This present world is Satan’s realm. In Revelation 2:13, to the church at Pergamos Jesus said, “I know . . . where Satan’s seat is . . . ” (SEAT = throne, by implication, power.) Satan’s circuit is throughout the world, but it seems that his throne is in some places that are infamous for sin, wickedness, error, and cruelty -- Ancient Rome, Hollywood, Washington D.C. And the seat of persecution of believers is Satan’s seat. II Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan is “the god of this world.” “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: (4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Truly, we are living in the midst of the enemy’s camp today, in the midst of a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. In our text John names 3 traps that the world, the flesh, and the devil use against us to keep us from worshipping and serving God the way we should, the way He desires. Remember, John is writing, “that ye may know that ye have eternal life . . . ” Thus, he is writing to the saved. He is writing to people like us. It is not unusual that Satan would use our flesh against us. That has been his method from the beginning. Look at how he tempted Eve in Genesis 3 -- 1) “Good for food” speaks of the lust of the flesh; 2) “Pleasant to the eyes” presents us with the lust of the eyes; 3) “A tree to be desired to make one wise” talks about the pride of life. In Matthew 4 we see that Satan even tried to tempt Jesus in this way. -- 1) Vs. 3 - The lust of the flesh (Jesus was hungry, vs. 2); 2) Vv. 8-9 - The lust of the eyes; 3) Vv. 5-6 -- The pride of life. And the enemy’s attacks seem to be getting more frequent and stronger the closer we get to the coming of the Lord . . . but this does not surprise us. Revelation 12:10 says, “ . . . for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:12 tells us, “. . . for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” This is why we need to follow the instruction of the Scriptures in Ephesians 6:11 and “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” We need: 1) The “breastplate of righteousness” to protect our hearts; the “helmet of salvation” to protect our minds (The battle is for the mind.); our “loins girt about with truth,” our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace,” “the shield of faith,” and “the sword of the Spirit,” and we need to pray “always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit . . . with all perseverance and supplication for all saints . . . ” In this message we are going to examine these three areas of temptation and testing.

I. TRAP #1 -- THE LUST OF THE FLESH.

II. TRAP #2 -- THE LUST OF THE EYES.

III. TRAP #3 -- THE PRIDE OF LIFE.