We are very familiar with the passage in Matthew 6:13 which comes from the Lord’s Prayer where He teaches His disciples to pray: “Deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.” The word for “evil” is translated differently in different versions. The KVJ, ESV, and NASB translate the last term as “evil,” while the NIV and NKJV translate it as “the evil one.” Many scholars believe that the “evil” is specific and personified, that is, the devil. This is further confirmed in Jesus’ intercessory prayer to the Father for His disciples and Christians throughout the whole age of the Church: “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” (John 17: 15) Ultimately, the meaning of “Deliver us from evil” refers to Satan who is behind all evil, so it makes little difference whether we are to ask for deliverance from evil in general (sin) or from the evil one specifically, since the two are related. This request is directly connected to our study last week on the original sin committed by Lucifer, the anointed cherub, at the Throne of God. His sin was rooted in pride and rebellion against God—desiring to be like God—to rule in place of God. Satan’s methods do not change as he offered to Eve the same thing that caused his fall: “Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Eve’s right of freewill led her and then her husband Adam to the tragic consequence of the temptation and likewise to the universal sinfulness of all humanity. We are seeing this being played out after thousands of years. Satan’s assault is threefold: doubt and denial of God’s Word (Genesis 3: 1-5); a spirit of rebellion and separation from God (Genesis 3:8-13); spiritual death and eventual physical death. I believe that the words from Martin Luther is a prayer that we as followers of Jesus must pray today: “Keep us from the evil one; hold our faith most holy and let us trust You solely with humble hearts and holy.”
Last week we looked at angels as God’s created beings as His ministering spirits (Hebrews 1: 14), all angels are masculine and were not created to reproduce. (Mark 12:25) In Genesis 1: 20-27 we see God’s account of creation both of animal life and mankind. We note that He gave life to each of His creations each after their kind—in the language of today—with unique DNA to multiple and fill the earth. Then in verses 26-27 we see that God created mankind in the image of God—Our likeness—the Triune God—in the image of God were created male and female. These facts are revealed: 1. Man was created, not evolved. Jesus Himself confirmed this in Matthew 19: 4 “Have you not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female.” 2. Man was made in the likeness of God—made up of body, soul and spirit—a personal, rational and a moral being—ability to think, feel, with freewill. The Divine intention was and is that man should have fellowship with God in obedience. We read in 2: 7-17 the account of the LORD God planting a garden for Adam and Eve with a tree of life and a tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Note that God made it clear that evil already existed at this point.) Then in verse 17 we read the specific command from God to them: “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” The tree was real, not mythical; it was not magical but eating the fruit brought moral disaster and death (separation from God) because of disobedience to God.
God is not only the Creator of the universe but the origin of all truth, knowledge and wisdom. God is the foundation of all knowledge because He is the foundation of everything. It is important for us to look at the biblical definition of knowledge. It is more than the accumulation of facts or information; it encompasses a deep understanding and discernment of spiritual truths, moral principles, and the nature of God. It is both a Divine gift and a human pursuit of both wisdom and righteousness. The Hebrew word for knowledge (da’ath) often implies an intimate understanding, as seen in Genesis 2:9 where the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” sets forth the choice between God’s truth and Satan’s lies. Knowledge in the Old Testament is closely tied to obedience and covenantal faithfulness. Proverbs 1:7 makes it clear: “The fear (reverence) of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Isaiah 48:17 says: “I am the LORD your God who teaches you for your own good, who leads you in the way you should go.” Paul quotes both Isaiah and Job in Romans 11: 33-36 affirming the greatness of the knowledge of God: “O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how incomprehensible His ways! For ‘who has known the mind of the LORD, or who has been His counselor?’ Or ‘who has first given to Him, that it shall be repaid to Him?’ For, from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.”
Therefore, as God is the Source of all knowledge, it is evident that Lucifer who was assigned to the Throne of God experienced the depth of God’s knowledge. In his pursuit to elevate himself to a position of authority over God—to be like God and to have his kingdom, he stole knowledge and is using it against God and His creation becoming the Adversary of God and His Kingdom. In Genesis 3: 15 Satan is specifically designated as the “enemy” of both God and man. He went from the most beautiful of God’s creations to secure the fall of Adam and through him of the race and the entrance of sin into the world of men. The ultimate defeat of Satan through the “seed” of the woman (Christ), announced in this verse, began Satan’s long warfare against the work of God on behalf of humanity, which still continues. Jesus said in Luke 10:18 that He saw Lucifer fall from heaven like lightening after his sin in heaven. (Isaiah 14: 12) Lucifer knew how the hierarchy in heaven was constructed. He saw the power that was there. When he fell, he took that blueprint and used it to construct his kingdom of darkness. His kingdom plan is a counterfeit of God’s Kingdom. The Devil’s so-called knowledge is designed to kill, steal and destroy us. (John 10:10) He loves to tell a half-truth and a lie. Real knowledge is from God the Father (James 1: 16-18), God’s Son Jesus Christ (John 14: 6), and God’s Holy Spirit (1 John 2: 20-27). We must remember, the devil is a created being. God is infinite and eternal; Satan isn’t. God possesses unlimited power and authority; Satan doesn’t. God will be eternally victorious; Satan will be cast into hell.
Paul gives us a warning against the schemes of the devil in Ephesians 6: 10-12: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you are able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Satan’s hooks are: pride, control and fear. Since the Clinton administration first declared June “Pride Month” in 1999, and its scope expanded by Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Americans have been subjected to increasingly aggressive LGBTQ messaging, often at the expense of those who hold to Judeo-Christian values. This clearly violates God’s order for family: genders—male and female; marriage—between man and woman and biblical truths and moral values. We see the enemy attempting to raise an altar for the demon of PRIDE to maintain its power and control as President Trump declared June as “Family Month” that upholds faith, family, and truth—the pillars which America was built. A letter was sent from the State Department instructing embassies worldwide to abstain from official cooperation with Pride events. However, transgender Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner headed up the Pride Month parade in Israel. Since President Trump has signed executive orders barring gender-transition procedures on minors, banning transgender athletes from female sports, and enforcing new standards in schools to remove “sexualized” materials there have been protests and violence on the streets of America. Yes, the demon of PRIDE is seeking vengeance and retribution as it has been wounded. Satan and his demonic spirits are seeking to stir up persecution in this hour as a multi-headed power. Jesus said in John 8: 44 that from the beginning the devil was a murderer and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him—for he is a liar and the father of lies. He seeks retribution by the shedding of innocent blood which is a direct counterfeit of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the redemption of mankind.
In Ephesians 2: 1-2 Paul reveals that Satan is the “prince of the power of the air”, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. According to 1 John 5: 19 the whole world lies in the power of the evil one during this present age BUT GOD according to verse 18 keeps those who are born of God through Christ safe and the evil one cannot touch us! When we consider the power of the air today, we think of modern technology and its capabilities. The levels of power God has are limitless and Satan is attempting to be more like God. Satan is not ever-present, he is not all-powerful, he is not almighty, and he cannot create from nothing as the Lord can. He has to take what God has already created and manipulate it in order to get qualities like those of God. In Luke 17: 26-27 Jesus compared the days before His return to the days of Noah. Something so ungodly was taking place on the earth that caused the Lord to regret that He had made man. Many scholars believe that part of the need to destroy every human being except Noah and his family was the sin mentioned in Genesis 6: 1-4 when fallen angels left their place in heaven and came down and took human wives (forbidden by God) which was a mixing of God’s order each after their own kind and resulting in a mixed species called Nephilim or giants in those days and afterward. In order to preserve the pure DNA of mankind through which Christ would be born, God saved Noah and his family who were perfect in their generations and started over! All living on earth was destroyed and the spirit of the Nephilim became the demonic evil spirits in the Bible that still exist as part of Satan’s kingdom of darkness. God would not allow the woman’s seed to be corrupted as the Spirit of God overshadowed Mary and Jesus was born through the line of David through Nathan. (Luke 3) It is apparent that Satan is again attempting to operate control of how Almighty God operates in the realm of the spirit through Artificial Intelligence (AI). It can be utilized for positive things, just like a cell phone, a computer or camera; however, the root is idolatry that wants to counterfeit what the Lord does on many levels; it is attempting to gain power and control. This would enable advanced technology beyond humans and bring higher dimensions of darkness into the earth. It seems like Satan’s ultimate goal is a brain computer interface so that the mind would be gradually replaced with mechanical counterparts which sounds like the Book of Revelation Chapter 13!
Hebrews 2: 9-10 reveals that Jesus was made for a little time lower than the angels and came as the God/man that by His suffering and death mankind can experience the grace of God and not taste death. It was through Christ’s death that He destroys the works of the devil who had the power of death and delivers us from the bondage of sin. (Hebrews 2: 14) I Jn 4:4 reminds us that we are of God and have overcome the evil because the One (the Holy Spirit) in us is greater than the one in the world! Let us pray for God to intervene! “Oh LORD, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth…Now, O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us from the enemy that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD are God.” (2 Kings 19:15, 19)