The Adversary Now Seeks to Ruin Eden II

The reason I wrote youwas to see if you wouldstand the test. . . In orderthat Satan might notoutwit you . . . For weare not unaware of hisschemes (2Cor 2:9-11NIV)

PURPOSEPURPOSEDESIGNDESIGN

MISSIONMISSION

SATAN’S WHOLESATAN’S WHOLE

ISIS

ButBut

TO TURN TO TURN CHURCHESCHURCHESINTOINTO

dysfunctionaldysfunctional counterfeitcounterfeit religiousreligious societiessocieties

dysfunctionaldysfunctional counterfeitcounterfeit religiousreligious societiessocieties

C URCH

HH

A CounterfeitA CounterfeitDys-Dys-functionalfunctionalSocialSocialOrganizationOrganization

Satan’s Satan’s Deception IIDeception II

The The Fall IIFall II

His model ofHis model of

Back inBack inSatan’s TrapSatan’s Trap

very deceptive and very deceptive and hard to recognize hard to recognize as phonyas phony

Satan’sSatan’scounterfeitcounterfeitmodel ismodel isC

HURH

COUNTERFEITCOUNTERFEIT

C

LOCALLOCALCHURCHCHURCH

CHURCHCHURCHCHURCHCHURCH

LOCALLOCALCHURCHCHURCHLOCALLOCAL

CHURCHCHURCH

AUTHENTICAUTHENTIC

CHURCHCHURCHAUTHENTICAUTHENTIC

CHURCHCHURCH

Dys-Dys-functionalfunctionalDys-Dys-functionalfunctional

HumanHumaninstitutioninstitutionHumanHumaninstitutioninstitution

Fully-Fully-functionalfunctional

BiblicalBiblicalcommunitycommunity

CHURH

COUNTERFEITCOUNTERFEIT

C

What Do WeWhat Do WeKnow AboutKnow AboutThis FormidableThis FormidableAdversary?Adversary?

•Real•Profoundly evil•A power to be reckoned

with

He is:

•Adversary•Accuser•Tempter•Deceiver•Enemy•Author of Havoc•Prince of unseen powers

He is described as the:

•Prince of this world•God of this world•Murderer•Father of lies•Abductor who takes people captive•Prince of demons who heads an

organized kingdom

His prime target isthe church

Never underestimatehim

In theearlydays

Today

He is astonishinglyclever

His doom is sure

BUT

Satan will be Satan will be hurled down hurled down one last timeone last time

How can we cope with him in the meantime?

•Monitor the way we think•Take God as our Model•Put up a fight•Use our weapons & armor•Flee to Jesus

Michael Green:Church needs to recover:

1. Awareness we are truly in a great spiritual warfare

2. Reliance on truth

3. Unity

4. Mission

Michael Green:Victorious ones have conquered

Satan by:

1. The blood of the Lamb

2. The word of their testimony

3. Total commitment to the Lord “unto death itself”

Rev. 12:9-11

“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the Devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you willSuffer persecution . . . Be faithful, even to thepoint of death, and I willgive you the crown of life.