Sermon Tone Analysis

We must be strategic and intentional about living for Christ

The purpose of this sermon is to expose the lies, strategies, and devices.

All humans have a common enemy

A lot of people tend to blame God for all the chaos in this world.

Others deny that there is a God or a devil.

One of the most sobering facts about life is that all humans have a supernatural enemy whose aim is to use pain and pleasure to make us blind, stupid, and miserable — forever.

The Bible calls him “the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world . . . the accuser” Rev 12: 9-10

The fall of Lucifer (star of the morning)

He took one-third of the angels with him when he fell.

Lie 1: God cannot be trusted

Lie 2: We can trust the desire/lust of our eyes, flesh, and intellect

You are worse off than any else

You are fallen and there is no hope for you

You are too weak and not strong enough to overcome the sins and habits that have you bound.

10.

Satan accuses Christians before God.

Revelation 12:10 says, “I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.’”

Satan’s defeat is sure.

But his accusations haven’t ceased.

It is the same with us as it was with Job.

Satan says to God about us, They don’t really love you; they love your benefits.

“Stretch out your hand and touch all that [they have], and [they] will curse you to your face” (Job 1:11).

Their faith isn’t real.

Satan accuses us before God, as he did Job.

But it is a glorious thing that followers of Jesus have an advocate who “always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Satan Will Not Win

Those are some of Satan’s designs.

The path to victory in this warfare is to hold fast to Christ who has already dealt the decisive blow.

1 John 3:8: “The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil.”

Hebrews 2:14: “Christ took on human nature that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”

Colossians 2:15: “God disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.”

In other words, the decisive blow was struck at Calvary.

Mark 3:27: “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.”

Revelation 20:10 says one day the warfare will be over: “The devil . . .

[will be] thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone . . .

and will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

(See Matthew 8:29; 25:41)

Jeremiah 29:11–14 (KJV 1900)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Resist!

James says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” (James 4:7).

How do we do that?

Here is how they did it according to Revelation 12:11: “They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

They embraced the triumph of Christ by his blood.

They spoke that truth in faith.

They did not fear death.

And they triumphed.

The New Testament highlights prayer as the pervasive accompaniment of every battle.

“Take . . . the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:17–18).

“Do not be outwitted by Satan.

God sees behind enemy lines and tells us all we need to know to not be ignorant of Satan’s designs.”

As the close of this age draws near, and Satan rages, Jesus calls us to wartime prayer: “Watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

Similarly, Peter makes an urgent call to end-time prayer: “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7).

Even Jesus fought against the devil on our behalf with the weapon of prayer.

He said to Peter in Luke 22:31–32, “Satan has asked to have you that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”

So Jesus illustrates for us the opposition of a specific satanic threat with prayer.

And, of course, Jesus instructed us to make prayer a daily weapon for protection in general: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13).

That is, deliver us from the successful temptation of the evil one.

Do you confront the designs of the devil with the focused and determined power of prayer?

No Neutral Zone

The question is not whether you want to be in this war.

Everyone is in it.

Either we are defeated by the devil and thus following, like cattle to the slaughter, “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), or we are resisting — “resist him, firm in your faith!” (1 Peter 5:9).

There is no neutral zone.

You either triumph “by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony,” or you will be enslaved by Satan.

Therefore, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3), and “wage the good warfare” (1 Timothy 1:18).

Pray without ceasing!

The Lord Jesus is no less a warrior today than in the days of old.

So I urge you again: Come to him as willing soldiers of the Prince of Peace and learn to say, “He trains my hands for war” (Psalm 144:1).

The Devil is a liar but God is the way the truth and life.