WHY
Why do we have to struggle to
be saved ?
Why can’t God’s “Will” just be done ?
Why does Satan continue ?
A First Word
In my early years I wondered why do I have to be saved and saved from what? I knew early on that God had a call on my
life, but I just didn’t know how I was supposed to plug in, but never the less,
I knew I was called...
Being brought up in the Baptist Church from birth,
and with my mom and dad both Sunday school teachers, most of my outside
activities centered on the Church and my friends who went there.
Even though I had been Head of the Audio Visual
Committee, President of the Training Union, President of the Adult Choir,
Sunday School Superintendent, led the music for the Adult Sunday School, didn’t
smoke, drink, cuss, dance, or go swimming on Sunday, etc., I did not understand
why the process of Salvation was all so necessary and why God’s son’ had to
die, and why didn’t God’s WILL,
just be done!
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father
which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy
“WILL” be done in earth,
as it is in heaven. Matt 6:9-10
I was probably 35 years old before I heard
something other than the Salvation message.
I began to hear things about the “Gifts of the Spirit”, precepts of
God’s “will” and how to apply
the precepts to my life. I also learned
about the sin of “omission”, just not doing what I’m supposed to do. Well, another 35 years has passed and I think
I finally get it. (Or at least a good part of
it; I’ll get the rest when I get to heaven)
It is my desire in this word study to share
what the scriptures say about God’s
Will for man; Man’s Will
for him; and how Satan’s Will
plugs into the Devine plan of God and why Satan is allowed to continue.
As we unpack this word study, you may feel
uncomfortable with the concepts of
Lucifer’s flood before
Noah’s flood
or unclean spirits from the first earth
age,
But, just hang in there; you might just have some
fun.
The Endless Ages before
everything
- In the
beginning God
created all things that are in heaven and in earth, both visible and
invisible. He established areas of
dominions principalities, and powers.
They were created for His own pleasure.
- Before anything was, there was God and
it was his great pleasure to make things.
Like a carpenter building a table and sitting back and looking at
it and loving it because he made it.
It was His and “it was good” and what a piece of work! That’s how He feels about
16 For by him were all
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all
things, and by him all things consist.
Deut 32:4
4 He is the Rock, his
works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God
who does no wrong, upright and just is he. NIV
The Creation of the first
earth age
- Somewhere in the eternity
past God made planets before “time” as we know it began.
- Time did not begin
till the second earth age and will end at the end of this age. Ponder
that !
- We are living in a
blip – A point between eternity past…… and…… eternity forever.
Gen 1:1
1:1 In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth.
Isa 45:18
18 For thus says the LORD
that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he
hath established it, he created it not in vain, (it was good) he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD;
and there is none else.
GOD CREATES ANGELS BEFORE THE WORLD
- God created angels to
rule these principalities and gave them power over them. He made them intelligent, wise and immortal.
- They shouted for joy
and sang as they watched God create the earth.
- Since angels rule in
the heavens, I would venture to guess that they are assigned different
planets. Just saying
Job 38:6-7 -Angels were created before the earth
6 On what were its
footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-
7 while the morning
stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? NIV
Heb 2:7 – Angels are made higher than man
"What is man that you
are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
7 You made him a little
lower than the angels; NIV
1 Cor 13:1 – Angels have their own language
13:1 Though I speak
with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. KJV
Heb 13:2 – We entertain Angels and don’t know it.
2 Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. KJV
Luke 20:34-36 – They do not marry and are immortal
35 But those who are considered worthy of
taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither
marry nor be given in marriage,
36 and they can no
longer die; for they are like the angels NIV
- Angels appear most of
the time in the form of a man and are not recognizable as an angel unless
they disclose it. Sometimes they
appear as they actually are, and are frightening.
Luke 1:30
30 And the angel said unto
her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. KJV
Luke 2:10
10 And the angel said unto
them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people. KJV
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Gen 18:1-2 An angel can look like a man
18:1 And the LORD
appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in
the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes
and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them,
he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
KJV
Gen 19:1
19:1 And there came two
angels to Sodom Lot sat in the gate of Sodom
Josh 5:13 -14
13 And it came to pass,
when Joshua was by Jericho
14 And he said, Nay; but
as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his
face to the earth, and did worship.
Judg 6:11-12
11 And there came an
angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained
unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress,
to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the angel of the
LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee,
thou mighty man of valour. KJV
Judg 13:6
6 Then the woman came and
told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance
was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not
whence he was, neither told he me his name: KJV
ANGELIC COUNCIL
- There was an angelic
council that reported to God, known as “the sons of God”.
- Satan was among them
when they reported.
Job 1:6 Angels are know as Sons of God
6 Now there was a day when
the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan
came also among them. KJV
WHO IS SATAN
?
- Devil in Greek:
Diabolus meaning “slanderer” and “false accuser” – “The enemy”
- Satan in Hebrew: Satanas meaning “adversary”
– “To accuse” –
- Lucifer
in Latin: Lucem ferre means “Light Bearer” –
“Morning Star”
- Note:
Before the fall of
Satan, he carried some of the same names as Jesus Christ, such as Morning
Star. Some translate “Lucifer” as
Day Star.
1 Peter 5:8 – The enemy – The Devil
8 Be self-controlled and
alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking
for someone to devour. NIV
Luke 10:18 - Satan
18 He replied, "I saw
Satan fall like lightning
from heaven. NIV
Isa 14:12 – Son of the Morning - Lucifer
12 How art thou fallen
from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down
to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
KJV
Isa 14:12 - Morning Star
12 How you have fallen
from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to
the earth, you who once laid low the nations! NIV
SATAN’S OTHER
NAMES
- Much can be learned
about who Satan is by “reading between the lines” of the scriptures.
- I hope to explore
here who he is, why he is, where he gets his power
and how to defeat him.
- Satan has a bunch of
names; Lets’ take a look at scripture at the names that are used to
describe Satan’s character – You can just scan the bold names or read the scriptures.
2 Cor 4:4 – God of this World
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. KJV
Zech 11:16-17 – Worthless Shepherd
16 For I am going to raise
up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young,
or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice
sheep, tearing off their hoofs.
17 "Woe to the worthless
shepherd,
who deserts the flock! NIV
John 8:44 – Father of lies
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 speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of
it. KJV
Dan 8:23 – Master of intrigue
23 "In the latter
part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced
king, a master of intrigue, will arise. NIV
Dan 11:21 – Contemptible person
21 "He will be
succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of
royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will
seize it through intrigue. NIV
1 John 2:13 – The Wicked One
I write unto you, young
men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little
children, because ye have known the Father. KJV
2 Thess 2:2-3 – Man of lawlessness
3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for
that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness
is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. NIV
2 Thess 2:7-8 – Lawless one
8 And then the lawless one will be
revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and
destroy by the splendor of his coming. NIV
Dan 9:26 – Prince of destruction
And the people of the prince
who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. NKJV
Eph 2:2 – Prince of the Power of the Air
2 in which you once walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power
of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, NKJV
13 Who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of
his dear Son: KJV
Rev 9:11 – Abaddon - Apollyon
11 And they had a king
over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew
tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
KJV
Dan 8:23 – Fierce King
23 "And in the latter
time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king
shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.
NKJV
Matt 4:1 - Devil
4:1 Then was Jesus led up
of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. KJV
2 Cor 11:14 - Satan
14 And no wonder, for Satan
himself masquerades as an angel of light. NIV
2 Cor 6:14 -15- Belial
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial?
Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? NKJV
Rev 13:1-2 – The Beast
13:1 Then I stood on the
sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having
seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a
blasphemous name. NKJV
Matt 12:26-27 - Beelzebub
27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub,
by whom do your people drive them out? NIV
Matt 12:24 – Prince of demons
24 But when the Pharisees
heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of
demons that this fellow drives out demons." NIV
Rev 12:8-9 – Great Dragon – Serpent of Old – Devil -
Satan
9 So the great dragon
was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan,
who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were
cast out with him. NKJV
Rev 20:2 – The Dragon – Ancient Serpent – The Devil -
Satan
2 He seized the dragon,
that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a
thousand years. NIV
2 Cor 11:2-4 - Serpent
3 But I fear, lest
somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds
may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. NKJV
Rev 20:2 – Old Serpent
2 And he laid hold on the
dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a
thousand years, KJV
Rev 12:3 – Great Red Dragon
3 And there appeared
another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven
heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Matt 12:43 – Unclean Spirit
43 When the unclean
spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and
finds none. KJV
1 Sam 16:14 – Evil Spirit
14 But the Spirit of the
LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
KJV
1 Kings 22:22 – Lying Spirit
22 And the LORD said unto
him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit
in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shall persuade him, and
prevail also: go forth, and do so. KJV
Matt 4:3 - Tempter
3 The tempter came
to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become
bread." NIV
1 Peter 5:8 - Adversary
8 Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about,
seeking whom he may devour: KJV
SATAN WAS
CREATED HANDSOME, PERFECT AND WITH WISDOM
- Lucifer was the angel
that was given specific dominion over the planet which we call earth, to
do with it as he willed with great wisdom.
- Note: He cannot read your mind. He only knows what you confess with your
mouth.
Ezek 28:3 - Satan has great wisdom and understanding
3 Behold, thou art wiser
than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
SATAN IS GIVEN ALL AUTHORITY OVER THE EARTH
- All
power and authority had been given to Satan over ALL the earth and at some
point began to feel in his heart that this power was of his own making and
not a gift from God.
- Since he had dominion
over the earth, he was certainly in a position to give it to whoever he
wanted to. He even offered it to
Jesus.
Luke 4:5-7 – Satan has supreme authority.
5 The devil led him up to
a high place and showed him in an instant ALL the kingdoms of the
world.
6 And he said to him,
"I will give you ALL their authority and splendor, for it has been
given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
7 So if you worship me, it
will ALL be yours." NIV
HE HAS ACCESS TO HEAVEN
- Satan was allowed to
go back and forth to heaven and still does, accusing us of our sins,
but eventually, about 3 ½ years into the tribulation period, he will be
cast out.
Ezek 28:14 - He was the protector of earth
14 You were anointed as a
guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount
of God; you walked among the fiery stones. NIV
2 Cor 11:14 – He can transform himself into an angel of light
14 And no marvel; for
Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. KJV
SATAN’S
THRONE
- He ruled from the “
- He was dressed in
jewels and given a special anointing with the gift of music.
- He was wise and with
great understanding.
Ezek 28:12-18 – Satan created perfect – Given Free Will
12 ….. Thus says the Lord
GOD; You … full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every
precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the
beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle,
and gold: the workmanship of thy timbrels and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that you were created.
14 Thou art the anointed
cherub that covers; and I have set thee so: you were upon the holy mountain of God
15 You were perfect in thy
ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was FOUND in thee.
KINGDOMS – PRINCIPALITIES
– PRINCES -
- Satan’s kingdom is
organized into principalities with an angelic Prince in charge of each
one. The duties of the Priest are
to make puppets out of the kingdom leaders, to control them.
- He even has a
synagogue of deceitful workers and false apostles.
Eph 6:12 - Principalities
12 For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. NIV
Eph 2:1-2 - Ruler of the Air
2:1 As for you, you were
dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to
live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the
kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are
disobedient. NIV
Dan 10:12-14 – Prince of Persia
13 But the prince of the Persian
kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes,
came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia NIV
Ezek 28:1-2 – Prince of Tyre
2 "Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre
Rev 2:9 –Synagogue of worshipers.
9 I know thy works, and
tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them
which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. KJV
2 Cor 11:13 –Deceitful Workers - False apostles
13 For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of
Christ. KJV
- Satan’s
Characteristics
Matt 4:2-3 – He is a Tempter
3 The tempter came to him and said,
"If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." NIV
Eph 2:2 - Spawns
a spirit of disobedience
2 in which you used to
live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom
of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
NIV
2 Cor 2:10-11 – He is cunning
11 in order that Satan
might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. NIV
Rev 12:8-9 – He deceives
9 The great dragon was
hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the
whole world astray NIV
Eph 4:27 – He is aggressive
27 and do not give the
devil a foothold. NIV
2 Cor 11:13-15 – He masquerades as a good person
14 … for Satan himself
masquerades as an angel of light. NIV
1 Peter 5:8 – He prowls around
8 Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour. NIV
James 4:7 – He is a coward
7 Submit yourselves, then,
to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. NIV
John 8:44 – A murderer
He was a murderer from the
beginning , NIV
Luke 8:28-29 – He is vicious, fierce and cruel
29 For Jesus had commanded
the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him,
and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had
broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places NIV
John 10:9-10 – He is a thief and a destroyer.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and
destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. NIV
2 Thess 2:9 – Has lying wonders and signs
9 Even him, whose coming
is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
KJV
The
“WILL” of Satan
- This Angel was
created perfect and was beautiful to behold and was full of wisdom, but
using his inward “WILL” desired
to be as God; desiring to take His place.
This “iniquity” or sin that was FOUND in him was disappointing to God; Thus the word “found”. - God did not
create iniquity or sin, it was generated by Satan.
Ezek 28:15 – Satan’s “WILL” was toward self
15 You were perfect in
thy ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in
thee.
16 By the multitude of thy
merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast
sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God
Ezek 28:17 – Pride was born
17 Your heart was lifted
up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by
reason of thy brightness: KJV
18 Thou hast defiled
thy sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of thy
traffic.
Matt 12:24 – He is the prince of devils
24 But when the Pharisees
heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the
prince of the devils. KJV
TIME OUT
- Let’s pause here and
reflect… In the first earth age there was perfect communication and
fellowship between God, the angels and man. Then came the rebellion of Satan and
that perfect access to God was now blocked.
- The Law of “Sin &
Death” did not exist and all creatures had been created immortal.
- God starts over with the
second earth age and puts a mystery into effect, the plan of
redemption of the earth and of man which included; the Law of “Sin &
Death”.
Amos 3:7 – The Mystery revealed to the prophets
7 Surely the Sovereign
LORD does nothing without revealing his plan
to his servants the
prophets. NIV
1 John 3:7-8 – The Plan of Salvation
8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil,
because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of
God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. NIV
SATAN BOASTS HE WILL BE LIKE GOD
- In the beginning
there were no Policies or Procedures or Laws... There was not a Law, that
said that if you sinned you would die, so all the beings created were
immortal. They would live
forever. (somewhere).
- Satan made a decision
that it was not enough to be the Angel that protected and ruled the earth,
but he wanted to be worshipped like God. This was the beginning of the revolt;
many of the angels were already reporting to him and followed him. Check out the five “I wills”.
Ezek 28:2 – Satan gave birth to pride
2 Thus says the Lord GOD;
Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the
seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou
set thy heart as the heart of God:
Isa 14:13-14 – The five I wills
13 You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the
stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the
utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend
above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most
High." NIV
Prov 16:18 – Pride comes and then the fall
18 Pride goes before
destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. NIV
Ezek 28:17 – Corrupted wisdom
17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your
splendor NIV
Prov 11:2 - Shame
2 When pride comes, then
comes shame; NKJV
John 8:44 – He became the father of lies.
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 speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of
it. KJV
Some
Angels rebelled with Satan
Rev 12:4 And his tail drew
the third part of the stars (angles)
of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:
2 Peter 2:4
4 For 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;
- Reasoning that there was an age before
our current age that had people, commerce and trade, you can quickly see
how the many fossils that have been carbon dated 100,000 years ago could
easily be accepted as true. Science
links up with our Bible history book. Selah
GIANTS
- Some of the angels
left their assigned domain and followed Satan and even took earthly women
to be their wives. This probable took place during both
earth ages. Just saying
- This is where we
believe the giants came from, the Philistines, Gods enemy.
Gen 6:2 –
2 That the sons of God
saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. KJV
Gen 6:4 -
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and
also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men,
and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of
old, men of renown. KJV
1 Sam 17:4-5 – Goliath was over nine foot tall
4 A champion named Goliath,
who was from Gath
1 Chron 20:6 – Six fingers and toes
6 And yet again there was
war at Gath
SATAN SEEKS TO DESTROY GOD’S CREATIONS
- Satan stays busy
messing with us in order to stop God’s promises from reaching us.
- He delays our
promises, diminishes our hope; with expectation that we will give up on
God.
Eph 6:12 – Our fight is against invisible principalities.
12 For we wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places. KJV
Luke 8:12 – Steals God’s word from our heart.
12 Those along the path
are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from
their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. NIV
Mark 4:14-15 – Immediately without hesitation, he attack
us
15 Some people are like
seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan
comes and takes away the word that was sown in them NIV
Acts 26:28 – Causes us to procrastinate
28 Then Agrippa said to
Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be
a Christian? NIV
Matt 4:1 – He Tempts us
4:1 Then was Jesus led up
of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. KJV
1 Chron 21:1 – He tricks us
21:1 And Satan stood up
against Israel Israel
1 Cor 3:3 – Divides us
NKJV
3 for you are still
carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are
you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
Zech 3:1 – He resist our efforts
3:1 And he showed me
Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan
standing at his right hand to resist him. KJV
2 Cor 4:4 – Blinds our mind
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. KJV
James 1:5-8 – Makes us double minded
5 If any of you lacks
wisdom, he should ask God
6 But when he asks, he
must believe and not doubt
7 That man should not
think he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded
man, unstable in all he does. NIV
Luke 4:3 – Creates doubt
3 And the devil said unto
him, IF thou be the Son of
God, command this stone that it be made bread. KJV
1 Peter 5:8 – He is our adversary – seeks us out for
destruction
8 Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking
whom he may devour: KJV
Luke 22:31 – Messes with our lives
31 And the Lord said,
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you
as wheat: KJV
Luke 13:16 – He afflicts us with sickness
16 And ought not this
woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these
eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? KJV
SATAN HAS
LIMITS
- God allows Satan to
mess with us within limits. The believer will respond in the spirit
and will receive restoration.
Job 1:12 - Limitations
12 The LORD said to Satan,
"Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man
himself do not lay a finger." NIV
THE PREADAMIC FLOOD – LUCIFER’S FLOOD
·
Now
this is “fixin” to get deep here, but just hang in there a minute with me - In
the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1:1)
This ends the first earth age creation (Well get to the second
earth age creation in Gen 1:2 later) Read the invisible war or
Dake’s commentary Bible.
- With Satan’s
rebellion God withdrew Himself from the world. This released all restraints on nature
and plunged the world into darkness.
Water came from everywhere and flooded the earth. We believe this to be for thousands of
years which would account for the age of some fossils that have been found
and carbon dated.
- It is believed that
this flood completely destroyed everything and this made the world without
form and void. If we use Genesis as
a concept of God; that everything He made was good; then we can
pre-suppose that the earth was created good and because of rebellion and
sin it became void. All creation watches Satan, but he cannot restore
it. He cannot create anything, but can
only copy and counterfeit it.
Jer 4:23-26 – The earth became void
23 I looked at the earth, and
it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone.
24 I looked at the
mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
25 I looked, and there
were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.
26 I looked, and the
fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the LORD, before
his fierce anger. NIV
Gen 1:2 – The second earth age
2 And the earth was (became) without form, and void; and
darkness was upon the face of the deep. …
DEMONS
- This is a good place
to mention demons. It is believed
that Satan’s kingdom included beings completely given over to evil and
when the flood came, these physical beings were destroyed and their
demonic spirits had no place to go.
- Demons are not
angels; they are immortal spirits without a body. They need a “moist living” body to find
rest and transport them around.
- These are Satan’s demonic
workers and are not the third of the angles that will later be cast
down during the middle of the tribulation. They are also referred to as devils.
- So everything died in
the flood, and without light, the vegetation
and creatures of the sea died also.
13 And I saw three unclean
spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the
mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. KJV
Matt 12:43 Demons occupy people
43 When the unclean spirit
is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and
finds none. KJV
Mark 16:9 – Many can possess a person at a time
9 Now when Jesus was risen
early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of
whom he had cast seven devils. KJV
Mark 5:8-9 – Perhaps thousands
8 For Jesus had said to
him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"
9 Then Jesus asked him,
"What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he
replied, "for we are many." NIV
Mark 16:17 - They can be cast out of a person
17 And these signs shall
follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues; KJV
Matt 10:8
8 Heal the sick, cleanse
the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received,
freely give. KJV
The
creation of the Second earth age
- The Bible speaks of a
six day creation, but it could have easily have taken 6000 years; it
actually doesn’t make any difference.
- We are taught as
students of the Bible to first; take the precepts as literal,
simple and straight forward; second take it figuratively; third
parabolic as a instructional parable.
- I take the 6 day
creation as 6 literal days, but I could just as easy embrace 6000 years,
however, I would literally have to live 7000 years to enjoy the rest on
the Sabbath.
2 Peter 3:8
8 But, beloved, be not
ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day.
Ps 90:4
4 For a thousand years
in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the
night.
- The “Mystery” or “Plan of Salvation” in now in place,
- God starts all over
creating the 2nd earth age.
Something’s were brought forth because they were here before, and
others, He had to create.
Gen 1:2
2 And the earth was (“hayah” became) without form, and void;
and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon
the face of the waters.
- All other 67
translations of the Hebrew word “hayah” was translated “became” not
“was”. So you can say the earth became
without form and void.
2 Peter 3:5-6
5 …. the heavens were
of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that
then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
- THE
SECOND CREATION BEGINS: There were some things that were already
here.
- God brought forth; seas, dry land, grass, herbs and fruit trees.
9 And God said, Let the
waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry
land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the
gathering together of the waters called
he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, Let the
earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his
kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. KJV
- God now creates the Heaven, Sun, moon, and stars
7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the
firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the
firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
16 And God made two great
lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the
night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the
firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the
day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw
that it was good. KJV
- God creates sea creatures, birds, beasts, insects and man.
21 And God created great whales,
and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth
abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and
God saw that it was good.
24 And God said, Let the
earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping
thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
27 So God created man
in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created
he them. KJV
- Now God has made Man
again and told him to “replenish” the earth, or re-populate it again. He told Noah the same thing after his
flood.
Gen 1:26-28 – After the 1st Earth age flood of
Lucifer
27 So God created man in
His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created
them.
28 Then God blessed them,
and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the
earth and subdue it. KJV
Gen 9:1 – After the 2nd earth age flood of
Noah –
1 And God blessed Noah
and his sons, and said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish
the earth. KJV
GARDEN OF
EDEN
- We are first introduced
to Satan, Lucifer, the Devil, in the Garden
of Eden where Satan uses the serpent as a tool to cause the fall of
man. Here he:
1.
Introduced doubt and
unbelief
2.
Lied about what God said
3.
Said they would not die,
4.
Said they would be as God.
·
This
is the same techniques used today in the New Age Movement.
·
God
cursed the serpent and instated the saying, “the only good snake is a dead snake”
Gen 3:1-5 – Satan disguises himself as a snake
3:1 Now the serpent was
more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the
woman, "Did God really say, `You must not eat from any tree in the
garden'?"
2 The woman said to the
serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
3 but God did say, `You
must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you
must not touch it, or you will die.'"
4 "You will not
surely die," the serpent said to the woman.
5 "For God knows that
when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil." NIV
Gen 3:14-15 – God curses the serpent
14 God said to the
serpent, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
And I will put enmity between you and the woman; your offspring and hers; he
will crush your head.” NIV
The
Law of Sin and Death
- God placed the man
Adam in “the garden of Eden” and gave him instruction on what he could do
and what he could not do, and the penalty for disobedience.
- God knew that Satan would
try to corrupt His new creation and that Adam would fall.
- Satan knew that God
wanted a man and a people with a “will”
toward God, but he did not know “The Mystery” of how it would happen.
Gen 2:16-17
16 And the LORD God
commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
- Satan twisted God’s
words around, introduced doubt and
unbelief and presented the idea that everyone can be as God. He’s still doing that today.
Gen 3:4-5 – Satan is a deceiver
4 And the serpent said
unto the woman, ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that
in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be
as gods, knowing good and evil.
John 8:44 – Satan is a liar
Satan … abode not in the
truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his
own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
The
Fall of Adam
- Adam was given
dominion over the earth and Satan was ticked.
- Satan didn’t want to
report to anybody, especially somebody made lower than him and especially somebody
made out of dirt. He would get rid
of Gods “Plan”, this mystery.
- So, Satan tricks Adam
and Eve to sin and they were thrown out of the garden.
- This prevented them from eating from the
“tree of Life” and living forever immortal as Satan and those of the 1st
earth age creation..
Gen 3:6
6 And when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a
tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did
eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Gen 3:22
22 And the LORD God said,
Behold, the man is become as one of us,
to know good and evil:
- Right here, God
speaks of “us”,
referring to his Son Jesus, “The Word” and I believe the Holy Spirit was
present also.
- Although the word
“Trinity” is not in the Bible, the concept of the Triune God is prevalent.
John 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
2 The same was in the
beginning with God.
3 All things were made by
him; and without him was not anything made that was made.
OK,
getting back to Adam and continuing
and now, lest he put forth
his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever
23 Therefore the LORD God
sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was
taken.
24 So he drove out the
man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims
Born
in Sin and the first murder
- So, Satan thinking
Adam was the “Mystery” Got Adam to
sin and didn’t have to worry about him anymore.
- Later on, Adam and
Eve had Twins, Cain and Able. Able
had a “will” toward God
and Satan would use Cain to eventually kill Able.
- Satan thought Able
was “The Plan”
Gen 4:1-2
4:1 And Adam knew Eve his
wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the
LORD.
2 And she again bare his
brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the
ground.
Gen 4:8
8 … they were in the
field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Satan
(the Devil) the Father of sin
- Satan is described as
the “Father” of this fallen world and all who are in it.
John 8:44
4 You belong to your
father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a
murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the
father of lies.
TIME OUT
- Let’s stop again here
and reflect…. You remember that with Satan’s rebellion, the perfect access
to God was blocked. So God started
over again with Adam.
- Since God made Adam;
his spirit had perfect communication and fellowship with God until Satan
tricked him.
- God knew that Adam
would be deceived because Adam was not “The Plan”, but was only a part of
the plan for the “second Adam” who was yet to come to redeem back the
earth.
- God in his mercy and
grace is giving Satan eons of time to “repent” if he has a “Will” to do
so, but as you already know, He does not.
Noah’s
Flood
- Time moved on and
Satan totally corrupted man.
- God was grieved
because, except for Noah and his family, as before, all of mankind had
given themselves over to wickedness, so that every thought in their heart
was evil, thus the second flood.
Gen 6:5-8 – Noah’s flood – The great wickedness of man
5 The LORD saw how great
man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
6 The LORD was grieved
that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.
7 So the LORD said,
"I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men
and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the
air--for I am grieved that I have made them."
8 But Noah found favor
in the eyes of the LORD. NIV
Satan
gets busy again
- So God floods the
earth again and only Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives are
saved, and of course a bunch of animals, mosquitoes, rats, nats, fire ants,
cock roaches, killer bees and a couple of skunks.
- Satan thinks maybe
Noah’s family is the Plan or the mystery.
- As soon as the flood
waters diminished, Satan started in on Noah’s family, hoping to separate
him from his relationship with God, and it continues today.
Gen 9:20-22 – Noah gets drunk – Sin starts all over
20 Noah, a man of the
soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.
21 When he drank some of
its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
Some students think Ham committed an act of homosexuality
22 Ham, the father of Canaan , saw his father's
nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
24 When Noah awoke from
his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,
25 he said, "Cursed
be Canaan ! NIV
Where the races came from
- It is believed that
Noah’s three sons had taken wives from other nations before the
flood.
- Shem is the progenitor of
the “Semitic” peoples of the East. (White)
- Ham’s descendents became the Egyptians, Canaanites and
Africans. (Black)
- Japheth’s descendents are the
inhabitants of
Gen 9:18-19
18 The sons of Noah who came
out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan .)
19 These were the three
sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the
earth. NIV
The
Mystery
- All through the ages
of time Satan has tried to figure out the “mystery” of how God would
reclaim His people, so he would continue to kill and destroy anyone or any
nation that he thought would bring forth the man with a “will” toward God.
Ex 1:16 Satan thought it might be Moses
16 And Pharaoh said, When
ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the
stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him:
Ex 1:22
22 And Pharaoh charged all
his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river.
Matt 2:1-3 Baby Jesus
2:1 Now when Jesus was
born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came
wise men from the east to Jerusalem
2 Saying, Where is he that
is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come
to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had
heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem
Matt 2:8
8 And he sent the wise men
to Bethlehem
Matt 2:12
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should
not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
The
Plan of Salvation
- Hold on right here
because this is where “God the Potter” wanted to take back his creation
and make it Good again by remolding it, but this time it would be with
Policies and Procedures, or the “Law of Sin and Death”.
- It would be referred
to as “The Mystery” or “The Plan of Salvation” which would be put in place
before the foundations of the second earth age, the one we live in right
now.
Rom 16:25
25 …the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret
since the world began,
1 Cor 2:7
7 But we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the
world unto our glory:
Eph 3:9
9 And to make all men see
what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world
hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
26 Even the mystery
which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints:
Amos 3:7
7 …, but he revealeth
his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Jesus
Tempted
- The tempter comes
when we are at our lowest, when we are weak, when we are tired. He waited until Jesus had not eaten in
40 days before trying to trick Him.
- Satan implied that IF Jesus was actually the
Son of God, He could provide His own food.
- Christ did not have
to prove anything to Satan and only quoted scripture to him.
Matt 4:2-3
2 After fasting forty days
and forty nights, he was hungry.
3 The tempter came to him
and said, "If you are
the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." NIV
- Right here you will
see that Satan’s plan was to cause Jesus, (the second Adam), to test God,
to see if God really would take care of Him. - If Satan could just instill
second thoughts of doubt or unbelief, he would have caused Jesus to sin, but
Satan failed.
- Doubt in God is of
Satan and is sin. This action would
have separated Jesus from the perfect access and fellowship of God.
- Satan pulled this
same trick on Adam in the Garden of Eden.
Satan’s goal is to keep man from communicating and fellowshipping
with God.
The
Earth belongs to Satan
- Satan tried to temp
Jesus by offering him all the kingdoms of the world and they were all
his to give. But he failed again as Christ just quoted scripture.
Matt 4:8-9 – Worship me – you can have it ALL
8 Again, the devil took
him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of
the world, and the glory of them;
9 And said unto him, ALL these things will I give
thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
WAR IN HEAVEN
- There was a war in
Heaven between Satan and Michael the
- This war occurs 3 ½
years into the tribulation period.
So it has not yet happened.
Rev 12:7-9 – Satan is thrown out of Heaven
7 And there was war in
heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon
and his angels fought back.
8 But he was not strong
enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9 The great dragon was
hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the
whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. NIV
Rev 12:3-4 – One third of the Angels are thrown out of
heaven.
3 an enormous red
dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.
4 His tail swept a
third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. NIV
50 MILLON
ANGELS FALL
- Ten Thousand times
ten thousand would be 100 million angels remaining in heaven, so one
third, about 50 million would
have already been thrown out.
- We believe that the
number of angels stated is actually symbolic and they are actually beyond
numbering.
- The fallen angels are
in Hell, in chains of darkness, until the judgment “Day of the Lord”
- I suspect that the
“Chains of darkness” is the inability to ever walk in the wisdom of God
again and the total separation from the light of His presence.
11 Then I looked and heard
the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They
encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. NIV
2 Peter 2:4 – Fallen angels placed into chains of
darkness
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; KJV
TIME OUT AGAIN
- Let me just stop here
to say that Satan and God are not two equal and opposite forces as the
world might have us think.
- God is all powerful, all
knowing and everywhere at once. He is the creator of the Universe and
everything that is in it, including Satan.
- Satan cannot create
anything and has only the power we give him in our lives. He only knows what we confess with our
mouths and gets at us only through our sins.
- Yes, they are
opposite, but they are not equal and God will take him out in the end.
Job 1:7 - Satan
roams one place at a time
7 The LORD said to Satan,
"Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD,
"From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in
it." NIV
Job 2:2 – A second time he just roams
2 And the LORD said to
Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD,
"From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." NIV
1 Peter 5:7-9 – Seeks who he MIGHT devour.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil walks about like
a roaring lion, seeking whom he may
devour.
9 Resist him,
steadfast in the faith, NKJV
Isa 14:15-20 – Satan’s end prophesied
15 But you are brought
down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you stare
at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and
made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the
world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?"
18 All the kings of the
nations lie in state, each in his own tomb.
19 But you are cast out of
your tomb like a rejected branch;
Like a corpse trampled
underfoot,
20 you will not join them in burial.
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SATAN CONTINUE
- Satan exists so that
God’s love and patience can be witnessed by ALL creation, giving
Satan and all that follow him eons of time to repent.
- He exists so that ALL
creation will observe that Satan is not all powerful, that he can not
create anything and that to follow him leads to eternal separation from
God.
- He exists so that it
will never again enter the mind of man and ALL the rest of God’s
creation to rebel again, and they will confess there is only one God and
He alone is worthy of Worship and praise.
- God allows Satan to
continue in order that we develop our character and faith. So that we will know where we are in our
own spirit and faith in God.
- In the end, God
will demonstrate to all creation his power and authority over Satan.
Eph 3:10-12 – Rulers in the heavenly realm, TAKE NOTICE
10 His intent was that
now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to
the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his
eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In him and through
faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. NIV
1 Cor 4:8-9 –The believer is on parade-ALL CREATION
WATCHES
9 For it seems to me that God has put us
apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to
die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to
angels as well as to men. NIV
1 Cor 4:12 -13 – We work – we bless – we love
12 We work hard with our
own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we
endure it;
13 when we are
slandered, we answer kindly. NIV
Mark 16:17 – The believer will destroy the works of Satan’s
17 And these signs will
accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; … they will
place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." NIV
Eph 2:8-10 – Salvation is a Gift – Prepared in advance
8 For it is by grace you
have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God-
9 not by works, so that
no one can boast.
10 For we are God's
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do. NIV
1 Peter 1:10 – We are no longer in ignorance
10 Concerning this
salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you,
searched intently and with the greatest care,…Even angels long to look into
these things.
14 As obedient children,
do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
15 But just as he who
called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
16 for it is written:
"Be holy, because I am holy." NIV
1 Peter 5:8-9 – We must stay alert and resist temptation
8 Be self-controlled
and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking
for someone to devour.
9 Resist him,
standing firm in the faith, NIV
2 Peter 1:5-7 – We grow and enlarge our faith
5 For this very reason,
make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6 and to knowledge, self-control;
and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7 and to godliness, brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
Jude 22-23- we are merciful and show mercy
22 Be merciful to those
who doubt;
23 snatch others from the
fire and save them; to others show mercy, NIV
James 1:13-15 – CAUTION - Temptations gives birth to death
13 When tempted, no one
should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor
does he tempt anyone;
14 but each one is
tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
15 Then, after desire has
conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives
birth to death. NIV
AFFLICTIONS- Cause and Effect
- The afflictions of
Satan get man’s attention back on God, opening the door to repentance.
- NOTE: It is natural
consequence to get wet in the rain – you can step under an umbrella to
get out of the rain – but you are still wet. It naturally takes time to dry off.
- Sin has natural consequences and sickness
in one of them. You reap what you
sow; more than you sow; and longer than you sow.
Job 33:14 – Afflictions brings us closer to God
14 For God does speak-now
one way, now another- though man may not perceive it.
16 he may speak in their
ears and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn man from
wrongdoing and keep him from pride,
18 to preserve his soul
from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.
19 Or a man may be
chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones,
20 so that his very being
finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal.
21 His flesh wastes away
to nothing, and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.
22 His soul draws near to
the pit, and his life to the messengers of death.
26 He prays to God and
finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is
restored by God to his righteous state.
27 Then he comes to men
and says, `I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I
deserved.
28 He redeemed my soul
from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light.' NIV
1 Cor 5:1-11 – Rebuke a brother in sin to save his soul
1 It is actually reported
that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur
even among pagans:
5 hand this man over to
Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved
on the day of the Lord.
6 Don't you know that a
little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?
7 Get rid of the old
yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast-as you really are.
11 I am writing you that
you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is
sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a
swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
Rev 21:5 – Turning back will save him from the lake of
fire
5 "Write this down,
for these words are trustworthy and true."
8 The cowardly, the
unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice
magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be in the fiery
lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." NIV
2 Cor 2:8 – When a brother returns, Love him
8 I urge you, therefore,
to reaffirm your love for him……
11 in order that Satan
might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. NIV
The
Cross
- It was written by the
prophets that he who hangs on a tree is a sinner/cursed and Satan believed
that he had won his battle with Jesus, the second Adam.
- He killed him on the
cross, so he must be a sinner. He
did not understand the “Mystery”, that Jesus, who knew no sin, would take
mankind’s sin on himself as a sacrificial lamb and nail them to the cross.
He as the spotless lamb would spill his blood for a new covenant.
Gal 3:13
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:
Born
again
- This brings us up to
why we must be born again, born of a different father; Born with our Sins
as if they never happened; Born
with full fellowship and access to the Father God, with all the promises
and privileges.
John 3:3
"I tell you the
truth; no one can see the kingdom of God
The
Struggle
- We fight a spiritual
battle, unseen forces, which we cannot fight apart from the power of the risen
Savior.
- We are instructed to resist Satan by putting on the
full armor of God, but we can’t do that if we don’t know what the armor
is. That knowledge comes from
studying the scriptures.
Eph 6:12
12 For we wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:12-18
13 Therefore put on the full
armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with
the belt of truth buckled around
your waist, with the breastplate of
righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all
this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions
with all kinds of prayers and requests. NIV
15 And (Jesus) having spoiled principalities
and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it (He is risen)
- We were all given a WILL to do as we wish. Many will choose the broad road of this
world that leads to the destruction of the spirit. A few will choose the narrow road,
accepting the personal work of Jesus the Christ on the Cross. They will
receive the prize of the high calling, to live in harmony and fellowship
with God forever.
Phil 3:14 – The call has gone out
14 I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
John 3:16-17 – The
world is invited
16 For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might
be saved.
Matt 22:14 – Only a few will come
14 For many are called,
but few are chosen.
John 3:18 – The rest perish
18 He that believeth on
him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- It is God’s “WILL” for us to be saved,
but it’s our “WILL” that
makes it happen.
1 Cor 10:1-31
For I do not want you to
be ignorant
of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers …were all baptized into Moses …ate
the same spiritual food
4 and drank the same
spiritual drink;…
5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them;
their bodies were scattered over the desert. …We should not test the Lord, as
some of them did-and were killed.
11 These things happened
to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us,…
24 Nobody should seek his
own good, but the good of others…Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews,
Greeks or the church of God-
33… For I am not
seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
SATAN GETS LOCKED UP
- After the rapture of
the Saints, which I think should be in the next day or so and right after
the tribulation of seven years, Satan does “time in prison” for about a
thousand years.
- Then Christ reigns
for this thousand years and after that, Satan is let loose for a short time
to deceive the nations again as part of God’s plan
James 2:19 – He trembles at the name of God.
19 You believe that there
is one God; You do well: the devils also believe, and tremble. KJV
Rev 20:1-3 – Satan thrown into the abyss.
20:1 And I saw an angel
coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand
a great chain.
2 He seized the dragon,
that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand
years.
3 He threw him into the
Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the
nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set
free for a short time.
NIV
Isa 14:15-16 – Satan falls and people ponder it.
15 But you are brought
down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
16 Those who see you stare
at you, they ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and
made kingdoms tremble, NIV
- God will not look
upon sin… He will cast it out as he did Satan. Sin blocks access and
fellowship with God.
- In the beginning,
sacrifices of unblemished animals to God were made to atone or cover up the sin of man so God
would again look upon them.
- It would be the final
work of sinless Jesus Christ, sacrificed on the cross as an unblemished
lamb that would, not just cover up our sin, but remove the sin
completely as if it never was, and give us full access to the Father
God. And that’s The Mystery - The Plan.
The
Old Covenant
Lev 4:27 -35 – The atonement – The covering up of sin
27 And if any one of the
common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the
commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be
guilty;
28 … then he shall bring
his offering, a lamb without blemish, for his sin which he hath
sinned.
31 …and the priest shall
burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto the LORD; ….
35 … and the priest shall make
atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
The
New Covenant
Heb 9:12-14 – The complete removal of sin
12 Neither by the blood of
goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of
bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean,
sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the
blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot
to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
So
here we are
- God made everything “good”
including man. Satan corrupted it.
- God still loves us
and has provided a way of escape
for us to get back into perfect Communication and Harmony with Him.
- “The
plan”
is through his Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
1 Cor 10:13 – There is a way of escape
13 There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able
to bear it.
A
Final Word
- Since Satan’s
rebellion and his sin against God, the
entire world including Satan is
condemned to the burning lake of fire forever.
- ALL creation has been
watching Satan, to see what his rebellion will come to. They will observe him and his followers,
thrown into the burning lake of fire forever. They see Gods mercy and patience, not
wanting any to perish, but giving eons of time to repent.
- This story will be
told time and time again. – God will finely have a pure people and
this will never happen again.
- God wants to redeem
his people and has put “The Plan of Salvation” into motion to save
those who have a WILL
toward Christ.
- God does not want us
to be ignorant.
To make “no decision” is to accept the fate of
Satan.
And the Spirit and the
bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst
come.
And whosoever WILL, let him take the water of
life freely.
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
A survey of the New
Testament – Gunry
All the Miracles of the
Bible - Herbert Lockyer
Bible Commentary – F. B. Meyer
Compact Bible Dictionary - Zondervan
Complete Bible Handbook – Lawrence
Dake’s annotated Bible - Dake
Halley’s Bible Handbook – H.H. Halley
KJV Bible
Mystery of the Ages – Herbert W. Armstrong
Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest
NIV Bible
The Illustrated Bible
Dictionary – Tyndale
The Layman’s Overview of
the Bible – George W. Knight
Vincent’s Word Studies of
the NT - Mac Donald
What the Bible is all
about – Henrietta C. Mears
What in the World is going
on? – David Jeremiah
Wikipedia encyclopedia
Wycliff Bible Commentary,
The
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