Bible Text: Ephesians 6:10-18 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: A Call to Arms, Ephesians

1.  “If one accepts the Scriptures as revelation from God, rather than merely a record of man’s thoughts about God, then the reality of Satan cannot be denied.  Satan did not evolve as a personal being; he existed and acted from the earliest to the last books of God’s revelation.  Seven books of the Old Testament teach his reality (Gen., 1 Chron., Job, Ps., Isa., Ezek, Zech.).  Every writer of the New Testament affirms his reality and activity.  Christ’s teaching also assumes and affirms Satan’s existence and activity.  In twenty-five of the twenty-nine passages in the Gospels which speak of Satan, our Lord is speaking.” (Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology)

2.  Satan works to counterfeit the work of God with the goal of thwarting Christ’s purposes.  He deceives nations (Revelation 16), blinds unbelievers to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4), and attacks believers to neutralize their testimony through lying, immorality, anger, an unforgiving spirit, and persecution.

3.  Satan’s minions (fallen angels) promote a false gospel of works salvation, and denying the deity and/ or humanity of Christ (1Timothy 4:1-3).  They seek to destroy the bodies and minds of human beings, and they work among the nations promoting deception and delusion (Daniel 10; Revelation 16).

4.  Paul warns believers especially to be aware of Satan’s “methodeias,” his strategies, schemes, craftiness, and cunning trickery as demonstrated in Genesis 3 and Matthew 4.  Satan comes as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:3, 13-15); as such believers, to be victorious must fight with spiritual weapons especially that of a Biblically conditioned mind (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).