Lesson 7, Why Bible Study? To Battle Satan

Studying the Bible Enables Us to Battle Satan. In Matthew 4:1-10, Satan tries to persuade the physically exhausted Savior to eat during a fast, to jump of the temple, and to worship him instead of God. The devil attacks Jesus in his moment of weakness.


Jesus had prepared for this moment all of His life. As a twelve year old boy, He intrigued the Jewish rabbis with His knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures (Luke 2:46-47). He studied the Bible twenty years before squaring off with Satan in the wilderness. After all, His nemesis could quote Scripture too. Jesus fired off from memory the appropriate bible verses to counter the devil's misuse of the text.  

In the Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis warns people to avoid to equal errors: 1) an unhealthy interest in Satan and 2) a disbelief in his existence (Lewis, 15). The devil pounces on spiritual people and remains elusive to materialists. Existing for thousands of years, he's the chief warrior of inflicting misery. He wants to crush our relationships with our families, our friends, and most of all our God. He crafts lies to stir up hatred, fear, and confusion.

Charles Spurgeon, a famous British preacher of the 1800s, wrote an incredible sermon on the garden of Gethsemane where he staged a hypothetical encounter between the Savior and His nemesis. He paints Satan whispering into Jesus' ear, "I already have Judas. I'll sink my claws into Peter next." Doesn't it make sense for Satan to aim right at Jesus' heart, His future church? Jesus, however, resisted and angels attended Him (Luke 2:44).

Studying the Bible allows us to engage in battle with Satan like Jesus did. A surface study of the biblical text isn't enough to beat the enemy's mind games. He cloaks his lies in proof-texted Scripture. We need to rebuke the him with appropriate bible verses. We should prepare for his attack before he lunges at us in our weakest moments. 1 Peter 5:8 states, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Sharpen Your Sword Today!