The Devil is Bad - Luke 22:31
July 9, 2023
59% of American Christians believe satan is not a living being, but merely a symbol of evil.
64% of American Christians believe a person can be under demonic influence. —Barna Research
tough to take authority over devil and demons when we don’t even believe they exist… bible clearly says otherwise… devil (32)… demons (48)… satan (53)…
Job 9:22-24… “he destroys the blameless and wicked… if it is not God, who is it…”
Luke 4:1-13… “the devil said… and Jesus answered him… it is written…”
1Tim 4:1-3… “follow deceptive spirits and teaching that comes from demons…”
Heb 2:14… “thru His death… destroyed one holding power of death, the devil…”
Jam 2:19… “you believe God is one… demons believe and shudder (extreme fear)…”
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. His second greatest trick was convincing the world he’s the good guy. —-
all believers have authority over satan and his demons… all believers…
Matt 10:7-8… “as you go… heal sick, raise dead, drive out demons… freely give…”
Mark 16:17-18… “those who believe… in My Name they will drive out demons…”
Luke 9:1… “He gave them power and authority over all the demons…”
what is devil’s main purpose… steal, kill and destroy… in order to do that he must first sift you… separate you from Jesus… don’t have to let him (devo)… pray…
Luke 22:31… “Simon, look out… satan has asked to sift you like wheat…”
John 10:10… “thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy…”
devil tries to separate you from Jesus… isolate you from church family (stories)…
Gen 2:18… “it is not good for man to be alone…”
Prov 18:1… “one who isolates himself pursues selfish desires… rejects all sound wisdom…”
Eccl 4:9-12… “two better than one… someone who falls alone is in real trouble…”
Mark 5:1-20… “demon possessed man… lived in tombs… and deserted places…”
Rom 12:5… “we are many, but one body in Christ… members of one another…”
1Cor 5:4… “when you are assembled in the name of Jesus… there is power…”
Gal 6:2… “carry one another’s burdens…”
1Thess 5:11… “encourage one another… build each other up…”
Heb 10:24-25… “motivate one another to love… not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing… but encouraging each other daily…”
no possibility of demons not obeying the Name of Jesus… you have power and authority… the Name belongs to you… devil is terrified of those who know that…
Luke 10:17-19… “demons submit to us in Your Name… I’ve given you authority…”
Phil 2:9-10… “at name of Jesus… every knee will bow… in heaven, earth, hell…”
1John 4:4… “the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world…”
make no mistake… you are in a fight… you are in a battle… you are in a war… devil is not playing games… time we stop playing and start fighting back…
Deut 28:7… “the Lord will cause your enemies to be defeated…”
Psa 91… “because you have made the Lord your dwelling… no harm will come…”
Isa 54:14-17… “established in righteousness… no weapon against will succeed…”
Rom 8:31-39… “we overwhelmingly conquer thru Him who loved us…”
2Cor 10:4-5… “use God’s mighty weapons to destroy false arguments…”
1Thess 5:6-8… “be on your guard… stay alert and clearheaded… put on armor…”
James 4:7… “submit to God… resist the devil, and he will flee from you…”
1Pet 5:8… “stay alert… watch out for your enemy… devil is like a roaring lion…”
what’s key to fighting back… prayer… more specifically, praying in Spirit…
Mark 16:17… “signs follow believers… cast out demons… speak in new tongues…”
Eph 6:10-18… “armor… and/thru… praying at all times in the Spirit… stay alert…”
Col 4:12… “Epaphras, always wrestling for you in prayer… stand in will of God…”
agonizomai… to combat; struggling with difficulty and danger; contend with adversaries…
please understand… you’re not wrestling with God… already established that in all situations His will is to bless you… you’re wrestling with a real enemy…
Rom 8:28… “all things work together for good… to those called according to His purpose…”
Eph 1… “blessed with every blessing in Christ… works everything to purpose of His will…”
1Thess 5:18… “give thanks in everything… this is God’s will for you in Christ…”
thelema… what one wishes; purpose of God to bless mankind thru Christ; desire, pleasure…
even Christians can be influenced and oppressed by devil (not possessed)… you have free will… can choose to yield to whatever you want… good or bad… exposure leads to thoughts, thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions…
Prov 4:23… “guard your heart above all else… out of it come the issues of life…”
Prov 23:6… “as a man thinks in his heart… so is he…”
Matt 7:13-14… “wide path leads to destruction… narrow path leads to life…”
how does this work… command the enemy… not God or the person (useless)…
Exo 14… “why are you crying to Me, break camp, lift up your staff, divide sea…”
Matt 8:28-34… “go, he told them… and they came out and entered the pigs…”
Mark 9:14-29… “mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out… it came out…”
Luke 4:31-37… “be silent and come out of him… and the demon came out…”
Acts 16:16-18… “command you in Name of Jesus to come out… and it came out…”
Eph 6:12… “struggle not against flesh and blood… but against spiritual forces of evil…”
there are conditions… must be a child of God… know and believe authority…
Hos 4:6… “My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge… rejected knowledge…”
Acts 19:11-20… “tried to use Name… Jesus I know, Paul I know, who are you…”
Eph 4:18… “excluded from life of God… by ignorance and hard heart…”
1John 5:4… “every child of God defeats evil world… victory comes thru faith…”
stay alert… devil will try to come back… not a one-time fight…
Matt 12:43-45… “when evil spirit leaves… I will return to where I came from…”
Luke 4:13… “devil finished tempting… left Him until the next opportunity came…”
Heb 10:32… “after you were enlightened… endured hard struggle with suffering…”
power is in the Name… power is in praise and thanks… stay close to God… He is source of our victory… put on His armor and use His weapons… pray…
2Sam 22:4… “I praised the Lord… was saved (delivered, victorious) from enemies…”
Matt 21:16 (Psa 8:2)… “praise is the strength which silences your enemies…”