Who is Satan, the devil?
Maybe you’ve heard people say things like, “The devil made me do it.” Or “The devil causes sickness in people’s lives.” Or “The devil has been really tempting me.”
Are these accurate statements? They certainly are common. After all, the devil gets blamed for a lot of things. But let’s consider a few biblical truths:
1. Satan, the devil, is real (Genesis 3:1-15; Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians 6:10-18; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9). He’s not some dude in a red suit with a pitch fork. We should not think less of him than the Bible teaches.
2. The devil can tempt people but can’t make you do a thing. We sin when we are enticed and then give in to our own lust (James 1:13-15). It is important to remember Satan is not omnipresent—everywhere present at once. He can not personally tempt me and you at the same time.
However, he has set in motion a world system, the culture of the world if you will, that is very enticing to humanity’s flesh. So he has set up a world system that tempts, but he can’t be two places at once. He is NOT God. He is a created being. So we should not think more of him than the Bible teaches.
3. The devil has been defeated at the cross (Genesis 3:15; Hebrews 2:14; Colossians 2:14-15), is defeated through every act of obedience (Romans 16:19-20), and will one day be finally defeated when he is forever cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 19).
4. God governs Satan’s every move (Mark 1:27; 1 Peter 3:7; Revelation 20). And so that means…
5. God, not the devil, is behind the trials in your life. Does that surprise you? God uses these trials to grow you. However, the devil uses these same trials—which God desires for your growth—to cause you to doubt and even deny God’s goodness.
Do you remember the Serpent’s temptation to Eve? He twisted the truth to make them think God was unfair and holding out something good from them: “God knows that when you eat the fruit your eyes will be open….” In other words, God’s repressing you. Why did the devil do this? Because, any deliberate sin is an act of worship of the devil and declares that you doubt that God is good (Gen. 3:5; Job 1-2; Luke 22:31-32; James 1:2-7; Rev. 20:3).
6. The devil is not to be feared, but rather denied an opportunity by your faithfulness to God and His Word (Ephesians 4:26-27). James says, “Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
In summary: God is all powerful and Satan isn’t. Satan is very real, desires to trip up believers and keep unbelievers blind to the truth.
Thus by Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, He defeated the devil.
But until the accuser’s final demise, he can not do a thing in this world or to a person without it first passing through the hand of God. And anything that comes our way in terms of a trial or temptation is meant by the evil one to trip you up, but by God to grow your faith.
So don’t lose sleep over Satan and his minions. He hopes you fail at obeying Christ. But his wins are only temporary. His defeat is eternal.
For more on spiritual warfare and resisting the devil click here.