We started looking yesterday at the strategy of Satan. Remember, he wants to be like God, not the opposite of God! He is the master counterfeiter.
2 Cor. 11:13-15
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.
Since he wants to be like the most high, he must counterfeit the truth, because he has none.
John 8:44
44 "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.
God’s plan depends on His grace: He does all the work, we get all the benefit.
Satan’s plan depends on himself; when we follow the same pattern, we try to earn or deserve the righteousness that God gives us.
That’s the principle that Jesus is talking about in this verse:
Matt 19:16-26
16 And behold,
one came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may
obtain eternal life?" (Notice he
says what should I
do)
17 And He said
to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is
good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish
to enter into life, keep the commandments." (Jesus says there is only one way to salvation: Through the grace of the only one who is good
– it is only through Jesus Christ. Then
He says, BUT if you want to get it yourself, here is how you do it)
18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not commit murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness;
19 Honor your father and mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"
21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieved; for he was one who owned much property.
23 And Jesus
said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of heaven. (It is
ESPECIALLY hard for a rich man, but it is impossible for EVERYONE)
24 "And
again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter the
25 And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?"
26 And looking upon them Jesus said to them, "With men this (salvation) is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Jesus is saying that it is impossible for any man to be saved by himself. No one can possible measure up to the standard that God demands – perfect righteousness. But because of the grace of God, it is possible for any man to be saved!
The rich man thought he could earn eternal life. He was completely focused on what HE could do, not on what God could do for him. Satan’s strategy follows the same reasoning. It’s all about what we can do in our own power.
Be careful in your Christian walk that you are depending on the power that God provides, not on doing things in your own power to earn either salvation or approval from God.
Because Satan’s strategy is to make people blind to the grace of God.
2 Cor 4:4
4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.