1 Peter 5:8-9: Your Adversary The Devil
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Exposing The Devil (Satan): His Character and Behavior
When it comes to the belief of an actual Devil, many people will deny his existence. While they will acknowledge the presence of evil, they see Satan (Devil) as merely being a ‘principle” of that evil. However, according to the Bible and Jesus himself, Satan is very much real. Jesus call him a liar and a twister of the truth. The reason Satan lies is to bring doubt and disbelief against God and against His Word.
John 8:44 (b and c clause)
“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.
Genesis 3:1 (a clause)
“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made”.
According to Jesus, “He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning”. Jesus is making reference to him in the beginning of the world when he encountered Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Recorded in the Bible, the very first account of man’s encounter with Satan is found in Genesis Chapter 3. He appeared in the Garden of Eden in deception in the form of a serpent. It was in this form that through the act of lying and seduction, Satan caused the fall of Adam and Eve and brought sin into the world. Because Adam and Eve fell prey to the seductive lies of the Devil (Satan)” Death” was pronounced by God on them and on all of mankind as the penalty (punishment) for sin. When the devil deceived our first parents (Adam and Eve), they became subject to eternal death, that is, spiritually separated; banished from God in relationship while still physically alive on earth, and both spiritually and physically in eternity once they passed from life on earth through physical death.
The Apostle Paul said in Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”:
The Apostle John wrote these words in Revelation 12:9:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world."
Every since Satan fell from grace when he was known as Lucifer, (Isaiah 14: 12-15) Satan has throughout the ages has always deceived men, and has been the primary cause of their spiritual and eternal death when men remained unrepentant. His work has been to steal, kill, and destroy, and in the worst sense of the word, he can be called a "murderer". It was Satan who was the “mastermind” behind the first murder recorded in the Bible. It was by his instigation that Cain killed his brother Abel. (Genesis Chapter 4)
The following "Character traits" are some of the many traits of Satan. These are some of the simple facts about our adversary......
Jesus said Satan doesn’t abide in the truth. He knows the truth but refuses to live according to it and thus departed from the truth, living and professing falsehoods and compulsive lying.
There is No truth in him. That is, he embodies everything characteristic of a lie. Lying makes up his very nature and is the catalyst in his work to deceive. As when he deceived Adam, and his attempt to deceive the whole world, his ultimate aim is to drag man down to perdition.
He speaks of his own The things Satan talks about are those things that are appropriate and advantageous to him; those things that belong to his nature. His speaking of falsehood originates from his own propensities or disposition. Whatever he utters is the truest expressions of his genuine character.
He is a liar and the “father” of all lies. Jesus called him the “father”; the “originator of all falsehood”. From him falsehood originated and first proceeded forth. All liars possess his spirit and are under his influence. As the unbelieving Jews refused to hear the truth which Jesus spoke, Jesus called them children of the father of lies.
He is a deceiver. Operating as a deceiver, Satan will always seek to bring confusion and lead many astray. Jesus called him a wolf in sheep's clothing. (Revelation 12:9; Matthew 7:15)
In Revelation 12:7-9, Satan and his army of fallen angels sought to overthrow the kingdom of God. Apostle John was compelled to write the following scriptures concerning the incident: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them* in heaven any longer. 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”.
In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warned is about the deceptive way Satan can use people to spread falsehoods and doctrinal heresies in the church. Jesus said: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves”.
By false prophets, Jesus is talking about teachers used by Satan to spread false doctrines. These false teachers come professing a commission from God, but their aim is not to bring the heavenly treasure to the people. Their real intentions are to rob them of their earthly good through the teaching of heresy, the traditions of men and fables.
These are teachers who are preacher for hire, having no motive to enter into the ministry but to get a living, and are guilty of “filthy lucre”. Many false teachers are initially hare to identify because they may bear the garb and appearance of the innocent useful sheep, looking like true pastors commissioned by the Lord Jesus, or to whatever name, class, or party they may belong, are, in the sight of the heart-searching God, no other than ravenous wolves, whose design is to feed themselves with the fat, and clothe themselves with the fleece and thus ruin, instead of save, the flock. Here are a few more things y9u should know about the devil....
1. He is a thief. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He will rob us of joy, peace, security and purpose. He will try to destroy our families, lives, and all that we hold dear. (John 10:10)
2. He is the accuser. His voice condemns and accuses bringing shame and fear. (Revelation 12:10)
3. He is our adversary. He prowls around like a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. His attacks are ruthless. He searches for the weakest, most vulnerable victims to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
4. He disguises himself as an angel of light, he is deceptively cunning and can make himself appear beautiful and alluring. He attempts to make sin look good and evil enticing. (2 Corinthians 11:14)
5. He is the tempter. He will do anything to try to lure you away from Truth, away from God. He knows your weaknesses, don’t be fooled. He lures, he tempts, with sex, money, power, greed, and lust. (Matthew 4:3)
6. He is Beelzebub. Known as the lord of the flies, the prince of demons. Like flies gravitate to decay and death, he lords over what brings death. (Matthew 12:23-24)
7. He is crafty. He is a schemer. He is cunning and evil. He can never be trusted. He is a master manipulator, don’t fall for his schemes. (Genesis 3:1-5, Ephesians 6:11-12)
8. He is one who hinders. He is a stumbling block. He will do anything to prevent the Name of Jesus Christ from being proclaimed and Truth from being shared. He will try every trick possible to throw roadblocks in our path and to stop us from being fruitful (1 Thessalonians 2:18, Matthew 16:23)
Know the Different Times and Situations Satan is likely to launch an Demonic Attack
Protect Yourself From His Schemes:
When it comes to the belief of an actual Devil, many people will deny his existence. While they will acknowledge the presence of evil, they see Satan (Devil) as merely being a ‘principle” of that evil. However, according to the Bible and Jesus himself, Satan is very much real. Jesus call him a liar and a twister of the truth. The reason Satan lies is to bring doubt and disbelief against God and against His Word.
John 8:44 (b and c clause)
“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.
Genesis 3:1 (a clause)
“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made”.
According to Jesus, “He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning”. Jesus is making reference to him in the beginning of the world when he encountered Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Recorded in the Bible, the very first account of man’s encounter with Satan is found in Genesis Chapter 3. He appeared in the Garden of Eden in deception in the form of a serpent. It was in this form that through the act of lying and seduction, Satan caused the fall of Adam and Eve and brought sin into the world. Because Adam and Eve fell prey to the seductive lies of the Devil (Satan)” Death” was pronounced by God on them and on all of mankind as the penalty (punishment) for sin. When the devil deceived our first parents (Adam and Eve), they became subject to eternal death, that is, spiritually separated; banished from God in relationship while still physically alive on earth, and both spiritually and physically in eternity once they passed from life on earth through physical death.
The Apostle Paul said in Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”:
The Apostle John wrote these words in Revelation 12:9:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world."
Every since Satan fell from grace when he was known as Lucifer, (Isaiah 14: 12-15) Satan has throughout the ages has always deceived men, and has been the primary cause of their spiritual and eternal death when men remained unrepentant. His work has been to steal, kill, and destroy, and in the worst sense of the word, he can be called a "murderer". It was Satan who was the “mastermind” behind the first murder recorded in the Bible. It was by his instigation that Cain killed his brother Abel. (Genesis Chapter 4)
The following "Character traits" are some of the many traits of Satan. These are some of the simple facts about our adversary......
Jesus said Satan doesn’t abide in the truth. He knows the truth but refuses to live according to it and thus departed from the truth, living and professing falsehoods and compulsive lying.
There is No truth in him. That is, he embodies everything characteristic of a lie. Lying makes up his very nature and is the catalyst in his work to deceive. As when he deceived Adam, and his attempt to deceive the whole world, his ultimate aim is to drag man down to perdition.
He speaks of his own The things Satan talks about are those things that are appropriate and advantageous to him; those things that belong to his nature. His speaking of falsehood originates from his own propensities or disposition. Whatever he utters is the truest expressions of his genuine character.
He is a liar and the “father” of all lies. Jesus called him the “father”; the “originator of all falsehood”. From him falsehood originated and first proceeded forth. All liars possess his spirit and are under his influence. As the unbelieving Jews refused to hear the truth which Jesus spoke, Jesus called them children of the father of lies.
He is a deceiver. Operating as a deceiver, Satan will always seek to bring confusion and lead many astray. Jesus called him a wolf in sheep's clothing. (Revelation 12:9; Matthew 7:15)
In Revelation 12:7-9, Satan and his army of fallen angels sought to overthrow the kingdom of God. Apostle John was compelled to write the following scriptures concerning the incident: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them* in heaven any longer. 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”.
In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warned is about the deceptive way Satan can use people to spread falsehoods and doctrinal heresies in the church. Jesus said: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves”.
By false prophets, Jesus is talking about teachers used by Satan to spread false doctrines. These false teachers come professing a commission from God, but their aim is not to bring the heavenly treasure to the people. Their real intentions are to rob them of their earthly good through the teaching of heresy, the traditions of men and fables.
These are teachers who are preacher for hire, having no motive to enter into the ministry but to get a living, and are guilty of “filthy lucre”. Many false teachers are initially hare to identify because they may bear the garb and appearance of the innocent useful sheep, looking like true pastors commissioned by the Lord Jesus, or to whatever name, class, or party they may belong, are, in the sight of the heart-searching God, no other than ravenous wolves, whose design is to feed themselves with the fat, and clothe themselves with the fleece and thus ruin, instead of save, the flock. Here are a few more things y9u should know about the devil....
1. He is a thief. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He will rob us of joy, peace, security and purpose. He will try to destroy our families, lives, and all that we hold dear. (John 10:10)
2. He is the accuser. His voice condemns and accuses bringing shame and fear. (Revelation 12:10)
3. He is our adversary. He prowls around like a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. His attacks are ruthless. He searches for the weakest, most vulnerable victims to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
4. He disguises himself as an angel of light, he is deceptively cunning and can make himself appear beautiful and alluring. He attempts to make sin look good and evil enticing. (2 Corinthians 11:14)
5. He is the tempter. He will do anything to try to lure you away from Truth, away from God. He knows your weaknesses, don’t be fooled. He lures, he tempts, with sex, money, power, greed, and lust. (Matthew 4:3)
6. He is Beelzebub. Known as the lord of the flies, the prince of demons. Like flies gravitate to decay and death, he lords over what brings death. (Matthew 12:23-24)
7. He is crafty. He is a schemer. He is cunning and evil. He can never be trusted. He is a master manipulator, don’t fall for his schemes. (Genesis 3:1-5, Ephesians 6:11-12)
8. He is one who hinders. He is a stumbling block. He will do anything to prevent the Name of Jesus Christ from being proclaimed and Truth from being shared. He will try every trick possible to throw roadblocks in our path and to stop us from being fruitful (1 Thessalonians 2:18, Matthew 16:23)
Know the Different Times and Situations Satan is likely to launch an Demonic Attack
- 1. Satan never fights fair. He’s cruel. He will try to kick you while you’re down, and attack when you already struggling, and at your weakest, most vulnerable moments
- 2. Satan attacks when you don’t expect it. Often when life is great and things seem happy, we let our guard down. We forget he’s still there, waiting for one unexpected moment when he can come in with a brutal blow. Even when days are good, and we are strong, live aware that dark forces fight against us, in the spiritual realm where we cannot see. Never let your spiritual guard down. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary
- 3. Satan will attack you when you think you can handle it. We must live aware, understanding our weakness and find strength in God alone, never in our own flesh. Do not be fooled to think you can’t be tempted. You cannot fight this warfare in your own strength. Your strength is natural. Satan, demons and all other dark forces are supernatural. It take the supernatural strength and intrinsic authority of Almighty God (Jehovah) (Yahweh) to defeat the powers of darkness.
- 4. Whenever you’re making a difference for God’s purposes. If you are a force for God’s kingdom, and living like salt and light in this world, know that you will be attacked. You will. No doubt. Stay aware; do not be surprised, opposing forces will try to stop your influence for Christ. But they do not have to win. And we need not be afraid, for the Lord our God fights for us. He is on our side.
Protect Yourself From His Schemes:
- 1. Be aware and stay alert. (1 Peter 5:8)
-
- 2. Submit to God’s authority. Be ruthless with sin, which is an open door for the enemy to work. Resist him and he has to flee. (James 4:7)
-
- 3. Know that in Christ, we are forgiven. You are set free. You have His mighty power working within you. You are more than a conqueror through Christ. (Romans 8:37)
-
- 4. Put on the armor. Daily. Pray. Take up the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit, which is our only offensive weapon. (Ephesians 6:11)
-
- 5. Know that He is for you. He is with you. And the enemy does not have the final say over your life. God fights for you, even in times you’re unaware. He’s always working on your behalf, often behind the scenes where you cannot see. And the enemy’s plans will be crushed. (Romans 16:20)
-
- 6. Keep living aware. Keep standing strong. You are never alone.
7. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the "wiles" of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10).
Remember:
“Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) - Rev. Dr. William Edward Boddie
RSS Feed