There is no doubt that before we are Christians, Satan’s influence on our lives is very real – as real as it was in the life of Peter. But when Jesus comes inside everything changes.
I want to get the weighting right on talking about the enemy of our souls today. I don’t want to give glory to him – in fact the reverse: I want to give glory to Jesus Christ.
We come to a topic in 1 Peter which was very real to Peter. His letter was to do with the persecution which they were already facing and which was to get worse. Sometimes you get to a seemingly impossible situation, where it seems the enemy is laughing at you, where what you thought was a certain way has been blown out of the water.
The change brought about by the Resurrection took you from the hold of darkness on your life to light and freedom and power to live the right way. Before you become a Christian, there is no option. Essentially you are under the prince of the power of the air – a name for the enemy, the devil, Satan. He kicks you around as he will. That’s who you are serving. He’s a fallen angel, not a god.
But Jesus Christ has set me free form the power of sin and darkness, and I’ve come into the power of His marvellous light.
There were two occasions in Peter’s life where it hit him and he never forgot it – when Satan suddenly became personal. Earlier in 1 Peter, he refers to how things were before God changed him :-
1 Peter 2:9
1 Peter 4:3
In chapter 5, what Peter wrote was very significant :-
1 Peter 5:8
He’s against what God wants. These two occasions which hit home to Peter I want you to look at.
Matthew 16:21-23
This is before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, before the change in Peter’s heart. But suddenly words which he thought would help Jesus were recognised by Jesus as coming from Satan. All Satan thought about was the things of this world. He didn’t relish the things of God.
I can imagine when Jesus said this, it would have come as a shock.
Now, towards the end of Jesus’ ministry we have :-
Luke 22:31-34
1 Peter is really Peter outworking Jesus’ injunction to strengthen the brethren.
The oldest book in the Bible is Job. At the start of that book is a conversation between Satan and God. God asks him what he had been doing, and he said he had been walking to and fro. And Satan became personal in his confrontation with Jesus.
Matthew 4:1-5
That was personal. So we learn here that the enemy is real, and here Jesus, tempted in various ways ... from His first response ...
What I say this morning is that Jesus Christ has defeated the enemy of our souls. But the enemy is not yet in the lake of fire. What has happened – and that’s why we have an empty cross on the wall – is that Jesus Christ on the cross broke the power of sin, defeated the power of the enemy, and Satan and his hordes are defeated. And ever since then, so any Christian walks in victory and has power over the enemy. When James writes and says to resist the devil and he will flee, it’s true – he has no power over you.
Ezra 28 refers to the nature of Satan. There was Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer, and a third of heaven sided with Lucifer. We’re told how beautiful Satan was. But our next text shows us how his nature caused Satan to do what he did ...
Isaiah 14:12-14
“I will ...” You can see what Satan is all about – “I will be above God.” Before a person is a Christian, that’s the person’s nature. They’re under the dominion of Satan. They can come out from that – it’s not a matter that you’re stuck there forever. But I’m explaining the nature of Satan. “I will do what I want. I will be above God and His moral law.” It’s horrible.
Paul was aware of how Satan was.
2 Corinthians 11:13-14
Satan deceives. He was a murderer from the beginning, the dragon, the wicked one, the prince of this world. The deception he brings to those who are not a Christian is to make black white and white black. It’s the total reverse of what God wants. Jesus is the light of the world. The enemy only presents himself as something which entices, which is good, but it isn’t good.
So when something comes on Facebook which then develops ... “I must get involved with that” ... the nightclubs on Friday night “That looks good, I must get involved.” And the enemy of our souls who has control before anyone becomes a Christian, presents things which are enticing. “I’ll have a drink, another drink, what the hell?” And that phrase itself sums up the origin.
It’s significant how Paul describes the state of someone who does not have Jesus Christ inside as Lord and Saviour.
Ephesians 2:1-2
That’s how it was before someone is a Christian, before they available themselves of what Jesus Christ did at Calvary.
2 Timothy 2:25-26
In the New Living Translation, it says they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. The snare and power of the devil ... he’s not omnipresent, but he uses legions of demons (that’s how he gets round the place), he’s not omnipresent, although he would tell you he is. He uses demons and other things to outwork what he wants.
When Jesus hung on the cross, this was the ultimate. Satan thought he’d won. All the way through he knew who Jesus was. It was as if Jesus was in the position that Satan wanted to be in, and there was envy and hatred there – complete hatred. When Jesus hung on the cross, Satan gloated, and he worked through the voices of those around, and they mocked Him. “You saved others, now save yourself!” There was a watershed where the enemy thought that was it – Jesus, the son of God was finally nailed. And yet, I read ...
Colossians 2:14-15
Jesus took upon Himself the form of a servant, and said “A new commandment I give you – that you love one another.” Satan’s commandment would have been that we hate one another. He wanted darkness, uncleanness.
It’s interesting that Satan had no friends, no one he could trust, because his nature was entirely selfish. There were no friends. Inside he was isolated. And the funny thing is, when Jesus Christ triumphed on the cross and through the resurrection, He came back to life. The enemy thought he had the power of death – scripture says as much – and he thought Jesus was gone: “I’ve done it.” When Jesus was crucified and came back to life, He conquered death. Death wasn’t the end any more. Why? Because He came back to life. And the shock and horror and realisation of the enemy of our soul to realise that was it! And when Jesus said, “It is finished”, that was it. He had accomplished what He came to earth to do – to destroy the works of the devil.
So if you’re sitting here and you’re not a Christian, the fact that you’re hearing about this is because God does love you and doesn’t want you to go wrong. He knows more about you than you realise. He’s put that desire inside you, because naturally we don’t desire that. From the natural perspective, it’s a case of, “I’m going to do what I want to do – and You’re not going to stop me.”
Perhaps you’re taking the events of last year to permit you to do exactly what you want to do. But what is this [the Bible]? It’s the Word of God, a manual for right living, the news of salvation. It points us to Jesus Christ. It is the truth.
“I’m not under any authority now.” But this is the Bible, the law, the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. No wonder Peter writes “Be sober, be vigilant.” He’s writing to Christians, remember.
I’ve been talking about the character of the enemy. If you’re a Christian here this morning, these verses are particularly relevant to you.
1 Peter 5:8
I’m not in fear. But the enemy is such a fool that he thinks he can make you look at things the wrong way, when the truth is real, when Jesus Christ is the Rock on which I am founded, when Jesus Christ does live inside me, when, enemy of my soul, you are defeated. You aren’t going to win – you’ve lost already.
The enemy of our souls is on a leash. If you walk down the road and a dog appears and barks, it startles you until you realise that the fence is between you and he can’t hurt you. Maybe a thought comes into your mind – “You’re not a Christian. It’s not going to work for you or your children. Look what’s happened. It’s not going to work in your family. You’ve done that again – you’re not a Christian.” These are all barks from the dog. Or someone calls you and they drop in a piece of information in their conversation, and you think inside that if you dwell on it, it won’t be right because they’re just pulling someone down. That’s another bark. Or someone rings you up and asks if you’re going to a particular place, and you know you shouldn’t ... Put the phone down. Turn your mobile off. I’m a Christian, and He’s given the power to live right and clean. I’m not bragging, but I’m able to say this because of Him and what He has done.
1 Peter 5:9-11
He’s called us unto His eternal glory. When God looks at me, He can see the work of His son fulfilled in my life. He’s cleansed me and made me clean. And when I see Him face to face, I shall be like Him. There’s a purified character, the glory of seeing His glory in my life.
“Make you perfect” – make you thoroughly complete.
“Stablish you” – becoming resolute in a certain direction, going God’s way.
“Strengthen you” – confirm you in spiritual knowledge and power.
“Settle you” – consolidate your whole life, founded on a rock.
“I’m seventeen. I know what’s right and wrong. I don’t know if God has changed me on the inside, but I’m aware on the fact that I’m fed up of living in this twilight zone, and at times it gets to me, because I readily accept going the wrong way, and I know I shouldn’t.” God is speaking to you this morning. In your heart of hearts, God is putting His finger on your thought life, and what you really think, and He’s saying you’re right – it shouldn’t be this way, and it doesn’t have to be. And because He’s speaking like this, I’m confident that it won’t be like that. You need to open your heart – be open, turn inside and think differently. Accept by faith what we’re talking about here. Maybe you don’t want to take a stand in front of your friends. But let’s talk about you on your own. You don’t want things to be as they are. You try to sort things out, and they go wrong. Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit is saying this morning that it can be different for you.
And for all of you, no matter what the circumstances look like in your life, no matter the extent of the impossibility of you’re looking at, you need to reaffirm in your heart what God has done in your life, He is the one who has saved me, put my feet on a rock, who has prepared good things for me to walk in, who is the Lord of my life. And no matter what the enemy is barking about off-stage – that’s the truth. No matter what the enemy may throw at you, stay firm in the faith. We’re talking about Jesus Christ, the power of God, someone who is all powerful and has provided an eternal solution. That’s who we’re talking about.
To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.
1 Peter 5:11-14
Sunday, 3 May 2009
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