Tag Archives: Satan

Why So Much Hate?

Church Bulletin, Culture, Daily living,

The world is an angry place. Venom runs deep. It is ugly, even nauseating to see it running so deeply through our world. Why? Where did this mess come from?

Anger and hatred can be classed into a half dozen very broad categories: Crime, Politics, Revenge, Anti-Authority, Economics, and Narcissism. These are in no particular order but simply group comments and actions together based on similar actions. In a sense, the classification is not relevant. Hate is hate and is bad. Likewise, there are at least a half dozen outcomes from hate: Pain & Suffering, Chaos & Confusion, Stress & Anxiety, Depression, Division & Isolation, and Sin.

There are no good outcomes from hate.

Does anyone profit from all this trouble? Who gains the most from it all? If you are a Christian, a person of faith, you know the answer. Satan!

We are not ignorant of Satan’s efforts or his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). We know how he operates. We have seen his lies in the past, and we take note of his horrible tortures of Job and the many prophets slain for speaking against him (Hebrews 11:32-38). We remember that Satan was the driving force behind the mob shouting “crucify him, crucify him” (Matthew 27:22, 23; Mark 15:13, 14; Luke 23:21). The anger and hatred we see today must be laid at the feet of the evil one. He alone profits from the troubles.

Therefore, we oppose the hatred by opposing the evil behind it. Darkness is often a metaphor for evil. It describes the horrible reality that is commonly our world. By driving out darkness, we establish light. While that sounds easy, it is not. The world loves darkness despite the fact that the light of Jesus has entered (John 3:19). Jesus described the hours of his arrest and crucifixion as being in the power of darkness (Luke 22:53). He calls upon his people to oppose and rebuke darkness (Ephesians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:14)

Christians must be careful not to contribute to the darkness through our opposition to it. How can we oppose, even rebuke evil, without being evil ourselves?

Love is the Centerpiece of Our Response

Scripture says we are to speak truth in love, and apart from love, we are only noise (1 Corinthians 13:1; 16:14; Ephesians 4:15). Our Lord was motivated by love (John 3:16; Romans 5:8, 10) so we must be so motivated too.

At the beginning of his work, Jesus declared that people in darkness were seeing the light that would deliver them (Matthew 4:15, 16). The battle persists between light and dark and will so long as the world stands (John 1:5).

Motivations Matter

Ask yourself, “why am I opposing this statement, behavior or event?” If we cannot link our motivations to an overriding concern for the individual involved, we should probably pause and rethink our approach.

At his first coming, Jesus did not come to judge, although he had every right to do so. His motivation was to “seek and to save the lost” (John 12:47; Luke 19:10).

Think of Yourself Too

By examining self, we will purge out the darkness of our own hearts. The well-known parable of the log in our own eye is very instructive (Matthew 7:1-5). It reminds us that we have weaknesses and failing that must be addressed before assailing another. Paul warns that we should “take heed lest he falls” (1 Corinthians 10:12; c.f. Galatians 6:1) while Solomon reminds that “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Our goal is not to save others at the expense of our own souls, but to save ourselves and others too.

We can combat the horrible environment in which we live. There is little I can do on the world’s stage compared to what I can do in my own corner of the globe. The danger is doing nothing. We can change the world one soul at a time.

 

How Satan Works – Part 2

Church Bulletin, Satan, ,

skoczekSatan is always busy, never sleeping, and always looking to ensnare men and women in his traps. Satan has been a liar and deceiver from the beginning and is purely evil. Thankfully, his works are restricted today because of Jesus. Nevertheless. Satan works to deprive men and women of eternal salvation through powerful influence exerted in many ways. One of his most heinous weapons may be closer than you think.

Family

It is a horrible thought. Satan works through family members to attack the Christian. Our closest family can become tools of the evil one. Worse, I can become a tool of the devil to attack those I love the most. Remember, Satan knows no limit in his efforts to capture and destroy people. He will use any tactic, no matter how heinous, to enslave and condemn the righteous.

Notice the very first sin recorded in Scripture. Adam and Eve sinned because they ate of the forbidden Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths“ (Genesis 3:6, 7).

Please notice that Adam sinned when his wife gave him some of the forbidden fruit. He failed to protect her from sin and she enticed him to sin.

It was the unnamed wife of Job who tempted him to sin. Job was sorely oppressed by devilish curses and could find no relief. His wife had an answer: “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die“ (Job 2:9).

We must not overlook the spiteful Jezebel. She was the daughter of a Sidonian King and a worshipper of the idol Baal. She was married to Ahab, a Jew and the king over Israel. After she is introduced, we see that the King suddenly erects an altar for Baal and an Asherah (an idol worshipping tool). She would also seek to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:2) and she would connive, probably with Ahab’s tacit approval, to kill Naboth and steal his vineyard that Ahab coveted (1 Kings 16:29-34; 21:1-16).

The story continues until today. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, boyfriends and girlfriends often lure us into temptation and then into sin. Maybe we relax around people we trust. Perhaps we want to avoid an argument. Maybe we are already tempted and look for their tacit approval to sin. It doesn’t matter. We become agents of Satan working against the best interests of those we love.

How often have we seen weak spiritual lives harmed even more by a disinterested spouse? It normally not intentional but the damage is just as bad. Families are often the source of our greatest sin problems.

Jesus taught families to train children “in the way that he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Surely we encourage our children to learn much about the world and to prepare for successful careers in adulthood. But why the emphasis on scholastics and sports but almost no emphasis on spirituality? People complain that our young people are leaving the church. They are quick to blame the preacher, the youth minister, and the elders. But the problem is usually at home. Parents who do not train their children are working for the devil. Harsh words to be sure but I think you will agree that they are true words.

Satan’s power is limited to how he can influence us. Do not give place to the devil in any way (Ephesians 4:27).

 

How Satan Works – Part 1

Satan

skoczek

Satan is real and has plagued mankind since the creation. The careful Christian will try and understand how Satan works of the devil is very powerful. However, he is not omnipotent that is; Satan does not have unlimited power but, he is very dangerous. Peter describes him as a roaring lion who walks around seeking people to devour (1 Peter 5:18). A cancel button man will take Satan very seriously. He will learn all he can about Satan’s methods and tactics, and he will prepare himself defensively to deal with Satan. In our study, we will focus on what the Bible says about Satan. We must not become distracted by the portrait of Satan painted by the entertainment industry. We will further reject any theological teaching that is at variance with the Scriptures.

Satan Is Inferior to God

Satan is not now, nor has he ever been, more powerful than God. This is an important point, because if we belong to God, then God is certainly able to protect us from Satan. This is not to say that a man cannot give himself Satan. If I choose, I am certainly able to serve Satan in this life. Just as Adam and Eve could choose to obey or disobey, we can choose to obey or disobey as well.

In Job chapters 1 and 2, we see Satan seeking permission from God to tempt Job. The devil’s power is limited. In the case of Job, God knew that this righteous man was able to withstand the attacks of Satan. The Christian has a great promise from God that he will never be tempted beyond his ability to withstand (1 Corinthians 10:13). In the Corinthians passage, Paul makes the point that “God is faithful.” By his great power, God will ensure that we cannot be overcome with temptation and he will ensure that we always have a way to escape whatever temptation comes our way. God’s power is far beyond the weakness of Satan and we may be sure that we can always escape Satan’s snares.

Satan Is Restricted

Clearly, there was a time when Satan enjoyed greater freedoms that he does today. The Bible is replete with stories of Satan’s power. We know that he could confront men and women directly (Genesis 3:1-7), he can bring false charges against people and bring those charges directly before God (Job 1, 2; Zechariah 3:1-10), and, he could cause people to be involuntarily possessed by demons (8:28, 9:32,12:22,15:22, 17:18, et al).

But Jesus said that he came to “bind the strong man” (Mark 3:23-30). Part of Jesus work during his earthly ministry was to bind Satan so that we could be free of him. John writes that Satan has been bound, but not destroyed, for 1000 years. It seems clear that this 1000-year period refers to the church age, that is, the time in which we now live (Revelation 20:1-3). Thus, Satan is now restricted but he has not yet been destroyed. He remains a most dangerous foe.

How Satan Works Today

New Testament writers spoke of the power of Satan. Paul spoke of his schemes or devices directed against mortal man (2 Corinthians 2:11) while Peter describes him “roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). So, if he is restricted, but not destroyed, and he remains very dangerous, how exactly does he work?

Satan Works Through Influence

Satan works through influence. He can neither possess nor force a person to sin. He can, however, create powerful influences that may entice us to sin.

Satan Works Through Temptation

Temptation is not sin. Even Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11) but did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Likewise, we face temptations too. Temptations are evidence of Satan’s work. He is even called “the tempter” in Matthew 4:3 and 1 Thessalonians 3:5.

Sin arises from unchecked temptation. James gives a clear description of how temptation can grow into sin.

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:14, 15)

When the Christian is faced with temptation he must act quickly to quell the desires; else temptation grows into full blown sin and death (c.f. Romans 6:23).

Because temptation grows out of our desires, Satan will use those desires against us. In effect, he turns us on ourselves. Consider a hardworking couple trying to make ends meet. The desire for daily provisions is not bad. Work is good (2 Thessalonians 3:10). But what happens when that desire grows into a consuming lust for wealth? Trouble surely follows (1 Timothy 6:9, 10). Satan is an expert transforming good into evil.

Satan Works Through Associates

One of Satan’s heinous tools is the associates with whom we spend our days. These people are our fellow-students and co-workers. They are our confidants, neighbors and church friends. The devil will use these people to reach our weaknesses and exploit the soft points in our faith.

Some of the people we know are not good people. That is, they are kind and friendly to us but reject the basis of our faith and ignore the solid standards of the Bible. The discerning Christians will keep these people at a distance remembering that evil associations are corrupting (1 Corinthians 15:33).

The corrupting influence of associates is not always obvious and is almost never rapid. Instead, like a slowly festering sore, the effects are felt long into the future. The slow progression of such corruption goes unnoticed until we find ourselves fully in the grip of raw, debilitating sin.

Not all associates are bad. Some exert strong positive influences in our lives. These associates share similar values (and similar struggles) and thus help us achieve sound spiritual goals. It is the case that a Christian have friends of the world. However, the Christian must never fall in love with the world (James 4:4) nor should he seek to be “unequally yoked” with the worldly (2 Corinthians 6:14). Christians will have many friends, but his best friends ought to be those of the kingdom of Christ.

Sometimes one may be harmed by the actions of a Christian friend. When Jesus was arrested, he was taken to the High Priest. Peter and John followed. But because Peter was unknown to the gatekeeper he was left standing outside. John then spoke to the gatekeeper and Peter was allowed inside. It was in this courtyard where Peter denied Jesus three times. John, inadvertently, led his friend into temptation (John 18:15, 16). The lesson? Always remain alert and never let your guard down. Even good associations can be harmful.

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @J_Bryant_Evans.

 

Origin of Satan: From Where Did Satan Come?

Apologetics, Church Bulletin, God, Satan,

skoczekKnown by many names, Satan is a central player in the Bible. He stands at a pivotal spot in salvation history. It is a truism that if there were no Satan, there would be no cross. There would be no need for Jesus to give his precious blood. All of God’s creation would be beautifully pristine. Sadly; Satan is real. We may try to push him from our minds and deny his existence, but he is as real as Jesus.

Since Satan is our enemy or adversary (1 Peter 5:8), we must learn as much about him and his ways as we can. As Sun Tzu, the famed Chinese general once said: “know thy enemy.” By knowing our enemy, we are better prepared to meet his attacks. Paul reminded the brothers in Corinth that “we are not ignorant of his designs.” Understanding the origin of Satan will help us to glorify God and will prevent us from making serious biblical errors.

The first we ever hear of Satan is in Genesis 3:1. Here, he has entered the Garden of Eden and is trying to spoil God’s new creation. It is a serpent that speaks to her, but that serpent is animated by Satan. However, Satan existed long before Genesis 3.

Satan Before Creation

There is little question that Satan existed before the creation of the earth. The real question is whether or not God created Satan; if he did, did God create him as an evil being. Let us begin by observing some important attributes of God.

God is love (Psalm 86:5, 15; 1 John 4:8, 16). His love is a sacrificial love that cost him dearly. Because of sin, the Father gave “his only begotten son” (John 3:16) for our sins. This gift is the evidence of His love (Romans 5:8).

God is true and only speaks the truth (2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 12:6; 119:160; John 17:17; Ephesians 4:21). God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2). His words are always true and never shaded with deceit

God is always faithful to his promises and covenants (Deuteronomy 7:9; 2 Chronicles 6:14; Nehemiah 1:5). God has never made a promise that he did not honor. There are no promises upon which he will renege.

If God is love, and if God is true, and if God is faithful, then how is it is that a loving, true, and faithful God could create an evil Satan? This is a bit of a conundrum unless we understand that Satan was not created as evil but as good. Clearly, there was a time when Satan inhabited heaven. Jesus declares, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). Some connect this passage with a similarly sounding passage from Isaiah 14:12. However, the Isaiah passage seems to refer to the King of Babylon. Nevertheless, Revelation 12:9, suggests that Satan was in heaven, became rebellious, and waged war against God’s fateful Angels. Not surprisingly, God won, and cast Satan out of heaven.

Our conclusion then is that a good and loving God created Satan as a good Angel. But, Satan was unsatisfied with his position in heaven and sought to supplant God as the ruler of heaven and earth. Having rebelled against God, there was no place for the evil Satan in heaven. Satan, along with his angels, was cast out of heaven. Therefore, God did not create an evil Satan. Just as God did not create an evil Adam and Eve, he did not create an evil Satan. But when each sinned, he was cast out of his original abode.

So with this simple, biblical, explanation, we have defended God against the charge that he created evil. Satan and his angels, like men today, must accept the consequences of their choices,
Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @J_Bryant_Evans.

 

The Devil Is In Charge!

Church Bulletin, Jesus, Satan, , ,

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Devil_Goat.pngA provocative title wouldn’t you say? But it is very true. Christians often respond with shock and surprise at the wickedness that runs rampant in our world. We shouldn’t be. It is expected that any environment under the influence of evil will, itself, be evil. Our world, our society, our culture, and sometimes even our homes and churches, are in the grip of the evil one.

It’s time we revolt.

When Adam and Eve committed the very first sin (Genesis 3:6) God brought punishments immediately (Genesis 3:8-19). Mankind died that day. He became separated, by his own sin, from God. Hard physical labor and the pain of childbirth are evident too. But the immediate impact of sin was seen in the very next generation when the first child Cain killed the second child, Abel. The murder was in response to Cain’s faithless worship.

The world has been going downhill ever since.

Today, sin has spread like a stain throughout our world. Not one person has remained unscathed by its relentless march against righteousness. The beauty and calm of the Garden of Eden has been replaced by ugly chaos and sin. It is all around us.

Paul speaks of the “power of the prince of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) which is surely Satan, and notes that he works in and through the unrighteous. There is no doubt that Satan has control of the wicked. Later, Paul speaks of our warfare against the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Three times John speaks of the ruler of this world (John 12:31, 14:30; 16:11) who is clearly a reference to the devil. There is also the third temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:9-11 when Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for Jesus bowing down and worshipping him. Many argue that Satan did not have the power to deliver on this temptation. They say Satan was bluffing. I disagree. If Satan were lying would it not be evident that Jesus would know he was lying? Such a transparent lie would be no temptation at all to Jesus. It is clear from the John passages above that Jesus viewed Satan as the ruler of the world. Satan’s power was extreme. His influence over the world was so great that he could have delivered entire kingdoms to anyone he wished.

But we are immeasurably blessed that the prince of the power of the air was stopped by the Prince of Peace. Consider the Father’s work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and placed him “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named” (Ephesians 1:21). In Revelation 20:1-3 Satan is seen as bound and cast into a pit for a thousand years. He is not destroyed but imprisoned. His eternal punishment comes later (Revelation 20:7-10). ((I do not pretend to understand every scintilla of the record here but the passage is clearly symbolic, not literal and shows the ultimate end of evil.)) Satan is now bound but still wields great influence in our world. While Jesus has triumphed over evil (Colossians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 15:56-57) there are multitudes that reject Him and are still governed by the evil one.

But for the Christian, there is victory and there is protection from Satan. We are not ignorant of his work (2 Corinthians 2:11) and have been well warned (1 Peter 5:8). God protects us from Satan’s power (1 Corinthians 10:13). We are children of the King and look forward to a home where nothing evil can approach (Revelation 21:27). The devil may be in charge for some people – but not us!

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

Devilish Piety

Church Bulletin, Doctrine, Homilitics, Satan, ,

Some people just look righteous don’t you think? They seem to have an angelic glow about them and always seem to have just left the throne on high. They appear to be people of near constant peace and joy. But we know that looks are not everything. We know the old cliché that “you can’t judge a book by its cover” is powerfully true. You may have been hoodwinked by someone who seemed so pious. Let us consider the question of whether the appearance of piety equals the reality of righteousness.

Arising from an old Latin word, piety simply means reverence for God or a completion of sacred duties or obligations. We can never fully know the quality of man’s heart or his actual devotion to God. But our question here centers on the appearance of devotion and whether or not we should be drawn to someone based only on that appearance.

Appearances Are Deceiving

One of the most chilling passages in the Bible is found in 2 Corinthians 11:11-15:

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 

Not even the pulpits of our time are free of false teaching! To look only upon the outer behavior and conduct of a man is not sufficient. He may be a teacher of falsehoods ensconced in a satanic disguise. No one wants to believe their preacher, teacher or mentor is doing the work of the evil one but Scripture is clear that false teaching is found even among the church. Paul speak of false teachers who “slipped in” to the church to lead God’s people back into the slavery of sin (Galatians 2:4-5).

Rely on Truth

If appearances can be deceiving, how then can we choose the people who teach us and guide us in this life?

The only foundation is the faith delivered “once for all “(Jude 3). That foundation is the word of God, inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and given by holy men without any private interpretation (2 peter 1:20-21). We cannot reply on any teaching, any creed or any confession not given by inspiration alone. Only the truth saves (John 17:17; Psalm 119:160) and any departure, regardless of the reason, is indefensible.

So as a practical matter, never trust a preacher, even this one. Place your entire confidence in God and in His ability to communicate to you. Listen carefully to your preacher, very carefully, but then test his words against the truth you possess in the Bible (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1).

Some things are priceless. Your soul is priceless. Never entrust your soul to anyone other than the Lord. Those who appear pious may be or they may not be. Only by comparing their words against the divinely inspired Scriptures can we know the truth that sets us free (John 8:32).

 Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.

3 Thoughts on Newtown

Church Bulletin, Culture, Daily living, News, , , ,

Evil is real. We need to understand that the devil is as real as Jesus although, thankfully, he is not as powerful as our Lord. Many are asking questions today about the Connecticut shooting. People want to why such a thing could happen in a peaceful town. Some are questioning God and asking why a loving God would allow such a thing to happen. Others only want to know how to get through the day in the face of such horror. There are answers to their questions but now may not be the best time to enter into deep theological discussions.

Many in Newtown, instinctively turned to God when they heard of the attack. In their hearts they knew that God alone could bring them through the pain. They knew Jesus would care. Let’s remember these three thoughts.

Jesus hurts with his people

The Bible says, “we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched by the feelings of our infirmities” (Hebrews  4:15). I recall a touching moment in Jesus’ life when he saw the grief of those in the home of his dear friend Lazarus. The Bible simply says “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Jesus’ grief over Lazarus himself, for he was about to raise him from the dead, instead Jesus grieved for the people who were so pained at the loss of their brother and friend.

Then there was a widow walking in her only son’s funeral procession. You can feel the pain of this frightened woman. Of this woman, the Bible says, “he had compassion on her” (Luke 7:13).  There is no doubt that this morning our Lord is grieving along with those who lost their loved ones.

Evil is always among us 

Evil is constantly near us but it is not always so obvious. The events of the past few days paint the obvious horrible, demonic picture of Satan at his worst. Thankfully, these shootings are not every day events. But the Bible speaks of evil as always being near. Peter warns,  “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Sometimes, evil is so insidious that we may miss it altogether. Paul warns of Satan, “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Our adversary is deceitful and dangerous. It is good that we are horrified at the scenes of such shootings, but never forget, the same devil is always near. Remember, there is always a moment of peace for the antelope just before the tiger pounces.

God heals

Those most affected by this shooting and by others like it, find themselves caught in the swiftly moving currents of life. They are forced to move on but are heavily burdened by grief. There is no way to forget or ignore the pain in this life. But our God will help. In our darkest day, he remains the light. The Sermon on the Mount reminds us of God’s great care. He reminds of the care God gives to a bird or even to a blade of grass and he then asks is we are not greater (Matthew 6:25-34)?

In the life to come, God himself will dry away our tears (Revelation 21:4) God will also bring Satan into final judgment. While we seek justice in this life, God will bring perfect and complete justice to bear on the wicked.

You and I should be praying for the families of Newtown, Connecticut. We should pray often and fervently for their strength. The God of comfort will come near.

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.

 

Jesus and Legion

Church Bulletin, Jesus, Luke, Mark, Matthew, , , ,

The meeting between Jesus and Legion is fascinating. Jesus converses with the demon and then banishes him into a herd of pigs. The story is exciting and curious, and there are important lessons to be learned. The account is found in Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39.

Jesus is preaching in Galilee and has just crossed the Sea of Galilee in a boat. During the crossing a terrible storm frightened his disciples into fearing for their lives. Jesus rebuked the winds and waves, the storm ended and calm descended on the waters. Jesus had demonstrated his authority over the elements of nature. Now, stepping onto the rocky bank of the eastern shore of the sea, Jesus is confronted by a man of some local notoriety. The man was possessed. His life was a miserable existence. He wore no clothes and lived among the tombs perhaps sheltering in them during inclement weather. The man immediately confronts Jesus and the disciples. Within minutes, the demons are cast out into nearby pigs which rush headlong into the sea and drown. The narrative provides important learning for us.

Demons are real.

The story is recorded  here by all three of the synoptic writers. The Bible describes them as demons and notes Jesus interaction with them. Demons were objects of worship in the Bible (Leviticus 17:7; Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37; 1 Corinthians 10:20-21; 1 Timothy 4:1). The New Testament also records the existence of demons with the word occurring in 68 verses. In most cases, the demons are objects of God’s power to be cast out of men for God’s own glory. Some would wish to ignore the existence of demons and think only on good things. But Satan and his underlings are real.

Demons are not all powerful.

Hollywood, from the days of The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby, have given us the impression that Satan and his demons are as powerful as God himself. But here we see otherwise. In Luke 8:28, the demons came before Jesus and “fell down before him.” This is an act of contrition; it is an act of submission. The demon then begged Jesus not to torment him. The word “beg” translates the Greek, deomai, which means to ask with urgency and with an implied need. The demon knew he needed Jesus’ help and submitted to him.

Demons know and worship the Lord.

It is striking to see a demon bowing before Jesus. We are also caught a bit off-guard when the demon speaks to Jesus and calls him by name. Knowing who Jesus is and even feigning worship to him is simply not sufficient. This echoes James’ statement from James 2:19: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe and shudder!” Mere believe, apart from obedience is useless (James 2:20).

Jesus wins!

This small story really sums up the entirety of the book of Revelation. Despite the trouble Satan causes, despite the pain he brings, Jesus always wins. When the demons asked Jesus to send them into the nearby swine, Luke simply says Jesus “gave them permission´(Luke 8:32). The demons entered the pigs and they rushed into the sea and were destroyed. The man is next seen sitting clothed at the feet of Jesus and in his right mind. This event was so powerful that the people asked Jesus to leave the region because they feared his great power.

While this is an interesting story, it has a purpose. Like all miraculous acts, the purpose was to build faith in Christ, confirm his words and teachings, and to make more disciples. The formerly possessed man begs Jesus to allow him to travel with him but the Lord says no.  “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

What a joy to serve a Lord that can command demons to depart! There is none greater than our Lord!

5 People Targeted by Satan

Encouragement, Satan, Sin, ,

target siteEveryone is a target of Satan. But among all the billions of people he pursued, only 5 were targeted specifically and personally by the old devil himself. I thought a quick review would be interesting.

Adam & Eve Were Targeted By Satan

It’s not surprising that Satan would  appear after creation. At the end of the creation week, God had declared his entire work “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was nothing in it our about it that was bad. But soon, Satan, working through the serpent, tempted the first couple. They sinned. Death followed and we all today suffer the influence of that sin.

Why Adam and Eve? Perhaps because they represented the purity and goodness of God. Maybe because they were the Creator’s prized creation. Whatever the reason, Adam and Eve were important enough to fall directly into Satan’s cross hairs – and they failed.

Job Was Targeted By Satan

The next ((Chronology involving Job is especially difficult since we don’t really know where to place him. I believe he lived prior to the coming of Israel so I deal with him here.)) to draw Satan’s attention was actually put there by God. Job is described as being “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). The New Testament describes him as patient or steadfast (James 5:11). What is so curcious about Job is that God appears to be bragging on Job to the devil.

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8)

Give some thought to what it must mean to be such a fine and upright man that God would single you out for your righteousness. It’s pretty amazing. Job did not have the chance to glory in that comment because he didn’t know about it. It happened behind closed doors. All Job knew was that he suddenly found himself without his children,without his servants, without his wealth and without his health. He was left with a wife and friends who all gave him bad advice.

Satan was given permission by God to do almost anything to Job. Only Job’s life was protected (Job 2:6). Remember that God maintained absolute control and protection over Job. Satan could do nothing to Job except through God’s permission. God knew how strong Job was and he allowed Satan to test him sorely. Unlike Adam and Eve, Job was victorious. Satan is not heard from again in the 42 chapters of Job after this conversation in Job 2.

Joshua Was Targeted By Satan

Joshua the High Priest, not Joshua the Israelite leader after Moses, was targeted by Satan. They story is revealed in Zechariah 3:1-10. Joshua was one of the priests who worked with Ezra to re-establish the sacrifices in Jerusalem after the return from exile.

Zechariah’s image has Joshua appearing before the Lord in dirty clothes. Satan is  there too rebuking Joshua for some untold error. The Lord however rebukes Satan and orders that Joshua be given clean clothes. He promises blessings upon Joshua if he obeys the Lord.

The Lord’s rapid protection of Joshua against Satan’s charges is encouraging. No claim can stand against God’s people.

Jesus Was Targeted By Satan

Satan didn’t get it. He was soundly defeated in Eden when God announced his gracious plan for a redeemer. He was beaten when Job would not cave into his horrible pressures and tortures and his plans backfired when he tried to accuse Joshua before the Lord. But Satan is nothing if not persistent.

Satan faced Jesus in the wilderness. Sent by the Holy Spirit Jesus faced Satan only after 40 days and nights of fasting. The devil brought three temptations to Jesus and in every case Jesus was triumphant. Satan appealed to his physical needs, his pride and even his divinity but our Lord defeated every one of them.

The importance of this moment is in two parts. First, we learn that Jesus faced the same struggles we face. The writer of Hebrews was correct that Jesus was tempted in all ways just like us (Hebrews 4:15). But this moment was especially critical for the plan of salvation. Only the innocent blood of Jesus could save from sins and if Jesus succumbed to those temptations he would no longer be innocent. He would own the guilt just as sure as we do. Theredemption of all mankind hung in the balance. Failure here and we would all be lost.

Jesus won and salvation is offered to all.

Peter Was Targeted By Satan

With overtones of Job’s temptation we see Jesus telling Peter that Satan wanted him. Jesus said to Peter, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-32). This must have been a sobering moment. Satan wants me, Peter must have thought.

Peter was an important piece of the coming church,  the body of Christ. Peter was part of those to whom the Lord promised a central role in unveiling the new doctrine that would mark out deep differences between the Mosaic faith and that of Christ. Peter was the one who would speak the first recorded gospel sermon in Acts 2:14. It would be Peter who carries the gospel to the Gentiles in Acts 10:34. Peter was part of the “hub” of the church which remained in Jerusalem during the terrible days of persecution. Peter would have been a prime target for Satan.

But notice that the personal interest of Satan brought the personal prayer of Jesus. True enough, Peter stumbled but in the end he gained the victory.

Am I Targeted By Satan

Satan wants us all and will stop at nothing to get us. His power is limited however and like Job and Peter he is restrained by God. But make no mistake: Satan is after you. This little trip through the Bible is not meant to imply that he wants you any less. It’s just a review of some of the people he went up against and failed. Even the one apparent success against Adam and Eve is mitigated by the coming of Jesus.

It is at the very time that we think we have arrived, that Satan attacks. Remember, “Pride before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18)