When comparing purposes

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10 NLT)

 Two purposes

According to the Bible, and described in the passage above, there are two purposes, one is from God and the other is from the devil. 

The devil’s purpose: he is a murderer and the father of lies and his “purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10a)

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

“You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.” (Eph. 2:2)

Billy Graham said, “Don’t think of Satan as a harmless cartoon character with a red suit and a pitchfork. He is very clever and powerful, and his unchanging purpose is to defeat God’s plans at every turn—including His plans for your life.”

The devil’s purpose will be crushed

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” (Rom. 16:20)

“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.” (2 Thess. 2:8)

God’s purpose: “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10b)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

“He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” (Eph. 1:5 ESV)

“Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” (2 Tim. 1:9 ESV)

God’s purpose will succeed 

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Prov. 19:21 ESV)

“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:12 ESV)

Therefore…

“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;” (James 1:13)

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13)

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (Eph. 6:11)

“in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Eph. 6:16)

And finally…

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,” (Eph. 1:11 ESV)

 Quotes:

“As Christ has a Gospel, Satan has a gospel too; the latter being a clever counterfeit of the former. So closely does the gospel of Satan resemble that which it parades, multitudes of the unsaved are deceived by it.” - A.W. Pink

“Satan like a fisher, baits his hook according to the appetite of the fish.” - Thomas Adams