3 Ways Satan is Active in Our Lives He has the ability to affect our lives He uses power & deception to capture us People can be servants of Satan

God works in the kingdoms of men And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, (Acts 17:26-27 ESV)

God works in the kingdoms of men The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ (Daniel 4:17 ESV)

Satan and the kingdoms of men

Satan uses governments In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. (Daniel 7:1-3)

Satan uses governments ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’ (Daniel 7:17-18, ESV)

Satan uses governments As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:21-22 ESV)

Satan uses governments Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. [1] And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. [2] And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. (Revelation 12:17-13:1-2 ESV)

Satan uses governments Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. (Revelation 13:7-8 ESV)

Satan uses governments Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. (Revelation 13:11-12 ESV)

Satan’s angels influence gov’t When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9 ESV) Who were the “sons of God”?

Who were the “sons of god”? Heavenly court, heavenly assembly Esseene commentary from Dead Sea Scrolls says “angels” Septuigent renders it “angels” Job 1:6 speaks of angels

Satan’s angels influence gov’t Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly? (Psalm 58:1 ESV) Spiritual beings rebuked for failing in their mission

Satan’s angels influence gov’t God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah (Psalm 82:1-2 ESV)

Satan’s angels influence gov’t Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:3-4 ESV) What IS their mission? To bring God’s light and his word to their people

Satan’s angels influence gov’t They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; (Psalm 82:5-6 ESV) People walk without knowledge in darkness Foundations of the earth are shaken… things like morality, righteousness And godliness

Satan’s angels influence gov’t They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; (Psalm 82:5-6 ESV) People walk without knowledge in darkness Foundations of the earth are shaken… things like morality, righteousness And godliness

The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came …do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? (John 10:33-36 ESV)

To whom did the word of god come? For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, (Hebrews 2:2 ESV) “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. (Acts 7:30) “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. (Acts 7:35 ESV)

Satan’s angels fight to influence gov’t And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. (Daniel 10:10-12 ESV)

Satan’s angels fight to influence gov’t The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” (Daniel 10:13-14 ESV)

Satan’s angels fight to influence gov’t Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince. (Daniel 10:20-21 ESV)

What can we learn from this? That Satan uses Governments That his angels influence Governments That they fight to influence Governments

What can we learn from this? Gov’t is established by God but misused by Satan to persecute saints Our battle is not against the flesh but against cosmic powers of darkness The Lamb and his allies will ultimately win this spiritual battle Will you worship God and serve him in bad times as well as good?