THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSES YOU FROM ALL SIN AND GUILT (1 JOHN 1:7).
JESUS IS THE DELIVERER!!
The Nature of Satan or the Nature of God
Scripture
Gen. 1:27 Created in the image of God.
Gen. 2:17 But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Gen. 3:4 Ye shall not surely die.
Ps. 10:1-7,11 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above our sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: He hideth His face; He will never see it.
Ps. 12:1-4,8 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one to his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cutoff all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
Jer. 9:8 Their tongue is an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
Matt. 4:16-17 The people which sat in great darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within (the heart) and defile the man.
Luke 6:45 For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Rom. 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and as death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
Rom. 8:7 The flesh nature is hostile to God and will not subject itself to the law of God.
Rom. 8:13-14 and Gal. 5:16,24 This is why the Spirit of God leads us to put to death the deeds of the rebellious flesh.
Gal. 5:14 All the law is fulfilled in one work, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Gal. 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
1 Cor. 4:4 Satan is the god of this world.
1 Cor. 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
2 Cor. 10:12 They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
1 John 5:19 The whole world lieth in wickedness.
Preface
The powers of darkness tempt and attack us through the flesh nature. When Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God control our lives, we overcome the flesh nature in order to be conformed to the Image of Christ. The Spirit of God leads us to overcome the nature of Satan in order that we will have the Nature of God and be able to walk in holiness. We will see how the cursed nature of Satan came upon everyone in the world, and also how we repent and overcome this nature.
The First Adam Brought the Cursed Nature (See the illustration - Root: The Flesh Nature of Satan .)
Because of this sin of Adam, all mankind received a cursed nature, the "flesh" nature, which is the nature of Satan. Every descendant of Adam then came into this world and walked in self-love, self-centeredness and selfishness. They did not love God or their neighbors; they lived for themselves, like Satan.
The Flesh Nature Is the Nature of Satan
The flesh nature and the nature of Satan are the same. Therefore, they are in total agreement. When your heart loved this flesh nature, your motives were the same as Satan's: selfishness and self-love. Satan controlled your life because your heart loved this selfish and cursed nature.
The Powers of Darkness Control Men Through Thoughts
Since the way of Satan and the way of the flesh is the same, the powers of darkness are continually directing the hearts of the people in the world toward selfishness. Because both the people of the world and the worldly people in the church love this selfish nature, Satan uses them as puppets, keeping their minds and hearts occupied with selfish ambition and the things of this present world.
Pride is Rebellion (See the illustration - Root: Pride.)
If someone comes to God and does not repent and turn from pride, he is still walking in rebellion. He is really saying in his heart, "I will not give up pride because I love pride more than I love God."
Greed is Selfish Ambition (See the illustration - Root: Greed.)
Another fortress that is built by Satan in the lives of men is the root of greed. Like pride, greed gives strength to numerous other stongholds, which attach to this root.
The Last Adam Brought Holiness and Righteousness (See the illustration - Root: The Lord Jesus Christ.)
The last Adam, Jesus Christ, came to restore man to walk in justice and righteousness after he has been reconciled to God. Each man may repent by choosing Jesus Christ as Master and Lord of his life. When he does this, the direction of his heart and life is changed. He will no longer exploit or use others. The Spirit of God will then perfect him in the God-kind of love that is called holiness (God's nature).
Reference
The Great Falling Away Today by Milton Green, Be Fruitful and Multiply Ministries, P.O. Box 3459, Palestine, TX 75802, (903) 723-2448ROOTS VS. FRUITS - DISCERNING THE DEVIL
The Nature of Satan or the Nature of God
Scripture
Gen. 1:27 Created in the image of God.
Gen. 2:17 But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Gen. 3:4 Ye shall not surely die.
Ps. 10:1-7,11 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above our sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: He hideth His face; He will never see it.
Ps. 12:1-4,8 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one to his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cutoff all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
Jer. 9:8 Their tongue is an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
Matt. 4:16-17 The people which sat in great darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within (the heart) and defile the man.
Luke 6:45 For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Rom. 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and as death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
Rom. 8:7 The flesh nature is hostile to God and will not subject itself to the law of God.
Rom. 8:13-14 and Gal. 5:16,24 This is why the Spirit of God leads us to put to death the deeds of the rebellious flesh.
Gal. 5:14 All the law is fulfilled in one work, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Gal. 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
1 Cor. 4:4 Satan is the god of this world.
1 Cor. 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
2 Cor. 10:12 They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
1 John 5:19 The whole world lieth in wickedness.
Preface
The powers of darkness tempt and attack us through the flesh nature. When Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God control our lives, we overcome the flesh nature in order to be conformed to the Image of Christ. The Spirit of God leads us to overcome the nature of Satan in order that we will have the Nature of God and be able to walk in holiness. We will see how the cursed nature of Satan came upon everyone in the world, and also how we repent and overcome this nature.
The First Adam Brought the Cursed Nature (See the illustration - Root: The Flesh Nature of Satan .)
Because of this sin of Adam, all mankind received a cursed nature, the "flesh" nature, which is the nature of Satan. Every descendant of Adam then came into this world and walked in self-love, self-centeredness and selfishness. They did not love God or their neighbors; they lived for themselves, like Satan.
The Flesh Nature Is the Nature of Satan
The flesh nature and the nature of Satan are the same. Therefore, they are in total agreement. When your heart loved this flesh nature, your motives were the same as Satan's: selfishness and self-love. Satan controlled your life because your heart loved this selfish and cursed nature.
The Powers of Darkness Control Men Through Thoughts
Since the way of Satan and the way of the flesh is the same, the powers of darkness are continually directing the hearts of the people in the world toward selfishness. Because both the people of the world and the worldly people in the church love this selfish nature, Satan uses them as puppets, keeping their minds and hearts occupied with selfish ambition and the things of this present world.
Pride is Rebellion (See the illustration - Root: Pride.)
If someone comes to God and does not repent and turn from pride, he is still walking in rebellion. He is really saying in his heart, "I will not give up pride because I love pride more than I love God."
Greed is Selfish Ambition (See the illustration - Root: Greed.)
Another fortress that is built by Satan in the lives of men is the root of greed. Like pride, greed gives strength to numerous other stongholds, which attach to this root.
The Last Adam Brought Holiness and Righteousness (See the illustration - Root: The Lord Jesus Christ.)
The last Adam, Jesus Christ, came to restore man to walk in justice and righteousness after he has been reconciled to God. Each man may repent by choosing Jesus Christ as Master and Lord of his life. When he does this, the direction of his heart and life is changed. He will no longer exploit or use others. The Spirit of God will then perfect him in the God-kind of love that is called holiness (God's nature).
Reference
The Great Falling Away Today by Milton Green, Be Fruitful and Multiply Ministries, P.O. Box 3459, Palestine, TX 75802, (903) 723-2448