Visits from Satan: He Will Continue – Resist!

Jam 4:7 December 30, 2016

The Devil Keeps Trying
Once more I must report that the destroyer, that evil one, is active even in a house committed to the Lord. God’s workman and His will are never entirely buffered from the Devil’s wiles. He never rests from trying to find a weak link. We must be ever vigilant. When one of the young men in our home was going away to college to live on campus he had a personal visitation in the way of a threat. The great bully spoke to him and said; “Now that you are leaving this ‘house of God’, and are alone, you will be a target for me.”

Our enemy tried, but ultimately failed! That young man has given his life to Jesus Christ, received the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, and been water baptized. He has had his battles with our private or public enemy NUMBER ONE, as we all have, but has confessed he wants to be “a man – a man of God.”

There are many more incidents I could record here, but I think the message is pretty clear. Satan is alive and active. He is an ancient being and a clever manipulator. He is referred to in God’s Word as “an angel of light”, “that old serpent the Devil”, “your adversary”, “the tempter” and other names. I will follow this report up with an in-depth study of what God’s Word reveals to us about his nature and tactics. We will see how to recognize his influence upon us, and how to “resist him so he will flee from us”.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

Heed the Warnings about “The Enemy”
Chapter five of 1 Peter is addressed to the elders and goes on to exhort them to feed the flock of God, not to be lords over them but to be examples to them. The younger are to submit to the elders, yet we should all be subject one to another, and clothed with humility; to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt us in due time, and to cast all our cares upon Him. Then we have this warning about our greatest foe. We are given some instruction and a reminder, and then we are encouraged and given a blessing of hope. I believe these are some of the duties of the elders, to make sure the flock wherever they dwell, should be cautioned about the reality of our great enemy, until God puts the final end to his corruption of the universe.

“Be sober, be Vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in the brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. AMEN”. 1 Pet 5:8-11

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