Abundant Life Crusades
Tony and Marge Abram have been preaching the Good News for over 61 years!

The Working of SATAN in the World Today
Ezekiel 28:13-28:19

We need to understand the difference between the devil, demons and unclean spirits. In this out line we can see there is a difference and also that believers cannot be possessed but can be oppressed and even obsessed. 1John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Before the study let us understand that:

1. Satan, the devil is the fallen archangel that fell, he was the closest to God.
(Ezek 28:14 KJV) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

2. Demons are the one third of the angels that fell with him.

3. Unclean spirits are the influence or manifestations of the devil and demons.

I. Satan is called by many names.
A. He is the devil.
Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. .

B. He is the accuser of the brethren.
Rev 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. .
1. He never quits. On preacher said that if you could find one good thing about him is that he is persistent.

C. He is a devourer.
1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: .

D. This is what Jesus said he was in: (John 10:10 KJV) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy...

1. The Devil is the author of every evil thing.
2. He steals
3. He kills
4. He destroys
5. God gives us every good and perfect gift.
6. Satan's ploys are no match for the Savior's power.

E. He is the father of all liars, he is a murder and not truth in him.
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
1, He places unclean, untrue and false accusations in our minds
2. This is why we need the Word in our hearts and minds.
(Phil 2:5 KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

II. The great truth is always to remember is we are free.
(John 8:32 KJV) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
(John 8:36 KJV) If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: .
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. .

III. The reason many today that do not believe in the devil is found in:
2 Cor 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. .
A. What happens when a person comes to Christ?
1. Demons leave. Sometimes they are cast out but mostly they leave at conversation without notice.
2. When we force them out with great effort they come back.
Matt 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
B. To be saved and delivered we must be 'Born Again' and receive Christ Spirit to our lives.
C. We overcome through the Word even as Jesus overcame the Devil on the Mount of Temptation.
D. Let us cease arguing about the existence of demons and concern ourselves with what the demons are actually doing. Donald Bloesch

IV. Jesus cast out unclean spirits:
Mark 1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
Mark 5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
Luke 9:42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. .

V. Jesus gave us power over the devil and his spirits.
Matt 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

VI. The devil recognizes the power of Jesus.
Mark 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. .

VII. One of the characteristics of unclean spirits is sickness, not everything, it is usually something that is growing like cancer.
A. A Christian can be sick from an unclean spirit but not possessed by a demon.
Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; .
Luke 6:18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. .

B. Some healed, some cast out.
Acts 5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. .
Acts 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

VIII. Some are afraid of the Devil.
A. Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
B. 1John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
C. (1 Cor 3:16 KJV) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
(2 Cor 6:16 KJV) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, (NIV)
1. One old minister heard some ask in a service "Pastor did not Peter say the devil walk about as a roaring lion?" The pastor answered saying "The reason the devil is roaring is that Jesus pulled all his teeth and all the devil can do is make noise because he is hurting. His bite against the Christian is gone, all he can do is line and try to gum us."
2. The devil is like a mad dog that is chained up. He is powerless to harm us when we are outside his reach, but once we enter his circle we expose ourselves again to injury or harm. - Aurelius Augustine,

D. Here are a few verses that show the differences between demons and unclean spirits.
1 Tim 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. NIV)
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-- and shudder.
Rev 18:2 With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.(NIV)

IX. Christians cannot be possessed. They can be oppressed, obsessed by spirits. These attacks come from with out.

1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? .
2 Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. .
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. .
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? .
A. You say some Christians say they are possessed , this is lie from the devil himself, and this is a lie from the devil. HE IS A LAIR!
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.

1. When the devil brings up your past, bring up his future.
2. The man who is fully surrendered to the Lord will never deliberately surrender to the Enemy.
3. When adversity is most ready to strike us, God is most ready to strengthen us.
4. The devil is an equal opportunity employer--all who work for him will go to hell.
5. The Lord adds and multiplies; the devil subtracts and divides.
6. Don't permit Satan to remind you of what God has already forgotten.
7. Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.
8. There are two big lies that Satan has been perpetrating ever since the Garden of Eden. The first is that God is mean, vindictive, a spoilsport whose main role in life is to keep us from being fulfilled and happy--when we step out of bounds, he takes delight in making us pay. The second lie is that God really doesn't care what we do--probably doesn't know. And if he does, his business is to forgive us. He'll always forgive no matter what, so it really doesn't make much difference how we live and what we believe. B. Clayton Bell

God bless you and yours!
On behalf of this generation,
Your friends in the service of Christ,
Tony and Marge Abram
Abundant Life Crusades

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