(For link to audio & video recording on SermonAudio.com, click here – Resisting the Devil)
(If you would like to receive Pastor Harris’ weekly sermons via e-mail, Click Here)
(If you would like to download the PowerPoint presentation for this sermon, Click here – Resisting the Devil)
Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
April 30, 2023
Resisting the Devil
1 Peter 5:8-9
Introduction
Please turn in your Bibles once again to 1 Peter 5. We are nearing the end of the chapter and our study of this powerful epistle. My plan after that is to get to a study of the book of Revelation, but unless you understand the major prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures regarding the end times, you cannot understand Revelation. For that reason, we will begin a study of Daniel in a few weeks. I was going to just cover the prophecies in the book, however, Daniel also includes several great chapters of examples of standing firm on truth and doing what is right before God despite opposition and persecution, so I will be including them as well as a good follow-up to our study in 1 Peter.
The first four chapters of 1 Peter cover the reason for his letter to the believers in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey, in explaining their current suffering and enable them to respond in a godly manner to persecution that was to come. They needed to understand clearly their identity in Christ and God’s sovereignty in order to trust Him in the present and live full lives in the hope of Christ’s return despite current trials. God will keep all of His promises for the future. (See: 1 Peter Sermon Series)
1 Peter 5 is a change to themes that are more general but still vital to responding properly to suffering and persecution. Two weeks ago we covered verses 1-4 and Peter’s instructions to fellow elders on their calling and responsibility to shepherd those God had placed under their care. Elders must pursue ministry out of proper desire and motivation and in the proper manner. An elder’s own example of living in godliness is a very important aspect of teaching others. (See: Shepherding the Flock). In fact, from Paul’s descriptions of Elder qualifications in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3, unless an elder is a living example of godliness, he is not qualified for that position no matter how great his intelligence and oratory skills. I will add here my own strongly held opinion that those who are in para-church and inter-church ministries that lead and teach also need to meet these qualifications and standards of ministry set for elders. The character qualifications are those of being a mature Christian. The standards of proper desire, motivation and manner of ministry are necessary in being an example of godliness which is critical to leading and teaching God’s people regardless of the organizational structure in which it is done. Frankly, there are a lot of pastors out there and leaders in ministry organizations that do not meet these standards and it shows up in their pride and pettiness as they strive to build their own kingdoms instead of Christ’s. Don’t allow such people to influence you lest you become like them.
Last week we studied verses 5-7 and the necessity of humility in both salvation and in living the Christian life. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, therefore humility is to be a major character trait of the Christian. He is to be clothed in it. Humility enables you to recognize and yield to God’s sovereign hand over the future. That, combined with His love proven in Jesus Christ, enables you to cast all of your worries on Him and experience peace that only He can give. You do not need to either know or control your future because the God who created and saved you from sin knows what is best for you and He will surely bring it to pass. You can humbly and joyfully yield to His will regardless of whatever circumstances may come upon you in this life. (See: The Necessity of Humility)
Today we will be examining verses 8-9 and Peter’s warning of and instructions concerning our adversary, the devil, who is behind the suffering and persecution Christians experience. Peter gives three commands in verses 8 & 9 which will be our focus this morning. I will be reading through verse 11 which completes Peter’s thought in this section.
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Be Sober – 1 Peter 5:8
Peter’s first command is to “be sober.” The meaning of the Greek term here, nhvfw / nāphō arises as a negative of intoxication with wine. It is the opposite of being drunk. From that arose the figurative senses of self control, restraint, awake and sober-minded. It is to be in control of how you think as opposed to losing control and being irrational (Louw-Nida), and how you think will control how you act, so to be sober also includes being calm and collected in spirit, temperate, dispassionate, circumspect (GELNT). Philo’s discussion of this word includes it being the antithesis to all kinds of mental fuzziness . . . which rests ultimately on the fact that in some form it sets the creaturely, the human ego, in the place which belongs to God alone (TDNT). The sober man will also recognize the evil wrought by intoxication.
Peter gave this same command earlier in 1 Peter 4:7, “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” He also uses it in a similar context of looking toward the end times in 1 Peter 1:13, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Paul also uses this same word in a similar context in 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 8 of being awake and sober in view of the coming return of Jesus and the events that surround that. Paul includes it in 2 Timothy 4:5 as part of his charge to Timothy to faithfully minister God’s word to people who may turn away from the truth and cause him hardship.
In the context here in 1 Peter 5:8 the command to be sober is part of what is needed to be able to endure suffering in a godly manner and be able to withstand the dangers that come from our adversary, the devil, as we will see in a few moments. Those who do not think clearly according to God’s word will be led astray by the temptations of their own desires (James 1:14) and the pressures of the world (1 John 2:15-17). This is an obvious problem in secular and liberal Christian circles who traded the truth of God for the musings of men a long time ago, but it is also a grave danger even in conservative Christian circles as the winds of aberrant and false doctrine blow through. Unless you are thinking clearly with self-control it is easy for both emotion and persuasive argument to lead you astray from truth. That is why so many things we have seen in our study of 1 Peter that should be obvious in living the Christian life seem to be foreign to a lot of self-professing Christians including the instructions given to elders and the necessity of humility we have seen in the last couple of weeks. If the Christian life really is about the glory of Christ and walking in trust of Him, why are so many Christian leaders motivated by material gain and positions of power along with seeking glory for themselves? Why are manifestations of pride more prevalent than lives of humility in seeking righteousness and what is best for the kingdom of Christ and the good of other believers? Being sober in spirit and mind is a major step toward correcting those problems and being prepared for spiritual warfare.
Be Alert – 1 Peter 5:8
Peter’s second command is to be alert. The Greek word here, grhgorevw / grāgoreō , is to be in continuous readiness and alertness, to be awake, watchful, vigilant. Jesus used this word in Matthew 24:42 and 25:13 in conjunction with His parables concerning being continuously ready for His return since you do not know when He will return. You cannot risk being complacent or you could be caught unaware and suffer the consequences. Paul includes it in 1 Corinthians 16:13 as part of his general commands in concluding his letter, 13 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.” This is to be a general character trait of all Christians. In Matthew 26:41 Jesus ties this to the manner in which prayer is to be pursued since the spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. Paul does the same thing in Colossians 4:2 giving the command, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”
The command to be alert complements the command to be sober. Paul also combines the two in 1 Thessalonians 5:6. The command to be alert reveals the effort that will need to be made and gives a sense of urgency and application of the reason to be sober which is linked here immediately to the warning about our dangerous adversary, the devil. Paul links the need to be alert with prayer and spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:18.
With so many commands to be spiritually alert, why then are so many professing Christians complacent or just plan lazy? In Revelation 3:2-3 Jesus even warns the church in Sardis, 2 “Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.” Certainly part of the reason for the complacency is that the imminent danger is not recognized even when ample warning is given over and over again, and that seems to be just part of human nature.
Growing up in California there were constant warnings to have emergency kits ready because it is only a matter of when, not if there will be an earthquake. Living on the East coast, there are similar consistent warnings given concerning hurricanes and nor’easters. Yet, few people heed the warnings. To me this moves from being just complacent or lazy into complete irresponsibility when it comes to hurricanes and blizzards because warnings are typically given days in advance of such a storm hitting an area. Yet, there are always many people that are caught completely unprepared and suffer severe consequences. Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina are classic examples of this with people even doing the opposite of what they needed to do to protect themselves and their property. While it is good to help people who suffer tragedy, I find it personally irritating to have my tax dollars paid out to compensate people when their loss is due to their own irresponsibility and foolishness.
The warning Peter gives here in 1 Peter 5:8 is much more serious than public service announcements to be prepared for a natural disaster. You must be sober and you must be on the alert for “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
The Dangerous Adversary – 1 Peter 5:8
I have spoken many times about spiritual warfare with whole sermon series devoted to it, so I will not be going into any great depth about Satan in this sermon other than the particular warnings Peter gives here. Please check the links on the webpage for extensive teachings on this subject (Spiritual Warfare). What Peter states here is enough to warn of the great need to be prepared, for Satan is very dangerous.
Satan is the personal name given to this evil being Peter is taking about here. That name occurs 54 times in the Scriptures from Job to Revelation. According to Ezekiel 28:11-19, Satan was created full of wisdom and was perfect in beauty at creation (vs 12). He was in the garden of Eden adorned by precious stones (vs. 13). He was the “anointed Cherub who covers” and was on the holy mountain of God (vs. 14). Satan was blameless until unrighteousness was found in him (vs.16). He was internally filled with violence, and so was cast from the mountain of God. The corruption of Satan’s wisdom was caused by pride over his beauty, and so he was cast down (vs 17). Isaiah 14:3-15 reveals the boasting of his pride in five “I will” declarations. 1) I will ascend to heaven; 2) I will raise my throne above the stars of God, 3) I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. 4) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; 5) I will make myself like the most High. This evil being wants to usurp God and thinks that somehow he will be able to accomplish it.
Satan is known by many names with each one giving another facet of who he is, his character and the danger he poses. The first name Peter uses for him is adversary, ajntivdikoV / antidikos, meaning an “opponent at law.” It is used in that literal sense in the LXX in Proverbs 18:17, “The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.” This legal sense is used in Revelation 12:10 which calls Satan “the accuser of the brethren.” That describes him as an opponent at law in the role of a prosecuting attorney. In contrast to him is 1 John 2:1 in which Jesus is called “an Advocate with the Father.” These terms set a scene of a court room in which God the Father is the judge, Satan is the prosecuting attorney, you are the defendant, and Jesus is your defense attorney. (Christians are blessed to have a good Jewish lawyer at their side!).
The second name Peter uses is the devil, diavboloV / diabolos, which means slanderer and refers to someone who makes false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation. In John 8:44 Jesus said the devil is a liar and the father of lies and slander is just a specific type of lying. While the devil is certainly a slanderer of people for Jesus warned that the righteous will be slandered, the devil’s main target is God Himself for that is critical in his efforts to influence people to disobey God.
The devil’s slander of God to Eve in Genesis 3 is a pattern he continues to use on people. He begins by misquoting God’s command. Next he directly contradicts God’s command. Finally, he accuses God of not wanting what is best for Eve and enticing her with her natural desires for food, beauty and wisdom. People do not believe and trust God because they believe the devil’s slanders against Him which then fit within their own corrupt desires. Not only Peter’s letter here, but a large part of all the epistles are designed to counteract the devil’s slander against God by declaring the truth for truth is the antidote for lies. People who were already suffering could easily be persuaded that God did not love or care about them unless they were told and reminded about the truth of what God had done in bringing about their salvation, why following His commands was better for them, and His promises concerning the future. If you are having a hard time believing and trusting God, then make a diligent search for truth for that will expose and counteract the slander against Him you have been led to believe. The better you know the truth and God, the more you will trust and obey Him.
Other names given to this evil being include the following: The “prince of this World” (John 12:31), “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), and “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). All of these titles tell us that his domain is this world. Satan is also “Beelzebul,” the lord of the flies or the prince of demons (Luke 11:15). He has an army to do his bidding as described in Ephesians 6:12. In Isaiah 14:12 he is called Lucifer which means “the shining one” and is a reference to his original state as the anointed cherub who covers (Ezekiel 28:14). His name “Satan” is from the Hebrew (Zechariah 3:1) and means “adversary” or “opposer” for he opposes God and God’s people (Zechariah 3:1-2, Luke 22:31,32). He is called the “Old Serpent” in Revelation 12:9 which refers to Genesis 3 and his role in the downfall of man. Revelation 12 also calls him the “Great Dragon” & “Great Red Dragon” as he seeks to destroy Christ and devastate God’s people. The name, “Appollyon,” is used for him in Revelation 9:11 which signifies him as the destroyer, for he is the one who seeks to destroy both spiritual and physical life. Most fitting of his character is the name used in 1 John 5:18 which simply calls him the “Evil One.” Other names indicate his activity: Tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), Accuser (Revelation 12:10), Deceiver (Revelation 20:3), and the Spirit that now works in the Sons of Disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). Satan is also described as a murderer (John 8:44), a liar (John 8:44), a confirmed and practicing sinner (1 John 3:8), and the opposer of the righteous (1 Peter 5:8).
How dangerous is Satan? His various names and descriptions already indicate he is very dangerous. Peter’s graphic description here makes the danger easily understandable to those to whom he was writing. He “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Even those who had never seen a lion would understand what was being described because lions and lion like creatures were so common in the stories, fables and mythology that were eventually recorded in ancient Greek and middle-eastern literature. Lions are animals of strength and violence with their roaring a cause of terror. Amos 3:8 puts it plainly, “A lion has roared, who will not fear?” The roaring of a lion is often associated with being hungry such as in Psalm 104:21, “The young lions roar after their prey And seek their food from God.” They will prowl around in the search for food. Peter uses that imagery here of Satan prowling around like a lion. Job 1:7 describes Satan roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. This is not aimless wandering. Satan is like a lion searching for food, prowling to find a victim to devour, swallow up, destroy.
In his book, The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis suggested in the dialogue that one of the two major mistakes Christians make in dealing with Satan is to ignore him as if he was of no consequence. That is the origin of the jokes about him. Peter is shouting out here to wake up and pay attention! We are involved in a spiritual battle with a very dangerous adversary!
The other major mistake is to focus too much on Satan as if he were the cause of all calamity. Peter gives a very direct command on how to deal with him properly in the next verse. Satan is very dangerous, and especially so for the non-Christian, but God has equipped the Christian to deal with him simply and effectively.
Resist Him – 1 Peter 5:9
“But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” The command here is to resist, ajnqivsthmi / atnthistāmi, which is a word that encompasses both the idea of refusing to yield to pressure as in withstand and set against, and also an active pushing back as in oppose and even fight back against. In Acts 6 & 7 this word is used to describe those arguing with Stephen in the Synagogue as not able to resist in the sense of withstand his wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. They had to resort to making false accusations against him in order to eliminate him and the danger he posed to their system of false beliefs. In 2 Timothy 3:8 this word is used to describe the active opposition of Jannes and Jambres, the two Egyptian magicians that opposed Moses, as examples of those who have depraved minds and oppose the truth. Satan is an adversary that you must actively withstand and oppose. The devil is seeking to devour and he will eat those who are passive.
How do you resist the devil? Peter ties the command to resist with a firm faith. Firm here, stereovV / stereos, is used for objects and materials that are stiff, hard, rigid, and of inner dispositions of belief and attitude that are firm, true, stubborn and even obstinate. It is something that is very resistant to being changed. Since the word faith here has the article, The LSB & NKJV better translate this as “firm in the faith,” which makes this a reference to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. That faith remains firm even if your own is weak. Your part is to be firm in the faith by aligning what you believe about God, what He has done and His will with truth which include Peter’s instructions in this letter. Hold fast to them and do not be swayed by the devil’s slanders such as the suffering you are experiencing is proof that God does not love or care about you. The proof of God’s love was demonstrated by Christ at Calvary and that would be enough even He did nothing more than that, but He does much more causing you to be born again, giving you purpose in life that transcends the temporal, and His many promises related to Jesus’ return.
It should be noted that James 4:7 gives the exact same command to resist the devil with it also following a reminder that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” and instructions therefore to submit to God. Resisting the devil begins with being humble to submit to God. That is also the proper balance in understanding what is important in spiritual warfare. The devil is recognized as a real and dangerous adversary, but God is the proper focus in being able to live a life of righteousness. The ability of a plowman to plow a straight furrow is keeping his eyes fixed on his ending point and refusing to be distracted by whatever is to his sides or behind him (Luke 9:62). Keep your focus on Christ.
James 4:7 also reveals the devil’s response as you submit to God and resist him. He will flee from you. The devil can roar like a lion all he wants, but if you are in submission to God and resist him, he is a scared cat. If you are not in submission to God and resisting him, then he is a dangerous lion and you should be scared.
In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul gives additional instructions on resisting the devil. Let me briefly point these out to you as I quickly work my way through that passage. Check the link in the posting of this sermon on the website for a sermon series on this passage. (See: The Armor of God – Ephesians Sermon Series)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Note first that spiritual warfare is fought in the strength of the Lord and not your own. That is why submission to God must come before resisting the devil. Second, God has provided you the armament to be able to stand firm against the devil’s schemes, his various methods of deception, but you must put it on for it to do you any good.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. This is an important reminder that our real enemy is Satan and the demonic hoard that follows him. People, even those who are pawns in Satan’s hands, are the mission field. This verse also reveals Satan’s forces are organized to influence even the highest levels of human governments.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. When something is repeated, it is important, and when it is presented as the reason for action, it is very important. In this verse Paul repeats both his instructions to put on the full armor of God and to resist in the evil day and stand firm as the reason for it. In the next verse for the third time Paul speaks of standing firm, but this time it is as a command. This will be followed by descriptions of six pieces of equipment which make up the full armor of God followed by a related action. I will quickly comment on each.
14 “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth.” The belt holds the breastplate in place and provides a place to carry the sword. The belt of truth is essential in the Christian life and spiritual warfare. The Father is the God of truth (Psalm 31:5), Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 15:26), and God’s word is truth (John 17:17). Truth counteracts all of Satan’s lies and slander.
“and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” The breastplate protected all the vital organs of the abdomen. The will was equated with the heart and the gut with emotions. Righteousness is the means to protect both. The will decides what is and what is not important and sets the direction of life. Uncontrolled emotions can destroy you, but when righteousness controls and guides your emotions, they are great blessings, both the positive and negative ones.
15 “. . . and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” A Roman soldier’s shoes had hobnobs that helped his feet grip the ground so that he would not slip and therefore were essential pieces of equipment. The gospel of peace enables us to keep from slipping when the tribulations of life could cause uncertainty and therefore fear and turmoil. Paul begins his discussion in Romans 5 with the statement that “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” and then explains how we can exult in our tribulations knowing they bring about perseverance, proven character, hope and a sure grounding in the love of God proven by Jesus Christ at Calvary.
16“. . . in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” The devil will certainly be shooting his fiery darts of lies and slander toward you, but having a solid faith in God protects you from all of them. The greater your faith, the more effective your shield will be. That is why it is so important that you learn God’s word for yourself so that growing in knowledge of Him will increase your faith.
17 “And take the helmet of salvation.” The helmet protected the head and all within and on it which would be your brain and your sensory organs of eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Salvation by God’s grace through faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ converts you into a new creation in Him. You are transformed as your mind is renewed (Rom. 12:2) and every thought is taken captive to obedience to Christ (1 Cor. 10:5) resulting in you both thinking differently and perceiving the world differently.
“. . . and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The Bible is both an offensive and defensive weapon. The Psalmist hid God’s word in his heart so that he would keep his way pure and not sin against God. Hebrews 4:12 describes the word of God as “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Verse 18 is the manner in which the armor of God is to be put on. 18 “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” A fitting and concluding reminder that spiritual warfare is fought in the strength of the Lord and not your own, so you had better be in prayer for yourself and other believers.
The Example of the Brethren – 1 Peter 5:9
Peter concludes his command to resist the devil, firm in faith, with a reminder that what they were experiencing and his exhortations to them were nothing new and nothing unique to them. “. . . knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” In hearing the gospel they would have heard about the suffering of Christ which Peter pointed out in 2:21 and 4:13. They were also aware of the suffering already being experience by some among them (1:6). They would also have known, or should have known, about the suffering of the early church that caused the gospel to spread from whoever preached the gospel to them. The strong reaction of the pagans against Christians that had occurred in Ephesus (Acts 19) perhaps a decade earlier was in the area of those to whom Peter was writing.
There is no comfort knowing that other people are suffering since basic Christian compassion would create sympathy for such people (Romans 12:15). However, there is a comfort in knowing others have successfully gone through similar experiences as what you are going through. That is one of the reasons Jesus pointed out in Matthew 5:10-12 that there can be a blessing in suffering for the sake righteousness since the prophets were persecuted in the same way before you. They are an inspiration to you. That is the comfort Peter is giving here.
Conclusions
All people need to be clear thinking and alert because Satan is a very dangerous adversary to all of humanity. He is called the devil because of his slander against God which is a major influence on people to reject God and pursue sin. As the father of lies, he also slanders people, and especially those who strive to walk in righteousness as a means of destroying them. Christians who are in submission to God need not fear the devil because all they need to do is resist him and he will flee, yet they also need to be clear thinking and alert lest they fall for one of Satan’s many schemes. They can ensure that they will stand firm by putting on the whole armor of God.
Those who are not in submission to God are subject to Satan’s trickery and being devoured by him for he will lead them farther astray from truth and righteousness on a downward path to sin. Repentance from sin and faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only solution and protection from Satan.
Sermon Notes – April 30, 2023
Resisting the Devil – 1 Peter 5:8-9
Introduction
1 Peter 1-4 explains their current suffering & enables them to respond in a _______manner to coming persecution
1 Peter 5:1-4 are instructions to _________concerning proper desire, motivation and manner of ministry
Those who do not meet the qualifications for an elder should not be pastors or ________of para-church ministries
1 Peter 5:5-7 explains the necessity of ___________for salvation and living the Christian life
1 Peter 5:8-9 are Peter’s warnings and instructions concerning our very ____________adversary, the devil
Be Sober – 1 Peter 5:8
Sober, nhvfw / nāphō , the opposite of being drunk: self-controlled, calm, awake, ____________, circumspect
Connected to the hope of Christ’s __________- 1 Peter 1:3; 4:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:6 & 8;
Being sober is needed to endure suffering in a godly manner and __________the dangers of the devil
A lack of soberness makes it easy for emotion & persuasion to lead you __________from the truth
Be Alert – 1 Peter 5:8
Alert, grhgorevw / grāgoreō, continuous readiness and alertness – to be awake, watchful, __________
In reference to Jesus’ return (Matt. 24:42; 25:13), a general command (1 Cor 16:13), _________(Matt 26:41; Col. 4:2)
The command to be alert emphasizes effort and ____________to be sober concerning the danger of the devil
Revelation 3:2-3 – the church in Sardis was commanded to be alert and __________about their complacency
Failure to heed warnings results in being caught unprepared and _____________the consequences.
The devil is much more _______________than a natural disaster – heed the warning
The Dangerous Adversary – 1 Peter 5:8
Satan, a ________personal name for the anointed cherub that covers that became evil due to pride (Ezk. 28:11-19)
He is the “adversary” – an ________________________, the “accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10)
The devil, diavboloV / diabolos, ____________- someone who makes charges or misrepresents to defame others
The devil’s principle target of slander is _______because it enables him to influence people to disobey – Genesis 3
Other names: Prince of this world, prince of the power of the air, ____________________, (domain is this world)
__________ (head of demons), Lucifer (a Cherub), Old Serpent (role in Eden), Great dragon, Apollyon (destroyer)
_______One (character), Tempter, Accuser, Deceiver, Spirit in the Sons of Disobedience, a liar, murder (actions)
His names describe the danger he poses as does Peter’s description as a ___________________prowling for prey
It is a major error to ________Satan as if he is of no consequence so Peter is commanding. Be Sober! Be Alert!
It is also a major error to ___________on Satan as if he were the cause of all calamity
Resist Him – 1 Peter 5:9
Resist, ajnqivsthmi / atnthistāmi, 1) Refuse to __________to pressure – withstand, set against. Acts 6 & 7
2) Actively _________, fight back against defeat – 2 Timothy 3:8 – Jannes & Jambres opposition of Moses
Firm in the faith – The teachings of Jesus are _____________. Resist by holding fast to them
James 4:7 – resist by being in humble _______________to God – and he will flee.
Ephesians 6:10-18
vs. 10-11. Spiritual warfare must be fought in the strength of the _________, not your own. He provides the armor
vs. 12. The real enemy is ________& his demonic forces which are organized to influence all levels of society
vs. 13. Emphasis to put on the full armor of God and to resist by _________________
vs. 14 – Belt of __________- counteracts all of Satan’s lies and slander
vs. 14 – Breastplate of ____________- protects the will and the emotions
vs. 15 – Shoes of the gospel of _____- keeps you from slipping which enables exulting even in tribulation (Rom 5)
vs. 16 – Shield of ________- Belief and trust in God protects you from falling for Satan’s lies and slander
vs. 17 – Helmet of salvation – ____________changes the way you think and perceive the world
vs. 17 – Sword of the Spirit – the ___________ protects from sin and brings conviction
vs. 18 – Prayer & petition keeps the focus on it being __________work in you and not self effort
The Example of the Brethren – 1 Peter 5:9
They would have been aware of the __________ of other believers in the present and the past
Examples of other successfully going through something similar is an encouragement to _____________
Conclusions
Be sober minded & alert for the devil is __________ unless you are in ___________ to God to resist him
KIDS KORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help.
Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Write down all the verses mentioned in the sermon and look them up later. 2) Count how many times the devil is referred to. 2) Discuss with your parents the reasons the devil is dangerous and how submission to God removes that danger.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. The scriptures are clear on the qualifications for an elder – 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4. What should the qualifications be for those that oversee a para-church or “inter-church” ministry that includes Bible teaching? Explain. What is the importance of humility in church leadership? What does it mean to “be sober” in 1 Peter 5:8? Explain. What does it mean to “be alert” in 1 Peter 5:8? Explain. How does being sober and alert prepare you handling spiritual warfare? What are the dangers if you are not sober and alert? Why then are so many Christians complacent about the dangers of the devil? What specifically to the names “adversary” and “devil” as applied to Satan mean? Why is God the major target of Satan’s slander? There are many additional names given to Satan as listed above. What do these names reveal about Satan and the danger he poses? What is the danger of a roaring lion? In what ways would the devil “devour” a human? According to C. S. Lewis, What are the two major mistakes made by humans in dealing with the devil? What is the firmness of the faith? What is the relationship of that with resisting the devil? What is the key component of resisting the devil (James 4:7)? What are some practical ways in which the devil can be resisted? What is the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and why is it important? If our battle is not against flesh & blood, who is it against and how do we deal with the flesh & blood manifestations of spiritual war? List out each piece of spiritual armor God provides and explain its importance? Do you have your spiritual armor on? If not, what dangers do you face? How does having an example of someone who has gone through something similar to your own experience help you?
If you would like to receive Pastor Harris’ weekly sermons via e-mail, Click Here)
Grace Bible Church Home Page || Sermon Archives
For comments, please e-mail Church office