WHO HAS THE UPPER HAND?

2 Cor 2:1-11
1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to
rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be
grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be
swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes
forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

I. SATAN USES PRIDE TO GAIN THE UPPER HAND.

A. Pride caused David to be provoked by Satan.
1. 1 Chron 21:1-3
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and
bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the
king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of
trespass to Israel?

B. We are warned about pride.

1. 1 John 2:15-16 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.

II. SATAN USES MONEY TO GET THE UPPER HAND.

A. Satan got Judas to betray Jesus Christ for money.
1. Satan knew Judas’ weakness.
a. John 12:4-6 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that
he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

b. 1 Tim 6:9-10 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and
hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all
evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows.

2. Judas surrendered to Satan.

a. Luke 22:2-5 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the
people. Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he
went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto
them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

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III. SATAN USES JEALOUSY TO GET THE UPPER HAND.
A. James describes jealousy as devilish.
1. James 3:14-16 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against
the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying
and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

B. Stephen mentions the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers.

1. Acts 7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

C. Paul indicated it is a characteristic of immaturity.

1. 1 Cor 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as
unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear
it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife,
and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

IV. SATAN IS STANDING BY TO RESIST.

A. He especially enjoys causing problems for God’s people and preventing us from doing right.
1. Zech 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and
Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

2. Luke 22:31-34
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou
knowest me.

3. Matt 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then
cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which
received seed by the way side.

V. GOD IS STANDING BY TO ASSIST.

A. He is only a proper prayer away.
1. Dan 9:20-22
20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and
presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning,
being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and
understanding.

VI. KNOWING SATAN’S DEVICES, GOD HAS WARNED US

2 Cor 2:1-11 (above)
A. Paul writes many warnings.
1. 2 Cor 11:3-4 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. For if he that cometh preacheth another
Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or
another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

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 2. 2 Cor 11:12-14 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire
occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light.

3. Eph 6:11-13 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto
you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.

B. Peter rightly compares Satan to a roaring lion.

1. 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same
afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

C. John writes of the depths of Satan.

1. Rev 2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and
which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other
burden.

VII. SATAN HAS MET HIS MATCH.

A. Job defeated Satan.
1. He was tested.
a. Job 1:11-12
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth
thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

2. But he had a strong, abiding faith in God.

a. Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

b. Job 2:9-10 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive
good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

B. Jesus defeated Satan.

1. By using the Word.
a. Matt 4:4;7;10
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth
out of the mouth of God.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve.

FAITH IN GOD AND THE WORD AT WORK IN OUR LIVES WILL SEE US THROUGH.

John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them
eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father,
which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.