TEXT: James 4:7
“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”
1. DEFINITION:
— RESIST: To attempt to counter the action or the effect of. To withstand the action of. To oppose or refuse to accept. To be distasteful to.
— DEVIL: The chief devil; Satan
— TEMPTATION: Pressure applied on one’s thinking designed to form wrong emotions which will eventually lead to wrong actions. Enticing, seductive or an inducement.
3. 2. OBJECTIVE
— To get us informed that the devil and all he stands for, alongside with his followers will undergo everlasting punishment in hell fire. And that we should oppose his winning us over to his side. (Mat.25:41)
— To identify the mediums and devices Satan used to change the moral values and doctrinal beliefs of people. (Mat.24:24)
To highlight the Spiritual weapon and activities that will help us guard against Satan devices. (Eph. 6:10-18)
3. INTRODUCTION:
— The concept of the devil and its deceptions, often referred to devices is central in the life of christian. How to deal or resist Satan is the discussion today
— In this lesson we are going to know how to identify the mediums and devices Satan used to fight us and the Spiritual weapons and activities we should employ to wage war against the devil.
— The church and individual are the arch-enemy of Satan who is after the community of good people because they are not aligning to his activities. He uses every forces and weapons to make sure we are drawn to his side of malevolent nature. Therefore we need supernatural power to defeat Satan. The reason the Holy Spirit is in us and the armour to fight Satan are supplied in the scripture.
— We should not allow the devil enticement to make us fall to doing wrong things against God’s commandment.
4. IDENTIFICATION OF SATAN’S MEDIUMS
— HUMAN: (Mt 26:21-23) “Get behind Me, Satan”.
— FALSE RELIGION AND MYSTICAL PROPHETS: They seek to deceive people through worldly enticement and misdirection of people from the truth. (2These.2:9-12)
— THE HEART: Jer.17:9 "the heart is more deceptive than all else"
Prov.4:23 "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the spring of life"
James 1:13-14, 1Jn 2:15-16
— AFFLICTION : Job 1:12-22
5. IDENTIFICATION OF HIS DEVICES
1. Temptation: The devil is often depicted as tempting humans to commit sins. This can be through material desires, power, or other forms of personal gain.
2. Deception: Lies and deceit are central to the devil's methods. This includes presenting evil as good and good as evil, causing confusion and leading individuals astray.
3. Accusation: The devil is sometimes portrayed as an accuser, bringing up past sins and guilt to discourage and demoralize individuals.
4. Fear: Instilling fear and doubt is another tactic, causing people to lose faith in themselves or their beliefs.
5. Isolation: The devil may try to isolate individuals from their community or support systems, making them more vulnerable to negative influences.
6. Division: Sowing discord and division among people, whether in families, communities, churches or nations, is another common strategy.
6. THINGS TO DO TO RESIST SATAN .
1. Know the Word of God: Familiarity with Scripture is essential. Jesus Himself used Scripture to counter Satan in the wilderness.
- Matthew 4:1-11: Jesus was tempted by Satan three times and each time, He responded with Scripture, saying "It is written..."
— There are benefits in the word of God which includes ; Giving direction (Psm.119:105), obeying enables answering of prayers (1Pt.3:11-12), and it strengthens faith (Rm.10:10).
2. Rely on God's Strength: Acknowledge that human strength alone is insufficient to overcome Satan.
- Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
- 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
3. Avoid situation of temptation.
Identify and steer clear from scenario where you feel tempted. Surround yourself with true Christians who are likeminded with you.
4. Study the scripture and practice obedience.
5. Pray for Deliverance
Prayer is a powerful tool in seeking help from God to overcome Satan .
- Matthew 6:13: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
6. Stay Alert and Vigilant: Be aware of the temptations around you and stay spiritually alert.
- 1 Peter 5:8: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
7. Put on the Full Armor of God.
Equip yourself with spiritual armor to stand against Satan and his agents .
— Ephesians 6:10-18: This passage details the full armor of God, which includes;
— The belt of truth: The devil fight with lies which sounds as true.
— Breastplate of righteousness;
This protects our hearts which is the seat of our emotions.
— The footwear of preparing for gospel of peace:
This is the motivation God give to us to be ready to preach the gospel in spite of low responses and discouragement.
— Shield of faith;
This enables us to see beyond our circumstances for ultimate victory over insults, setbacks and temptations.
— Helmet of salvation;
This protects our minds from doubting God’s saving grace.
— The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
The word of God is the offensive weapon to Satan. Study it, meditate over it and fellowship with the saints to get enough spiritual strength to resist the devil . ( Heb.10:24-25, 2Tim2:15, Psm.1:1-2, 119:11)
6. CONCLUSION.
— By recognizing Satan’s mediums and devices, we can easily navigate and resist him, through immersing ourself in God's word, praying, staying vigilant, and relying on God's strength and the support of fellow believers, you can effectively resist Satan and his temptation.
— Our victory over the devil will save us from destruction in hell fire with him and grant us entry into heaven to be with God.
(Phil. 3:20-21)
“But Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body”
Posted by Bro-Uwem-Essiet
July 14, 2024, 9:19 p.m.