Spiritual Beingsნიმუში

The Enemy Who Will Fall

As we discussed yesterday, we know the end of the story: God triumphs over the enemy. God's enemy takes many forms within scripture (and within our world today), but the most common name for him is Satan or the Devil. Satan, we are told, is a fallen angel, an angelic being who desired God’s position and status so much that he was cast out of Heaven.

He is seen throughout scripture, but today, I want us to understand two things: Satan's goal and his limitations. Satan’s primary goal is to blind us to God’s goodness. The problem (and actually the annoyance) with Satan is that he knows he will lose, but yet he keeps fighting. He keeps pushing toward his goal of separating us farther and farther from God. Since he knows he won't win in the end, he's determined to cause as much chaos, devastation, and destruction as he can during the time he has.

The second thing we need to know is that Satan has to obey God. In James, we read that if we turn and submit to God, the devil will flee. Satan knows God is all-powerful, and that scares him. You’d think he would give up by now. Nope.

Satan was so determined with his plan of destruction that we see him even try to trick Jesus. JESUS. The Son of God, who is God Himself! In Matthew, we see Satan's desperate, manipulative attempt to get Jesus to submit to him. But Jesus, being fully God while also fully man, didn't fall for his plan. Jesus understands that there is no power greater than God's. He rules in every way, over everything, even over the power of Satan.

"But I'm just a person. I'm not Jesus. How can I stand up against Satan when he tries to trick or tempt me?"

Great question! As a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives inside you, giving you the same authority over Satan as Jesus (Romans 8:11). Also, you're not fighting alone. Angels are fighting on your behalf. More on that tomorrow...

Question to Ponder:

Why do you think it is important for us to know who Satan is?