Knowing The Enemy Satan Is Our Enemy. Let us try to get to know him. Why? So we can withstand him.

Introduction To have an advantage over an adversary, you have to know who you are dealing with. That is why generals send spies into the enemy camps. That is why ball teams send scouts to the games of future opponents. Unless you are the very best, you had better learn your opponent.

Introduction The scouting and spying will give you valuable information. The army will learn where the ammo is stored, how many troops there are, and if there are any weaknesses in their defenses. The team will learn the tendencies in various situations and know what to expect in those situations. This is why we need to know our adversary, the devil.

“The Tempter” Matthew 4:1-11 “Jesus was… tempted by the devil” (1), which is why “the devil” (5, 8, 11) is called “the tempter” (3). Tempting is his business, having been so engaged since the beginning. His temptations will always fall into one or more of the three categories here represented: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or pride of life. His temptations must always be answered, as Jesus did, with Scripture, and we must remember the tempter is well-versed, himself, so we must be prepared to respond to Scripture taken out of context.

“The Tempter” James 1:13 “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone”. Temptations always come from the devil, never God. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it”. Any time we give in to temptation, it is by choice.

“The Wicked One” Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; “The devil” is “the wicked one” who sows the tares. Ephesians 6:16 We are well equipped to quench his fiery darts by our shield of faith. Mark 10:18 In contrast to the wicked one, God is the one who is “good”. 3 John 11 We serve God by doing good.

“Beelzebub” Mark 3:22-26 “Satan” is “Beelzebub”, “ruler of the demons”. 2 Kings 1:2-6 “Beelzebub” is an adaptation of “Baal- Zebub”, the Philistine “Lord of the flies”. It is right to apply the name of failed idols to the wicked one, the devil. Psalm 78:45 Interestingly, neither the Philistine deity, nor Satan himself, were truly in command of the flies. God used the pests to plague the Egyptians when they kept Israel in bondage.

“Prince Of The Power Of The Air” Ephesians 2:2 “The spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” is called “the prince of the power of the air”. 1 Corinthians 9:26; 14:9 “Air” amounts to emptiness. That’s what Satan’s power amounts to. Matthew 28:18; Acts 4:24; 7:49 Jesus, however, has “authority… in heaven and on earth”. God made everything, and is enthroned in heaven, with earth merely His footstool.

“The god Of This World” 2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this world” opposes the gospel. He is only a god in the sense that people serve him instead the true God, but he is limited to this world. And this god has no power. Ephesians 6:12-13 Christians are equipped to defeat him. Galatians 1:3-4 We trust we shall be delivered from “this present evil world”.

“Prince Of This World” John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11 “Prince of this world” is how Jesus identifies the one he judges and casts out. James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17 Worldliness belongs to the devil. Let him have it while we seek heavenly things. 1 John 5:4-5; Our goal is to overcome the world through faith.

“The Devil” 1 Peter 5:8; James 4:7 “The devil” intends to “devour” us. He can be resisted, though, through submission to God. 1 John 3:8-10 By committing “sin” we connect ourselves with the devil, but by righteousness with God. Matthew 25:41 Hell was prepared to punish the devil.

“Satan” Mark 4:14-15; Luke 22:3 “Satan” is the one who turns people away from obedience to the gospel and is the one who moves people to sin. Luke 22:31; Job 2:3-7 What power he wields is limited by God, but at every temptation of man there is a contest between God and Satan, God having confidence we can overcome. 2 Corinthians 2:11 Do not be “ignorant of his devices”. Know your enemy! Romans 16:20 Satan will be defeated!

A Liar And The Father Of Lies John 8:44 He is not just a “liar”, but the father of lies. Genesis 3:1-5 The first lie was his. Romans 3:4; John 17:17 Even when all others lie, God is true; His “word is truth”. He is the great deceiver. He is the great pretender.

A Murderer From The Beginning John 8:44 Not only does he kill, but he does so deliberately, and always has. Genesis 2:16-17; 3:19; Romans 5:12 Death was introduced to man as a consequence of sin, sin being the consequence of temptation, temptation being the devil’s work. Romans 6:23; 1 John 5:11-13 In contrast to the death that comes from sin, God through Christ offers eternal life.

Conclusion He is known by many names and descriptions. He is our enemy and wants us to miss out on heaven. He is crafty and will use any tool at his disposal to make us doubt our faith, or have the confidence to just go ahead and do it, you got time. The great thing about learning about your enemy is to realize YOU (with God’s help) have power over him. You gain the advantage.