Know Your Enemies
Satan, Who Is He?
Today's Bible Study Is One That Most Christians Have Not Undertaken But Should.
The church I grew up in had kind of a "Head in the sand" attitude towards any kind of in depth teaching on Sat
You Have An Enemy That You Need To Understand.
There is one creature who resists you that you should know a little about.
The church I grew up in had kind of a "Head in the sand" attitude towards any kind of in depth teaching on Sat
an even though the Bible was well taught there.
You could say that almost a superstitious attitude about teaching about Satan prevailed.
They taught very little about him even though the Bible teaches us much about him.
Thus most of us were largely untaught in this matter and no one seemed to even care.
They taught a simplistic picture of the Christian life in a sense:
You get saved and born again, baptized in water, baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues - and then you have no more problems because Jesus is the answer.
They taught very little about him even though the Bible teaches us much about him.
Thus most of us were largely untaught in this matter and no one seemed to even care.
They taught a simplistic picture of the Christian life in a sense:
You get saved and born again, baptized in water, baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues - and then you have no more problems because Jesus is the answer.
.
Satan loved that because the less we know about him, the better it is for him to deceive us.
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I have the inclination to go in depth with this study because so many Christians of today have no clue about Satan other than the fact that he is a fallen angel and that he is bad.
.The Christian faces a foe who is not appeased, relentless and pitiless, he diabolically plots the Christian's overthrow.
Filled with demonic hatred for God and the people of God, he is the Christian's arch-enemy.
It may come as a surprise to you to learn that Satan is the fourth person of importance in the universe; but unfortunately, it is true.
Consider:
First is the Holy Trinity, God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Next is Satan, the unholy devil, who is equipped with
supernatural wisdom and power second only to that which God Himself
possesses.
Also, he has a burning ambition to exalt himself to the place of deity at the expense of crushing everyone in his path.
He is cruelty, deceit, malice personified.
Yet, Satan always has sought to hide under a cloak of anonymity.
His strategy is to hide his true identity.
First, he suggests to susceptible men that he does not exist at all; that the idea of a devil is but a figment of imagination.
Surprisingly enough, multitudes of people accept this lie.
For them, evil is but the absence of good, and people do wrong simply because they do not do right.
The conception of a wicked spirit who lures them to evil is unthinkable.
Next, Satan likes people to think of him as a leering, tempting joker.
Dressed in a bright red suit, equipped with
horns and a tail and carrying a pitchfork, he is pictured as the monarch
of hell, surrounded by inmates enjoying a rollicking good time.
This is the image gleefully seized upon and exploited by the press and comedians and tattoo artist etc...
Nothing pleases Satan more than this unbelievable characterization of himself.
The true nature of Satan is understood by comparatively few. As a consequence, he has plied his nefarious trade to the eternal doom of billions.
His particular targets for attack are those who are God's children by faith in Jesus Christ.
He seeks to nullify their Christian testimony by leading them into sin, and by filling their lives with worldly pursuits and ambitions.
A large part of the answer to this ever present danger is an understanding of the truth regarding Satan.
Every Christian should have firmly fixed in mind the devil's purpose, ambition, and strategy. Coupled with this should be a healthy respect for his power.
With this knowledge, the Christian will understand that he cannot live a successful life in his own strength.
Then he will learn that God never intended he should, but that the power of the risen Christ would be available moment by moment to bring victory over Satan's wiles.
The word omniscience is not, strictly speaking, a biblical term.
The word itself is not found in the Bible.
It is a philosophical/theological word that has come into wide usage because, like the word trinity, it correctly describes the biblical evidence.
The word means to see or know all things.
Time dims our remembrance of much that has happened.
God is not like that.
He always knows what is past, present, and future, for he is omniscient.
Job 37:16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge?
1 John 3:19-20 [19] This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence [20] whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Psalms 147:5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
He sees all that occurs in every place and keeps watch upon the just and the wicked.
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
God knows everything in nature, every star and every sparrow.
Psalms 147:4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
He watches all mankind and considers each person's works. He sees the ways of men, and He examines all each man's goings.
Psalms 33:13-15 [13] From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; [14] from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth -- [15] he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
Proverbs 5:21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.
He watches all mankind and considers each person's works. He sees the ways of men, and He examines all each man's goings.
Psalms 33:13-15 [13] From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; [14] from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth -- [15] he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
Proverbs 5:21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.
He knows all man's deeds and experiences.
Psalms 139:2-3 [2] You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. [3] You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
He knows all man's words.
Psalms 139:4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
He knows all man's sorrows.
Exodus 3:7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering."
It seems sometimes as if He does not know man's sorrows. It must have seemed so sometimes to Israel in Egypt, but He did, and in time He proved it.
He understands all our motives. He understands our thoughts from a distance.
Psalms 139:1-2 [1] O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. [2] You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
1 Chronicles 28:9 And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
God's knowledge extends to minutest particulars.
Matthew 10:29-30 [29] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. [30] And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
God has always known everything that will ever happen.
Acts 15:16-18 [16] 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, [17] that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' [18] that have been known for ages.
Isaiah 46:9-10 [9] Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. [10] I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please
God knows from the beginning what each individual man will do.
1 Peter 1:20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Mark 13:32 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Matthew 20:17-19 [17] Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, [18] "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death [19] and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
Exodus 3:19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him.
Acts 3:17-18 [17] Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. [18] But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.
2 Kings 7:1-2 [1] Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria." [2] The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" "You will see it with your own eyes," answered Elisha, "but you will not eat any of it!"
Psalms 41:9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Galatians 1:15-17 [15] But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased [16] to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, [17] nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
1 Peter 1:1-2 [1] ... To God's elect, ... [2] who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
The whole plan of the ages and each man's part in it has been known to God from all eternity.
Ephesians 1:9-12 [9] And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment -- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. [11] In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, [12] in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 3:6, 8-9 [6] This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. ... [8] ... I am ... to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
Colossians 1:25-26 [25] I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness -- [26] the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
There are no afterthoughts with God. Well may we exclaim:
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
1. Isaiah 14:14
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Satan's burning ambition from the very beginning has been to replace God, actually to be God, and to sit on His throne. Strange as it may seem, God will allow the devil to attempt this for a brief period. Wow!
The last book of the Bible is taken up almost in its entirety with the description of the horrors of the tribulation period. The Holy Spirit, who has been a deterring, restraining force against evil, will be withdrawn from the earth with the Church (II Thess. 2:6,7).
Satan will then raise up his man, the Antichrist, to assume dictatorship. At this point, perhaps in order to bring about the consummation of evil and its eventual judgement, God will send upon the earth what is called "strong delusion"; the people will believe Satan's lies (II Thess. 2:11-12).
In an unbelievably short time, the Antichrist will rise to the position of world dictator. Using peaceful means at first, through the media of religion, politics, and economics, he will climb a short path to the top. To facilitate this rule of his tool, the devil will give to this depraved man his own wisdom and power.
At first, Antichrist will appear to allow God's name to be honored, but soon he will require worship of the devil on a worldwide scale. Evidently, the Jewish nation will refuse this when the Man of Sin sets up his image (Matt. 25:15), with the result that the armies of Antichrist will converge upon the Holy Land.
At this earth's darkest hour, relief will come as the heavens part and Christ returns to the earth, to defeat Antichrist and his hosts and to take in His own holy, blessed hands the reins of power.
Then He will set up a Kingdom which shall endure eternally (Rev. 20:1-15).
God has pre-written his end.
There seems little doubt that in the closing days of this present age of grace, the devil's pernicious activities against the cause of God will be increased greatly (Rev. 12:12).
Not only does Satan continue to direct the vast network of anti God control over the world with its manifold ramifications, but his particular animosity is expressed against the Gospel of Christ and those who proclaim it (II Cor. 4:4).
Satan's supernatural, uncanny and penetrating knowledge should never be underestimated. His special delight is to bring about the falling into sin and consequent uselessness of the Christian worker.
Knowing full well that within Christians there remains the old sinful nature, the devil uses this means of leading the Lord's people into compromise and sin.
No Christian in himself is a match for this sinister enemy.
There are still those today who want to be like God.
Knowing all things.
Not hard to understand who is behind their activities!
With regard to most of the world's activities, that enormous breadth of endeavor and accomplishment, Satan's plan has been that of substitution.
He has used the great advances of science and other achievements.
Education has come under his special favor.
The emphasis has been upon man's accomplishments without regard to God's enablement.
Man's selfish pride and love of self have been encouraged to the full.
Anything and everything which contributes to man's self~praise and self~worship have been given wide publicity and acceptance.
On the other hand, anything which would tend to show sinful character of the human heart, and the desperate need of the saving grace of God, has been sidetracked, soft-pedaled, and mocked by the devil.
Frequently he goes there to accuse the saints of unrighteousness (Job 1:6-10).
Notice Revelation 12:9,10, wherein is described the great accuser's eventual fall:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven. Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Satan's warfare against believers is unceasing. Were it not for the defense of our great Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Christian's position would be in jeopardy (Heb. 7:25).
Leaders of these false systems are described in Paul's inspired critique.
They are said to "Speak lies in hypocrisy," which means that they know better, but still deal in these spurious teachings.
They are hypocrites.
In their hearts they are aware that their systems are fraudulent.
The consciences of false teachers are seared, hardened by sin.
Conscience is a God-implanted instrument to help men to recognize error and to turn from it.
But conscience can be ignored.
When continually disregarded, it becomes inoperable and fails to warn the sinner.
This is what has happened to demon~influenced teachers.
No one knows how many demons there are in the spiritual realm around the earth...but they are there none the less...loose, free to do the treacherous will of Satan until their final doom with their fiendish master.
Influence of human beings is clearly presented in Scripture.
Although the subject is not prominently featured in the Old Testament, the New Testament abounds in references to demon influence and expulsions.
Just how is it possible for a spirit being to indwell and control a human being for evil purposes is not explained in the Word of God.
Yet, of course, there is the antithetical truth that the child of God is both indwelt and directed by the Holy Spirit.
Belief in the possibility of demon influence is increased when we remember that the natural human being possesses a fallen nature.
He is far from God.
He is easily susceptible to Satanic error, and already is a member of the worldly kingdom of Satan; so in a sense, he is ruled by Satanic suggestion.
It is not to far a step to believe that the body of the natural man can be indwelt by a member of the demonic host.
This is not to suggest that all people who are not Christians are demon~controlled, but rather that there may be a thin line between the lost, depraved natural man and the demon~influenced soul.
There is no reason to believe that demonic control is not possible today.
In fact, there are documented instances of demonic influence (like that described in Scripture) and expellsion on every mission field.
Demon control seems to prevail in backward unevangelized lands.
Nor is there reason to believe that demonic control cannot assume more enlightened aspects in this century.
That is to say, while the goal of Satan is the same, to bring more and more of the world's population under his control, his method of using his demons could be, so to speak, on a higher plane.
Satan could dispatch his evil demons to indwell business leaders, college presidents, unbelieving theologians, and liberal ministers.
Creating "Social gospels" of secular humanism, that lead no one to repentance at the cross of Christ for salvation.
Making Christ just an "enlightened one" who was very good and someone who taught us how to live, not our Savior.
"Demonized" people are not "Possessed".
A person is not "owned" by a devil or a demon.
Unfortunately this is an area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations of Scripture.
The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament.
The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize, which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence."
In the New Testament this verb occurs in the passive form: "to be demonized."
In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils."
Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form of words is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership.
To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon.
But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "subject to demonic influence."
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance.
It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence."
It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession.
Personally I believe that every born~again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him.
It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, Christians can be subject to demonic influences.
Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not yet come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
It is these areas that may still be an open door to demonic influence.
Which explains how some seemly spiritual men of God can suddenly do unexpected acts of carnality, like I described at the beginning of this study on Satan.
Be on guard and ever watchful with the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Word of God and the shoes of the Good News...because your enemy goes to and fro like a lion, seeking whom he may deceive, the very wise if he may.
There is a great Kingdom of God in the world.
This Kingdom is entered into only by personal faith in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When one realizes his utterly lost condition, due to his sinful deeds; believes in his heart that Christ actually died for him, and trusts that Saviour, a miracle takes place.
That person is transformed immediately into a legitimate child of God, with all his sins forgiven.
He becomes a recipient of all the rights and privileges of sonship.
This transformation is called becoming a Christian, being converted, being born~again (Romans 6:23; John 3:3-7, 16-18; Eph. 2:8,9).
A spiritual relationship is thus created between the believer and God the Father; the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior, the Holy Spirit, the indwelling Guide.
The main sphere of activity for the believer in this hostile world is the local church, organized to provide instruction, encouragement, and opportunities to futhur the will and work of God.
An outstanding mark of God's presence in this Kingdom is the willing confession to the effectiveness of the work of Jesus Christ and the worthiness of His Person.
True believers give wholehearted testimony to the fact that Christ is the second person of the blessed Trinity; that He was the One predicted on the pages of the Old Testament.
In the fullness of time, He was born of a virgin, in Bethlehem of Judea.
At about the age of 30, this person called Jesus of Nazareth began His public ministry.
For three and one-half years, He publicly demonstrated His claims to deity.
He healed the sick and cleansed the lepers.
He forgave and cleansed the sinful and raised the dead.
He spoke as none other had ever spoken.
All of this was but a preliminary to the death of Jesus. Although it was by cruel and wicked hands that he was apprehended and crucified, the record is clear.
No one could have laid hands upon the Son of God without His own permission.
He freely offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 10:17,18).
One day, while the sun hid its face, and the earth shuddered, Jesus Christ died as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world.
In three days, He rose from the dead.
Some days later, promising to return, He ascended to heaven.
The Kingdom of God is limited to those who have embraced this confession and received the Savior.
In the New Testament this body of believers is called the Church ( Eph.5:23; Col.1:18,24).
There is another kingdom in the world.
This is the kingdom of evil, with the devil as its father.
On one occasion the Lord Jesus Christ was disputing with some very religious Jews.
In their foolish pride they were boasting of their ancestral connection with Abraham and disparaging Christ's claims concerning God, His heavenly Father.
To these the Lord spoke some astonishing truth:
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44).
This is indeed amazing and terrifying.
If these self-righteous Pharisees were said to have Satan as their father, and if membership in the Kingdom of God is entered into only by personal faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour, then it would seem as if almost the entire world holds membership in the kingdom of evil, and is related to Satan as their father.
The apostle John, writing some years later, states this very thing:
"And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth [is under the power] of the wicked one [that is, the devil]" ( I John 5:19)
Many people would concede that there are some unfortunate people in the world under the control of the devil.
These would include the vile, the drunken, thieves, adulterers, and blasphemers.
While undoubtedly such sinners are in the kingdom of evil, their sinful activities can be traced to the innate transgressions of the human heart (Jer.17:9; Matt. 15:19).
The scope of the devil's sway is far wider than that of the realm of the overtly evil, the outwardly sinful.
Any who are not to be found under the banner of the crucified and risen Saviour are included.
Satan disapproves of gross sinful display.
His inner desire is for worship. The drunkard in the gutter is no credit to him.
Satan would be God, and so makes a bid for the intellectual, the liberal, the highly cultured.
Any who do not sincerely own Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour find their place in the kingdom of evil.
Satan is the head of that kingdom and is become their father.
This is not a flattering position in which to be in, but it is true as the words of Christ Himself.
Depart from and repudiation of this brotherhood of the devil is accomplished when one turns to Christ and trusts Him, believing the Gospel.
The believer is translated from the kingdom of evil into the Kingdom of God's dear Son (Col. 1:13).
Do you know Jesus?
Have you turned from your sin and asked Him into your heart?
It seems evident that when Satan caused our first parents to sin in the Garden of Eden, he wrested from them the authority with which God had intended them to rule over His dominions.
From that day to this, Satan has been the prince of this world.
Both the physical world and mankind have been under his control.
This is revealed in the temptation of the Lord (Matt. 4:8,9).
Satan showed Christ the kingdoms of the world in panorama.
He offered to give Christ those kingdoms if He would but fall down and worship him.
This offer of Satan seems a hollow boast until we realize that he did ruthlessly seize control of the earth from Adam.
So his proposition to Christ was a bona fide one.
One of the reasons our Lord came into this world was to regain from Satan the authority which he wrongfully possessed.
God's method of doing this was to deal completely with the matter of sin.
It is the fact of sin which gives power to Satan.
When sin entered the human picture, Adam and Eve became slaves to it.
Satan, who had brought about their temptation, assumed control over the physical world and the world of human beings.
Yet, God ultimately holds control, and no one is more aware of this than Satan.
The earth, its physical forces, and its human life, are intrinsically God's.
It has pleased the Lord to refrain from instant (BAM!) destruction of Satan, in order to bring about a complete and final reckoning with sin.
Essentially, Satan is the evil person he became because of his sin.
In like manner, human beings are lost, sinful creatures because of their sin.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to deal with sin once and for all.
He is in Himself God's complete answer to this question.
Whereas, the penalty of sin is death, the death of Christ fully paid the penalty.
Sin was thus acknowledged to be what God says it is.
But the penalty of this virulent thing is overcome.
The price is paid.
Death for the sinner is accomplished in the death of the sinner's substitute (Rom. 5:6-8).
In His death, Christ also destroyed or nullified the authority of Satan ( I John 3:8; Heb. 2:14).
It is by the cross that the false claims of Satan were invalidated.
The cross, in all its horror, was a mighty victory for God and righteousness.
It was the declaration of deliverance and liberty for all those enslaved by Satan.
As of that moment, Satan's defeat, which had been prophesied, was demonstrated.
"And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it [ the cross]" (Col.2:15).
In the New Testament the truth concerning the devil receives full treatment.
While Satan always has been bitterly opposed to the will and the way of God, his most powerful hostility is exercised against the incarnate Son of God.
The devil understood that the Incarnation was the method by which God intended ultimately to bring the plans of Satan to final and complete judgment.
Therefore, the fiend marshaled his forces to thwart in every way the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
At the time of the Saviour's birth, Satan instigated the beastly plot through Herod the Great to destroy the infant King (Matt. 1:16-18).
At the age of 12, the Boy Jesus was overlooked and left behind by preoccupied parents (Luke 2:42-49).
A number of times during the three and one half years of Christ's ministry on the earth, attempts were made upon His life (John 5:18).
At Nazareth, the religious leaders, inspired by Satan, attempted to push Him over a cliff.
In the temple, they took up stones to kill Him. Leaders of the people sent officers to arrest Him.
However, it was in the Garden of Gethsemane that the fiercest battle was waged.
Christ had known in advance of this imminent conflict with the devil.
He had announced, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me" (John 14:30).
This meant that the victory was not to be Satan's. There was nothing in Him to which Satan could appeal.
The death of Christ had been prophesied.
It must be accomplished on the cross- the Lamb of God dying for the sins of the world.
If this death occurred in any other way, the Word of God would be nullified.
In the darkened heart of a fiend was the plot to crush out the life of the Son of God as He prayed.
The words of the suffering Saviour are the strongest that the original Greek contains.
Christ said His soul was "exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death" (Matt.26:38).
The evangelist Mark wrote that the Lord was "sore amazed and very heavy" (Mark14:33).
Luke tells of "an agony...his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44).
It is the prayer of the Savior that the intensity of the struggle is revealed.
Three times He asked the Father that if He were willing, this cup should pass from Him.
It is unthinkable that Christ was referring to His death on the morrow.
He had set His face to go straight to the cross.
The cup of Gethsemane was death by unseen demon forces.
God sent an angel to strengthen His Son, and Satan was defeated in his attempt to kill Christ.
Following the victory in the Garden of Eden, Satan is next seen in sharp outline in his contention with God about saintly Job.
The time is about 2000 BC. Job, a very rich land owner in the land of UZ, was outstanding in his spiritual life.
Even the testimony of God concerning him was to the effect that Job was "a perfect [mature] and upright man, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil" (Job 1:1).
The style of writing employed in the inspired book of Job is that of poetic religious drama.
The first scene shows the prosperity, happiness, and righteousness of Job.
The next scene shifts to heaven and the throne of God.
Evidently, this is one of the occasions on which the various angels in charge of administering the Lord's vast holdings in the earth came to report on the state of the universe.
We note that in brazen shamelessness Satan accompanies them to give his report of earthly conditions.
God challenges Satan by calling his attention to the blameless character of His servant Job.
Satan counters by arguing that Job lives righteously simply because God grants him favors; he finds that it pays off handsomely to serve the Lord.
Satan's fiendish insinuation is that Job is not serving from a sincere, loving heart, but for strictly selfish reasons. Satan's challenge to God is that if Job were stripped of his abundance, he would turn on God and curse Him to His face.
How amazing is the effrontery of this impudent, vindictive, irreverent creature!
One wonders that God does not immediately blast him into nonexistence...BAM!
But God intends to use Satan.
He gives permission for Satan to take from Job all his possessions but not his health nor his life.
Exulting, Satan goes from the presence of the Lord to afflict the innocent Job.
The next scene is that day of unspeakable tragedy.
In one 24~hour period, Job is subjected to a succession of unthinkable catastrophes, which leave him without possessions, home, children.
Yet, the scene closes with Job's bowing before the will of God and in complete sincerity resigning himself to whatever God will send.
Job does not blame God nor charge Him with wrong motives.
Placing himself in the hands of the Lord, he bows his heart before Him and waits.
Really, the victory here is one for God.
It is proven that God has not purchased the loyalty of Job with His bounteous gifts.
Satan is utterly wrong.
His charge that God is acting in duplicity is in error. God and His faithful servant Job are completely vindicated.
The drama continues. The next scene is another report day, when the sons of God (the angels) present themselves before the Lord.
As previously, Satan comes with them.
Again God throws down the challenge to Satan with reference to Job.
Satan's scathing reply is that he is still right, and that Job's loyalty to God is only "skin deep".
If Job's health were taken from him, Satan contends, his false character would be only too apparent.
Again God consents, giving Satan permission to afflict Job in his body, but not to kill him.
Satan gleefully goes forth to lay upon Job's body an excruciatingly painful and loathsome disease.
The writer of the Book of Job continues with a long discussion by four friends of Job, on questions to his misfortunes.
They have come to comfort, but they remain to blame him. Job, though somewhat shaken, again yields himself to the will of God and accepts from Him what He has allowed.
God is vindicated once more in His faith in His servant.
Some startling facts appear here. Evidently Satan is in possession of considerable power in the earth.
He seems to have authority to stir up robbers, brigands, and thugs to attack and rob Job (1:15,16).
Evidently, to some degree he controls the wind and sends it forth in fury (1:19). He sends down fire (lightning) from heaven (1:16).
Notice a still more striking fact:
Satan has access to heaven, to the throne of God, is able to talk with the Lord, and even to contradict Him.
Many reasoned that such an encounter of the Holy God with a creature so vile would be impossible.
The very holiness of God, it is said, would reach out to turn the creature into oblivion...BAM!
But this is not so, for Satan came not only once but twice into the presence of God with the angels.
Consider, too, the well-known character of Satan again asserting itself.
He is the enemy of God and the accuser of the people of God.
The purpose of his appearance before God was to vilify the character of one of God's servants whom God already had declared perfect and upright.
A New Testament counterpart to Job, in a way, was the apostle Peter, as pictured in Luke 22:31.
Our Lord revealed to Peter that Satan had requested permission to "sift him as wheat", to tempt God's servant. This was granted, with the sad result that Peter grievously sinned.
He failed the test.
The significant teaching in this is that Satan's machinations, although cunning, are restricted.
HE COULD NOT TOUCH JOB'S POSSESSIONS NOR HIS HEALTH WITHOUT GOD'S EXPRESS PERMISSION.
Nor dared he to tempt Peter until the Lord allowed him to do so.
The Scriptures indicate that the work of Satan is accomplished by a host of spirit beings called "demons".
The meaning of the Greek word daimonion is demon.
Daimonion, occurs about sixty times in the gospels, Acts and Revelation. "Demons" are "unclean spirit" and also "evil spirits".
The original King James Version regularly translates daimonion as "devil".
This has led to endless confusion. The English word devil is actually derived from the Greek word diabolos, which has no direct relationship with daimonion.
Diabolos means "slanderer". In all but three occurrences in the New Testament, it is a title of Satan himself.
In this sense it is used only in the singular form.
There are many demons but only one devil.
Satan is given this title because his primary activity is to slander- that is, to defame a person's character.
First and foremost, Satan defames the character of God Himself in the Garden of Eden, when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was not treating them fairly by withholding from them the knowledge of good and evil.
Second, Satan defames the character of all those who in any way represent God.
This is his primary weapon against the servants of God.
All the main translations subsequent to the KJV have observed the distinction between diabolos and daimonion, and have translated diabolos as "devil" and daimonion as "demon".
Unfortunately, there is another area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations.
The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament.
The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize , which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence".
In the New Testament this verb occurs only in the passive form: "to be demonized".
In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils".
Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership.
To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon.
But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "to subject to demonic influence".
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance.
It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence".
It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by a demon", or worse still, to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession.
Personally I believe that every born again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him.
It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, a born again Christian can be subjected to demonic influences.
Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
It is these areas that may still be subject to demonic influence.
The child of God is warned that he is faced with certain spiritual enemies (Eph. 6:11,12).
First the devil is named, then reference is made to "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places".
Also, there is mention made of "the prince of the power of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience" (Eph.2:2).
It seems clear enough that the warning includes the multitudes of demons who join in the warfare Satan is waging against God and the people of God.
These beings possess non-material bodies.
Yet, they are personalities, as Satan is a personality.
They operate above the laws of the natural realm and are invisible.
As spirit beings, they have an intellectual nature and seem to possess superhuman knowledge.
Without doubt, they are present in certain spiritualistic phenomena for occultist purposes of today.
They masquerade as spirits of the departed through channelers.
As to their moral nature, like their head they are evil and depraved.
This is in contrast to the angels of God, who are sinless.
The moral depravity of demons is shown in Scripture by the harmful effects some of them produced in their victims (Mark 1:26; Luke 4:35).
Fleshly uncleanness and base sensual gratifications are the result of demon influence over the human personality.
Demons figure largely in the moral collapse of any people who yield to gross sinfulness.
Our Lord had many bouts with the demon world.
Demons seemed to know who He was (Mark 1:24); they acknowledged Him as God's Son (Mark 5:7); they obeyed Him (Matt.8:16); they sought to conceal His Savior hood ( I John 4:1-3).
This host of evil creatures opposes God's purposes and hinders man's welfare.
Eventually, all demons will be consigned to the lake of fire and brimstone, along with Satan, where they will be Tormented forever (Matt.25:41; Rev. 20:10).
What lies ahead for this fiend?
A great deal, and his time is short.
The next great event on the calendar of God is the translation of the church.
This thrilling occurrence (Forget "Special~effects" this is gonna top em all) will bring about the immediate transfer of every child of God to heaven ( I Thess.4:13-18).
This also will be the signal for the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21), a seven year period of unprecedented sin, anarchy, and judgement on the earth.
Satan's burning ambition from the very beginning has been to replace God, actually to be God, and to sit on His throne.
Strange as it may seem, God will allow the devil to attempt this for a brief period.
Wow!
The last book of the Bible is taken up almost in its entirety with the description of the horrors of the tribulation period.
The Holy Spirit, who has been a deterring, restraining force against evil, will be withdrawn from the earth with the Church (II Thess. 2:6,7).
Satan will then raise up his man, the Antichrist, to assume dictatorship.
At this point, perhaps in order to bring about the consummation of evil and its eventual judgment, God will send upon the earth what is called "strong delusion"; the people will believe Satan's lies (II Thess. 2:11-12).
In an unbelievably short time, the Antichrist will rise to the position of world dictator.
Using peaceful means at first, through the media of religion, politics, and economics, he will climb a short path to the top.
To facilitate this rule of his tool, the devil will give to this depraved man his own wisdom and power.
At first, Antichrist will appear to allow God's name to be honored, but soon he will require worship of the devil on a worldwide scale.
Evidently, the Jewish nation will refuse this when the Man of Sin sets up his image (Matt. 25:15), with the result that the armies of Antichrist will converge upon the Holy Land.
At this earth's darkest hour, relief will come as the heavens part and Christ returns to the earth, to defeat Antichrist and his hosts and to take in His own holy, blessed hands the reins of power.
Then He will set up a Kingdom which shall endure eternally (Rev. 20:1-15).
The devil will be imprisoned in the abyss for 1,000 years, after which he will be released for a season.
During his time of freedom, he will lead a final revolt against God.
Swift judgment (BAM!) will follow, and he will be cast into hell, the lake of fire from which he shall never emerge, not for all eternity (Rev. 20:7-10).
The Antichrist, the false prophet, and the demons will share his fate.
Here is the end of the enemy of God and the foe of his people.
The destiny of Satan is as sure as his past. God has pre-written his end.
There seems little doubt that in the closing days of this present age of grace, the devil's pernicious activities against the cause of God will be increased greatly (Rev. 12:12).
Not only does Satan continue to direct the vast network of antiGod control over the world with its manifold ramifications, but his particular animosity is expressed against the Gospel of Christ and those who proclaim it (II Cor. 4:4).
Satan's supernatural, uncanny and penetrating knowledge should never be underestimated.
His special delight is to bring about the falling into sin and consequent uselessness of the Christian worker.
Knowing full well that within Christians there remains the old sinful nature, the devil uses this means of leading the Lord's people into compromise and sin.
No Christian in himself is a match for this sinister enemy.
With regard to most of the world's activities, that enormous breadth of endeavor and accomplishment, Satan's plan has been that of substitution.
He has used the great advances of science and other achievements. Education has come under his special favor.
The emphasis has been upon man's accomplishments without regard to God's enablement.
Man's selfish pride and love of self have been encouraged to the full.
Anything and everything which contributes to man's self~praise and self~worship have been given wide publicity and acceptance.
On the other hand, anything which would tend to show sinful character of the human heart, and the desperate need of the saving grace of God, has been sidetracked, soft-pedaled, and mocked by the devil.
It is well to repeat: Satan still has access to the very throne of God in heaven.
Frequently he goes there to accuse the saints of unrighteousness (Job 1:6-10).
Notice Revelation 12:9,10, wherein is described the great accuser's eventual fall:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven.
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Satan's warfare against believers is unceasing.
Were it not for the defense of our great Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Christian's position would be in jeopardy (Heb. 7:25).
The apostle Paul had no easy task. Satan opposed him at every turn.
After Paul had come to a community, faithfully preached the Gospel, and there established a church, his footsteps were dogged by false teachers who sought to destroy the work God had established through him.
Under the inspiration of the Spirit, Paul revealed the true character of those false teachers:
"For such are false [scammers] apostles, deceitful [dishonest] workers, transforming themselves [masquerading posers] into the apostles of Christ."
And no marvel; For Satan himself is transformed [masquerades] into an angel of light."
Therefore it is no great thing [surprise] if his ministers also be transformed [masquerade] as the ministers of righteousness; [Hebraic restoration, remnant restoration,etc...] whose end [doom] shall be according to their work" (II Cor. 11:13-15).
The false teachers of whom the Apostle spoke here were mainly Judaizing teachers.
Their teaching was that Christ was not sufficient; that God's revelation to the Jews was still in force; that it was necessary for new Christians to be circumcised, to observe the Sabbath, to keep the Law of Moses.
Obviously, Satan has no aversion to religion as such.
So much of it is not hostile to him and does his kingdom no harm.
Rather, this seems to be one of his most useful media.
Whereas, Judaism originally had been a revelation from God, until Christ fulfilled it every jot and tittle, in Paul's day it had become false teaching, denying that Christ had come.
Those who continued to teach it were under the control of Satan, said the Apostle.
Later there were to arise many heresies, stressing one particular teaching to the disparagement of others.
These, too, came under the category of Satanic teaching.
The norm or standard for the recognition of the true and the false was given clearly by the Apostle John:
"Beloved, believe not every spirit [do not believe every so~called spiritual utterance], but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone into the world. "
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God [in this way you can recognize the Spirit of God]:
Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh [in human form] is of God:
"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of Antichrist [this is the utterance of Antichrist], whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world" (I John 4:1-3, KJV and The Amplified Bible)
Note the wide latitude with which Satan operates.
First he hides his diabolical nature and masquerades as a minister of light.
This is in accord with his true character as a deceitful counterfeit, who stoops to anything to bring about the accomplishment of his will.
This includes the complete damnation of human souls for whom the fiend cares nothing.
He only wants them to share his final doom.
Satan distorts the doctrines of God.
These teachings are the things of God and properly belong in the category of those who love God and his Son.
But Satan wrests them from their rightful context and for purposes of deception uses them to mislead and delude.
The same treachery is found in Satan's ministers.
They, too, masquerade as exponents of righteousness.
They clothe themselves in a cloak of duplicity and misrepresentation.
All of this is done knowingly.
Deep in the heart of the Satanic minister is the knowledge that all of this is false, double-dealing, sinful. But the conscience of this faithless minister does not operate.
He does not alter his life, but continues to be a fraud, a phony.
Much of what the world acknowledges as Christianity is both admitted by and promulgated by the devil in his system.
The lifeless, ritualistic forms with their various manifestations are not in any way offensive to the Satanic program.
These are the "saying" of prayers, counting beads, burning candles, various orders of meaningless service.
In fact, anything religious which seems to soothe the soul without the necessity of accepting the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is permissible.
Particularly does Satan work in the field of the aesthetic.
He would be enthusiastic about Hugh church buildings, massive pipe organs, richly clad clergy.
All of these outward trappings tend to take the mind and heart of the seeker after God from that which is vitally important to that which is only counterfeit.
The way to determine whether a religion is true or false is to consider the place given Christ in its teaching.
Is He the center?
Is the emphasis on His virgin birth, His sinless life, His vicarious death, His physical resurrection, His eternal deity?
In his battle against God for the souls of men, one of the most successful tactics Satan has used is to offer imitation religions.
Such religions are patterned closely after the true worship of God.
In times past Satan has tried various methods to defeat the truth, such as frontal assaults by burning of Bibles, persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death of Christians.
In this previous century the main attack was on the veracity of the text of Scripture.
However, the emphasis in these "latter times" seems to be that of counterfeiting, offering mankind elaborate systems of religion, devoid of the one element which will lift lost humanity; that is, the saving work of the Son of God on the cross.
We call these false systems cults.
The Apostle Paul specifically warns of them:
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly [distinctly declares], that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits [deceiving spirits], and doctrines of devils [the things that demons teach, channeling etc...];
"Speaking lies in hypocrisy [doing this through hypocrisy of liars]; having their conscience seared with a hot iron [men with seared consciences]; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats [these teachers forbid certain kinds of food], which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth [foods which God created for our enjoyment]...
"If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ" (I Tim 4:1-3,6, KJV and the Amplified Bible).
We note in this passage the predicted growth of the cult attack.
The "latter times" are the end of the age of grace, a time which is now upon us.
The Holy Spirit has borne distinct witness to this type of assault.
First, He showed that it would take place when some would leave the faith, the true worship of God, to turn to the teachings of deceiving spirits.
No reason is given for this apostasy, except that perhaps some people succumb to error because they have not been rooted and grounded in the truth.
Evidently the apostasy is to be composed of numbers who claimed to be believers at one time.
The false system to which weak Christians sometimes are drawn is dominated and directed by deceiving spirits, without doubt, evil spirits.
The teaching is designated as that of demons.
Recognizing that in spite of his cunning the devil rarely has been known to originate teaching- rather to counterfeit it- it is implied here that the teaching of demons will be much like the truth, but without the power thereof.
It is not difficult to see today a startling fulfillment of this prophecy before our very eyes.
Scores of cults calling themselves churches.
Their leaders are called ministers; they sing Gospel hymns; their choirs perform; they have Sunday Schools, missionary programs, humanitarian interests.
So, to the uninitiated, they cannot be distinguished from the true church of Christ.
Some cults use the Bible or part of it.
They loudly proclaim that they subscribe to the Bible's teachings as well as to their own particular books.
In actual practice, however, they select from the scriptures only those teachings which do not conflict with their particular brand of deception.
In no way do they subscribe to or teach the whole Bible of the complete truth about the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Shakespeare never spoke more truly than when he wrote:
"The devil can site Scripture for his purpose."
Cultists take verses out of context and deal as deceitfully with the Word of God as with its Author.
Leaders of these false systems are described in Paul's inspired critique.
They are said to "Speak lies in hypocrisy," which means that they know better, but still deal in these spurious teachings.
They are hypocrites.
In their hearts they are aware that their systems are fraudulent.
The consciences of false teachers are seared, hardened by sin.
Conscience is a God-implanted instrument to help men to recognize error and to turn from it.
But conscience can be ignored.
When continually disregarded, it becomes inoperable and fails to warn the sinner.
This is what has happened to demon~influenced teachers.
Part of their teaching lies in the field of human relations.
They attempt to interfere with marriage and the home. They pay attention to non-essentials, making a great matter out of the eating of meats and certain foods.
In the New Testament, there is no prohibition against any food.
Paul declared that all foods are to be received with thanksgiving.
The most noteworthy feature about cults is their subtlety.
They are supported by the cunning of the fiend.
The wisdom of demons guides them.
Great numbers of people are deceived by them.
Often cultists espouse charitable or humanitarian causes.
They make a great show of worldly wisdom.
They are rich and increased with goods.
Their buildings, for the most part, are extensive and their appointments expensive.
In the eyes of the world, they are a success.
Actually, they are poor and miserable, blind and naked.
They are dishonesty personified, and they are bound, eventually, for the lake of fire.
No one knows how many demons there are in the spiritual realm around the earth...but they are there none the less...loose, free to do the treacherous will of Satan until their final doom with their fiendish master.
Influence of human beings is clearly presented in Scripture.
Although the subject is not prominently featured in the Old Testament, the New Testament abounds in references to demon influence and expulsion.
Just how is it possible for a spirit being to indwell and control a human being for evil purposes is not explained in the Word of God.
Yet, of course, there is the antithetical truth that the child of God is both indwelt and directed by the Holy Spirit.
Belief in the possibility of demon influence is increased when we remember that the natural human being possesses a fallen nature.
He is far from God.
He is easily susceptible to Satanic error, and already is a member of the worldly kingdom of Satan; so in a sense, he is ruled by Satanic suggestion.
It is not to far a step to believe that the body of the natural man can be indwelt by a member of the demonic host.
This is not to suggest that all people who are not Christians are demon~controlled, but rather that there may be a thin line between the lost, depraved natural man and the demon~influenced soul.
In the New Testament times, demonstrations of demonic control were usually physical and violent (Matt. 9:32,33; 12:22-30; Mark 9:22; Luke 8:26-36).
Demons were seen to bring about in men sickness, dumbness, deafness, deformity, insanity, and suicidal mania.
The Lord did not explain how such affliction comes to be, but taught that such control is of Satan (Luke 11:14-26; 13:16).
There is no reason to believe that demonic control is not possible today. In fact, there are documented instances of demonic influence (like that described in Scripture) and expulsion on every mission field.
Nor is there reason to believe that demonic control cannot assume more enlightened aspects in this century.
That is to say, while the goal of Satan is the same, to bring more and more of the world's population under his control, his method of using his demons could be, so to speak, on a higher plane.
Satan could dispatch his evil demons to indwell business leaders, college presidents, unbelieving theologians, and liberal ministers even presidents. Creating "Social gospels" of secular humanism, that lead no one to repentance at the cross of Christ for salvation.
Making Christ just an "enlightened one" who was very good and someone who taught us how to live, not our Savior.
"Demonized" people are not "Possessed".
A person is not "owned" by a devil or a demon.
Unfortunately this is an area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations of Scripture.
The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament.
The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize, which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence."
In the New Testament this verb occurs in the passive form: "to be demonized."
In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils."
Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form of words is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership.
To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon.
But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "subject to demonic influence."
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance.
It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence."
It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession.
Personally I believe that every born~again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him.
It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, Christians can be subject to demonic influences.
Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not yet come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
It is these areas that may still be an open door to demonic influence.
Which explains how some seemly spiritual men of God can suddenly do unexpected acts of carnality, like I described at the beginning of this study on Satan.
Be on guard and ever watchful with the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Word of God and the shoes of the Good News...because your enemy goes to and fro like a lion, seeking whom he may deceive, the very wise if he may.
It is tremendously important to know the strategy of the Christian's enemy!!!
The Scriptures present the only reliable information concerning him. We learn that Satan's bitterest hatred is directed against the preaching of the Gospel.
The word "Gospel" means good news, The Good News is that although all men are condemned sinners, are lost, and are on their way to an eternity of torment, God loves them deeply and sincerely.
More than that:
Through the sacrificial death of His Son on the cross, God has provided a way by which He can pardon sinners and make them members of His family.
All this He has done on the basis of His grace, absolutely free.
This is God's answer to the lying, malevolent machinations of the devil.
It is easily understood why Satan would oppose this message with all the intensity of his nefarious character:
" But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image [expression]of God, should shine unto them" (II Cor. 4:3,4).
In this connection, Satan does not oppose religion as such, by which is meant any attempt to approach God by any other way than through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Consider, for a moment, the religions of the heathen. Scattered across the world are literally hundreds of millions of religious people.
Some worship idols of wood and stone; some, a god named Allah, with Mohamed as his prophet.
Other coreligionist emphasize ritual and ceremony to the exclusion of personal faith in a living crucified, and resurrected Savior.
In fact, these religions are already Satan-controlled through his network of demons:
"But I say [this is what I mean], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice [to idols, etc.], they sacrifice to devils [demons] and not to God; and I would not that ye should have fellowship [communion] with devils [demons]" (I Cor. 10:20).
Here the apostle was writing to the church at Corinth, a city given over to the worship of idols and the gods of mount Olympus.
Paul pointed out that such worship was not harmless but actually demon worship.
As such, no Christian could countenance it.
This became a principle by which all religions are to be judged.
If the way of approach is not through Christ, then it is by way of demons and directed to the devil!
If the truth were known, indeed, almost the entire world is today worshiping the devil.
In the Scriptures there are more than 40 titles and descriptive names given to the devil.
They are highly revealing of his character.
Most frequently he is called Satan, meaning adversary; next, the devil, or slanderer .
In the New Testament, this word is often used in the plural.
In every case it refers not to Satan, but to demons, or fallen spirits who do the will of Satan. Properly, they should be designated as demons, not devils.
Other descriptive designations are: Abaddon (Hebrew) and Apollyon (Greek) (Rev. 9:11); accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10); Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (demons) (Matt. 12:24); Belial (II Cor. 6:15); the deceiver of the whole world (Rev. 12:9); the wicked one (Matt 13:19); a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
Satan's relationship to the world, with particular refrence to his power and authority, is shown in names like these: the god of this world ( II Cor. 4:4); the prince of this world (John 12:31); the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2). His tremendous prestige is revealed strikingly by his being called the one in whom the whole world lies ( I John 5:18, 19).
The scope of the devil's evil machinations is shown further by such titles as: the great dragon, that old serpant (Rev. 12:9); the tempter (Matt. 4:1-10); a murderer (John 8:44); the sinner from the beginning (I John 3:8).
It is impossible to underestimate the malevolence, the importance and the influence of this person.
The Scriptures give wide recognition to his desperate, deadly character.
While moral evil is his basic attribute, at the same time he is the very embodiment of all sorts of evil. His cruel, wicked nature was best described by the Lord Jesus Christ in calling him "a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44).
Murder, in his case, was the first intention he had in trying to separate Almighty God from that which was eternally and rightfully His:
the first place in the universe He had created. Further, Satan abode not in the truth.
His was a total turning from integrity.
Consequently, there remained no truth in him at all.
All of his utterances are lies, and he has coined his own fabric of falsehood.
All untruth proceeds from him, who became the very father of lies, he has his own infernal vocabulary.
To add to the horror, this malicious, murderous creature is loose in the world, aided and abetted by unnumbered groups of fallen spirit beings.
Thank God, "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).
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 thief, the gangster.
Nevertheless, these are all part of his realm.
Doubtless the devil would prefer 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...
God was forced to bring upon man the punishment He had decreed for disobedience.
Mankind is now possessed of a sinful, fallen nature.
"The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 3:23).
Heartache, sorrow, disease, disappointment are now the lot of the human race.
Apparently Satan has triumphed.
But the question arises:
If this is a moral universe, why is a creature like Satan allowed to exist?
Why is he not confined to eternal torture?
If God is all-powerful ( and we know He is), why does He permit Satan's continuing rebellion against Him and His people?
Why doesn't God interfere?
To answer, we must view life, and particularly eternal life, from the divine perspective, not the human.
God is concerned with bringing many sons home to glory ( Heb. 2:10 ).
But there must be a right basis on which He can do this.
He has determined that man must choose whether he will love the good and turn from evil; take His way instead of Satan's.
This ability to do good cannot be based upon the inherent righteousness of man, for since the Fall, no man is good.
"There is none righteous, no, not one" ( Rom. 3:10).
Nevertheless, God can inpute full and complete righteousness to sinful man on one basis.
This is the act of faith which man exercises when he accepts the substitutionary sacrifice of the Son of God on his behalf.
It is Christ's righteousness which God imputes to man.
Herein is the grace of God.
On the other hand, already God has decreed the doom of Satan.
His sin is unforgivable.
There is no redemption for fallen angels.
The devil's place of everlasting incarceration and torment is in readiness ( Matt. 25:41).
God's reckoning with Satan will take place in God's good time and will glorify Him.
So God permits Satan to proceed with his nefarious works.
There may be in the mind of God another reason:
It must be demonstrated, as well as decreed, that sin is a damning, blasting, blighting thing.
It is necessary for God to display its horrendous effects; and even in the eons of endless eternity, the background of the horrors of sin will remain as a contrast to God's perfect righteousness.
The earth, too, will furnish an object lesson of the failure of Satan to govern through the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, his tool in the ages to come.
While for a season it seems that God has withdrawn His hand, He is showing Satan's incompetence.
Meantime, God holds the reins.
Satan would seize more power if possible, but God allows him so much and no more.
Let no one, however, underestimate the devil's hatred and contempt for God and His people, Satan's ability to seduce and ruin.
Time, as we know it, had begun. Satan was now operating in the realm of human life on earth.
His tactics, as shown in the Garden of Eden, were the very same that He uses against the children of God today.
First, note that Satan came first to the woman.
In the Scriptures, woman is designated as "the weaker vessel" ( 1 Peter 3:7).
This does not discredit her. It is part of the plan of God, revealing His wise, benevolent attitude toward the human race.
But, in approaching the woman with this temptation, Satan showed not only his cunning, but also his dishonorable intent.
We must keep in mind that Satan is a spiritual being, with a spiritual body.
He spoke through the serpent, using a creature which before the fall, must have been attractive and appealing.
Because of the use of this creature, Satan acquired another uncomplimentary title, "that old serpent, the devil" ( Rev. 20:2 ).
His first approach then, as now, was to discredit and question the Word of God ( Gen. 3:1 ).
What, he insinuated was, "Is this really what God meant?"
The woman's answer was definite, but her fatal fault was in not calling her husband, that they might face the temptation together.
Satan, having secured Eve's attention, pressed the attack by specifically, categorically, denying God's dictum.
Blatantly, boldly, Satan said to Eve, "Ye shall not surely die" ( Gen. 3:4 ).
He was calling God a liar, and that should have been enough for the woman.
She ought to have fled, to secure the support of Adam.
But sadly enough, she stayed to listen.
The next thrust was a subtle one.
Satan's strategy was to show that Adam and Eve were missing something desirable.
They were being denied by God, who was, he insinuated, withholding what should be theirs.
Satan told them their eyes would be opened if they would eat the forbidden fruit ( Gen. 3:5 ).
In this was a dangerous half-truth.
Their eyes were opened, but with what consequences!
All of Satan's reasoning was along the strongest line of temptation.
Herein lay the very essence of sin, which is love of self.
The woman touched, picked, and ate, then gave to her husband, who also ate of the forbidden fruit.
The foul deed was done, and death passed upon the whole human race.
Adam and Eve had disobeyed the will of God.
Satan had won this round of the battle.
In I Timothy 2:14, we read that " the woman being deceived was in transgression," but that the man was not deceived.
Adam knew what he was doing.
He entered the gate of sin with his eyes wide open.
He deliberately sinned.
Yet Eve was at fault as well...
The account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is factual.
It is neither a myth nor an allegory.
God planted the Garden, and then, taking the dust of earth, He formed the body of Adam, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (God's life) and man became a living soul ( Gen. 2:7).
After this, God made Eve from a rib of Adam. Thus, the first family began.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of mankind is free will.
Man is a creature with power of choice. He may choose the will of God or his own way.
To emphasize this, God placed a special tree in the Garden, there were other trees too.
But this one tree was forbidden.
It is called the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The necessity for such a tree is clearly seen.
Adam and Eve were to be called upon to choose for God.
But there would be no choice if there was not a possibility to choose against God.
But God did everything to make obedience wholly desirable.
He created Adam and Eve with strong mental faculties.
They were neither beasts nor barbarians.
Their minds were keen, discerning, and they must have known instinctively what it takes years of schooling to acquire of the knowledge of the universe today.
God provided abundantly for man's needs.
Food was in generous supply; the climate was ideal.
Adam lacked nothing.
The climax of God's gifts to him was a companion, Eve.
Further, God warned of the consequences of disobedience.
He solemnly set forth the penalty which would accompany any deviation from His revealed, perfect will.
God gave Adam work to do.
Far too often lives are wrecked from idleness.
It was not so much with our first parents.
"And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:15).
God entered into fellowship with man, and they talked together in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8).
Then came the test.
Satan, smarting under God's judgment, sought to wreck the Lord's new program.
Man had been given dominion over that which formerly had been Satan's domain.
How would the enemy of God proceed?
This was far from any isolated incident.
As it were, all heaven held its breath.
The test was not simply whether Adam and Eve would eat the fruit of the tree, but whether the authority of Almighty God would prevail against determined Satanic attack.
What lies ahead for this fiend?
A great deal, and his time is short.
The next great event on the calendar of God is the translation of the church.
This thrilling occurrence (Forget CGI "Special~effects" this is gonna top em all) will bring about the immediate transfer of every child of God to heaven ( I Thess.4:13-18).
This also will be the signal for the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21), a seven year period of unprecedented sin, anarchy, and judgement on the earth.
Satan's burning ambition from the very beginning has been to replace God, actually to be God, and to sit on His throne.
Strange as it may seem, God will allow the devil to attempt this for a brief period.
Wow!
The last book of the Bible is taken up almost in its entirety with the description of the horrors of the tribulation period.
The Holy Spirit, who has been a deterring, restraining force against evil, will be withdrawn from the earth with the Church (II Thess. 2:6,7).
Satan will then raise up his man, the Antichrist, to assume dictatorship.
At this point, perhaps in order to bring about the consummation of evil and its eventual judgment, God will send upon the earth what is called "strong delusion"; the people will believe Satan's lies (II Thess. 2:11-12).
In an unbelievably short time, the Antichrist will rise to the position of world dictator.
Using peaceful means at first, through the media of religion, politics, and economics, he will climb a short path to the top.
To facilitate this rule of his tool, the devil will give to this depraved man his own wisdom and power.
At first, Antichrist will appear to allow God's name to be honored, but soon he will require worship of the devil on a worldwide scale.
Evidently, the Jewish nation will refuse this when the Man of Sin sets up his image (Matt. 25:15), with the result that the armies of Antichrist will converge upon the Holy Land.
At this earth's darkest hour, relief will come as the heavens part and Christ returns to the earth, to defeat Antichrist and his hosts and to take in His own holy, blessed hands the reins of power.
Then He will set up a Kingdom which shall endure eternally (Rev. 20:1-15).
The devil will be imprisoned in the abyss for 1,000 years, after which he will be released for a season.
During his time of freedom, he will lead a final revolt against God.
Swift judgment (BAM!) will follow, and he will be cast into hell, the lake of fire from which he shall never emerge, not for all eternity (Rev. 20:7-10).
The Antichrist, the false prophet, and the demons will share his fate.
Here is the end of the enemy of God and the foe of his people.
The destiny of Satan is as sure as his past.
God has pre-written his end.
There seems little doubt that in the closing days of this present age of grace, the devil's pernicious activities against the cause of God will be increased greatly (Rev. 12:12).
Not only does Satan continue to direct the vast network of anti God control over the world with its manifold ramifications, but his particular animosity is expressed against the Gospel of Christ and those who proclaim it (II Cor. 4:4).
Satan's supernatural, uncanny and penetrating knowledge should never be underestimated.
His special delight is to bring about the falling into sin and consequent uselessness of the Christian worker.
Knowing full well that within Christians there remains the old sinful nature, the devil uses this means of leading the Lord's people into compromise and sin.
No Christian in himself is a match for this sinister enemy.
With regard to most of the world's activities, that enormous breadth of endeavor and accomplishment, Satan's plan has been that of substitution.
He has used the great advances of science and other achievements. Education has come under his special favor.
The emphasis has been upon man's accomplishments without regard to God's enablement.
Man's selfish pride and love of self have been encouraged to the full.
Anything and everything which contributes to man's self~praise and self~worship have been given wide publicity and acceptance.
On the other hand, anything which would tend to show sinful character of the human heart, and the desperate need of the saving grace of God, has been sidetracked, soft-pedaled, and mocked by the devil.
It is well to repeat: Satan still has access to the very throne of God in heaven.
Frequently he goes there to accuse the saints of unrighteousness (Job 1:6-10).
Notice Revelation 12:9,10, wherein is described the great accuser's eventual fall:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven. Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Satan's warfare against believers is unceasing.
Were it not for the defense of our great Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Christian's position would be in jeopardy (Heb. 7:25).
It is undeniable, from the geological point of view, that earth reflects a long history of chaos and upheaval, and of conditions that are distinctly harmful to life rather than perfectly suited for it.
It can be shown quite easily, from geology, that earliest record of the rocks fits the description of Genesis 1:2.
The six days that followed (1:3-2:1) are generally regarded, by those who hold the reconstruction view, as 24-hour days during which God placed His ruined creation back in order and made it suitable once again for human habitation.
Geologists have considerable difficulty in finding evidence for such a "reconstruction" immediately prior to the advent of the human race.
It is conceivable, of course, that the brief period of the Garden of Eden would not be recorded in geological formations.
There is no universal agreement on the accuracy of the reconstruction interpretation, but it has been taught by some Christian geologists.
It offers a plausible way of accounting for the vast span of geologic time, and of harmonizing that time with the Bible record, particularly as it relates to the fall of Satan and the possible cursing of the earth.
We read that the Spirit of God, who is the Holy Spirit, moved or brooded upon the face of the waters (1:2).
Perhaps this was in preparation for the coming work of God upon the earth.
God caused, first of all, light to emerge.
This was not the creation of the sun or moon, but probably the clearing away of the heavy blanket of foggy atmosphere which had covered the earth.
The work of the other days followed: the vapor was divided, with part remaining in the firmament-space-and part collecting as hugh seas.
The dry land was raised; the earth brough forth its floral offerings; the sun and moon appeared; fish, birds, and animals were created; and finally, all was in readiness for man's habitation.
After God brought into existence all the creatures (uncounted as yet), He surveyed His work and pronounced it "very good" (1:31).
One more matter remained to be accomplished.
The triune God held a conference (1:26) to plan for the creation of a person who was to have dominion over all the earth and its creatures-man himself.
All that was involved in the judgment of Satan is not stated in Scripture.
We do know that he was relieved of his high position; that he lost his nobility, privileges, and glory; that his character became unspeakably despicable, so that he was spoken of by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as " a liar and the father of it" ( John 8:44).
However, he retained access to heaven as an accuser of believers ( Job 1:6; Luke 22:31,32).
It seems evident that in the fall of Satan, many other angels were involved as well. These are described as "the angels which kept not their first estate" ( Jude 6).
Many Bible teachers believe it is these who are referred to as "the third part of the stars of heaven" ( Rev. 12:4).
This would mean that when Satan was driven from his high position, a third of the angelic host followed him in his rebellion against God and His authority.
Some Bible teachers think that these fallen angels are what are known as demons, who are still under the control of Satan, who do his will and war against the power and authority of God.
Others seem to be mentioned as " the angels that sinned...delivered...into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" ( II Pet. 2:4 ).
Three expressions are used to describe the evil spirit beings who are some of Satan's main agents in his warfare against humanity.
First, demon ( Greek, diamonion ). This is the primary expression.
The second expression used in the New Testament to describe an evil spirit is unclean spirit.
The third expression is evil spirit.
There are many demons but only one "devil".
The original King James Version regularly translates daimonion as "devil". Diamonion is a derivative of daimon.
The reference to the original Greek indicates that there are two distinct entities: diamon, which is primary, and daimonion which is derivative.
The english word devil is actually derived from the Greek word diabolos, which has no direct relationship with diamonion.
Diabolos means "slanderer".
In all but three occurrences in the New Testament, it is a title of Satan himself.
In this sense it is used only in singular form.
There are many demons but only one devil.
Satan is given this title because his primary activity is to slander- that is, to defame a person's character.
First and foremost, Satan defames the character of God Himself.
He did this in the Garden of Eden, when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was not treating them fairly by withholding from them the knowledge of good and evil.
Second, Satan defames the character of all those who in any way represent God.
This is his primary weapon against the servants of God.
Jesus expelled demons from people:
At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demonized. And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons, and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. ( Mark 1:32-34 )
Believers expeled demons from people:
And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed [demonized]; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ( Acts 8:6-7 )
This is New Testament evangelism:
The Gospel is preached and the multitudes hear; they see the miracles and casting out of demons and they believe; they are baptized and the Church is established.
A central element is the expelling of demons, which is often accompanied by noisy and disorderly manifestations.
Other features of evangelism vary, but this element is central to evangelism as practiced in the New Testament, first by Jesus, then by His disciples.
What are demons?
Demons are disembodied spirit beings that have an intense craving to occupy physical bodies.
Apparently their first choice is a human body.
Some Bible teachers believe:
1. They are some of the fallen angels associated with Satan in his rebellion against God.
2. They are disembodied spirits of a pre-adamic race that perished under some judgment of God not recorded in detail in Scripture.
Scripture does not provide us with sufficient evidence to say which is correct.
It is believed that the earth was the scene of Lucifers first activity, being, as it were, his headquarters.
So, say some scholars, as a result of God's judgment upon the sin of Lucifer, the earth was cursed, too.
Those who hold this belief say that this is intimated in the opening statements of the Bible where, after it is told that, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," it is declared that the earth was "without form, and void" ( Gen. 1:1,2 )
It is unthinkable that God would create anything that was imperfect, formless, a desolate waste.
His very nature is system and order. He is not the author of confusion.
The difficulty is solved in the substitution of "became" for "was" ( as allowed by the Hebrew), in Genesis 1:2.
The thought is thereby conveyed that while the earth originally was created with all the beauty, precision, and perfection characteristic of God, something happened to it.
Later, it was changed, possibly due to the fall of Satan.
Let us suppose for a moment that daimonions are spirits that once occupied the bodies of members of some pre-Adamic race who led ungodly and sinful lives.
In their present condition, however, they have no way to give expression to the various lusts and passions and emotions they developed in their former bodies.
It is conceivable that they could find some kind of vicarious release by acting out their lusts or passions or emotions through human bodies.
This would explain one dominant characteristic of demons: their intense craving to inhabit and work through human flesh.
"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, "I will return to my house from which I came", and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept and put in order." ( Matthew 12:43-44 )
We need to remember that the Bible records only the history of the race descended from Adam.
In this connection it uses the phrase sons ( or descendants ) of Adam.
It was to redeem the members of this race that Jesus came as "the last Adam" (1 Corinthinans 15:45). If other races existed before Adam, the Bible makes no explicit reference to them.
It may be that neither of the two theories about demons is correct- that they are neither fallen angels nor disembodied spirits from an earlier race of beings.
However demons do exist and they do exert influence over people.
Demons manifest themselves through humanity under many different names.
Although the problem of sin is universal, the problem with demons is not.
Many members of the human race have come under the power of demons, but not all.
There is a close connection between sin and demons.
If mankind had never sinned, we would never have been vulnerable to demons.
And the remedy?
Expel them.
Jesus Christ is the answer!
Admittedly, there are matters in the Scriptures difficult to understand.
One of these, certainly, is the reason for the sin of Lucifer.
Doubtless, both he and the angelic host were endowed with a free will
(Free moral agency).
Yet, how it is possible for him, a being "full of wisdom" and "perfect in his ways" to sin so grievously against God is one of the major mysteries of all time.
A striking passage in Isaiah 14:12-17 seems to suggest the sinfulness of Satan and the enormity of his rebellion against God:
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
"Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
"They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
"That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of his prisoners?"
The beginning of Isaiah 14 has to do with the restoration and blessing of Israel and the world.
Suddenly, however, the spotlight is turned upon the underlying cause of sin and suffering, which is embodied in the person of Satan.
He is addressed as "Lucifer," meaning bright and shining one.
Some Bible scholars believe that this Isaiah passage is prophetic, from the point of view of that coming time when Satan will come to know the full punishment of the wrath of God for his rebellion and transgression against His throne.
The particular interest of this passage lies in the minute examination of the innermost heart of Satan.
Here is the key to his sin.
Here exposed are the motivating forces which caused his mutiny against God.
We must bear in mind that this rebellion occurred long before the time of Adam and Eve, apparently long prior to the period when the earth lay "without form and void" (Gen. 1:2).
Open conflict raged between Satan and God, in heavenly places.
The character of the sin of Lucifer may be divided into five parts, all progressing from the lesser to the greater.
Essentially, the nature of the sin was the desire for self-will.
Lucifer wanted his own way instead of the way of God.
Essentially, this is the root of all sin.
In striking contrast to this was the will of the Lord Jesus Christ when He came into this earth.
During His ministry here, He declared His desire for the Father's will rather than His own.
The difference is sharply outlined when we note that Lucifer five times used the declarative statement, "I will."
Against this we note our Savior's earnest words, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt"; "I come...to do Thy will, O God" (Matt. 26:39; Heb. 10:7 ).
It seems evident that the commission of Lucifer had been to direct the angelic hosts in their various tasks over the universe.
His was also the high honor of guarding the throne of God.
Yet, this did not satisfy him.
As the scripture outlines Lucifer's sin, the desire of his heart seemed to be to rise to ever greater achievements, even to displacing God from His throne.
Note that the first "I will" suggests that Lucifer coveted permanent residence in Heaven ( Isa. 14:13).
The next "I will" indicates that he wanted precedence above all of God's creation.
The term "stars of God" evidently refers to similar mighty angelic creatures, such as the archangel Michael and the might friend of Israel, Gabriel.
The third "I will" of the devil reveals that this creature sought even further recognition and exaltation in a particular part of heaven known as the "mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north."
Perhaps it was in this place that the very high throne of God was located.
All of this wickedness led on to its inevitable conclusion.
Lucifer, so generously endowed with beauty and wisdom, would not be satisfied with anything but the highest honor.
He wanted to "ascend above the heights of the clouds."
In fact, he plotted to be like the Most High.
In this aspiration lay a naked desire to dethrone God, for no one can be like the Most High without displacing Him.
Although hidden in the heart of Lucifer, these virulent ambitions were known to God, before whose eyes all things are "naked and opened" ( Heb. 4:13).
Swift judgement followed.
Lucifer was cast down from his high position to become Satan, the deceiver, the adversary, the archenemy of God and the people of God.
His final doom is sealed, but the execution of that eternal sentence awaits the time and place appointed by God.
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"
Genesis 1:1
When was this?
No one knows.
The Bible does not tell us, but it does tell us that God was before the beginning; that He personally acted in the creation process; that all we see and know of the universe comes specifically from His creative hand.
A study of the earth's surface has led many scientist to believe that it and the universe are very old.
With this the Bible does not disagree.
While the Scriptures do not state the age of the earth categorically, there is some evidence to support the view that the earth went through a long period of inactivity, perhaps as the result of the judgement of God.
The geological ages might accurately describe the earth during that time.
In a segment of eternity, at the beginning of time, God planned and brought into existence both the earth and the universe surrounding it.
God also brought into existence particularly gifted beings called angels.
Spirit beings possessing spirit bodies, they are ageless.
The ministry of the angels seems to have been to fulfill the will of God by overseeing and controlling the star systems and heavenly bodies, and also to control the physical forces governing the earth, such as the seas, winds, rain, etc.
Over this vast multitude of angelic beings, God placed a special being called Lucifer, meaning "Bright and shining one".
This does not refer merely to his spirit body, but also to his mind, his wisdom, his power, his authority.
Apparently, Lucifer was appointed by God as the authoritative leader of the vast host of angels.
An arresting passage in Ezekiel 28:11-19, the subject of which is the Prince of Tyrus, or tyre, reads as follows:
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more.
As one examines the passage, it seems very evident that while the Prince of Tyrus actually is addressed (28:2,12), the message beginning with verse 11 goes far beyond an earthly prince to the king of evil who stood behind him and prompted him in his wicked doings, even Satan himself.
Note the superlatives used in this description.
He is said to be full of wisdom, perfect in beauty and in his ways ( 28:11,15).
Coming from the prophet of God, this statement is a revelation of God's estimate of this infernal spirit being.
Moreover, this person is said to have been in Eden, the garden of God (28:13).
Possibly this is a reference to a former Eden which existed before the Garden of Eden was created, the beauty of which lay not in floral splendor, but in mineral radiance.
Further, the special musical ability of this creature is noted.
We have voices and are able to clap our hands to make sound, he had "tabrets and pipes".
Sounds like an organ of some sort was a part of his being.
In addition, this person is described as being "the anointed cherub that covereth" or protects ( 28:14).
God so appointed Lucifer to guard His throne.
Lucifer was a created being, possibly the most amazing, the most gifted of all beings which God had created.
Yet, iniquity was found in this originally perfect being, with the result that God promised to cast him out and to destroy him (28:16).
The nature of his sin and the method of God's judgement against him are described to some degree (28:17).
A careful study of this and other passages seems to suggest to many Bible scholars that the being here depicted is none other than Lucifer, the captain and leader of the host of the angels.
The judgments concerning him are predicted in this passage, but their complete fulfillment awaits the end of the present age and the further development of the program of God.
Also, he has a burning ambition to exalt himself to the place of deity at the expense of crushing everyone in his path.
He is cruelty, deceit, malice personified.
Yet, Satan always has sought to hide under a cloak of anonymity.
His strategy is to hide his true identity.
First, he suggests to susceptible men that he does not exist at all; that the idea of a devil is but a figment of imagination.
Surprisingly enough, multitudes of people accept this lie.
For them, evil is but the absence of good, and people do wrong simply because they do not do right.
The conception of a wicked spirit who lures them to evil is unthinkable.
Next, Satan likes people to think of him as a leering, tempting joker.
Dressed in a bright red suit, equipped with
horns and a tail and carrying a pitchfork, he is pictured as the monarch
of hell, surrounded by inmates enjoying a rollicking good time.This is the image gleefully seized upon and exploited by the press and comedians and tattoo artist etc...
Nothing pleases Satan more than this unbelievable characterization of himself.
The true nature of Satan is understood by comparatively few. As a consequence, he has plied his nefarious trade to the eternal doom of billions.
His particular targets for attack are those who are God's children by faith in Jesus Christ.
He seeks to nullify their Christian testimony by leading them into sin, and by filling their lives with worldly pursuits and ambitions.
A large part of the answer to this ever present danger is an understanding of the truth regarding Satan.
Every Christian should have firmly fixed in mind the devil's purpose, ambition, and strategy. Coupled with this should be a healthy respect for his power.
With this knowledge, the Christian will understand that he cannot live a successful life in his own strength.
Then he will learn that God never intended he should, but that the power of the risen Christ would be available moment by moment to bring victory over Satan's wiles.
THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD
The word omniscience is not, strictly speaking, a biblical term.
The word itself is not found in the Bible.
It is a philosophical/theological word that has come into wide usage because, like the word trinity, it correctly describes the biblical evidence.
The word means to see or know all things.
Time dims our remembrance of much that has happened.
God is not like that.
He always knows what is past, present, and future, for he is omniscient.
Job 37:16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge?
1 John 3:19-20 [19] This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence [20] whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Psalms 147:5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
He sees all that occurs in every place and keeps watch upon the just and the wicked.
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
God knows everything in nature, every star and every sparrow.
Psalms 147:4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
He watches all mankind and considers each person's works. He sees the ways of men, and He examines all each man's goings.
Psalms 33:13-15 [13] From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; [14] from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth -- [15] he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
Proverbs 5:21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.
He watches all mankind and considers each person's works. He sees the ways of men, and He examines all each man's goings.
Psalms 33:13-15 [13] From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; [14] from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth -- [15] he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
Proverbs 5:21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.
He knows all man's deeds and experiences.
Psalms 139:2-3 [2] You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. [3] You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
He knows all man's words.
Psalms 139:4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
He knows all man's sorrows.
Exodus 3:7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering."
It seems sometimes as if He does not know man's sorrows. It must have seemed so sometimes to Israel in Egypt, but He did, and in time He proved it.
He understands all our motives. He understands our thoughts from a distance.
Psalms 139:1-2 [1] O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. [2] You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
1 Chronicles 28:9 And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
God's knowledge extends to minutest particulars.
Matthew 10:29-30 [29] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. [30] And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
God has always known everything that will ever happen.
Acts 15:16-18 [16] 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, [17] that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' [18] that have been known for ages.
Isaiah 46:9-10 [9] Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. [10] I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please
God knows from the beginning what each individual man will do.
1 Peter 1:20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Mark 13:32 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Matthew 20:17-19 [17] Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, [18] "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death [19] and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
Exodus 3:19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him.
Acts 3:17-18 [17] Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. [18] But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.
2 Kings 7:1-2 [1] Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria." [2] The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" "You will see it with your own eyes," answered Elisha, "but you will not eat any of it!"
Psalms 41:9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Galatians 1:15-17 [15] But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased [16] to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, [17] nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
1 Peter 1:1-2 [1] ... To God's elect, ... [2] who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
The whole plan of the ages and each man's part in it has been known to God from all eternity.
Ephesians 1:9-12 [9] And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment -- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. [11] In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, [12] in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 3:6, 8-9 [6] This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. ... [8] ... I am ... to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
Colossians 1:25-26 [25] I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness -- [26] the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
There are no afterthoughts with God. Well may we exclaim:
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
Satan wanted to be like God! He declared:
1. Isaiah 14:14
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
And we all know what happened to him:
Satan's burning ambition from the very beginning has been to replace God, actually to be God, and to sit on His throne. Strange as it may seem, God will allow the devil to attempt this for a brief period. Wow!
The last book of the Bible is taken up almost in its entirety with the description of the horrors of the tribulation period. The Holy Spirit, who has been a deterring, restraining force against evil, will be withdrawn from the earth with the Church (II Thess. 2:6,7).
Satan will then raise up his man, the Antichrist, to assume dictatorship. At this point, perhaps in order to bring about the consummation of evil and its eventual judgement, God will send upon the earth what is called "strong delusion"; the people will believe Satan's lies (II Thess. 2:11-12).
In an unbelievably short time, the Antichrist will rise to the position of world dictator. Using peaceful means at first, through the media of religion, politics, and economics, he will climb a short path to the top. To facilitate this rule of his tool, the devil will give to this depraved man his own wisdom and power.
At first, Antichrist will appear to allow God's name to be honored, but soon he will require worship of the devil on a worldwide scale. Evidently, the Jewish nation will refuse this when the Man of Sin sets up his image (Matt. 25:15), with the result that the armies of Antichrist will converge upon the Holy Land.
At this earth's darkest hour, relief will come as the heavens part and Christ returns to the earth, to defeat Antichrist and his hosts and to take in His own holy, blessed hands the reins of power.
Then He will set up a Kingdom which shall endure eternally (Rev. 20:1-15).
The destiny of Satan is as sure as his past.
God has pre-written his end.
There seems little doubt that in the closing days of this present age of grace, the devil's pernicious activities against the cause of God will be increased greatly (Rev. 12:12).
Not only does Satan continue to direct the vast network of anti God control over the world with its manifold ramifications, but his particular animosity is expressed against the Gospel of Christ and those who proclaim it (II Cor. 4:4).
Satan's supernatural, uncanny and penetrating knowledge should never be underestimated. His special delight is to bring about the falling into sin and consequent uselessness of the Christian worker.
Knowing full well that within Christians there remains the old sinful nature, the devil uses this means of leading the Lord's people into compromise and sin.
No Christian in himself is a match for this sinister enemy.
There are still those today who want to be like God.
Knowing all things.
Not hard to understand who is behind their activities!
With regard to most of the world's activities, that enormous breadth of endeavor and accomplishment, Satan's plan has been that of substitution.
He has used the great advances of science and other achievements.
Education has come under his special favor.
The emphasis has been upon man's accomplishments without regard to God's enablement.
Man's selfish pride and love of self have been encouraged to the full.
Anything and everything which contributes to man's self~praise and self~worship have been given wide publicity and acceptance.
On the other hand, anything which would tend to show sinful character of the human heart, and the desperate need of the saving grace of God, has been sidetracked, soft-pedaled, and mocked by the devil.
It is well to repeat: Satan still has access to the very throne of God in heaven.
Frequently he goes there to accuse the saints of unrighteousness (Job 1:6-10).
Notice Revelation 12:9,10, wherein is described the great accuser's eventual fall:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven. Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Satan's warfare against believers is unceasing. Were it not for the defense of our great Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Christian's position would be in jeopardy (Heb. 7:25).
Leaders of these false systems are described in Paul's inspired critique.
They are said to "Speak lies in hypocrisy," which means that they know better, but still deal in these spurious teachings.
They are hypocrites.
In their hearts they are aware that their systems are fraudulent.
The consciences of false teachers are seared, hardened by sin.
Conscience is a God-implanted instrument to help men to recognize error and to turn from it.
But conscience can be ignored.
When continually disregarded, it becomes inoperable and fails to warn the sinner.
This is what has happened to demon~influenced teachers.
No one knows how many demons there are in the spiritual realm around the earth...but they are there none the less...loose, free to do the treacherous will of Satan until their final doom with their fiendish master.
Influence of human beings is clearly presented in Scripture.
Although the subject is not prominently featured in the Old Testament, the New Testament abounds in references to demon influence and expulsions.
Just how is it possible for a spirit being to indwell and control a human being for evil purposes is not explained in the Word of God.
Yet, of course, there is the antithetical truth that the child of God is both indwelt and directed by the Holy Spirit.
Belief in the possibility of demon influence is increased when we remember that the natural human being possesses a fallen nature.
He is far from God.
He is easily susceptible to Satanic error, and already is a member of the worldly kingdom of Satan; so in a sense, he is ruled by Satanic suggestion.
It is not to far a step to believe that the body of the natural man can be indwelt by a member of the demonic host.
This is not to suggest that all people who are not Christians are demon~controlled, but rather that there may be a thin line between the lost, depraved natural man and the demon~influenced soul.
There is no reason to believe that demonic control is not possible today.
In fact, there are documented instances of demonic influence (like that described in Scripture) and expellsion on every mission field.
Demon control seems to prevail in backward unevangelized lands.
Nor is there reason to believe that demonic control cannot assume more enlightened aspects in this century.
That is to say, while the goal of Satan is the same, to bring more and more of the world's population under his control, his method of using his demons could be, so to speak, on a higher plane.
Satan could dispatch his evil demons to indwell business leaders, college presidents, unbelieving theologians, and liberal ministers.
Creating "Social gospels" of secular humanism, that lead no one to repentance at the cross of Christ for salvation.
Making Christ just an "enlightened one" who was very good and someone who taught us how to live, not our Savior.
"Demonized" people are not "Possessed".
A person is not "owned" by a devil or a demon.
Unfortunately this is an area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations of Scripture.
The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament.
The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize, which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence."
In the New Testament this verb occurs in the passive form: "to be demonized."
In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils."
Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form of words is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership.
To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon.
But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "subject to demonic influence."
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance.
It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence."
It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession.
Personally I believe that every born~again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him.
It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, Christians can be subject to demonic influences.
Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not yet come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
It is these areas that may still be an open door to demonic influence.
Which explains how some seemly spiritual men of God can suddenly do unexpected acts of carnality, like I described at the beginning of this study on Satan.
Be on guard and ever watchful with the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Word of God and the shoes of the Good News...because your enemy goes to and fro like a lion, seeking whom he may deceive, the very wise if he may.
Two Kingdoms ...
There is a great Kingdom of God in the world.
This Kingdom is entered into only by personal faith in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When one realizes his utterly lost condition, due to his sinful deeds; believes in his heart that Christ actually died for him, and trusts that Saviour, a miracle takes place.
That person is transformed immediately into a legitimate child of God, with all his sins forgiven.
He becomes a recipient of all the rights and privileges of sonship.
This transformation is called becoming a Christian, being converted, being born~again (Romans 6:23; John 3:3-7, 16-18; Eph. 2:8,9).
A spiritual relationship is thus created between the believer and God the Father; the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior, the Holy Spirit, the indwelling Guide.
The main sphere of activity for the believer in this hostile world is the local church, organized to provide instruction, encouragement, and opportunities to futhur the will and work of God.
An outstanding mark of God's presence in this Kingdom is the willing confession to the effectiveness of the work of Jesus Christ and the worthiness of His Person.
True believers give wholehearted testimony to the fact that Christ is the second person of the blessed Trinity; that He was the One predicted on the pages of the Old Testament.
In the fullness of time, He was born of a virgin, in Bethlehem of Judea.
At about the age of 30, this person called Jesus of Nazareth began His public ministry.
For three and one-half years, He publicly demonstrated His claims to deity.
He healed the sick and cleansed the lepers.
He forgave and cleansed the sinful and raised the dead.
He spoke as none other had ever spoken.
All of this was but a preliminary to the death of Jesus. Although it was by cruel and wicked hands that he was apprehended and crucified, the record is clear.
No one could have laid hands upon the Son of God without His own permission.
He freely offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 10:17,18).
One day, while the sun hid its face, and the earth shuddered, Jesus Christ died as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world.
In three days, He rose from the dead.
Some days later, promising to return, He ascended to heaven.
The Kingdom of God is limited to those who have embraced this confession and received the Savior.
In the New Testament this body of believers is called the Church ( Eph.5:23; Col.1:18,24).
There is another kingdom in the world.
This is the kingdom of evil, with the devil as its father.
On one occasion the Lord Jesus Christ was disputing with some very religious Jews.
In their foolish pride they were boasting of their ancestral connection with Abraham and disparaging Christ's claims concerning God, His heavenly Father.
To these the Lord spoke some astonishing truth:
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44).
This is indeed amazing and terrifying.
If these self-righteous Pharisees were said to have Satan as their father, and if membership in the Kingdom of God is entered into only by personal faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour, then it would seem as if almost the entire world holds membership in the kingdom of evil, and is related to Satan as their father.
The apostle John, writing some years later, states this very thing:
"And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth [is under the power] of the wicked one [that is, the devil]" ( I John 5:19)
Many people would concede that there are some unfortunate people in the world under the control of the devil.
These would include the vile, the drunken, thieves, adulterers, and blasphemers.
While undoubtedly such sinners are in the kingdom of evil, their sinful activities can be traced to the innate transgressions of the human heart (Jer.17:9; Matt. 15:19).
The scope of the devil's sway is far wider than that of the realm of the overtly evil, the outwardly sinful.
Any who are not to be found under the banner of the crucified and risen Saviour are included.
Satan disapproves of gross sinful display.
His inner desire is for worship. The drunkard in the gutter is no credit to him.
Satan would be God, and so makes a bid for the intellectual, the liberal, the highly cultured.
Any who do not sincerely own Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour find their place in the kingdom of evil.
Satan is the head of that kingdom and is become their father.
This is not a flattering position in which to be in, but it is true as the words of Christ Himself.
Depart from and repudiation of this brotherhood of the devil is accomplished when one turns to Christ and trusts Him, believing the Gospel.
The believer is translated from the kingdom of evil into the Kingdom of God's dear Son (Col. 1:13).
Do you know Jesus?
Have you turned from your sin and asked Him into your heart?
Defeat at the cross...
It seems evident that when Satan caused our first parents to sin in the Garden of Eden, he wrested from them the authority with which God had intended them to rule over His dominions.
From that day to this, Satan has been the prince of this world.
Both the physical world and mankind have been under his control.
This is revealed in the temptation of the Lord (Matt. 4:8,9).
Satan showed Christ the kingdoms of the world in panorama.
He offered to give Christ those kingdoms if He would but fall down and worship him.
This offer of Satan seems a hollow boast until we realize that he did ruthlessly seize control of the earth from Adam.
So his proposition to Christ was a bona fide one.
One of the reasons our Lord came into this world was to regain from Satan the authority which he wrongfully possessed.
God's method of doing this was to deal completely with the matter of sin.
It is the fact of sin which gives power to Satan.
When sin entered the human picture, Adam and Eve became slaves to it.
Satan, who had brought about their temptation, assumed control over the physical world and the world of human beings.
Yet, God ultimately holds control, and no one is more aware of this than Satan.
The earth, its physical forces, and its human life, are intrinsically God's.
It has pleased the Lord to refrain from instant (BAM!) destruction of Satan, in order to bring about a complete and final reckoning with sin.
Essentially, Satan is the evil person he became because of his sin.
In like manner, human beings are lost, sinful creatures because of their sin.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to deal with sin once and for all.
He is in Himself God's complete answer to this question.
Whereas, the penalty of sin is death, the death of Christ fully paid the penalty.
Sin was thus acknowledged to be what God says it is.
But the penalty of this virulent thing is overcome.
The price is paid.
Death for the sinner is accomplished in the death of the sinner's substitute (Rom. 5:6-8).
In His death, Christ also destroyed or nullified the authority of Satan ( I John 3:8; Heb. 2:14).
It is by the cross that the false claims of Satan were invalidated.
The cross, in all its horror, was a mighty victory for God and righteousness.
It was the declaration of deliverance and liberty for all those enslaved by Satan.
As of that moment, Satan's defeat, which had been prophesied, was demonstrated.
"And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it [ the cross]" (Col.2:15).
New Testament Opposition...
In the New Testament the truth concerning the devil receives full treatment.
While Satan always has been bitterly opposed to the will and the way of God, his most powerful hostility is exercised against the incarnate Son of God.
The devil understood that the Incarnation was the method by which God intended ultimately to bring the plans of Satan to final and complete judgment.
Therefore, the fiend marshaled his forces to thwart in every way the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
At the time of the Saviour's birth, Satan instigated the beastly plot through Herod the Great to destroy the infant King (Matt. 1:16-18).
At the age of 12, the Boy Jesus was overlooked and left behind by preoccupied parents (Luke 2:42-49).
A number of times during the three and one half years of Christ's ministry on the earth, attempts were made upon His life (John 5:18).
At Nazareth, the religious leaders, inspired by Satan, attempted to push Him over a cliff.
In the temple, they took up stones to kill Him. Leaders of the people sent officers to arrest Him.
However, it was in the Garden of Gethsemane that the fiercest battle was waged.
Christ had known in advance of this imminent conflict with the devil.
He had announced, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me" (John 14:30).
This meant that the victory was not to be Satan's. There was nothing in Him to which Satan could appeal.
The death of Christ had been prophesied.
It must be accomplished on the cross- the Lamb of God dying for the sins of the world.
If this death occurred in any other way, the Word of God would be nullified.
In the darkened heart of a fiend was the plot to crush out the life of the Son of God as He prayed.
The words of the suffering Saviour are the strongest that the original Greek contains.
Christ said His soul was "exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death" (Matt.26:38).
The evangelist Mark wrote that the Lord was "sore amazed and very heavy" (Mark14:33).
Luke tells of "an agony...his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44).
It is the prayer of the Savior that the intensity of the struggle is revealed.
Three times He asked the Father that if He were willing, this cup should pass from Him.
It is unthinkable that Christ was referring to His death on the morrow.
He had set His face to go straight to the cross.
The cup of Gethsemane was death by unseen demon forces.
God sent an angel to strengthen His Son, and Satan was defeated in his attempt to kill Christ.
Old Testament Incident...
Following the victory in the Garden of Eden, Satan is next seen in sharp outline in his contention with God about saintly Job.
The time is about 2000 BC. Job, a very rich land owner in the land of UZ, was outstanding in his spiritual life.
Even the testimony of God concerning him was to the effect that Job was "a perfect [mature] and upright man, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil" (Job 1:1).
The style of writing employed in the inspired book of Job is that of poetic religious drama.
The first scene shows the prosperity, happiness, and righteousness of Job.
The next scene shifts to heaven and the throne of God.
Evidently, this is one of the occasions on which the various angels in charge of administering the Lord's vast holdings in the earth came to report on the state of the universe.
We note that in brazen shamelessness Satan accompanies them to give his report of earthly conditions.
God challenges Satan by calling his attention to the blameless character of His servant Job.
Satan counters by arguing that Job lives righteously simply because God grants him favors; he finds that it pays off handsomely to serve the Lord.
Satan's fiendish insinuation is that Job is not serving from a sincere, loving heart, but for strictly selfish reasons. Satan's challenge to God is that if Job were stripped of his abundance, he would turn on God and curse Him to His face.
How amazing is the effrontery of this impudent, vindictive, irreverent creature!
One wonders that God does not immediately blast him into nonexistence...BAM!
But God intends to use Satan.
He gives permission for Satan to take from Job all his possessions but not his health nor his life.
Exulting, Satan goes from the presence of the Lord to afflict the innocent Job.
The next scene is that day of unspeakable tragedy.
In one 24~hour period, Job is subjected to a succession of unthinkable catastrophes, which leave him without possessions, home, children.
Yet, the scene closes with Job's bowing before the will of God and in complete sincerity resigning himself to whatever God will send.
Job does not blame God nor charge Him with wrong motives.
Placing himself in the hands of the Lord, he bows his heart before Him and waits.
Really, the victory here is one for God.
It is proven that God has not purchased the loyalty of Job with His bounteous gifts.
Satan is utterly wrong.
His charge that God is acting in duplicity is in error. God and His faithful servant Job are completely vindicated.
The drama continues. The next scene is another report day, when the sons of God (the angels) present themselves before the Lord.
As previously, Satan comes with them.
Again God throws down the challenge to Satan with reference to Job.
Satan's scathing reply is that he is still right, and that Job's loyalty to God is only "skin deep".
If Job's health were taken from him, Satan contends, his false character would be only too apparent.
Again God consents, giving Satan permission to afflict Job in his body, but not to kill him.
Satan gleefully goes forth to lay upon Job's body an excruciatingly painful and loathsome disease.
The writer of the Book of Job continues with a long discussion by four friends of Job, on questions to his misfortunes.
They have come to comfort, but they remain to blame him. Job, though somewhat shaken, again yields himself to the will of God and accepts from Him what He has allowed.
God is vindicated once more in His faith in His servant.
Some startling facts appear here. Evidently Satan is in possession of considerable power in the earth.
He seems to have authority to stir up robbers, brigands, and thugs to attack and rob Job (1:15,16).
Evidently, to some degree he controls the wind and sends it forth in fury (1:19). He sends down fire (lightning) from heaven (1:16).
Notice a still more striking fact:
Satan has access to heaven, to the throne of God, is able to talk with the Lord, and even to contradict Him.
Many reasoned that such an encounter of the Holy God with a creature so vile would be impossible.
The very holiness of God, it is said, would reach out to turn the creature into oblivion...BAM!
But this is not so, for Satan came not only once but twice into the presence of God with the angels.
Consider, too, the well-known character of Satan again asserting itself.
He is the enemy of God and the accuser of the people of God.
The purpose of his appearance before God was to vilify the character of one of God's servants whom God already had declared perfect and upright.
A New Testament counterpart to Job, in a way, was the apostle Peter, as pictured in Luke 22:31.
Our Lord revealed to Peter that Satan had requested permission to "sift him as wheat", to tempt God's servant. This was granted, with the sad result that Peter grievously sinned.
He failed the test.
The significant teaching in this is that Satan's machinations, although cunning, are restricted.
HE COULD NOT TOUCH JOB'S POSSESSIONS NOR HIS HEALTH WITHOUT GOD'S EXPRESS PERMISSION.
Nor dared he to tempt Peter until the Lord allowed him to do so.
Satan's Demons...
The Scriptures indicate that the work of Satan is accomplished by a host of spirit beings called "demons".
The meaning of the Greek word daimonion is demon.
Daimonion, occurs about sixty times in the gospels, Acts and Revelation. "Demons" are "unclean spirit" and also "evil spirits".
The original King James Version regularly translates daimonion as "devil".
This has led to endless confusion. The English word devil is actually derived from the Greek word diabolos, which has no direct relationship with daimonion.
Diabolos means "slanderer". In all but three occurrences in the New Testament, it is a title of Satan himself.
In this sense it is used only in the singular form.
There are many demons but only one devil.
Satan is given this title because his primary activity is to slander- that is, to defame a person's character.
First and foremost, Satan defames the character of God Himself in the Garden of Eden, when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was not treating them fairly by withholding from them the knowledge of good and evil.
Second, Satan defames the character of all those who in any way represent God.
This is his primary weapon against the servants of God.
All the main translations subsequent to the KJV have observed the distinction between diabolos and daimonion, and have translated diabolos as "devil" and daimonion as "demon".
Unfortunately, there is another area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations.
The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament.
The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize , which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence".
In the New Testament this verb occurs only in the passive form: "to be demonized".
In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils".
Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership.
To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon.
But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "to subject to demonic influence".
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance.
It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence".
It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by a demon", or worse still, to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession.
Personally I believe that every born again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him.
It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, a born again Christian can be subjected to demonic influences.
Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
It is these areas that may still be subject to demonic influence.
The child of God is warned that he is faced with certain spiritual enemies (Eph. 6:11,12).
First the devil is named, then reference is made to "spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places".
Also, there is mention made of "the prince of the power of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience" (Eph.2:2).
It seems clear enough that the warning includes the multitudes of demons who join in the warfare Satan is waging against God and the people of God.
These beings possess non-material bodies.
Yet, they are personalities, as Satan is a personality.
They operate above the laws of the natural realm and are invisible.
As spirit beings, they have an intellectual nature and seem to possess superhuman knowledge.
Without doubt, they are present in certain spiritualistic phenomena for occultist purposes of today.
They masquerade as spirits of the departed through channelers.
As to their moral nature, like their head they are evil and depraved.
This is in contrast to the angels of God, who are sinless.
The moral depravity of demons is shown in Scripture by the harmful effects some of them produced in their victims (Mark 1:26; Luke 4:35).
Fleshly uncleanness and base sensual gratifications are the result of demon influence over the human personality.
Demons figure largely in the moral collapse of any people who yield to gross sinfulness.
Our Lord had many bouts with the demon world.
Demons seemed to know who He was (Mark 1:24); they acknowledged Him as God's Son (Mark 5:7); they obeyed Him (Matt.8:16); they sought to conceal His Savior hood ( I John 4:1-3).
This host of evil creatures opposes God's purposes and hinders man's welfare.
Eventually, all demons will be consigned to the lake of fire and brimstone, along with Satan, where they will be Tormented forever (Matt.25:41; Rev. 20:10).
The Devil's Doom...
What lies ahead for this fiend?
A great deal, and his time is short.
The next great event on the calendar of God is the translation of the church.
This thrilling occurrence (Forget "Special~effects" this is gonna top em all) will bring about the immediate transfer of every child of God to heaven ( I Thess.4:13-18).
This also will be the signal for the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21), a seven year period of unprecedented sin, anarchy, and judgement on the earth.
Satan's burning ambition from the very beginning has been to replace God, actually to be God, and to sit on His throne.
Strange as it may seem, God will allow the devil to attempt this for a brief period.
Wow!
The last book of the Bible is taken up almost in its entirety with the description of the horrors of the tribulation period.
The Holy Spirit, who has been a deterring, restraining force against evil, will be withdrawn from the earth with the Church (II Thess. 2:6,7).
Satan will then raise up his man, the Antichrist, to assume dictatorship.
At this point, perhaps in order to bring about the consummation of evil and its eventual judgment, God will send upon the earth what is called "strong delusion"; the people will believe Satan's lies (II Thess. 2:11-12).
In an unbelievably short time, the Antichrist will rise to the position of world dictator.
Using peaceful means at first, through the media of religion, politics, and economics, he will climb a short path to the top.
To facilitate this rule of his tool, the devil will give to this depraved man his own wisdom and power.
At first, Antichrist will appear to allow God's name to be honored, but soon he will require worship of the devil on a worldwide scale.
Evidently, the Jewish nation will refuse this when the Man of Sin sets up his image (Matt. 25:15), with the result that the armies of Antichrist will converge upon the Holy Land.
At this earth's darkest hour, relief will come as the heavens part and Christ returns to the earth, to defeat Antichrist and his hosts and to take in His own holy, blessed hands the reins of power.
Then He will set up a Kingdom which shall endure eternally (Rev. 20:1-15).
The devil will be imprisoned in the abyss for 1,000 years, after which he will be released for a season.
During his time of freedom, he will lead a final revolt against God.
Swift judgment (BAM!) will follow, and he will be cast into hell, the lake of fire from which he shall never emerge, not for all eternity (Rev. 20:7-10).
The Antichrist, the false prophet, and the demons will share his fate.
Here is the end of the enemy of God and the foe of his people.
Satan's Future...
The destiny of Satan is as sure as his past. God has pre-written his end.
There seems little doubt that in the closing days of this present age of grace, the devil's pernicious activities against the cause of God will be increased greatly (Rev. 12:12).
Not only does Satan continue to direct the vast network of antiGod control over the world with its manifold ramifications, but his particular animosity is expressed against the Gospel of Christ and those who proclaim it (II Cor. 4:4).
Satan's supernatural, uncanny and penetrating knowledge should never be underestimated.
His special delight is to bring about the falling into sin and consequent uselessness of the Christian worker.
Knowing full well that within Christians there remains the old sinful nature, the devil uses this means of leading the Lord's people into compromise and sin.
No Christian in himself is a match for this sinister enemy.
With regard to most of the world's activities, that enormous breadth of endeavor and accomplishment, Satan's plan has been that of substitution.
He has used the great advances of science and other achievements. Education has come under his special favor.
The emphasis has been upon man's accomplishments without regard to God's enablement.
Man's selfish pride and love of self have been encouraged to the full.
Anything and everything which contributes to man's self~praise and self~worship have been given wide publicity and acceptance.
On the other hand, anything which would tend to show sinful character of the human heart, and the desperate need of the saving grace of God, has been sidetracked, soft-pedaled, and mocked by the devil.
It is well to repeat: Satan still has access to the very throne of God in heaven.
Frequently he goes there to accuse the saints of unrighteousness (Job 1:6-10).
Notice Revelation 12:9,10, wherein is described the great accuser's eventual fall:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven.
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Satan's warfare against believers is unceasing.
Were it not for the defense of our great Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Christian's position would be in jeopardy (Heb. 7:25).
Satan's Ministers...(Ministries?)
The apostle Paul had no easy task. Satan opposed him at every turn.
After Paul had come to a community, faithfully preached the Gospel, and there established a church, his footsteps were dogged by false teachers who sought to destroy the work God had established through him.
Under the inspiration of the Spirit, Paul revealed the true character of those false teachers:
"For such are false [scammers] apostles, deceitful [dishonest] workers, transforming themselves [masquerading posers] into the apostles of Christ."
And no marvel; For Satan himself is transformed [masquerades] into an angel of light."
Therefore it is no great thing [surprise] if his ministers also be transformed [masquerade] as the ministers of righteousness; [Hebraic restoration, remnant restoration,etc...] whose end [doom] shall be according to their work" (II Cor. 11:13-15).
The false teachers of whom the Apostle spoke here were mainly Judaizing teachers.
Their teaching was that Christ was not sufficient; that God's revelation to the Jews was still in force; that it was necessary for new Christians to be circumcised, to observe the Sabbath, to keep the Law of Moses.
Obviously, Satan has no aversion to religion as such.
So much of it is not hostile to him and does his kingdom no harm.
Rather, this seems to be one of his most useful media.
Whereas, Judaism originally had been a revelation from God, until Christ fulfilled it every jot and tittle, in Paul's day it had become false teaching, denying that Christ had come.
Those who continued to teach it were under the control of Satan, said the Apostle.
Later there were to arise many heresies, stressing one particular teaching to the disparagement of others.
These, too, came under the category of Satanic teaching.
The norm or standard for the recognition of the true and the false was given clearly by the Apostle John:
"Beloved, believe not every spirit [do not believe every so~called spiritual utterance], but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone into the world. "
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God [in this way you can recognize the Spirit of God]:
Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh [in human form] is of God:
"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of Antichrist [this is the utterance of Antichrist], whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world" (I John 4:1-3, KJV and The Amplified Bible)
Note the wide latitude with which Satan operates.
First he hides his diabolical nature and masquerades as a minister of light.
This is in accord with his true character as a deceitful counterfeit, who stoops to anything to bring about the accomplishment of his will.
This includes the complete damnation of human souls for whom the fiend cares nothing.
He only wants them to share his final doom.
Satan distorts the doctrines of God.
These teachings are the things of God and properly belong in the category of those who love God and his Son.
But Satan wrests them from their rightful context and for purposes of deception uses them to mislead and delude.
The same treachery is found in Satan's ministers.
They, too, masquerade as exponents of righteousness.
They clothe themselves in a cloak of duplicity and misrepresentation.
All of this is done knowingly.
Deep in the heart of the Satanic minister is the knowledge that all of this is false, double-dealing, sinful. But the conscience of this faithless minister does not operate.
He does not alter his life, but continues to be a fraud, a phony.
Much of what the world acknowledges as Christianity is both admitted by and promulgated by the devil in his system.
The lifeless, ritualistic forms with their various manifestations are not in any way offensive to the Satanic program.
These are the "saying" of prayers, counting beads, burning candles, various orders of meaningless service.
In fact, anything religious which seems to soothe the soul without the necessity of accepting the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is permissible.
Great unspiritual church organizations lend themselves to Satanic cooperation, especially when they devote themselves to world movements for peace, social betterment, and the alleviation of disease and poverty, without the Gospel message of the Savior from sin.
Particularly does Satan work in the field of the aesthetic.
He would be enthusiastic about Hugh church buildings, massive pipe organs, richly clad clergy.
All of these outward trappings tend to take the mind and heart of the seeker after God from that which is vitally important to that which is only counterfeit.
The way to determine whether a religion is true or false is to consider the place given Christ in its teaching.
Is He the center?
Is the emphasis on His virgin birth, His sinless life, His vicarious death, His physical resurrection, His eternal deity?
Satan's cults...
In his battle against God for the souls of men, one of the most successful tactics Satan has used is to offer imitation religions.
Such religions are patterned closely after the true worship of God.
In times past Satan has tried various methods to defeat the truth, such as frontal assaults by burning of Bibles, persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death of Christians.
In this previous century the main attack was on the veracity of the text of Scripture.
However, the emphasis in these "latter times" seems to be that of counterfeiting, offering mankind elaborate systems of religion, devoid of the one element which will lift lost humanity; that is, the saving work of the Son of God on the cross.
We call these false systems cults.
The Apostle Paul specifically warns of them:
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly [distinctly declares], that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits [deceiving spirits], and doctrines of devils [the things that demons teach, channeling etc...];
"Speaking lies in hypocrisy [doing this through hypocrisy of liars]; having their conscience seared with a hot iron [men with seared consciences]; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats [these teachers forbid certain kinds of food], which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth [foods which God created for our enjoyment]...
"If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ" (I Tim 4:1-3,6, KJV and the Amplified Bible).
We note in this passage the predicted growth of the cult attack.
The "latter times" are the end of the age of grace, a time which is now upon us.
The Holy Spirit has borne distinct witness to this type of assault.
First, He showed that it would take place when some would leave the faith, the true worship of God, to turn to the teachings of deceiving spirits.
No reason is given for this apostasy, except that perhaps some people succumb to error because they have not been rooted and grounded in the truth.
Evidently the apostasy is to be composed of numbers who claimed to be believers at one time.
The false system to which weak Christians sometimes are drawn is dominated and directed by deceiving spirits, without doubt, evil spirits.
The teaching is designated as that of demons.
Recognizing that in spite of his cunning the devil rarely has been known to originate teaching- rather to counterfeit it- it is implied here that the teaching of demons will be much like the truth, but without the power thereof.
It is not difficult to see today a startling fulfillment of this prophecy before our very eyes.
Scores of cults calling themselves churches.
Their leaders are called ministers; they sing Gospel hymns; their choirs perform; they have Sunday Schools, missionary programs, humanitarian interests.
So, to the uninitiated, they cannot be distinguished from the true church of Christ.
Some cults use the Bible or part of it.
They loudly proclaim that they subscribe to the Bible's teachings as well as to their own particular books.
In actual practice, however, they select from the scriptures only those teachings which do not conflict with their particular brand of deception.
In no way do they subscribe to or teach the whole Bible of the complete truth about the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Shakespeare never spoke more truly than when he wrote:
"The devil can site Scripture for his purpose."
Cultists take verses out of context and deal as deceitfully with the Word of God as with its Author.
Leaders of these false systems are described in Paul's inspired critique.
They are said to "Speak lies in hypocrisy," which means that they know better, but still deal in these spurious teachings.
They are hypocrites.
In their hearts they are aware that their systems are fraudulent.
The consciences of false teachers are seared, hardened by sin.
Conscience is a God-implanted instrument to help men to recognize error and to turn from it.
But conscience can be ignored.
When continually disregarded, it becomes inoperable and fails to warn the sinner.
This is what has happened to demon~influenced teachers.
Part of their teaching lies in the field of human relations.
They attempt to interfere with marriage and the home. They pay attention to non-essentials, making a great matter out of the eating of meats and certain foods.
In the New Testament, there is no prohibition against any food.
Paul declared that all foods are to be received with thanksgiving.
The most noteworthy feature about cults is their subtlety.
They are supported by the cunning of the fiend.
The wisdom of demons guides them.
Great numbers of people are deceived by them.
Often cultists espouse charitable or humanitarian causes.
They make a great show of worldly wisdom.
They are rich and increased with goods.
Their buildings, for the most part, are extensive and their appointments expensive.
In the eyes of the world, they are a success.
Actually, they are poor and miserable, blind and naked.
They are dishonesty personified, and they are bound, eventually, for the lake of fire.
Demon Influence...
No one knows how many demons there are in the spiritual realm around the earth...but they are there none the less...loose, free to do the treacherous will of Satan until their final doom with their fiendish master.
Influence of human beings is clearly presented in Scripture.
Although the subject is not prominently featured in the Old Testament, the New Testament abounds in references to demon influence and expulsion.
Just how is it possible for a spirit being to indwell and control a human being for evil purposes is not explained in the Word of God.
Yet, of course, there is the antithetical truth that the child of God is both indwelt and directed by the Holy Spirit.
Belief in the possibility of demon influence is increased when we remember that the natural human being possesses a fallen nature.
He is far from God.
He is easily susceptible to Satanic error, and already is a member of the worldly kingdom of Satan; so in a sense, he is ruled by Satanic suggestion.
It is not to far a step to believe that the body of the natural man can be indwelt by a member of the demonic host.
This is not to suggest that all people who are not Christians are demon~controlled, but rather that there may be a thin line between the lost, depraved natural man and the demon~influenced soul.
In the New Testament times, demonstrations of demonic control were usually physical and violent (Matt. 9:32,33; 12:22-30; Mark 9:22; Luke 8:26-36).
Demons were seen to bring about in men sickness, dumbness, deafness, deformity, insanity, and suicidal mania.
The Lord did not explain how such affliction comes to be, but taught that such control is of Satan (Luke 11:14-26; 13:16).
There is no reason to believe that demonic control is not possible today. In fact, there are documented instances of demonic influence (like that described in Scripture) and expulsion on every mission field.
Demon control seems to prevail in backward unevangelized lands.
Nor is there reason to believe that demonic control cannot assume more enlightened aspects in this century.
That is to say, while the goal of Satan is the same, to bring more and more of the world's population under his control, his method of using his demons could be, so to speak, on a higher plane.
Satan could dispatch his evil demons to indwell business leaders, college presidents, unbelieving theologians, and liberal ministers even presidents. Creating "Social gospels" of secular humanism, that lead no one to repentance at the cross of Christ for salvation.
Making Christ just an "enlightened one" who was very good and someone who taught us how to live, not our Savior.
"Demonized" people are not "Possessed".
A person is not "owned" by a devil or a demon.
Unfortunately this is an area of confusion that has not been cleared up in some of the modern translations of Scripture.
The Greek noun daimon gives rise to a verb daimonizo, which occurs about twelve times in the New Testament.
The obvious English equivalent of this verb is demonize, which Collins English Dictionary defines as "to subject to demonic influence."
In the New Testament this verb occurs in the passive form: "to be demonized."
In the original KJV, it is translated regularly as "to be possessed of [or with] a devil or devils."
Most modern versions have correctly changed devil to demon, but incorrectly retain the form to be possessed.
The problem with this form of words is that, to English ears, the word possess immediately suggests ownership.
To be "possessed"- by a devil or demon- implies that a person is "owned" by a devil or demon.
But there is no basis for this in the Greek word daimonizo, which conveys no suggestion of ownership, but means merely "subject to demonic influence."
Obviously the form of words we use is of vital importance.
It is one thing to say to a person, "You are subject to demonic influence."
It is quite another to say, "You are possessed by the devil".
Let me say emphatically that there is nothing in the verb daimonizo to imply possession.
Personally I believe that every born~again Christian sincerely seeking to live for Christ belongs to Christ and is owned by Him.
It is monstrous to suggest that such a person belongs to the devil or is owned by the devil.
On the other hand, Christians can be subject to demonic influences.
Such a Christian undoubtedly belongs to Christ, yet there are areas of his or her personality that have not yet come under the control of the Holy Spirit.
It is these areas that may still be an open door to demonic influence.
Which explains how some seemly spiritual men of God can suddenly do unexpected acts of carnality, like I described at the beginning of this study on Satan.
Be on guard and ever watchful with the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the sword of the Word of God and the shoes of the Good News...because your enemy goes to and fro like a lion, seeking whom he may deceive, the very wise if he may.
Present Activity...
It is tremendously important to know the strategy of the Christian's enemy!!!
The Scriptures present the only reliable information concerning him. We learn that Satan's bitterest hatred is directed against the preaching of the Gospel.
The word "Gospel" means good news, The Good News is that although all men are condemned sinners, are lost, and are on their way to an eternity of torment, God loves them deeply and sincerely.
More than that:
Through the sacrificial death of His Son on the cross, God has provided a way by which He can pardon sinners and make them members of His family.
All this He has done on the basis of His grace, absolutely free.
This is God's answer to the lying, malevolent machinations of the devil.
It is easily understood why Satan would oppose this message with all the intensity of his nefarious character:
" But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image [expression]of God, should shine unto them" (II Cor. 4:3,4).
In this connection, Satan does not oppose religion as such, by which is meant any attempt to approach God by any other way than through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Consider, for a moment, the religions of the heathen. Scattered across the world are literally hundreds of millions of religious people.
Some worship idols of wood and stone; some, a god named Allah, with Mohamed as his prophet.
Other coreligionist emphasize ritual and ceremony to the exclusion of personal faith in a living crucified, and resurrected Savior.
In fact, these religions are already Satan-controlled through his network of demons:
"But I say [this is what I mean], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice [to idols, etc.], they sacrifice to devils [demons] and not to God; and I would not that ye should have fellowship [communion] with devils [demons]" (I Cor. 10:20).
Here the apostle was writing to the church at Corinth, a city given over to the worship of idols and the gods of mount Olympus.
Paul pointed out that such worship was not harmless but actually demon worship.
As such, no Christian could countenance it.
This became a principle by which all religions are to be judged.
If the way of approach is not through Christ, then it is by way of demons and directed to the devil!
If the truth were known, indeed, almost the entire world is today worshiping the devil.
Satan's Names...
In the Scriptures there are more than 40 titles and descriptive names given to the devil.
They are highly revealing of his character.
Most frequently he is called Satan, meaning adversary; next, the devil, or slanderer .
In the New Testament, this word is often used in the plural.
In every case it refers not to Satan, but to demons, or fallen spirits who do the will of Satan. Properly, they should be designated as demons, not devils.
Other descriptive designations are: Abaddon (Hebrew) and Apollyon (Greek) (Rev. 9:11); accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10); Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (demons) (Matt. 12:24); Belial (II Cor. 6:15); the deceiver of the whole world (Rev. 12:9); the wicked one (Matt 13:19); a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
Satan's relationship to the world, with particular refrence to his power and authority, is shown in names like these: the god of this world ( II Cor. 4:4); the prince of this world (John 12:31); the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2). His tremendous prestige is revealed strikingly by his being called the one in whom the whole world lies ( I John 5:18, 19).
The scope of the devil's evil machinations is shown further by such titles as: the great dragon, that old serpant (Rev. 12:9); the tempter (Matt. 4:1-10); a murderer (John 8:44); the sinner from the beginning (I John 3:8).
It is impossible to underestimate the malevolence, the importance and the influence of this person.
The Scriptures give wide recognition to his desperate, deadly character.
While moral evil is his basic attribute, at the same time he is the very embodiment of all sorts of evil. His cruel, wicked nature was best described by the Lord Jesus Christ in calling him "a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44).
Murder, in his case, was the first intention he had in trying to separate Almighty God from that which was eternally and rightfully His:
the first place in the universe He had created. Further, Satan abode not in the truth.
His was a total turning from integrity.
Consequently, there remained no truth in him at all.
All of his utterances are lies, and he has coined his own fabric of falsehood.
All untruth proceeds from him, who became the very father of lies, he has his own infernal vocabulary.
To add to the horror, this malicious, murderous creature is loose in the world, aided and abetted by unnumbered groups of fallen spirit beings.
Thank God, "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).
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 thief, the gangster.
Nevertheless, these are all part of his realm.
Doubtless the devil would prefer 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...
Why Doesn't God?...
God was forced to bring upon man the punishment He had decreed for disobedience.
Mankind is now possessed of a sinful, fallen nature.
"The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 3:23).
Heartache, sorrow, disease, disappointment are now the lot of the human race.
Apparently Satan has triumphed.
But the question arises:
If this is a moral universe, why is a creature like Satan allowed to exist?
Why is he not confined to eternal torture?
If God is all-powerful ( and we know He is), why does He permit Satan's continuing rebellion against Him and His people?
Why doesn't God interfere?
To answer, we must view life, and particularly eternal life, from the divine perspective, not the human.
God is concerned with bringing many sons home to glory ( Heb. 2:10 ).
But there must be a right basis on which He can do this.
He has determined that man must choose whether he will love the good and turn from evil; take His way instead of Satan's.
This ability to do good cannot be based upon the inherent righteousness of man, for since the Fall, no man is good.
"There is none righteous, no, not one" ( Rom. 3:10).
Nevertheless, God can inpute full and complete righteousness to sinful man on one basis.
This is the act of faith which man exercises when he accepts the substitutionary sacrifice of the Son of God on his behalf.
It is Christ's righteousness which God imputes to man.
Herein is the grace of God.
On the other hand, already God has decreed the doom of Satan.
His sin is unforgivable.
There is no redemption for fallen angels.
The devil's place of everlasting incarceration and torment is in readiness ( Matt. 25:41).
God's reckoning with Satan will take place in God's good time and will glorify Him.
So God permits Satan to proceed with his nefarious works.
There may be in the mind of God another reason:
It must be demonstrated, as well as decreed, that sin is a damning, blasting, blighting thing.
It is necessary for God to display its horrendous effects; and even in the eons of endless eternity, the background of the horrors of sin will remain as a contrast to God's perfect righteousness.
The earth, too, will furnish an object lesson of the failure of Satan to govern through the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, his tool in the ages to come.
While for a season it seems that God has withdrawn His hand, He is showing Satan's incompetence.
Meantime, God holds the reins.
Satan would seize more power if possible, but God allows him so much and no more.
Let no one, however, underestimate the devil's hatred and contempt for God and His people, Satan's ability to seduce and ruin.
Satan wins...
Time, as we know it, had begun. Satan was now operating in the realm of human life on earth.
His tactics, as shown in the Garden of Eden, were the very same that He uses against the children of God today.
First, note that Satan came first to the woman.
In the Scriptures, woman is designated as "the weaker vessel" ( 1 Peter 3:7).
This does not discredit her. It is part of the plan of God, revealing His wise, benevolent attitude toward the human race.
But, in approaching the woman with this temptation, Satan showed not only his cunning, but also his dishonorable intent.
We must keep in mind that Satan is a spiritual being, with a spiritual body.
He spoke through the serpent, using a creature which before the fall, must have been attractive and appealing.
Because of the use of this creature, Satan acquired another uncomplimentary title, "that old serpent, the devil" ( Rev. 20:2 ).
His first approach then, as now, was to discredit and question the Word of God ( Gen. 3:1 ).
What, he insinuated was, "Is this really what God meant?"
The woman's answer was definite, but her fatal fault was in not calling her husband, that they might face the temptation together.
Satan, having secured Eve's attention, pressed the attack by specifically, categorically, denying God's dictum.
Blatantly, boldly, Satan said to Eve, "Ye shall not surely die" ( Gen. 3:4 ).
He was calling God a liar, and that should have been enough for the woman.
She ought to have fled, to secure the support of Adam.
But sadly enough, she stayed to listen.
The next thrust was a subtle one.
Satan's strategy was to show that Adam and Eve were missing something desirable.
They were being denied by God, who was, he insinuated, withholding what should be theirs.
Satan told them their eyes would be opened if they would eat the forbidden fruit ( Gen. 3:5 ).
In this was a dangerous half-truth.
Their eyes were opened, but with what consequences!
All of Satan's reasoning was along the strongest line of temptation.
Herein lay the very essence of sin, which is love of self.
The woman touched, picked, and ate, then gave to her husband, who also ate of the forbidden fruit.
The foul deed was done, and death passed upon the whole human race.
Adam and Eve had disobeyed the will of God.
Satan had won this round of the battle.
In I Timothy 2:14, we read that " the woman being deceived was in transgression," but that the man was not deceived.
Adam knew what he was doing.
He entered the gate of sin with his eyes wide open.
He deliberately sinned.
Yet Eve was at fault as well...
Adam and Eve...
The account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is factual.
It is neither a myth nor an allegory.
God planted the Garden, and then, taking the dust of earth, He formed the body of Adam, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (God's life) and man became a living soul ( Gen. 2:7).
After this, God made Eve from a rib of Adam. Thus, the first family began.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of mankind is free will.
Man is a creature with power of choice. He may choose the will of God or his own way.
To emphasize this, God placed a special tree in the Garden, there were other trees too.
But this one tree was forbidden.
It is called the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The necessity for such a tree is clearly seen.
Adam and Eve were to be called upon to choose for God.
But there would be no choice if there was not a possibility to choose against God.
But God did everything to make obedience wholly desirable.
He created Adam and Eve with strong mental faculties.
They were neither beasts nor barbarians.
Their minds were keen, discerning, and they must have known instinctively what it takes years of schooling to acquire of the knowledge of the universe today.
God provided abundantly for man's needs.
Food was in generous supply; the climate was ideal.
Adam lacked nothing.
The climax of God's gifts to him was a companion, Eve.
Further, God warned of the consequences of disobedience.
He solemnly set forth the penalty which would accompany any deviation from His revealed, perfect will.
God gave Adam work to do.
Far too often lives are wrecked from idleness.
It was not so much with our first parents.
"And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:15).
God entered into fellowship with man, and they talked together in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8).
Then came the test.
Satan, smarting under God's judgment, sought to wreck the Lord's new program.
Man had been given dominion over that which formerly had been Satan's domain.
How would the enemy of God proceed?
This was far from any isolated incident.
As it were, all heaven held its breath.
The test was not simply whether Adam and Eve would eat the fruit of the tree, but whether the authority of Almighty God would prevail against determined Satanic attack.
The Devil's Doom...
What lies ahead for this fiend?
A great deal, and his time is short.
The next great event on the calendar of God is the translation of the church.
This thrilling occurrence (Forget CGI "Special~effects" this is gonna top em all) will bring about the immediate transfer of every child of God to heaven ( I Thess.4:13-18).
This also will be the signal for the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21), a seven year period of unprecedented sin, anarchy, and judgement on the earth.
Satan's burning ambition from the very beginning has been to replace God, actually to be God, and to sit on His throne.
Strange as it may seem, God will allow the devil to attempt this for a brief period.
Wow!
The last book of the Bible is taken up almost in its entirety with the description of the horrors of the tribulation period.
The Holy Spirit, who has been a deterring, restraining force against evil, will be withdrawn from the earth with the Church (II Thess. 2:6,7).
Satan will then raise up his man, the Antichrist, to assume dictatorship.
At this point, perhaps in order to bring about the consummation of evil and its eventual judgment, God will send upon the earth what is called "strong delusion"; the people will believe Satan's lies (II Thess. 2:11-12).
In an unbelievably short time, the Antichrist will rise to the position of world dictator.
Using peaceful means at first, through the media of religion, politics, and economics, he will climb a short path to the top.
To facilitate this rule of his tool, the devil will give to this depraved man his own wisdom and power.
At first, Antichrist will appear to allow God's name to be honored, but soon he will require worship of the devil on a worldwide scale.
Evidently, the Jewish nation will refuse this when the Man of Sin sets up his image (Matt. 25:15), with the result that the armies of Antichrist will converge upon the Holy Land.
At this earth's darkest hour, relief will come as the heavens part and Christ returns to the earth, to defeat Antichrist and his hosts and to take in His own holy, blessed hands the reins of power.
Then He will set up a Kingdom which shall endure eternally (Rev. 20:1-15).
The devil will be imprisoned in the abyss for 1,000 years, after which he will be released for a season.
During his time of freedom, he will lead a final revolt against God.
Swift judgment (BAM!) will follow, and he will be cast into hell, the lake of fire from which he shall never emerge, not for all eternity (Rev. 20:7-10).
The Antichrist, the false prophet, and the demons will share his fate.
Here is the end of the enemy of God and the foe of his people.
Satan's Future...
The destiny of Satan is as sure as his past.
God has pre-written his end.
There seems little doubt that in the closing days of this present age of grace, the devil's pernicious activities against the cause of God will be increased greatly (Rev. 12:12).
Not only does Satan continue to direct the vast network of anti God control over the world with its manifold ramifications, but his particular animosity is expressed against the Gospel of Christ and those who proclaim it (II Cor. 4:4).
Satan's supernatural, uncanny and penetrating knowledge should never be underestimated.
His special delight is to bring about the falling into sin and consequent uselessness of the Christian worker.
Knowing full well that within Christians there remains the old sinful nature, the devil uses this means of leading the Lord's people into compromise and sin.
No Christian in himself is a match for this sinister enemy.
With regard to most of the world's activities, that enormous breadth of endeavor and accomplishment, Satan's plan has been that of substitution.
He has used the great advances of science and other achievements. Education has come under his special favor.
The emphasis has been upon man's accomplishments without regard to God's enablement.
Man's selfish pride and love of self have been encouraged to the full.
Anything and everything which contributes to man's self~praise and self~worship have been given wide publicity and acceptance.
On the other hand, anything which would tend to show sinful character of the human heart, and the desperate need of the saving grace of God, has been sidetracked, soft-pedaled, and mocked by the devil.
It is well to repeat: Satan still has access to the very throne of God in heaven.
Frequently he goes there to accuse the saints of unrighteousness (Job 1:6-10).
Notice Revelation 12:9,10, wherein is described the great accuser's eventual fall:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven. Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Satan's warfare against believers is unceasing.
Were it not for the defense of our great Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Christian's position would be in jeopardy (Heb. 7:25).
Possible Reconstruction...
It is undeniable, from the geological point of view, that earth reflects a long history of chaos and upheaval, and of conditions that are distinctly harmful to life rather than perfectly suited for it.
It can be shown quite easily, from geology, that earliest record of the rocks fits the description of Genesis 1:2.
The six days that followed (1:3-2:1) are generally regarded, by those who hold the reconstruction view, as 24-hour days during which God placed His ruined creation back in order and made it suitable once again for human habitation.
Geologists have considerable difficulty in finding evidence for such a "reconstruction" immediately prior to the advent of the human race.
It is conceivable, of course, that the brief period of the Garden of Eden would not be recorded in geological formations.
There is no universal agreement on the accuracy of the reconstruction interpretation, but it has been taught by some Christian geologists.
It offers a plausible way of accounting for the vast span of geologic time, and of harmonizing that time with the Bible record, particularly as it relates to the fall of Satan and the possible cursing of the earth.
We read that the Spirit of God, who is the Holy Spirit, moved or brooded upon the face of the waters (1:2).
Perhaps this was in preparation for the coming work of God upon the earth.
God caused, first of all, light to emerge.
This was not the creation of the sun or moon, but probably the clearing away of the heavy blanket of foggy atmosphere which had covered the earth.
The work of the other days followed: the vapor was divided, with part remaining in the firmament-space-and part collecting as hugh seas.
The dry land was raised; the earth brough forth its floral offerings; the sun and moon appeared; fish, birds, and animals were created; and finally, all was in readiness for man's habitation.
After God brought into existence all the creatures (uncounted as yet), He surveyed His work and pronounced it "very good" (1:31).
One more matter remained to be accomplished.
The triune God held a conference (1:26) to plan for the creation of a person who was to have dominion over all the earth and its creatures-man himself.
Judgment...
All that was involved in the judgment of Satan is not stated in Scripture.
We do know that he was relieved of his high position; that he lost his nobility, privileges, and glory; that his character became unspeakably despicable, so that he was spoken of by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as " a liar and the father of it" ( John 8:44).
However, he retained access to heaven as an accuser of believers ( Job 1:6; Luke 22:31,32).
It seems evident that in the fall of Satan, many other angels were involved as well. These are described as "the angels which kept not their first estate" ( Jude 6).
Many Bible teachers believe it is these who are referred to as "the third part of the stars of heaven" ( Rev. 12:4).
This would mean that when Satan was driven from his high position, a third of the angelic host followed him in his rebellion against God and His authority.
Some Bible teachers think that these fallen angels are what are known as demons, who are still under the control of Satan, who do his will and war against the power and authority of God.
Others seem to be mentioned as " the angels that sinned...delivered...into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" ( II Pet. 2:4 ).
Three expressions are used to describe the evil spirit beings who are some of Satan's main agents in his warfare against humanity.
First, demon ( Greek, diamonion ). This is the primary expression.
The second expression used in the New Testament to describe an evil spirit is unclean spirit.
The third expression is evil spirit.
There are many demons but only one "devil".
The original King James Version regularly translates daimonion as "devil". Diamonion is a derivative of daimon.
The reference to the original Greek indicates that there are two distinct entities: diamon, which is primary, and daimonion which is derivative.
The english word devil is actually derived from the Greek word diabolos, which has no direct relationship with diamonion.
Diabolos means "slanderer".
In all but three occurrences in the New Testament, it is a title of Satan himself.
In this sense it is used only in singular form.
There are many demons but only one devil.
Satan is given this title because his primary activity is to slander- that is, to defame a person's character.
First and foremost, Satan defames the character of God Himself.
He did this in the Garden of Eden, when he suggested to Adam and Eve that God was not treating them fairly by withholding from them the knowledge of good and evil.
Second, Satan defames the character of all those who in any way represent God.
This is his primary weapon against the servants of God.
Demons influence people.
Jesus expelled demons from people:
At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demonized. And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons, and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. ( Mark 1:32-34 )
Believers expeled demons from people:
And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed [demonized]; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ( Acts 8:6-7 )
This is New Testament evangelism:
The Gospel is preached and the multitudes hear; they see the miracles and casting out of demons and they believe; they are baptized and the Church is established.
A central element is the expelling of demons, which is often accompanied by noisy and disorderly manifestations.
Other features of evangelism vary, but this element is central to evangelism as practiced in the New Testament, first by Jesus, then by His disciples.
What are demons?
Demons are disembodied spirit beings that have an intense craving to occupy physical bodies.
Apparently their first choice is a human body.
Some Bible teachers believe:
1. They are some of the fallen angels associated with Satan in his rebellion against God.
2. They are disembodied spirits of a pre-adamic race that perished under some judgment of God not recorded in detail in Scripture.
Scripture does not provide us with sufficient evidence to say which is correct.
It is believed that the earth was the scene of Lucifers first activity, being, as it were, his headquarters.
So, say some scholars, as a result of God's judgment upon the sin of Lucifer, the earth was cursed, too.
Those who hold this belief say that this is intimated in the opening statements of the Bible where, after it is told that, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," it is declared that the earth was "without form, and void" ( Gen. 1:1,2 )
It is unthinkable that God would create anything that was imperfect, formless, a desolate waste.
His very nature is system and order. He is not the author of confusion.
The difficulty is solved in the substitution of "became" for "was" ( as allowed by the Hebrew), in Genesis 1:2.
The thought is thereby conveyed that while the earth originally was created with all the beauty, precision, and perfection characteristic of God, something happened to it.
Later, it was changed, possibly due to the fall of Satan.
Let us suppose for a moment that daimonions are spirits that once occupied the bodies of members of some pre-Adamic race who led ungodly and sinful lives.
In their present condition, however, they have no way to give expression to the various lusts and passions and emotions they developed in their former bodies.
It is conceivable that they could find some kind of vicarious release by acting out their lusts or passions or emotions through human bodies.
This would explain one dominant characteristic of demons: their intense craving to inhabit and work through human flesh.
Jesus tells us:
"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, "I will return to my house from which I came", and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept and put in order." ( Matthew 12:43-44 )
We need to remember that the Bible records only the history of the race descended from Adam.
In this connection it uses the phrase sons ( or descendants ) of Adam.
It was to redeem the members of this race that Jesus came as "the last Adam" (1 Corinthinans 15:45). If other races existed before Adam, the Bible makes no explicit reference to them.
It may be that neither of the two theories about demons is correct- that they are neither fallen angels nor disembodied spirits from an earlier race of beings.
However demons do exist and they do exert influence over people.
Demons manifest themselves through humanity under many different names.
Although the problem of sin is universal, the problem with demons is not.
Many members of the human race have come under the power of demons, but not all.
There is a close connection between sin and demons.
If mankind had never sinned, we would never have been vulnerable to demons.
And the remedy?
Expel them.
Jesus Christ is the answer!
Lucifer's Sin...
Admittedly, there are matters in the Scriptures difficult to understand.
One of these, certainly, is the reason for the sin of Lucifer.
Doubtless, both he and the angelic host were endowed with a free will
(Free moral agency).
Yet, how it is possible for him, a being "full of wisdom" and "perfect in his ways" to sin so grievously against God is one of the major mysteries of all time.
A striking passage in Isaiah 14:12-17 seems to suggest the sinfulness of Satan and the enormity of his rebellion against God:
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
"Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
"They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
"That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of his prisoners?"
The beginning of Isaiah 14 has to do with the restoration and blessing of Israel and the world.
Suddenly, however, the spotlight is turned upon the underlying cause of sin and suffering, which is embodied in the person of Satan.
He is addressed as "Lucifer," meaning bright and shining one.
Some Bible scholars believe that this Isaiah passage is prophetic, from the point of view of that coming time when Satan will come to know the full punishment of the wrath of God for his rebellion and transgression against His throne.
The particular interest of this passage lies in the minute examination of the innermost heart of Satan.
Here is the key to his sin.
Here exposed are the motivating forces which caused his mutiny against God.
We must bear in mind that this rebellion occurred long before the time of Adam and Eve, apparently long prior to the period when the earth lay "without form and void" (Gen. 1:2).
Open conflict raged between Satan and God, in heavenly places.
The character of the sin of Lucifer may be divided into five parts, all progressing from the lesser to the greater.
Essentially, the nature of the sin was the desire for self-will.
Lucifer wanted his own way instead of the way of God.
Essentially, this is the root of all sin.
In striking contrast to this was the will of the Lord Jesus Christ when He came into this earth.
During His ministry here, He declared His desire for the Father's will rather than His own.
The difference is sharply outlined when we note that Lucifer five times used the declarative statement, "I will."
Against this we note our Savior's earnest words, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt"; "I come...to do Thy will, O God" (Matt. 26:39; Heb. 10:7 ).
It seems evident that the commission of Lucifer had been to direct the angelic hosts in their various tasks over the universe.
His was also the high honor of guarding the throne of God.
Yet, this did not satisfy him.
As the scripture outlines Lucifer's sin, the desire of his heart seemed to be to rise to ever greater achievements, even to displacing God from His throne.
Note that the first "I will" suggests that Lucifer coveted permanent residence in Heaven ( Isa. 14:13).
The next "I will" indicates that he wanted precedence above all of God's creation.
The term "stars of God" evidently refers to similar mighty angelic creatures, such as the archangel Michael and the might friend of Israel, Gabriel.
The third "I will" of the devil reveals that this creature sought even further recognition and exaltation in a particular part of heaven known as the "mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north."
Perhaps it was in this place that the very high throne of God was located.
All of this wickedness led on to its inevitable conclusion.
Lucifer, so generously endowed with beauty and wisdom, would not be satisfied with anything but the highest honor.
He wanted to "ascend above the heights of the clouds."
In fact, he plotted to be like the Most High.
In this aspiration lay a naked desire to dethrone God, for no one can be like the Most High without displacing Him.
Although hidden in the heart of Lucifer, these virulent ambitions were known to God, before whose eyes all things are "naked and opened" ( Heb. 4:13).
Swift judgement followed.
Lucifer was cast down from his high position to become Satan, the deceiver, the adversary, the archenemy of God and the people of God.
His final doom is sealed, but the execution of that eternal sentence awaits the time and place appointed by God.
Satan's Beginning...
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"
Genesis 1:1
When was this?
No one knows.
The Bible does not tell us, but it does tell us that God was before the beginning; that He personally acted in the creation process; that all we see and know of the universe comes specifically from His creative hand.
A study of the earth's surface has led many scientist to believe that it and the universe are very old.
With this the Bible does not disagree.
While the Scriptures do not state the age of the earth categorically, there is some evidence to support the view that the earth went through a long period of inactivity, perhaps as the result of the judgement of God.
The geological ages might accurately describe the earth during that time.
In a segment of eternity, at the beginning of time, God planned and brought into existence both the earth and the universe surrounding it.
God also brought into existence particularly gifted beings called angels.
Spirit beings possessing spirit bodies, they are ageless.
The ministry of the angels seems to have been to fulfill the will of God by overseeing and controlling the star systems and heavenly bodies, and also to control the physical forces governing the earth, such as the seas, winds, rain, etc.
Over this vast multitude of angelic beings, God placed a special being called Lucifer, meaning "Bright and shining one".
This does not refer merely to his spirit body, but also to his mind, his wisdom, his power, his authority.
Apparently, Lucifer was appointed by God as the authoritative leader of the vast host of angels.
An arresting passage in Ezekiel 28:11-19, the subject of which is the Prince of Tyrus, or tyre, reads as follows:
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more.
As one examines the passage, it seems very evident that while the Prince of Tyrus actually is addressed (28:2,12), the message beginning with verse 11 goes far beyond an earthly prince to the king of evil who stood behind him and prompted him in his wicked doings, even Satan himself.
Note the superlatives used in this description.
He is said to be full of wisdom, perfect in beauty and in his ways ( 28:11,15).
Coming from the prophet of God, this statement is a revelation of God's estimate of this infernal spirit being.
Moreover, this person is said to have been in Eden, the garden of God (28:13).
Possibly this is a reference to a former Eden which existed before the Garden of Eden was created, the beauty of which lay not in floral splendor, but in mineral radiance.
Further, the special musical ability of this creature is noted.
We have voices and are able to clap our hands to make sound, he had "tabrets and pipes".
Sounds like an organ of some sort was a part of his being.
In addition, this person is described as being "the anointed cherub that covereth" or protects ( 28:14).
God so appointed Lucifer to guard His throne.
Lucifer was a created being, possibly the most amazing, the most gifted of all beings which God had created.
Yet, iniquity was found in this originally perfect being, with the result that God promised to cast him out and to destroy him (28:16).
The nature of his sin and the method of God's judgement against him are described to some degree (28:17).
A careful study of this and other passages seems to suggest to many Bible scholars that the being here depicted is none other than Lucifer, the captain and leader of the host of the angels.
The judgments concerning him are predicted in this passage, but their complete fulfillment awaits the end of the present age and the further development of the program of God.
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