The nature of our enemy, part 1

Ezekiel 28;13-19

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;
every precious stone was your covering,
sardius, topaz, and diamond,
beryl, onyx, and jasper,
sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle;
and crafted in gold were your settings
and your engravings.
On the day that you were created
they were prepared.14 You were an anointed guardian cherub.
I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;
in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created,
till unrighteousness was found in you.16 In the abundance of your trade
you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;
so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,
and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub,
from the midst of the stones of fire.17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty;
you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground;
I exposed you before kings,
to feast their eyes on you.18 By the multitude of your iniquities,
in the unrighteousness of your trade
you profaned your sanctuaries;
so I brought fire out from your midst;
it consumed you,
and I turned you to ashes on the earth
in the sight of all who saw you.19 All who know you among the peoples
are appalled at you;
you have come to a dreadful end
and shall be no more forever.
Today continues our study on spiritual warfare as referenced in Ephesians 6.  Today we look at the enemy and his fall from Grace.  Ezekiel 28;13-19 is referencing Satan.  Satan was created by God as a beautiful creature, his heart became proud because of his beauty and he turned his back on God and instead sought to glorify himself.  We see this same characterization of Satan in the book of Job (see my post on Job and Lance Armstrong).  In the coming days, we will be looking at spiritual warfare, putting on the full armor of God, and the nature of the  enemy.  Today begins our look at the enemy (as will many of the days to follow).  The attribute I want to address tonight is that of pride. 
Pride is one of the primary weapons of Satan.  We see this in Genesis 3;4-5 "4 But the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die.5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  Satan appeals to Eve's sense of pride when he tells her that if she eats of the fruit that she too can be like God.  Satan lies to us every day in this manner, his temptation is most powerful when he tells us we can be important, God like, if we would only______fill in the blank.  Beware of these deceptions, for the consequences are great.  Sin entered the world at this very moment and to this very day we are destined for eternal sorrow without embracing the cross and the forgiveness and grace of Jesus Christ.  
I confess to you that by even writing of spiritual warfare, the onslaught by the enemy has begun.  Attack after attack, after attack, has happened/is happening.  Prior to talking about how to wage spiritual warfare and what tools God has given us, it is of the utmost importance that we understand the nature of our enemy and even more importantly, how he differs from the nature of the Lord Most High.  Be prepared for battle, because it is coming, whether you want it or not.