(2) KNOW the ENEMY - 2 November 2017 - The enemy's tricks - DECEPTION:
The story of Adam and Eve and their CHOICE to EAT from the tree GOD FORBID them to eat has four main characters.
YHWH GOD - CREATOR of ALL AND EVERYTHING
ADAM - The FIRST HUMAN that was created by God
EVE - The WOMAN that was created by God by using one of Adam's ribs.
And the SERPENT - The CUNNING TALKING SNAKE who was the DEVIL IN DISGUISE. (Rev. 12:9)
The first MAN CREATED by YHWH GOD:
Right from the start - in the beginning in Genesis 1 verse 26, God - DECIDED to make the first man Adam out of the dust of the ground - then DECIDED to make the woman out of Adam's rib to be his helper. Created IN HIS IMAGE - YHWH BREATHE a PART of Himself into man's nostrils. -
Gen. 2:7 "Then the YHWH God formed man from the dust of the ground and BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRIL the BREATH or SPIRIT OF LIFE, and MAN BECAME A LIVING BEING." God's INTENTION was that MANKIND WOULD BECOME His CHLDREN.
And YHWH God PLANTED A GARDEN toward the east, in Eden [delight] - Gen. 2:8
YHWH took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden which He Himself PLANTED (Gen. 2:8). He GAVE MAN the AUTHORITY to BE IN CHARGE of the GARDEN - keeping, guarding and tending it. Gen 2:15 "And YHWH took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to TEND AND GUARD AND KEEP it. :16 And the Lord COMMANDED the man, saying, You may FREELY EAT of EVERY TREE in the garden; But of the tree of the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL AND BLESSING AND CALAMITY YOU SHALL NOT EAT, for IN the DAY that YOU EAT OF IT you shall SURELY DIE. :18 Now YHWH God said, IT IS NOT GOOD (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I WILL MAKE him a HELPER meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him."
Now the SATAN (the DEVIL) DISGUISED as a SERPENT, saw YHWH GOD'S CREATION and His CREATED BEINGS - beautifully and fearfully formed and CREATED in God's OWN IMAGE and LIKENESS, and he was JEALOUS and FULL of HATRED for GOD - and MANKIND who had the POTENTIAL to BECOME GOD'S CHILDREN. He went to the Garden of Eden RUINING and DEGRADING God's PRIME CREATION (all of mankind - the future of mankind) - by DECEIVING the WOMAN (EVE) into the SIN OF DISOBEDIENCE.
The Devil called YHWH GOD a LIAR:
Sowing DOUBT into her MIND - the woman started to DOUBT GOD'S INTENTIONS ["Gen. 3:5 - "for GOD KNOWS that in the day you eat of it ..."]. She TOOK her EYES OFF her Maker TENDING her EARS and FOCUS on the SERPENT and his VOICE and with having her FULL ATTENTION the Devil ENTICED her to EAT of the FORBIDDEN FRUIT (by saying to her that she will SURELY NOT DIE but INSTEAD will BECOME LIKE GOD) - [Gen. 3:4-5 "But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die (2 Cor. 11:3). For GOD KNOWS that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity."].
The CUNNING DECEIVER who is a LIAR, a CHEAT and a FRAUDSTER was speaking TRUTH and LIES - SANDWICHED TOGETHER - for GOD DID KNOW that with SIN - SPIRITUAL DEATH and PHYSICAL DEATH will be ACTIVATED.
Originally God's intentions was for man to be His children - SINLESS - RESIDING IN His Garden - but with SIN COMES SEPARATION FROM GOD. They were not ABLE to WALK in HIS PRESENCE ANYMORE because "LIGHT" that IS YHWH HIMSELF HAS NOTHING IN COMMON WITH "DARKNESS". To be AWAY FROM GOD is on its own also DEATH itself.
The CONSEQUENCES of SIN:
With their sin of DISOBEDIENCE came the CONSEQUENCES, but first of all they PLAYED the BLAME-GAME. They were ASHAMED of their bodies and tried to HIDE from God. GUILT had TAKEN their INTIMACY to GOD, and when God asked them what had happened, Adam blamed Eve basically blaming God because He had given her to him, then Eve blamed the serpent. She herself made the CHOICE but she was unable to see that she was at fault.
Eventually their SIN brought SORROW and CONFLICT into the lives of ALL FAMILIES. They LOST their HOME in the GARDEN of GOD - the GARDEN HE HAD PLANTED HIMSELF - they were SEPARATED (CUT OFF) from the very PRESENCE of GOD AND FROM the GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE.
Gen 22:1 "And YHWH God said, Behold, the man has BECOME LIKE ONE OF Us (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) to KNOW [how to distinguish between] GOOD and EVIL and BLESSING and CALAMITY, and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also from the TREE OF LIFE AND EAT, AND LIVE FOREVER .."
The ENEMY'S NAMES:
The Word of God attach many names to the evil one. He is the CHIEF of SIN, the ADVERSARY, the ACCUSER, the FATHER OF ALL LIES, the MURDERER, THIEF, KILLER, TORMENTOR and DESTROYER. He is called the DEVIL, the CHIEF EVIL SPIRIT OPPOSING GOD. He is called LUCIFER (LIGHT) and in Ezekiel, the prophet tells us that God dressed Lucifer in gems, a robe that would be priceless today.
YHWH TRUSTED Lucifer while he was still in heaven, probably chief over many, many angels, guiding them, giving them instructions from YHWH. He was giving directions to the angels and his influence was most probably great. Sadly, through his PRIDE, HE CAME TO A FALL when HE REBELLED AGAINST GOD - WANTING to BE LIKE GOD - WANTED TO BE GOD HIMSELF.
Beelzebub/Beelsebul: (The PRINCE OF DEVILS/DEMONS)
Scripture tells us that Satan is called Beelzebul, the RULER of the DEMONS - the PRINCE of DEMONS/DEVILS - (Mark 3:22) "The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "He casts out the demons by the RULER of the DEMONS." (also Luke 11:15).
Matt. 12:24 "But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons onby by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."
Yahshua confirmed it by saying in Luke 11:18-19 "If SATAN also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. "And if I be Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out?"
Beelzebub/Beelzebul (Baal; Molech; Dagon and many other names):
2 Kings 1:2 "And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he SENT MESSENGERS and said to them, "GO, INQUIRE of BAAL-ZEBUB, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness."
BELIAL:
He is also known as Belial meaning wickedness and worthlessness, and to be known by such a name given to him by YHWH GOD means that NOTHING GOOD IS IN YOU AT ALL.
The TEMPTER:
Satan is also called the Tempter who tempted Yahshua and he would relentlessly tempt us seeking an open door, or even a tiny little crack in our spiritual walls to do his evil work in or through us.
(Matt. 4:3 "The tempter came to Him and said to Him "If you are the Son of YHWH, tell these stones to become bread")"
The Serpent:
To be called the Serpent means that he is slimy, repulsive, crawling in the dust with its tongues darting out.
The Dragon and the Evil One are two other names - also the Destroyer, the Accuser, the Wicked One, the Ruler of Darkness.
SATAN TODAY:
TODAY Lucifer is still the PRINCE OF THE WORLD - 2 Cor. 4:4 "For the god of the world has blinded the ... minds [that they SHOULD NOT DISCERN the TRUTH] ..."
He is still the POWER of the AIR - Eph. 2:1-2 "And YOU [He MADE ALIVE] when you were DEAD (slain) by [your] TRESPASSES AND SINS in which at one time you walked habitually. You were following the course and fashion of THIS WORLD [WERE UNDER THE SWAY of the TENDENCY of THIS PRESENT AGE], FOLLOWING the PRINCE of the POWER OF THE AIR. [YOU WERE OBEDIENT to and UNDER the CONTROL of] the [DEMON] SPIRIT that still CONSTANTLY WORKS in the SONS OF DISOBEDIENT [the CARELESS, the REBELLIOUS, and the UNBELIEVING, who GO AGAINST the PURPOSES of GOD].
The ENEMY OF YHWH GOD and the ENEMY of MANKIND:
Satan is the great ENEMY of GOD and of ALL that GOD CREATED. He is against the FRUITS of the SPIRIT - AGAINST ALL GOODNESS, LOVE, PEACE, HAPPINESS AND JOY.
Satan is the VESSEL IN WHICH SIN DWELLS. Scripture tells us that Satan was CAST OUT OF HEAVEN, and ONE THIRD OF THE ANGELS WITH him. So he has a REALLY BIG ARMY - helpers - despotisms in wicked placed .
Hell was created by YHWH God for the DEVIL AND HIS HORDES, but with SIN, it had to be ENLARGED as many many people went after Lucifer. We read in Isaiah 5:14 "HELL HATH ENLARGE HERSELF, AND OPENED HER MOUTH WITHOUT MEASURE."
YHWH God is a JUST and RIGHTEOUS GOD. HE WARNS US BEFORE HE IS GOING to DO SOMETHING - just as HE HAD WARNED the ISRAELITES. It is then obvious that GOD would also have WARNED LUCIFER and the ANGELS that FOLLOWED LUCIFER. SIN CANNOT BE TOLERATED by GOD because of HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Abba WILL DESTROY ALL SIN EVENTUALLY but it will ONLY BE DESTROYED FINALLY when the ORIGINATOR OF ALL SIN, SATAN, is DESTROYED.
When GOD CREATED the ANGELS, he GAVE them the PRIVILEGE OF CHOICE: They could OBEY GOD or DISOBEDY GOD. God WANTED them TO WORSHIP HIM BECAUSE HE WAS GOD, to LOVE HIM FOR HIMSELF just as HE WANTS US to WORSHIP HIM BECAUSE HE IS GOD, and to LOVE HIM for HIMSELF.
A TINY LITTLE SEED SOWED in the MIND:
The angels must have known that DISOBEDIENCE WOULD BE A DESTRUCTIVE CHOICE. Little DISOBEDIENCES CREATED INIQUITY within and it the BEGINNING of SIN. SIN ALWAYS STARTED with ONE TINY LITTLE SEED SOWED in the MIND. A WRONG MINDSET CAN EXPLODE INTO DISOBEDIENCE and DISOBEDIENCE BREEDS DISSATISFACTION.
When we become DISSATISFIED with the TRUTH of the WORD OF GOD, we are in BIG TROUBLE. DISSATISFACTION BREEDS ARROGANCE, and ARROGANCE BREEDS RESISTANCE of the AUTHORITY OF GOD. RESISTANCE BREEDS CONTROL and before long YOUR 'SELF' is in CONTROL - a LOVER OF 'SELF'.
Ernest Angley wrote in his Book "Lucifer cast Out of Heaven" Volume 4, The Mysteries of God:
Satan, an Angel of Light
"For many years through the gift of discerning of spirits the Lord has given me a study of the kingdom of Satan. In 1954 the Lord started with me in the divine visitation, telling me I would have to know the kingdom of Satan, the Kingdom of God and the spirit of man and to be able to separate them. This can only be done through God’s spirit of discernment, never within flesh. Many people have gotten into trouble trying to discern through their own spirits.
The Lord brought different spirits to me, teaching me how they look, the forms they take, how they act and deceive people. You may think you want the gift of discerning of spirits, but you don’t. Who wants to look at demonic powers? Who wants to look at the unbearable? Through the darkness, demon eyes—big as horse eyes—glitter with fiery light. At other times demons take on the form of panting wolves coming toward you with slobbering tongues licking out. I learned not to fear them because I am protected by the blood of Jesus.
To look into a soul and see those demonic spirits is grievous. I’ve seen them when they took on the form of a man’s head—no hair—and a face with a leering grin. The Lord had to lift some of my compassion, for I don’t think I could have lived long looking into the souls of men, women, boys and girls and seeing the devils that actually bound them. It affected me until I thought it would kill me. You can read about devils and devil possession in the Bible—Jesus cast out devils—but then you enter the kingdom of the devil, seeing as God sees, there are no words to adequately describe the horror of it.
Through the gift of discerning I first see angels coming toward me as a tiny dot of light the size of the end of my little finger, but I don’t know from a distance whether the light is an angel of God or the light of a demonic spirit. When the light gets closer I can tell through the Spirit of God, through the spirit of discernment, just what I am seeing. The Lord taught me to wait and be sure. Angels carry beautiful light, real light; but the light all demonic spirits carry is a counterfeit of God’s light.
The Lord schooled me in the discerning of spirits a long time before he brought the devil before me, and when He finally did, He didn’t warn me. I actually saw Satan. I don’t know how the devil looked before he fell; he must have been dazzling.
Lucifer was brightness. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14). I saw him shrouded in a beautiful white light, dressed similarly to the way he is described in Ezekiel. He dazzled with his jewels. I thought, “Oh, God, I’ve never seen an angel like this!” He was lighting up the place as he came toward me. I looked at him just as I would look at another person. “Lord,” I thought, “what kind of angel is this?” The Lord let Lucifer get very close to me and then He stripped him. I just gasped. Oh my God, that was something! To be eyeball to eyeball with the devil and now there wasn’t anything dazzling about him at all. His light, his jewels were all counterfeit. He was uglier than one could ever imagine, eyes glittering with demonic hate. He hated me! I had never before witnessed such hate. No wonder God cast him out of Heaven; no wonder God is going to destroy him in the lake of fire! I never will forget that experience; I have lived and relived it. If the Lord doesn’t wipe it away, I will relive it for eternity—but surely it will be wiped away by then.
The scripture of II Corinthians 11:14 referring to Lucifer as an angel of light took on great meaning, living reality. You can read the Bible, but when you actually experience what it is talking about, the Word becomes a part of you. You can read about a born-again experience, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but when you experience them, the scriptures burst into new life."
Thank You ABBA for YOUR WORD. Thank You for YOUR MERCY AND YOUR GRACE - for TEACHING US - for GIVING US THE SPIRITUAL ARMOR so that we could STAND our EYES ON YOUR SON.
Thank YOU Abba for DISCLOSING the ENEMY to US - help us to be STRONG in FAITH RESISTING the DEVIL and ALL HIS DEVICES. Thank You YAHSHUA for SAVING US - for MAKING the WAY to BE YOU OWN. Amen.