Sermon Central
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When Satan Is At His Worst
Contributed by Bo Dunford on Mar 14, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Satan knows that his time is short, so he is working harder now than ever to destroy everything good and right.
REV. 12:12 "WHEN SATAN IS AT HIS WORST"
A) There is a person known as the devil, who has pledged himself to fight every work of God!
* Someone has asked, "Where did the devil come from and why did God make a devil?"
B) Originally Satan was an angel in Heaven, he was an archangel.
* There were three such archangels: Lucifer, Michael, and Gabriel.
* Each of these three archangels had his own regiment of angels! * Lucifer had one-third,
* Michael had one-third, and Gabriel had one-third.
C) Lucifer decided to rebel and try to conquer Heaven!
* He gathered his angels about him and caused war in Heaven.
* God took Lucifer and his angels and expelled them from heaven, and from that day to this,
they have been doing their work on earth!
D) Satan’s headquarters is on the earth! * The Bible calls Satan, "the god of this world."
* He is called, "the prince of the power of the air."
* There are, however, as far as we know, only three occasions that the Bible gives us when
Satan actually appears:
(I) THE FIRST APPEARANCE WAS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN!
* There he came to man and accused God to man. * He said, "God’s Word is not true."
A) Satan hasn’t stopped that kind of conduct, he still casts reflections on the Word of God!
* Any time you hear someone say that this Bible is not the Word of God, not inspired of God,
you can rest assured where their doctrine originated, it came from the father of lies, Satan!
(II) THE SECOND TIME WE FIND SATAN APPEARING IN THE BIBLE IS IN JOB!
* Satan comes to God and accuses man to God; he comes to God and accuses Job!
A) That is why in Rev.12:10 he is called "the accuser of the brethren."
* In Eden, he accused God to man; in Job, he accused man to God.
(III) THE THIRD TIME WE FIND HIM APPEARING IN THE BIBLE IS IN MATT.4!
* He came to Jesus when He was in the wilderness after having fasted 40 days and 40 nights.
A) Here, Satan comes to accuse the God-man!
* In Genesis, he came to accuse God to man. * In Job, he accused man to God.
* In Matthew, in the wilderness, he accused the God-man!
(IV) NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THREE THINGS ABOUT HIS APPEARANCES!
A) His First Appearance Messed Up The Best Situation The World Has Ever Known!
* Satan appeared in the Garden of Eden when all was peace!
* God walked with man and man walked with God! * It was here that Satan raised his ugly
head and appeared for the first time - he came to the best situation!
B) In The Book Of Job, He Came To The Best Christian On Earth!
* He wants your testimony, he wants your life, he wants your time, he wants your talent,
he wants to lead you to himself, he’s out to destroy you!
C) In Matthew 4, He Came Right After A Great Victory!
* Our Lord had prayed and fasted for 40 days and nights! * What a blessed time He had had!
* What a fellowship He had had with the Father! * In that time, after a great victory,
Satan attacked Him! * Satan will do the same to you too, after a great victory!
D) Satan hounds us constantly! * 1 Pet.5:8 says, "The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh ......."
* He hounds us personally! * Yet there are times when Satan is at his worst!
* We read in Rev.12:12, "Having great wrath." * When is Satan at his worst?
(1) WHEN HE KNOWS HE HAS BUT A SHORT TIME!
* I’ve seen boxing matches where they go to the last round and the announcer would say, "His
only chance is a knock out." * He’d come out fighting, he knew he had but a short time!
A) In track, there is what is called, "The finishing kick." * What does that mean?
* He knows he has but a short time, he is near the finish of the race, he gives all he has!
* He spends all his energy! * Why? Because he knows he has but a short time!
B) In basketball, in the last few minutes, the team that is behind often puts on a full-court press!
* Why? They know they have but a short time!
C) In baseball, in the last inning, the team that is behind gives it all they got!
* Why? Because they know they have but a short time!
D) In football comes hard playing in the last 2 minutes!
* Why? Because they know they have but a short time!
