Rev 12: 10  I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11  "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

I. Who is Satan,  what does he do,  and why?

A. Creation  & Fall Ez 28:13 Is 14:12-15 12…I will be like the Most High. Highest created being felled by prideful grab for independent power.

He is a murderer-Jn 8:44, a liar-Jn 8:44, accuser-Rev12:10, our adversary-1 Pet5:8, the Devil-slanderer, Lucifer-son of the morning, Beelzebub-Lord of the flies – Matt12:24, and Belial-lawless – 2 Cor6:15, the evil one-1 Jn 5:19, the tempter-1 Thess3:5, the prince of this world-Jn 12:31, the god of this age-2 Cor4:4, the prince of the power of the air-Eph2:2, the accuser of the brethren-Rev12:10, and angel of light-false light – 2 Cor11:14, a serpent-Rev12:9, and a dragon-Rev12:3

B. Current Work Blinds to the Truth; By lies tempts believers to independence, disunity, and missing the will and glory of God.

blinds minds to the gospel of glory 2 Cor4:4;  snatches/distracts Word Lk 8:12; persecution Rev 2:10; false religions Rev 2:13; He tempts believers to pride 1Chron 21:1-8; materialism Jn 2:15; Js 5:1-7; immorality 1Cor7:5; lie Ac 5:3; discouragement 1Pt 5:6-10; unforgiving 2Cor 2:10,11 etc; hinders ministry 1Thess 2:18; Rev 2:10; promotes false teaching 1Jn 4:1-4; promotes anger, bitterness and division Eph 4:26,27; 2Cor2:5-11

C. Future Lame duck rule ends; bound 1000 yrs; released; deceives one last time; eternal lake of fire

II. How does Satan do His dirty work? What are his schemes? (See Lies We Believe)

A. Doubt & Deception Pr 20:17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Satan offers a shortcut to our desires (both legitimate and illegitimate) for power (security/significance/revenge/justice), pleasure, and possessions

1. Take Heed Lk 21:8 Take heed that you not be deceived…Therefore do not go after them.

On Guard Dt 11:16  "Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them

2. Deceived by: Pride Obadiah 1:3  The pride of your heart has deceived you…

 1Cor 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

Deadly desires Tit 3:3 once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice & envy, hateful & hating one another

Dreams/Subjective Revelation Jer 29:8  Do not let your prophets & diviners deceive you, nor listen to your dreams

Signs/Experience Mt 24:5  "many will come in My name…and will deceive many. 11 "many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

Mt 24:24  "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Departure from fundamental wisdom Col 2:4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

Teachers Rm16:18 do not serve our Lord, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple

Folks we hang with 1Cor 15:33  Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."

3. Deceived about: Loss of Inheritance 1Cor 6:9 know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived…

Reap consequences of actions/sin Gal 6:7  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Future 2 Thess 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come…

Sin (shortcut to power/pleasure/possessions) 1Tm 2:14 Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

Soft, broad-way discipleship 2Tim 3:13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Source of temptation and Destination of desire Js 1:14-16 One is tempted by his own lusts…it brings forth death Don’t be deceived,

Our own Sanctification 1 Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Abiding and doing God’s will 1 Jn 2:26  These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.

Righteousness 1 Jn 3:7 let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous as He is righteous. 8  He who sins is of the devil

B. Disunity & Disharmony Isolation and Individualism (Independence is the Essence of Sin – see outline on Sin)

Hate 1Jn 2:11 he who hates his brother is in darkness, walks in darkness, does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes, 3:8  He who sins is of the devil, for devil has sinned from the beginning…Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

Believers influenced/controlled Acts 5:3  But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…

1Tim 4:1 Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons

1Tim 5:15  For some have already turned aside after Satan. 1Tim 2:26 (III. B. 2. a4)  believers taken captive by him to do his will

C. Discouragement & Despair If Satan gets us to quit, we won’t arrive where God wants us to be. (Jn 17:4 2Cor 4:8)

1 Thess 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

2 Co 4:16 we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

Gal 6:9   And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Rev 3:9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie; --indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

III. How do we defend ourselves against the Dark Arts?

A. Example of Jesus: respond with Truth 1Cor 11:1  Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 3Jn 11; Eph 5:1; Heb 6:12; 

1. Jesus, fully submitted to the Father, resisted and rebuked/refuted the lies of Satan by exposing them via the Light of Scripture

Mt 4:10  Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, `You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

Flesh Mt 16:23…to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men

2. Constant Vigilance  Lk 4:13  Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

3. NB “Rebuke” is not a magic charm word, (Stop the mouth through reproof [bring to light]) but a refutation of lies by Jesus’ power.

Zech 3:2  And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!

Jude 1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil…said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

B. SOS: Submit to God to Shore up Defenses , Overcome Dark Lies with the Light of the Truth, Stand in the Strength of Jesus

1. SUBMIT to God to Shore up Defenses against Deception  “Since I’m obeying God, I can’t obey Satan, sin, or even my own self-centeredness”

Humbly Submit and Purify Js 4:6-8  7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you…purify your hearts

b. Don’t rebel /grumble Ps 107:9 He satisfies the longing soul, fills the hungry soul with goodness. 10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons 11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, & despised the counsel of the Most High

c. Forgiveness 2Cor 2:11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices/schemes/methodia.

d. Resolve Anger/Bitterness Eph 4:26 do not let the sun go down on your wrath 27  nor give place to the devil.

e. Be Self Controlled & Alert 1Pt 5:8-9 Be sober/self-controlled/sound-minded, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9  Resist him, steadfast/firm in the faith (1Pt 1:5,7,9,21), knowing…

2. Overcome Dark Lies with the Light of the Truth “Be gone Satan for it is written:…”  If deception is a lie, the correction is the Truth

a1. Take every thought captive to obey Christ 2Cor 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

a2. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16  For all that is in the world----the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life----is not of the Father but is of the world. 1Jn 2:15

a3. Love truth 2Thess 2:10 with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12  that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

a4. Teach Truth 1Tim 2:24 a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25  in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26  and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

a5. Jn 8:31 If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

b. Satan Lies Mk 4:15…where the word is sown. they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word sown in their hearts

Jn 8:44  "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. (see Deadly Desires) He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

3. Stand in the Strength of Jesus as part of His Body “The Spirit of God within me, by virtue of my belief in the shed blood of Jesus, is greater than and overcomes anything in this world, and has made me God’s child, so Satan’s lies can not prevent me from obeying the Truth.”

A lion picks off the stray or straggler. God designed the Body of Believers to provide protection, prevent deception, and effect restoration.

*a. Greater 1Jn 4:4 You are of God little children & have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world

b. Faith 1Pt 5:9 Resist him, steadfast/firm in the faith 1:5,7,9,21 Lk 22:31…Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32  "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."

c.  Can do Phil 4:13  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me 19 my God shall supply all…need according to His riches in glory by Jesus.

Heb13:21  make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus…

d. Escape/Flee 1Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it

1Tim 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

2Tim 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

e. Stand in Unity Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (CONTEXT of Ephesians is the Truth that God has created diverse believers into a unified temple which He indwells. Satan seeks to destroy unity. Satan will seek to defile the temple to thwart the glory of God from residing there. The armor consists of the Truth presented in Eph.) 12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints----

Questions for Discussion/Reflection/Response:

1. If we’re set free from sin to be a slave of Christ, why do we sin? How can Satan get a “stronghold” in someone’s life?

2. Why would someone depart from the Truth?  What lies would a false teacher use? What pious lies sound like the Truth?

3. What role does Scripture Memory play in spiritual “warfare”? Prayer? Biblical fellowship? Which can be counterfeited?

4. What are some areas where Satan could attack you; what are the lies you’re tempted to believe? What’s the Truth that refutes the lies?

5. What lies could Satan use to disrupt the unity of the Body? What protection has God given?