The Four “D’s” of Defeat

Pastor Keith Hassell

Foundation Scripture:            Luke 22:31-34

I.          Satan desires to destroy you and I

A.        Satan asked for Simon.  Jesus used the name Simon (“reed”) instead of Peter (“rock”) to possibly imply that the disciple would soon act in accord with his old nature.

B.         Peter affirmed his determination:  “I am ready to die for you!” only to do the opposite

C.        Satan will seek to enter through old doors to sin that we had closed.

II.        The four “D’s” of Defeat

            A.        Distraction

                        1.         A distraction is anything that can get your eyes off of Jesus.

                                    a.         Job, money, boyfriend or girlfriend, pleasure, lust, hurt, offense

                        2.         A distraction is the bait to draw you into Satan’s trap.

            B.         Division

1.         Satan wants to separate you from your authority and covering.  Then he has you out there where he can get to you.

            a.         Husband, parents, pastor, etc.

2.         There is life and blessing when we stay connected and in unity.

3.         There is death and decay when we are divided.

            C.        Deception

                        1.         Satan doesn’t divide us to destroy us.  He divides us to deceive us.

                        2.         The land of separation is the devil’s seedbed for sowing lies.

                                    a.         Lies about others, about God, and about the truth.

                        3.         Lies buzz around in our mind like flies around a cow patty.

4.         Lies justify and reinforce why we should remain divided, thus leading to the final step:

            D.        Destruction

                        1.         Satan’s ultimate goal is to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10)

III.       Examples from the Word of God

            A.        Eve

                        1.         Distraction:       The desire to eat the forbidden fruit.

                        2.         Division:   She walked out from under the covering of her husband.

                        3.         Deception:        “I will be like God”

                        4.         Destruction:  Removal from the Garden of Eden

            B.         Israel at Sinai (Exodus 20:18-20)

                        1.         Distraction:  The shaking.

                        2.         Division:   We have to back away from God.

                        3.         Deception:   Sexual immorality and worship of the golden calf.

                        4.         Destruction:  23,000 people were executed

C.        Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16)

                        1.         Distraction:    “Who is holy?  Who should be the leader?”

2.         Division:   They rejected the authority of Moses and Aaron.

3.         Deception:   “We should be priests instead of Aaron and his sons”

4.         Destruction:  The earth opened up and swallowed them alive.

            D.        Achan (Joshua 7)

                        1.         Distraction:  Forbidden spoil.

                        2.         Division:   He walked out from under God’s commandment.

                        3.         Deception:  “I can hide it and no one will know.”

                        4.         Destruction:   Achan and his family were stoned.

            E.         David

                        1.         Distraction:    Bathsheba

                        2.         Division:  He walked away from God by ignoring His command.

3.         Deception:  “I can cover this up and make it look like a legitimate relationship by killing her husband and marrying her.”

4.         Destruction:  The baby died and David was troubled in his other children from that day forward.

            F.         Judas

                        1.         Distraction:   Silver

                        2.         Division:   Began working with the Pharisees

                        3.         Deception:   The betrayal.

                        4.         Destruction:  Suicide.

            G.        Peter

                        1.         Distraction:   The betrayal.

                        2.         Division:  He ran away and stayed at a distance.

                        3.         Deception:  He denied Christ.

                        4.         Destruction:   He fell into deep shame and remorse.

IV.       Example of Victory

            A.        Job

                        1.         Distraction:   Loss of everything.

2.         Job did not get angry and divide himself from God.  God repaid him double in the end.

V.        Key:  Don’t take the bait!

            A.        “Scandalon” (Greek:  “trapstick”)  Luke 21:34-36

                        1.         We get from this the English word “scandal”

2.         Satan wants to bring “scandal” into our lives to trip us up.

3.         This word designates the “trap stick”:  the part of the rat trap that holds the cheese.  The cheese is the distraction that leads to destruction.

B.         Satan has bait set out for you to bring you into division in order to deceive you in order to destroy you.

1.         2 Timothy 2:26  “that they might come to their senses and escape the snare (“scandalon”) of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”

            C.        We must not allow “scandal” to divide us from one another.

D.        Do not allow a spirit of independence to develop in your life that causes you to live your life independent from the body of Christ.