“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven”

Jesus sent out His 70 to minister to the people in the cities and then they returned upon completing the mission (Luke 10:1-12). That’s where we pick up…

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 

Here Jesus obviously saw pride, the same pride that Lucifer allowed into his heart before being vanquished irrevocably from Heaven, from God’s presence. So, Christ warns His disciples of allowing pride into their hearts. He uses the history of Lucifer, who was cast out of Heaven for his pride (Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:12-15). He had sent His disciples out to do ministry and the endeavor was successful. They came back rejoicing, sharing the details of what God had done. They put His teachings into practice and saw firsthand the power of the name of Jesus. Watch this:

Most, when we first read the words of Jesus to His disciples here in verse 18, we wonder why He threw that in that. Seems disjointed, irrelevant, right? Not at all. He’s reminding them of the pride that was found in the “anointed cherub” of God who was then cast out of Heaven for his iniquity. These Jewish men knew the passages which informed them of just such facts. Then, our LORD tells them, and us, that we are to rejoice only in the reality that He found and saved us and “names are written in heaven.” (v20)

The Past, Present, and Future of Lucifer, now Called Satan and the Devil

“That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” never left the garden of God’s creation and he won’t till Jesus slam dunks him into the bottomless pit (Gen 3; Rev 12; 20). He must be overcome “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11) God is able. Satan 

“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” Ezekiel 28:11-19

The Peril of Pride

Humility is a cardinal characteristic of every true child of God (Matthew 18:3-4). They follow and find rest in the humble Savior who said: “I am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Those who walk in pride instead of humility are the children of the devil whom the Bible calls “king over all the children of pride.” (Job 41:34)

Make this a memory verse – a severe warning to your own heart:

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12

The history of pride is littered with destroyed lives – lives that are not and forever will be irrevocably, consciously suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.” Proverbs 18:12

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:6-10

WHAT goes before “destruction” and a “fall”? “Pride”, right? (Proverbs 16:18)

This is exactly what happened with Saul and happens the many today. When men experience some victory, they are then prone to pride instead of thanksgiving and not humility and the cross.

“Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. 17 And Samuel said, WHEN THOU WAS LITTLE IN THINE OWN SIGHT, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?” 1 Samuel 15:16-17

Humility is beautiful and may God bless you to wear and walk it well! James 4:6-10

“The Children of Pride” are the Children of Satan (Job 41:34)

“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matthew 12:30

Those who love the world instead of the LORD, are caught up in 3 things:

• “the lust of the flesh,”
• “the lust of the eyes,”
• “the pride of life”  

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Ministries of Pomp, Pride, and Posh Dividends

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:17-21

Many today in ministry and leadership, those with vast, growing audiences, speak of many lofty things. They “mind earthly things.” (Philippians 3:18-21) Their messages sizzle and entice the listener. These people can become master manipulators, using trickery to capture the attention of the masses and perpetuate them on a continuum of tuning into these ministries. Actually, that’s the intended business plan – to procure and to secure an ever-increasing audience. Yet, if we’re caught up in a whirlwind of for example, end times signs, etc., and yet not becoming more rooted and grounded in Christ, humbly submitted to Him with an heart of flesh, what good is the abundance of knowledge? (Matthew 18:3-4) Many who today have vast knowledge of the working of Satan and his human agents and their temporal kingdoms, will wind up in hell for their neglect of remaining intimately in fellowship with the Bridegroom as one of the wise virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).

What good would it be to know and understand the signs of the times if one doesn’t know the Savior – isn’t rooted and grounded in an abiding relationship with the Bridegroom and therefore not ready to meet Him?

False ministries are known in that they simply are not grounding their audience in Christ – in a cross bearing, abiding relationship with the Savior (Luke 9:23-24; John 15:1-6, etc.). It’s shallow. They do not seek to prepare God’s people, exhorting them to be ready for the return of the KING by soundly establishing them in Him – on His stated (cross) terms (Ephesians 5:25-27; Colossians 1:28; 2:6-7; 1 John 2:24-3:3; Revelation 19:7-8, etc.).

Isn’t it interesting how popular these ministries are today? Well, they know exactly what hot buttons to push to great people to support, to fund their endeavor. And it’s working, for now. Judgment Day is on the way.

So many today are willing to ravenously tune into and support that which tickles their ears, stimulates their senses. They get caught up in the tingle, the sizzle of hot news if you will, stirring their emotions in various directions. Yet, so few support Christ’s authentic under-shepherds who are known in that they labor daily to soundly ground His precious sheep in His truth and love, equipping them for “the work of the ministry.” (Ephesians 4:11-15) Note the divinely instilled, stated goal of the our LORD’s apostle Paul concerning establishing, rooting His people into Christ:

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:6-10