LEARNING TO LIVE

Lesson No. 14: What Does the Bible Teach About Satan?

 COMMENT: Sometime in eternity past God gave all the angels the ability to make a choice concerning whom they would serve.  God does not desire to have robots but those who will love and serve Him willingly.  Lucifer, the most powerful of all the angels that  God had created, became Satan by resisting God's will and choosing to rule his own life.  Some writers think that he began on earth as its prince or ruler.  Between the greatness of this power and the extreme beauty of his person, Lucifer chose to oppose God.  This resulted in his spiritual fall and the fall of one-third of the angels.  In Isaiah 14:12, the question is asked about how Lucifer fell.

1. List the 5 things that Lucifer said to God concerning what he said he was going to do?
Isaiah 14:13-14  You said to yourself, "I will climb up to the sky. Above the stars of El I will set up my throne. I will rule on the mountain of assembly on the remote slopes of Zaphon. (14)  I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!"

 a.

 b.

 c.

 d.

 e.

 2. In verse 15, what did God say would happen to Lucifer?

 

3. In the following verses, list the names or descriptions given to Satan:
1Peter 5:8  Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.

Isaiah 27:1  At that time the Lord will punish with his destructive, great, and powerful sword Leviathan the fast-moving serpent, Leviathan the squirming serpent; he will kill the sea monster.

 Isaiah 14:4  you will taunt the king of Babylon with these words: "Look how the oppressor has met his end! Hostility has ceased!

 Mat 4:3  The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread."

 1John 3:12  not like Cain who was of the evil one and brutally murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother's were righteous.

Mark 3:22  The experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and, "By the ruler of demons he casts out demons."

 John 8:44  You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

 John 10:10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

 John 10:12  The hired hand, who is not a shepherd and does not own sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them.

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

 1Peter 5:8  Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.

 Revelation 12:10  Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,  and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come,  because the accuser of our brothers,  the one who accuses them day and night before our God,  has been thrown down.

Revelation 12:3  Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns.

 Colossians 1:13  He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves,

4. What will be Satan's doom, according to Matthew 25:41?
Mat 25:41  "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!

5. What does I John 3:8 and Hebrews 2: 14 say about Christ in relation to Satan?
1John 3:8  The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.

Hebrews 2:14  Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil),

6. In the following verses point out the activities of Satan:
1Timothy 3:7  And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil's trap.

 Luke 22:31  "Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat,

John 13:2  The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that he should betray Jesus.

2Corinthians 4:4  among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.

Matthew 13:19  When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path.

2Corinthians 12:7  even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me — so that I would not become arrogant.

1Thessalonians 2:18  For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again) but Satan thwarted us.

Revelation 2:9-10  'I know the distress you are suffering and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know the slander against you by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  (10)  Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.

7. What does II Corinthians 2:11 teach the Christian?
2Corinthians 2:11  so that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

8. If you actively resist Satan, what does James 4:7 tell us will happen?

Jas 4:7  So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.

9. What did Jesus use to defeat Satan in the wilderness? 
Matthew 4:4-10  But he answered, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " (5)  Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the highest point of the temple,  (6)  and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you' and 'with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " (7)  Jesus said to him, "Once again it is written: 'You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.' " (8)  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. (9)  And he said to him, "I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship me."  (10)  Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: 'You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' "

10. What does God teach us in Ephesians 4:27 concerning us and the devil?
Ephesians 4:27  Do not give the devil an opportunity.

11. Why is it that a Christian is not to fear Satan? 
1John 4:4  You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

12. Who is the One that is greater living in the Christian?
Romans 8:9  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.

13. What is the Word of God to the Spirit? 
Ephesians 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

COMMENT:  How can you defeat Satan?  Recognize that Jesus has defeated the devil.  Cast all of your cares upon God (I Peter 5:7-9).  Watch out in your activities that you do not give him an opening to tempt you (Ephesians 4:27).  Submit your problems and life to God and resist (stand firm against) the devil by using God's Word.  Confess all known sins (I John 1:7-9).