After Baptism Comes the Devil

The greatest work of a building occurs after the foundation is laid. A couple can start to build their home once the materials are bought. Satan does his hardest work after great victories.
• Noah became drunk after the flood (Genesis 9).
• Israel complained after being led through the Red Sea (Exodus 16).
• Simon coveted the Holy Spirit’s gifts after being baptized (Acts 8:13, 18-19).
Baptism is starting line in a multiple year triathlon. The Christian’s test does not come before baptism, but it begins after baptism, for there Satan starts his greatest work.

Since the world is his (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:20), he attempts to entice those who have given their life to God, hoping to count them in his myriads. While baptism does take away sin, it does not take away Satan. Sometimes Christians believe that upon belief, confession, repentance, and baptism, that their battle with Satan is over. They imagine a life full of goodness and perfectness; however, they forget to realize that they have only begun to battle. It is because of this ignorance that men have said:
• “I thought baptism washed away my sin. Why do I still keep doing the same thing?”
• “The Christian life is harder than I realized.”
• “I thought Satan would leave me alone after I was saved.”
The fact of the matter is, the tempter’s temptations now must be resisted instead of indulged in, causing the new Christian to be alert and always active. He must be ready to take the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:17), be willing to resist the devil (James 4:7), and walk always in the Spirit instead of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17). This new objective must be taught and learned by the new Christian, else he may be in danger of reverting back to old habits and sinful thinking.

Jesus came out of the water only to “immediately” (Mark 1:12) face His greatest battle yet. Pleasing His Father by showing an example (Matthew 3:13-17), Jesus was about to meet the tempter face to face. One would think that after such an amazing display of obedience, that only joy would follow after; however, it was after this act of obedience that Jesus would now have to prove His faithfulness to God. Jesus now would go on to face the greatest challenges of His life. The new Christian is a different creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). While his old life was captivated by sin, his new life is captivated by Jesus (Romans 6:16, 18; 1 John 3:10). He must learn that the lion is on the prowl and ever-ready to devour.

If baptism eradicated the devil and his temptations, then every warning in sacred Scripture of His tactics toward the faithful are wasted words. Peter warned the elect to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). They were to resist him (1 Peter 5:9). Are you a new Christian and ready to face the tempter? Here are four principles to remember in order to help the new or old Christian battle the lion.

DON'T MAKE A MOUNTAIN OVER A MOLEHILL

While God does not accept Christians’ sins, He does make provisions for them (1 John 2:1-2). All men sin (Romans 3:23), even faithful children of God (1 John 1:8). The farmer forgot to plow a section of his field, the quarterback threw an interception, and the teacher explained an equation wrong. What is harmful to the Christian is when he thinks mistakes are deathly. Even after forgiveness, the struggle with sin is evident. Do we assume David never had trouble with lust, Peter with ashamedness, or Simon with sorcery? The struggle with sin does not prove worthlessness, but faithfulness (Galatians 5:16-17). There is a difference from joining Satan and passing by Satan. There is a difference from stumbling (Proverbs 24:16; 1 John 1:7) and practicing (Proverbs 2:13; 1 John 1:6). No new Christian should think himself nothing for his failures, he should use those failures as learning experiences to do better next time. One said, “And I wonder if we have been too narrow in thinking that “brother” only applies to someone else. What if YOU are the brother or sister who needs to be forgiven, and you need to forgive yourself?”[1]

CLEANSE OUT THE INTOXICANTS

Body cleanses are good for one’s health. Spiritual cleanses are good for one’s soul. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter admonishes these Christians to be sober. The mind should be free from all intoxicants that would cause the mind to wonder. What are some spiritual intoxicants that would hinder sobermindedness for new Christians?
• Alcohol (Proverbs 20:1; 31:5). After the first drink one’s mind already begins to be impaired.
• Sex (Proverbs 7:21-22). Sex outside marriage, pornography, or lewdness deter the pure mind.
• Money (1 Timothy 6:9-10; cf. Matthew 13:22). The love of money takes away one’s love for God.
• Family influences (Luke 14:26). The constant and consistent pull of family may be stronger than that of the constant and consistent pull of one’s church family.
• Anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34). One cannot be fearful and focused on God fervently at the same time.
Oil cannot mix with water and light will always dispel darkness. Marshall Segal said, “The sober-minded are serious about serious things.”[2]

STAND ON A WATCHTOWER AND DON'T FALL ASLEEP

One general was commanding his army from a fort level on the ground. Attempting to see ahead was hard and he felt like he was fighting blind. On average, every hour he lost 200 men. In just two hours his best lieutenant built him a 15-foot watchtower from which the general could lead his troops. From then on until the battle ended, the general only lost 10 men, total! Watchtowers are built to observe incoming threats (cf. Ezekiel 3; 33). The Greek word for sober is translated “watch” in 1 Peter 4:7. How can we be the best guard on watch duty and fighting off Satan’s allurements?

HAVE A GOOD FLASHLIGHT (Psalm 119:105). Guards must watch both in the day and in the night. Their eyes must be focused, especially, during the night, lest anything escape their watch. The best lamp is the Bible, which shines in the close regions of the heart and out farther to the depths so that one may be careful not to allow anything harmful inside. Light exposed on sin is the only way sin can be eradicated.

LOCK THE DOORS (Proverbs 4:23). Open doors allow the enemy to come in easily. The door of our hearts should be guarded and kept safe with the walls of spiritual protection. Yasmin Mogahed said, “Your heart is sacred land. Don’t let just anything enter it. Guard it with your life.” Secure the borders of your heart from lust, covetousness, hatred, and envying.

The word “vigilant” means to be awake.[3] In 2021, “22% of Working Americans Nap(pped=NO) During the Workday.”[4] Under article 85 of the UCMJ, falling asleep while on post, military personal may face dishonorable discharge and if found sleeping during war, death would be the maximum sentence.[5] Christians are soldiers on the job and sleeping while on post is a cause for spiritual discharge (1 Thessalonians 5:6). While some new Christians may think baptism saves them while sleeping, they find themselves destroyed because the tempter is always awake. We should:

NOT FALL ASLEEP TO THE DREAMS OF TARSHISH LIKE JONAH.[6] Jonah neglected the divine call to preach to Nineveh, which led him to sleep on the ship to Tarshish. Some new Christians fall asleep because they are lazy (Proverbs 19:15) and are not cognizant of the work they are to be doing. They claim tiredness when they are truly slothful. New Christians need to stay busy to combat the devil.
• Go with someone on a Bible study.
• Ask for a list of nursing home residents and write cards to them.
• Attend every gospel meeting, devo, and Bible study in the area.
• Make lectureships a vacation.
Benjamin Franklin concluded, “idle hands are the devil’s playthings” and another said, “an idle mind is the devil’s playground.”

REFRAIN FROM SLEEPIN ON THE BED OF SAMSON. Samson fell asleep with a Philistinian harlot who wanted to take away his mighty strength. Samson was guilty of many sinful actions (lust, fornication, drinking wine, and touching a dead animal [see Numbers 6]). New Christians should not fall asleep toward sinful habits for they are at high risk for reverting back to practicing them again. If a practice is questionable, it is better to refrain than indulge. It would do us all well to understand that "knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:11-14).
Because the flesh is weak, it would do us well to watch very carefully (Matthew 26:40-41).

NOT TO FALL ASLEEP TO THE SOUND OF FALSE TEACHING (1 Corinthians 15:34). The Corinthians were surrounded by influences that would have them “sleep” on the matter of the resurrection, enticing them to think there was no such thing. Paul counters this false doctrine. He admonishes the Corinthians to be awake to righteousness. Some teachers are sly and deceptive (Matthew 7:15; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). They deceive the simple (Romans 16:17-18) and cause the innocent to stumble. False teaching may tickle the ear[7] (2 Timothy 4:3-4), but it eats away the body like cancer (2 Timothy 2:16-17). To stay awake, ask
• What does God say (Acts 17:11)?
• What is the motive for the specific teaching (2 Timothy 4:3; cf. Isaiah 30:10)?
• Are the teachers known for teaching error?
Since false teaching is condemnable (Galatians 1:6-9), the innocent Christian should stay far from it. Since new Christians may easily be enticed, they need to be taught solid principles early, so that they can combat the evil.

Sleeping on the job is dangerous for the employee, but of how much dangerous is an innocent is it for the Christian to fall asleep. Paul said, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:14-16). If we don’t watch, we could fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).

READ THE BIOGRAPHY OF SATAN

NFL teams study for hours every week to prepare to fight the opposing team. Boxers may study tactics their opponents use. Debaters will work hard to know their opponent’s arguments. Sun Tzu an ancient Chinese military strategist said, "If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." One’s whole life story from birth to death could be recorded in one biography. We read these books with hopes of understanding more about the specific person. We read Satan’s biography to combat him (2 Corinthians 2:11). We should not leave any word unread nor any page unturned. As new Christians and older children of God, we need to understand our enemy if we are going to resist him.

READ THE INTRODUCTION. Introductions in biographies usually start at the beginning of one’s life. To better understand the devil, we need to know from where he came. Note a few facts.
• He is created not eternal (Colossians 1:16). Therefore, he is not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient.
• He is a fallen angel (Matthew 25:41).
• His sin was pride (1 Timothy 3:6). All prideful souls make themselves sons of the devil.
• He is the leader of the fallen angels (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6), Satan was cast out of heaven.
Satan is the most notorious serial killer (John 8:44) and he puts out the spiritual eyes of multitudes (2 Corinthains 4:4).

READ ABOUT HIS SYNONYMS. Satan goes by man names and each one describes a little more about his purpose.
• Satan. Means accuser.
• Devil. Means slanderer.
• Adversary. One said, he is “the one on the opposite side of a trial for life or death.”[8]
• Father of lies (John 8:44). He will lie to you, about you, and for you. Thomas Brooks said, “Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst; he promises honor and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure and pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life and pays with death.”
• Prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). He has superiority over some.
• Tempter (Matthew 4:3). He willingly attempts to deceive man.
• Wicked one (Matthew 13:38). Everything about him is the opposite of goodness.
Peter noted that Satan is a lion who devours. He is also like a serpent who tries to deceive (Genesis 3:1; 2 Corinthians 11:3), a bird who tries to spoil (Matthew 13:5, 19), a wolf who attempts to defeat (John 10:12), and a dragon who wants to destroy (Revelation 12:9).[9]

READ THE CHAPTER ABOUT HIS TACTICS. Satan wants to get “an advantage of us” (2 Corinthians 2:11), “beguile” us (2 Corinthians 11:3) and “devour”[10] us (1 Peter 5:8). While Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), Satan is the Lion of darkness. He is a roaring lion which shows his hunger. He is a walking[11] lion which shows his persistence. He is a devouring lion which shows his power. He is a prowling lion, which shows his stealthiness and deceit. As a tool is used to cut, measure, or draw and as money is used to buy items, so does Satan have his “devices,” for purposefully destroying God’s children. What type of tools are in Satan’s toolbox?
• The tape measure of old ways. Especially for newer Christians, this tool is used the most, for they may be tempted to stretch their minds back to their old sinful ways. Be careful of reverting back to old sinful habits, a clean man never puts on the old, dirty coat (Luke 9:62; cf. Ephesians 4:22-24).
• The hammer of persecution (Hebrews 3:12). Hammers come down hard, as does persecution. The Hebrew Christians were in danger of succumbing to the blunt force of persecution. Persecution is a tactic of the Devil used to tempt the new and old Christian into thinking the Christian life is too hard to lead (cf. Matthew 13:21).
• The common Swiss army knife (3 in 1) (1 John 2:16). Satan’s triad is used for entrapping the bait. The three baits are the (1) lust of the flesh (sins of sense), (2) lust of the eyes (sins of materialism, maybe could include lust [Matthew 5:28]), and (3) pride of life (arrogancy).
• The drill of doubt (Genesis 3:1). The moment we doubt the Word of God, Satan’s mischievous seed is placed within us. “Does God really exist?” “Am I sure I’m in the right church?” “Did God really save me?” are all questions that fill the heart of the babe in Christ.
Thomas Brooks said, “Satan often paints sin with virtue’s colors.” Tucker Max observed “The devil doesn’t come dressed in a red cape and pointy horns. He comes as everything you’ve ever wished for.” Be watchful for the devil’s tools.
READ THE EPILOGUE. A book is not finished until one reads the ending. Neglecting to read the end of a book would have one never know whether Harry Potter defeated Voldemort or that Bilbo Baggins returned home. The end of Satan’s biography is not pleasant for him, but exciting for us. His defeat (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8) is our victory. One said, “the lion was defanged at the cross!” The devil is lost to the eternal fire (Revelation 20:12) and our overcoming allows us to come over[12] to heaven (Revelation 3:5). The assurance of victory gives us the confidence to press on (Proverbs 28:1; 1 Corinthians 15:55-58).

Every Christian should be thoroughly knowledgeable about their enemy. Reading his biography will prepare us.

Death is the end of the struggle with sin and Satan, baptism never took those away. While our service is different our struggle was not and it is because of such, that “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12). Are you prepared to face the devil?

[1]Robert J. Morgan, Preacher’s Sourcebook of Creative Sermon Illustrations, Thomas Nelson, 2007, 305
[2]https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/to-souls-who-fall-asleep
[3]Strong’s Concordance, 1 Peter 5:8, “vigilant,” eSWORD Module.
[4]https://bettersleep.org/research/sleeping-on-the-job/
[5]https://www.mymilitarylawyers.com/practice-areas/ucmj-articles/ucmj-article-95-offenses-by-sentinel-or-lookout/
[6]Two of these points come from: cdn2.congregateclients.com/smokyhillchurch.com/media/uploads/sermons/2022/11/Dont_Fall_Asleep.pdf?Expires=1709240614&Si gnature=G-vZ0Os-GYX9Rf9Hoqsh3M16Nb0Wo~EaiUmquSZ~lYcqcCUQ7sJgG~GX-CC~0Jn8N5ywo- SNZWQlj0kqx9Dogp6CR0z54d2ecKm9R6QaNLxp1mvoqT7vu42IGrFUVvvYUldegeRgqCAQn57TZqJ0- E1xH5xCstaar4wg5pAGEL0FmqGwjuveC9zWwLmBDhPTCRYD0asuIT6RYdA7bzT53TCv7sSNbgvLxZtTAwsFDDicReNmCXOTfq6ivjjNHhYb HfZedeeJfVRiv7peChmBh7bTe13UGQd0PFRlYq-m7tukFox0y~uLRfVsxLQwy2nSNTxJFZaM473y7iMdqswW8A__&Key-Pair- Id=APKAIUPSMD7A347EYYTQ
[7]Idea from Allen Webster.
[8]Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles of Peter, John, and Jude, Gospel Advocate Company, 1974, 130.
[9] Robert J. Morgan, Preacher’s Sourcebook of Creative Sermon Illustrations, Thomas Nelson, 2007, 683.
[10]The word means “gulp” (Strong) or “swallow down,” (Vincent).
[11]Vincent said about this Greek word: “This word gave name to that sect of Greek philosophers known as Peripatetics, because they walked about while teaching or disputing.”
[12]Johnny Ramsey.