E46 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Satan’s Tool - Self Destruction
Hope’s Harbor
Gritty Bible Devotions
Episode #46
Title: Satan’s Tool – Self-destruction Part 3 of 4
Date: March 21, 2022
Contact: info@hopesharbor.net
Key verse(s): 2 Corinthians 10:8 – ‘For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed—‘
From G2507; demolition; figuratively extinction: - destruction, pulling down.
1Timothy 6:9 – ‘But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.’
From ὄλλυμι ollumi a primary word (to destroy; a prolonged form); ruin, that is, death, punishment: - destruction.
Romans 3:16 – ‘DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR WAYS;’
From G4937; concussion or utter fracture (properly concretely), that is, complete ruin: - destruction.
(This definition of destruction is not intended for Christians – it is describing those without Christ as their Savior)
Intro: It is hard to pin down self-destruction in the Bible although the principle and practice of it abound throughout Scripture. There are quite a few accounts where GOD’s people chose destructive actions, contrary to clear warnings against their behavior in the Bible. All these suffered in their lives from destructive behavior and by inference, those behaviors were self-inflicted destruction of their well-being and even in some cases brought about their deaths.
A few examples in the Old Testament are Cain (he murdered his brother), Sampson (he had a thing for women from among his enemies), King Saul (he repeatedly disobeyed GOD’s instructions. Also tried to kill a loyal officer in his army, David), King David (committed adultery, murder, allowed a rape to go unpunished), King Solomon (had a thing for many women against GOD’s warnings), and other kings down through Israel’s history.
In the New Testament, there was Judas. Yes, he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver coins, the going price of a slave), Demas (he abandoned the Apostle Paul in an hour of need), and the book of Revelation is full of destructive accounts of nations and their people ending with GOD’s judgment in the end.
However, I want to examine self-destructive behavior by Christians, the result of falling prey to Satan’s tools of deceit wielded through causing GOD’s own people to condemn and hate themselves. Self-destructive behavior that oftentimes ends in suicide.
How is this even possible?
Devotion focus: Self-condemnation, self-hatred and self-destructive behavior are types of unbelief.
This series is titled Satan’s Tools for a reason. This is because Satan uses these and others to fulfill his plan for the human race. This plan involves Satan stealing, killing, and destroying all he can of GOD’s people and His intended plan for all people who will call upon Him for saving them.
Jesus described Satan’s nature in John 10:10 – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Throughout Scripture, Satan is called by different names. They are listed in the appendix of this episode’s show notes. (Scan the names and read a few)
So the thing to keep in mind is Satan uses lies as one of his ploys. A most destructive lie is we are not good enough. Conscientious people are most susceptible to this one.
It happened to me like this: First, I was raised to believe we have to work hard to get GOD to accept us, to approve of us.
But what about this truth? GOD accepts us in the Beloved - Ephesian 1:6 – ‘to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.’
Why does GOD accept us in His Beloved Son? Listen to the next verse:
Ephesians 1:7 – ‘In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.’
An extreme result of not believing GOD accepts us, that we must do more and more to earn His favor and love is feeling condemned, hating ourselves, and then no longer caring what happens to us.
This may, as it did with me, lead to suicidal thoughts. This only happened after several years of trying to earn GOD’s approval, to earn His love.
Somehow I missed the verses in the Bible declaring GOD’s love. Or I read them but didn’t apply them to me. There’s that unbelief.
Eventually, I gave up trying to please GOD and in my despair suicide seemed like the only way out of the extreme pain of not being good enough for GOD.
Once I decided to end my life and planned my death I felt better. Lighthearted. Care to guess why? If you’ve ever reached this point or are there now, you know.
If you are there now, please, I beg you to talk to someone about this. Call a suicide prevention line. Most of those sites are staffed by volunteers who have been where you are now… where I was then.
Listen… if you go through with taking your life there is no coming back to see if your life could have turned out better.
When GOD intervened while I waited for the opportunity to end my life, remember I had a plan, He intervened in a subtle way. I don’t go into those details for a reason. Because GOD may very well intervene with you differently.
The point is to look for His intervention and be ready to accept it when it comes.
Summary: You can change your mindset about your value as a man or woman. It takes effort, but what have you got to lose by waiting to commit the final act of self-destruction. I waited and became relieved with the passing of time that I did not end my life. It was 37 years ago, the summer of 1985, and I admit… the mental and emotional pain I was in seemed unbearable at the time.
But when I began to focus on changing some circumstances, including finding a new job, the despair began to lessen and eventually left altogether.
Several years afterward I entered law enforcement and spent 21 years working to help others. Imagine if my life had ended before that. Imagine your life ahead of you, helping where and when you can.
But most of all think of any family or friends who love you, care about you. They will not be better off without you. Given time, time will prove this to you.
Action to consider: Resist the feelings of self-condemnation, self-hatred, and acts of self-destruction. To resist these read through Romans 8 every day you can and chose to believe the words written the, even if they don’t feel true for you. It normally takes time for GOD’s Word to exert its power to you.
Read John 15:9 - dare believe it is written to you.
Next week’s devotion: Episode #47 will tie in principles from E43 to show what it is like to wake up to GOD’s love and displace self-condemnation/hatred/destruction -
Appendix:
Satan, or the Devil, has been given a number of titles in Scripture.
1. Satan
Fifty-two times in Scripture this being is designated as Satan.
Now it came about on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, that Satan also came among them (Job 1:6).
2. Day-Star
In Isaiah, this creature is called the "day star." This has the idea of "bearer of light." This name, translated into Latin, is Lucifer. This was the name of Satan before his fall.
How you are fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how you are cut down to the ground, that did lay low the nations! (Isaiah 14:12).
The true "day star" and "bearer of light" is the Lord Jesus Himself.
It is I, Jesus, who sent My angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16).
Jesus is the true light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world (John 1:9).
3. Son Of The Morning
He is also titled "son of the morning."
How you are fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how you are cut down to the ground, that did lay low the nations! (Isaiah 14:12).
4. The Anointed Cherub
This angel was also called the "anointed cherub."
You were the anointed cherub that covered: and I set you, so that you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezekiel 28:14).
5. The Devil
This is one of the most popular names for this personage. It only appears in the New Testament.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4:1).
The Devil literally means "slanderer." Satan is called this because he slanders both God and humanity. In the Garden of Eden, he slandered God's character.
And the woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; and the serpent said to the woman, "You surely shall not die! "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:2,4,5).
He now accuses believers.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming, "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah, for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God (Revelation 12:10).
6. Tempter
Satan is the one who tempts people to sin. He wants to bring out the worst in each of us.
The tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread" (Matthew 4:3).
7. Ruler Of Demons
This evil personage is called the ruler of the demons.
But the Pharisees said, "By the ruler of the demons He drives out demons" (Matthew 9:34).
8. Beelzebul
Satan is known as Beelzebul, which means "lord of the flies," or "lord of dung."
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons" (Matthew 12:24).
9. The Evil One
Satan is also called the "evil one."
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path (Matthew 13:19).
10. Enemy
He is the enemy of humanity.
and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels (Matthew 13:39).
11. Liar
Jesus made it clear that Satan is always a liar. Liar, therefore, is an appropriate title.
You are of your father the Devil . . . there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own nature: for he is a liar, and the father thereof (John 8:44).
12. Father Of Lies
He is the one who originated lies.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own nature: for he is a liar, and the father thereof (John 8:44).
13. Murderer
This fallen angel is also a murderer.
You are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44).
14. Ruler Of This World
Satan is the ruler of this world in the sense that the world is still characterized by sin. Jesus said.
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over Me (John 14:30).
This title suggests that he is the major influence over our world. Scripture teaches that the whole world is in his power.
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19).
15. The god Of This Age
He is the god of this present age.
in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them (2 Corinthians 4:4).
16. Angel Of Light
He appears as an angel of light.
And no marvel; for even Satan fashions himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
17. Belial
The idea behind Belial is "vileness." This title may be applied to the Devil only by implication.
What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:15).
18. Ruler Of The Authority Of The Air
He is the authority over this present, evil world-system.
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient (Ephesians 2:2).
19. Adversary
This being stands in opposition to everything holy. The word "Satan" means adversary.
Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
20. Roaring Lion
He is likened to a lion who goes about seeking its prey.
Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
21. The Angel Of The Abyss
There is some question as to whether this is a description of Satan, or merely another powerful evil angel.
They have as king over them the angel of the pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon (Revelation 9:11).
22. Apollyon And Abaddon
He is called Apollyon and Abaddon.
They have as king over them the angel of the pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon (Revelation 9:11).
The idea behind these terms is "destroyer." Satan has been filled with hatred against God from the beginning, and has attempted to destroy every good thing that God has done.
23. Dragon
Satan is called the dragon.
And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him (Revelation 12:9).
The term dragon is associated with those who oppose God.
24. Old Serpent
He is also known as the old serpent.
And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him (Revelation 12:9).
This reminds us of the Garden of Eden when Satan came to Adam and Eve in the form of a serpent. It speaks of his cunning.
25. Deceiver Of The Whole World
This fallen angel deceives the unbelieving world.
And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him (Revelation 12:9).
Deception is what this being is all about - he is the master deceiver.
26. Accuser Of God's People
God's people are constantly accused by this evil personage.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming, "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah, for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God" (Revelation 12:10).
Summary
Satan, or the Devil, is known by a number of names in Scripture. All of these names point to his evil character. The chief characteristics we find in this creature are his hostility, cunning, power, and evil intent toward God and His people.