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Stabilizing Believers with Truth | 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5

Introduction: Whatever you imagine the devil’s hatred for the church to be, your imagination is too small. His hatred for the church is greater than we could ever imagine. Throughout all the ages, the great enemy of our souls, the enemy of God, the enemy of all that is good, has been seeking to destroy all that glorifies God — and that includes the people of God. The church is in the crosshairs of Satanic activity. The gravity of the devil’s work is often minimized by the people of God only because our God protects us, shields us, in ways that can make us unaware of it. It’s like children underestimating what their parents do because they are shielded by their parent’s faithfulness. In the book of Revelation, we are given a description of our enemy that should sober us. ESV Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world-- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. GREAT DRAGON (emphasizing his power and his viciousness) ANCIENT SERPENT (emphasizing his experience) DEVIL (slanderer) SATAN (adversary) His power is witnessed by the fact that even the archangel Michael didn’t presume to deal with him in a that false teachers imagine they can deal with Satan. ESV Jude 1:8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you." 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. John MacArthur — “Rather than personally cursing such a powerful angel as Satan, Michael deferred to the ultimate, sovereign power of God following the example of the Angel of the Lord in Zec 3:2. This is the supreme illustration of how Christians are to deal with Satan and demons. Believers are not to address them, but rather to seek the Lord’s intervening power against them” This church, the Thessalonian church, was facing Satanic attacks. In chapter 1, they are suffering persecutions and afflictions. In first letter to this church, Paul was concerned that they are not moved by the attacks from unbelievers. ESV 1 Thessalonians 3:1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. His desire to encourage them face to face had been Satanically hindered. ESV 1 Thessalonians 2:17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you-- I, Paul, again and again-- but Satan hindered us. In chapter 3, they are suffering from unruly church members. He makes the point that this can not be ignored, it must be disciplined, which indicates the threat that it poses to the church. But here, in chapter 2, they are suffering from theological confusion. ALL THREE OF THESE CHALLENGES HAD SATAN’S FINGERPRINTS ON THEM. And Paul, as an undershepherd, representing the faithful shepherding of our Lord, is helping the church navigate these specific tests. What was their theological confusion about? And what was Paul’s approach to helping them through this Satanic attack?