Defeating the Enemies of our Soul: The Devil

Name of Assembly: United Apostolic Church
Type of service: Bible Study
Date: July 20th & 27th, 2021
Series Topic: Defeating the Enemies of our Soul.
Lesson 3: The Devil
Scripture Text: James 4:7-10; 1 Peter 5:8-9

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” – James 4:7-10.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” – 1 Peter 5:8-9.

INTRODUCTION

In examining the enemies of the soul, it is imperative that we study Satan, for what more vicious enemy could anyone encounter than the devil himself? He not only wages personal attacks against us, but he also works through the other two enemies we have studied, the flesh and the world.

Satan is a fallen angel and knows his destiny. He and the other fallen angels will have the lake of fire as their final portion. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” – St. Matthew 25:41. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” – Revelation 20:10.

Satan and his fallen angels have given themselves to the fulfillment of his 3-prong mission in the lives of those who will allow him. What is tragic is that multitudes are following him in his rebellion against Jesus. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy...” – St. John 10:10.

We must never forget that Satan is devious and vicious in his attacks against the people of God. “And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.” – Job 2:4-5. The devil is our enemy, and in the flesh we are no match for him. But God’s Spirit, the Holy Ghost, within us is greater than he who is in the world. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” - I John 4:4.

ORIGIN OF SATAN

God’s Word reveals the origin of our adversary:

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine 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. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” – Isaiah 14:12-15.

“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.” – Ezekiel 28:14-17

Lucifer, the son of the morning, was a beautiful angel whom God created in the beginning to love and worship Him. “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” - Colossians 1:15- 16). Pride caused him to rebel against God bringing about his downfall. Cast out of heaven into the earth, Satan has become the enemy of every aspect of the work of God. As a fallen creature, he worked through the serpent to beguile Eve in the Garden of Eden. “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” - 2 Corinthians 11:3.

To see his sin, let us note the five “I will’s” of Satan (Isaiah 14:12-14):

1. “I will ascend into heaven.”
2. “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.”
3. “I will sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.”
4. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.”
5. “I will be like the most High.”

Lucifer’s pride is evident in these statements, and because of such pride, he was cast down.

WHAT IS SATAN

Our adversary uses every method to destroy the child of God. Knowing what he equips us with; the knowledge we need to withstand him with the help of God. The Bible describes him in the following terms:

1. The tempter (Matthew 4:3).
2. A liar (John 8:44).
3. An accuser (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Revelation 12:3-10).
4. A hinderer (I Thessalonians 2:18).
5. A murderer (John 8:44; Romans 5:12-21; Hebrews 2:14-15).
6. The god of this world (II Corinthians 4:4).
7. The deceiver (I Timothy 2:14; Revelation 12:9; 20:3, 8, 10).
8. Our adversary (I Peter 5:8).
9. The destroyer (Psalm 17:4).

SYNONYMOUS TERMS

The Bible also uses the following names and titles to identify our enemy. These different terms help expose his array of evil works.

1. Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-14).
2. Dragon (Revelation 12:3-17).
3. Satan (Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9).
4. Serpent (Revelation 12:9; II Corinthians 11:3).
5. Adversary (I Peter 5:8; I Tim. 5:14).
6. Devil (Mat. 4:1-11; Ephesians 6:11).
7. The wicked [one] (Ephesians 6:16).

THINGS SATAN IS LIKE

The Bible compares Satan to the following beings. Although he is none of them in reality, he poses as them in order to deceive, frighten, and destroy Christians.

1. A lion (I Peter 5:8).
2. A minister of righteousness (II Cor. 11:3-4, 14-15; Galatians 1:8-9).
3. A fowl (Matthew 13:1-19).
4. An angel of light (II Cor. 11:14).
5. A wolf (Mat.10:16; John 10:12; Acts 20:29).

The previous sections provide a comprehensive summary of what Satan is and what he is like. This will help us in our battle against Satan and his devices. It is impossible to pinpoint every place and event of satanic activity; nevertheless, we will discuss two specific areas that need attention in our lives.

• Giving Place to the Devil —" Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil” – Ephesians 4:26-27.
  A saint of God can give place to the devil, but this does not mean he or she is dominated, possessed, or controlled by Satan. Giving place to the devil refers to a temporary failure of the Christian through temptation, lust, or testing. We are
  warned against allowing this to happen, but if it does, we should repent, correct the error, and go on for God.
• Thoughts and Imaginations —Our mind is one of the most vulnerable and accessible areas of our lives to the devil. Although we can control our thoughts, we cannot stop thoughts from entering our minds. This strategic area becomes the object of Satan’s most vicious attacks. While Satan can put thoughts in our mind, he is powerless to make us act upon them.

If we allow evil thoughts to remain active and alive in our minds, they will become intentions of the heart. Fulfilling these intentions is a sin of commission, which begins as only a thought. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren” - James 1:12-16.

THE GENESIS OF A HABIT

Sow a THOUGHT; you reap an ACT
Sow an ACT; reap a HABIT
Sow a HABIT; reap a CHARACTER
Sow a CHARACTER; reap a DESTINY

Sin can destroy our reputation, character, and others’ confidence in us. Restoration is available, but sins of a moral nature leave scars and reproaches. “Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall
restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away” - Proverbs 6:30-33. Failure can be present within us before it is ever exposed to others. Purity of mind is essential to spiritual survival for every Christian.

A SPIRITUAL METHOD FOR HANDLING THE DEVIL

Through the years, fanciful thinkers have projected untold means and methods for handling the devil, but nothing succeeds like using the biblical method. Stomping, running, or scaring the devil away are expressions or antics that have no biblical basis. Sensational antics leave others frustrated and the devil undefeated. When we use God’s method, Satan will flee from the child of God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

1. Submit to God—This is the preparatory step to defeat the devil. So many try to bypass this step and end up in despair because Satan still torments them. Submission to God and His Word are absolute musts to defeat this enemy of the soul.
2. Resist the devil —I Peter 5:9 tells us to resist him steadfastly in the faith. Resist in this context means to stand against, oppose, withstand, and keep from yielding to and being affected by. Simple resistance to Satan’s advances is the scriptural method of bringing about this defeat. When we are tempted, oppressed, depressed, discouraged, and tested, we need to keep doing the things Christians should do, not out of inspiration but by commitment. Then we will be victorious.
3. He will flee—What a promise, a hope, and a joy! Tradition says that Job remained faithful in his trial for about one year before victory came. Nothing drives Satan away like resisting his advances.

HOW TO RESIT THE DEVIL

We can offer many forms of resistance, but here are four basic methods in the Scripture that will greatly assist us in our efforts to resist Satan.

Use of Spiritual Weapons

Bringing railing (blasphemy) accusations against the devil will not work. Michael, the archangel, has given us the answer by his example. When the devil disputed with him over the body of Moses, he simply said, “The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 9). Zechariah 3:1-10, “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.”

Spiritual weapons are at our disposal to cast down imaginations, thoughts, and everything that exalts itself against our Lord and us. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations (ungodly reasonings, arguments), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Use of Prayer and Fasting

A demon-possessed boy could not be delivered by the disciples due to a lack of prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:14-21). “And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy
disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”

If we will cultivate a relationship with God through prayer and fasting, we will be able to resist the devil when he seeks to invade our lives.

Use of the Word of God

Jesus did not use any more power to overcome Satan during His temptation than what is available to each of us. In all three instances when the devil approached Jesus, He used Scripture to defeat him. “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him” - Matthew 4:1-11.

How do you get to the place where you can use the word? “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” – 2 Timothy 2:15.

Use of the Armor of God

Though called the armor of God, it becomes our armor when we appropriate it to ourselves. We can quench fiery darts, withstand in the evil day, and stand against the wiles of the devil when we have on the armor of God. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having
your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” - Ephesians 6:13-18.

At our disposal and free for the asking is everything and more that we need to subdue the enemy of our souls. Spiritual failure is not the result of improper and unavailable supplies; we fail because we do not use what God has provided for us.

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” – 2 Peter 1:3-19.

Let us arise in the power of His might and save ourselves from this corrupt generation. Eternity is before us; if we gain the world and lose our soul, we have profited nothing. We have enemies, but thank God, we have resources more powerful than all our enemies combined. Let us defeat them in Jesus’ name.