[Unseen Battle] the Battle Is RealSample

Know Your Enemy

We see the scriptural evidence of the reality of Satan in many places. We’re introduced to him in Genesis 3:1, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

We see him in Revelation 12:9, “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” Many people still picture Satan in hell. But where is he right now, according to the Scripture? He was thrown to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him, his fallen angels. We call those demons.

Some in the crowds at the scene in Luke 11:15, where Jesus cast out a demon, did not believe Jesus was the Messiah. They did believe in Satan and his demons, however, even identifying him as the prince of demons. Like them, some people today still don’t know if they genuinely believe in Jesus, in the power of the name that’s above every name. They focus more on the fact that they’re under spiritual attack and on the demons coming after them. Meanwhile, Jesus is proclaiming, “It is finished. Lean in. Walk with me. Put on your armor. Pray. Worship. Speak My name. Declare freedom!”

In his book The Invisible War, Chip Ingram says that Jesus refers to Satan at least 25 times in the Bible. In Colossians 1:16, we see that Satan is a created spirit. In Revelation 12, we see Satan as a fallen angel. In Ezekiel 28, we get even more information. The prophet calls out the king of Tyre, which most theologians believe describes Satan. Lucifer was a cherub who was made perfect. He had a purpose. His position was to be a guardian. He was the highest of all created beings. He was made to be incredibly wise. He was powerful and most beautiful, and his pride led him to arrogance, dishonesty, and thoughts of equality with God.

There is a battle in an unseen, invisible world. Satan, our enemy, is real.

Lord Jesus, I believe in Your name above all other names. Help my unbelief. Amen.