SATAN ATTEMPTS THE IMPOSSIBLE
Satan tried to disqualify Jesus at the beginning of His ministry:
"Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil" (Matt. 4:1).
Notice that it was the spirit of God that led Jesus to be tempted of the devil. Can we not see that Satan serves a needful purpose in God’s plan? It was absolutely needful that Satan tempt Jesus. If it weren’t needful, God wouldn’t have done it! And so Satan tried to bribe Christ into worshiping him:
"Again, the DEVIL takes Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and says to Him, All these things will I give You, if You will fall down and worship me" "Matt. 4:8-9).
Let’s notice a few things overlooked by most Sunday school teachers (and most of the world’s greatest theologians as well). Ready? Are you sure? Okay, here goes: ALL THE NATIONS OF THE ENTIRE WORLD BELONG TO SATAN THE DEVIL!!! Heaven and Earth are God’s possessions, however, God has delegated the nations to Satan. Satan could not offer all these kingdoms of the world to Jesus if he did not possess them to offer them in the first place. They are Satan’s ignorant kingdoms:
"In whom the god [SATAN] of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine unto them" (II Cor. 4:4).
Oh, that the Church would believe the Scriptures. Why are there billions who "believe not" in the world? Is it because they CHOOSE to believe not? That’s what well-intentioned Christians tell me all the time. "Ray! these people CHOOSE to go to hell." How, pray tell, can they "choose" to go to hell, when they "believe NOT" in the first place. They don’t "make a choice," the choice is made for them, because they "believe not." And JUST WHY do they "believe not?"
Will you insist on the Church’s answer or will you humbly accept God’s answer? "In whom the God of this world has BLINDED the minds of them that believe NOT…" That’s why they can’t "see" to make the right choice—THEY ARE BLIND!
Now then, what would happen if God were to REMOVE that Satanic blindness? Would they STILL choose to reject Jesus Christ and His gospel? We don’t need to speculate, let’s read it:
"In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, LEST the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, SHOULD SHINE UNTO THEM" (II Cor. 4:4).
When the deception is taken away, people will understand. When the blindness is taking away, people will see the truth.
Next, notice what Jesus Himself says would happen if this Satanic blindness were removed:
"For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed [Why? Why are their eyes ‘closed?’ Because, "the god of this world has BLINDED… them…" That’s why] lest at ANY TIME they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should BE CONVERTED, and I should HEAL them" (Matt. 13:15).
This is not rocket science. When Satan blinds the minds of people, they "believe NOT." And they cannot repent, be converted, or saved until the blindness is lifted and they are given a knowledge of the Truth. But is it God’s will that such a thing will ever happen?
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savour; Who WILL have all men to be saved [and just how might that come about?], and to come unto the KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH" (I Tim. 2:4).
But doesn’t the Church teach that God is the Saviour of "believers ONLY?" Don’t the non-believers GO TO HELL? Let’s read it:
"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, Who is the Saviour of ALL MEN… [but doesn’t that mean believers exclusively? No…] …of ALL MEN, specially of those that believe" (I Tim. 4:10).
Will everyone reading this last paragraph now believe God, and believe these Scriptures, and turn to God and be saved, seeing how simple and clear these verses are. NO! Why not? Because Satan has SPIRITUALLY BLINDED their eyes. True, they can read the words, but they cannot see the Truth in their heart, mind, and spirit. Jesus said,
"…the WORDS that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT, and they are LIFE" (John 6:63).
No one can "see" words of "spirit" with eyes of flesh. If you are beginning to see the big picture of God’s salvation of all, and rejoice in that Truth, then God has given you "spiritual eyes to see spiritual words."
We coin the phrase, "In God We Trust," and parrot the phrase, "One Nation Under God," but how can that be, seeing that we have just read in the Scriptures that all the kingdoms of this world belong to Satan who has blinded the minds of these same nations. Now surely someone will say, "But Mr. Smith, Satan has blinded the minds of only those who ‘believe not.’" Well, if they are not blinded, then they will believe the above Scriptures that say Satan is the god of this world and Satan owns all the nations of this world! But the so-called "believers" don’t really "believe" the Scriptures that I just quoted, DO THEY? No, of course they don’t. Do you see how God’s Word is a "two-edged sword?"
Thank God that Jesus was not intimidated in the slightest by Satan:
"Then says Jesus unto him, Get thee hence SATAN… Then the DEVIL leaves Him…" (Matt. 4:10-11).
Does Satan obey Christ by leaving and never to return? Is this the end of Satan? No. Let’s see what else Luke’s account adds to this drama,
"and when the devil had ended all the temptation [Gk: testing], he departed from Him for a season [Gk: until an opportune time]" (Luke 4:13).
So Satan left our Lord only for the moment. However, Satan would be at the heels of Jesus wherever He went. After attacking Jesus, Satan attacked His head Apostle, but only Jesus recognized whom it really was talking through His apostle:
"But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, SATAN..." (Matt. 16:23).
And again, Satan leaves, but only "for a season." Some might wonder why Jesus wouldn’t just command him to leave and never, ever return again? Because, Satan is needed. Satan was created for the very purpose that he fulfills.
Jesus tells us in a parable that wherever His Word is heard, Satan is there to do his dirty work:
"And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, but when they have heard, SATAN comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in the hearts" (Mark 4:15).
I have no doubt but that this is happening right now to some who are reading this Series on the Lake of Fire. Some will see in their heart that these things I am teaching from the Scriptures must be true, but quickly Satan plants doubts and visions of persecution in their minds, and so some will immediately reject these grand truths because of Satan’s influence over their carnal minds. Satan is a very powerful spirit being.
This is not a ‘one time only’ parable by Jesus. This parable is true every single time that God’s Word is preached. Satan is always there to "take away" God’s words of Truth from the heart of the hearer. This parable is just as true today as it was two thousand years ago when Christ first gave it. Wherever the Word of God is being heard, there will be Satan also.
Jesus instantly knew the cause of a woman’s infirmity that caused her to be bowed over:
"And ought now this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom SATAN, has bound, low these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" (Luke 13:16).
Much of the evil in this world can be laid at the feet of Satan. Sickness and disease are directly related to the powers of Satan’s tyranny.
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and; healing all that were oppressed [tyrannized] of the devil…" (Acts 10:38).
Again, Satan attacks Peter. Like many in the Church today, Peter thought that he was a spiritual power that could handle any situation, when in reality he was weaker than water. He was not even converted. He rejected Jesus three times before he ever knew what he was doing or saying.
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when thou are converted, strengthen your brethren" Luke 22:31).
Peter was only 53 days away from becoming converted, and from then on Peter was a powerful spiritual witness for Jesus Christ.
Let me reiterate here once more, that what I am doing in this Series to twofold:
I am exposing those whose teachings contradict the Word of God
I am attempted to present the unadulterated Truth of God’s Word.
Remember always as we attempt to enlighten those whom God is calling, that we are NO BETTER than those whose doctrines we condemn. God loves and DIED for these heretics of the modern Church. They are precious to God—and they had better be PRECIOUS TO US, or we too will receive a great condemnation for feeling anything but LOVE TOWARD THEM! They may be, in fact, our enemies, but Christ instructs us to: "…LOVE YOUR ENEMIES"!!
When Satan wants a job done that is of utmost importance to him, he does it himself. Satan wanted no loose ends in his scheme to destroy Jesus, and so he personally entered into the body of Judas and performed his dirty deed:
"Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray Him unto them in the absence of the multitude" (Luke 22:3-6).
Judas was totally helpless in fending off Satan. Jesus did not pray for Judas to be protected from Satan. Why not? He prayed for Peter when Satan came after him. Why not Judas? Did Jesus not like Judas?
The idea being taught today is that Satan is not a necessary part of God’s purpose, but is rather a fly in the ointment. In fact, it is taught that God never created Satan in the first place. That’s right, Satan supposedly created himself, or at least became Satan by himself. Wasn’t Satan once a bright and shining star, a light-bringer, the "anointed cherub that covers?"
From LOF Part 9 read it all here; http://bible-truths.com/lake9.htmlPeace,
Joe