As soon as any person believes and trusts Jesus Christ alone for salvation, satan begins his program to destroy that faith.
Truth into doubt
Freedom into slavery
Joy into sorrow
Paul states in 2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
How does he do this?
B1 Manser suggests:
C1 The process of seduction (The outline below Manser’s but I edited it for my blog and added the verse itself).
D1 A thought planted
E1 Genesis 3:2-5 ESV And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
E2 Matthew 4:3 ESV And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.
E3 James 1:14 ESV But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
E4 1 John 2:15 EMTV Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
D2 An advantage promised
E1 Genesis 3:4-5 NASB77 And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
E2 Matthew 4:6 NIV If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
D3 Attraction
E1 Genesis 3:6 NIV When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
E2 1 John 2:16 NIV For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
D4 Persistence on the part of the seducer
E1 Matthew 4:8-9 NIV Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me.
E2 Genesis 19:9 NIV Get out of our way," they replied. "This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We'll treat you worse than them." They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
E3 Judges 16:15-16 NIV Then she said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when you won't confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven't told me the secret of your great strength." 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.
D5 Yielding
E1 Genesis 3:6 NIV When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
E2 James 1:15 NIV Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
B2 The seduction itself comes from satan’s agents—unclean spirits (demons), false teachers, false pastors, false prophets, false people, abusers, etc.
C1 They use false signs to attempt to authenticate their lies. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 EMTV The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
C2 They use false appearance to appear righteous. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 EMTV And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
B3 Some believers, in the Bible, who have been tested
C1 Job is our most complete narrative of this. Satan acts as his own agent plus using other agents to murderer, etc. Satan accuses and lies about Job, makes a false claim, and gets permission to harm Job. The purpose was to destroy Job’s faith, to get him to curse God. Satan did NOT HAVE TO harm Job, but he wanted to.
C2 Satan was his own agent when he tempted the Lord Jesus.
C3 Peter was tempted.
C4 David was tempted.
C5 You and I are tempted.
C6 All this from satan’s agents to get us to weaken or better yet deny the faith.
Why does God allow this?
B1 Testing has an effect. James 1:2-5 ESV Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
B2 Testing has a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
B3 Testing and remaining faithful, with God’s help, has a reward. James 1:12 New Matthew Bible Happy is the man who endures in temptation, for when he is proved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Why me?
B1 Mystery of Iniquity/lawlessness
B2 Some comments and suggestion. It could be
C1 The anti-Christ
C2 satan’s activities
C3 evil
C4 counterfeit Christianity
C5 the purpose and reason of iniquity
B3 Some quotes
C1 Vincent: The mystery of lawlessness is the mass of lawlessness yet hidden, but which is to reveal itself in the person and power of Antichrist. The position of the word is emphatic, emphasizing the concealed character of the evil power.
The mystery of iniquity that has been working in this world for a long time will culminate after the rapture of the Body of Christ with Satan being manifest in the flesh (the Antichrist). The mystery of iniquity hinders many people from ever seeing the great mystery of the Body of Christ. It is clear from the context in which it is mentioned that the mystery of iniquity has to do with spiritual deception (please read 2 Thessalonians. 2:1-12).
The mystery of iniquity is not open and blatant “lawlessness” (as the modern versions translate it). It is iniquity in the form of RELIGION. It has to do with Satan’s religious system that began with Cain and will climax with the Antichrist of whom Cain was a type. It goes all the way back to Babylon, the fountainhead of all idolatry (Revelation 17:5). Throughout the ages, it shows up in different forms and is always in opposition to what God is doing.
What do we do to stay faithful?
B1 Recognize that it is possible for satan’s agents to ruin us.
B2 Be alert.
B3 TRUTH—know it, believe it, and practice it.
C1 There needs to be a standard of truth.
C2 The Bible is only source that is 100% truth. There are many who have proven so, for example
D2 New Evidence the Gospels were Based on Eyewitness Accounts
D3 Is Bible True (the results of a search at Cold Case Christianity)
C3 We must know the Bible well to know truth from error.
B4 If we succumb—recognize, confess, make things right.
Remember
B1 We have a savior. Philippians 3:20 NKJV For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
B2 We have a helper, the Holy Spirit. John 14:16-17 EMTV And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may abide with you forever, 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, because He abides with you and shall be in you.
B3 We have an armor. See Ephesians 6:10-18.
B4 We have a family. Galatians 6:2 EMTV Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.
B5 We have a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
B6 We have promises. Hebrews 13:5 NIV Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
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