Satan Our Adversary Unveiled

Introduction

Thank you, Taylor. I’m always concerned when the song after the lesson is it won’t be very long.

But at least it’s not in the hour of trial. Reminds me of a time when I first moved the South Side and we had twin boys that would sit up near the front. They’re now in college. But then they set up front and I was shaking hands before services and got to their pew Sunday night and shook one of their hands and he said, Mr. Bubba, are you preaching tonight? And I said, I sure am. And he’s he said, You are, and his face got real big and smile got real big, and my head got real big. He turned to his twin brother and said, He gives short lessons. That’s why he was excited. Well, I don’t plan to preach very long tonight. It won’t be very long.

But I do beg of your attention and the few moments we will have together. As we consider a very important subject tonight, as we continue our theme of building character through Bible characters, perhaps one that you thought wouldn’t make the list. And from there I want to begin in Job chapter 1, and I invite your attention to that opening, where we will read Job 1 at verse 1. Thank you for being here tonight. For all who have come, those who’ve come long way, those who are very special to me in many ways. Thank you for being here for who you are and for your interest in the things of God. Now there was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants.

And his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And it came about when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, that Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job did continually.

From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil. Then Satan answered the Lord, Does Job fear God for nothing? Hast thou not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth thy hand now and touch all that he has. He will surely curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.

So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. Now it happened on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, that a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were ploughing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabaeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels, and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and your daughters were drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house. And behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died. And I alone have escaped to tell you. Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground in worship. And he said, Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Through all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God. One of the reasons I like to watch a movie on a DVD as opposed to the VHS, which I grew up watching, is not just the better picture or better sound, but I like to watch the bonus features.

I like to see how certain scenes were made, especially if it’s some science fiction movie. I’ll even watch the movie with the director’s commentary on and listen to the director tell how this scene was shot, what they were thinking, and how it played into the overall picture of the movie. I like that kind of stuff. Well, I want to invite you tonight to come backstage with me. I want you to see from a unique perspective, as far as we know, a perspective that Job himself never got to see. I want you to see behind the scenes and see who is at work, who’s positioning the lights, who’s pulling the strings. I want you to see our adversary and to see him unveiled. Usually when we think of Job, we think of endurance.

Even people still use the expression today, he has the patience of Job. Sometimes we think of the story of Job from the standpoint of being faithful to God, that all things work together for good to those who love God, as we studied last night. James, in fact, put those two things together in James chapter 5 and verse 11, when he said, You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealing. But this is more than a story about suffering. It’s an invitation to see behind the scenes, to see a main character in your life, who is at work, who by tonight’s completion, hopefully we’ll know more about him, and painfully more about ourselves, so as that our brother prayed, we will be better equipped to withstand his devices.

1. He Makes His Living Where We Live

I invite you tonight to come backstage to see our adversary, the devil, unveiled. And when we see him and the pictures painted in Job chapters 1 and 2, we’ll see these four things about him. Number one, what do we see about our adversary when we are privileged to look behind the curtain? We see number one that he makes his living right where we live. The devil makes his living where we live. Sometimes we think of the devil as being very far away. And I must say to you, the cartoons help us in painting this picture. Sometimes they picture the devil as if he is the ruler over the realm of hell. That people are vanished to hell, and he’s in charge there. And he kind of gets to decide what people’s punishment is.

But that’s not how the Bible describes our enemy, is it? Jesus Himself said that hell is a place prepared for the devil and his angels. At the end of the Bible in the book of Revelation, we see it is the devil who is cast into hell and in torment forever and ever. But for now, he makes his living where we are. Did you notice that day when the sons of God came to present themselves and the devil came? And the Lord asked the devil a question.

And the devil didn’t say, Well, I just came from the torment of hell. I just wanted to see what was going on around. No, he said, look at verse 7. From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. Isn’t that exactly how Peter describes them in 1 Peter chapter 5? When he says, Your adversary, verse 8, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. I make no plea for the movie The Passion of the Christ. But one of the things that I was really intrigued by in Mel Gibson’s portrayal of the last week of Jesus was how he pictured the devil in this movie. A character who’s constantly weaving in and out of the crowd. As Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, the devil was trying to tempt him all the way to the end.

As Jesus was carrying his cross to be crucified, the devil was right there in the background, in and out of the crowd. Isn’t that how the scriptures describe our adversary? Where have you come from? From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. Jesus calls the devil in John chapter 12 and verse 31 the ruler of this world. And to the church at Pergamum in Revelation 2 and verse 13, he said, I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.

Right here among us. Right here where we live. If he was not afraid to slither up to the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden. If he found the Son of Man, Jesus, in the wilderness, and tempted him in the same way, do you really think he doesn’t know where you are? Do you think he doesn’t know how to find you? He makes his living here. Is there any place you can go in our world and not say, well, the devil hasn’t been here? Is there any place you can look and not see the evidence of the tracks our enemy has left behind? Think about it. We used to live in a country where certain things were just off limits. And now we’re talking about politics, or you’re talking about corporations, or you’re talking about schools and yes, churches, the devils all over the place.

2. He Knows What's Going On in Our World

Because he makes his living where we live. Where have you come from? From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. We see our enemy unveiled, our great adversary. And perhaps for the first time we realize he’s right here. But I want you to notice we also see as we look back stage, not only do we know that the devil is making his living where we are, but I want you to notice number two that he knows what’s going on in our world. He’s not just a passive observer. He gains knowledge as he is on the proud. The Lord asks him further in verse 8, have you considered my servant Job? And don’t you find it interesting that the devil didn’t have to say, now let’s see, Job.

I can’t place him. Can you point him out? I just can’t put my finger on this Job guy. I know I’ve heard that name, but I don’t know which one he is. He knew exactly who Job was. In fact, he knew the things that God said about Job blameless, upright, fearing God, turning away from evil. He used those to accuse him to God. Well, of course he’s blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from look at all the stuff you gave him. Look at all of his servants, look at his ten children, look at all of his possessions and cast all he’s just giving back to you because you’ve blessed him. But you take all of those things away from him, and he will curse you to your face.

Have they caused him to forsake God?

General Douglas MacArthur was once asked, What is absolutely necessary to win a war? And he listed things that we would think of as well. That these would be very important if we were going to win a war against any adversary. And so he said you have to have a well conceived battle plan. He said you have to have superior equipment. He said you must have unfailing confidence in your leaders. But do you know what the most crucial point that General MacArthur identified? If you’re going to win a war, he said, you must have knowledge of who you’re fighting. You must know your enemy. Well, I want you to know tonight that your enemy has knowledge of you. Oh, I don’t mean to say that he is omniscient as God is, that he’s all knowing.

But he knew things about Job because apparently he’d been watching him. As he was going around on the earth to and fro, walking about seeking someone to devour, he thought he had Job figured out, and he was ready to devour him. What does the devil know about you? As he’s observed you, as he’s watched you? What has he come to conclude that if he pressures you this far, if he holds your arm behind your back far enough that you will cry, Uncle, what would he identify as the point at which you would curse God and die? That’s the one thing I don’t like about the story of Job is how we are so quick to link arms with our brethren and say, Yeah, me and Job, we got to stick together.

We know what trials are like. We know what it’s like to have burdens and have disaster come in your life. Did you notice the last verse we read from chapter one through all this? The picture I have is of one servant coming in and he’s out of breath and he can barely finish what’s happened, and then the next one comes in, and the report gets worse and worse, and then Job finally can turn to his wife and say, Well, at least we still have our children, and all ten of them perish in one house. Yet through all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God. I fear tonight that under far less pressure we have buckled our knees of faith and blame God and not giving the devil any credit.

What would the devil say is your breaking point? And may I ask you tonight? If the Lord and the devil had a similar conversation about you, if the Lord said, Have you considered my servant, and just put your name right there where he said Job. What four words would God have to recommend you? Would it be the same ones that he said about Job? Blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from people.

3. His Power Is Real

Because he knows what’s going on in your world. Well, we see a third thing about our enemy as we look behind the scenes and we see our adversary from this unique perspective. We see the work that he’s about and the things that he’s has at his disposal. We see number three, that his power is real. Our adversary’s power is real. He is not a cartoon character with a pitchfork. He’s not one that has pointy ears and a long tail. He’s a warrior, and he’s involved in a real war, and he has real power at his disposal. Did you notice what the Lord said to him after he accused Job of just serving God because he’d been blessed. Look what the Lord said to him in verse 12 Behold, all that he has in your power.

And look when he says it again, starting in chapter 2 and verse 1. Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present themselves before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, Where have you come from? Satan answered the Lord and said, From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil, and he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to ruin him without cause. Satan answered and said, Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

However, put forth thy hand now and touch his bone in his flesh. He will curse thee to thy face. So the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in your power. Only spare his life. And Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smoked Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a pot served to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes. And his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die. But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity? And all this.

And do you know what the first thing was I thought? I even said it out loud, even though no one else was there to hear it. I said, I didn’t know the devil got up this early. But he does, doesn’t he? And there’s no telling ways in which he subtly tries to influence our day, even to get it off on the wrong start. Well, two times now. God said, Behold, he is in your power. And then the next verse says, Satan went from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with storeboils. From the crown of his head to the sole of his foot. The only relief he could get was to sit in the ashes and to take a broken piece of pottery and scrape off the dead skin.

Even his friends, when they came to visit him and give him some kind of consolation, didn’t even recognize him when they saw him. And for seven days and seven nights just sat there with him and let him cry. His power is real.

One of the reasons that Paul said we’re to put on the full armor of God as our brother led us in song tonight. And so he said we can withstand what? The schemes of the devil. One of the things that makes our adversaries such a formidable foe is that he doesn’t always operate in open warfare. He does his work sometimes behind the scenes as we’ve seen. Paul said he can disguise himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 14. That’s real power.

She was fascinated. She went through the stages of the Disney princesses and had favorites, and we’d have to watch the movie a bunch of times. For a while she was stuck on Snow White. And not only did she like to watch the movie, she liked to act it out later. And so we’d always have to dress up. She’d want to be the evil witch. I had to be Snow White.

And so she’d come with her costume and she’d hold out the apple and she’d say, Do you want a poison apple?

That’s not how the story goes, is it? And neither is that how the devil operates. Nobody’s gonna give in to something when they see the full picture of where this goes. When was the last time you saw a billboard that had some man that was puking his guts out the next morning that said, This buds for you. That’s not the part that’s advertised. And that’s what the devil has at his disposal. He’s deceitful. He’s cunning, he’s crafty. But I want you to see something about his power tonight. Just as he is not all-knowing, omniscient, neither is he all-powerful, omnipotent. The ruler of this world, as Jesus calls him, must still operate in the boundaries of the creator of this world. He is limited. A very important word is spoken when God gives Job into the devil’s power.

Verse 12, Behold, all that he has is in your power. Don’t overlook it. Only do not put forth your hand on him. Chapter 2 and verse 6, Behold, He is in your power. Only spare his life. Let me see if I can illustrate this another way. In Luke chapter 22. After Jesus reveals to his apostles that one of them will betray him. Peter makes a very courageous statement.

And he doesn’t know what the devil’s doing behind the scenes. And so Jesus said to Peter in Luke chapter 22, look at verse 31. Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. But Peter said to him, Lord, with you I’m ready to go to prison and to death. And he said, I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me. One of you is going to betray me. Lord, I’m ready to go to death. If that’s what it takes, I’ll fight all the way to the end. Peter, you better watch out.

The devil’s after you. And he wants to grind you up like wheat. But I want you to notice that he had to ask permission first. Our adversary’s power is real. But he is not as strong as God. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, another comforting passage that will help us when we’re enduring trial and facing temptation. 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13. No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

That he wants you to succeed. Why would God want you to fail? Why would God send his only begotten Son to die as a sacrifice for the sins of the world so that you could be saved and then set up traps for you where you just fall right back into sin? What pleasure would he have in death? God is faithful. He wants you to win. And so the scripture says, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able? My grandfather is responsible for moving my family to the Houston area. He moved to the ship channel during World War II to build ships. And while I never knew him, his stories of his character have outlived him. And he would always say that a ship has a watermark.

That a line that if there’s more weight than that, then it’s going to sink. This scripture tells us that God knows our watermark. And so what that says is that whatever you’re struggling with tonight, whatever you brought with you when you came to services tonight, however difficult that is, God knows that you’re strong enough to endure that.

Trust in his power to save.

4. He Won't Give Up Until You Do

Also, that you will be able to endure it. You know what our problem is? We wait so long to look for the way of escape. That when the time comes to run, we don’t run. And we’re devoured. But God is faithful. He wants you to succeed. And if you trust in his power, he’ll lead you from victory unto victory. May I make one final observation about our enemy tonight? As we see him behind the scenes, the devil unveiled. He makes his living where we live. He knows what’s going on in our world. His power is real. And number four, he won’t give up until you do. He will not quit until you do. He thought he had Job figured out. He thought that if Job lost all of his possessions, that he would curse God to his face.

Well, that didn’t happen, did it? And I find it interesting that the devil didn’t say, Well, I’m overmatched here. I can’t get this guy. I tell you what, I didn’t see it all the way. So there’s no use even trying with him again. He’s he’s too strong for me. No, chapter 2 begins again. And again the devil made his presence known. And again, he had some new tactic. Skin for skin. Sure, Job traded the lives of his children for his own life. But you allow me to punish him, then he’ll curse you to your face. You see, he came back. And he came back with a new approach. Isn’t that exactly what Jesus or what he did with Jesus in the wilderness in Luke chapter 4 after Jesus answered the devil each time?

It is written, it is written, it is written. Luke chapter 4 and verse 13 says, and so the devil left him. From then on, no, the devil left him, it says, until an opportune time. Because he won’t give up until you do. Doesn’t the parable of the sower illustrate that? The devil doesn’t care if he gobbles you up all at once or if he slowly chokes you out little by little, just so long as he gets you away from God. He has nothing to lose except your soul. Around the previous anniversary of 9-11, I was watching a show on National Geographic called Inside 9-11. And instead of focusing on what happened on September 11, 2001, it traced all the events leading up to that tragic day.

And what intrigued me, which I had never put these pieces together, is that the terrorists had first tried to bring down the World Trade Center, New York, all the way back in 1993. And it was only after the truck bomb exploded that they realized we didn’t have enough explosives here. We didn’t have enough power to bring down those buildings. And so starting right then, they crafted a plan where they would fly airplanes into the building. They didn’t wake up on the morning of September 10th and say, hey, we need to get those guys. This was a well conceived plan because the first one didn’t work.

What about our adversary? Who’s not a nation of men or confederation of men, but supernatural forces. What in the world does he have in his arsenal and at his disposal? How long has it been since you made the devil run from you? When was the last time he approached you with some besetting sin, something you’ve struggled with over and over, and this time you beat him. You looked him right in the eye and you said no, and you knew that he left you. How long has it been? Well, be ready. Because he’ll be back. He’ll find an opportune time. He’ll have some fresh form of temptation, some new approach that he has not yet tried, because he won’t quit until you do.

Nor did he blame God, the scripture says.

Conclusion

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the next time we are faced with some challenge that is overbearing, and we feel the weight of it, that instead of falling down in despair, we would like Job fall down and worship and say, Well, I came here with nothing. God gave me everything I have. He has every right to take it away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. May I notice one final passage with you tonight? It’s in the book of Revelation. And here we have a picture of the enemies that are waging war against God. A sea beast and a beast from the earth with crowns and authority and power, a dragon that with a swipe of his tail took out a third of the stars of heaven.

Just pictures of what’s fighting against God. And they’re almost given in such a way as it says, Well, how are we ever going to beat them? How will we ever win this war? Look who we’re fighting against.

These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful. The Lamb is how we will win. The Lamb is how we will overcome them. Yes, they are strong and mighty, but He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and those who are with Him will share in His victory. One question remains. Are you with the Lamb tonight? Because if you are not, you’re fighting against him. You’re fighting the dragon. And if you pursue such a course, where will you stand in the big picture of things at the end? Will you hear the words, Well done, faithful servant? Depart.

I never knew you before. We can assist you tonight, pledging your allegiance to the Lord of heaven, Jesus Christ, by confessing your faith in him and repenting of your sins and doing what he said to do, to have those sins washed away, that you would be buried with him in his blood to rise and walk in newness of life. We can assist you in coming back to him and fighting with him and not against him. And we’ll sing a song right now that encourages you to come while we stand while we sing.