Crimson Unity: Jesus Vs. Racism
Post #6/ Satan — a Heart Check
Welcome
Here we can better understand what motivates Satan, and recognize how individuals, groups, and institutions embody those evils. We’ll also see how Christ directs us to operate once we’re equipped by the Holy Spirit, so the power of God can overcome racism.
Prayer & Declaration Lord Jesus, inform our prayers and our hopes as You teach us what to do, and lead us into our future as one Church sold out for You. We covenant with the Holy Spirit and one another to harken to God going forward, come what may. Amen.
Word When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Those 120 or so in the Upper Room were few in number compared to the balance — the entire unredeemed world. Yet, we see throughout scripture God preserving a remnant and magnifying their influence to crucially and explosively change history. <IRsH> Who were the original disciples but a remnant of Essene Jews who realized that the prophesied Messiah had actually come? Jesus simply said “follow me“, reaching out in prevenient grace — unmerited grace — to 12 fallen men. The Holy Spirit entered those mortal temples, and 2000 years later the aftershocks continue.
Each time the Holy Spirit falls on the unified Church, it is enormously consequential. Each anointing has a great impact and practical effect; each fills us further with the Holy Spirit of Almighty God. We will realize those victories in a later post.
We MUST have salvation by Jesus Christ first, and then we MUST have Jesus Christ baptize us in the Holy Spirit. Salvation, because sin is a foundational relationship to God (rebellious wrong-being stained by wrong-doing). God looks at those the world labels as moral or as despicable through the same piercing eyes, to see if a person is their own god or if by Christ has been restored. The Holy Spirit, because our redeemed spirits are once again justified, and fit to be in a relationship with God as a cherished part of His family, and to fulfill His call to love one another.
And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us. Romans 5:5
Satan’s heart is the origin of sin and the darkest place in existence. It’s time to don the full armor of God, and enter his lair:
Satan’s Heart Check
13 For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
Isaiah 14:13
Satan was created in the presence of God, and was a Cherub — a type of angel that served in the highest Heaven, but did not reside there. Satan, then Lucifer (meaning Light-bringer or Morning Star) and also the King of Tyre (when cast down to Earth, for a time he indwelt an earthly king), became so impressed by his own perfection that he coveted all that is God; pride leading to a heart to supplant God and repurpose the course of the universe to reshape it around himself.
Ezekiel 28:13–17
“You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering,sardius, topaz, and diamond,beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.On the day that you were created they were prepared.14 You were an anointed guardian cherub.I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub,
from the midst of the stones of fire.17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty;
you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground;I exposed you before kings,to feast their eyes on you.
The theology here is deep; recall when Christ shared that sin begins in the heart (as here, in Satan’s), even before any visible commission of it. Satan’s pride defiled/twisted/perverted the wisdom God created him with. Satan knew God firsthand, with an immediacy to HIS Holy presence that is beyond us. Satan experienced that God IS love, for example. Created and serving in God’s presence, there is no possibility of forgiveness for him. This is a Heavenly standard, not the standard of fallen human beings.
Matt 5:21
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
Matt 5:27–28
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
By the time we see Isaiah 28, Satan has fallen from a great height of power, status, beauty, glory, and favor. Let’s examine the first unrighteous theme found in Satan’s heart:
“I will ascend into heaven“
The word for ascend used here is alah, which carries not only the literal sense of lifting oneself up and into position into Heaven’s very highest station (which God in His omnipotence is forbidding), it also holds the figurative sense of excelling in virtue (declaring he is superior to God).
Pause for Thought #1
So what? Why do you think this was so momentous?
If you were a king or a queen, how would you feel about someone like this guarding your throne?
Since sin begins in the heart, what sins did Satan commit by desiring to force his way into the highest Heaven against the will of God?
What is the response of a king to an usurper or a coupe?
Who and what stands to suffer should Satan act upon what‘s in his heart?
How can he believe he could be successful in his attempt?
Plainly put, with this first “I Will“ Satan declared war on God, indicating a willingness to force his ambitions upon Heaven. In his heart, Satan murdered God. This is also an example of how the sin of Selfish Ambition destroys discernment. Satan knew first-hand that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent — this is a very bad estimate of the situation on his part here. This also underscores Satan’s intense hatred of God.
If we look closely, we also begin to see where the enemy’s hatred of people, especially believers, begins to foment. Since Satan hates God and is jealous of God’s status and position, people being made in the image of God would be a constant source of anger, even in our fallen state. Angels can sometimes assume human form but are not in their likeness and nature as created. Some people, such as Ezekiel in the Old Testament and John in Revelation have gone to the Third Heaven during their earthly lives in service to God. In Ephesians 1:20–2:7 we learn that not only is Christ enthroned in that coveted place at God’s right hand, but in Eternity Christians are seated there as well.
A Pattern in the Giants?
We submit this not as Bible scholars (we’re not), but as seminary graduates trained in the right handling of God’s word. We’re also including it because if we were in the course, we’d be interested to know. It has been submitted by some theologians (Tim Storey, Doug Heck, Skip Moen, et al.) that the 5 “I Wills“ of Satan correspond, in order, to the meanings of the names of the 5 Giants Israel must defeat to enter the Promised Land (see Appendix D). The first giant they encounter and defeat in Joshua 15:13 is Arba, cited as the ‘Greatest of the Amalikites‘, who’s name means by our best estimate of the evidence “Selfish Ambition“, which strongly corresponds.
Christ’s Strategy in the Beatitudes
Matthew 5:1–12
5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
This teaching of Jesus Christ, seemingly sometimes to put logic on its head, comes into focus in light of Satan’s agenda.
Verse 3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
blessed (makários): supremely blessed; by extension, fortunate, well off
poor (pto-khos: denoting absolute mendicancy, bereft)
<when>in
spirit (pnuema: the Holy Spirit)
kingdom of heaven (oo-ran-os): i. e. properly, the heights above, the upper regions — 73x out or 111x : Eternal dwelling place of God.
This denotes “a strong blessing to those who experience absolute poverty when in the Holy Spirit“. As discussed concerning Pentecost, complete humility, repentance, and agreement with God are prerequisites for baptism in the Holy Spirit, particularly as the Church.
This is the polar opposite of Satan’s first “I Will“ of Selfish-ambition and being heart-set on your own agenda like the world promotes. Ultimately this gives Christians the very goal, the very place, and status in Heaven, that Satan seeks thru Selfish Ambition.
Pause for Thought #2
What would be a worthy addition to your prayer life in light of Christ’s guidance?
Would a spiritually poor church be more or less impactful in the community? Why?
