January 10, 2006

• Pastor Don has asked me to write a Bible study, I have avoided doing this for fear of not doing one good enough, having enough knowledge to do one, and creating one less than perfect. (One of the things that I need to learn to have faith for – as the questions in a previous entry pointed out).

  
  

  Today I was reading in 1 John and a Bible study came to me. I just finished typing it out, and figure I will share it with you before turning it over to him.

  
  

  Satan’s Playbook

  
  

   

  
  

  Can you imagine a football team making the Super Bowl with just three plays in their play book:  pass to right, sweep around the left, run up the middle? Once the other teams caught on, the team would have no chance to score.

  
  

   

  
  

  I have lately been aware of how there are certain ways satan tends to attack me, and I fall for them way too often. Turn to 1 John 1:15-17 where John shows us that there are basically 3 plays in Satan’s play book.

  
  

   

  
  

  Satan’s Playbook contains

  
  

  
  
  1. The Lust of the Flesh
     
  2. The Lust of the Eyes
     
  3. The Pride of Life

  
  

   

  
  

  He has used these same basic plays from the beginning of time.

  
  

   

  
  

  Look at Genesis 3: 1-6

  
  

   

  
  

  Satan convinced Eve to sin using these plays.

  
  

  Eve SAW that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes.

  
  

  Eve ATE the fruit and gave it to her husband, the Lust of Flesh

  
  

  Eve did this because SHE WANTED TO BE LIKE GOD AND KNOW GOOD AND EVIL. – The Pride of life.

  
  

   

  
  

  All throughout the Bible, whenever people are tempted to sin, they succumb to the three plays of satan. Think of David and Bathsheba – Lust of eyes & Flesh, Cain and Abel- Pride over the sacrifice, Samson – Pride over his power,

  
  

   

  
  

  Until the Second Adam, Jesus, came, we gave power to satan and fell into his traps.

  
  

  Jesus in the temptation Matthew 4, was also presented with these same temptations during the forty days but he emerged victorious. Because Jesus, the Son of Man, was able to overcome these three plays from satan’s playbook, we too can overcome them, for as Hebrews 4:15 says “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

  
  

   

  
  

  Look at Matthew 4

  
  

   

  
  

  1 satan, when Jesus had fasted 40 days, tempted Jesus to make bread from stones,  Instead of giving into this temptation, Jesus quoted :Matt 4:4

  
  

   

  
  

  2. satan then tempted Jesus with the Lust of the Flesh, by suggesting that he throw Himself down and God’s angels would protect Him. Jesus answered: Matt 4:7

  
  

   

  
  

  3. satan tempted Jesus with the Pride of Life, offering Jesus an easier way to gain the Kingdom of the earth, by worshipping satan. Jesus again answered – Matth 4:10

  
  

   

  
  

  This lets me know that there is a way to defeat satan’s game plan in my life.

  
  

   

  
  

  
  
  1. We need to remember 1 John 1:17 – that “the world is passing away and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God will abide forever.” No matter how good the temptation looks in the flesh, we are only temporary residents in these fleshly suits, and have to look forward to eternity with God.
     
  2. Ephesians 6:12 “ For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” And that God gave us the armor to fight this battle. If we focus on God and the truth of God instead of the circumstances in our situation, we can see beyond the externals and not fall prey to the circumstances of our lives. God will take these temptations and lusts and allow satan to use them, but God will redeem them and will make beauty from ashes. These trials and temptations will be used by God to grow us up spiritually. The best way to stop having them come is to learn the lesson they are teaching and keep strong in our confession of the truth of God.
     
  3. That satan is a defeated foe that does not deserve place in our life. Once we were saved, satan lost his place in us. The only way that he can continue in our lives is if we allow him to touch areas of weakness. Honesty about our weakness, seeking God’s help, knowing his word, prayer, fasting, and standing fast in the truth will keep satan at bay. But until the end days, Revelation 20, when satan is finally cast into the lake of fire forever, he will go around in the territory Adam gave him, seeking whom he can devour. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

  
  

  One interesting fact about the role of a roaring lion in the jungle is that he is usually an elderly male, toothless, whose job is to hide in the bushes and when a herd comes toward it, to roar so loudly that the herd panics, reverses direction and then runs away into the jaws of the waiting younger lions. Our way to fight this roaring lion is to not panic, to not run but to stand in faith or attack with the Word of truth.

  
  

  
  
  4. We must guard ourselves against satan’s  attacks, keeping the full armor of God – Ephesians 6:14-17 and with prayer.
     
  5. One way to fight satan with power is God’s Word, which is why the memory verses are so important. We need to know the Word of God so well that when satan comes at us, we don’t even have to puzzle out what word of God to use against him.
     
  6. We need to keep exercising our faith in the face of circumstances.

  
  

   

  
  

  For me, I often give in way too quickly to the attacks of satan. I tend to look more at circumstances than at the truth of God and His Word, and the awesome work of Jesus on the Cross. I plan to fight this battle more strongly this year, it is time that satan realizes he has no place in my life.

  
  

   

  
  

  Even though satan started out with his playbook in Genesis, it is important to remember that God countered that play in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

  
  

   

  
  

  God gave us the greatest gift of all, Jesus, who once and for all defeated satan. Knowing this, we need to learn to “stand fast in the Lord” – as Philippians 4:1 states, for if we do so, we will no longer fall for the plays of a defeated foe.

  
  

  Comments and suggestions are welcome.

  
  

  Have an awesome day,

  
  

  Heather

  • 9:15 am
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