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What is Satan's goal for our lives?
Once we have accepted The sacrifice Jesus has provided, we are to begin a process of growth. Over time as we mature we should progress to the solid food in scripture. Nothing is wrong with milk but we should not live our life as babes. |
Here is his plan
Hebrews 5:12-14 (KJV)
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,
ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;
and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness:
for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Vs 14 says solid food is for those who are of full age, (those who are spiritually mature).
How did they get that way?
It says by reason of use,
their senses are exercised to discern what is good and what is evil.
What this is saying is in order to mature spiritually and be able to properly discern both good and evil you must get past the milk.
This will require an effort to study, pray for wisdom and understanding,
and put to use what truth you have been given in order to receive more.
What is Satan’s goal for all Christians?
Genesis 3:1-3 (KJV)
1 Now the serpent was more subtil
than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman,
Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,
God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Satan is cunning, deceitful, artful in the way he presents things.
He has cleverly thought out this plan hiding his true intentions.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
God deals only in truth,
Satan however uses a mixture of truth and lies in order to deceive.
He tells her that God hasn’t been completely honest with her,
and brings into question Gods character and motives.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to make one wise,
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Here is a picture of sin.
The lust of the flesh-(good for food).
The lust of the eyes-(attractive in appearance).
The pride of life-(it will make one wise).
When you question Gods character,
you will think He is holding out on you vs. protecting you.
Lets jump ahead to when God is questioning them.
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me,
she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Why is it the only way out of sin seems to always be ignored,
repent and agree with God, then ask for forgiveness.
Instead Adam excuses sin and blames Eve.
Genesis 3:13 (KJV)
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?
And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Adam and Eve both sinned, both disobeyed and both were removed from Gods garden.
Today Satan has the same goal for us, he wants us to question Gods true character, His honesty, unselfishness, His love and desire for a close relationship with us.
Most of all he wants us to discount Gods laws of protection.
Recap
Satan’s goal for Gods people is to get them into disobedience.
He would prefer willful disobedience like Adam,
but if that won’t work he will be happy with deceiving people into disobedience like Eve.
Why is it so important to Satan that we are in disobedience ?
Is it just because he wants to make God mad or spite Him ?
Disobedience leads to a damaged relationship with God.
There are some great benefits in a life of obedience to God and Satan knows it.
Lets look at some of the benefits.
Benefits of obedience- Protection and Blessing
In this next story Balak the king of Moab
tried to hire Balaam to place a curse on Gods people who came out of Egypt,
he tried several times unsuccessfully to bring them harm.
Here’s what happened.
Numbers 22:11-12 (KJV)
11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them,
and drive them out.
12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them;
thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
Balaam was asked to place a curse on them but God said no!
This is solid food, do you realize the significance of this?
Do you know why God would not allow this to happen?
Was it because they were Gods chosen people?
Because they were special?
Keep reading.
Again he tries,
Numbers 23:20 (KJV)
20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless:
and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
Satan cannot curse what God has blessed!
Numbers 23:21 (KJV)
21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel:
the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Here is the reason!
The blessing and protection are in place because of obedience, it says He has not observed iniquity (sin) or wickedness in them, therefore God is with them.
There is a hedge of protection around them that Satan can not get through.
Another benefit is- Answered Prayer
Psalm 66:17-19 (KJV)
17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Sin will put a wall between you and God.
This says we can be sure if we don’t hold sin in our heart
God will attend to the voice of our prayer.
There may be an issue of Gods timing involved when we pray but not His deafness.
Proverbs 28:9 (KJV)
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
A person living a life, disobedient to Gods commandments
is wasting their breath in prayer, unless it is a prayer of repentance.
God is not interested in blessing a sinful lifestyle.
1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV)
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD,
he hath also rejected thee from being king.
The prophet Samuel told king Saul that he was going to be replaced because of continued disobedience to God.
Rebellion, stubbornness and rejecting the word of the Lord led to
God not listening to Saul’s prayers at the end of his life.
A third benefit is- Wisdom and Understanding
Proverbs 2:6-8 (KJV)
6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous:
he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
This says God's sound wisdom is stored up for those who
live (or walk) uprightly (or obediently) regarding His commandments.
In Daniel 9 disaster has come on Israel because of sin,
or (disobedience to Gods commandments).
Daniel here is praying and acknowledging that fact.
Daniel 9:13 (KJV)
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us:
yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God,
that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
Daniel knows that to understand Gods truth we first must turn from iniquity, (or sin).
If we are living in disobedience,
God will not give us wisdom and understanding of His truth.
Psalm 111:10 (KJV)
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:
a good understanding have all they that do his commandments:
his praise endureth for ever.
A good understanding is given to who?
To those who do His commandments.
Its not enough to know scripture, we must obey it.
Psalm 119:33-34 (KJV)
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law;
yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
The purpose of all understanding truth is always so that we can obey it.
Psalm 119:72-73 (KJV)
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me:
give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
We can only live in harmony with God, through obedience of His commandments.
1 John 2:3-4 (KJV)
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.
Satan is fully aware of the benefits of an obedient life,
and will do all he can to prevent it from happening.
Recap
3 benefits of Obedience
Protection and Blessing--- That Satan can’t get through.
Answered Prayer --- We know God hears us.
Wisdom and Understanding-- He teaches us His word and truth.
Satan wants us to be powerless against him, he wants us unprotected, unblessed, unheard in prayer, and without understanding of Gods word.
The way he accomplishes all of this is getting us into disobedience to God.
Remember Satan wants us to question Gods character,
because we cant believe Gods word if we don’t trust His character.
Lets finish with two characters.
1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
This is Satan’s character, his desire is to do us harm.
He is looking for someone without Gods hedge of protection,
because he cant just sink his teeth into anyone he wants to.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV)
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
Here is God’s character,
when you read this you see the love of a Father.
He is eagerly searching the whole earth with a strong desire
to prove Himself to anyone who will just trust Him.
He is searching for anyone who will just love Him back,
(through obedience).
Hebrews 5:12-14 (KJV)
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,
ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;
and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness:
for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Vs 14 says solid food is for those who are of full age, (those who are spiritually mature).
How did they get that way?
It says by reason of use,
their senses are exercised to discern what is good and what is evil.
What this is saying is in order to mature spiritually and be able to properly discern both good and evil you must get past the milk.
This will require an effort to study, pray for wisdom and understanding,
and put to use what truth you have been given in order to receive more.
What is Satan’s goal for all Christians?
Genesis 3:1-3 (KJV)
1 Now the serpent was more subtil
than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman,
Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,
God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Satan is cunning, deceitful, artful in the way he presents things.
He has cleverly thought out this plan hiding his true intentions.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
God deals only in truth,
Satan however uses a mixture of truth and lies in order to deceive.
He tells her that God hasn’t been completely honest with her,
and brings into question Gods character and motives.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to make one wise,
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Here is a picture of sin.
The lust of the flesh-(good for food).
The lust of the eyes-(attractive in appearance).
The pride of life-(it will make one wise).
When you question Gods character,
you will think He is holding out on you vs. protecting you.
Lets jump ahead to when God is questioning them.
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me,
she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Why is it the only way out of sin seems to always be ignored,
repent and agree with God, then ask for forgiveness.
Instead Adam excuses sin and blames Eve.
Genesis 3:13 (KJV)
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?
And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Adam and Eve both sinned, both disobeyed and both were removed from Gods garden.
Today Satan has the same goal for us, he wants us to question Gods true character, His honesty, unselfishness, His love and desire for a close relationship with us.
Most of all he wants us to discount Gods laws of protection.
Recap
Satan’s goal for Gods people is to get them into disobedience.
He would prefer willful disobedience like Adam,
but if that won’t work he will be happy with deceiving people into disobedience like Eve.
Why is it so important to Satan that we are in disobedience ?
Is it just because he wants to make God mad or spite Him ?
Disobedience leads to a damaged relationship with God.
There are some great benefits in a life of obedience to God and Satan knows it.
Lets look at some of the benefits.
Benefits of obedience- Protection and Blessing
In this next story Balak the king of Moab
tried to hire Balaam to place a curse on Gods people who came out of Egypt,
he tried several times unsuccessfully to bring them harm.
Here’s what happened.
Numbers 22:11-12 (KJV)
11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them,
and drive them out.
12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them;
thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
Balaam was asked to place a curse on them but God said no!
This is solid food, do you realize the significance of this?
Do you know why God would not allow this to happen?
Was it because they were Gods chosen people?
Because they were special?
Keep reading.
Again he tries,
Numbers 23:20 (KJV)
20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless:
and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
Satan cannot curse what God has blessed!
Numbers 23:21 (KJV)
21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel:
the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Here is the reason!
The blessing and protection are in place because of obedience, it says He has not observed iniquity (sin) or wickedness in them, therefore God is with them.
There is a hedge of protection around them that Satan can not get through.
Another benefit is- Answered Prayer
Psalm 66:17-19 (KJV)
17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Sin will put a wall between you and God.
This says we can be sure if we don’t hold sin in our heart
God will attend to the voice of our prayer.
There may be an issue of Gods timing involved when we pray but not His deafness.
Proverbs 28:9 (KJV)
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
A person living a life, disobedient to Gods commandments
is wasting their breath in prayer, unless it is a prayer of repentance.
God is not interested in blessing a sinful lifestyle.
1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV)
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD,
he hath also rejected thee from being king.
The prophet Samuel told king Saul that he was going to be replaced because of continued disobedience to God.
Rebellion, stubbornness and rejecting the word of the Lord led to
God not listening to Saul’s prayers at the end of his life.
A third benefit is- Wisdom and Understanding
Proverbs 2:6-8 (KJV)
6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous:
he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
This says God's sound wisdom is stored up for those who
live (or walk) uprightly (or obediently) regarding His commandments.
In Daniel 9 disaster has come on Israel because of sin,
or (disobedience to Gods commandments).
Daniel here is praying and acknowledging that fact.
Daniel 9:13 (KJV)
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us:
yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God,
that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
Daniel knows that to understand Gods truth we first must turn from iniquity, (or sin).
If we are living in disobedience,
God will not give us wisdom and understanding of His truth.
Psalm 111:10 (KJV)
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:
a good understanding have all they that do his commandments:
his praise endureth for ever.
A good understanding is given to who?
To those who do His commandments.
Its not enough to know scripture, we must obey it.
Psalm 119:33-34 (KJV)
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law;
yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
The purpose of all understanding truth is always so that we can obey it.
Psalm 119:72-73 (KJV)
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me:
give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
We can only live in harmony with God, through obedience of His commandments.
1 John 2:3-4 (KJV)
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.
Satan is fully aware of the benefits of an obedient life,
and will do all he can to prevent it from happening.
Recap
3 benefits of Obedience
Protection and Blessing--- That Satan can’t get through.
Answered Prayer --- We know God hears us.
Wisdom and Understanding-- He teaches us His word and truth.
Satan wants us to be powerless against him, he wants us unprotected, unblessed, unheard in prayer, and without understanding of Gods word.
The way he accomplishes all of this is getting us into disobedience to God.
Remember Satan wants us to question Gods character,
because we cant believe Gods word if we don’t trust His character.
Lets finish with two characters.
1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
This is Satan’s character, his desire is to do us harm.
He is looking for someone without Gods hedge of protection,
because he cant just sink his teeth into anyone he wants to.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV)
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
Here is God’s character,
when you read this you see the love of a Father.
He is eagerly searching the whole earth with a strong desire
to prove Himself to anyone who will just trust Him.
He is searching for anyone who will just love Him back,
(through obedience).