THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE – 83 Satan’s Fight Against God’s Plan
“7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:7-12, KJV).
Loved ones, our Spiritual Battle is against our evil enemy - Satan. From our above text we see that the devil is known in biblical parlance as Satan, the great dragon, that old serpent, the deceiver, and accuser.
HIS NATURE is spiritual. He is “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Christians are therefore, NOT fighting against men, but “…against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).
HIS ORIGIN: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6).
Some say that the casting out of the devil has reference to God casting the devil out of the church. We cannot believe that theory because the old devil has a firm seat in the church. Wherever you go for worship, in order to serve the Lord, if you remain there long enough you will find that the devil is around.
The Apostle John seems to have this point in mind when he wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth” (Revelation 2:12-13).
HIS CHARACTER is set forth in the words of the Lord: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
Again, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Satan is a deceiver; what a dangerous character!
THE DEVIL HAS POWER
The devil has power, don't be deceived. He is “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:1-3). Paul, in writing to the church at Colossae, stated explicitly, and emphatically that Satan has power: “13 Who (the Father) hath delivered us from the POWER of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
Paul also informs us of his (Satan's power) in Acts 26:18: "…to whom now I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the POWER of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
THE DEVIL IS AN OUTLAW
The devil, even from the beginning, chose to be an outlaw from God's kingdom. He has, from the day of his rebellion, been dissatisfied with God's arrangement. As an outlaw from the beginning, it was, and still is, his desire to captivate the mind, heart, body, and soul of every man, woman, boy, and girl.
The devil is shrewd, cunning, and crafty, yes, and he is thoroughly aware of the fact that his destiny is an eternal hell. He knows when this earthly existence comes to its final end, the Son of God is going to say, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
Satan has enough sense to know that both heaven and hell are prepared for a prepared people. He knows that none goes to either unprepared. He rejoices every time the word of God is preached in its purity and simplicity, the invitation is extended, and no one obeys. He knows every time one disobeys the word of God, the individual is taking a stand with him.
In the long ago, the devil realized that he could not devour all men, women, boys, and girls outright (Enoch, Job, Elijah as examples), therefore he set out to defeat God's purpose, plan, and way of life. His prime objective is to destroy the scheme of human redemption in order that he may have the soul of man.
Peter admonishes in 1 Peter 5:8-9, “8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
It was and still is God's purpose to redeem and save the sons and daughters of men from their sins through the great Redeemer, the Christ. Knowing this the devil set out to counterfeit God's will and way.
COUNTERFEITS OF THE DEVIL
The devil has proven to be an expert at counterfeiting God's arrangements. The word “counterfeit” means to make or arrange an imitation of something with a view to mislead, deceive, and defraud. Seldom are worthless things counterfeited. Counterfeit argues the existence of the genuine. The closer the imitation, the greater the danger of deception and defraud.
1. The Bible teaches that there is but "ONE" true and living God (Ephesians 4:6; Isaiah 44:6, 8; Exodus 20:1-6; Matthew 4:8-10). The god of this world, the devil, has his counterfeit gods (2 Corinthians 4:1-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
2. The Bible teaches that there is but "ONE" true and living Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6). The devil has his counterfeit Christ (Matthew 24:23-26; Mark 13:21-23).
3. The Bible teaches that there is but "ONE" true and living eternal Spirit (Ephesians 4:4). The devil has his counterfeit seducing spirits (1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 4:1-3; Mark 9:14-27).
4. The Bible teaches that there were TRUE prophets (Ephesians 4:8-12). The devil has his counterfeit prophets (2 Peter 2:1-3; Jeremiah 23:21-22, 25-32; Matthew 7:15-16; Jeremiah 5:30-31)
5. The Bible teaches that there were TRUE miracles (John 20:30-31; Acts 5:11-16; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Acts 19:11, 12). The devil has his counterfeit miracles (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10).
6. The Bible teaches that God gives man “ONE” true doctrine (Titus 2:10; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Timothy 4:6; 2 John 9-10). The devil has his counterfeit doctrines (1 Timothy 4:1-6; Mark 7:6-7).
7. The Bible teaches that Christ has but "ONE" true church or body (Matthew 16:18-19; Acts 2:47; Colossians 1:18, 24; Ephesians 1:20-23; 4:4). The devil has his counterfeit churches (Revelation 2:9). With love in our heart we MUST tell you the truth (Ephesians 4:15): All Denominational and World Religion Churches are counterfeits of the devil!
8. The Bible teaches that there is but "ONE" true name for God's saints to wear – Christians (Zechariah 14:9; Isaiah 56:5-6; Acts 11:26; 26:28; Acts 4:10-12; 1 Peter 4:16). The devil has his counterfeit names. He teaches that the “name” has nothing to do with it—wear any name!
9. The Bible teaches that there is but "ONE" baptism – immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 4:5; Acts 2:38). The devil has his counterfeit baptisms. The devil will sprinkle and pour water upon an unbelieving baby or person and call it baptism. Neither pouring nor sprinkling can be found in the Holy Bible as baptism – it is a sin. Satan teaches Holy Ghost baptism for salvation, but according to the Bible, Holy Ghost baptism was a PROMISE to a few (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; 2:33) – never was it given for the purpose of salvation—no, never.
10. The Bible teaches that the early church communed with Jesus "upon the first day of the week" (Acts 20:7). The devil teaches that this is not the truth, and that it does not matter whether the Lord’s Supper is taken the "first" day of the week or the "first" Sunday of the month or at some other time. The devil is smart enough to recognize the adverbial phrase of time in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, yet deny the same phraseology—"upon the first day of the week" in Acts 20:7, as it relates to the communion. It is strange, in that, the devil can understand "upon the first day of the week" when it comes to "giving money" (1 Corinthians 16:1-2), but he fails to understand "upon the first day of the week" in Acts 20:7, when it comes to the communion. Could it be that the devil is more interested in "money" than he is in the "soul" of man (cf. 1 Timothy 6:10)?
11. The Bible teaches that one must be born again in order to be saved (John 3:1-7; 1 Peter 1:22-25). When the sinner hears the Gospel of Christ (Acts 15:7-9), believes it to be the truth (Hebrews 11:6; Mark 16:15-16), repents of sins (Acts 2:38; Luke 13:3, 5), confesses the Lord Jesus as the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10; Matthew 10:32-33), is baptized for the remission of sins by the blood of Jesus (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Revelation 1:5), he becomes a child of God in his kingdom, the church of Christ (Colossians 1:13), and family of God (Galatians 3:26-28). The devil teaches that all of this is not necessary; all the sinner has to do is believe. The devil wants the sinner to remain a devil, therefore, simply believe and the work is done. Dear readers, study closely the words of James in James 2:19.
12. When this short life is over the Lord wants the soul of man to go to Heaven, and the devil wants the soul of man to go with him to Hell. You MUST make the choice—which will it be? Heaven or Hell? (John 14:1-7; Matthew 25:41).
The churches of Christ are neither Catholic, Protestant, nor Jew (Romans 16:16; Matthew 16:18-19). We are the loving suffering body of Christ (Ephesians 1:20-23; 4:4-6) – CHRISTIANS: “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16; cf. Acts 11:26; 26:28).
Through the free gift of God’s grace by Jesus’ blood (Ephesians 2:8; Revelation 1:5) and your obedient faith (Romans 1:5; 10:17; 16:26), salvation is offered. If you have questions or wish to comment, please do so. Lord willing, a Bible answer will be provided for every Bible question.
Shared with you by Samuel A. Matthews, preaching with the Liberty NW church of Christ, meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. The God of Heaven and Earth is so good, and His love reaches all. He is in control, so trust Him. We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35).