Satan - Active and Aggressive

-The Devil is Active

-I Pet 5:8

-Walketh about

            -Job 1:7

            -When I think of this phrase in regards to Satan,  I picture a lion as we would see on a program

              such as National Geographic as it stalks its prey.  Stalking prey is exactly what Satan does.

-Seeking

            -We should know the importance of seeking God. -  Matt 6:33, Heb 11:6

            -We must seek God because the devil seeks us.

            -Seek – (Vines) – when used favorably it means to seek after God – to worship Him

                                        when used in a bad sense it means – to plot against, be about, desire

                        -The devil has a desire for us and actively pursues us.

-This is why we must be careful, we must remain faithful and we must continue to grow.

-The Devil Will Seek After Anybody – Three examples:

1.  Adam & Eve – How the Devil Deals with Others

            -With the first people on Earth who came to the scene? - The devil.

            -Gen 3:1-6 – subtil

                        -vs 1-subtle – (Am Her Dict) – 1.  so slight as to be difficult to detect, elusive

                                                                       2.  not immediate or obvious                                                                        3.  characterized by skill or ingenuity, clever

                                                                       4.  crafty, sly, devious

                                                                       5. operating in a hidden, usually injurious way

                        -vs 4 – lies – Satan lied to Eve.  -  John 8:44

                        -vs 5 – makes sin sound attractive, good, desirable

                        -vs 6 – makes it sound pleasant  -  I John 2:15

            -Heb 3:13

2.  Job – The Devil is Powerful

            -Job 1:1-3

                        -Job was an upright man with many possessions.  Yet, Satan caused him to lose it all.

                        -Job 1:13-22

                                    -Look at what happened when things were placed in the hand of the devil.

                                    -If we give into the devil or his sinful ways, then we are putting our lives into his hands.

            -We cannot forget that the devil is powerful. (Acts 26:18)  We must take him seriously.

            -But, we must remember that, even though the devil is powerful, we can overcome him by

              obeying God and remaining faithful. 

                        -Through all of Job’s struggles, he maintained his faithfulness to God and prevailed.

            -James 4:7

3.  Christ – The Devil Isn’t Afraid of Approaching Anybody

            -Matt 4:1-4

                        -Jesus hadn’t eaten in 40 days so Satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread.

                        -Satan focuses on a person’s area of weakness.

             -Matt 4:5-7

                        -Deceitful – Satan quoted scripture in his tempting of Jesus.

                        -Many people deceive others with the use (misuse) of the scriptures.

            -Matt 4:8-11

                        -Satan appeals to people by making sin look attractive, pleasant and desirable.

-We Must Follow Jesus’ Example

-When Satan tempted Jesus, notice what Jesus did each time – quoted scripture.

-We don’t talk with the devil and don’t quote scripture to him, but by living according to the truth of

  the scriptures – relying on them – we can and will overcome the devil.