Satan's Ambition...
Many people in this world hold to the idea that everything vile, despicable, and wicked comes from Satan. This is not wholly true. The heart of man is in itself responsible for a multitude of sinful thoughts and deeds ( Jer. 17:9; Matt. 15:19; Gal. 5:19-21).
The burning desire of Satan is to be worshiped. This was revealed plainly in his rebellion against God ( Isa. 14:13,14); in his tempting of our first parents in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:5); in his subsequent tempting of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on earth (Matt. 4:9).
The immorality, the disgrace, the degradation of mankind are not necessarily gratifying to Satan. Probably he would like to disclaim the drunkard, the prostitute, the theif, the gangster. Nevertheless, these are all part of his realm.
Doubtless the devil would perfer to espouse the good, the true, and the beautiful. He would sponsor all causes of charity and humanitarianism. Arts and sciences he would desire to control. He wants to be highly respectable.
Nor does Satan despise the vast field of education. Schools, colleges, universities he would direct subtly into goals of his choosing. Even religious enterprises without spiritual power he would like under his special direction.
What Satan loathes with deadly hatred is truth of God. What he utterly detests and seeks to abolish is the Gospel, which proclaims that all men are by nature sinners, incapable of saving themselves. He abhors the truth of Christ's incarnation, of His glorious resurrection which made valid that death.
Satan's ambition is rather for peace than conflict. He is not desirous that the world become a shambles. Men might call upon God in their desperation! No, Satan's policy is to foster an orderly, spiritually dead civilization. He does not object to "big business" and technological advances as long as Christ is left out of the picture.
Although the Scriptures definitely outline Satan's coming doom and the failure of his plan to take over the earth, in some mysterious way the devil hopes to defeat God. Although Satan must be aware of his eventual fate, such is this egotistical, self-worshiping, audacious foe of God and man...
Many people in this world hold to the idea that everything vile, despicable, and wicked comes from Satan. This is not wholly true. The heart of man is in itself responsible for a multitude of sinful thoughts and deeds ( Jer. 17:9; Matt. 15:19; Gal. 5:19-21).
The burning desire of Satan is to be worshiped. This was revealed plainly in his rebellion against God ( Isa. 14:13,14); in his tempting of our first parents in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:5); in his subsequent tempting of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on earth (Matt. 4:9).
The immorality, the disgrace, the degradation of mankind are not necessarily gratifying to Satan. Probably he would like to disclaim the drunkard, the prostitute, the theif, the gangster. Nevertheless, these are all part of his realm.
Doubtless the devil would perfer to espouse the good, the true, and the beautiful. He would sponsor all causes of charity and humanitarianism. Arts and sciences he would desire to control. He wants to be highly respectable.
Nor does Satan despise the vast field of education. Schools, colleges, universities he would direct subtly into goals of his choosing. Even religious enterprises without spiritual power he would like under his special direction.
What Satan loathes with deadly hatred is truth of God. What he utterly detests and seeks to abolish is the Gospel, which proclaims that all men are by nature sinners, incapable of saving themselves. He abhors the truth of Christ's incarnation, of His glorious resurrection which made valid that death.
Satan's ambition is rather for peace than conflict. He is not desirous that the world become a shambles. Men might call upon God in their desperation! No, Satan's policy is to foster an orderly, spiritually dead civilization. He does not object to "big business" and technological advances as long as Christ is left out of the picture.
Although the Scriptures definitely outline Satan's coming doom and the failure of his plan to take over the earth, in some mysterious way the devil hopes to defeat God. Although Satan must be aware of his eventual fate, such is this egotistical, self-worshiping, audacious foe of God and man...
