Jesus is Greater: What the Bible Teaches about Jesus' Power over DarknessSample

 “Satan is a powerful, potent . . . force in our lives, as are his minions.” Bible teacher Hank Hanegraaff didn’t mince words when he described his views on the devil’s potential influence on our lives, noting that spiritual warfare is “the battle for the mind.” Hanegraaff said it’s as though Satan sits on our shoulders and whispers into our ears, attempting to change, transform, or even tweak our thoughts.

“The whisper cannot be heard with the physical ear, but it does penetrate the ear of the mind,” Hanegraaff said. “And therefore the battle for the mind is a battle against the intrusive thoughts, worries of depression, concerns, all of these things that Satan foists upon us.”

These ideas might seem strange, foreign, or disconnected, especially as we navigate a deeply materialistic world—but the Bible makes it clear not only that Satan exists but also that we are each called to stand up, prepare, and fight back against his assaults on our hearts and minds.

Who is Satan? Scripture tells us quite a lot about his character and we will spend the remaining days in this devotional exploring how to seek spiritual health and combat him. But let’s briefly look at the devil’s character and being. To begin with, the Bible tells us Satan is a deceiver and liar who routinely authors, sparks, and perpetuates confusion. Revelation 12:9 tells us that Satan “leads the whole world astray” and 1 John 3:8 proclaims that “the devil has been sinning from the beginning,” going on to note that Jesus came to “destroy the devil’s work.” 

Satan’s diabolical character is also expressed in other areas of Scripture:

• The devil is an “enemy” who “prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8).
• Satan hatches “schemes” (Ephesians 6:11).
• He is a “tempter” (Matthew 4:3 and 1 Thessalonians 3:5).
• Satan is the “prince of this world” (John 12:31).
• The devil is a deceiver who has “blinded the minds of unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
• He is at work “in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2).
• Satan is an accuser (Revelation 12:10).

Clearly, we are called not only to recognize these realities but also to “take up the shield of faith” and “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Many Christians aren’t sure what this means or where to start. This might be new for you, or perhaps you need a reminder. 

For day 3 of this devotional, we’ll explore what Paul wrote about how to protect ourselves (Ephesians 6).