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TERRORIST ALERT: CODE RED

Introduction

Tomorrow marks the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our home soil that has become universally known as “9/11.”

On that day our lives were affected in a way we never expected. Terrorism became an every day word. Since that day, we have become much more aware of our enemies in the world and the dangers we face.

We have come to know that there are terrorists in this world who will use any and every means they can to destroy us because they hate us. So our government has gone to great length to both know their ways and monitor their actions and to take the necessary steps to protect our nation.

But did you know that there is another type of terrorism that is even more hidden, but just as real. There is a terrorist who is stronger and more evil than Osama Bin Laden. He is a terrorist who made his first attack on the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden.

This terrorist is a deceiver, he is a destroyer, he is a murderer and I want to help you learn how to watch out for him, because he is after you! He is after you personally! He is after your family! He is after this Church!

He goes by many different names: We know him as the devil, Satan, the Dragon, the serpent.

But he is also known as “the king of death,” “the prince of this world,” “the ruler of darkness,” Lucifer, the deceiver, “the wicked one,” “the tempter,” “the accuser of the brethren” and we could go on. (There are no less than 22 names and titles all together that give insight into his evil character.)

Many joke about Satan and even question his existence, but if you think he is a joke, then the joke is on you! Satan would love for you to deny that he exists, because that makes him able to work with even more stealth than he already does.

READ 1 PETER 5:8-9.

We all know that since 9/11, The Department Of Homeland Security has developed five levels of terrorist alert codes– green, blue, yellow, orange, red. The codes change based upon the degree of threats that are detected. Code Red is the highest level of alert and means that a terrorist attack is imminent and we need to be on highest alert for a potential attack.

We see here that God only gives us a “Code Red” when it comes to Satan. We need to always stay alert and always be diligent because Satan, like the other terrorists of today, is looking for a weak spot in our defenses. He is always looking for an avenue or opening to attack us.

What are the areas in our lives where we need to be the most diligent? Well, we can study the Word of God and know how Satan has worked in the past and it will give us a good idea of where we need to be most diligent.

If we go to Satan’s first attack in the Garden of Eden, I am confident that we can learn a lot about the way that he attacks us.

READ GENESIS 3:1-13.

I.         WE NEED TO BE ALERT FOR THE DECEIT OR DECEPTION HE USES.

            (Genesis 3:1)

When the terrorists commandeered those jets on 9/11, they had to use deceit or deception in order to be in a position to wreak the havoc that they did.

My understanding is that most of them came over on student visas. They also boarded the aircraft as normal passengers attempting to reach the destination where the flight was scheduled to land.

            They disguised the fact that they were terrorists and disguised what their intentions were.

            We see that Satan came disguised as a serpent when he came to Eve.

2 Corinthians 11:3–“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

            “Subtilty” means slyness, cunning, craftiness.

Satan can, and usually does, disguise himself and what he is doing so that we don’t readily see him coming.

2 Corinthians 11:14–“ 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

In the Australian bush country grows a little plant called the "sundew." It has a slender stem and tiny, round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. But woe to the insect, that dares to land on it. Although its attractive clusters of red, white, and pink blossoms are harmless, the leaves are deadly. The shiny moisture on each leaf is sticky and imprisons any bug that touches it. As an insect struggles to free itself, the vibration causes the leaves to close tightly around it.

            The innocent-looking plant then feeds on its victim.

Satan uses disguise, deceit, lies, and half-truths to accomplish his objective of destroying our lives by getting us off the path that God has for us!

So, how can we be alert to Satan’s deceit and deception?

                        By not being ignorant of his devices!

                        By knowing the truth of the Word of God!

            John 17:17–“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

II.       WE NEED TO BE ALERT FOR THE DOUBT THAT HE PLANTS.

            (Genesis 3:1, 4-5)

Osama Bin Laden as well as other terrorists plant seeds of doubt about our leadership!

            That is not original with them. Satan did that very thing in the Garden of Eden!

Satan wants to plant doubts in our mind–doubts about the Bible, about God, and about the Lord Jesus Christ! He uses any kind of doubt that he can to try to get us to stray away from God!

            He will get us to questioning what God has said. “Yea, hath God said . . .?”

He will get us to doubt the very goodness of God. “For God doth know. . .”

He will say, “A good God wouldn’t let you suffer!” “A good God wouldn’t allow this pain in your life!” “A good God wouldn’t keep what is pleasurable from you! Go ahead and indulge in your fleshly desires! After all God gave you those desires!”

Satan pulls God’s Word out of context and tries to make it say something it does not say or mean something that it does not mean.

So, how do we guard against the doubt that Satan tries to plant in our lives?

We must grow our faith or build our faith! And we grow our faith by immersing ourselves in the Word of God!

            Romans 10:17–“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Colossians 2:6-7–“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

            We need to be alert to Deceit or Deception he uses, the Doubt that he plants. . .

III.      WE NEED TO BE ALERT FOR THE DISTRACTIONS THAT HE EMPLOYS. (Vs 6)

Terrorists have used distractions and sometimes they have been successful in their efforts to get our focus in the wrong place to increase our vulnerability to attack.

Satan got Eve’s mind off the Word of God and got her to both think about and look at that which was forbidden.

Satan still tries to get us distracted from what God’s will for our lives is and tries to get us to focus on things that are not best for us, things that God has forbidden, and things which ultimately will destroy our walk with God.

He uses whatever he can to distract us. Remember, he is subtle! He will even get us to focus on things that aren’t necessarily bad in themselves, but they take the place that rightfully belong to the Lord.

There are many things Satan uses as distractions. I’ll just give one example.

            Some are distracted by money and the things that it will buy. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)

We need to be alert to Satan’s strategy of distracting us and stay focused on God and His Word!

IV.      WE NEED TO BE ALERT FOR THE DESIRES HE STIRS. (Vs 6)

Satan tempts in at least three areas. The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life.

            A.        The Lust Of The Flesh.

                        Eve saw that the tree was good for food.

Eating is a natural desire. There is nothing wrong with eating. In and of itself, it is not a sin.

But, Satan wants us to take our natural desires and exercise them outside of God’s will for us.

                        (e.g. sexual desires)

            B.        The Lust Of The Eyes.

She saw that it was pleasant to the eyes. Just because something is pleasant to the eyes doesn’t mean that it is good for you. (e.g. certain berries on bushes)

                        Satan gets us to looking at things that look good, but are harmful to our lives.

Proverbs 23:31-32–“Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.”

            C.        The Pride Of Life.

                        She saw that it was a tree to be desired to make one wise. 

                        Satan got her to thinking about her life and her future.

                        How does he do that today?

There are many who have set aside their godly principles for the things they think are required for them to advance in the workplace or be accepted in society.

(e.g. When I worked in the accounting field, social drinking was common and there was great pressure to join in.)

Satan gets us to reach for the wrong things. He gets our focus on ourselves and our desires rather than on God and God’s desire for us.

 V.        WE NEED TO BE ALERT TO THE DIVISION AND DISCORD HE CAUSES.

One tactic that terrorists have been using is to try to cause division among our allies in this war on terror. They also try to cause division in our country over the war on terror.

            Satan was successful in causing a division between God and man.

            When sin entered, so did the division.

Satan wants to keep us from God! If you are still lost in your sin, Satan wants to keep you that way.

But, even if you belong to God he wants you out of fellowship with God! He wants to cause a rift between you and God!

Satan also wants to split our families! Husbands vs wives; parents vs children; brothers and sisters vs. each other.

Satan wants to split Churches! He loves discord! He loves it when we can’t get along with one another!

Conclusion

The terrorist alert level is code red. I’m talking about for the terrorist known as Satan.

By the way, he is more dangerous than all the other terrorists today combined!

So what must we do?

Ephesians 6:10-17–We must put on the whole armor of God!

1 Peter 5:6-9–We must be sober and be vigilant! We must resist him steadfast in the faith!

Just as our country must fight against terrorism in the world, we must fight against Satan’s terrorist activities!

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!