The Deception of Satan (Gen.3:1-5)
-Nowadays many people follow the scientific method and mindset as their standard. However, science cannot resolve fully the mental problems and spiritual affliction of human beings. Science has its limitation to explain the spiritual truth. But, the Bible expounds on what we must know.
Psalms 119:130, The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
-The Word of God gives us true understanding of the spiritual things. Especially, only the Bible exactly teaches Satan. Who is Satan? What is his deception?
1.Who is Satan?
1)meaning of Satan
-Satan comes from Hebrew word, Satan. It means “adversary” and “enemy.” The devil comes form Greek word, ‘ho diabolos.’ It means “the one who accuses and blames,” “false accuser,” and “slanderer.” These meanings show who Satan is and what he does.
2)Because he is arrogant, Satan was cast out
①Because Satan tried to become like God in his arrogance and self-price, he opposed God and was cast out
-Originally, Satan was an archangel. However, he was corrupted to become like God.
Ezekiel 28:14-17 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. 16 “By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.
Isaiah 14:12-14 How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.
②Although Satan was cast out, he has the power of the air
-Satan who has the power has worked in unbelievers and this world
Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
2.The deception of the devil
1)Satan deceives human beings
①The devil is a liar who has no truth in him.
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
②The devil approached Adam and Eve and deceived them to depart form God’s Word (Gen.3:1-6)
-Adam and Eve disbelieved and disobeyed God’s Word. They followed the sayings of Satan and faced the destruction, disasters, and curses.
③Satan’s best scheme and temptation are to make people leave and disbelieve God’s Word.
-Do not fall into unbelief and disobedience toward God’s Word!
2)Satan divides people and plays both sides against the middle.
①Satan makes mischief between God and human beings (Gen.2:16-17; 3:4-5)
-The relation between God an human beings is the covenantal relationship through the Word of God (Gen.2:16-17). Satan tempted Adam and Even to depart this relationship through his deception to become like God (Gen.3:4-5).
②Satan makes separate interpersonal relation.
Genesis 2;23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.
Genesis 3:12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”
③Satan accuses us, exposing our mistakes and faults.
Rev. 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
3)The devil hate that people become happy.
-What is the way to be happy? It is to restore the original state of human beings. To restore the covenantal relationship with God is to believe in only Jesus Christ who resolved the problem of sin, separation from God, and slaves of Satan (Rom.8:1-2; John14:6; 1 John 3:8).
①Satan prevents you from listening to the Gospel, making you confusion.
2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
②Satan hinders you from holding on to the Word of God.
-Satan tries to take away the Word of God from you. Satan plants worries, anxieties, dreads, lusts, and desires in you.
Mark 4:15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Mark 4:18-19 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
③Satan, who had the power of death, threatens people with death and leads people to commit suicide.
Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
④Eventually, the devil tries to drag people into hell.
-Hell is prepared for the devil and evil spiritㄴ. If someone is the child of the devil, he/she will go hell because of his/her spiritual identity.
Matthew 25:41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
3.Do not be deceived by Satan!
1)You must have the Word of God in order not to be deceived by the devil.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
-To obey God means to hold onto and to obey God’s Word. To take the Word of God means that we have “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph.6:18). We can fight against Satan and his deception. We can receive God’s guidance in the temptation and deception of Satan.
2)You must receive spiritual instructions from pastors, ministers, and the church.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
-Whenever we listen to the message, we should have the mind and attitude to consider it not as the word of men, but as the word of God. It is a significant mindset to find God’s Word to you.
3)You must have fellowship of faith with the faithful.
2 Timothy 2:17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
-Unbelief is spiritual cancer. It easily spreads to all people. Do not be deceived by unbelief.
Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
-We should have spiritual fellowship with other Christians through the Word, prayer, and evangelism.
Conclusion
1)Use the name of Jesus Christ!
1 John 3:8 (ESV) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
-Jesus Christ is the true King to destroy the works of Satan. Use Jesus’ name against the activity of Satan.
Luke 10:19, Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.