Twenty-six hundred years ago in the book, The Art of War, Sun Tzu wrote: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
The Apostle, Peter, commanded Christ-followers, Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Pet 3:8).
Who Satan Is
- Satan is a created being, and therefore on the leash of God.
- Satan’s name means “adversary” or “accuser.” His original name was Lucifer, which means, “shining one” or “morning star.” As best we understand Ezekiel 28:12-17, he was behind the power of the king of Tyre. He was chief of the cherubim, the highest of the angelic order. Before his rebellion, he was in Eden, the Garden of God, and had access to the throne of God.
- He was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” Ezekiel describes Lucifer’s beauty with the most exquisite of gems that reflected the light of God’s glory (topaz, diamond, onyx, jasper, sapphire, emerald, etc.) In the words of David Jeremiah, No creature had been so fully prepared to reflect the glory of God (The Spiritual Warfare Answer Book).
- Most scholars believe that Isaiah 14:12-14 refers to Satan as the one behind the power of the king of Babylon. It describes Satan’s decision to rebel, causing him to be cast out of heaven. How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL MAKE MYSELF LIKE THE MOST HIGH.’
Satan’s Role in the Fall
God created Adam and Eve in his image to be the king and queen of a kingdom, earth. Satan convinced Adam and Eve to rebel against God’s authority for the same reason he rebelled—wanting to be equal to God. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5).
The essence of sin is for created beings to refuse to submit to their creator. It is demanding the same accountability to no one, autonomy, and independence that belong to God alone.
The consequence of joining Satan’s rebellion against God is that God gives Adam and Eve what they choose. They and their kingdom (the earth) become enslaved to the triumvirate, Satan, sin, and death in their revolt against God and his righteousness.
Descriptions of Satan in Scripture
- “the accuser of the brethren” (Rev 12:10)
- “an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14)
- “the deceiver” (Rev 12:9)
- “Apollyon,” i.e. “destroyer” (Rev 9:11)
- “a murderer” (John 8:44)
- “a liar” (John 8:44)
- “the tempter” (Matt 4:3)
- “the serpent of old” (Gen 3:4, Rev 20:2)
- “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11)
- “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2)
Satan’s Opposition to Your Mission
The Apostle, John, tells us, The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). The gospel is the gospel of the kingdom—i.e. the good news that the second Adam, Jesus, has come to recover Adam’s lost kingdom by overthrowing the tyrants who had usurped it—Satan, sin, and death—and establishing his kingdom of righteousness in its place. To follow King Jesus is to surrender to his rule over our heart allegiance and heart attitudes. It is then working for his righteousness in every sphere of our lives. If there is anything Satan doesn’t want, it is Christian men accomplishing their mission of DESTROYING HIS WORKS!
Three of Satan’s Current Strategies
1. Jamming Our Communication. Today’s church does not have a clear message from our Commander In Chief to pass on to the men about their mission assignment from him. We have lost the focus Jesus had on men, lost his focus on disciple-making, and lost his focus on the kingdom of God. The gospel we preach is too often the gospel of personal private salvation, instead of the gospel that the second Adam has come, overthrown Satan, sin and death and begun to make all things new. Discipleship is too often understood as keeping a few rules, rather than joining the King of Kings in the greatest mission in the history of mankind, the spread of Christ’s kingdom over every part of the world, which he claims as his own.
2. Stealth. Satan wants Christians to be consumed by hostility towards our political and ideological opponents without realizing that they are not the real enemy, but simply pawns of Satan. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph 6: 12). We should battle winsomely for truth in our culture, but be consumed with hostility towards Satan and sin, our real enemies.
3. Diversion. Satan distracts us all week long with things that don’t matter, eternally. That is NOT to say that we shouldn’t enjoy his glorious world, which he gave us as a fabulous kingdom to discover, shape, and enjoy. It is a mirror of God’s glory! To enjoy it is to enjoy HIM. Yet, Satan loves for us to live unfocused, random lives because that way Christ’s mission for us gets lost. In the words of David Jeremiah, Satan is the great destroyer. He wants to destroy your life through adversity and by blocking the work God wants to see manifested in your life. Satan does that by discouraging you and by dissipating your time and energy. (Ibid)
Is it possible that we are allowing this three-part strategy of Satan to be way too effective?
We think God has led us to a 21st century tool, Mission Focused Men for Christ weekly podcast that might be the ideal weapon to defeat this three-part strategy. To overcome fuzzy thinking about our mission, and the distractions that pull us away from it, the MFMfC podcast seeks to provide a weekly, encouraging, practical FOCUS into how to accomplish Christ's mission for our lives. Could it be that God has raised up this social media tool for such a time as this?
Next Sunday, Nov 10, this regular Constant Contact e-letter will explain this new podcast and contain links to the (13 minute) first episode of Mission Focused Men for Christ, “Who is This Podcast For” This podcast episode will have been published earlier that day in five major podcast directories (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher), which will be accessible through your podcast app.
Please think about what Christian men in your life might benefit from this podcast. Please pray for the launch of this weapon into the arsenal of Christian men who are fighting to honor Christ by seeking first the reign of King Jesus in their hearts, attitudes, and spheres of influence in the world.
