The Enemy

This is the 2nd sermon in the Fight the Good Fight series. I preached this sermon September 4, 2011.

Text: Ephesians 6:11-12

Introduction:When we made eye contact I shuddered. She licked her lips and smiled. It may seem impossible, but I know she smiled. Only a few feet and two fences separated me from this huge, hungry, carnivorous , smiling tiger. While at the zoo looking at the big cats, I kept my eye on this tiger. She stalked along the perimeter of the fence carefully looked over the crowd of people as if she were at an all you can eat buffet. I felt sure she had me in mind for her next tasty treat. A crowd of people gathered as the tiger’s trainer was in the cage with her. He told us that she was, in fact, looking through the crowd to identify prey. But what he said next took me by surprise, the tiger was not looking for a plump juicy specimen, but was actually looking for the smallest and weakest in the crowd. In the wild, he told us, the tiger would find the smallest and weakest animal in the herd and separate that animal from the rest of the herd for the kill. Of course, it made perfect sense! The smallest and weakest is easy prey! Here was the one time in my life I was glad to be big and fat! I walked away relieved that if the cat escaped then I would not be cat chow.

In the Bible, Peter likens the devil unto a big cat. 1 Peter 5:8 warns “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” As the tiger at the zoo walked along the fence looking for prey, the devil also walks about searching for prey. A big cat looking for cat chow.

No person is immune from the wiles of the devil, but those who are new in the faith or who are weak in faith are especially easy targets. So Peter says to keep your eyes open! Be alert because the roaring lion is watching. He will single you out and try to separate you from other Christians. He will then attack and devour you like a hungry, carnivorous lion. We must realize this spiritual warfare is very real and that being the case we have a very real enemy!

The enemy’s identification

-angel of light 2 Cor 11:13-15 ¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.¹⁴And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Names of the devil

-satan – means advesary

-devil – means slanderer or accuser – Rev 12:10-11 ¹⁰And 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.

¹¹And 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.

He is like a lion, he has appeared as a serpent – Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?, Rev 12:9 ⁹And 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.

He is referred to as the god of this age 2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

His origin – Lucifer – Is 14:12-15 ¹²How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

¹³For 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:

¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

¹⁵Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit., 1/3 of the angels of heaven fell with him – Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: these are demons.-2 Peter 2:4 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;, Jude 6 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.

We do not make the mistake that the devil is merely a symbol, he is a person. But he is not God’s equal opposite – he is not all knowing, all powerful, omnipresent.

-he can only work in the parameters that God allows – he is limited.

-He cannot posses the believer 1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.– but he can attack, oppress and influence!

-do not give him opportunity – Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

The enemy’s mission

-his mission is to destroy you by getting you to turn away from God

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. – He is a thief – steal, kill and destroy-steals – will steal your joy, peace, health, blessings

-look what he did to Job – body, home, wealth and friends

murderer – John 8:44a Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning

Dan 10:13-20 – attempt to control nations

-we wrestle – personal

Greater is he that is in you! 1 John 4:4 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.

The enemy’s tactics

tempter Matt 4:3 – called the tempter And when the tempter came to him,

Lies – John 8:44 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.

Deception – Rev 12:9 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

Blinds the lost to the gospel – 2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Keeps people in bondage – Gal 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

-one writer said he will use temptation, doubt, guilt, fear, confusion, sickness, envy, pride, slander to hinder the Christian’s witness and usefulness

– Resist the devil – use the word to help you resist!

-James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.