God Redefined - Redefined Pastor Kile Baker - March 19th, 2023 Def·​i·​ni·​tion / de-fə-ˈni-shən The action or process of stating the meaning of a word or word group. The action or the power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear. An act of determining. Re·de·fine /ˌrēdəˈfīn/ To define the meaning of something again. To change the meaning of something that was already defined. Let’s talk about Satan. Let's talk about how we have redefined Satan. churchofsatan.com “As Anton LaVey explained in his classic work The Satanic Bible, Man—using his brain—invented all the Gods, doing so because many of our species cannot accept or control their personal egos, feeling compelled to conjure up one or a multiplicity of characters who can act without hindrance or guilt upon whims and desires.” “All Gods are thus externalized forms, magnified projections of the true nature of their creators, personifying aspects of the universe or personal temperaments which many of their followers find to be troubling. Worshipping any God is thus worshipping by proxy those who invented that God.” “Since the Satanist understands that all Gods are fiction, instead of bending a knee in worship to—or seeking friendship or unity with—such mythical entities, he places himself at the center of his own subjective universe as his own highest value.” “We Satanists are thus our own “Gods,” and as beneficent “deities” we can offer love to those who deserve it and deliver our wrath (within reasonable limits) upon those who seek to cause us—or that which we cherish—harm.” What do we know about Satan? Satan is a subversive enemy. Genesis 2:15-17 CSB The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:4-5 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The one who tries to redefine God more than anyone else is Satan. Satan distracts us from obedience. The most dangerous question in history is: “Did God really say…?” Did God really say singleness is a gift? Did God really say sex is just for marriage? Dig God really say lusting and looking is adultery? Did God really say we couldn’t get divorced? Did God really say homosexuality is wrong? Did God really say He made only men and women? Did God really say men and women have unique roles? Did God really say we would die if we disobey Him? Did God really say we aren’t good people? Did God really say that Jesus is the only way to Him? Satan destroys our relationship with the truth. We want a god who wants what we want. We want a god who wants us to want what we want. God wants us to want Him. Satan is our only enemy. John 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 1 John 3:8 The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s works. 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. 1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth. Then they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. Satan lied, and twisted God’s words to murder Adam and Eve in the garden. He mocked, tempted, quoted scripture, and even offered power to Jesus in the wilderness. He infiltrated Jesus’ 12 disciples, prompting Judas to betray Christ and hand him over to be killed. If Satan is willing to openly oppose, tempt, mock, and challenge God and His followers at pivotal times in history, why wouldn’t we think Satan is still doing it today? There is nothing so unifying as having a common enemy. The opposition to Satan and his followers should be the singular focus of the lives of Christians. Satan is God’s defeated enemy. Colossians 2:9-15 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ. For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him. Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Direct your battle stance away from any and all people, and instead towards the powers of evil that answer to Satan. Seek and serve those who do not yet know Jesus in order to help free them from Satan’s influence. Stand firm in your faith by God’s Spirit, and tell Satan to flee in the name of Jesus. Arm yourself with scripture in order to cut through Satan’s lies with God’s truth. Pray diligently each day for as many of God’s people as you can.