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Study No.5    PROBLEMS IN SERVICE (2)  

 

INTRODUCTION.  

This study is an addendum to Study No. 4 and, while we are not looking specifically at Nehemiah’s memoirs, the following material further develops some of the principles relating to our enemy and the kind of opposition he employs against us.   Nehemiah knew his enemies - their motivation, strategies and aims. We, too, have an enemy. But do we know him in the sense that Nehemiah knew his enemies? Do we recognise his tactics and goals? Since we are all engaged in a spiritual conflict, let’s push the “pause button” on Nehemiah long enough to bring some basic principles into focus.  

1. Read the following verses, discuss them as a group and write what you learn about Satan’s nature from each of them.

a. Genesis 3/1

b. Luke 4/2,13

c. John 8/44 

2. Now read the following verses and identify some of Satan’s tactics or strategies that he employs to reach his goals.

a. Matt.4/1-3

 b. Mark 1/21-26

 c. Luke 13/16

d. John 13/2,27

e. Acts 5/3

f. 2 Cor.4/4

g. 2 Cor.11/14

h. 1 Peter 5/8  

3. Knowing the strategies of our enemy is one thing; knowing how to be an overcomer or more than a conqueror is quite another! What do the following verses tell us about victory?

a. Luke 4/4,8,12

b. Ephesians 4/27

c. Ephesians 6/10-18

d. James 4/7,8 (also 1 Peter 5/8,9)

e. Revelation 12/10,11

A FINAL NOTE: The extremes of attitudes towards teaching about Satan range from total denial at one end of the scale to total obsession at the other! The balance is in recognising Satan’s person, purpose and power BUT seeing that within the context of his defeat at Calvary and the Resurrection and the finalising of that at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Satan is NOT Almighty! There is only one God. Satan is not to be made equal to God in any way. If he is to be compared with any heavenly being, it is with the archangels Michael & Gabriel.   Let’s not fall into the deception that Satan is more powerful than he is. He has been mortally wounded at the Cross and the only power he can yield over us now is that which we give him because he deceives us into thinking he is greater than what he is. His main strategy against Christians is deception. We should never become presumptuous in this area but we should rejoice in Christ’s victory which He makes ours!  

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