LOGOS BIBLE INSTITUTE
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
iii. 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.
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