Main Idea: God and Satan are two very different beings. God is good; Satan is bad. You should follow God, not Satan.
Key Verse: “The thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
Introduction: Have you ever thought about how good God is and how bad the devil is?
I. God is good! The devil is bad.
A. Everything that is good comes from God! James. 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
B. Everything evil comes from the devil. John 8:44 “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
C. Illustration for English speaking countries:
1. How do you spell God? G-O-D How do you spell good? G-O-O-D So G-O-D is G-O-O-D.
2. How do you spell “devil?” D-E-V-I-L How do you spell “evil?” E-V-I-L So the D-E-V-I-L is E-V-I-L. God is good and the devil is “dee evil one.”
D. Audience Participation: When I say, “God is good,” you say, “all the time.” When I say, “All the time,” you say, “God is good.”
E. Illustration: Tonight I want to share with you some God words, and some devil words.
1. If the word I share is a God word, I want you to shout “God” and point up to heaven.
2. If the word I share is a devil word, I want you to shout “devil” and point down to hell.
God Words vs. Devil Words
Healing * Sickness
Salvation * Sin
Love * Hate
Peace * Fear
Prosperity * Poverty
Possible * Impossible
Good * Bad
Heaven * Hell
Now * Never
Yes * No
Note: As I say the words in a foreign country, I try to learn them in the local language. This usually creates a lot of comedy as I mangle the pronunciation.
II. The Devil has bad plans for you, but God has good plans for you.
A. The devil has tried to send you to hell, but Jesus wants you to go to heaven. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
B. The devil tries to keep you trapped in sin, but Jesus gives you salvation.
1. What is sin? Sin is when you disobey God.
2. God’s Word says that everyone has sinned. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
3. The price for sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
4. God gave His Son so you can be saved. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have everlasting life.”
5. God’s Word says that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for your sin. Romans 4:25 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
6. God’s Word says that everyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved from sin. Romans 10:13 “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
C. The devil puts sickness on your body, but Jesus gives you healing.
1. Matthew 17:14-18 “And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me. And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.”
2. The devil put a sickness on the boy, but Jesus gave him healing.
3. If you need healing, God wants to give you healing.
D. The devil tries to bind you, but Jesus gives you freedom.
1. Illustration: Hold your hands together like they are bound by a rope. As you shout, “Jesus sets me free” throw your hands high into the air. Ask the whole crowd to do the same action with you.
2. John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
III. You Have a Choice
A. John 10:10 “The thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
B. Deuteronomy 30:19 “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life.”
C. Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
1. Do you want to follow Satan’s plan for your life? Or do you want to follow God’s plan?
2. Every person who wants Jesus to forgive your sin, raise your hand.
3. Lead those that raise their hands to salvation in prayer.
