Sermon Central
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Living In Lion Country
Contributed by Karl Sexton on Aug 3, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: We are all facing a real battle with a real devil and we need to know our enemy and how to defeat him.
Living In Lion Country
Intro:
We have a real foe and he has many names, but the one you may recognize is Satan or the devil. Many today believe that Satan is a myth¡Xa figment of someone¡¦s imagination. Many are being devoured because they do not recognize the enemy. Some doubt his existence.
Well, you may doubt the existence of the devil but the Word of God declares his existence¡XHe is mentioned in 7 OT books; Genesis, 1 Chron., Job (12 times), Psalms, Isaiah, Ezek., and Zech. There are 19 books in the NT that give reference to the devil; every writer in the NT refers to the devil; Jesus referred to the devil approximately 15 times.
The Bible refers to Satan a total of 174 times. Satan is alive and well. My friend, Satan is alive and well and actively and aggressively at work on planet earth.
C.S. Lewis the noted English scholar said, ¡§There are two equal and opposite dangers. One is to deny the existence of the devil and the other is to become preoccupied with him.¡¨
Well, I want to take a look at Satan and expose him for who he is:
1 Peter 5:8¡X¡§Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:¡¨
In this chapter Peter gives the essential attitudes that a Christian must have¡Xsubmission (v5); humility (vv5-6); trust (v7); self-control (v8a); Vigilance or alertness (v8b). As Christians, we must cultivate these attitudes if we are going to face the fierce enemy we will look at today.
Peter identifies Satan as ¡§your adversary, the devil¡¨¡Xthe pronoun your makes it personal. Well, I want to help you identify a few things about your enemy so you can be more alert and live victoriously! Either be lion alert or you will be lion desert!!
Living in Lion Country
1. Where Does the Lion Live?
2. What is the Lion Like?
3. How Is the Lion Licked? (Defeated)
Peter warns Christians to ¡§Beware of the Lion¡¨. The Bible reveals that Satan has lion-like characteristics. Let¡¦s look at the lion:
1. Where Does the Lion Live?
„h The Bible speaks of Satan in heaven at one time¡XHe was called Lucifer! However, because of pride he fell from heaven. This account is found in Ezekiel 28:12-19 and Isaiah 14:12-14.
„h Even Jesus spoke of Satan¡¦s fall in Luke 10:18¡X¡§And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.¡¨
„h In Job 1:7 we read, ¡§And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.¡¨--Here we see the great accuser
„h Satan fell with the rebellious angels from heaven to earth¡XJesus spoke of the devil and his angels in Matthew 25:41¡X¡§Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:¡¨
„h Well, for now, Satan¡¦s domain is here on earth:
„h 2 Cor. 4:4¡X¡§In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.¡¨
„h Jesus called Satan the ¡§prince of this world¡¨
„h Ephesians 2:2¡X¡§Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:¡¨
„h Satan heads a kingdom which is hostile to the kingdom of God
„h Once again, Peter said, ¡§Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:¡¨
„h He is roaming earth like a lion, prowling, seeking someone to devour or swallow up!
„h Where does the lion live? On earth!
„h Satan and his demon force is everywhere. Stronger in some places than others but he has his forces strategically placed everywhere! Anywhere there are sheep, Satan is prowling!
„h Where does the Lion Live? To quote from the Encyclopedia, ¡§They are most abundant in grassland areas where game is most plentiful;¡¨
1. Where Does the Lion Live?
Well, he is not in hell yet.
2. What Is The Lion Like?
A. The Strength of a Lion
Proverbs 30:30¡X¡§ A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;¡¨
„h I have read that a lion has the strength of 21 men
„h Satan is a powerful foe! He has supernatural strength
„h The attack of a lion is vicious and overpowering!
„h He has the power to possess a sinner and oppress a Christian
Illus: It is startling to think that Satan can actually come into the heart of a man in such close touch with Jesus as Judas was. And more¡Xhe is cunningly trying to do it today. Yet he can get in only through a door opened from the inside. Every man controls the door of his own life. Satan can¡¦t get in without our help.
