The Use of the Word of God Against Satanic Deception Part 2
The Use of the Word of God Against Satanic Deception
Part 2
Last week we began a series entitled “The Use of the Word of God Against Satanic Deception.” This week we will look at how Satan accuses us before God.
The Satan principle in accusing humanity:
“The LORD said to Satan, ‘From where have you come?’ Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it. Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘Does Job fear God for no reason? …But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face’” (Job 1:6-12).
This passage shows that Satan roams the earth “seeking whom he may devour” and uses accusations and circumstantial challenges against us.
The apostle Peter, referring to this Job narrative, warns believers to be vigilant against this adversarial being who roams the earth in search of those he can attack (1 Peter 5:8-9).
In the book of Job, we also see that Satan targets, through accusations, those who God brags about. He brings about challenging circumstances to them with the ultimate goal of turning them against God. Hence, a believer’s spiritual resistance level is commensurate to his holiness, assignment, and intimate walk with God.
The wilderness narrative of Satan against Jesus:
After Jesus was baptized, the Father said to Him, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).
Satan immediately attempted to undermine the word of the Father to Jesus by saying to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:1-4).
Notice how the Father told Jesus, “You are my beloved Son,” and Satan said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God…” He attempted to put doubt in Jesus’ mind about His sonship. The devil also tried to get Jesus to earn His Father’s approval by performing a miracle even though the Father had already referred to Him as His beloved Son.
Further on in this chapter, we see how the devil quoted Scripture out of context to provoke Jesus to jump off the pinnacle of the temple (Psalm 91:11-12). In addition, he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would worship him (Matthew 4:5-11).
However, in every instance, Jesus ALWAYS quoted Scripture when resisting the devil, even though He is the Word of God (John 1:1). He utilized the same scriptures we use. If Jesus depended upon the Scriptures to resist the evil one, how much more do believers need to know the Word of God to resist the wiles of the devil?
Unfortunately, God’s people are destroyed because of their ignorance of God’s Word (Hosea 4:6; Isaiah 5:13-14). The serpent becomes a dragon who influences world governments and their concomitant religious entities. The serpent’s deception is related to individual and systemic sin. Hence, even if we are not engaged in individual sin but conform to the worldview of secular society, we are in great error.
John, the apostle, shows us that the operation of the serpent on a worldwide scale turns him into a dragon after the proliferation of sin gave him more power and authority (Revelation 12:7-12).
Revelation 13 also illustrates how the dragon worked through the former Roman imperial government and possibly through various emperors and empires (The beast can refer to either an individual or a kingdom).
“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea… [a]nd to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority…” (Revelation 13:1-4).
Furthermore, the dragon works through another beast through government-controlled and conformist religions.
“Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast… It performs great signs” (Revelation 13:11-13).
The first beast is a wicked secular government, and the second is likely a religious entity since it looks like a lamb, performing miracles and provoking worship.
Throughout history, we have seen compromised Christians and churches support and conform both to the world and the unbiblical allegiance to wicked governments. For example, in Nazi Germany, at least two-thirds of the churches conformed to the socialist government and went along with Hitler and his demonic agenda and ideology. Presently, we see the unfortunate demise of the church of England, which now bless alternative forms of unbiblical marriage. The Russian Orthodox bishop, Krill, and his conforming Orthodox priests, who support the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and numerous historic Protestant denominations, have drunk the wine of this world and become intoxicated with the proximity of power and cultural affirmation. Consequently, any religion that is an appendage of a political party or secular government may comport to the criteria of the second beast of Revelation 13 and bear the mark of the beast on their foreheads and arms (Revelation 13:16).
(The mark on the forehead represents their conformist ideology, and their hands represent their actions against God and His Kingdom).
The apostles urged us not to conform to the standards and values of this world system and to have the Name of Yaheweh on our foreheads (Romans 12:2;1 Peter 4:2; Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:4).
Hence, we have to be wary of any church and movement that conforms to the world and interprets the Scripture through the lens of culture rather than interpreting culture through the lens of Scripture. In conclusion, now more than ever, we need to be people of the book to develop discernment (Psalm 119:97-104; Hebrews 5:11-6:1). We must allow His Word to transform our inner desires and thoughts so we will not give place to the devil (Psalm 119:11; Ephesians 4:26-27).
We need to utilize the Scripture as the “Sword of the Spirit to cast down reasonings and imaginations that come against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). We need to utilize the Scripture as both a defensive weapon to protect our mind (helmet of salvation) and offensive weapon (Sword of the Spirit) to counterattack the evil one” (Ephesians 6:17).
Finally, we must consistently participate in a local congregation to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches through the preached word (Revelations 2-3).
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