Satan walks about seeking people
1.
This past week I encountered a new word: Victimology.
2. This term and this field of
study have apparently been around for a quite a while—since world
war 2.
3.
From what I understand, victimology
seeks to find a relationship between criminals and victims.
FOR
TWO WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT A SIMPLE STATEMENT IN PROV. 6:18 – THERE ARE
“FEET THAT ARE QUICK TO RUN TO MISCHIEF” AND GOD SAYS HE HATES THIS ACTIVITY.
1.
Last week we saw how young people can have feet that
run to mischief, Lk. 15.
2.
From Jonah’s life we have seen how adults and even
God’s people can let their feet turn to sin.
3.
Today we want to think about some non-human feet running to mischief.
4.
The devil is a creature that has feet which are swift
to run to mischief.
5.
One wonders how long Adam and Eve were in the garden
before Satan came to see them.
6.
Satan is certainly very busy in today’s word.
7.
Peter said in his first epistle (1 Pet. 5:8) that Satan
“walks about seeking people to devour.”
8. Since Peter uses the word
“walk,” we might of thinking of Satan figuratively having feet and seeking
people.
9.
When we look at1 Pet. 5:8, there is a sense in which “victimology” applies to the Christian faith.
10. Satan
is, shall we say, the “criminal.” He is
the one who seeks out and wants to destroy.
11. The
men and women who submit to his will are the victims.
12. These
men and women are not innocent victims, but they are victims.
13. The Bible shows us the
relationship between Satan and humans:
He is the predator & we are the prey.
14. Many
in our modern world do not take the devil very seriously.
15. People
tell jokes about the devil. Some brush
him off as an old wive’s tale.
16. There
are religious people make wild claims about having some type of encounter with
him.
17. Society
has a lot of beliefs about Satan, but the Bible is very clear on who the old
serpent is.
18. The
devil is a very active creature and he uses his resources to ensnare people.
19. With
our feet, it is virtually impossible to go in multiple directions at one time.
20. With
Satan, it seems he has lots of feet and they can go in several directions.
21. Job
1:7 says Satan was “walking to and
fro in the earth.”
22. Satan’s
feet were very busy early in the history of the world.
23. He
was on the prowl for people to afflict and tempt. We know he was able to tempt Job.
24. There
was also Satan’s interest in Peter.
25. Lk. 22:31 says Satan wanted to “sift Peter as wheat.”
26. We
also read of how Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness.
27. Luke
says (4:13) that Satan finally left the Lord “for a season.”
28. Today
we want to consider how busy the devil’s feet are by using a single word from 1
Pet. 5:8.
29. In
the 8th verse of 1 Pet. 5 Peter uses the word “walk.”
30. I
want to take this word and look at some of the places where it occurs in the
New Testament.
31. As
we study several of the places where this term occurs, we will say some things
about Satan.
32. We
first find the word for “walketh” used in Mt. 4:18.
33. Jesus
was “walking by the
34. A
lot of times when people are close to water they may be by themselves.
35. Or,
when people are by the water, there are times when they do have some degree of
privacy.
36. We
often think of Satan appealing to people when with large crowds of people.
37. We
may associate Satan with a group of people that get together for a wild party.
38. When
people are drinking, doing drugs and carousing, that is where Satan is active.
39. The
devil can certain be found in groups, but he is also willing to work on us in
private.
40. Have
we ever considered that Satan is interested in shut-ins?
41. I
saw Sarah Jarrett yesterday and she spoke about how her life is now very
difficult.
42. Most
people (including Christians) who go to a nursing home find the experience to
be hard.
43. The
devil is not willing to cross off nursing homes or hospitals from his territory
list.
44. People
may be confined and restricted in these areas, but Satan is still active in
these places.
45. The
devil is also interested in the introvert (someone who usually does not enjoy
large groups).
46. Satan
is interested in the wife who does not work outside the home.
47. He
is interested in the farmer who is out working in his field or anyone else who
has privacy.
48. It is very unwise to think
the devil lets his feet rest when we are by ourselves or not in a large group.
49. A
little later in Matthew’s account (11:5) we find the
word “walk” being used again.
50. John
the Baptist had some questions about the Lord and Jesus sent a message to him.
51. The
Lord said the lame “walked” because
of him.
52. Here
the word “walk” is associated with people who were physically impaired.
53. When
we think of Satan, we may have other serious misconceptions about him.
54. Not only might we think he
does not seek people when they are alone, we may think he only seeks the
healthy.
55. We
may reason that Satan wants the young, the strong, and those in good physical
shape.
56. Some
seem to think that Satan does not want the disabled man who hobbles with a
cane.
57. Or,
he is not interested in the man who is blind or the one who has AIDS.
58. Let’s
be very clear on this point.
59. Satan
does not reject anyone. It is does not
matter if a person is healthy, ill, young or old.
60. Satan will tempt and take a
person who is young and strong or someone who has an infectious disease.
61. He
will walk into a gym just as easily as a leper colony and be comfortable in
both places.
62. Turning
from Matthew we now turn to the book of Mark, chapter 5 and verse 42.
63. Jesus
raised a young girl from the dead.
64. Mark
says this girl “arose and walked.” He always says she was “12” years old.
65. As
we look at the “walked” in this verse, we are reminded of youth.
66. When we apply this
information to Satan, we are reminded of how he is interested in young people.
67. Satan
is not someone who wants the purity of youth to be preserved.
68. The
devil is in the business of death, misery, destruction and impurity.
69. The
sooner he can corrupt youth the better.
70. Last
night Teresa and I learned something new – we heard about ODD.
71. Oppositional Defiant Disorder is meaning
of ODD.
72. We
haf heard of ADD, now there is ODD.
73. Young
people often explain their lack of discipline and following the rules with ODD.
74. The children who claimed to
have this problem looked to me as kids who wanted an excuse for bad behavior.
75. Satan
like people who are defiant, especially when they are young.
76. Whether
we believe in things like ODD or not, the devil wants our children.
77. The
sooner he can get his hands on them the happier he is.
78. If
we have children, we probably think about some of the dangers they face.
79. When
we look at our world we know there are some very real threats to them.
80. A
child’s worst foe is not abduction by a stranger or being hit by a car while
running on a street.
81. The
# 1 enemy of a child is the devil.
82. If
we are parents, we need to pay attention to how we plan to protect our children
from Satan.
83. What steps are we taking to
keep them from a spiritual predator that is walking about and waiting for them?
84. We
should bring our young people to class on a regular basis.
85. We
should provide for them the best possible Christian example from our lives.
86. If we are not willing to
walk before them in the way of Christ, the devil is waiting & watching for
his turn.
87. Mark
11:27 associates the word “walk” with the word “temple.”
88. This
text reminds us that Satan (1 Pet. 5:8) walks in places besides the secular
part of society.
89. Satan
is comfortable walking in the church (among God’s people).
90. The
devil likes to see things like the seeds of discord sown among God’s people.
91. Jas.
4 refers to hostility among Christians – the devil is right in the middle of
church strife.
92. He
likes to walk and work in the church so God’s people become discouraged.
93. Anytime
he can institute a church ruckus or split, he must feel like he has had great
success.
94. The
devil can work through a preacher, the deacons, or the elders.
95. He
can work through a Bible class teacher.
He can try to work through church programs.
96. Satan
has no qualms about being part of a local congregation if he can further his
agenda.
97. Those
who do not know or believe that are prime targets for his tricks.
98. Next
on our list of verses that have the word “walk” is Luke – Lk.
20:46.
99. Luke
said there were people who “walked” (the same word as 1 Pet. 5:8) in “long
robes.”
100.
The image is that of something fancy; something that
stood out and looked good.
101.
When Satan walks among people, this passage reminds us
that much of his work looks good.
102.
2 Cor. 11:14 refers to Satan
can appear as “an angel of light.”
103.
Some seem to believe that if Satan were alive and well
today, we would see him for what he is.
104.
Satan is alive and well, but he cloaks his real
intentions.
105.
Satan is probably the best actor that has ever existed.
106.
He walks and works in a way where people do not see him and his work
for what they really are.
107.
Satan behaves in such a way where people call evil good
and good evil.
108.
This is why the Bible tells Christians to be people of
discernment.
109.
We need to be able to think about and reason through
things.
110.
God calls us on us to be spiritually alert.
111.
We need to know what the truth is, what the truth is
not, and cling to what is right.
112.
Sadly, this is not the way many live.
113.
Jn. 6:66 says there were
“many disciples that walked no more with him.”
114.
Satan says to people, “Walk with me.
It is a better way, an easier way, a more pleasurable way.”
115.
Sadly, the devil convinces some that they should still
turn away from following Christ.
116.
His argument may be, “The Christian way of life is no
longer worth it.
117.
“You have been hurt too many times and the hurt is too
bad to overcome. Forget it.
118.
“Rather than continue to struggle, my way is okay. Come to my side—the dark side.
119.
“You don’t need to decide to do that forever; walk with
me for a little while.”
120.
Satan not only walks on the earth, he welcomes people
into his dominion.
121.
The devil’s feet run to evil when there is a chance to
bring more people into his kingdom.
122.
When people decided to walk with the devil, Jn. 8:12 says they walk in
darkness.
123.
This statement is very revealing.
124.
If we are in a well lit room and the lights immediately
go out, we react quickly.
125.
If the lights are dimmed gradually, it is not nearly
such a big deal.
126.
We might say the devil’s feet are adjustable. He knows some will not immediately run to his
side.
127.
Satan is patient enough to walk slowly to some people.
128.
Just as the lights are gradually turned down, so Satan
may not move on a person all at once.
129.
He gets closer and closer and finally a person is
enveloped in the darkness.
130.
Some are so fully overcome by the darkness they do not
realize the type of life they are living.
131.
God says people can “walk in the newness of life” (Rom.
6:4).
132.
Satan tells us the way of the world an easier and
better way to walk.
133.
His way says we do not need to make any changes.
134.
His way has no hills, steps, and the path is not all
that long.
135.
Satan’s feet are quick to sell people on the idea that
we can live life any way we choose.
136.
If we want to “walk after the flesh” (Rom. 8:6), Satan
smiles and says, “I don’t mind.”
137.
His feet are swift to tell us this is how we are
supposed to live.
138.
He says, “This is the way that ordinary people
live. This is the way to really enjoy
life.”
139.
We need to “take these opportunities now” as they may
not be available later.
140.
God says “walk wisely” (Eph. 5:15); Satan says that is
not necessary.
141.
He says no one cares how they live. Our ancestors are animals.
142.
There is no life after death, or if there is, God’s
love will take everyone to heaven.
143.
Feet that run to mischief is an expression that is very
easily attributed to the devil.
144.
Satan has many schemes and he wants to make us part of
his operation.
145.
If he has not walked towards us lately, we should
expect that he will be headed our way soon.
146.
Thankfully God has given us a choice about this matter.
147.
Satan cannot have unless without our authorization.