Sin & The Outcomes 2
Sin The Outcomes 2
SATAN WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH US ABOUT SATAN?
BIBLE READING: Genesis 3:1-24
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. “Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1)
SATAN’S GOAL IS TO KEEP US FROM KNOWING GOD
Disguised as a crafty serpent, Satan came to tempt Eve. Satan at one time was an angel who rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven. As a created being, Satan has definite limitations. Although he is trying to tempt everyone away from God, he will not be the final victor. In Genesis 3:14-15, God promises that Satan will be crushed by one of the woman’s offspring, the Messiah.
FROM THE BEGINNING OF HUMANITY, SATAN HAS BEEN THE TEMPTER
Why does Satan tempt us? Temptation is Satan’s invitation to give in to his kind of life and give up on God’s kind of life. Satan tempted Eve and succeeded in getting her to sin. Ever since then, he’s been busy getting people to sin. How could Eve have resisted temptation? By following the same guidelines we can follow. First, we must realize that being tempted is not a sin. We have not sinned until we give in to the temptation. Then, to resist temptation, we must
pray for strength to resist, run, sometimes literally, and say no when confronted with what we know is wrong.
James 1:12 tells of the blessings and rewards for those who don’t give in when tempted.
SATAN ATTACKS US THROUGH OUR WEAKNESSES
The serpent, Satan, tempted Eve by getting her to doubt God’s goodness. He implied that God was strict, stingy, and selfish for not wanting Eve to share his knowledge of good and evil. Satan made Eve forget all that God had given her and, instead, focus on the one thing she couldn’t have.
We fall into trouble, too, when we dwell on the few things we don’t have rather than on the countless things God has given us. The next time you are feeling sorry for yourself and thinking about what you don’t have, consider all you do have and thank God. Then your doubts won’t lead you into sin.
SATAN CONSTANTLY TRIES TO REPLACE RIGHT WITH WRONG
Satan tried to make Eve think that sin is good, pleasant, and desirable. A knowledge of both good and evil seemed harmless to her. People usually choose wrong things because they have become convinced that those things are good, at least for themselves.
Our sins do not always appear ugly to us, and the pleasant sins are the hardest to avoid. So prepare yourself to resist the attractive temptations that may come your way. We cannot always prevent temptation, but there is always a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Use God’s Word and God’s people to help you stand against it.
SATAN IS OUR ENEMY
He will do anything he can to get us to follow his evil, deadly path. The phrase “you will strike his heel” refers to Satan’s repeated attempts to defeat Christ during his life on earth.
“He will crush your head” foreshadows Satan’s defeat when Christ rose from the dead. A strike on the heel is not deadly, but a crushing blow to the head is. Already God was revealing his plan to defeat Satan and offer salvation to the world through his Son, Jesus Christ.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 4:1-11
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the Devil. (Matthew 4:1)
SATAN EVEN TEMPTED CHRIST HIMSELF
This temptation by the devil gave Jesus the opportunity to reaffirm God’s plan for his ministry. It also gives us an example to follow when we are tempted. Jesus’ temptation was an important demonstration of his humanness and sinlessness. He faced temptation, but he did not give in.
CHRIST SET A PATTERN FOR RESISTING SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS
This time of testing showed that Jesus really was the Son of God, able to overcome the devil and his temptations. A person has not shown true obedience if he or she has never had an opportunity to disobey. We read in Deuteronomy 8:2 that God led Israel into the desert to humble and test them. God wanted to see whether or not his people would really obey him. We too will be tested. Because we know that testing will come, we should be alert and ready for it. Remember, your convictions are only strong if they hold up under pressure!
SATAN HAS GREAT, BUT TEMPORARY, POWERS IN THE WORLD
Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, and here he tempted Jesus in the desert. Satan is a fallen angel. He is real, not symbolic, and he is constantly fighting against those who follow and obey God. Satan’s temptations are also real. He is always trying to get us to live his way or our way rather than God’s way.
Jesus will one day reign over all creation, but Satan tried to force his hand and get him to declare his kingship prematurely. If Jesus had given in, his mission on earth-to die for our sins and give us the opportunity to have eternal life-would have been lost. When temptations seem especially strong, or when you think you can rationalize giving in, consider whether Satan may be trying to block God’s purposes for your life or for someone else’s life.
SATAN’S TEMPTATION OF JESUS DEMONSTRATES WAYS IN WHICH WE MAY BE TEMPTED
The devil’s temptations focused on three crucial areas:
- physical needs and desires
- possessions and power, and
- pride (1 John 2:15-16 for a similar list)
But Jesus did not give in. Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus “faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.” He knows firsthand what we are experiencing, and he is willing and able to help us in our struggles. When you are tempted, turn to him for strength.
BIBLE READING: Ephesians 6:10-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. (Ephesians 6:11)
SATAN IS WAGING WAR AGAINST GOD’S PEOPLE
In the Christian life we battle against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world (the powerful evil forces of fallen angels headed by Satan, who is a vicious fighter;1 Peter 5:8).
To withstand their attacks, we must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of his armor.
Paul is not only giving this counsel to the church, the body of Christ, but to all individuals within the church. The whole body needs to be armed. As you do battle against “the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,” fight as a body in the strength that comes from the Holy Spirit.
SATAN’S FORCES ARE SUPERNATURAL
These who are not “flesh and blood” are demons over whom Satan has control. They are not mere fantasies-they are very real. We face a powerful army whose goal is to defeat Christ’s church. When we believe in Christ, these beings become our enemies, and they try every device to turn us away from him and back to sin.
Although we are assured of victory, we must engage in the struggle until Christ returns, because Satan is constantly battling against all who are on the Lord’s side. We need supernatural power to defeat Satan, and God has provided this by giving us his Holy Spirit within us and his armor surrounding us. If you feel discouraged, remember Jesus’ words to Peter: “Upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18).
BIBLE READING: James 4:1-10
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
SATAN IS A DEFEATED ENEMY
Although God and the devil are at war, we don’t have to wait until the end to see who will win. God has already defeated Satan (Revelation 12:10-12), and when Christ returns, the devil and all he stands for will be eliminated forever (Revelation 20:10-15). Satan is here now, however, and he is trying to win us over to his evil cause. With the Holy Spirit’s power, we can resist the devil, and he will flee from us.
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