OceanSide church of Christ

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SATAN’S LAWS TO LIVE BY

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   When I counsel individuals, I remind them that all of life has laws to live by.

1.    Physical laws (gravity)

2.    Financial laws

3.    Relationship laws

4.    Work laws

5.    Spiritual laws

 

B.   The reason there are laws is because God created all things.  He is a God of law and order (I Cor. 14:33).

 

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

 

C.   POINT:  IF we live by the laws, life will be good and productive.  If we violate the laws, our lives will be difficult and end in destruction.

 

D.   Unfortunately, Satan also has “laws” that he wants individuals to live by.  It is wise for all of us to come to understand the “laws” of Satan. 

 

I.             YOU CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS

 

A.   Biblical principles

1.    No man can serve two masters (Matt. 6:24).

 

No man can serve two masters:  for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

2.    God wants us to serve Him only (Matt. 4:10).

 

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan:  for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

 

3.    God tells us that we must choose who we will serve (I Kings 18:21).

 

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions?  If the Lord be God follow him:  but if Baal, then follow him.

 

B.   Satan constantly tells us that we can serve two masters:  sin/righteousness, world/church, and Satan/Christ.

 

C.   My friends, our obedience proves our loyalty (Rom. 6:16).

 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servant to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.

 

II.           SIN IS EXCITING AND ENJOYABLE

 

A.   The Bible does not deny that sin has its fun (Heb. 11:25).

 

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

1.    The prodigal son (Luke 15:13)

 

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far county, and there wasted his substance on riotous living.

 

2.    The rich man (Luke 16:25a)

 

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things.

 

B.   Some have a tendency to believe this “law” of Satan.

1.    I love the relaxation of a good cigarette after a good meal.

2.    A little wine or a beer calms me down after a long, hard day at work.

3.    Lying to other at times saves a lot of bad feelings.

4.    Gambling with a few dollars is just like seeing a movie.  It is just a little fun.

5.    Being involved in an extra-marital affair brings excitement and passion to my life.

6.    Fishing, golfing, boating, camping, etc., are outlets I have with my family on Sundays because I work six days a week.

 

C.   These are pleasures, however, that also have horrible consequences.

1.    Cigarettes:  health issues, cancer, death

2.    Drinking:  health problems, addictions, car wrecks, death

3.    Lying:  loss or respect, integrity, friendships

4.    Gambling:  addiction, financial problems

5.    Adultery:  diseases, broken lives and homes

6.    Sunday activities:  spiritual weakness, unfaithfulness

 

D.   Examples:

1.    The prodigal son (Luke 15:14-16)

 

And when he had spent all, there arose a famine in the land; and he began to be in want.  And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat:  and no man gave unto him.

 

2.    The rich man (Luke 16:25)

 

But Abraham said, Son, remember, that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evil things:  but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

 

III.         THIS LIFE NOW; THE OTHER LIFE CAN WAIT

 

A.   Satan has a law that he loves to promote that says:  “Keep people focused on the here and now; the other life can wait.”

1.    Small children:  5 to 8 years

2.    School:  12 to 18 years

3.    College education 4 to 10 years

4.    Career:  30 to 40 years

5.    House: 15 to 30 years

6.    Car:  4 to 7 years (and repeat0

7.    Retirement:  10 to 30 years

 

B.   Notice that Satan does not deny the next life, he just keeps us focused on this life.

 

C.   Question:  What is the date when we get serious about the next life?

 

D.   The Bible has some words that we really need to pay serious attention to.

1.    Straightway (Acts 16:33)

 

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his straightway.

 

2.    Now (II Cor. 6:2)

 

…behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation.

 

3.    Today (Heb. 3:7)

 

Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice.

 

4.    Today, now, straightway are the only definites for all men.  Nothing else is secure.

 

IV.         GOD UNDERSTANDS AND APPLIES GRACE

 

A.   These two statements all believe to be true about God.  But, let’s look at how many use them.

1.    God understands:  God created us.  God know us.  Thus, He understands, that is, accepts us tolerantly and sympathetically.

2.    Applies grace:  God is the God of grace.  He wants to save man.  His grace will be applied to all our shortcomings and sins.

 

B.   There are some flows in this type of thinking.

1.    God may understand us, but it does not mean that he accepts us (Exo. 34:7a).

 

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty…

 

2.    Grace is not just something that God just automatically applies to all sins.  Grace is obtained conditionally (Rom. 5:1-2).

 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

 

3.    Man has a role to play in the salvation process.

a.    God does not accept and forgive a person who is frivolous, lackadaisical, lukewarm, and unfaithful.

b.    God blesses those who are focused, fervent, and faithful in their service to Him (Heb. 4:11).

 

Let us therefore labour to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

 

4.    The view that most have of God’s understanding and application of grace give individuals a license to sin (See Romans 6:1-2).

 

What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.  How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Yes, Satan has his laws that he wants us to live by.

 

B.   Really, these are lies to die by.

 

C.   This is why God has given us His law to guide and govern us in this life.

 

D.   It is the law of the Spirit of life and it provides us freedom from sin (Rom. 8:2).

 

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.