ESTIMATION MATTERS

Greetings -

Scriptures from the King James Bible

This post is inspired by Timothy who made this statement (used here by permission) about Satan in the comment area on blog LIONS SHARE MAJESTY at http://www.lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/ under the topic, "FEAR FACTOR - YOKE DESTROYED - ISAIAH 10:27..." dated Monday January 17, 2011:

"While we should not fear the devil, we should respect him and his diabolical wisdom. That wisdom is powerful. He could sell a used car salesman a refrigerator in Alaska!”

Our Lord quickened my spirit when I read Timothy's comment.  Later He told me to write a post to expand on the matter.

My belief is that next in line after GOD, JESUS and THE HOLY SPIRIT, and the holy angels - is Satan - relative to intelligence and power. 

We, the people of GOD can be in danger, spiritually and otherwise if we underestimate Satan as we can be if we overestimate him.

Satan is a warrior, albeit on the wrong side - but a warrior he is.  By no means is he a lightweight.  While he cannot, of course, defeat the most High GOD, who is FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, or GOD's purposes, Satan is a formidable opponent against the forces of purity.  Those with pure hearts and clean hands are prime targets for Satan's opposition.  

When Satan "shoots" at us, he is NOT shooting blanks.  His ammo has the potential to kill in more ways than one.  He operates with cold-blooded skilled calculations.  He is a strategic and highly intelligent operative.   He has a kingdom - the kingdom of darkness, and he is the god of this world - 2 Corinthians 4:4.  Remember it tells us in Ephesians 6:12, "For 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."  

The Devil lurks, ensnares, beguiles, deceives, and knows precisely what "buttons" of ours to push and when - often when we are at our most vulnerable.  He is adept at ambushes and he uses "high-tech" surveillance methods.  His job title includes cunning manipulator.  He takes people captive - 2 Timothy 2:26.  Genesis 3:1 says, "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made."  "Yea, hath God said,...?" - Genesis 3:1.  "...If thou be the Son of God,..." - Matthew 4:6.  Now we need to remember that Satan had/has "the nerve" to challenge JESUS!

Satan has doctrines - the "doctrines of devils," it says in 1 Timothy 4:1, and "seducing spirits."  Also, we are warned in Matthew 16:6, "Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

No, people, Satan cannot be underestimated.  An excellent example is how he was able to use the disciple Peter in chapter 16 in the gospel of Matthew.  In verse 17, it says, "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."  Very shortly thereafter in verse 23, we read where Jesus rebuked Peter.  It says, "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan:..."  Peter had just got "a word" from GOD (verse 17)!  And in the same chapter Jesus needed to rebuke him.  None of us is above such lapses.  May our GOD help us all.

Matthew 8:28 tells us, "...there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way."  We cannot afford to lose the awareness that Satan is fierce.  Also, it is imperative to remain mindful that he often turns on "charm" and transforms into an angel of light, as do his ministers, so says 2 Corinthians 11:14,15.    

Satan is on the prowl.  Here is an excellent example from our Lord's Word in Luke 11:24, 25, 26:

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

"And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

"Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

The above clearly reveals that it is dangerous for us NOT to be filled with the Spirit of GOD with his Word in our hearts to DO it steadfastly!  James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

As Timothy said, "While we should not fear the devil, we should respect him and his diabolical wisdom. That wisdom is powerful." 

Certainly, Satan's wisdom is "earthly, sensual, devilish" - James 1:22 - but it is wisdom, nonetheless.

Jude 9 states, "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."  Zechariah 3:2, "And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan:.."  And Daniel 10:12, 13 says, "Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard and I am come for thy words.

"But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me;..."    

No, people, Satan ain't no joke!  It is critical that we strive, in earnest, NOT to be ignorant of his devices.  The Word of GOD states in 2 Timothy 3:13, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."  With that being the truth, we of GOD's kingdom need to increasingly wax holy!  Job 17:9, "The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger."  And Job 16:17, 19, "...my prayer is pure."  Also, now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high."

We need to faithfully abide under the shadow of the Almighty - Psalm 91.  There is no way that we can be victorious without obedience to the Word of GOD.  We do NOT have, within us, anything near powerful enough to conquer Satan, except through GOD.  Further, we do not want to be in positions where this happens to us as shown in The Acts 19:15,16, "And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?"  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled..." 

When we walk with GOD, we have no need to fear Satan but we do need to respect that our Lord has allowed him to have a temporal kingdom - dark though it is. 

Praise GOD that His kingdom is the only kingdom that cannot be destroyed.  Daniel 7:27 says, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him."

Here are some scriptures to encourage us in our righteous journeys:

2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,...

John 14:17
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Proverbs 16:4
The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

John 14:30       
...for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

The Acts 28:5
And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

Sandra

Written Sunday January 23, 2011