Satan is:
2. The god of this world.
3. The enemy of righteousness.
4. The author of sin.
5. The prince of darkness
6. And the author of deceit.
The Devil, the Fallen Angels, and the Lost will be cast into outer darkness where they will spend eternity.
Sin and the resulting conditions and effects that it has on us today, is but a foretaste of the wretchedness, despair, and indescribable torture in the realms of “outer darkness” where the devil and his victims will spend eternity.
Where does the Devil or Satan come from?
From what we find in Scripture, the Devil was created as an angel of light
We need to remember that the devil is a creature and not the Creator.
The Devil was cast out of heaven because he exalted himself above God and ever since that time he has been carrying on his nefarious work here on this earth.
What is the devil’s purpose?
His purpose is to enter into the hearts of men, to corrupt and destroy their souls, so that they may spend eternity with him in hell.
Names of Satan and what they represent.
3. Beelzebub –the prince of devils. Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
4. Belial –worthless, reckless, lawless 11Cor. 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
5. Apollyon –the angel of the bottomless pit. Rev. 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
6. The dragon –the monster that seeks admission into the human heart at every opportunity. Rev. 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 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.
7. God of this world –the prince of demons, to whom every fallen creature bows his knees. 11Cor. 4:4 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.
He is also likened unto:
-a fowler. Psalms 91:3
-a sower of tares. Matthew 13:25
-a serpent. Revelation 12:9
-a wolf. John 10:12
-a roaring lion. 1Peter 5:8
-and an angel of light. 11Corinthians 11:14
He is:
-presumptuous. Job 1:6
-proud. 1Timothy 3:6
-wicked. 1John 2:13
-malignant. Job 1:9
-subtle. Genesis 3:1
-deceitful. 11Corinthians 11:14
-fierce. Luke 8:29
-a murderer and a liar. John 8:44
.
Does Satan have limitations?
The very fact that he is a creature and not the creator would indicate that he is limited in his power.
The Devil can never go beyond what God allows him to.
Look at the account of Job and how the devil responds to God:
Job 1:6 ¶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
7 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.
8 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?
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 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.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12 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.
Vs. 13-19 Job losses almost everything that he owns, along with his children, but look at how he responds.
Job 1:20 ¶ Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Job 2:1 ¶ Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
2 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.
3 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 movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
7 ¶ 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.
8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
The point is this:
Although God extended the devil’s liberties, Job came out victorious in the end. The devil was not allowed to go any further than what God allowed him to.
He has his limits!
Also the devil came to Jesus when he was in the wilderness and tempted Him.
Three times he tried to overcome the Son of God and he failed every time.
Luke 4:1 ¶ And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 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 I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
How is the devil overcome?
Am I any match for the Devil?
The devil has his limitations and is always overcome by the Word and Power of God.
Ephesians 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 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.
13 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.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Revelation 12:11 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.
Don’t think for one second that you or I, of ourselves, have what it takes to overcome the devil.
We are no match for him!
It is only through the Word, the Power and the Blood of Jesus Christ that we are set free from the snares of the devil.
We can rest assured that as long as we are faithful to God, and allow Jesus Christ to take complete control of our lives, the devil will have no power over us.
Why? Because the devil is no match to the Power of God.
The opposite is also true.
If I chose to live a double life and am not willing to surrender, my all, to the lordship of Jesus Christ, I will be plagued and helpless in overcoming the snares of the devil.
Why are so many ensnared and deceived by his ways?
3. Because many are not willing to surrender every area of their life to Jesus Christ.
4. Because of the lust of the flesh. James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
5. Because there are too many complacent and sleeping “Christians”.
1Corinthians 16:13 ¶ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.