Our text for this morning's message is found in verse number 17. Verse number 17 of Revelation chapter number 12. And the Word of God reads, And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Amen. Our title for this morning's message is this. What Satan hates, what Satan hates in our modern world. We've become very materialistic. Everything is touch. taste and see and if it's beyond those senses we pretend that they do not exist. We are trained in our school systems to ignore the spiritual reality of things that are taking place around us. We are educated or you could say miseducated in our modern educational system. We are trained in many ways to not see. If we think of the world of science. We know that gravity is real because why? We study the effects. You take a ball, it falls to the ground, or one of the books, they fall off the table, it falls to the ground. We know that there's that force called gravity. We can't see it, but we observe the effects of it. We must learn to think in our modern day. You see, today, dear friends in the church, we're very much influenced by the culture around us. We're very much a people, a product of our age. I wonder if you've ever heard that expression. We do not realize how much we are shaped by the culture in which we've been raised in. So what errors can we have today? Well, it could be regarding the dragon which we've read in our passage, Satan himself, that we can act as if he is not real at all. And we can be trained, we can be used to ignoring all his influence in the world around us. Indeed, friends, we can become very naive to the influence of Satan himself. Even on our Christian walk, dear friends, I wonder today, in much of the books, in much of even the preaching and everything else in our modern day, are we very naive to the influence of Satan? You say, what do I mean by that? Well, you hear precious little reference to his deceptions. You see, we can act in such a way that we're strong enough to face the enemy. We're not. And it's not that we're supposed to fear the enemy in Christ, but he is far stronger than you or I ever will be. He's far more clever than we are. However, in Christ Jesus, we have victory. In Christ Jesus, we have no reason to be afraid. But only if we are clothed in humility and if we're following after him. We must not be naive to the schemes of Satan and the things that he loves. And if we do believe Satan exists, how many of our views on Satan are viewed not by the word of God, but by Hollywood. Some movie you may have seen years ago, shaping your understanding of the enemy. Friends, whatever we will see on the screen will distort our understanding of Satan, Christ as well, We need to come to the truth. Now, our primary focus is upon the Lord. It's not a good thing either to become obsessed with the enemy, is it? But the Bible does talk about him. The Bible does warn about him. The Bible does tell us to never let down our guard against him. Satan loves for Christians to be naive of him and for the world to think he does not exist. Satan loves to prey on those who wish to go it alone. Satan loves to prey on those who think they are strong. Satan loves to sow division among the church. Satan loves to draw you away from God and the public worship of God. Satan loves to do all these things. Satan is not your friend. And we see his influence in Revelation chapter 12, which was read earlier. And Revelation chapter 12 shows how Satan hates the Bride of Christ. And Satan hates every image-bearer of God. Why? Because the more you follow after God, the more you remind him of God. Satan hates so many things which God loves. So here this morning, as we meditate upon this verse, verse number 17, let us think about those things which the enemy hates, and let us think about how we may face him in this day. Our first point that we're going to look at, the church. Satan hates the church, number one, verse 17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman. Now, when we're looking at the book of Revelation, we have to be very careful that we interpret and compare scripture with scripture. These are symbols, and we are told that the dragon, verse number nine, is the devil. Verse nine of this chapter in the great, dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. The devil. And who is the woman? that this dragon was wroth with, in verse 17. This woman is identified in verse number one of this chapter. As it says, verse number one, And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." There's this mysterious woman, but how do we understand who this is when we compare Scripture with Scripture? There's a passage in the Old Testament which is very similar. Genesis chapter 37 and verse number 9. Genesis chapter 37 and verse number 9. This is the dream of Joseph, and it says in verse 9 of Genesis 37, And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more, and behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. Now you may look at that verse and say, well, it only mentions eleven stars. It's referring to his eleven brothers. He is the twelfth star. So that's a picture of what Old Testament Israel, and you say, well, what has that to do with us today? Well, let's speak of the church. Old Testament Israel was the church in the Old Testament, and it continues on. For those who are in Abraham are in Christ. I think it's very important that we realize the book of Revelation is filled with Old Testament pictures and signs. If you want to understand the book of Revelation well, you have to understand your Old Testament well. And in that, we see a continuous church from Old Testament to the New Testament attacked and hated by Satan. Just look at one of the verses as we think about the idea of the church being in the Old Testament. In Acts chapter 7 and verse 38. Acts chapter 7 and verse number 38. This is he which was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers who received the lively oracles to give unto us. That was in the church in the wilderness. So, the church is not some brand new idea. Indeed, it is called in Galatians 6.16, the Israel of God. There is, of course, still the Israel according to the flesh. those who are Abraham's natural seed. But it is only those who are in Abraham, or in Christ, who are really inheritors of the promises of God. And these, and this woman here in our verse, is hated, is angry, is made She makes Satan angry. You can see the verse here, it says in verse 17, and the dragon, that's the devil, was wroth with the woman. But the wonderful thing is, with all the afflictions that Satan throws upon the church, God provides. There's a wonderful encouraging verse here in verse six of this chapter. And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. God will not leave her without provision. But Satan is provoked. This is the idea here. He's wroth. Imagine If you see something and it provokes you to anger, that's what the church does to Satan. Satan is angry that the church exists. What is the church? We have to ask ourselves in this day, what is the church? Because there's so many organizations, get-togethers, groups that call themselves the church. Is the church just some religious get-together? Is it something I can just, at the spur of a moment, organize it in my own home and just call it the church under my own authority? Is it something where, to provide entertainment, to attract the masses? Is it something? to ask around, send around a survey around the community, find out what they want, and give it to them. And as they say, the customer is always right. No. If you do that with the church, the church will cease to be the church very, very quickly. The reformers wrestled with this during the Reformation. What is the true church? She must have, and they identified, mainly three things. The first, the true gospel. If there's no true gospel, there is no true church. You see, if a church or an institution comes under the influence of a false gospel, what happens? She comes under the wrath of God. In Galatians chapter 1 and verse 6, in Galatians chapter 1 and verse number 6, Paul's writing to the Galatians, and they're in danger of going down this direction themselves. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. Is the gospel preached? the enemy of our souls, whose wrath is not well pleased with that. See, Satan loves false shepherds going among sharing a false gospel. And when it ceases to have the gospel, it ceases to be the church at all. During the Reformation, there was a recognition that there was a need for the reform of the church. It had become, the brightness of the gospel had been, the gospel remained bright and beautiful, but the shining forth of that light grew dimmer and dimmer and dimmer. And as they realized they needed to break away from this false church, the Church of Rome responded with the Council of Trent, where she hardened her heart toward the truth and officially and dogmatically denied the gospel of faith alone. This is one of the canons from the Council of Trent. If anyone saith that by faith alone the impious is justified, in such wise as to mean that nothing else is required, Well, that sounds good, doesn't it? Nothing else is required. By faith alone, we're justified. And at the end of this paragraph, it says, let him be anathema, as the Council of Trent. That is still authoritative within the Roman Catholic Church. It is still quoted in Vatican II as authoritative. It has never been repudiated. They declare the true gospel to be anathema. And so she as a communion broke away from the true church. She declared those under the gospel anathema, accursed. Now there are many other churches, many other bodies that drift toward that as well, but haven't done so emphatically as Rome has. What else is there in the true church? There needs to be the administration of the sacraments, Church discipline. Why church discipline? Well, without church discipline, the church will eventually crumble in and of its own self. Heresies will grow, and it will not survive very long, the true gospel. See, the church, dear friends, is not some voluntary organization that we can take or leave. If you join the gym, there's a commitment that you make. It may be just to pay the money. But eventually, if you don't do that, you're no longer a member of the gym. But we think with the church in our day, that it requires less commitment than any other group. This is one of the problems in our day, in our nation. The church is an afterthought. And who is happy about that, Christ or the devil? The devil will tell you, oh, you don't need to be too fanatical about that religion. Yes, you do. In a true biblical sense, saturated by Scripture, filled with the love of Christ. But Christ loves His church. And we ought not to despise her. We ought to love her. Consider how Christ thinks of His church. Song of Solomon, chapter 2 and verse 4. Song of Solomon. Chapter two and verse number four. This is the bride speaking of her spouse. Verse four, he brought me to his banqueting house and his banner over me was love. His banner over me was love. In Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 25. Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 25. Husbands, love your wives. And look at the example given by Paul the Apostle. Even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. The complete contrast with the devil who is angry at the existence of the church. Provoked anger by the existence of the church. Friends, do not be naive. The devil continues to be provoked in our day. And so we should make it a great priority in our lives. Yes, Christ first. And I know, yes, membership of the outward church does not make you a Christian necessarily. But if we love Christ, we will love his bride. The second point that we're going to look at here this morning. So Satan hates the church. And the second point that we're going to look at, the children. The children. In verse 17, it says this, and the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed. Her seed. Now, when it speaks of the seed, it is speaking of that godly seed. That begins right back in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15. The seed of the woman crushing the head of the serpent. If we turn there briefly to have a look at this very important verse. Genesis chapter 3 and verse number 15. You'll hear me reference this a lot because it's a very important verse. It's really the first declaration of the gospel. Why? Because man has fallen into sin and he needs the gospel. Verse 15 of Genesis chapter 3, and I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head and thou shall bruise his heel. War breaks out. War between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Enmity, hostility between two seeds, between thy seed and her seed. But wonderfully, it speaks of victory. It shall bruise thy head, that is the seed of the woman, and thou shall bruise his heel. But there's also the striking of the enemy at the church, the church which is part of that seed, which strikes at the heel. Now, when we say the children, the children are not the only part of that seed. But they are included in it. The godly seed continues in Genesis chapter 4 and verse 25 with the line of Seth. Cain, his brother, was slain. Cain slayed his brother Abel. Abel was godly, Cain was not. And it continues through Seth, and you'll see this genealogy continue on. In Genesis chapter 9 and verse 9, we see the idea of the seed, ideas carried throughout the Bible. Genesis chapter 9 and verse 9. Genesis chapter 9 and verse 9, and I, behold, establish my covenant with you and your seed after you. and your seed after you. Genesis chapter 13 and verse 16. Genesis chapter 13 and verse 16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. One of the sad things about a lot of the modern translations of the Bible, they've lost this idea of seed. They'll translate it descendants, which is technically correct. But it loses the idea of the seed all the way throughout Scripture, which is a very important idea to maintain. In the New Testament, you say, well, that was in the Old Testament. What about in the New Testament, in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16? Here's one example, Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16. You can read all of Galatians chapter 3, but just look at verse 16. Now to Abram and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. That seed continues on. And as much as in the Old Testament included the children of believers, It includes children of believers in the New Testament as well. The promise is unto you and unto your children, as it was said in Acts chapter 2 and verse 39. A godly seed. Just one last verse before we proceed, but I really want to emphasize this point that children are part of the seed because Satan hates your children. And Satan will attack your children. And you have to be ready for the onslaught. If you see an invading army coming, approaching the walls of the city, do you say, well, I'm going to worry about that later on? Or do you prepare yourself? In 1 Corinthians chapter 7 and verse 14. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. And verse 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy. Now, what does this first mean? Well, Paul is dealing with the situation of, well, what if you are married to somebody who is not a believer? What is the status of your relationship? Should you stay in that relationship? And Paul is saying, yes. If they're happy to remain with you, yes, absolutely. And then it says about the children, if one of the parents are believers and one of them are not, Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy. Now, this does not mean that they were necessarily born again. But they are part of that holy seed, the visible church. Why does this all matter? Who do you think Satan is going to attack most? If you look out, I don't know if anyone likes to watch those nature programs and, you know, Animals of prey are attacking a group of another animal. Will they attack the strongest or will they attack the weakest? Hyenas are going to go for small lions if they're broken away from the rest of their pride, not the large ones. See, we think, why don't we just let our children figure it out for themselves? That is code words, dear friends, for saying, I will let the devil, the world and the flesh, teach my child. We need the truth. Satan. hates children. We think, oh, we don't factor that in, do we? Satan wants your children. He wants your children to follow their own heart, do what they want to do, and express themselves in all sorts of ways. You see it in the school system today. If anyone thinks he's a bit confused over their gender, what are they going to do? Oh, don't tell mommy and daddy. They might correct that nonsense. Friends. We must pray that our children would not depart the covenant through unbelief. You say, well, where does that talk about that? Well, Romans chapter 11 and verse 20 is one example. Romans chapter 11 and verse number 20. Now this is speaking of the Jews, but we're thinking about the Old Testament Church, the New Testament Church, Romans chapter 11 and verse 20. Well, because of unbelief, they were broken off. And what were they broken off from? This olive tree spoken about in Romans chapter 11. And thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. Now he's speaking to the Romans, he's speaking to mainly Gentiles, there's some Jews mixed in as well, but many of the Jews were broken off from that olive tree, that one olive tree, because of unbelief. So we've got to be wise, don't we? Schooling, I'm not gonna give you an exact formula for that. It's not always the best situation, homeschooling, but it's an option. But we've got to be wise in what is being taught in our schools. Find out, learn, because you are handing over your entrusting to that teacher to teach in your place, to help you. It's supposed to be a help, not a hindrance. So we must find out. because the devil is cunning. During the Reformation, the Jesuits, seeking to bring the Protestant Reformation to an end, they were seeking to educate the next generation of children. Do you think that Satan has changed his tactics in all that time? And we say, well, my children don't go to church, that's okay. Well, are they being educated in other ways, through the internet? Through their friends, bad friends, the devil uses all kinds of means. What must we do? Teach your children. We turn briefly to Deuteronomy chapter 6. Deuteronomy chapter 6. And verse number seven. Now, verse number six gives the context of this, and these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart. But notice how it starts with the heart. It shall be in thine heart, and then out of that, verse seven, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou risest up, and when thou risest up. Put in other words, all the time. Wherever there's opportunity presents itself. What's very interesting there as well about that word, teach them. I believe the Geneva translation of the Bible translated wet or had it in the footnotes at least, W-H-E-T, which means to sharpen a sword. And to sharpen a sword, you need the right amount of pressure. You need the right amount of sharpening. Too much sharpening, the sword breaks. Too much pressure. Can't put too much pressure on our children either. But we must put the right amount. We must sharpen them. We must be wise in these things. Friends seek to Cover your children with prayer. Our third point here this morning, the changed. So Satan hates the church, the children, and number three, the changed. Those who are transformed. Those who act different to this world. It says in verse 17, which keep the commandments of God. which keep the commandments of God. Again, it's the same seed. That's how you distinguish the true and godly seed from the ungodly seed. They keep the commandments of God, of course, imperfectly. If we say that we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But imperfectly, what distinguishes us from the world? We keep the commandments. Now, of course, you're maybe thinking, well, we can't be saved by our works. No, you can't. And if you think you can, you're not saved. We're accepted by the finished work of Christ. But because we love him now, we want to act like him. And how do we act like him? If you love me, Jesus said, John 14, 15, keep my commandments. Say, what commandments? You might say, years ago I was listening to a Christian podcaster and fairly well-known writer, and he was saying, well, many Christians have a very different understanding of what the commandment of God means. What is the law of God? Well, friends, it wasn't always like that. The law of God is summarized in the Ten Commandments. What's so special about the Ten Commandments? written with the finger of God. It is the eternal, unchanging law of God. Now it's summarized in different ways in the Bible, because you'll see that not everything is in there, but it's summarized in there. And if you break the law in one point, this is said in James, you break it in all. It's summarized in the Ten Commandments. In the New Testament, it's summarized in love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, and to love thy neighbor as thyself. But of course, we need to put more meat on those bones, don't we? We need to explain what that means. If we turn briefly to Matthew 22 and verse 36, Matthew 22. And verse 36 to verse 40. Master, which is the great commandment in the law, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. On these two commandments hang all the, as we would say today, the Old Testament. If you ever pick up a Hebrew Bible, the three Hebrew words at the beginning of that Hebrew Bible, it doesn't say the Old Testament. says the law, the prophets, and the writings. That's the Hebrew words. So when it says in the New Testament, the law and the prophets, it's saying the Old Testament scriptures. The Hebrew, sometimes in a few places, Aramaic scriptures. This is the law. And you say, are these in competition with each other? Is this replacing the Ten Commandments? No, it's the same law. It's the same law. Heart of to love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, soul, and strength is found in the first four commandments. First commandment, God comes first. The second commandment, how we worship God. The third commandment, our attitude towards God. The fourth commandment, the Sabbath, our time with God. And these are summarized, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength. Why does the devil hate that? See, the devil wants you to walk in that broad way that leadeth unto destruction and many there be that go thereat. He wants you to follow your nature. He wants you to be the real authentic you. He wants you to listen to yourself and don't listen to anything else. Now, this is what they tell children in schools. They'll say to children in schools, oh, Children, you're so much smarter than your parents and your grandparents. Oh, they're so clever today. It's one of the most foolish things I've ever seen sometimes during an election cycle. They're in the news, and they're interviewing 10-year-olds. I'm sorry. Yes, it's nice to talk to them one-on-one, but to find out the wisdom of the next generation, I didn't know much when I was 20 years old. I knew even less when I was 10. And yes, children have great potential. And yes, we should encourage them, we shouldn't talk down and patronize them. Some of them are very gifted, but they have so much to learn. They have so much to learn, as we all do, in fact. And what do we need to learn? What do your children need to learn? What do we need to learn from God? We need to learn And how are we going to be changed? Is there going to be by our will, by our strength, by our willpower? No. You must be born again. Those who keep the commandments, that's what a born-again person looks like. Now, of course, a person can put on the outward appearance of keeping the commandments, the outward act of keeping the commandments. And we see some examples in Scripture. There are people who come to church for years and years and years. They may even take up leadership positions and then turn out into the world and deny Christ entirely. How does that make any sense for them? They were never born again. They learned the lingo, so to speak. They learned the Christian language. They learned to say the right things. But when they were at home alone, when no one but God could see them, How do they act? How do you act when you're at home, alone, and only God can see you? When you sin, and we all sin, are you grieved because God can see it, or are you grieved only because the world thinks less of you? It's very different. It's very different. You see, when we're convicted of sin, because we love the law of God so much, And Satan wants to draw us away from the law of God and hates us because of that. But friends, do you delight in the law of God? If we turn to Psalm 119. Psalm 119 in verse 97. Psalm 119. And verse 97, oh, how love I thy law. It is my meditation all the day. What would they say today? Oh, you're thinking way too much about that. You're thinking too much about Christianity. Now, imagine somebody's a professional sports player, and they're thinking about their doing all the, oh, we admire your dedication. You've given your whole life to it. This is far more important. The law of God is far more important. In verse 176 of this same psalm, I have gone astray like a lost sheep. That's what the psalmist says. Seek thy servant, for I do not forget what? Thy commandments. There's this idea that, and even a false understanding by some people who would have a different gospel, that if you believe you're saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, you believe you can receive the gospel and you don't care about the commandments at all, you just live like the devil. That's not true. If you receive Christ, it is because your eyes have been opened. If you look to Christ at all, you have a new heart. And if you have a new heart, you live differently. You have a different attitude towards the commandments of Almighty God. And because you do that, don't think that life is going to get easy. Satan hates those. He doesn't want you to grow in sanctification. He's going to put barriers in front of your way. And you're going to say to yourself, you know, if I keep going along this path, My life's going to get more difficult. That's the enemy seeking to discourage you from growing in holiness. Look to the Lord. Seek Him because we've been called to be holy. A fourth and our final point here this morning. Satan hates the Christ. The Christ, number four. So we've looked at the church, the children, the changed, and finally, number four, the Christ. Satan hates the Messiah. So often we think of that name Jesus Christ as if it's a surname, you know, John Smith. It's not like that. The Messiah, the anointed one, was a definite title. They were looking forward to the Christ, the Messiah, the Pharisees and others, but they just didn't want Jesus. And Satan hates Jesus Christ. It says at the end of our 17th verse here, "...and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." The whole verse, "...and the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Satan hates that testimony. Now, if you, what's another word, if you look at the original language, it's the word you get martyrdom from. Martyr. What does it mean to be a martyr? Now, in our day, in English, we think of martyrs as someone who, yes, dies for their faith in some way, shape, or form. It's very brave. And we use it in many different ways, but it really comes from the Greek word of a testimony. You're a witness. A witness to what? If you're a Christian martyr of Jesus Christ, and every single person is a witness. Every true believer is a witness, is salt and light in this world. You see, Satan hates how Christ lived. Satan hates Christ's meekness. Satan hates Christ's submissiveness to the Father. Satan tempted the Lord, beginning of Matthew chapter 4, to have all the glory of the world, avoid the cross. It's too difficult. And Jesus, which stood him, with what? It is written, the word of God. That's what he said to the enemy. See, Satan did not like Christ being meek and submissive to the Father. So what can Satan do? He hates the true Christ. He's going to give the world false Christ, isn't he? It's filled the world with forgeries. There's the false Jesus of Islam. There's the false Jesus of Jehovah's Witnesses. This isn't Jesus at all of these false cults. It's a different Jesus. It's a distorted Jesus. They say, oh well, we believe in Jesus. Imagine Someone says, okay, I've met your brother, but he's 10 foot tall and he's very strong. It's like, no, no, no, my brother's five foot tall and he's not very strong. You've not met my brother at all. You might have the same name, but it's a different person. Mormonism. has a false Jesus, a distorted, mere creature. People are happy to believe in someone they think was a good teacher, but not Him who is true God and true man, Him we are to follow, Him we are to love and embrace and share and see that He's altogether lovely. There's the false Christ of Roman Catholicism. You say, well, what's wrong with Roman Catholicism? Well, they believe that his death at the cross wasn't really enough. They have to redo it, so to speak, at the mass, every time they do the mass. That little more is needed for Rome. You see, Satan comes and he wants to deceive you. Why? He hates you. You're an image bearer of God, and he wants to see you in hell because he hates God. And even as we're saying this, are you going a bit over the top here? Did you ever get some friend of yours warns you about another person you don't know? It's like it says, gotta watch out for that guy. You always think you're going a little bit overboard. I don't think he's that bad. And that's the way we are. We don't think the devil is as bad as he's been betrayed. There's a little bit of us thinks that he's been misunderstood. That's our nature. No, he's foul. He comes to us, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians, as an angel of light. He comes to us beautiful and glorious. He, you know, those hideous images you see with the horns and all these kinds of things, he doesn't come to you like that. He wants to attract you. He wants to find out where your weaknesses are, and he wants to give you a counterfeit to suit your particular direction. As Charles Spurgeon said about potpourri, this is the Pope of Rome, he said, potpourri is as much the masterpiece of Satan as the gospel is the masterpiece of God. You might say I'm being a bit harsh on the Pope here. There's a portrait in the Vatican from Benedict XVI. It is called, The Way, the Truth, and the Life. Isn't that horrendous? Satan has erected, he raised up within the bosom of the church, a man. And the Bible warned about this. He would declare himself to be God. In 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2. In verses 3 and 4. 2 Thessalonians 2, and verses 3 and 4, let no man deceive you by any means, that that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Now you may say, well, the temple hasn't been rebuilt in Jerusalem. This is not speaking about the physical outer temple. There's actually a different Greek word used here of the inner sanctuary, and it's a word used of the church. And throughout the centuries, long before the Reformation in fact, Christians throughout Europe, the Waldensians, the Albigensians, all sorts of groups, pointed out that this man, in this position, would erect himself, and it was clearly the Pope of Rome, as Spurgeon said, if it's not the Pope of Rome, who else could it be? This has only really changed in the last 50 to 100 years, that we have lost this doctrine in the church. And he is cunning, and he is deceptive. And if the Bible warns us about someone, he warns us about Satan, and he also warns us about the masterpiece of Satan, potpourri. We are very foolish in our own day if we forget it. I think the first sermon John Knox preached from Daniel chapter seven was about the Antichrist. And today we think it is a fringe doctrine that does not matter. And how many people are going towards Rome? and leaving the church. Satan is cunning and he preys upon our ignorance. Friends, many of us, and I say this myself included, we are not aligned with much of church history on many things. The church was very united for a long time on this one doctrine. As we conclude here this morning, Friends, you must realize you face a powerful enemy. The dragon was wroth with the woman. There's a war taking place who wants your ruin. But you can't face him in your own strength. You can't face him with your own will. You'll fail. You cannot face him alone. But in Jesus Christ, there is victory. In Jesus Christ, through the cross, there is victory over him. There is victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. If you trust in Jesus Christ this day, dear friends, you'll no longer be a slave of the devil. If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are his slave. No, I do whatever I want, when I want, exactly. Because that's what a slave of the devil does. You do what you want, you follow your heart. You follow your loss. You are reigned in my nothing. That is a child of the devil. But a child of God says this, I want to know what my master wants me to do. Forgive me when I fall short. And when we die, if we're in Christ, we will stand before him. And not because of our works, but because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. He will say unto us, well done. thou good and faithful servant. Amen.