The following blog (and the next one) are part of a sermon on Satan's schemes.
We are to look to the written word:C.H. Spurgeon said, ‘If you would successfully wrestle with Satan, make the Scriptures your daily commune. Out of this sacred Word continually draw your armour and ammunition. Lay hold upon the glorious doctrines of God’s Word; make them your daily meat and drink. So shall you be strong to resist the devil. And you shall be joyful in discovering that he shall flee from you … Let us fight Satan always with an “it is written,” for no weapon will ever fight the archenemy as well as Holy Scripture. Attempt to fight Satan with the wooden sword of reason, and he will easily overcome you. But use the blade of God’s Word, by which he has been wounded many times, and you will speedily overcome him.’
Here are three examples.
When Satan attacks you with accusations, reminding you of your past failings, grasp hold of Scripture’s promise: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). This is an absolute promise. As big as your sin was, it is as big as that. You don’t need to justify you what you did, instead agree with Satan that what you did was awful, but then delight in the cross where that sin was dealt with.
When Satan attacks you with temptations grasp hold of Scriptures commands. So when he suggests that there is no harm in taking a glance at that person whose very presence creates longing within you remember among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people (Eph. 5:3).
When Satan comes as the slanderer and accuses God of wrongdoing we need to be able to draw upon those texts that assure us that God is good. We may not know all God’s ways (Deut. 29:29) but we can know that he will do what is right. David writes in the Psalms: The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. The LORD is good to all; he is compassionate on all that he has made (Ps. 145:8-9).
I can’t see us being prepared for Satan’s schemes without embedding ourselves in God’s written word and I can’t see us being embedded in God’s word without the discipline of taking time to study in, meditate upon it and committing it to memory!
Here are three examples.
When Satan attacks you with accusations, reminding you of your past failings, grasp hold of Scripture’s promise: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). This is an absolute promise. As big as your sin was, it is as big as that. You don’t need to justify you what you did, instead agree with Satan that what you did was awful, but then delight in the cross where that sin was dealt with.
When Satan attacks you with temptations grasp hold of Scriptures commands. So when he suggests that there is no harm in taking a glance at that person whose very presence creates longing within you remember among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people (Eph. 5:3).
When Satan comes as the slanderer and accuses God of wrongdoing we need to be able to draw upon those texts that assure us that God is good. We may not know all God’s ways (Deut. 29:29) but we can know that he will do what is right. David writes in the Psalms: The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. The LORD is good to all; he is compassionate on all that he has made (Ps. 145:8-9).
I can’t see us being prepared for Satan’s schemes without embedding ourselves in God’s written word and I can’t see us being embedded in God’s word without the discipline of taking time to study in, meditate upon it and committing it to memory!
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