Satan can also influence people through external coercion. He can put thoughts into our mind, and we may not realize the source of the thoughts. "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart [Gk. Mental processes or intellect] to lie to the Holy Ghost [Spirit], and to keep back part of the price of the land?" (Acts 5:3).
Satan is the great tempter also. He will go to every possible length to tempt, then help push you INTO fulfilling that temptation, therefore sinning." [Husbands and wives] Defraud ye NOT one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency" (1 Cor. 7:5). Satan exploits EVERY opening he can get to destroy through temptation, when finished produces sin and death.
SATAN'S DEVICES
Paul admonishes the saints to forgive one another and NOT to hold grudges, because Satan will use this unforgiveness against us. "To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the presence [riches, Gk] of Christ; Lest Satan should get an ADVANTAGE of us: for we are NOT IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES" (2 Cor. 2:10-11).
Satan has devices for use against us. But he is invisible to our physical eyes which gives him the advantage over us. His #1 device is to DIVIDE AND CONQUER. He has divided nation against nation; race against race; religion against religion; male against female; children against parents; government against its citizens; mankind against God. The reason Satan gets away with this "divide and conquer" technique is that he APPEARS to be something he is not.
Satan deceives so easily because he is the great TRANSFORMER! He does NOT change lives for good, rather Satan changes himself to appear as an angel for good. He also sends HIS MINISTERS to look so good that he sweeps people away with a FALSE GOSPEL. "For such are FALSE apostles, DECEITFUL workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is TRANSFORMED into an ANGEL OF LIGHT. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Satan and his ministers change their outward appearance AND the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. They have ANOTHER Gospel that APPEARS so good and wonderful, but does NOT preach "that the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed: (Dan. 2:44)
CHRISTIANS CAN BE DECEIVED
Baptist churches teach that once you are saved, and they simply mean accept Jesus for their sins, then you are always saved. Yet, I personally know individuals who were very sincere in making an altar call; but today they live as if there were no God. HOW CAN THIS BE? I know people of many different church organizations who walk into the services every time the doors open, but live as if God is dead and He has NO rules of morality. Paul would take issue with Baptist doctrine over once saved-always saved while still in this flesh.
Paul wrote to Timothy, a young evangelist concerning falling away. "For some are already TURNED aside AFTER Satan" (1 Tim. 5:15). If Christians could be deceived and turn aside during the lifetime of the original apostles, where are we 1900 years later. We have passed in history through the Roman Empire with an absolute dictatorship religiously over the peoples lives. Satan totally controlled that Empire and changed God's law and Holy Days to pagan holidays and ENFORCED it upon the world, and the world OBEDIENTLY BOWS DOWN IN SUBMISSION TO SATAN'S SYSTEM AND BELIEVES IT IS GOD'S SYSTEM. Satan was the first lawbreaker and promotes lawlessness in very subtle ways.
Jesus reveals Satan's role in the Book of Revelation. "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, WHICH DECEIVETH THE WHOLE WORLD:…" (Rev. 12:9). Satan deceived 1/3rd of the angels into following him in his rebellion. "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon [Satan]…And his [Satan's] tail drew THE THIRD part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:…" (Rev. 12:3-4). The Book of Revelation has symbols and the explanation for those symbols. Stars are angels in this setting. "…The seven stars ARE the angels…" (Rev. 1:20). There has been "war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan]; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven" (Rev. 12:7-8). Satan will have great wrath very soon when he is cast into the earth in preparation for his climactic finish in this end time. "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the DEVIL IS COME DOWN unto you, having GREAT wrath, BECAUSE he knoweth that he hath but a SHORT time" (Rev. 12:12). Satan is coming in ANGER because his kingdom is about over. His deception is coming to a screeching halt.
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