163 Sermon Illustrations on Satan

The human race is aboard a hijacked jet flying through time. God Himself directed its takeoff from the divine control tower. The initiator of all evil, whom we call Satan, managed to get a boarding pass. When cruising height was reached, he produced his weapons, threatened the pilot, and took control of the jumbo jet and all of its passengers. So it hopped on uncomfortably through history from airport to airport till it was caught on the tarmac at Jerusalem, an outpost of the Roman empire, in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, where the Son of God offered Himself as sole hostage in exchange for passengers and crew. The further you push the parallel the more fanciful it seems. But the basic idea of the human race aboard a hijacked jumbo flying through time is sound enough. The passengers must keep a wary eye on the hijacker, induce the pilot to take his directions from God's control tower, and be ready to accept rescue through the sacrifice of the willing Hostage. That is their only escape route.

A man came to Charles Finney, the well-known evangelist, and said, "I don't believe in the existence of a devil." "Don't you?" asked Finney. "Well, you resist him for a while, and you will believe in it." That's what the second commandment of James is: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). A godly life is characterized by its conflicts with sin. The place most frequented by Satan is where holiness dwells.

Luther says in one of his sermons: "The devil held a great anniversary at which his emissaries were convened to report the results of their several missions. 'I let loose the wild beasts of the desert,' said one, 'on a caravan of Christians, and their bones are now bleaching on the sands.' 'What of that?' said the devil. 'Their souls were all saved.' 'I drove the east wind,' said another, 'against a ship freighted with Christians, and they were all drowned.' 'What of that?' said the devil. 'Their souls were all saved.' 'For ten years I tried to get a single Christian asleep,' said a third, 'and I succeeded, and left him so.' "Then the devil shouted," continues Luther, "and the night stars of hell sang for joy." One of the tricks of Satan is to make us believe that submission to God means a spiritual stupor. Far from it. It is a battle; it is resistance and first of all to Satan himself.

The Devil is no idle spirit, but a walker, a vagrant runagate walker, like Cain, that cannot rest in a place. I have heard of travellers that have seen many parts of the world, but never any perpetual peripatetic, or universal walker, but Satan; who hath travelled all coasts and corners of the earth, and would of heaven too, if he might be admitted. He is not, like St. George's statue, ever on horseback, and never riding; but, as if he were knight-marshal of the whole world, he is ever walking. His motion is circular, and his unwearied steps know no rest. He hath a large and endless circuit. His walk is a siege, that goes about the fort to find the weakest place, as easiest for battery. "He walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." His walks are the circumference, and man the centre. The motive, cause, and main intention of his journey, is to win man. As he walks through the streets, there he throws a short measure, a false balance, into a tradesman's shop. He steps into a drinking-house, and kindles a quarrel. He shoulders to the bar, and pops in a forged evidence, a counterfeit seal. He dares enter the schools, and commence schisms and contentions; nay, climb up into the pulpit, and broach sects and divisions. He travels no ground but like a stinking fog or dying oppressor he leaves a scent behind him. T. Adams.

Dark, profoundly hellish, as is the character of Satan in the Scriptures, and in human books of imagination, do you not think that there are men who are the Devil's masters in art, in craft, in lying, in every thing which is devilish? Have you not sometimes felt as though you could do his Satanic majesty reverence and respect in comparison with them? Talk of devils being confined to hell, or confined to inviability! We have them by shoals in the crowded towns and cities of the world. Talk of raising the Devil! What need for that when they are constantly walking to and fro in our streets, seeking whom they may devour! There they are: do you not see them? you do not recognize them, simply because they have not the foot or the tail.

Murmuring is the first-born of the Devil; and nothing renders a man more like to him than murmuring. Constantine's sons did not more resemble their father, nor Aristotle's scholars their master, nor Alexander's soldiers their general, than murmurers do resemble Satan. And as murmuring is Satan's sin, so it is his punishment. What a dreadful thing it is to bear Satan's image, and to be given up to his punishment! Brooks.

It is observed by some, that God never suffered the Devil to assume any human shape, but with some character whereby his body might be distinguished from the true body of a man; and surely the Devil cannot so exactly counterfeit an angel of light, but that, by a discerning mind, he may be distinguished from him: as they say a beggar can never act a prince so cunningly, but that his behavior, sometimes sliding into the coarse way and principles of his education, will betray the meanness of his pedigree to one of a truly noble extraction. A base imitation will always fall short of the copy from whence it is taken; and though sin and error may take up the mantle of truth, and clothe themselves with it, yet he that is inwardly acquainted with truth, and an ingenuous lover and pursuer of it, will be able to find out the imposture, he will be able to see through the veil into the naked deformity of them. John Smith.

The raven croaks and flaps his wings above corruption, and riots in luxury on the carcasses of the dead; so Satan feeds his infernal appetite upon the corrupt and dead souls of mankind. Dr. Guthrie.

When the devils saw Christ on the cross, there stood the exulting fiend, smiling to himself. "Ah! I have the King of glory now in my dominions; I have the power of death, and I have the power over the Lord Jesus." He exerted that power, till the Lord Jesus had to cry out in bitter anguish, "My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?" But, ah! how short-lived was hellish victory! how brief was the Satanic triumph! He died; and "It is finished!" shook the gates of hell. Down from the cross, the conqueror leaped, pursued the fiend with thunderbolts of wrath: swift to the shades of hell the fiend did fly, and swift descending went the conqueror after him: and, seizing him, he chained him to his chariot-wheel; dragged him up the steeps of glory; angels shouting all the while, "He hath led captivity captive, and received gifts for men." Now, Devil, thou saidst thou wouldst overcome me when I came to die. Satan, I defy thee, and laugh thee to scorn! My master overcame thee, and I shall overcome thee yet. Spurgeon

"To offer a candle to God, and another to the Devil." This proverb is illustrated by a painting which Robert de la Mark caused to be executed, representing St. Margaret and the Devil, and himself on his knees before them with a candle in each hand, and a scroll issuing from his mouth, containing the words, "If God will not aid me, the Devil surely will not fail me."

An enemy, before he besiegeth a city, surroundeth it at a distance to see where the wall is the weakest, best to be battered, lowest, easiest to be sealed; ditch narrowest to be bridged, shallowest to be waded over; what place, if not regularly fortified, where he may approach with least danger, and assault with most advantage: so Satan walketh about surveying all the powers of our souls, where he may most probably lay his temptations, — as whether our understandings are easier corrupted with error, or our fancies with levity, or our wills with frowardness, or our affections with excess. Spencer.

What "hour" and "cup" was Jesus seeking to be delivered from? Does He pray for deliverance from the cross—the very purpose for which He had come into the world? (Jn. 12:27). Heb. 5:7 shows His prayer was heard and answered. See Lk. 22:44; Mk. 14:34. Shows Satan was attempting to kill Him before He could accomplish His purpose in the appointed way. Lk. 22:43 is the answer to His prayer. He was saved from death in Gethsemane. When hour of the cross comes, He asks no angels or defenders and rebukes Peter for trying to defeat God's plan. Mt. 26:52, 53, 56

Demon possessed men never have expectation to receive benefit from Christ, or inclination to do Him service, a fact alone which proves His deity. Demons know Him to be the Son of God who is to execute vengeance

Pharaoh a type of Satan. His efforts to keep Israel entangled in Egypt in one way or another, illustrate Satan's efforts to involve the believer in the world

Sows tares on top of the wheat. Mixed multitude in the church. So great his power of deception that tares often really suppose themselves to be wheat (7:21-23). Note Satan's confidence in his sowing (went his way—no doubt as to results—v. 25)

Rod, symbol of power in Christ's hand, was not wrenched from Moses' hand. He cast it down and it remained serpent only while out of his hand. Rod temporarily out of Christ's hand, has taken serpent form, but Satan's power can be exercised only as long as Christ wills. He will stretch forth His hand and take sceptre and Satan's rule will be ended

One day, while a vessel was sailing in the Pacific Ocean, along the Mexican coast, a person on board noticed what seemed to be a long, sharp, pointed knife, rising above the surface and cutting the water, while it kept along with the ship for an hour or more. On looking closer, the observer saw that it was the fin of a shark rising from his back. This creature was following the ship, ready to catch any poor sailor who might fall overboard. It was very large, and had cold, cruel eyes, which watched as the monster glided noiselessly along. Thus the Devil follows men and women, watching an opportunity to make them his prey.

An enemy, before he besieges a city, surrounds it at a distance to see where the wall is the weakest, where it will be best to batter, where it is the lowest for scaling, where it may be approached with the least danger, and where assault will be to the best advantage. So the Devil surveys us soul and body, in order that he may tempt us at the weakest point. Thus he discovers whether our understandings are easier corrupted with error, or our fancies with levity, or our wills with forwardness, or our affections with sinful excess.

Perhaps very few know how a man feels when, for the first time, he finds himself within a few inches of a serpent—when he sees it rear its head ready to strike, and knows that one stroke of those fangs is death. That moment he experiences a varied passion, impossible to describe. Fear, hatred, loathing, the desire to escape, the desire to kill, all rush into one moment, making his entire being thrill. Now take two men: one is in the face of that serpent; the other is in the presence of the old serpent called Satan, the Devil; one is in danger of the sting; the other is in danger of committing sin.

Satan is compared to a raging lion, going about the world seeking whom he may devour. Again, he is likened unto a bird of prey. The raven croaks and flaps his wings above corruption, and riots in luxury on the carcases of the dead; so Satan feeds his infernal appetite upon the corrupt and sinful hearts of mankind.

King Canute promised to make him the highest man in England who should kill King Edmund, his rival; which when one had performed, and expected his reward, he commanded him to be hung on the highest tower of London. So Satan promises great things to people in pursuit of their lusts; then he puts them off with great injury.

How much do you know about angelic beings? What Scripture actually says may surprise you.

1. Lions and Eagles and Bulls, Oh My!

a. Cherubim.

b. Seraphum.

c. Living Creatures of Revelation.

2. Angels: Heaven's Soldiers.

a. Angels.

b. The archangel.

c. The angel of the Lord.

3. Our relationship with angels.

a. Angel contacts.

1. Usually this is demonic, and is a key factor in cults.

b. Angel secret agents.

1. Physical protection/deliverance.

2. Discipline.

3. Interterrestrial travel guard.

c. Angel witnesses.

4. The tables turn: we judge angels.

5. Together, a full picture: both angels and humans serve a living God.

During battles in Northern Baptist Convention in 1920's, led by W.B. Riley, A.C. Dixon, J.C. Massee, J.R. Straton, Haas wrote about convention battle in Wilwaukee:

"Our brethren will find that cancer, gangrene and leprosy are not easily purged out of a body. Israel and churches were commanded to purge out those unworthy, but no church or group of churches or other organizations has ever been commanded to purge any other church or group of churches or other organization. Some very dear and earnest brethren overlook this fact and are trying to do what is not commanded by seeking to purify the denomination. It is good for those of one spirit to meet together for mutual counsel and cooperation, but when two distinct bodies meet together with two distinct faiths and one tries to cast out the other, the battle is not the Lord's but Satan's, and Satan usually wins at his own game if we try to beat him at it.... Temporary victory ... would have all this load of [liberal] corpses to carry.... This would be a worse defeat than to be outvoted."

A major article on Satan. (Also see p. 15 editorial) [outline below]

Ritual murder by two Missouri boys done in Satanic rite.

1. Satan's kingdom.

2. Demons on the loose.

3. What did the cross accomplish?

4. Are believers immune?

5. Discerning the demonic.

6. Engaging in spiritual warfare.

7. What does the future hold?

Sidebar on missions and the demonic.

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Full outline:

Rev. David Holwick Baptist Youth Fellowship

November 23, 1997

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GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE

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I. Examples of Satanism.

A. Ritual murder of Steve Newberry by buddies in 1987.

1) Influenced by heavy metal, horror movies, drugs.

B. Recent murderous rampage in Alabama.

C. Nationally noted crimes: Night Stalker; Mexico drug cult.

D. Overkill - repressed memories of satanic ritual abuse.

II. Where Satan comes from.

A. His origin is not given.

B. The ancient world universally believed in evil spiritual forces,

which Christians attributed to Satan.

C. Evil spirits have a hierarchy. Eph 2:2

D. They do not have bodies, but use humans like Judas. John 13:27

E. They can gang up on people. Mark 5:1-20

III. What evil spirits do.

A. They oppose God's purposes and seek to destroy.

1) Violence is a key feature. John 8:44

2) They seek to tempt people. 1 Th 3:5

3) Also to turn them away from Jesus. 2 Cor 4:4

4) Lies are a characteristic. John 8:44; Rev 20:10

B. Demonization describes a high level of control.

1) Even nations can be under demonic influence. Dan 10:13,21

2) Satan is the "ruler of this world." John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11

3) Paul believed powers of darkness are active in

non-Christian religions.

a) Satan works especially hard to pervert true doctrine.

2 Cor 10:4; 6:14-17; Col 2:8

IV. What the Cross accomplished.

A. Jesus' death and resurrection is a victory over Satan.

Eph 1:20-22; Phil 2:9-11; Heb 2:14; 1 Jn 3:8

1) Ironically, the powers of evil instigated the cross. Col 2:15

B. However, spiritual warfare continues, but on a different level.

1) Believers can be influences by evil forces, but not possessed.

2) It's possible for us to "give a place to the devil." Eph 4:27

C. Remember that Jesus is more powerful. Col 2:10

V. Seeing Satanism.

A. Bizarre behavior can be a sign, as can a person's claim.

1) Satanism can also be more subtle.

2) It can also be phony - Mike Warnke was a fake Satanist.

a) Many accounts of Satanist activity are myths, not real.

B. All believers are engaged in "spiritual warfare." Eph 6:12

1) The primary focus is Christian conduct, not exorcisms.

a) Resist the devil getting rid of moral vices.

b) Take offense against him by spreading the gospel.

2) Christians need to support and pray for one another.

3) God's armies are fighting for us. 2 Kings 6:17

VI. Satan will be vanquished in the end.

A. Eternal fire is waiting for him. Matt 25:41; Rev 19:20, 20:10

B. He will be defeated by a single word. 2 Th 2:8

It will help you understand the victory a "renewed mind" provides:

Think of yourself as living in an apartment house. You live there under a landlord who has made your life miserable. He charges you exorbitant rent. When you can't pay, he loans you money at a fearful rate of interest, to get you even further into his debt. He barges into your apartment at all hours of the day and night, wrecks and dirties the place up, then charges you extra for not maintaining the premises. Your life is miserable.

Then comes Someone who says, "I've taken over this apartment house. I've purchased it. You can live here as long as you like, free. The rent is paid up. I am going to be living here with you, in the manager's apartment."

What a joy! You are saved! You are delivered out of the clutches of the old landlord!

But what happens? You hardly have time to rejoice in your new-found freedom, when a knock comes at the door. And there he is -- the old landlord! Mean, glowering, and demanding as ever. He has come for the rent, he says.

What do you do? Do you pay him? Of course, you don't! Do you go out and pop him on the nose? No -- he's bigger than you are!

You confidently tell him, "You'll have to take that up with the new Landlord." He may bellow, threaten, wheedle, and cajole. You just quietly tell him, "Take it up with the new Landlord." If he comes back a dozen times, with all sorts of threats and arguments, waving legal-looking documents in your face, you simply tell him yet once again, "Take it up with the new Landlord." In the end he has to. He knows it, too. He just hopes that he can bluff and threaten and deceive you into doubting that the new Landlord will really take care of things.

Now this is the situation of a Christian. Once Christ has delivered you from the power of sin and devil, you can depend on it: that old landlord will soon come back knocking at your door. And what is your defense? How do you keep him from getting the whip hand over you again? You send him to the new Land-lord. You send him to Jesus.

When Jesus Christ truly takes charge of our minds, bringing our every thought captive to Him, we become spiritually invincible. We operate with supernatural power. We walk under God's complete control. [1489]

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from Christenson's book, "The Renewed Mind."