Do you know that you are under the influence and power of an evil spirit, Satan, the devil, unless you have put your faith in God through Jesus Christ?
There is a massive spiritual battle going on that we can’t see, but we experience the effects of. A battle for our spirit and soul.
Satan in his original state was a cherub, a winged angelic being, the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, created by God to worship, honour and glorify God, and anointed as a guardian or chief cherub, who became conceited and full of pride and wanted to be like God. Satan became filled with wickedness and violence. As a result, God expelled Satan from his duties as guardian cherub.
In retaliation, Satan now roams the earth to turn people away from, and against God. Satan is described in the Bible as a roaring lion, prowling around looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
Satan was the source of deception in the Garden of Eden to the first humans, Adam and Eve, who tempted them to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden so they would be like God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:1-13)
As we saw in the blog about the barrier to knowing God, it was because of Adam and Eve’s acceptance of this lie and action to eat the fruit, that sin entered the world and everyone born since then is sinful. Sin comes from Satan, not God.
Satan’s primary purpose is to draw us away from God, for sin to be the barrier to us being accepted by God, for us to not believe in God, for us to doubt God is real, for us to be disinterested, disconnected and disappointed in God, to deceive us with a lifetime of lies.
The Bible states that The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is referring to Satan.
God instructs us through the Bible that:
The whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2)
God has allowed Satan to have free reign on the earth, to deceive, to steal, kill and destroy.
Why has God allowed Satan to continue to exist and have such a powerful evil influence?
God has created us with a free will to acknowledge Him and choose to know and love Him. He didn’t create us as robots to be programmed to love him. He wants us to choose to love him. He wants us to choose between being a follower of God or a follower of Satan.
God has an ultimate plan to deal with Satan.
Jesus, God’s Son, when he was here on earth, taught about how Satan will be dealt with.
Jesus taught:
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. (John 12:31)
…the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:11)
Currently Satan is condemned and knows he only has a window of time left before his reign will be ended by God. He is lashing out by manifesting evil on the earth, as is evident in the world today.
The Bible states that The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:8)
The book of Revelation in the Bible describes the end of the reign of Satan that is yet to occur.
Jesus was tempted by Satan when he was on earth, just like we are, but resisted and was without sin. (Hebrews 4:14-15)
His model prayer for us, known as the Lord’s prayer includes the following words…and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)
Jesus died in our place, to pay the penalty of our sin that Satan put into us, so that we can be restored to relationship with God. Jesus defeated Satan when he rose from the dead here on earth.
Jesus death and resurrection demonstrate that God is higher, more powerful, more supreme and victorious over Satan and that God’s plans will be achieved in relation to Satan. God has the upper hand and always will.
When you put your faith in God, through Jesus, you are turning against Satan to God. That same victory over Satan that Jesus had is available to those who believe in God, through Jesus.
The Bible states:
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
My prayer for you reading this is that the blindness and deception from your mind will be removed and that you will see for yourself that you are part of a spiritual battle.
Jesus taught that The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Jesus is offering you freedom…a life that is no longer tied to Satan, sin and evil…your default position. Jesus is offering you peace, joy, deep satisfaction and contentment, He is offering you a relationship with God. Will you accept His invitation to abundant life?
Whose side will you choose? There will be consequences of your choice here on earth, for eternity, choose wisely…
References:
Ezekiel 28:12-18 and Isaiah 14:12-14 – the fall of Satan
Revelation chapters 12 and 20 – the end of the reign of Satan
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