THE PRIDE AND LIES OF SATAN

The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the entire world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” – Revelation 12:9 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” – Ephesians 6:11; “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV; Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 ESV.

 Inside the glorious garden of Eden, the home of Adam and Eve, there was another real personality but not a human, just like God and the angels. He has the feature of a person: Can love and hate, can talk and lie, deceive and can pretend and look like angel of light. The subtle characteristics he has are hatefulness and hurtfulness. It does appear as we read Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28 that Satan had a great start until sin entered him. He was the chief angel ministering and worshiping in God’s presence. One day, pride and arrogance entered his head and permeated his heart, and he desired to dethrone God and set himself on the throne. The desire to be like God consumed him and he organized a riot to dethrone God. In Ezekiel 28:12-19 reflects on the personality and integrity God made him to become –“Seal of perfection” “full of wisdom” and “perfection in beauty.” He was anointed by a guardian cherub, walking away from the fiery stones. Vs 15 says , “You were created blameless in all ways until wickedness entered and possessed you.  You used your experience in trading to organize riot and revolution against the throne of God. You became violent and sinned . Vs 16b-17, – “So God drove him in disgrace from the mount of God and expelled him because his heart became proud/pompous on account of his beauty; corrupted his wisdom because of his splendor. So, God threw him to the earth and made a spectacle of him before the kings.” Vs 18: Because of his many sins and dishonest trading, he had discredited his sanctuaries, so I made fire come of you and consumed you and I reduced him to mere ashes on the ground for everyone  to see and witness. All people and nations who knew and honored his highly lifted position were appalled at him as being disgraced out of exhausted position and his end became horrible and terrible. “Satan is wiser now than before and tempts by making rich instead of poor.” – Alexander Pope

David G. Burkholder on Know your Enemy (Young man, Be strong) writes, “The beauty, the dignity and the light were gone forever and all he could look forward to being was horror of darkness and torture. He was forever doomed, but God allowed him access to the earth. Satan set his heart on venting his spite on God while he still had the chance. Now he’s trying to spoil God’s purpose wherever he can. His specialty is wrecking people, the crown of God’s creation. You and I are both among his targets….” Burkholder was quick to add, “The bible tells us that Satan often comes to people as angel of life” (2 Cor 11:14). In other words, he is an expert deceiver and tricker. If people saw him as he is and saw where his suggestions would take them, would they listen?  So, he uses salesmanship.” From all indication Satan was expelled from the throne of God because he wanted to be like God. He goes about deceiving other people to get them in the same position that brought him open disgrace and exploitation from God presence. “Any false religion ultimately is a deception of Satan, to try and keep people from the only way to Heaven, which is through faith in Jesus Christ.” – Robert Jeffress

Satan interestingly uses salesmanship in his deceitful and tricky approach. He injects and mixes sweeping lies to the truth to make it look convincing, attractive and believable. In Gen 3:4 the serpent says to Eve, “You will not die, for God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” This statement from Satan is the truth but it also suggests that God does not love you the way he sounds. He hides something from you that would make you manifest and fulfill purpose as well as operates in the image and likeness of God, that you were created to operate in.   Again, in his temptation of Jesus in Luke 4:1ff Satan knew Jesus ate nothing for 40days and night and was hungry. Satan, said to Him, “if you are the son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” For it is written man shall not live by bread alone. The clause, If you are the  Son of God suggest doubt to who Jesus really was. Also, you are not a Son of God until you turn the stone into bread (vs 1-4). In verses 5-8, Satan took Jesus to a high place and in an instance , showed Him the kingdom of this world. And said  to Him , “I will give you all the authority and splendor. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you bow down and worship me, it will all be yours” It’s also remarkably interesting how Satan claimed the kingdom of the earth that Jesus created for being his own and brag to give him to anyone who bow down to worship him. If you don’t know what yours is, another person shall sell it to you at a price. If you don’t know who you are, the enemy is quick to whisper to you who you are a lesser being you are but in an unusual way/means. “That a man built the biggest church in the world is not an issue, not something to be excited about. The people of Satan also have money to build a big place and worship him.” – T. B. Joshua

Many people go to Church services or revival meetings and hear the word of God and get convicted that Jesus is Lord. They make up their minds to accept Jesus as Lord but while they were contemplating and standing up, a hiss permeated their  ears, “Do not make a public commitment.” Another, “You will lose close friends” That is very true, when you come to Jesus, old things shall pass away while new and better friends shall come into your life. There are so many suggestions that he has nothing to do but discourage you. However just know that Satan will always try to get us to feel the opposite from the ways it really is. He has a way of injecting thoughts and making you feel reluctant to come out. Satan is religious; that’s not new. He helps to make us religious but without Christian “where God builds a Church, the devil builds a chapel next to it.” He promotes some form of godliness but not true repentance. Most people hear the word and beginning to sink into Satan’s trap in believing that it was positive thinking but God that builds greatness of their lives. Do not lose sight Satan is still in the business and daily deceiving people into being zealous to be like God.( Zec 3;2; Rev 20:2, 12:9, 16:20) “We must not lose hope. Hope is an anchor to the souls of men. Satan would have us cast away that anchor.” – Ezra Taft Benson

When you become an instrument in God’s hands as He transfers someone from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His Son, you make a difference in the person’s eternal destiny. Not only that, but Satan also receives a devastating blow.” – Charles Stanley; “Satan wants us to constantly focus on everything that is wrong with us and look at how far we still must go. But God desires for us to rejoice in how far we have already come.” – Joyce Meyer; “Music is made one of Satan’s most attractive agencies to ensnare souls; but, when turned to a good account, it is a blessing. When abused, it leads the unconsecrated to pride, vanity, and folly. – Ellen G. White; “Satan rules the Media. But I wonder if many Christians fully understand that.” – Jimmy Swaggart; “God’s truth judges created things out of love, and Satan’s truth judges them out of envy and hatred.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

REPLACE THIS LIES OF SATAN:

Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. Proverbs 31:25 (NKJV); The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. Exodus 15:2 (NKJV) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10(NKJV) Your faith is your victory. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4  (NKJV) You’re victorious through Jesus. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV). The devil’s first strike against God was to deceive man; God’s wonderful creation made in His image. The devil has been a liar from the day he lied to Eve, the first woman, until this moment. Scripture teaches “he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).