God and Satan Are Both Seeking to Define You
God Creates an Identity for You
Genesis 1:21-22, 26-27, 31 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply…Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over… fish…birds…livestock and over all the earth…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them….God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
God begins with blessing
You were created by God as a dependent person
Creation – between God & animals
Male & female
God’s image bearer
Humanity started “very good”
Satan counterfeits an Identity for God and you
Genesis 3:1, 4-5 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”…But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
4 Serpent strategies
You are blind and can see
Twist God’s Word
Attack identity 1). God 2). humanity
God red-light Dad
You: create own identity apart from God based upon a lie “like God”
= Self destruction
Jesus restored your identity
Luke 4:1-14 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan [baptism] and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days…The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”…If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”…And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit…
Jesus identity from Father (Lk. 3 “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased)
Jesus worked from His identity, not for His identity apart from the Father
Jesus made the fight between the demonic and the Word of God “it is written”
Jesus victory came by trusting His identity
= Satan knows Word but does not love Lord. What you learn today for 10-20 years
God and Satan seek to define you
Galatians 4:6 because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Revelation 12:9-11 the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan…the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…
Poker tell – “you” – 2nd person 1-2 someone else or you 3-4 God or Satan
Otherwise 1). God-contempt or 2). Self-contempt
You are…. worthless, failure, hopeless, disgusting, not a real XN
God is….sick of you, abandoning you, done with you…so lose hope & kill yourself
Demons brought pride to earth
Proverbs 6:16-19 [NKJV] These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look…
Ezekiel 28:2 “Thus says the Lord God…your heart is proud and you have said, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of the gods”
Demon possessed human leader, God rebukes Satan & man – double fulfilment
Job 41:1,33-34 “Leviathan…On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.”
If you made a list of things you hate, would pride make your list?
God creates humility, Satan counterfeits pride
Religious pride is the worst pride
Pride is a demonic trap
1 Tim 3:6-7 must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil…fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
Pride can never defeat the demonic
Jude 9 “when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil…did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
Jesus brought humility down with Him
Philippians 2:3-7 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less & God & others more
Self-loathing & self-hatred is demonic & often proud (seem humble, seek flattery)
Humility is a direction we travel, not a destination we arrive at
Only you can humble yourself
If you think pride is something you used to struggle with, you might be the most proud
Key is not to focus on your humility, but Jesus humility & how to worship Him
Your choice is between war and worship
Everyone worships – only difference is who, what, how
1. Satan/demons – proud, refused to worship, demanded be worshipped (it’s about me)
2. Satan demanded Jesus worship him & demands the same of you
3. Angels – humble, worship
4. You – war against God or surrender to God in worship
