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February 4, 2022 1:00 am
What does the Bible say about good versus evil? Since the original sin in the Garden of Eden, Satan has tried to blot out the seed of God’s promised Redeemer. In this message, we’ll study three instances throughout Scripture where Satan has clashed with God. As we assess the far-reaching consequences of our fall, we also learn that God, from the beginning, had in mind a way to redeem us.
Click here to listen (Duration 25:02)Gordon began an avalanche of sin and misery we assess the far-reaching consequences of mankind's fall, but also learn that God from the beginning had in mind a way to repair the damage, the Moody Church in Chicago this running to win with Sir clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line pastor Luther come to your third message on God's devil.
Tell us what you mean by the serpent strikes back. First of all, Dave. I want to say that you're absolutely right that God from the beginning what was going to happen and the plan was already in place now. This message has to do with the fact that Satan has tried to thwart God's purposes, you know, when God said that the seed of the woman would crush the seed of the serpent, Satan begins to attack God's seed so to speak, and will understand what that means but here's the thing. He always ends up losing. I'm so thankful for the many of you who support the ministry of running to win. We believe very deeply that this spiritual truth is of such help to many people would you consider becoming an endurance partner that someone who stands with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts. Here's what you can do.
Go to RTW offer.com and then click on the endurance partner button and of course the amount that you contribute monthly is totally your choice go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 I'm going to be giving you this info once again at the end of this message.
For now I want you to listen carefully to understand that Satan thinks he can take on God. But he's absolutely wrong.
Some time ago I heard a story about a man who very innocently pulled the stone from a mountain that he triggered an avalanche and I think that's the way it was with Adam and Eve.
They ate of the fruit of the tree, not realizing that they were doing something that would have repercussions throughout the entire universe, and you and I today are affected by the decision that they made. Let me be very clear in reminding you that when the Angels file they were created individually and so they fell individually is not hard to believe that there were two thirds of the Angels that remained faithful to God and one third that file but the human race is different. Our lives are connected with our parents and our grandparents and because of that, Adam and Eve being our first parents in effect, they are the ones who send and all of us became tainted as a result of the full we are created with sin nature is within us. We are under the condemnation of sin all because the entire human race was therefore plunged into a life of sin and the struggle with sin all because of the decision of Adam and because we are a solidarity.
We are bonded together. There are no baby angels, but all of us came into this world to the birth process. We are all interrelated and connected the last time in the message.
We learned that God does said that there would be enmity between thee and the woman he said to the serpent between thy seed and her seed.
What happened is this Satan now began to think to himself I am going to try to destroy the seed that God says is going to destroy may so conflict is set up between Satan and God. From that time forward what we'd like to do today is to take our Bibles and to give a few instances of it as it is found in the Old Testament the first of all, let us take our Bibles and turn to Genesis. Genesis the fourth chapter.
Here we have the story of Adam and Eve having children, and the first child that they have is cold again and the word cane simply means begotten, he was the begotten one.
This is the son that God gave to Adam and Eve, and this entire chapter now is going to be a contrast between Abel, who was a righteous son and Cain, who was a wicked one. The first strike that Satan makes is against the family and his first strike is an attempt to destroy able which he believed was the righteous seed now. The man had relations with his wife. The Bible says and she conceived and gave birth to Cain and she said I have gotten a man child with the help of the Lord. And again she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of the flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground so it came about in the course of time that Cain brought forth an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground and Abel on his part also brought the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions.
And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering. But for Cain and his offering he had no regard. Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. Notice here, the issue was really a religious one. How does one approach God Bible scholars have pointed out that Abel brought the firstlings of the flock. He brought blood. The blood offering.
And Cain did.
If that's the reason why the offering was accepted and Keynes was rejected. Then there must've been some revelation that God gave regarding the kind of offering to be brought.
Perhaps it is simply that Abel offered it in faith. It says in Hebrews chapter 11. By faith Abel offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain because he offered it in faith. We don't know exactly the reason why was the God accepted Abel's offering and rejected Keynes except that Abel was a righteous man who did believe, most assuredly, and Cain didn't. But this much we know the antagonism between the brothers escalated as far as Cain was concerned he felt that he had been very unfairly rejected and you have all of those firstborn qualities.
Those leadership qualities and those insecurities. The firstborn sometimes that and they all came to the service and the Bible says that he became jealous and very angry.
Now you know here at the Moody church. We have a lot of people coming to us for counsel.
In fact, as a staff we discussed that in staff meeting. We seem to have more people coming for counsel in the last couple of weeks than usual, and were wondering how to handle the caseload as I was looking at this I realize that that God counsels Cain here when it be wonderful if you could telephone the Moody church and say we need counsel because were in trouble and would like to speak to God. Wouldn't that be wonderful. Now if you say that we would probably have to refer you to other people but but here God speaks to Cain Kane is suffering from low self-esteem and he's feeling rejected and the Lord says to Cain in verse six. Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen. If you do well, will you not your countenance will be lifted up, and if you do not, well, sin is crouching at the door. That is a ready to destroy you. And its desire is for you but you must master it. So, notice what the Lord says is Cain there's a way out of this. All that you need to do is to do what is right and will be accepted.
But Cain did not accept God's advice Bible says that he told Abel what happened and then he slew Abel his brother, you may civil pastor Luther this was just sibling rivalry. This is the way in which kids get along. Lord don't get along, those of us have been parents know that there are times when sometimes our children just do not see eye to eye on everything. Did you know that Satan was involved in this. It says in first John chapter 3 in the New Testament. It clarifies and says why did they Keynes slay Abel because Cain was on that wicked one.
Satan was involved and he slew him because he was righteous Abel was righteous, and therefore righteousness was a threat to Satan and furthermore Satan very probably thought that Abel was the promise seed and if he wiped him out. Then he would be able to win the battle and I can just imagine after Abel's blood is spilled on the ground.
I can imagine Satan saying to himself I 111 I destroyed the promised seed.
Of course he didn't because after Abel is slain, you know, God gives to Adam and Eve, another son called Seth and that word Seth means substitute and the devil begins to realize that no matter how many people he kills God might always have someone else created someone else will be born who could be the promised seed Satan realizes what a body at one he really did the first attack we could go on to point out that the Lord put a mark upon Cain and that Cain became a wanderer and later on, it says that in verse 16, Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of nod East of Eden. Cain had relations with his wife and you know one of the big questions that is always asked is where did Cain get his life people asked that question.
Even those who should be concerned about where they might find a wife sometimes ask questions about where Cain got his answer is he married one of his sisters or one of his cousins because the race was pure in those days and Adam and Eve had many different children. Cain said my punishment is greater than I can bear. He began to discover something about sin despite the wonder of revenge.
Despite how good it felt to finally get rid of that brother. The consequences were very unacceptable in the long run. It never pays to sin people are concerned about whether or not O.J. Simpson is guilty of the murders that we've heard so much about.
And the fact is that someone mentioned to me that even if he is free if if indeed he did those crimes. He will never be free. He will be condemned in his heart, and someday he'll have to give account to God for it. Sin never pays for you and I know of course that Adam and Eve were not the first parents that have had some difficulty raising Cain as a matter of fact there has been difficulty within the family. Was I going to fast for some of you on that one. There been difficulties in families ever sense and Satan strikes the family that unit that God has raised up that should propagate the faith, and here he is, he tries to do it by destroying by killing. Let's take another example.
The sixth chapter of Genesis. Here is an attack against society.
Satan said to himself I cannot destroy the seed by killing maybe I can destroy this seed by corrupting now this is a puzzling passage. It says in verse one. It came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they took wives for themselves whomever they chose and the Lord said my spiritual not always strive with man forever, because he also is flesh. Nevertheless his days shall be 120 years. The nestling were upon the earth in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men and they bore children to them that those were the mighty men who wear old men of green now what in the world is going on here in the text for the sons of God whether those who believe that the sons of God represent the godly line of Seth and the daughters of men represent the Canaanites are problems with that view and we can't go into detail about all of the problems except to say that first of all, it's not cleared old all of the descendents of Seth were that righteous. Furthermore, that expression the sons of God wherever it is used in the Old Testament always refers to angels, for example in the book of Job. It talks about know the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. Is it possible that these are fallen spirits, demonic spirits, cohabiting with human beings and bearing children well a part of that is possible. It is possible for Satan and spirits to take a human form.
We know that even though they do not have the power to create. As such, but they can actualize themselves.
Satan did that to Jesus Christ and if demons are able to speak. That means that they are able to translate themselves into something material and there are those who have fallen into such perversions that they have had relations with evil spirits that have been actualized as human beings.
I've read accounts I've spoken to people and I believe that, at least in some instances, that has been true, but I don't believe that that would beget children, so I take the point of view that the sons of God is really a reference to demonic spirits that are in dwelling in the habit team energizing the people in that day, and as a result of that, there were leaders that were born, but these were evil leaders that were involved with demons and immorality in the two inevitably go together. You know, I also believe. I believe that these demons were so wicked that God decided to build a special place for them where they would be confined forever and that they are not free to roam the earth today say why would you believe that notice what it says in second Peter may take a moment to find it, but it may be a text you've not looked at for a while so I'll give you a moment to find it a second Peter chapter 2.
This is talking about heresy. It's talking about apostates. Those who deny the faith. The Moody church. We had an apostate a few weeks ago who denies the faith and there was a debate here regarding his heresies and I might say that the judgment of God is upon the such not only individually, but upon all those who would believe their teachings and all that you need to do is to read the book of Jude in the book of second Peter and find out how much God hates apostasy.
Notice what it says. Chapter 2 verse two many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of truth will be maligned and in their greed they will exploit you with false words, their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell.
The Greek word is Tartarus and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved no is the context in which he says this he saying that God took the spirits that send cast them into Tartarus committed them to pits of darkness, but he did spare Noah.
This happened during the days of the flood just before the flood came because of the wickedness that was upon the earth. There were some spirits that were so evil that God says I'm going to confine you so that you will not be able to rule the earth. Tartarus in the New Testament when Jesus was going to cast out a demon he said please don't send me to Tartarus, that place of torment which really is not yet the lake of fire, but which is a holding pen so to speak before the lake of fire, now back to Genesis chapter 6, I want you to notice that the text says the evil of man was great upon the earth, as a matter fact we read these words verse six and the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord even is sorry that he makes man doesn't mean that it took him by surprise. It simply means that God was grieved and he was going to have to begin again and he did with Noah found grace in the site of the Lord first strike.
God says I'd like to kill them. It didn't work.
Seth was born second strike. I'm going to corrupt them. I want the entire human race to be involved in various kinds of perversion and sensuality so that God cannot even send them anymore and so that God will judge the world and blocked the human race out once again Satan thought to himself.
It looks as if I am winning but verse eight Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord there was someone righteous left who had not been contaminated with the things of the world. We look at our own society today.
Fill with violence and filled with immorality and impurity. Sometimes I call people on the phone just to see how they're doing. No special agenda. I did that this last week I phoned the family connected with Moody church and heard something that made me so angry, so angry. Unbelievable to two lovely young girls molested by a grandfather as they learn about a week ago and then and then one of these young ladies also worse than molestation.
Really, with the some neighbor. I'm not sure exactly of all of the details, I say to myself, where where is all this perversion come from, how many are there out there that are molesting children that are there doing those despicable things and listen. You know what that means.
That means that there are people who are listening to me today who are molesting children doing things that are despicable.
And if you fit into that category today.
Let me tell you, stop at stop act in the name of Christ because you are doing the devils work and by the way some of you mothers you have husbands that are molesting your children and ruining their lives and you are pretending that you do not know because you don't want to face the consequences of what would happen if that man were found out, could I simply tell you today that go for help, and below his cover blow his cover deal with it. We look at movies today.
Impurity of mind and heart and spirit. The pollution of soul young people watching the movies. All of this foolishness and all of the sensuality and the violence and the occultism it takes hours and hours of reading the Scripture simply to purify the mind to get all of the the pollution out of the minds of the hearts of even Christians today, Satan says. First of all I want to destroy them by telling them I can kill them all corrupt them. I will separate their souls from God. I listen to me very carefully. If you are involved in sexual immorality of any form, whether it is pornography. There is some form of perversion. I want you to know today that you need to go for help because the iniquity the iniquity that we face. Even within the church today grieves God. God says I'm sorry that I have made man that was Satan's strike.
Now there are other ways that Satan tried to blot out all of the seed of the good seed turn to the second Kings chapter 11 verse one for just a moment.
Second Kings chapter 11 verse one we find that Satan has a woman on the throne, who is going to do the devils work and notice it says, second Kings chapter 11 verse one when Athol I have the mother of Ahaz via saw that her son was dead. She arose and destroyed all of the royal offspring don't have time to go into the text in detail, but I just want you to know that if she had destroyed all of the royal offspring. The promises that God made that Jesus Christ would be born to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through the line of David a would have not been fulfilled because she was going to kill everybody who was of the Royal seed, but would you believe that there was one who was spared and his name was Joash somebody he had little Joash, this is Pastor Lynch at the point is simply this, that there are times when Satan thinks he's winning but actually in the end God make sure that he is losing and perhaps we see this most clearly at the cross.
I can imagine that when Jesus was crucified to Satan was filled with glee at last. Jesus was dead, but of course three days later, Jesus rises from the dead and the cross of Jesus Christ was ultimately Satan's greatest defeat. It's always that way when you take on God I am so gratified by the many of you who support the ministry of running to win. Recently I was speaking at a conference and I met two endurance partners. You say, who are endurance partners while they are people who support the ministry of running to win regularly with their prayers and their gifts. You want more info. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com when you're there, click on the endurance partner button and of course your contribution is entirely your decision go to RTW offer.com or if you prefer, call us at 1-888-218-9337 I'm going to give you that contact info again. You can go to RTW offer.com.
Click on the endurance partner button or you can call it 1-888-218-9337 you can pick up the phone and you can call right now you can write to us at running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, Satan turned his focus on stopping the future birth and death of Christ.
The earth became a battlefield with humanity as Satan's victims next time more about Satan's tactics and how we must be on our guard continually as he seeks to devour us. This is Dave Alister running to win is sponsored by the Moody church