Sermon Central
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Ignore Satan's Signs
Contributed by Larry Jones on Mar 10, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: Satan often tries, but has no right to prevent God’s children from entering into His blessings.
Ignore Satan’s Signs 1 Peter 5:8-9
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. [KJV]
(Hold Up A NO TRESPASSING Sign)
You may recognize this sign as a barricade to entering certain areas.
Just as with men Satan tries to keep you out of certain areas. These are the areas in God’s will. Often Satan’s attempts are obvious, other times they are not. His subtle ways are there to confuse you into believing that God’s ways are off limits. He goes to where you are and gets between there and where you need to be. It is in that place that he tries to fool you by saying, "Keep Out", or "No Trespassing".
He does this in such a way that you forget your inheritance and your power in Christ.
However we can find victory if we remember that Satan can’t put up No Trespassing signs on areas that he doesn’t own.
A Haitian pastor wanted to illustrate to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ. His parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: He would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.
After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.
The Haitian pastor’s conclusion: "If we leave the Devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ’s habitation."
Dale A. Hays, Leadership, Vol X, #3 (Summer, 1989), p. 35.
We too must give all to God- but to do this we must enter into His areas of blessings. To do this we must go through Satan’s hostile attempts to barricade revival.
There are certain areas in which Satan attacks.
1. Your Prayer Life
A. He wants to keep you out of rightful
blessings.
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
[NASB-U]
B. He wants to keep you out of a daily walk
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. [KJV]
2. Your Devotional Life
A. He wants to keep you out of the truth.
"These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. [NASB-U]
B. Wrong doctrine keeps you out of freedom.
But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? 16"And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" [NASB-U]
3. Your Worship Life
A. A Christian that does not worship is a dead
Christian
B. Satan would do anything to steal your
worship
He Even tried to steal Christ’s
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. [KJV]
4. Your Witnessing Life
A. By keeping you away from the confidence in
Christ.
(I can’t do it)
B. By telling you that you can’t trespass
there.
(I’m not good enough)
Often we are caught up in sin that makes his "Keep Out" or "No Trespassing" signs seem valid.
This is no excuse – Here are some ways to respond to the devil
1. Prepare Yourself
Ephes. 6:10-18
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; [KJV]
