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Satan, The Enemy Just as there is a God, Holy
Spirit, and Jesus; there is a real enemy. He is most commonly referred to as
Satan. “For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. 6:12 According to Ephesians 6:12,
there is a battle going on in this world. If we are born into the family of
God by the spiritual birth (John 3:3), we are on the winning side. We will
battle much of our lives with the weakness of our own flesh. Some battles,
however, may be influenced by Satan. We should certainly know more about him.
Here are some biblical facts about our enemy: ·
His
other names include: Abaddon, Apollyon,
Beelsebub, Belial, Satan, Lucifer, prince of devils
(Mat. 12:24), devil, prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), prince of
this world (John 15:30), son of the morning (Isa.
14:12), prince of devils (Mat. 12:24). ·
He
is a cherub: “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy ·
He
was in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve: “Thou hast been in ·
He
knows the word of God. “Now
the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the
field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God
said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Gen. 3. He knew what God had said, so that he
could get Eve to doubt what she was to do to obey God. Satan also knew God’s word enough to change the wording. ·
He was a beautiful creature created by God to make music for Him:
“... 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.” Eze. 28:13 “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.” Eze. 28:17 ·
He
was perfect until he sinned: “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the
day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found
in thee.” Eze. 28:15. ·
He was proud and thought himself a God: “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 ...” Isa.
14:13-15. “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:” Eze 28:2 (King of Tyrus was likened to Satan: Eze.. 28:13.) ·
He
was thrown out of heaven: “ 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!” Isa. 14:12. ·
He
has appeared before God: “Now
there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
LORD, and Satan came also among them ...” Job 1:6-8 ·
Satan
could provoke nations, as he provoked ·
Satan
could tempt even Jesus: Luke 4:1-13. ·
He can fill one’s heart
with the wrong ideas, if we let him: “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan
filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to
keep back part of the price of the land?” Acts 5:3. “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.” Mat. 13:19 ·
Satan
could transform himself into an angel of light: II Cor.
11:14-15. As this angel, he can deceive many into thinking he is good or
helpful. ·
He
is behind many of the false, unbiblical religions: “I know thy works, and tribulation, and
poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they
are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of
Satan.” Rev. 2:9. ·
The
devil attempts to devour whomever he can: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour:”
1 Pet. 5:8. ·
Satan
has free rein to travel throughout the world: “And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And
Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and
fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” Job 2:2. ·
God
can allow Satan to test, and even bring bodily harm to God’s people: “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold,
all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the
LORD.” Job 1:12 & Job 2:6 ·
He
is the accuser of the brethren: “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.” Rev. 12:10. ·
He
can control people: “But when he had turned about and looked
on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying , Get
thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the
things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” M.r 8:33 ·
He
can influence us, if we are weakened by sin, and if God gives him permission
to do so (Job 1). ·
He
is a murderer and liar: “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 8:4.4. ·
The
lake of fire was originally created by God as a place of punishment for Satan
and the devils that followed him: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Mat. 25:41. ·
He
will temporarily be bound during the millennial reign of Christ: “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old
serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And
cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him,
that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be
fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” Rev. 20:2-3 ·
He
will eventually end up in hell and the lake of fire: Isa
14:15 “Yet thou shalt
be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” “He (the devil) can make men dance upon the brink of hell as though they were on
the verge of heaven." Spurgeon |
