Faith for Living Uncovering the Works of Satan

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Other than practicing and improving critical skills, the wisest course of action to take when facing an opponent is to learn as much about that opponent as possible.  Boxers review the fights of their challengers.  Coaches study game film of the teams their squads compete against.  Why?  It is as important to assess the opponent’s strengths and develop a plan to counteract them, as it is to assess the opponent’s weaknesses and find ways to exploit them.  Talent alone is not enough to secure victory.

We are encouraged by knowing that Satan is a defeated foe.  God’s Word communicates this fact to us.  He is defeated in his future but has to be overcome in the present.  What do we mean by this?  Satan is still active in the earth.  Knowing what his future holds has not deterred him from his goal – it has caused him to intensify his efforts to destroy the lives and reap the souls of as many people as possible. In fact, God’s Word tells us of Satan that he “has come down in great wrath, knowing that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12). 

In this series of lessons, we will examine some key Scriptures that help us know more about the adversary of our souls and how to resist him.  Many a strong team or individual has been upset by a weaker opponent because of not doing their due diligence in preparation.  We do not want the same to happen to us.