SATAN - How he works (believers)

1 Peter 5:8 | Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1. How does Satan “devour” or destroy the lives of people? 
2. Thinking about what Satan wants your life to look like and what God wants your life to look like, who have you been listening to in your life recently?

Job 1:6-7 | One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

1. Where is Satan now and what is he doing?
2. Why is Satan watching people? What does he want for unbelievers? What does he want for believers? 

Job 1:8-12 | Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.

1. Satan wants to attack Job, but who does he have to get permission from?
2. How does God protect Job by limiting Satan’s attack?
3. Why would God allow a believer to undergo an attack from Satan? (Think about what Job learned, what Job’s friends/wife learned, and what we’ve learned from Job’s faithfulness!)

Luke 22:31-32 | “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I [Jesus] have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

1. Satan asked permission to attach Simon (Peter). Because of that, what does Jesus do for Peter? 
2. Jesus knows Peter will mess up (he will deny him 3 times), but he also knows that this struggle will make Peter stronger in the long run. How has your faith grown because of past struggles? 
3. Do you share your past struggles and God’s faithfulness as part of your testimony? How can God use those things so that others might choose to follow Him?