PUT OUT THE FIRE OF DECEPTION
Last Monday we talked about Satan’s tactic of covering his actions by encouraging people to deny his existence. Our bucket brigade is taking the water of the Word to the pastors and Christians enabling them to quench the fire of demonic opposition. We bring the truth of Satan’s power but also more importantly of Jesus’ victory over him (1 John 4:4). We also bring God’s truth against the deceptiveness Satan uses.
Satan allows himself to be portrayed as more of a superstition from the Middle Ages than a reality today. He is seen as a vague force in the past, not active today and someone we don’t have to worry about. He is a little man in a red suit with a pitchfork. He is seen as a joke. Halloween plays right into this with all the darkness and death and evil portrayed in fun, harmless ways. Because of this, many are deceived into believing that he is weak.
Other people in places like India are deceived into believing that he is too powerful to overcome. There Satan manifests his evil power in any way he can so that he controls people by fear. Demonic displays are frequent and convincing. His reputation as a power that cannot be defeated is well established.
Only the water of the Word can quench the fires of deception, for it alone show the truth. It shows that Satan is powerful but not all-powerful (Ephesians 6:10-17) and that God is greater (1 John 4:4). It also show that he seeks to destroy us like a lion seeks to destroy his prey (1 Peter 5:8) but that he can’t defeat believers and that God will ultimately prevail (Luke 10:17-19). Satan knows this; we need to know it as well.
Rev 12:9 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
In what ways are you open to deception about Satan? Do you think he will leave you alone if you ignore him? Or do you fear him and what he might bring into your life? If either of these is trues, confess them as sin and read the verses I’ve referred to so you can see God’s truth.
For more information on the subject of spiritual warfare go to SW.ChristianTrainingOrganization.org or email me at jerry@schmoyer.net and I’ll send you a free copy of my Spiritual Warfare Handbook.