defeating his image and likeness - man. This is why Christ had to come as a man to gain victory over Satan and defeat him. Jesus defeated Satan but did not eliminate him.....yet!

1. His curse, "Upon thy belly shalt thou go.....dust shalt thou eat" shows his punishment is to experience life as the serpent wwhose character and nature he utilized to deceive Eve - Genesis 3:14.

a. "Upon thy belly..." is a figure of speech for being brought low, humiliated in

disappointment and failure, and being in subjugation under the foot of the second Adam and redeemed man - Ephesians 1:20-23 and Luke 10:19.

b. "Dust shalt thou eat..." refers to his feeding on the

depravity of fallen mankind, the dust of the earth.

i. This is also a figure of speech of utter humiliation, defeat and subjugation -– Psalm 72:9.

2. We are part of the spiritual warfare that still rages - Ephesians 6:10-12.

a. We, (mankind), are the subjects under attack.

b. Christ gives us what we individually need to withstand him -– Ephesians 6:13-18, & 1 John 4:4 and James 4:7.

3. The earth is the battleground and the object of the conquest.

a. Satan is laying claim to earth, but it belongs to the Lord - Psalm 24:1.

b. If he can gain full control over it, then he has defeated God and won the warfare he originally set out on.

V. SATAN'S CHARACTER - Diabolical Master Deceiver who resumed his rebellion in the Garden of Eden - Genesis 3:1.

A. He is a LIAR - John 8:44.

1. The father (progenitor) of lies and liars.

a. No truth is in him, so how can one believe him?

2. He rejected the truth which he abode in when he was in proper relationship to God.

3. Disobedience is to reject truth - 1 John 2:3-5.

a. Lucifer was once in obedience and truth but turned because of the lust he allowed to grow in him.

b. He knows how powerful these lusts are, so he uses them against man.

4. He uses the Word of God but twists it, adds to it or takes away from it so its truth is distorted to mankind.

a. "Hath God said...." - Genesis 3:3; "Ye shall not surely die..." - Genesis 3:4.

i. Satan changed her focus from spiritual death (which happened immediately)) to physical death (which followed as a result ears later).

B. He is a MURDERER - John 8:44.

1. Through his tempting and enticing he murdered the whole race of man spiritually.

a. Murderer in Greek means manslayer, slayer of men.

b. Elsewhere the word pheonus (from pheno) "to slay" is used.

C. He is a thief and destroyer - John 10:10

1. He will steal everything from you - spiritual, material and emotional.

2. He will kill you any way he can; crime; disease; wars; disasters or accidents.

3. He will destroy anything about you he can.

a. Your physical, material, emotional and spiritual life.

b. Your testimony for God; your walk and fellowship with God.

c. Your character and nature - which are to reflect God's qualities.

Note: He can and will do these things IF you allow him and don't keep yourself covered the armor of God - Ephesians 6:13-18; and in fellowship with your Father though prayer and the Word - James 4:7-10 and 1 Peter 5:6-9.

D. He is the TEMPTER - Matthew 4:1-3

1. His scheme is to beguile man (God's image) and turn him from God.

a. This also applies to believers whose faith can be weakened and overthrown -– 1 Thessalonians 3:5.

2. When he gets people to sin, especially Christians, he feels a sense of victory.

a. They obey the will (lust or desire) of Satan.

3. His forces of angels and demons carry out his plan of tempting and persecuting man also.

E. He is LUSTFUL - John 8:44.

1. He is the originator and source of lusts - 1 John 3:8.

2. When mankind submitted to Satan in the garden and received their sin nature, it was the rebellious, selfish, prideful nature of Satan they received.

a. "Ye are of your father the devil" - John 8:44.

b. He is the father of the "old man" - Ephesians 4:22-24.

i. Of the self-centered sinful nature of the children of disobedience -– Colossians 3:8-10, Ephesians 2:2.

ii. The spirit of the "old man" is under the influence of SSatan.

F. "Accuser of the brethren" - the meaning of his name.

1. He oppresses man by accusation, bringing up past sins, failures and weaknesses to keep him in defeat.

a. "See God, your beloved mankind (in your image) can't make it" -– Revelation 12:10.

2. He repudiates God's Word, both to God and to man.

a. He makes situations and circumstances in your life to try make you doubt the word of God.

i. To not trust God's Word is to not trust God who cannot be separated from His Word.

aa. Trust is Faith; and doubt is the opposite of trust and faith.

b. Satan says; "See, it doesn't work"! Thus, he is the accuser.

G. He is our ADVERSARY - 1 Peter 5:8

1. Adversary is an opponent in a match.

2. He does not fight fair; using trickery and deceit - Ephesians 6:10-12.

3. He will resist and attack any godliness in you - Zechariah 3:1.

VI. HIS WORK AND STRATEGY

A. Imposes his nature on fallen man - John 8:44a.

1. His nature is SELFISHNESS - "I will; I want; I am" - Isaiah 14:12-14.

a. Lust of the flesh; lust of the eye; pride of life - 1 John 2:16.

Note: he used these three areas vulnerability to tempt Eve in the garden. He also used the same three areas to temp Jesus in the wilderness. Compare Genesis 3:6 with Luke 4:1-13.

B. He causes sickness, death, destruction of life and general misery - John 10:10.

1. This applies to both spiritual and physical life.

a. He robs you of anything he can, especially health - Luke 13:11-16 and Matthew 8:16-17.

b. He will kill you if he gets an opportunity.

i. By sickness, disease or accident.

c. He will destroy your life, your testimony, your marriage, your children or anything you cherish, if he can.

2. Notice Jesus' work! John 10:10 and 1 John 3:8.

C. He causes oppression by various means - Acts 10:38.

1. The word "oppressed" comes from the Greek word meaning "overpowered"; "exercise hard control over one"; "to use power against one".

D. An invisible influence - Ephesians 6:12.

1. It's not always man you struggle with, but often the forces motivating man to oppose you.

E. He dominates men to control or motivate them to his desired behavior or action -– Luke 22:3-6.

NOTE: BETRAYAL - Satan can't take unless you, the believer and possessor, yield it up and betray it to him - Luke 22:47-48.

1. As Peter - Luke 22:31-32

2. Ananias - Acts 5:1-3.

F. He seeks opportunity to get advantage - 2 Corinthians 2:11.

1. To destroy marriage - 1 Corinthians 7:5.

2. To deceive - 2 Corinthians 11:14.

3. To destroy relationships through bitterness, strife and resentment -– Ephesians 4:25-27 and Hebrews 12:14-15. G. He works to discredit God's Word (what God said) to you.

1. Done by orchestrating situations and circumstances in your experiences that go contrary to the Word of God.

a. The purpose is to get you to not trust God or His word for your life -–

1 Peter 5:7-9.

i. This makes you ineffective in the work God has called you to do. ii. It produces discouragement to the point that almost all faith in God can be lost.

H. He hinders ministers in their task - 1 Thessalonians 2:18.

1. Demonic forces - Acts 16:16-18.

2. The Gospel message - Mark 4:15.

I. He is presently engaged in a desperate struggle.

1. Time is running out, and he gets more desperate as the end draws near.

2. He will be confined to the earth, physically manifested as the beast in the near future - Revelation 12:2-9.

VII. SATAN'S END-TIME, "ALL-OUT" EFFORTS AS HIS TIME RUNS OUT

A. Jesus warned of great deception in the last days; so much so that the majority would be deceived - Matthew 24:5-6, 23-24.

1. Deception is based on lies, truth with error added including signs and wonders -– 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.

2. Satan is working unhindered in most churches by means of the using doctrines of men and demons, counterfeit signs and wonders - 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9.

B. The work of the spirit of antichrist is entirely within the

church, not the world -– 1 John 2:18-22.

1. Promoting false doctrines that people like and cling to - 1 1 Timothy 4:1-2.

a. The "greasy" grace message which says God loves you just the way you are and you don't have to change (repent).

i. The people think they are "born again" but they continue to live in open and shameful sin which is a delusion - 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

2. He works through preachers and ministers and uses the Word of God; but they use it deceptively - 2 Corinthians 11:14-15.

a. They even use the name of Jesus - Luke 21:7-8.

i. They actually think they are servants of God because of their delusion.

3. Paul describes how such ministers come to be - Acts 20:28-31.

a. Because of their pride and selfishness the spirit of antichrist has easy access to their minds and hearts changing them into the messengers of Satan within the church.

b. Ministers who have failed to die to self and seek to satisfy their perverse desires -– Jude 4 and 8.

c. Their lusts are open doors for demon spirits and the spirit of antichrist to enter and gain control.

d. They usually harbor hidden and unrepented lusts and begin to hold the truth in unrighteousness - Romans 1:21-25, 32. NOTE: They harden their hearts against the conviction of the Holy Spirit to cease indulging in their secret sins. Hardening of the heart means one can no longer hear or respond to the Spirit of God. Instead, he responds to the evil spirits and eventually to the spirit of antichrist.

e. They invent or modify doctrines to accommodate their continued lusts and godless behavior.

i. Like the "greasy" grace message to excuse their lasciviousness and lusts.

aa. For money, power (control over people), fame (recognition), sexual immorality; drunkenness, etc.

f. As a result they end up preach a false Christ, another gospel and a perverted concept of the Grace of God which appeals to many other who want to keep their pet sins.

i. They did not plan it this way, but it's the result of their actions and motives.

g. Then God gives them over to their delusion; they actually believe the error they preach - 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

4. Believing that a lie is the truth is how the enemy take ministers captive for his

purpose.

a. a. The delusion is that believing a lie to justify their unrepented sin will not affect

their relationship with God - Romans 6:1-2. unrepented sin will not affect their relationship with God - Romans 6:1-2.

NOTE: Another doctrine that is popular in many churches is the "anointing". The word Christ actually means anointed. Thus when these preachers say "I am anointed" they are actually saying "I am Christ" - Matthew 24:5. Then these false christs preach in His name using His Word to bring in false doctrines and counterfeit supernatural experiences.

C. The spirit of antichrist loves to put on shows to dazzle audiences with supernatural displays of behavior, signs and wonders.

1. There are true signs, wonders and miracles, but God does not put on shows.

NOTE: When God performs miracles, signs and wonders, it's by His Holy Spirit who always brings conviction of sin to lead to repentance and righteousness and reveals to man a greater awareness of God, His Kingdom and His holiness.

2. How to recognize the devil's show - there is NO CONVICTION OF SIN, NO REPENTENCE, NO RIGHTEOUSNESS, NO CHANGE OF LIFE.

a. There are manifestations that are amusing, frightening, alarming, unusual, and unnatural; all attention getting.

3. The devil's shows include things not recorded in the Bible such as people acting like animals; out of control laughter; convulsions; or people being thrown around the auditorium. And other unnatural behavior.

a. These deluded preachers will then tell you not regard the scripture saying God is doing a "new thing".

NOTE: When God performs a supernatural sign, wonder or miracle, a person is changed and will never be the same for what God has wrought in his life, be it physical, emotional or spiritual. God does do signs, wonders and miraculous supernatural things for the specific purpose of revealing Himself or something about Him and His Kingdom to a person or people - 1 Kings 18:21-39.

D. The spirit of antichrist will operate covertly until Satan is cast out of the second heaven, the spirit realm and takes on the form of a man - the antichrist.

1. From that time on he operates overtly to rally all nations unto himself to oppose to return of Jesus.

VIII. SATAN'S DEFEATS

A. Distant past - Isaiah 14:12-15.

1. He lost his original position in the Kingdom of God.

a. This occurred long before the re-creation of the earth.

B. More recent past - Colossians 2:15 (Genesis 3:15).

1. The resurrection of Christ proved Satan had no lasting power of death -– Hebrews 2:14-15.

a. Satan has been defeated by Christ, but has not yet been eliminated.

C. Present - Luke 10:17-18.

1. All believers have authority over Satan and his forces in JJesus' name -– MMatthew 28:18 and Mark 16:17-18.

2. If we know who Jesus is, what He provided for us, and use

what He gave us, we put fear in Satan - 1 John 4:4 and James 4:7.

a. We hand Satan a fresh defeat each time we lead a person to Christ; cast out a demon or bring healing to some one. See: Matthew 12:29 and Luke 11:20-26; Acts 8:5-7 and 16:16-18; Matthew 16:19.

D. Future - Revelation 20:1-3.

1. He and his influence will be removed from earth for 1000 years.

a. This will give mankind peace and the opportunity to know the Lord and live godly lives without temptation deception, interference and opposition to God's Word.

b. He will be let lose briefly to be allowed to tempt those wwho have lived only under the Lordship of Christ without a tempter - Revelation 20:7-8.

i. This is to see who will remain faithful and loyal and who will choose to follow Satan.

2. His ultimate destiny - Revelation 20:10.

a. He will be completely and permanently eliminated from ever interfering in God's creation again.