Sermon Tone Analysis
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Although I am not much of a fisherman now, throughout my life I have had a number of occasions to go fishing.
I recall, as a young boy, the first fish that I ever caught.
I recall, going with my father to Green Castle Lake just south of Marshalltown, Iowa, where I grew up.
I recall, with my father and uncle, fishing in a river and my attempts to catch a very smart catfish.
I recall, while living in Savannah, GA, having the opportunity to go deep see fishing with men from our church and catching a red grouper and a shark.
However, this morning, we are going to discuss a different type of fishing.
We are going to consider...
A Slaughter from Another World
Satan is the fisherman.
While, in this verse, Satan is called “your adversary” and he is likened to a roaring lion, there are many other names by which he is known in the Bible.
Here are just a few for us to consider:
In Matthew 4:3, the devil is called the “Tempter.”
He tempts people to sin.
He wants to bring out the worst in each of us.
In Matthew 13:39, the devil is called the “Enemy.”
He is seeking to destroy us.
He should be consider harmful and extremely deadly.
In John 8:44, Jesus made it very clear that Satan always has been and always will be a “Liar.”
As we already pointed out, in 1 Peter 5:8, the devil is called our “Adversary.”
He stands in opposition to everything that is pure and holy.
From Revelation 12:9, we can rightly call him the “Deceiver.”
Deception is what the devil is all about.
He is a master at making good look evil and making evil look good.
He is an expert at making a lie seem to be the truth and making the truth appear to be a lie.
From Revelation 12:10, the devil has earned himself the name “Accuser of the Brethren.”
Once Satan has lured you into sin, he turns to God and with his accusing finger points at you, looks at God, and cries, “See, I told you they were no good!”
We are the fish.
In 1 Peter 5:8, it says that the devil is walking about seeking “whom he may devour:”
Who is that “whom?”
It is every family represented in this room.
It is every husband and father seated in this room.
It is every wife and mother seated in this room.
It is every son and daughter seated here this morning.
In short, it is you!
He has a particular distaste for Christians.
He is not too concerned with the unsaved.
He already has them.
But Christians?
Then Apollyon broke out into a grievous rage, saying, I am an enemy to this Prince; I hate his person, his laws, and people: I am come out on purpose to withstand thee.
Prepare thyself to die; for I swear by my infernal den, that thou shalt go no farther: here will I spill thy soul.
The bait is a variety of deceptive tactics and worldly philosophies.
Beware - be cautious; be careful; be on guard; avoid; keep your eyes open; look out; steer clear; watch out!
Every time you watch television or a movie - beware!
Every time you listen to music - beware!
Every time you check out social media - beware!
Every time you read a book - beware!
Every time you “hang out with friends” - beware!
The idea is of absorbing the foundational values of the world system around us.
The world is and always has been the enemy of God.
Satan’s bait is his lies that he tells to cause us to doubt the truth of God’s Word.
Turn to and read Genesis 3:1-5.
The bait is always attractive.
Eve never saw the hook.
She never saw the pain and destruction that would come if she took that fruit and ate that fruit.
Satan never shows you the hook.
He just wants you to see the bait.
Illustration (Photo): What Ya Usin’ for Bait?
Mom and Dad, Satan will never show you the destroyed relationships.
Young Adults, Satan will never show you the ruined testimony and the forfeited plans and dreams of a bright future.
Teens, Satan will never show you the ruined health; the pain; the death.
Together, let’s ask God to help us to see the hook behind the bait.
Let’s ask God to help us escape the slaughter that’s happening all around us; to see the world of the fisherman - the devil!
Seeing the Other World
When it comes to fishing, there are really two worlds - the word of the fish and the world of the fisherman.
Ignorant, rather unintelligent life forms of all kinds float, swim, feed, and otherwise exist with somewhat repetitive and mundane lives.
Yet, just beyond the surface, just out of reach of fish senses exists a completely different world - the world of the predator.
There is a spiritual world beyond our physical eyesight.
We can, with God’s enabling, literally see the spiritual implications - the other-world battles - that are hidden behind every circumstance, every trial, and every temptation of our lives.
We must realize, though, that being a successful fisherman depends as much on the ignorance of the fish as it does on the skill of the fisherman.
Our enemy depends upon our ignorance.
There are moms and dad, young adults, teenagers, who are walking through this world gathering up “wild gourds” by the lap full; feasting on those wild gourds; completely ignorant of the fact that “there is death in the pot!”
As a Christian, you have the ability, if you choose to use it, to see and respond to the spiritual world.
You have the ability to expose the fisherman and avoid his tricks.
You have spiritual eyesight that you must use as you use your life.
Pray that “the eyes of your understanding” would be enlightened.
Turn to and read Ephesians 1:15-19.
Whether you see it of not, all around you is a constant spiritual battle raging for your life and your family.
This spiritual battle is more real and more significant than any part of your spiritual existence, and yet so often we focus only on physical, temporary priorities in our lives and families.
We maximize the physical.
We minimize the spiritual.
…to our own detriment!
This morning, it should be the prayer of every man, woman, and child here that God would open our eyes.
We should pray that the enemy would be exposed!
Exposing the Enemy
As we uncover the lies of our enemy, it’s important that we understand how he attacks.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 gives us tremendous insight into the devils tactics.
Note: Let me encourage you to memorize this passage of Scripture.
We are in a spiritual battle.
Our weapons must also be spiritual.
The attacks of Satan will be against our spirit.
The initial result of a successful attack will be a wounded, broken, hurt, closed, angry, or an otherwise “twisted” spirit!
Your attitude, the spiritual condition of your heart is always the first to change in a spiritual attack!
In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul exposes the battlefield.
He uses the word “imagination.”
We must understand...
The battleground of the spiritual war in your life is your imagination.
Imagination, as Paul uses it here, is not a function of your human brain.
It is a given thought.
In other words, while you may only have one heart, that heart can imagine many things or have many imaginations.
In any given circumstance, there are only two perspectives or two perceptions.
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