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Author
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Topic: The Doctrine Of Satan
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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The Christian’s Victory Over Satan
The word nikao is found twenty-eight times in the Greek New Testament, and is almost always translated by the word "overcome." There are three important verses in which this word is used:
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33).
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 Jn. 4:4).
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son" (Rev. 21:7).
If language means anything at all, these verses promise the child of God total victory over his enemy, the devil. But how does the Christian experience this promised victory? He does it by keeping the same fundamental facts in mind that any would-be victor would, whether in the secular or spiritual battlefield. Here then are four fundamental facts:
1. He must know his own weaknesses.
2. He must know his own strength.
3. He must know the weakness of his enemy.
4. He must know the strength of his enemy.
To either overestimate or underestimate in any of these four areas could prove to be a fatal error.
In one of his parables, our Lord warns of this very thing:
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace" (Lk. 14:28-32).
Let us now examine these four facts the victor must be aware of:
The weakness of the Christian
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (Jn. 15:5, 6).
When I was first saved, I felt the Christian life was a 50/50 proposition. That is to say, I would carry my 50 percent of the load, and God would assume the remaining half. But to my dismay I kept dropping my end of the load. I then suggested to God that we alter the proportions whereby he would carry 60 percent and I would be responsible for the remaining 40 percent. But alas, this also proved too heavy. So, I reasoned, a 70/30 agreement would surely work. But again, failure. Finally, after many years in the work of the Lord, I sometimes think I have things down to a 98/2 arrangement. But I still am tempted to feel that I surely, by now, must be able to carry on at least 2 percent of the Master’s work by myself. There simply has to be something I can perform in the flesh for God. But Jesus said, "for without me ye can do nothing."
In Romans 7:18, Paul refers to this very thing:
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Rom. 7:18).
So then, the first basic fact a Christian must be aware of to assure victory over Satan is his own weakness.
The strength of the Christian.
This is the second vital principle to be observed in guaranteeing spiritual success. What, though, is our chief strength? The answer is:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).
The weakness of Satan.
Third, we must fully understand the weakness of our enemy. According to the Scriptures, the devil is powerless in the following areas:
1. He cannot tempt a believer except by God’s permission
This is brought out vividly in Job 1:8-12.
"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 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 1:8-12).
It should be noted here that in verse 10 Satan told the exact truth, for God had indeed made a hedge about Job. Thus, when a child of God is being subjected to some fiery temptation or trial, he should keep the following thrilling truths in mind.
First, God knows exactly how much his child can bear.
"For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust" (Ps. 103:14).
Second, he will not allow Satan to go beyond this breaking point.
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13).
Third, he only allows the temptation in the first place to strengthen and purify us. In Genesis 50, Joseph reviewed with his brothers their former act of treachery in selling him into Egyptian slavery. He concluded:
"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Gen. 50:20).
James and Peter also affirm this third principle.
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (Jas. 1:1-4).
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (Jas. 1:12).
"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:6, 7).
2. He cannot stand to be resisted
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7).
But how does one go about resisting the devil? James answers this—by submitting first to God.
"Neither give place to the devil" (Eph. 4:27).
Satan enjoys a lively debate (like the one he carried on with Eve in Genesis 3), but he cannot tolerate being resisted. The Christian can successfully resist the devil if he does the following:
First, he must know how the devil attacks. Paul warns of this.
"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor. 2:11).
But what are his devices? During the final section of our study we will briefly consider the sixteen deadly devices of the devil.
Second, he must stand guard waiting for Satan to attack.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).
Third, he must have on the proper protection when Satan attacks.
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness: and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:10-17).
The Apostle Paul, of course, spent the last part of his ministry in a Roman prison (Acts 28). Doubtless he had many opportunities to watch his Roman guards put on their full battle armor. As the book of Ephesians was written during this time, it seems very probable that the Holy Spirit led Paul to take each piece of armor and apply it to the Christian fight against Satan. It has often been observed that Paul lists no armor protection piece for the back parts. The reason is obvious, of course. The Roman soldier was never expected to turn his back to the enemy.
3. He cannot stand the blood of Christ, nor the positive testimony of the Christian
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:11).
The strength of Satan
This is the fourth and final principle one must grasp to assure victory—the strong points of his enemy. The following list could well be called "The Sixteen Deadly Ds of the Devil."
1. Disappointment. Who has not experienced this emotion literally hundreds of times? But to the knowledgeable Christian all disappointments are his (God’s) appointments, and must be viewed as such, lest Satan gain the advantage.
To be disappointed is to forget Romans 8:25:
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
2. Discouragement. Discouragement is the second stage of disappointment. All discouragement is of the devil.
An event from church history is reported concerning the great reformer, Martin Luther. For days he had been in the valley of discouragement. The pope was trying to kill him. Some of his friends had shunned him. Suddenly he noticed his Godly wife coming downstairs dressed in black as if in mourning.
"Woman, where are you going?" he asked.
"To a funeral, husband," she replied.
"Oh, but who died?" he said.
"God did," she softly answered.
With that the great reformer exploded with righteous indignation. It wasn’t enough that the pope was trying to kill him, but now he must deal with blasphemy in his own household.
"Woman, who told you such a thing?" he demanded.
Looking him straight in the eye (as only a wife can do) she said: "You did, Martin! The way you’ve been acting the past few weeks, I was sure you had somehow found out that God was dead!"
At that point Luther knelt and asked both God and his wife to forgive him for his discouragement.
To be discouraged is to forget 1 Samuel 30:6:
"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."
3. Despair. Despair is the third and final stage of disappointment and discouragement. Unless checked it can prove fatal to the Christian life.
To despair is to forget 2 Corinthians 4:8:
"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair."
4. Doubt. Satan used this deadly D for the first time in the Garden of Eden. He began his attack upon Eve by doubting the Word of God.
"And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1).
To doubt is to forget 1 Timothy 2:8:
"I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."
5. Disbelief. Disbelief is but the final form of doubt. This was vividly demonstrated in Eden. As we have already noted, Satan began by doubting God’s Word in Genesis 3:1. He then finished (when he realized he had Eve’s ear) by denying the command of the Lord.
"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:4, 5).
To disbelieve is to forget Hebrews 3:12:
"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."
6. Distraction. This D of the devil can be a very subtle one, for often the distractions are not in themselves bad. In fact, they may be good and wholesome. For example, it is so easy to be distracted from God’s perfect will by one’s own family or employment. It has been rightly said that often the real enemy of the best is not the worst, but the good.
To be distracted is to forget Matthew 14:30:
"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me."
7. Doublemindedness. How many believers have been affected by this D-virus! The Scriptures are replete with examples. Consider but a few:
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Mt. 6:24).
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Eph. 4:14).
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (1 Jn. 2:15-17).
The New Testament word which describes a double-minded man in the Greek literally means "a two-souled man." He is like a cork, floating on a wave, now carried to the shore, now away from it. The ancient writer of myths, Aesop, described a double-minded person when he wrote about a time when the beasts and the fowls were engaged in war. The bat tried to belong to both parties. When the birds were victorious, he would wing around telling everyone that he was a bird; when the beasts won a fight, he would walk around assuring everyone that he was a beast. But soon his hypocrisy was discovered by both the beasts and the birds. He had to hide himself, and now he can appear openly only by night.
A more modern story comes to us from our American Civil War concerning a neutral observer attempting to escape after being accidentally trapped in a furious battle. Hoping to continue neutral, he put on a pair of Confederate pants and a Yankee coat and dashed across no-man’s land, only to be immediately shot down by both sides. Both pants and coat were literally riddled with bullets.
To be double-minded is to forget James 1:8 and 4:8:
"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
8. Dishonesty. The ways Satan can inflict this deadly D upon Christians are almost without number. The child of God need not simply lie or steal to be dishonest. To hold back certain facts in a given situation may be dishonest. To owe God tithes and offerings is dishonest. To be less than we should be as pastors, parents, or workers is to cheat our people and children and thus become dishonest. It is estimated that over one-half billion dollars each year is raised by false "faith healers" (who cannot do what they claim) and smooth-talking liberals (who do not believe what they say).
To be dishonest is to forget 2 Corinthians 4:2:
"But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God."
9. Deceit. The word deceit is found many times in the New Testament. As one considers them, it is amazing just how many occur in those passages dealing either with the Word of God or the last days, or both. Note but a few of these:
"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess. 2:8-12).
"For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ" (2 Cor. 2:17).
"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:1, 2).
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ" (2 Cor. 11:13).
"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 Jn. 1:7).
In other words, the devil’s big D in the last days is deceit. On the one hand, the weird cults of our day deceive people by attempting to add to God’s Word, while the liberals practice deception by taking away from the Scriptures. Jesus himself apparently warns against both deceiving groups in his last spoken message.
"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev. 22:16-19).
To be deceitful is to forget Jeremiah 17:9:
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
10. Dullness. There may be some disagreement concerning the author of the book of Hebrews, or even questions concerning the location of the recipients. But there is no doubt about the spiritual condition of the readers. In a word, they suffered from dullness. The author reminded them of the need among their group for sound Bible teachers to stem the tide of iniquity and apostasy prevalent even in that day. But, the author concluded, they simply could not be used. He sadly states why:
"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:12-14).
This dullness was also infecting the church at Corinth. Listen to Paul’s stern admonition to them:
"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1 Cor. 3:1-3).
To suffer dullness is to forget Heb. 5:11:
"Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing."
11. Deadness. Deadness is simply unchecked dullness. A summary of God’s overall plan concerning sin and the sinner is as follows: Whereas we were once dead in sin, after God’s marvelous grace, we now are to be dead to sin. Note:
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)" (Eph. 2:1, 5).
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:1, 2, 11).
Thus, we are to be dead to sin, but alive unto righteousness. But many believers have allowed Satan to twist these two facts, whereby they become dead to righteousness, and alive to sin.
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (Jas. 2:17, 26).
To suffer deadness is to forget Revelation 3:1:
"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."
12. Delay. At the great white judgment throne it may be revealed that this deadly D of the devil has been used to damn more souls to hell than any other. It has been remarked that many a man is in hell today who meant to get saved at the eleventh hour, but who died at ten-thirty. It should be made clear to all sinners the terrible danger of procrastination, for God has never promised to save anyone tomorrow. Both James and the author of Hebrews warn of this danger.
"Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day" (Heb. 4:7, 8).
"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (Jas. 4:13-15).
To delay is to forget Proverbs 27:1:
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
13. Discord. It has been rightly observed that far more Bible-believing churches have been split over disposition than position. This is to say the tragic cause of a split is usually discord rather than doctrine. Some trouble-maker begins his or her deadly gossip in a local church, raising questions and doubts in the minds of people, doubts that otherwise would have never been entertained. How effectively Satan uses this tool, and how painful it will be at the bema judgment seat of Christ for the carnal sowers of discord. To sow discord is to forget Proverbs 6:16-19:
"These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."
14. Defilement. Several hundred young people once stood at the altar of the famed Moody Memorial Church in Chicago to answer the call for full-time Christian service. The speaker, Dr. Vance Havner, looked down at this group and uttered a rather strange statement. He said: "Young people, God is pleased that you have come to this prayer altar. But do not pray, ‘Lord, use me.’" Havner then went on to explain his statement. "You need not ask Him to use you. He’ll do that all right! In fact, He’ll wear you out, for there’s not enough of you to go around as it is! What you should pray, therefore, is ‘Lord, make me usable.’"
God does not require golden vessels, nor silver containers, but he insists upon clean ones. A believer who defiles himself with the things of this world can never be used by God, regardless of his education, ability, energy, or experience.
To become defiled is to forget 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
15. Defame. How often are Christians guilty of criticizing or belittling other believers. In fact, some of the most cutting remarks a child of God may receive are at the hands of another child of God. We should be very careful in guarding against this satanic D, for all believers will gain or suffer rewards at the bema judgment on account of it.
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Heb. 6:10).
"He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" (Mt. 10:41, 42).
To defame someone is to forget Psalm 101:5:
"Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer."
16. Disobedience. There are two famous men by the name of Saul in the Bible—one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament. A very profitable study can be made by comparing and contrasting these two men. Both were from the tribe of Benjamin (1 Sam. 9:2; Phil. 3:5). One was tall and impressive, the other short and unimpressive (1 Sam. 9:2; 2 Cor. 10:10; Gal. 4:13, 14). The first began as God’s friend but ended up as his enemy, while the second started as his enemy but wound up as God’s friend (1 Sam. 9:16; 10:6, 7; 28:6; Acts 9:1; 2 Tim. 4:18). One went to the witch of Endor in the hour of his death, while the other turned to the Word of God (1 Sam. 28:7; 2 Tim. 4:13). What really made the difference between these two men? The answer is tragically simple—one was disobedient, the other was obedient.
"And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king" (1 Sam. 15:22, 23).
"Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:12-19).
To disobey is to forget Romans 6:14-18:
"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:14-18).
Wilmington's Guide to the Bible.
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Carol Swenson
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The Limitations of Satan
As one compiles and analyzes the many biblical passages on the devil, it becomes evident that he is the most powerful creature in all God’s universe. This depraved and deadly dragon possesses more strength and "savvy" than any archangel or saint. But in spite of all this, he is still a creature and not the Creator. Because of this blessed truth, his power and knowledge are limited. We shall now consider the restrictions of this red dragon.
1. He is not omnipresent. The devil cannot be in China, Chicago, and Cuba at the same instant. However, this is not by any means to say that believers in those areas cannot be tempted at the same instant, for Satan has literally millions of fallen angels to do his bidding, thus extending his ministry universally.
2. He is not omnipotent. While he is still the strongest creature in the universe, his power compared to God’s is like an ant pitted against a mighty elephant.
3. He is not omniscient. The devil has, admittedly, acquired an immense amount of knowledge by simply being around during the last 6,000 years, but he is totally ignorant of many things known by the most humble and uneducated believer. He knows nothing of God’s love, his mercy, his grace, and his forgiveness. The devil does not know the future, nor all the secrets of the past. The question is often asked concerning Satan’s reported wisdom and Bible-reading habits. If he has indeed read the Word of God, then doesn’t he know his doom is sealed, and that the lake of fire will be his eternal imprisonment? He is indeed aware of these prophecies, but it must be kept in mind that according to Ezekiel 28:17, sin has corrupted the wisdom of Satan to the point where he still thinks he can defeat God. Sometimes the most clever criminal is a psychopathic killer.
Wilmington's Guide to the Bible.
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Carol Swenson
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The Activities of Satan
Just what does this ex-prince of paradise do? We shall see that whatever else he may be accused of, Satan can never be charged with laziness.
He imitates God.
Imitation may well be the most sincere form of flattery. While the devil hates God, on the one hand, he nevertheless possesses an obsession to be like God. How ironic that God offers freely to all repenting sinners that priceless privilege which Satan desperately and unsuccessfully has long sought, namely, to be like God. The Apostle John describes this truth for us:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 Jn. 3:1, 2).
How does Satan imitate God? Consider:
1. He has a false trinity.
"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority" (Rev. 13:2).
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet" (Rev. 16:13).
The true Trinity consists, of course, in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But Satan mimics this heavenly trio with his own hellish threesome. In this terrible trinity, he assumes the part of the Father; the antichrist is likened to the Son; and the false prophet is assigned the role of the Holy Spirit.
2. He has his synagogues.
"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).
It is tragic but true that there are today literally thousands of churches in America alone in which the Book, blood, and blessed hope are never even remotely referred to! Dr. Donald Barnhouse used to say that when searching for the devil one should not forget to check behind the pulpit.
3. He has his doctrines.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1).
Some of these doctrines taught in Satan’s school of systematic theology would be: free love, abortion on demand, homosexuality, salvation by good works, evolution, and many other Christ-dishonoring creeds of our day.
4. He has his mysteries.
"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden" (Rev. 2:24).
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way" (2 Thess. 2:7).
5. He has his throne.
"I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth" (Rev. 2:13).
"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority" (Rev. 13:2).
Note especially the phrase "where Satan’s seat is." This seems to indicate that Satan has transferred his headquarters from Babylon (see Gen. 11:1-9) to Pergamos in Turkey during John’s day. However, the Apostle John later hints (see Rev. 15) that the devil’s capital will once again be transferred back to Babylon during the tribulation.
6. He has his kingdom.
"And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will give it" (Lk. 4:6).
Often the question is asked whether Satan really had the right to offer the Savior the kingdoms of this earth. In a very real sense, he did. Note the testimony of John the apostle:
"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (Jn. 14:30).
"And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 Jn. 5:19).
7. He has his worshipers.
"And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" (Rev. 13:4).
8. He has his angels.
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels" (Rev. 12:7).
In a previous verse (Rev. 12:4) John seems to indicate that Satan may have persuaded a full one-third of heaven’s angels to join with him in his foul revolt against Jehovah God.
9. He has his ministers.
"Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:15).
It is sobering to contemplate that the "God is dead" movement of several decades ago was not started by a communist or atheist, but was the product of a Methodist professor teaching in a church-related college. By the way, that movement itself is now dead while God is still very much alive.
10. He has his miracles.
"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thess. 2:9).
Certain false religious leaders have deceived multitudes of people because of their apparent ability to perform genuine miracles. But the Scriptures declare that the devil also possesses this power. Hear the warning of Jesus on this matter.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mt. 7:21-23).
11. He has his sacrifices.
"But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils" (1 Cor. 10:20).
12. He has his fellowship (1 Cor. 10:20).
13. He has his armies.
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth" (Isa. 24:21).
These infernal armies will someday be soundly defeated by Almighty God at Armageddon.
"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle" (Rev. 14:14-17).
"And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon" (Rev. 16:16).
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16).
Thus we see through these thirteen examples just how Satan imitates God. But what other activity does this apostate angel indulge in?
He sows tares among God’s wheat. Our Lord described this activity in his most extended parable.
"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn" (Mt. 13:24-30).
"Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Mt. 13:36-43).
He instigates false doctrine
"Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth" (1 Tim. 4:1-3).
He perverts the Word of God. This he does by:
1. Taking it out of context.
"And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Mt. 4:6).
"Now the serpent was more subtle 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? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:1-4).
2. Causing it to be misinterpreted.
How much anguish, frustration, and confusion has the devil wrought simply by causing Christians and non-Christians alike to misinterpret God’s Word.
3. Overstressing one side of a doctrine and ignoring the other side.
A classic example of this, of course, would be the doctrine of predestination and free will. An untold number of believers (including preachers) have gone off the deep end by overstressing one side of this two-sided coin.
4. Understressing certain doctrines.
Perhaps the one great biblical truth downplayed today is that vital doctrine of the local church. To quote once more from the article, "If I Were the Devil":
"Then I would turn to that most despised and deadly institution of all—the local church! I would continue to attack it from the outside (just to keep in practice), but would concentrate the bulk of my evil efforts from within. ‘The church is dead’ would become my creed and cry. If I were the devil I would do my utmost to convince professing Christians that the local church is finished! Not weak, not ineffective; but dead and decaying! I would encourage them to dig a hole, carve an epitaph, and bury it as quietly and quickly as possible. Christianity could then proceed to new glories where cell groups would replace Sunday nights and sermons would be set aside for buzz sessions."
Let it be said in conclusion at this point that, contrary to popular opinion, Satan is not afraid of the Word of God. In fact, he delights to use it—if he can misinterpret or mangle it in some fashion. This can be aptly demonstrated by the various false cults whose followers often spout Scripture verses by the dozens to "prove" their false doctrines, all taken out of context, of course.
He hinders the works of God’s servants
"Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once again; but Satan hindered us" (1 Thess. 2:18).
He cannot do this, of course, except by the direct permission of God who sometimes allows hindrances to teach the believer spiritual lessons.
He resists the prayers of God’s servants
"Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia" (Dan. 10:12, 13).
Again, as in the former point, it should be noted that Satan cannot do this without God’s approval. Thus, sometimes our prayer life is made difficult not because of personal sin, or unwillingness on God’s part, but due solely to satanic interference.
He blinds men to the truth
"In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:4).
He steals the Word of God from human hearts
"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" (Mt. 13:19).
He accuses Christians before God
"And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 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 1:7-12).
"And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movest me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life" (Job 2:3-6).
"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment" (Zech. 3:1-4).
"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" (Rev. 12:9, 10).
These verses inform us concerning one of Satan’s most treacherous hatchet jobs, that of bad-mouthing believers. In fact, this was one of several key reasons why the crucified and resurrected Christ had to ascend back to heaven that he might function as our divine defense lawyer. The following passages speak of this ministry: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Lk. 22:31, 32).
"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25).
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Rom. 8:33, 34).
He lays snares for men
"And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (2 Tim. 2:26).
"Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil" (1 Tim. 3:7).
An old song reads: "When the danger least thou fearest, then the devil’s snare is nearest."
He tempts
"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil" (Mt. 4:1).
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11).
The word "tempt" can refer to two things:
1. To test, to prove with the idea of making better, as seen in Genesis 22:1.
"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham..."
2. To entice to do evil, as seen in Matthew 4:1.
He afflicts
"So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown" (Job 2:7).
"And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" (Lk. 13:16).
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure" (2 Cor. 12:7).
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" (Acts 10:38).
The sobering fact to be kept in mind here is that his victims in these verses are believers. While Satan cannot possibly possess a Christian, he can, nevertheless (as allowed by God, of course) oppress a child of God, both in the mental and physical realm. Sometimes God allows this to happen to purify his child (as in the case of Job), and at other times to punish a believer for his sin. Paul writes of this second case.
"It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor. 5:1-5).
He deceives
"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" (Rev. 12:9).
"And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea" (Rev. 20:8).
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Rev. 20:10).
An old proverb says: The worst deception is self-deception. This may be true, but certainly in the area of faith, the most common deception is satanic deception. Probably his greatest deception of all time is the false but almost universally believed concept that one may work his or her way into heaven.
He undermines the sanctity of the home
"Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency" (1 Cor. 7:3-5).
Now read a paraphrase of this same passage:
"The man should give his wife all that is her right as a married woman, and the wife should do the same for her husband: for a girl who marries no longer has full right to her own body, for her husband then has his rights to it, too; and in the same way the husband no longer has full right to his own body, for it belongs also to his wife. So do not refuse these rights to each other. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from the rights of marriage for a limited time, so that they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterwards, they should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control" (1 Cor. 7:3-5, TLB).
Very few marriage counselors ever take satanic activity into consideration when advising couples having marital problems. Sometimes the real fault lies not with the husband or wife, but squarely with Satan. The devil despises the very institution of marriage because it was originated and given by God himself. (See Gen. 2:20-25.)
He prompts both saints and sinners to transgress against the holiness of God
1. It was Satan who caused David to disobey God.
"And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel" (1 Chron. 21:1).
2. It was Satan who caused Judas to betray Christ.
"And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him" (Jn. 13:2).
3. It was Satan who caused Peter to rebuke Christ, and later to deny him.
"Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Mt. 16:22, 23).
"Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto you, The **** shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice" (Jn. 13:38).
4. It was Satan who caused Ananias to lie to the Holy Spirit.
"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).
Wilmington's Guide to the Bible.
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Carol Swenson
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This is not as long as it might seem at first glance. A lot of it is only one or two lines.
THE DOCTRINE OF SATAN
There is scarcely a culture, tribe, or society to be found in this world which does not have some concept or fear of an invisible evil power. This has been attested to by Christian missionaries and secular anthropologists alike. Witch doctors, shrunken heads, voodoo dolls, and totem poles all give dramatic evidence of this universal fear. One may well ask where this fear came from and toward whom is it directed? Let us now consider:
The Existence of Satan
His existence is doubted by the world
1. As shown by the typical cartoon concept. Most of the world today pictures the devil as a medieval and mythical two-horned, fork-tailed impish creature, dressed in red flannel underwear, busily pitching coal into the furnaces of hell. Stand-up TV comic Flip Wilson has made a fortune causing millions to laugh with his famous "the devil made me do it" line.
2. As shown by the denial from liberal pulpits. Christ-denying liberals have of course long since thrown out such "outdated" concepts as the old devil and the new birth. Liberal theologian Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr once wrote: "It is unwise for Christians to claim any knowledge of either the furniture of heaven or the temperature of hell." The late Bishop Pike said that as a young seminary student he had totally rejected an angelic sky-high heaven, or a devilish red-hot hell. In the fifties a national secular magazine took a poll of some 5000 American clergymen and discovered that a full 73 percent ridiculed the concept of a personal devil of any sort.
3. As shown by the silence from conservative pulpits. Even Bible-believing pastors and lay-people are, it would seem, extremely reluctant to "give the devil his due." Some time ago an article was published entitled, "If I Were the Devil." Let me briefly quote from it.
"If I were the devil, the first thing I would do is to deny my own existence! This strange approach is, of course, the absolute opposite of that used by God Who desires, perhaps above all else, to be fully believed in! (See Heb. 11:6.) But this is not so with Satan. This disciple of doubt seems to thrive best when he is either underestimated, ignored or denied.
Suppose there is a Bible-believing church which is going through a spiritual crisis. For some months no soul has walked its aisles. The attendance and offerings are down and the members are becoming restless. Finally, in desperation, a special committee is appointed by the congregation to discover the source of this coldness and lifelessness. After considerable prayer and probing, the committee submits its report. What are its findings? I believe it may be safely assumed that the average committee would lay the blame on one or more of the following: (1) the pastor; (2) certain officials; (3) a cold congregation; or (4) a difficult neighborhood.
But what fact-finding group would return the following indictment? "We believe the main source of our heartaches for the past few months is Satanic! We believe the reason no souls have been saved recently is due to an all-out attack on our church by the devil! We dose our report with a strong recommendation that the congregation call a special meeting, rebuke Satan, plead the blood of Christ and claim the victory?"
‘If I were the devil I would deny my existence in the world and downplay it in the local church, thus freeing me to go about my business unheeded, unhindered and unchecked!’" (The Baptist Bulletin, Dec., 1971, p. 13)
His existence is declared by the Bible
We have seen how Satan’s existence is doubted, denied, or downplayed in the world of men. But quite the opposite is true in the Word of God.
1. The devil is mentioned in seven Old Testament books: Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Job (twelve times), Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.
2. He is to be found in nineteen New Testament books, and is referred to by every New Testament writer.
1. Matthew refers to him.
"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil" (Mt. 4:1).
2. Mark refers to him.
"And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his fight mind: and they were afraid" (Mk. 5:15).
3. Luke refers to him.
"Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve" (Lk. 22:3).
4. John refers to him.
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn. 3:8).
5. Paul refers to him.
"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen" (Rom. 16:20).
6. Peter refers to him.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).
7. James refers to him.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7).
8. Jude refers to him.
"Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 9).
He is mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ some fifteen times. Note but a few of these:
"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Mt. 4:10).
"But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Mt. 16:23).
"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" (Mt. 25:41).
"And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" (Lk. 10:18).
"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" (Jn. 8:44).
"Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (Jn. 6:70).
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat" (Lk. 22:31).
Thus to deny the personality of Satan, is to deny both the statements of the Scriptures and the testimony of the Savior himself.
Wilmington's Guide to the Bible
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