THE PILGRIMS MEETS SATAN

SERIES: THE PILGRIMS PROGRESS.

TEXT: 1st PETER 5:8

Salvation is precious. Anything that is costly, precious needs to be guarded lest a thief snatches it away-Rev. 3:11. Destiny can be stolen just as money and wealth are stolen.

Satan is the real enemy of the pilgrim believer. He derailed Adam and Eve and succeeded in driving them from the paradise of God into the wilderness. God has great plans for each believer-Jer. 29:11. The future is extremely glorious and the enemy knows it, but there are battles to fight, not all the time but from time to time.

An example is where Apostle Paul tells the Thessalonians that he purposed to visit them but satan hindered him-1st Thess. 2:18.

You have a real enemy whom you cannot see. There is no battle-free zone in the faith. The way the enemy has fought other believers, he will fight each of us from time to time. More about our battle with satan:-

KNOW YOUR ENEMY-WHO IS SATAN?

You cannot fight an enemy you do not know.

Satan was created by God as a good angel.
He was the seal of perfection and perfect in beauty-Vs. 12-13.
He was an anointed cherub, a company of angels that stand before God-Vs. 14, he walked among the stones of fire.
He was thrown down from heaven, to the earth. This was before creation of Adam and Eve.

Isaiah 14:12-15.

After being created with extreme beauty, he was the signet of perfection and satan became proud, he said:

I will ascend into heaven.
I will exalt my thrown above the starts (angels) of God.
I will sit also upon the mount of congregation, in the sides of the north.
I will ascend above the height of the clouds.
I will be like the most High (God).

Revelations 12:1-4; 12:7-12.

Satan was thrown (by force) from heaven to the earth, by Archangel Michael and other mighty angels of God.
He was cast out of heaven along with 1/3 of all the angels of heaven, whom he had led in rebellion against God the Most High.
Satan has limited access to heaven now, where he goes to accuse the born-again believers before God-Rev. 12:10; Job 1:6.

The names of satan.

Lucifer: This was his original name in heaven. It means “light brighter or morning star,” his being when he serves God perfectly-Isaiah 14:12.
Satan: Is an Hebrew (Jewish) word for adversary, enemy-Luke 10:18.
Devil: (Greek, diabolos) means “accuser” or “slanderer”-Rev. 20:10.
Baalzabub: means Lord of the flies-2nd Kings 1:6.
Serpent: depicted as a snake-the way he appeared to Eve.
Father of lies: John 8:44.
Temper:-1st Thess. 3:5.
Abbadon-(Hebrew) or appolyon (Greek) means the angel of the bottomless pit-Rev. 9:11.
Prince of the power of the air-Eph. 2:2.
The great dragon-Rev. 12:3-9.
God of this the age-2nd Cor. 4:4.

HOW SATAN FIGHTS.

Through sin: he deceives and manipulates the believer to destroy God as he beguiled Eve-2nd Cor. 11:3-4. He deceives and manipulates the believer to make him/her sin look normal and make righteousness look weird.
John 10:10, “the thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill and to destroy.”

- To steal: through deception satan will manipulate the believer to forfeit what belongs to him/her, for example, he will manipulate the believer not to tithe so that according to Malachi 3:10, he can devour the believer’s wealth.

To kill: satan is a murdered. He has killed billions of men/women. Security of life is only for those who are in Christ; their lives are hidden in Christ-Col. 3:3. Satan has no power to kill a believer unless Christ has allowed it.

To destroy: in collaboration with his servants, he can send witchcraft and curses to people and destroy their health and wealth. He has servants like sorcerers, witches and wizards, diviners, enchanters, familiar spirits, the occult (e.g freemasons and illuminati), magicians and necromancers.

OVERCOMING SATAN.

Because of the battles against satan, each believer faces, God has provided tools and skills to ensure the believer wins every war satan brings:-

Training: The LORD trains us for war-Psalm 144:1.
Weapons: Christ has an armoury where we can get weapons to destroy satan.

- 2nd Cor. 10:4-Our weapons are mighty. Just using a simple weapon destroys a lot of satan’s work.
- Ephesians 6:10-12, take the whole armour of God to be able to bring down satan.
- The blood of the lamb-Rev. 12:11; apply the blood of Jesus anywhere you go. Speak the blood of the covenant in various situations.
- Word of your testimony: your testimony is a powerful tool to bring down satan.

Sword of the Holy Ghost: God told Joshua “this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it, for then you all make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.”

CONCLUSION

In the pilgrim’s journey war is a reality but the one in us is greater than he who is in the world-1st John 4:4.
Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour-1st Peter 5:8-9. Even a war general who is not vigilant, watchful lose a battle.