Recognizing The EnemySome people do not believe in the existence of a personal Devil, calling “him” a medieval invention designed to scare people into the “Church.”
Others imagine the Devil to be dressed in a red suit complete with horns, cloven feet, and a long dragon's tail — standing in Hell, tormenting folk with his pitchfork.
Both these views of Satan are false!!
The Devil is no joke! He's real and he’s a danger. In this lesson we shall learn what the BIBLE teaches concerning Satan.
DOES SATAN REALY EXIST?
Seven Old Testament books and nineteen New Testament books refer to the existence of Satan. Look up and read Matthew 4:1-11. Satan was real in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A. List the 3 names or titles used of Satan in this passage: ________, ________, _____________.
B. How many times did Satan tempt the Lord? _____________
C. How did the Lord Jesus answer the Devil? “It is ____________” (i.e. He used the Bible.)
THE ORIGIN OF SATAN.
Read Ezekiel 28:11-19. Principally, this is a prophecy against the King of Tyre (probably Ethbaal II). The first 10 verses in the chapter were historically fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar's invasion and 13-year siege of Tyre (598-585 B.C.). Yet in this prophecy, we see another personage, the one behind the wicked king of Tyre – Satan. This is known as a “double prophecy.” It has a near and far fulfillment.
A. Is Satan an eternal or created being? _________________________________________
B. Upon what verses would you base your answer? ____________________________
C. What was Satan originally? The ______________________. (See verse 14)
D. According to verse 15, what change took place which dramatically altered Satan's original status? ___________________________________________________
THE SIN OF SATAN.
Read Isaiah 14:12-17. According to Ezekiel 28:17 this indescribably beautiful, intelligent, powerful, and celestial being sinned through PRIDE. The account is enlarged upon in Isaiah 14.
A. What was Satan's original name? ___________________
B. What was Satan’s last “I will”? _____________________
C. According to verse 15, where is Satan's final destiny? ______________________
WHERE IS SATAN NOW?
A. According to Ephesians 2:2 Satan is the “prince of the power of the ________.”
B. According to Revelation 12:10 Satan can appear before ________ to accuse believers.
C. According to 1 Peter 5:8 and Job 1:7 Satan also walks about the ___________.
D. From these Scriptures, we learn that Satan is alive and active in many areas. Read Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 20:10, where we learn that Satan will end up in the Lake of Fire! But he is not there yet! By the way, when he is cast into Hell, he will not be the 'king of hell' — he'll be tormented forever!
SATAN'S WORKINGS AMONG THE UNSAVED.
A. Look up Matthew 13:38; John 8:44; Acts 13:10; and 1 John 3:10. According to these Scriptures, what does God call those who are lost? _____________________________________________
B. Look up 2 Corinthians 4:4. What is Satan's major work among the lost?____________________
SATAN'S WORKINGS AMONG CHRISTIANS.
Look up 1 John 4:4b.
A. Who is the One “that is in you”? ___________
B. Who is the one “that is in the world”? ____________
C. Who is the greatest? ____________
It is essential for you to know this fact because Satan is a powerful being. The Bible teaches that he works with a whole kingdom of darkness, made up of angels that sinned with him at the beginning. The Bible refers to these as “devils” or “demons” (See Jude 6; Matthew 12:26; Ephesians 6:12).
A. Satan can still ______________ me (See 1 Thessalonians 3:5).
B. Satan does ______________ me (See Revelation 12:9-10).
C. When he does, my Advocate is __________ ________ the Righteous (See 1 John 2:1).
D. Satan will try to ___________ me in my service for the Lord (See 1 Thessalonians 2:18).
E. Satan will try to get Christians to depart from the _________ (See 1 Timothy 4:1).
F. Sometimes, God will permit Satan to afflict Christians physically — but always for His glorious purpose (See Job 1:12; 2:4-7 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
HOW ARE WE TO RESPOND TO THE SATAN’S ATTACKS?
If we left this lesson here, many Christians would become very discouraged. Praise God, He has made provision for us to overcome Satan and his works.
Step 1: Remember Satan is a defeated foe.
Read Hebrews 2:14 and John 16:11. When Jesus died on the cross, He broke the power of the Devil. Satan is on “borrowed time.”
Someone once said, “When the Devil reminds you of your past – just remind him of his future!”
Step 2: Remember you are on the winning side.
Examine 1 John 4:4. Modify this verse by using your name in place of the personal pronouns “ye” and “you.”
“_________ is of God,…. and has overcome…: because greater is he that is in __________, than he that is in the world.”
Step 3: Remember to put on the whole armor of God.
Read Ephesians 6:10-18. This is a spiritual armor designed by God just for you. If you wear it, Satan cannot hurt you. List the parts of this “suit of armor.”
Primary garment (Loins girt about) = _______________________
Breastplate = _______________________
Shoes = _______________________
Shield = _______________________
Helmet = ______________________
Sword of Spirit = _______________________
Step 4: Remember not to give the Devil an inch.
Read Ephesians 4:27. Here we are instructed to “Neither give _____ to the Devil.”
Step 5: Remember to be always on the alert.
Write out 2 Corinthians 2:11. ______________________________
____________________________________________________________
Write out 1 Peter 5:8_______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________
Step 6: Remember — never retreat, always RESIST.
Read James 4:7. What happens when you stand up to the Devil?
_____________________________________________________
Read 1 Peter 5:9. We are to resist the Devil stedfastly __________ ___________ _________.
Read Matthew 4:4, 7, 10. What weapon did the Lord Jesus use to resist the Devil?
_____________________________________________________
Read Matthew 16:23. What might we say to Satan as we quote Scripture at him? “Get thee ___________ me, ___________.”
A FINAL WARNING AS TO THE CHARACTER AND WORKS OF SATAN.
Don't be fooled into thinking the Devil always appears in the form of ugliness, hideousness, vileness, and overt wickedness.
Yes, he is the instigator of sin, the destroyer of lives, the wrecker of homes, the great deceiver, the liar, the Wicked One — but he seeks to come across as “nice,” “harmless,” and even "benevolent."
Notice Satan's ambition in Isaiah 14:14. “I will be LIKE the Most High.” This teaches us that Satan imitates God. Everything good that God is and has done, the Devil imitates with a counterfeit “look-a-like.”
Satan has…
• Another _________ 2 Corinthians 11:4a (See also 1 John 2:18, Matthew 24:5).
• Another _________ 2 Corinthians 11:4b (See also 1 John 4:1-3).
• Another _________ 2 Corinthians 11:4c (See also Galatians 1:9).
• Other _________________ 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.
• Another _____________ 2 Corinthians 2:17.
In addition, Satan has a counterfeit ministry — similar to the Gospel (See Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).
Here, true Gospel preaching results in W_________; Satan sows T_________.
Satan can work miracles too (See Acts 8:9-11 and Revelation 13:13). Revelation 13 refers to the yet future period known as the Great Tribulation, when Satan will rule the world through the person known as the Antichrist (See 2 Thessalonians 2:9). Just because someone claims to do apparent religious miracles, don't immediately conclude they are of God.
Satan also has a counterfeit “church.” Notice in 2 Corinthians 11:2, God likens the Church at Corinth to a “chaste virgin” and Ephesians 5:25-27, each true New Testament church is called the “Bride of Christ.” But in Revelation 17 we read of another religious organization that God calls the “great whore” (verse 1) and the “mother of harlots” (verse 5). A study of this chapter shows this “church” to be made up of the mass of apostate Christendom, full of man-made systems, unsaved people, great wealth, etc.
HOW CAN WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? Isaiah 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
READING ASSIGNMENT: Read through Genesis 3 & Job 1-2