Satan's Pitchfork

There’s a killer on the loose - the world’s most dangerous thief. He's the devil - and his three-pronged attack. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to STEAL, and to KILL, and to DESTROY.

He is a THIEF. He wants to steal from us. The Bible talks of spiritual wealth. Matthew 6:19 …treasures in heaven… Real wealth is knowing a heavenly dimension in your life- a life lived with an eternal meaning and purpose. It’s a Fail-Safe Investment.

God gives – and the devil takes. He wants to take the Word of God from people; Matthew 13:19. The devil sometimes TAKES by GIVING - in the Garden he tempted Eve and then Adam with the forbidden fruit and he's been robbing people blind ever since.

The devil wants to take your…
• Sight – blinding minds and hearts
• Sword - the Word of God – and the armour of God
• Song – your intimacy with God
• Strength - like with Samson - fooled by sweet talking Delilah
• Spiritual Receptivity - your sense of conscience; God's Guidance for your life
• Time and energy
• Liberty - to bind you and captivate you
• Knowledge of God - He wants to keep you in darkness
• Joy – so you fail to count your blessings
• Purity of your mind
• Zeal - he wants you cold about the things of God
• Gifts from God - so they get covered in the dust of neglect
• Riches in Christ - He wants you spiritual bankrupt – and miss "The unsearchable riches of Christ”
• Crown. Our Lord says, Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

The devil will look like he’s giving you something - but really he’s taking from you. Like happened with David and Bathsheba. Also, when Esau sold Jacob his birthright – he gave away his rights to blessing as the firstborn just so he could have some tasty stew.

The devil wants you to neglect you spiritual life – to be like the prodigal son - Luke 15:14 - He began to be in want… That’s what happens with sin and shame. You are getting robbed of the blessings of God every time you fall for it.

Satan has come to KILL. He is lethal, a dangerous killer, an assassin. Satan want to kill your…
• Devotion to God
• Spiritual life and growth
• Prayer life
• Thought life (Romans 8:6)
• Bible life
• The effectiveness of testimony - he hates you doing any kind of soulwinning - because that’s about sharing the life of God.

The devil wants you to spiritually die- He wants to snuff out the light of your witness. The devil wants to kill your courage - to give you fear.

Thank God we can have a spiritual bodyguard who keeps us from satan’s lethal power. God is our Refuge and Fortress - our Shield. We can be assured of His keeping - even though the devil wants to take us out. Just dwell in the secret place of the most High. Set yourself there.

The devil also wants to DESTROY. The devil wants your destruction. He's a terrorist, a wrecker. He wants to tear you apart. He can work by man’s own wilful actions - like with the prodigal Luke 15:17 …I perish with hunger! Satan’s destruction is like a perishing with hunger - he wants to starve you of spiritual truth.

It’s like the seed that fell among thorns… Luke 8:14 …they …are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. The devil doesn’t want your life to bear fruit - he wants to destroy your life in every dimension.

He wants to destroy your…
• Love, Relationships, Family
• Peace
• Purity - he wants to pollute – he works like a cancer
• Testimony - like Noah who shamed himself
• Righteousness
• Discernment - he replaces truth with deception
• Worship
• Fellowship

We are witnessing the destruction of a nation - even in our own land… The moral fabric of our nation is in tatters… Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Destruction is all around us.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil. The devil is on the loose. He wants to destroy lives, destroy relationships, destroy churches.

One of the big causes of destruction is pride: Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction… Don't fall for his tricks and lies. Be on the alert. Wake up!

Be careful - Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Even when the devil has messed us up so bad - God can remake the vessel. Jeremiah 18:6 …Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand…

In contrast to the thief… Our Lord says: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Our Lord offers life - in abundance – Eph. 3:19 …that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Look at what God abounds our lives with Abundant…
• Grace (Romans 5:15)
• Love (1 Thessalonians 3:12)
• Hope (Romans 15:13)
• Peace (Psalm 37:11)
• Pardon (Isaiah 55:7)
• Our Lord promises us Abundant Life.
• God is a giver - the opposite of satan - who wants to Steal – Kill and Destroy.