“SATAN’S SNARES – THE SAVIOR’S DELIVERANCE!”
BY: J. FARRELL FISHER, JUNE 12, 2017
Born June 12, 1936, with family and friends I just celebrated my 81st birthday today, June 12, 2017! Words would never be able to express the eternal joy from knowing deliverance from Satan’s snares and the blessed victory through my Savior and Lord, King Christ Jesus! Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
How could any sane person ever think that just because Jesus ran His race with endurance, endured His cross because of the joy set before Him, despising the shame of nakedness on the Cross, and NOW sits at the right hand of the throne of God, that what Jesus did, He did for Himself and for the glory of the Father who sent Him, but you, me, all of fallen humanity was not His consideration?
I’ve paraphrased John Greenleaf Whittier’s words in his writing “Tauler”, (1. 79), “The dark path ( Jesus walked)…is but the unveiling of the heart of God, the unveiling of God’s divine love for all of fallen humanity”, because God so loved you and me He gave His own Son to shed His blood for the defeat of Satan and the deliverance of every fallen man!
But some are uninformed of Satan’s snares, ill-advised by many false teachers, and, in themselves, assert: “There can be no devil, though at times I like to live in the devil’s snares and with his companions and friends of darkness!” But stubborn denial doesn’t free one from Satanic assaults! Even Peter, in 2 Peter 3:17-18, instructed his fellow disciples, “Beware lest you (believers!) fall away from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” Why did Peter write that?
Examine 1 Peter 5:8-11! “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Some folks professing ‘faith in Christ’ know nothing about “serious-mindedness” or “vigilance” in opposing Satan because they don’t see the reality of “a roaring lion seeking to devour them” – they live their ‘faith walk’ (?) blinded to the devil and his demon forces, even questioning “the same sufferings experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”
It didn’t take long for Holy God in Genesis 3 to introduce “the serpent” who was and still is so cunning, “more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.” And NOTICE, FIRST, EVE WAS CONFRONTED BY SATAN! HE CASTS DOUBT ON THE WORD OF GOD!
In Genesis 3:1 “the serpent said to Eve, ‘Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’? In Verses 2-3 Eve corrected Satan! “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall eat not of it, nor touch it, lest you die.’” In Verse 4-5 the serpent responded, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan says, and has deceived many minds, “Just because you celebrated good and evil doesn’t mean you don’t know God, but enforces the ‘truth’ that men can celebrate his good and evil because he’s really just like God!” How phony is that? ‘Knowing about sin and the sin nature’ is not “celebrating it” as the devil does – Satan accepts your good and evil while Christ Jesus took it to the Cross with Him!
God’s Holy Word says, Romans 3:23, “For ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD”, oh, but then following in Verse 24, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus!” “Justified freely”? Through the shed blood of the Lamb of God I am accepted, “justified as if I’d never sinned”! And the devil has no power against the ‘slave of sin’ who by grace, mercy, and love has become the willful “servant” of Christ Jesus, one’s Savior and, yes, one’s Lord and Master who always says, “Lord, what would You have me to do?”
Freedom from sin and death IS also freedom from devilish, demonic activity IF Christ Jesus is truly made Lord in one’s life, and they daily take “the sentence of death to one’s old sinful nature that the Resurrection Life of Christ may be manifested in their mortal flesh” – and as one dies daily to himself/herself, one also chooses to, yes, “resist Satan and the powers of darkness”!
In 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers and us saying, “Therefore we wanted to come to you – even I, Paul, time and again – but Satan hindered us.” The word ‘Satan’ means ‘enemy’ or ‘adversary’ intent on your defeat and corrupting your spirit of faithfulness to Christ Jesus!
Freedom in Christ? But you’ve never considered ‘freedom from Satanic interference’? If one is called to take the sentence of death daily to his old, crucified with Christ sin-nature, were you taught by a faithful pastor or brother or sister disciple to take the sentence of death daily to devilish intimidation, devilish interference, and devilish incendiary ‘bombs’ pertaining to loyalty to the Christ within, granting disobedience to His eternal Truth without consequence? When did “the wages of sin is death” become untruth for any believer who professes and possesses Christ’s presence, but their yielding to the pleasures of the devil himself has no consequences in their pilgrimage of a ‘faith-walk’?
Some ‘disciples’ (?) live in a constant state of spiritual stupidity if they think it’s OK if, at times, they are enticed, even intimidated, in showing their loyalty to both Christ and the ruler of the darkness! But Paul said in Acts 24:15a-16, “I have hope in God…Verse 16, This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” But “Satan’s snares” instill doubts about sin producing death! Oh, the devil is forever assigned by his own will to maintain an open grave for himself, his demons, and his slaves of disobedience to divine Truth, even denying ‘half-truths’ dig graves for the disobedient, for the devil “just spiritual stupidity for those sold-out disciples.”
It was William Shakespeare in his “Merry Wives of Windsor”, (Act111,sc.4,1.15), who wrote: “No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns,” with most seeing the devil with horns out of his ears but never realizing the “trumpets” he blows for enticements, disobedience, and rejection of pure Biblical Truth! Just maybe this is why John Wesley used to talk about, “All the works of our evil nature are the work of the devil.”
Do you remember Peter challenging Ananias in Acts 5:3-5? “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to mean but to God.” Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.”
In Revelation 12:7-17 we read about Satan’s past history and his present warfare! “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD; [Is the whole world at large now still deceived?]. He was cast to the earth, and his angels (or demons) were cast out with him.
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, AND THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD, and the power of His Christ has come, for the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. AND THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND BY THE WORD OF THEIR OWN TESTIMONY, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman (the Body of Christ) was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness TO HER PLACE, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. AND they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their own testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Therefore rejoice, O heavens (You who dwell in them!). Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and time and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be swept away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
And the dragoon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Are YOU the “offspring of Christ Jesus”? And, if you are, you don’t expect any opposition from the devil as your enemy?
The devil IS YOUR DECEIVER! In 1 Timothy 4:1-2 Paul enlightens all believers! “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own consciences seared with a hot iron…”!
How clear do you find Revelation 20:10? “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” That’s what is going on right now with the devil and his demons – you don’t have to live in his deceit, unless that is truly where your heart lies!
The devil IS YOUR DIVIDER! In Hosea 10:1-2 we see the picture of the ‘degenerate vine’, Israel, who “brought forth fruit for himself!” And the Word describes Israel and all fallen humanity, alienated and separated from God, Hosea 10:2, as “their heart is divided”!
Interesting words in Luke 11:17-20! [Especially when much of “modern Christianity” doesn’t even know they are dominated by the devil and his demon tribes of warriors!]. Christ Jesus said: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” “Modern-day Christianity doesn’t “cast out demons” today because they’ve become comfortable in their ‘co-existence’ (?) as they ‘play’ the game of Christianity!
The devil IS YOUR DIVINER! One finds it so heart-breaking to read of God’s “chosen people” who would birth the Promised Messiah yet the majority of Israel, past, present, and future only witnesses the “True Remnant” coming to the reality of one in Christ because of, yes, the devil’s ‘divining’! In fact, Holy God spoke in Ezekiel 12:23b-25, “…But say to them, ‘The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord, I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,’ says the Lord God.” God said it, He performed it, and in 70 AD Israel’s religious community witnessed it’s “death-nail”!
The devil is YOUR DARKNESS-MAKER AT TIMES! He hates the “Light”! In Genesis 15:12 we read, “Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.” Be assured God Himself will bring darkness in your life at times to encourage you to find your rest in those times “in the Light,” but I believe this darkness was intended to discourage Abram by the devil from trusting God, His Father, when the battles would rage!
To true disciples does Holy God, The Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit, encourage darkness or challenge us to walk in the Light as Jesus is the Light of the world? If Psalm 82:5 speaks of people who ought to be walking in the Light but they ‘choose’ to walk in darkness, does this Verse challenge us all to wake up? “They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the (or their) earth are unstable.” Why? Because some people CHOOSE “to be gods unto themselves” but “living in death” and falling like “counterfeit princes”!
The devil is YOUR DELIVERER TO YOUR ETERNAL RESIDENCE IN HELL ITSELF when he promised a ‘play-maker’s paradise’! In fact, Jesus boldly declared in Matthew 23:27-28 and Verse 33, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites (or pretenders)! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness,” Verse 33, Jesus calls them, “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?”
I close this message with a word of warning from Isaiah 5:11-16 and verses 20-30! This is the holy, unchanging, but life-changing Word of Almighty God! He says: “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them! The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine in their feasts; BUT THEY DO NOT REGARD THE WORK OF THE LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands.
Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore Sheol (“place of death”) has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure; their glory and their multitude and their pomp, and he who is jubilant shall descend into it (or Sheol). (Living life in the ‘party spirit’ rather than the “new-born life in Christ in the Hallelujah frame of reference”!)
People shall be brought down, each man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.”
Verses 20-30, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man!
Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom will ascend like dust; BECAUSE THEY HAVE REJECTED THE LAW OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, AND DESPISED THE WORD OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them and stricken them (WARFARE!), and the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets.
For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still (“Poised to strike again!”). He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the end of the earth; surely they shall come with speed, swiftly. No one will be weary or stumble among them, no one will slumber or sleep; nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, nor the strap of their sandals be broken; Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent; their horses hooves will seem like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind.
Their roaring will be like a lion, they will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar and lay hold of the prey; they will carry it away safely, and no one will deliver. In that day they will roar against them like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, darkness and sorrow; and the light is darkened by the clouds.”
Do you think the “lions” roared in 70AD as the Holy City was destroyed by invading armies? Check out Luke 21:20-24!!
The judgment that comes because of yieldedness to the world, the flesh, and Satan is judgment because of the sinking of one’s soul to the domination of enemies of God, or souls sinking because of fleshly sin domination, a slumbering in the soul and spirit with eyes closed to the Way, the Truth, and the Life, closed to the God who saves, heals, and delivers, or the fleshly manifestation of fear, faithlessness or disobedience, or simply the ‘flesh’ ruling over the Spirit!
James 4:7-10 is today’s Holy Word of saving grace! It says: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.” AMEN? Defeating Satan himself?
“Submit to God day by day, yes, moment by moment!” “Resist the devil rather than entertaining him!” “Draw near to God, press in, hold tight!” “Wash your mind and heart in the blood of the Lamb!” “Lament, mourn, and weep – because you don’t want Christ walking away from you!” “Humble yourself before Holy God, and He will lift you out of the clutches of the devil’s hands!” Will you say, “Yes, Lord, help me walk away with You from the devil’s temptations and snares’?