August 15, 2025 • 11 mins
Satan's primary goal is to disrupt God's plans in this world, and he does it by causing chaos and division. Today I'll be talking about Satan's role in the world today and how we can combat him.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Well, welcome to Words of Truth, where we open God's
word to find clarity in a confusing world. I'm your host,
Mark Barrett, and today we're talking about a subject that
most people don't want to think about, but one that
I don't think we can ignore. Satan's role in the
world to divide, disrupt, and cause chaos. Well, that's a
(00:24):
big subject. Some people think of Satan as a myth,
a cartoon figure with horns and a pitchfork. Satan actually
likes that description because it somehow makes him look less
scary and even just fable like. But you know, the
Bible tells us that Satan is very real. He's a
(00:45):
very real, spiritual being, evil to the core. His main
mission is to oppose God, attack God's people, and ruin lives.
Jesus himself describes Satan in John chapter eight, verse forty
four as the murderer from the beginning, the father of laws.
And if you've ever wondered why the world seems so divided,
(01:09):
so unsettled, so full of turmoil, the Bible says this
is not an accident. A lot of people blame God
by saying, well, how can a loving God cause all
this to happen. But I want to tell you that
there's a mastered deceiver pulling the strings in the shadows,
and his name is Satan, the devil. Today we're going
(01:33):
to see from scripture how Satan works to divide, disrupt,
and cause chaos, and we'll look at how God calls
us to resist him. First of all, we know that
Satan divides. One of Satan's oldest and most effective tactics
is division. From the very beginning of time, he divided
(01:55):
Adam and E from God. In the garden of Eden,
he whispered lies to eden Eve, saying did God really
say that? And he planted doubt in Eve's heart about
the love of God. And once that seed of distrust
was sown, their unity with God was broken, and their
(02:17):
relationship with each other was damaged. In First Corinthians, Chapter one,
verse ten, Paul urges believers that there will be divisions
among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind
and thought. Why Because Satan knows that a divided church
(02:38):
is a powerless church. And we've got a lot of
powerless churches in the world today. As people are divided
over the most ridiculous things you'd ever imagine, Satan will
come in and cause divisions over the most basic things,
like the color of the new carpet in the sanctuary,
or over the type of songs we saying, or even
(03:01):
over how people dress when they come to church. In
one church I served in, I finally convinced a man
to attend. He was an unbeliever and hadn't been to
church in years. And when he showed up, one of
the ushers commented that he wasn't wearing a tie. And
you know what, that man never came back to church. Well,
(03:21):
that's Satan's tactic. Satan is the cause of division. Think
about it this way. Think of a little campfire. You're
sitting around the campfire, and you take one burning log
out of the flames and you set it apart by itself.
What happens to that flaming log? What quickly goes out right? Why? Well,
(03:45):
because it's all alone. And that's what Satan does to people.
He isolates them and pits people against each other and
divides them until finally the spiritual fire dies out. We
see this in marriages, where in small misunderstandings they grow
into bitterness. We see it in friendships where pride or
(04:08):
jealousy creeps in. We see it in nations where race, politics,
or class are used to pit people against one another.
Have you ever noticed how quickly small disagreements can escalate online,
How people tear each other apart in the comments sections.
It's brutal. Well, you're seeing division at work, not just
(04:32):
human nature, but it's the influence of the enemy. Secondly,
we know that Satan disrupts. In First Thessalonians, chapter two
and verse eighteen, Paul said, we wanted to come to you,
Aye Paul, again and again, but Satan hindered us. Now
we don't know the details about how Satan hindered Paul,
(04:54):
but we do know he did and that he has
power to do so. See, Satan actively works to derail
God's plans and the spread of the Gospel. He loves
to throw roadblocks into our path. For example, I read
about a missionary who shared that every time a major
outreach event was planned, something would go wrong. Permits were delayed,
(05:19):
key equipment broke down, sudden illness came up. They weren't coincidences.
They were disruptions designed to discourage and delay in your life.
Maybe you've resolved to start praying daily or reading your
Bible or getting back to church. Suddenly life feels more
(05:43):
chaotic than ever before. That's not random, it's strategic. Satan
disrupted Job's life in the Old Testament, destroying his family
and his health and possessions in an attempt to make
Job curse God. But Job's faith endured. I've experienced Satan's
(06:04):
disrupting tactics in my own life many times. When I've
been preaching on certain topics, especially about the family, my
life has become more chaotic. The truth is, when you
decide to follow Christ more closely, you can expect disruption
because Satan doesn't attack people who are standing still. The
(06:25):
third thing Satan does is cause chaos. First Peer, chapter
five to eight, five verse eight says your adversary the
devil prows around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. You. See,
chaos is the lion's roar. It's meant to create panic
and fear and confusion. I mean, look at the world today, wars,
(06:49):
mass violence, moral confusion, break down of the family, rampant deception,
political tensions, and fallen Christian leaders. The Bible calls Satan
the god of this world in Second Corinthians, Chapter four,
verse four. Who blinds the minds of unbelievers. He thrives
(07:10):
in confusion because a confused person can't see clearly to
find the true truth. It's kind of like a big
city that experiences a blackout. What happens, Well, the traffic
becomes gridlocked, accidents happen, people get frustrated and angry. Why
(07:30):
all because the lights went out. Spiritually, Satan loves to
cut the power of truth so that people stumble in
the dark, clashing into one another and creating more chaos.
That's why in the very last days there will be
so many false teachers, because Satan will be creating confusion
and chaos. Well, how do we respond to all this?
(07:54):
Thankfully God doesn't leave us defenseless. James four and verse
seven tells us to resist the devil and he will
flee from you. Draw near to God and he will
He will draw near to get to you. Now, here's
here's how we fight back. First of all, stay in
(08:15):
God's word. Fijians chapter six calls the word of God
the sword of the spirit. You can't fight lies without
knowing the truth. I know it sounds like a simplified solution,
but if we don't know the truth in God's word,
well then we're going to be stumbling around in the
dark ourselves. Secondly, pray continually. You see, prayer connects us
(08:42):
to the one who has already defeated Satan at the cross.
And again, I know that sounds simplistic, but in the
same way that we need to stay connected with our spouse.
If we want to stay on the same page, we
need to stay connected with God. That by reading his
word and by talking to him in prayer. It's a
(09:04):
two way communication. Thirdly, guard your unity. Refuse to let
gossip and pride or offense divide you from other believers.
It's okay to have different opinions about things in life.
It's okay to have healthy discussions about things. I disagree
(09:27):
with some of my friends about a number of topics,
but that's not a reason for arguments and division. In fact,
it's healthy and good and can be a learning experience.
To have healthy discussions about what we disagree on may
and maybe we'll even learn something and finally stand firm
in faith. In fact, expect disruptions, but don't give up.
(09:52):
Keep going. If every time an elite athlete fell a
gymnast missed to jump a tight end, missed a pass,
a diver belly flopped, a hockey player had a puck stolen.
They gave up. Well, they had never improved, and they
would never attain their goals. No, there will always be
(10:13):
disruptions in life. Use them as stepping stones for growth.
I once heard of two neighbors in a small town
who stopped speaking over a property line dispute. Years went
by in cold silence, but one day one of them
came under conviction by reading Matthew chapter five at about
(10:35):
making peace. So he bakes some bread, and he walked
next door and he apologized. And even though he still
disagreed about the property, that simple act broke years of
a hostility, and the two became close friends again. And
that's what God does. He restores what Satan tried to destroy. Friends.
(10:59):
The devil and his mission is to divide and disrupt
and cause chaos. But the good news that he's already defeated.
At the cross. Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities Colossians
chapter two, verse fifteen, and he made a public spectacle
of them. Yes, Satan still works in this world today,
(11:21):
but his time is short and his end is certain.
And so keep your eyes on Jesus, hold fast to
his word, walk in unity with your brothers and sisters
in Christ. You're not fighting for victory, You're fighting from
victory because Christ has already won. Well, this has been
(11:43):
words of truth. I'm Mark Barrett. Thanks for joining me today.
If today's message encouraged you, share it with somebody who
needs to hear it. Until next time, stay rooted in
God's word and keep living in his truth
Well, welcome to Words of Truth, where we open God's
word to find clarity in a confusing world. I'm your host,
Mark Barrett, and today we're talking about a subject that
most people don't want to think about, but one that
I don't think we can ignore. Satan's role in the
world to divide, disrupt, and cause chaos. Well, that's a
(00:24):
big subject. Some people think of Satan as a myth,
a cartoon figure with horns and a pitchfork. Satan actually
likes that description because it somehow makes him look less
scary and even just fable like. But you know, the
Bible tells us that Satan is very real. He's a
(00:45):
very real, spiritual being, evil to the core. His main
mission is to oppose God, attack God's people, and ruin lives.
Jesus himself describes Satan in John chapter eight, verse forty
four as the murderer from the beginning, the father of laws.
And if you've ever wondered why the world seems so divided,
(01:09):
so unsettled, so full of turmoil, the Bible says this
is not an accident. A lot of people blame God
by saying, well, how can a loving God cause all
this to happen. But I want to tell you that
there's a mastered deceiver pulling the strings in the shadows,
and his name is Satan, the devil. Today we're going
(01:33):
to see from scripture how Satan works to divide, disrupt,
and cause chaos, and we'll look at how God calls
us to resist him. First of all, we know that
Satan divides. One of Satan's oldest and most effective tactics
is division. From the very beginning of time, he divided
(01:55):
Adam and E from God. In the garden of Eden,
he whispered lies to eden Eve, saying did God really
say that? And he planted doubt in Eve's heart about
the love of God. And once that seed of distrust
was sown, their unity with God was broken, and their
(02:17):
relationship with each other was damaged. In First Corinthians, Chapter one,
verse ten, Paul urges believers that there will be divisions
among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind
and thought. Why Because Satan knows that a divided church
(02:38):
is a powerless church. And we've got a lot of
powerless churches in the world today. As people are divided
over the most ridiculous things you'd ever imagine, Satan will
come in and cause divisions over the most basic things,
like the color of the new carpet in the sanctuary,
or over the type of songs we saying, or even
(03:01):
over how people dress when they come to church. In
one church I served in, I finally convinced a man
to attend. He was an unbeliever and hadn't been to
church in years. And when he showed up, one of
the ushers commented that he wasn't wearing a tie. And
you know what, that man never came back to church. Well,
(03:21):
that's Satan's tactic. Satan is the cause of division. Think
about it this way. Think of a little campfire. You're
sitting around the campfire, and you take one burning log
out of the flames and you set it apart by itself.
What happens to that flaming log? What quickly goes out right? Why? Well,
(03:45):
because it's all alone. And that's what Satan does to people.
He isolates them and pits people against each other and
divides them until finally the spiritual fire dies out. We
see this in marriages, where in small misunderstandings they grow
into bitterness. We see it in friendships where pride or
(04:08):
jealousy creeps in. We see it in nations where race, politics,
or class are used to pit people against one another.
Have you ever noticed how quickly small disagreements can escalate online,
How people tear each other apart in the comments sections.
It's brutal. Well, you're seeing division at work, not just
(04:32):
human nature, but it's the influence of the enemy. Secondly,
we know that Satan disrupts. In First Thessalonians, chapter two
and verse eighteen, Paul said, we wanted to come to you,
Aye Paul, again and again, but Satan hindered us. Now
we don't know the details about how Satan hindered Paul,
(04:54):
but we do know he did and that he has
power to do so. See, Satan actively works to derail
God's plans and the spread of the Gospel. He loves
to throw roadblocks into our path. For example, I read
about a missionary who shared that every time a major
outreach event was planned, something would go wrong. Permits were delayed,
(05:19):
key equipment broke down, sudden illness came up. They weren't coincidences.
They were disruptions designed to discourage and delay in your life.
Maybe you've resolved to start praying daily or reading your
Bible or getting back to church. Suddenly life feels more
(05:43):
chaotic than ever before. That's not random, it's strategic. Satan
disrupted Job's life in the Old Testament, destroying his family
and his health and possessions in an attempt to make
Job curse God. But Job's faith endured. I've experienced Satan's
(06:04):
disrupting tactics in my own life many times. When I've
been preaching on certain topics, especially about the family, my
life has become more chaotic. The truth is, when you
decide to follow Christ more closely, you can expect disruption
because Satan doesn't attack people who are standing still. The
(06:25):
third thing Satan does is cause chaos. First Peer, chapter
five to eight, five verse eight says your adversary the
devil prows around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. You. See,
chaos is the lion's roar. It's meant to create panic
and fear and confusion. I mean, look at the world today, wars,
(06:49):
mass violence, moral confusion, break down of the family, rampant deception,
political tensions, and fallen Christian leaders. The Bible calls Satan
the god of this world in Second Corinthians, Chapter four,
verse four. Who blinds the minds of unbelievers. He thrives
(07:10):
in confusion because a confused person can't see clearly to
find the true truth. It's kind of like a big
city that experiences a blackout. What happens, Well, the traffic
becomes gridlocked, accidents happen, people get frustrated and angry. Why
(07:30):
all because the lights went out. Spiritually, Satan loves to
cut the power of truth so that people stumble in
the dark, clashing into one another and creating more chaos.
That's why in the very last days there will be
so many false teachers, because Satan will be creating confusion
and chaos. Well, how do we respond to all this?
(07:54):
Thankfully God doesn't leave us defenseless. James four and verse
seven tells us to resist the devil and he will
flee from you. Draw near to God and he will
He will draw near to get to you. Now, here's
here's how we fight back. First of all, stay in
(08:15):
God's word. Fijians chapter six calls the word of God
the sword of the spirit. You can't fight lies without
knowing the truth. I know it sounds like a simplified solution,
but if we don't know the truth in God's word,
well then we're going to be stumbling around in the
dark ourselves. Secondly, pray continually. You see, prayer connects us
(08:42):
to the one who has already defeated Satan at the cross.
And again, I know that sounds simplistic, but in the
same way that we need to stay connected with our spouse.
If we want to stay on the same page, we
need to stay connected with God. That by reading his
word and by talking to him in prayer. It's a
(09:04):
two way communication. Thirdly, guard your unity. Refuse to let
gossip and pride or offense divide you from other believers.
It's okay to have different opinions about things in life.
It's okay to have healthy discussions about things. I disagree
(09:27):
with some of my friends about a number of topics,
but that's not a reason for arguments and division. In fact,
it's healthy and good and can be a learning experience.
To have healthy discussions about what we disagree on may
and maybe we'll even learn something and finally stand firm
in faith. In fact, expect disruptions, but don't give up.
(09:52):
Keep going. If every time an elite athlete fell a
gymnast missed to jump a tight end, missed a pass,
a diver belly flopped, a hockey player had a puck stolen.
They gave up. Well, they had never improved, and they
would never attain their goals. No, there will always be
(10:13):
disruptions in life. Use them as stepping stones for growth.
I once heard of two neighbors in a small town
who stopped speaking over a property line dispute. Years went
by in cold silence, but one day one of them
came under conviction by reading Matthew chapter five at about
(10:35):
making peace. So he bakes some bread, and he walked
next door and he apologized. And even though he still
disagreed about the property, that simple act broke years of
a hostility, and the two became close friends again. And
that's what God does. He restores what Satan tried to destroy. Friends.
(10:59):
The devil and his mission is to divide and disrupt
and cause chaos. But the good news that he's already defeated.
At the cross. Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities Colossians
chapter two, verse fifteen, and he made a public spectacle
of them. Yes, Satan still works in this world today,
(11:21):
but his time is short and his end is certain.
And so keep your eyes on Jesus, hold fast to
his word, walk in unity with your brothers and sisters
in Christ. You're not fighting for victory, You're fighting from
victory because Christ has already won. Well, this has been
(11:43):
words of truth. I'm Mark Barrett. Thanks for joining me today.
If today's message encouraged you, share it with somebody who
needs to hear it. Until next time, stay rooted in
God's word and keep living in his truth
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