Spiritual Warfare: Demonic Forces

January 29th, 2023/Casey Middle School

Intro: Today I am going to give a brief overview of the person and work of the adversary, the satan. And how he is working in rebellion against God, God’s purposes, and God’s people. We will also see in our time together that he is not working alone, but he has other demonic forces that are aligned with his mission to bring about death, destruction, and sin to nations, neighborhoods, and your own personal life. Satan and demons are fallen angels that seek to deter and distract worship to God and to thwart God’s purposes in God’s people and to bring disunity to the church.

Why do a series on angels, demons, and the supernatural realm?

Reality is both physical and supernatural. For one to live with only the physical realm in mind, is to miss out on all that the Kingdom of God has to offer on this earth. It also leaves one ill-prepared and un-equipped to fight against the full force of the consequence of sin in their lives. It’s a life of defeat after defeat and wondering why you cannot seem to find victory and true freedom.

For example… I don’t know why I can’t seem to kick this addiction? I don’t know why I can’t seem to have a healthy marriage? I don’t know how to handle all of the broken relationships in my life? YOU’LL NEVER WIN IN THE PHYSICAL ALONE! Don’t live your life fighting half of the battle.

For the one living in the supernatural only! You are missing out on all God has assigned for your life on this earth. Have you ever met someone who is constantly struggling financially but they don’t work hard, give generously, set and stick to a budget, they max out credit cards, and live outside their means, BUT THEY’RE PRAYING ABOUT THEIR LACK OF FUNDS AND HOW THEY’RE GOING TO PAY THEIR BILLS? Or how about the “super christian” that always wants to talk about apologetics and “going deep”, but they have never shared the Good news, tithed to a local church, or sacrificed for the sake of the Gospel.

We live in both the physical and supernatural realms in all areas of life! Set your mind on heaven as you live obedient and submissive lives to God on earth.

“A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.” - C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Question: How does the supernatural affect my life?

1. Your struggle is more supernatural than you realize and to battle requires a supernatural perspective.
2. A lack of awareness of the supernatural realm will result in a life of ignorance and apathy towards the greater cause of Christ.
3. We need to stop using natural weapons if we are to win a supernatural battle.
4. God has given us more than enough through the power of the Triune God and His mighty warrior angels to defeat the enemy.
5. As we study the supernatural we will discover that prayer is not preparation for battle, but the battle is won through the faithful and fervent prayers of the saints.

Passage: 1 Peter 5:8 NLT

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Pray:

Title: Demonic Forces

Question: What do you think of when you think of demons?

Show images of Demons

If a demon appeared like this, then we would be easily alarmed and probably afraid. This would cause any rational person, spiritual or not to run! The reality is that lust doesn’t look like this… greed doesn’t come in this physical form… prioritizing hobbies and your career over God’s purpose doesn’t seem so scary at first…

We need a more realistic and biblical understanding of what we are up against as followers of Jesus! In order for us to STAY ALERT, we need to know who he is and what he does.

Main Points:

1. Satan’s Origins

   1. Ezekiel 28:11-19 CSB

      1. In this prophetic book, Ezekiel is taking some time addressing the King of Tyre and to pronounce judgment, and then starting in verse 11 he receives a message from the Lord which seems to go beyond a mere description of the mortal king.

         1. He addresses the power behind the power.
         2. Application: Where there is evil in a nation, you can always know that there is wicked power being applied both in the physical and spiritual realms. 2. Origins of Satan:
         3. “11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, lament for the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord God says: You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone covered you: carnelian, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold; they were prepared on the day you were created.” - Ezekiel 28:11-13 CSB
         4. Perfect, wise, and beautiful. Does this sound or look anything like the images from earlier?
         5. “You were an anointed guardian cherub, for I had appointed you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways until wickedness was found in you.”
         6. Guardian cherub, we discussed this in a little more detail in my message a few weeks ago, but these spiritual beings surround the throne of God as guardians and worship God 24/7.

         7. If this is a glimpse of Satan, as many believe and as I do, he was originally created good and blameless. So what happened? 3. Rebellion of Satan:

         8. “Shining morning star, how you have fallen from the heavens! You destroyer of nations, you have been cut down to the ground. 13 You said to yourself, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will set up my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of the gods’ assembly, in the remotest parts of the North. 14 I will ascend above the highest clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Isaiah does something similar to Ezekiel and as he is pronouncing judgment, we see a glimpse of the power behind the power.” - Isaiah 14:12-14 CSB

         9. Shining morning star or day star - this is where we get the name Lucifer, Latin for “light-bearer” or “morning star”.
         10. This was not an attempt to be like God, but to set himself up as God. He saw God’s glory and authority and said “I want that!”

         11. Question: You might be thinking “How could he ever think he could defeat the creator of the universe?!” Or you might also be thinking “How could he possibly think he has a better plan for humanity than God?!”

             1. Maybe we shift the question and ask “Why do I think that way?”
             2. Why so often do I think I have a better way than God?

             3. Why do I crave glory and honor more than giving glory and honor to God alone? 5. At the core of all sin is a spirit of pride and it was pride that led to the downfall of all humanity.

             4. Pride says “It’s all about me!”

             5. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” - Proverbs 16:18 6. Jesus said this when the seventy-two came back from their mission, and many also see Satan’s first fall in it: “And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” - Luke 10:18 4. Gen 3

2. Satan’s Nature

   1. More than 26 unique titles given to the enemy throughout the bible, but I’m going to highlight 7

   2. Satan - Adversary (Fight against)

      1. 1 Peter 5:8

         3. The Devil - Slanderer

      2. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” - Matthew 4:1

         4. The Tempter

      3. “And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”” - Matthew 4:3

         5. Liar

      4. “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” - John 8:44

         6. The Thief (in John 10 Jesus is first talking about false shepherds; many apply it to the enemy behind them)

      5. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” - John 10:10

         7. Ruler of this world

      6. “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,” - John 14:30

         8. Angel of light

      7. “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” - 2 Corinthians 11:14

         9. Who the enemy is not:
      8. Satan is not omniscient (all knowing), omnipresent (everywhere at the same time), omnipotent (all powerful), omnibenevolent (all good). These are ONLY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD AND GOD ALONE!
      9. Though he maintains power and authority here on earth, it is not without limits.
      10. Satan is not responsible for your sin. He entices and disillusions, but ultimately, you are the one that makes the choice to sin against God.

3. Satan's Destiny

   1. As followers of Jesus we don’t live in fear, doubt, or despair. We are more than conquerors!
   2. HE WON THEN:
      1. “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Colossians 2:12-15
   3. HE IS WINNING STILL:
      1. “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” - 2 Timothy 1:7
      2. “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” - Luke 10:19

   4. AND HE WINS IN THE END:

      1. “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10
         5. READ ALOUD TOGETHER:
      2. “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.” - 1 Chronicles 29:11

Closing:

You are loved, protected, and given everything you need in Christ.

“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:35-39

“4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” - 1 John 4:4

Resources:

Dr. Michael Heiser’s work on the Unseen Realm and Supernatural

Dr. Tim Mackie various resources including Bible Project

Frank Peretti’s narrative work on the supernatural realm

Angels & Demon series with Ps. John Lindell (James River Church)