Get on the Offense

December 10, 2017 Speaker: Ted Detiveaux Series: Christmas at the Movies

Topic: Alertness Scripture: Genesis 3:1– :19

Get on the offense (Video clip)

In this clip we see two thieves named Harry and Marv who are carefully planning their attack.  They have examined every security feature that is active on this house.  They have studied every weakness of the house. They have even decided their moment of attack.  A time when the family was on vacation and when the house would be most vulnerable. 

They did in fact attempt to carry out this plan, until their plan was thwarted by a young man named Kevin.  Kevin had prepared himself and his house for the attack by placing booby traps throughout the entire house.  Because of his alertness to the enemy’s attack, the thieves go to prison and Kevin remains safe and sound.

Now for our sermon today, I want to start off by saying that we too have an enemy of our soul.  His name is satan. 

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

  • How many of you ever seen a video of a lioness hunting her food?
  1. She first pursues the victim slowly and carefully.
  2. She hides and camaflouges herself when the victim is looking.
  3. She only moves when the victim is not looking and/or not paying attention.
  4. Then she strikes.
  5. To ensure her success, she brings some friends along and they join in after the first blow has been given.

Our adversary the devil is compared to a lion seeking someone to devour.

  1. He will pursue you slowly and carefully, meaning he will examine your weakness
  2. He will camaflouge himself so that he may appear harmless
  3. He will strike when you are not looking or paying attention
  4. He will bring his demon friends to help bring you down.

While Home Alone is just a movie and Harry and Marv are just actors, satan our adversary is real.  He is really out there prowling around seeking whom he may devour.  He has been on the prowl since the beginning of time.

That’s where we want to begin this morning.

Genesis 3:1

1 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’?” 

Here we see the devil, in the form of a serpent, on the prowl for his first victims, a husband named Adam and his wife named Eve.

It is not a coincidence that his first victims were a husband and a wife.  A union that was ordained by God.  His attack was against and remains to be against the family structure.   If he can destroy the marriage or the union between the man and his wife, then he knows that generations afterward will also be affected.

Notice how the enemy comes to Eve. Vs 1 says that the serpent was more crafty than any other beast.  

Another word for crafty would be wise, shrewd, slick.

He did not jump out at her with his pitch fork and pointy tail and say to her I am the devil, I am coming to destroy your life and the lives that come after you.  Eat the fruit that God forbid you to eat so that your life will be ruined forever. 

If the devil had given such an introduction to Eve, she would have fled away immediately.  No, he did not come to her like that.  He came to her in a more appealing way.  He always comes to us in an appealing way.  

If you were to be completely honest, you would have to admit that sin is appealing.

Sin looks satisfying, yet the outcome of that sin is devastating.

Eve then explains to the devil what she knew to be truth.

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

Now the devil also known as satan is a liar and the father of lies. He will even use truth while telling lies.  The truth was Adam and Eve would know the difference between good and evil if they were to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree.  The lie was that they would not die. 

Death was pronounced by God as a penalty if they were to be disobedient.

Let’s see what happens. Would they obey God?

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Adam and Eve were deceived by satan.  The enemy prowled around and struck them in their moment of weakness. He did not strike them while they were fellowshipping with God but in a moment of separation from Him.  He might not attack while you are in the presence of God, but he will attack at other times, especially if the distance between you and God become greater.

I think back to the video clip.  Because Kevin knew of the impending danger that was coming, he was able to be prepared.  He was also able to have his house prepared.  He set up booby traps with the hopes of stalling his enemy long enough for the police to come.  It was almost as though he dared Marv and Harry to come.

As believers we need to set some booby traps.  We need to get to a point in our spiritual walk where we dare the enemy, if you come near me or my family then it’s on like donkey Kong.  I will use the weaponry that has been provided to me through the Word of God and the cross of Jesus Christ to bring havoc upon you.

You must have a plan of attack.  Get on the offense.  Don’t wait until the enemy attacks to have a plan of action it will be too late then.

1 Peter 4:12

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 

Don’t be surprised by his attacks, expect them. If you expect the attacks of the enemy then you will be prepared.  If you are not expecting the attacks that’s when you are most vulnerable. When you experience the attacks of the enemy, you have the authority through Jesus to resist the enemy and he must flee from you.

Continuing in 1 Peter 5:9

 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 

We need to have an elevated alertness to his schemes we need to be prepared with the word of God in our hearts so that when he comes, we can declare war on him through the name of Jesus. 

He must flee!  He is subject to the name of Jesus.

Adam and Eve were caught off guard, they were not prepared for the enemy’s attack.  Because they were not ready, they gave in to the voice of the enemy.  For their disobedience, a curse was pronounced upon them both. 

6 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Besides these curses that were pronounced over their lives, they eventually died a physical death because of their sin, and in that moment of sin they died spiritually as well. 

This all happened because they were blind sided by the enemy. They never seen it coming.

You must not be blindsided by the enemy. Know that he is coming, be prepared.  Don’t lose another battle against him.  Get on the offense.  Slay him with the word of God and the authority that is available through Jesus Christ.

In closing, let me give you a little insight of what will happen to the enemy of your soul. 

Revelation 12:9-11

9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

 

Who is they?  They are You!  You can conquer the enemy by the blood of the Lamb, which is the blood of Jesus, and by the word of your testimony.  As you begin to brag about the past victories that God has brought you through, faith will begin to arise, and the enemy’s tactics brought to nothing. 

Don’t get caught off guard like Adam and Eve.  Have a battle plan in place before the enemy attacks.

Use the Weapons that are available to you through the Word of God and the power of Jesus Christ.

Get on the offense

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