The Devil |
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The devil was a created high ranking angelic being with a free will who rebelled against God.
Ezekiel 28:14-15
‘You were the anointed cherub who covers. I established you. You were on the holy mountain of God. You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in all your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.’
He was cast out of God’s presence.
Ezekiel 28:16
'Therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God’
He enticed Adam and Eve to align with him and as a consequence death came to all of mankind.
Romans 5:12
‘Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men’
The world is now under his control.
1 John 5:19
‘…the whole world is under the control of the evil one’
He tried to get Jesus to rebel against the Father in his final temptation in the wilderness. He failed.
Matthew 4:8-9
‘Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give you,” he said.’
Jesus calls him the ruler of this world a liar, a murderer, and a deceiver.
John 14:30
‘I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me.’
John 8:44
“He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.’
2 Corinthians 11:3
‘But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.’
He masquerades as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14
‘And no wonder! For Satan transforms himself into an angel of light’
Paul tells us that the devil blinds the minds of humanity so that they cannot believe in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:4
‘…whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them’
The Devil has an army of demons.
Some of their work is to:-
- Indwell humans and animals - Mark 5:1-16.
- Physically afflict people - Mark 9:17-22.
- Terrorize humans - Acts 19:13-16.
- Initiate false worship - 1 Corinthians 10:20-21
- Promote false doctrines - 1 Timothy 4:1.
- Perform false signs and wonders - 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Rev 16:13-14.
- Encourage idol worship - Deuteronomy 32:17, Ps 106:27.
Satan’s followers are not limited to spirit beings in the unseen world. He is a ‘father’ to those he has deceived. Speaking to the religious leaders of his time Jesus said,
John 8:44
‘You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.’
Matthew 13:37-39
‘He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil..’
Acts 13:9-10
‘Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?’
1 John 3:10
‘In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God.’
Jesus came into the world to destroy the devil’s work.
1 John 3:8
‘He who sins, is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.’
Hebrews 2:14-15
‘Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of the flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is, the devil.’
Even though the devil is defeated, he still has power until the appointed time when he will be totally taken out of the way. Until that time Christians must be aware of his tactics.
Matthew 16:18
‘I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’
Roman 16:20
‘The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.’
Luke 10:19-20
‘Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.’
Ephesians 4:26-27
‘Be angry, and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.’
Ephesians 6:11
‘Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil’
James 4:7
‘Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.’
The Devil’s end is clear and certain.
Revelation 20:10
‘And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.’