Pastor Tim Delello
Growing Up I always heard the following question after a stranger left our house or when my parents ended a phone call with an unfamiliar voice “what did he want anyway?”
I remember my younger brother Andrew “pestering” my sister while she talked with a friend. Her friend would ask, “What did he want anyway?”
Today, as Christians we have another “persistent pest” who agitates the believers in their daily life. He often sends one of his agents (demons) to bother us and leaves us asking each other “what does he want anyway?”
Let’s
look at 10 things that the Scripture says he wants (or does):
I. Satan Snatches the Seed Sown-
Matthew 13:19 “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.”
A. Satan steals the Word before it is planted or before it can take lodgment.
B. Satan inserts weeds to “choke” the good seed.
C. Satan distracts the listener by any means necessary. He is cunning
1. 2 Corinthians 2:11 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
2. He will use you!
II. Satan Seeks whom he May Devour-
1Peter 5:8-9 “ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
A. Satan seeks to kill steal and destroy- John 10:10
B. Satan accessed the throne of Heaven and requested to Tempt Job
Job
1:6-12 “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves
before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto
Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to
and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD
said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like
him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and
escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God
for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house,
and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his
hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine
hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And
the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon
himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the
LORD.”
Job 2: 1- 6 “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.”
C.
Satan wants to devour you. He has no other Joy than to detour you from
the fight. He hates you. You are a traitor to his army and he wants you Stopped-
Ephesians 6:10-19.
III. Satan wants to SOW seeds of discord and doubt-
Matthew 13: 24-30 “ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
A.
Satan sows seeds of Discord among brethren- He separates Chiefest of
friends-
Proverbs
16:28 “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief
friends.”
B.
Satan sows seeds of Dishonesty to affect
the Church- Acts 5:1-6 “ But a certain man named Ananias, with
Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his
wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the
apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of
the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold,
was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine
heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing
these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them
that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and
carried him out, and buried him.”
C.
Satan Sows seeds of Doubt to detour us from the Faith- Mark 11:23
“For verily I say unto
you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou
cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that
those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he
saith.”
Genesis
3:1-5” Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which
the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall
not eat of every tree of the garden? And
the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the
garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,
God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For
God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
IV.
Satan wants to Silence the Gospel message and wants to Slow down the
Evangelism of the World.
A.
2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who
is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
B.
1Thessalonians 2:18 “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I
Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us”
C.
Matthew 13:19 “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and
understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which
was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.”
V.
Satan wants to Scare us from service and Scar us in testimony before God-
A. Satan tried to detour Christ from his mission- Matthew 4
B. Satan detoured John Mark from service- Acts 15
C. Satan lured Demas from Service- II Timothy 4:10
D. Satan slandered the testimony of the High Priest- Zechariah 3:1-2
E. Satan is the accuser of the brethren-
Revelation 12:10
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and
strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the
accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and
night.“
VI.
Satan wants to Steal our Faith, Assurance, and Purity.
A. He sends trials to distract us and steal our Assurance-
1John 5:20 “And we know
that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may
know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus
Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
Matthew 4:3
“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son
of God, command that these stones be made bread.”
VII.
Satan wants to Separate us from the Love of God-
A.
“ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
B. John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
C.
Job 36:21 “Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou
chosen rather than affliction.”
D. Psalms 66:18 “ If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”
E.
1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil
sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that
he might destroy the works of the devil.
VIII.
Satan wants us to Serve-
A. Satan’s goal from the beginning was to have us disobey God- Genesis 3:1-5
B. Satan wants us to serve 2 masters- Matthew 5:24
C. Satan wants us to fight the flesh in the energy of the flesh- Romans7: 5-6 “ For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
D.
Satan wants us to make our own choices- Genesis 3
IX. Satan wants to Sift us-
A. Luke 22:31-
32 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that
he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail
not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
B. Sifting wheat- Satan’s Ambush, scatter him from his faith.
Lu 22:31
Verse
31. Simon. Peter. Jesus, foreseeing the danger of Peter, and knowing that he was
about to deny him, took occasion to forewarn him and put him on his guard, and
also to furnish him with a solace when he should be brought to repentance.
Satan
hath desired. Satan is the prince of evil. One of his works is to try the faith
of believers--to place temptations and trials in their way, that they may be
tested. Thus God gave Job into his hands, that it might be seen whether he would
be found faithful, or would apostatize. Cmt. on Job 1:7, also Job 1:8-12. So
Satan desired to have Peter in his hands, that he might also try him.
May
sift you as wheat. Grain was agitated or shaken in a kind of fan or sieve. The
grain remained in the fan, and the chaff and dust were thrown off. So Christ
says that Satan desired to try Peter; to place trials and temptations before
him; to agitate him; to see whether anything of faith would remain, or whether
all would not be found to be chaff--mere natural ardour and false professions. -
Barnes
X.
Satan wants to Schedule
another date for Salvation-
A.Some
other time- Acts 24:25 “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance,
and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time;
when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”
B.
Another sacrifice- Mt 7:21-23 “ Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I
never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
XI. Now knowing what he wants, why rebel against God?