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Knowing Your Enemy Pt. 1

By Ryan Mercer

 
Knowing your enemy, the adversary. First where did he come from? Genesis 1:1 , Exodus 20:11 , Nehemiah 9:6 , Colossians 1:16 Shows us that God was in the beginning, not Satan, God made everything. God made Satan. So ask yourself, which is more powerful? The Creator or the creation?

This is an age of many voices, often times the voices compete one another, often times the voices completely contradict one another... and yet God has said in Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

It is somewhat hard to be still in this day and age, it is sometimes difficult to shut out the noise and information that floods our lives, yet God says we must learn to be still to know that he is God. Sometimes the subtlest of all voices is that of the Adversary. The Adversary speaks to us on a daily business through words, through actions, through books, the news, the television, through the radio, through music, movies, other people, the Adversary's voice comes to us more often than most know and will even believe.

We must train ourselves to discern the voice of the Adversary. He is a deceiver, a schemer, he often passes himself off as a good guy, often even passes himself off as God. You ask, 'How can I better discern the voice of the Adversary when he speaks to my heart?'.

 In Matthew chapter 4, we discover seven clues or signs that can help us. The Voice of the Adversary will come to you in moments of weakness and vulnerability. The voice of the Adversary will sound very reasonable. The voice of the Adversary will usually appeal to the flesh be it wants or needs of the flesh. The voice of the Adversary will advocate disobedience to God's law. The voice of the Adversary will typically propose a shortcut. The voice of the Adversary will seek to lead us to overlook the consequences of our choices. The voice of the Adversary will seek to force God's plan for your life.

Satan has been active since creation, he takes many forms. Satan knows scripture and fears God, he has been known to use scripture in his deception (Genesis 3:1 , Matthew 4:6 ). Satan was once an angel and fell from heaven due to his pride (Isaiah 14:12-17 ), we too can fall from our Father's grace due to our pride. Ephesians 6:11 tells us to "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

Put your faith in God and listen to His Word. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers (2Corinthians 4:3-4 ) so they do not detect his influence in their life. If you are strong in your faith and live your life for God you will be protected by Him. Satan will assault believers to get them to fall from the grace of God (Ephesians 6:12 , Ephesians 6:12 , Galatians 3:1-2 ). Satan tempts us to sin (Genesis 3:1-6 , I Chronicles 21:1 , Matthew 4:1 ) so that we might lose our witness and faith in God, so that he might lead us away from the Love of God.

Tools of Satan include pride, lust, sodomy, witchcraft, un-forgiveness, addiction, division, contention, bitterness, divorce, greed, rage, suicide, idolatry, selfishness, self-rejection, judgmental ways, criticism, hate, murder, revenge, anger, confusion, fantasy, pornography, gambling, Satanism, legalism, atheism, passiveness, violence, and many others.

 He tires to entice us, oppress us, possess us.

He attacks with surprise, goes after our weaknesses, goes after our strengths, manipulates the Word of God, he accuses believers. He finds strength in darkness, deception, intimidation, ignorance, confusion, doubt, lies, unrighteousness, condemnation, far, destruction, false teachings, detraction. Satan's power is limited (Job 1:9-12 , 1 Corinthians 10:13 ).  But, his power is real (2 Corinthians 11:3 , Exodus 7:11-12 , 1 Samuel 28:12-20 , Daniel 10:13 , Daniel 11:13 ).

The best way to combat Satan is to know God, know the Word of God, and avoid Satan's temptations. Through good fellowship, scripture study, prayer, and faith we can resist and repel Satan from our lives.

Click Here for Knowing Your Enemy Pt. 2

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