Preached by Chris Broom, 9/24/2006
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The Devil’s Schemes - Outline

Revelation 12:7-12
- War in heaven. War is so terrible, people don’t even want to think about it.
- When you fight against God, you lose.
- Woe to the earth (where we live)
- The devil is very real.

Ephesians 6:10-13
- Full armor of God
- Take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
- “When” day of evil comes (not if)
- We are in spiritual war.

1 Peter 5:8-10
- Self controlled & alert
- Devil is like roaring lion… to devour you.
- Resist devil
- If you have a chance to survive this life, you must know your enemy.

Genesis 3:1-13
- Starts in paradise
- So often we’re not satisfied with what we have (greed desire for more). It’s selfishness.
- Journey to Christ is a journey from selfishness to selflessness.
- Jesus leads us to paradise.
- In garden of Eden, serpent led Adam and Eve astray.
- Consequences result from their sin.

Satan’s schemes include the following:
Scheme 1) Satan want’s us to get confused about God’s standards.
- Satan has succeeded in making people think they are okay with God.
- To figure out truth, get in Bible.
- Watch life and doctrine closely (1 Timothy 4:16).
- One out of 30 people who say that the Bible is the word of God, actually read it regularly.
- If you get confused about God’s standards (like Eve), maybe you’re talking to wrong people.

Proverbs 12:5
- Advice of wicked is deceitful.
- Challenge when struggling: Ask, “What Scripture is helping you out with that?”
- Get more serious about the war in your mind.
- Jesus called Peter “Satan” in Matthew 16:21-23 when Peter rejected the cross, because the words Peter was saying were not from God.

Scheme 2) Satan wants us to doubt God’s motives and intentions.
- Satan wants you to doubt that God works through people (discipling).
- It is a war and the battle is on.

Scheme 3) Satan wants us to rationalize and minimize our sin.
- Eve rationalized eating the fruit even though God says, “don’t do it.”

Proverbs 10:17
- Scary Scripture
- Whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
- What we do effect other people.

Scheme 4) Eternal separation from God

Isaiah 59:1-2
- Sin separates us from God.
- When Adam and Eve sinned, they hid.
- Your enemy the devil wants you to hide from God.
- But God is the only one who can help him.
- You are here because of God’s grace.
- Don’t quit. Hang on. Do what’s right.
- Good news in 1 Corinthians 10:13 is that God provides a way out when tempted.

Proverbs 12:1
- Hate correction = stupid
- Take God’s way. Satan wants you to lose. God wants you to win.
Obey God. Come near to God. Put on full armor of God.

So how do you overcome Satan’s schemes?
Revelation 12:11
- Overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony
- Deny self. Don’t love your lives so much as to shrink from death.
- Don’t think God is your butler, where he’s just there to serve you. Are you also serving God? You must have a relationship with God.

- Your attitude to follow Jesus to the end should be, “It is not in me to withdraw.”
- The battle may appear incredibly difficult, but through God, you can overcome.
- Let Jesus say, “Amen. That is my child fighting the battle.”

Categories: Sermons