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The "Enemy"

Objective:

To helps us better understand Satan's nature and identify his mission against God and mankind

Scripture Basis:

Ezek 28:13-17, Isa 14:12-15, Rev 2:13 & 12:7-10

The BackDoor :

Pass out something real and something counterfeit as see if the group can tell the difference. Some options include;

Key Message: You can't tell the difference between the real thing and a counterfeit if you don't know what to look for

Video:

Show the first video segment - "Carman on Satan"

Students teach Students

The following are discussion questions. Ask each and then have the students use following scripture to identfy the answers. The questions and scriptures can be passed out to individuals or small groups.

Question Scripture Answer
1. Does Satan really exist? Is there really a spiritual battle underway that we don't see with our eyes? 2 Kings 6:13-17 .. invisible forces

Dan 10:5-13, .. resistance by Satan Matt 4:10 ........tempted Jesus

Eph 6:12 .. struggle not against flesh

Job 1:6 .. comes to God to sift Job

Yes he does
2. What kind of being is he? Ezek 28:13-17 ... wise, proud

ISA 54:16, Col 1:16 .. created being

Originally Angelic - A spiritual one who is very powerful, wise
3. What does he look like - Do we know? Ezek 28:13-17 .. very beautiful

2 Cor 11:14 .. he masquerades

Originally very beautiful - likes to masquerade however
4. What was his first sin? What happened to him? Isa 14:12-15 .. I will be as God

Rev 12: 7-10..... a great war

Decided to become Gods equal

He was cast out

5. What did he do the first time he interacted with humans? Gen 3:1-5 ... planted the 1st lie

John 8:44 .. the father of lies

He lied to Eve about Gods only restriction - Satan is the originator of deception, He said - Sin will not cause death or separation from God
6. Can Satan be everywhere at once like God? Does he have any help in his fight against God. Matt 25:41.. has following angels

Rev 12:4-7 .. 1/3 of heavens angels

No, he is not infinite but has many following Angel (demons) -
7. The first video infers and most of us grow up hearing that Satan lives in Hell and is the ruler there - Where does Satan really live? John 12:31 .. prince of this world

John 16:11 .. ditto

Ezek 28:12-13 in Tyre .. in Eden

Job 1:6-7.. roams earth, access to God

Rev 2:13 .. Lives on earth

2 peter 2:4 .. some demons in Hell

Rev 20:1-3 .. Satan finally bound

These are all places on earth, although Job and Peter show us he has access to God. - The Bible tells us that hell is a place that punishes Satan and his followers - Satan will not rule hell, hell rules everyone in it.
8. Is it true that Satan only bothers and attacks people who are involved in Satan worship - Are Christians immune from him Job 1:7:11 .. challenges Job

Luke 22:31 .. asks to "sift" Peter

1 Peter 5:8-9 .. seeks to devour us

No - Satan also attacks and "sifts" Christians.
9. What is Satan's primary work ? What are his goals 2 Thess 2:9-11 .. counterfeit miracles

Matt 24:24 ... deception

For non-believers it is to keep them from salvation through Christ

For believers it is to compromise them so they are ineffective and injured

10. What lets him affect Christians? Do we need to fear him? Eph 4:22-27 .. don't give a foothold We are told to keep sin out of our life or Satan gains a foothold to damage us more
11. What can we do to limit his affect on us James 4:7, Eph 4:27

Eph 6:11-17 .. the armor of God

Don't be deceived - learn as much as you can about God - How - Read Gods word
12. Why did God put him on earth (in the garden) and why did he leave him here after he messed up man. (see Lesson #205 - Fields of God)

Isa 54:16, Rev 20:7

God uses Satan to offer an option to a free people. This ultimately separates the true believers from the false.

Video:

Show the second video segment from - "Carman on Satan"

Summary:

Satan's primary mission against non-believers is to keep people from becoming Christians. While he is the focus of Satanic worship, his biggest efforts go into more subtle diversions and deceptions. When playing golf, no one wants to be "in the rough" they want to be on the green and "in the cup". Satan acts to keep people "on the green" but "out of the cup" by making religion, church and spirituality about something other than Jesus Christ. His primary tactic is to encourage men to believe that everything Gods word says is false. He seeks not so much to make us believe in him, but rather to convince us that mankind's future is the hands of anything and everything except Jesus Christ.

Satan's primary mission against believers is to affect compromise. He doesn't expect to convince Christians to suddenly start worshipping him or commit some horrendous sin. Rather he uses our own weakness and the world to encourage us to compromise - to lower our guard - to drop our standards one small notch at a time - to dabble in something that slowly leads us into a pattern of sin that makes us ineffective for Christ, injures us and ultimately if unchecked ends our life.

As we go through life, at each opportunity to do something we need to ask ourselves "Is this honoring to God?". If it is not, it is compromise and ultimately of Satan. (Ref. Matt 12:30)

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