A.According to surveys conducted by the Barna Group in 2005, most Americans do not believe in the existence of the devil (Satan) as a real, living being.
1.60% of adults believe that the devil is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.
2.46% of those who identify themselves as born-again Christians deny the devil's existence.
3.73% of Catholics believe the devil is only a symbol of evil and not a real being.
B.This denial of the devil’s existence is a tremendous advantage to the devil because people will not fight against him if they do not believe that he is real.
1.Certainly, the devil would prefer to move about in stealth, undetected by those whom he seeks to destroy like a lion silently stalking its prey.
2.Therefore, we must be alert to his presence and resist every advance he makes against us.
II.SATAN IS REAL
A.Belief in Satan is not a backwards superstition, but rather it is a matter of faith in God.
1.Many people consider honest belief in the devil to be a sign of foolishness and ignorance.It is not surprising that worldly minded people would hold this opinion, but even many who claim to be Christians regard belief in the devil as a joking matter.
2.In truth, believing in Satan results from believing that the Bible is the inspired word of God.
a.One who believes the Bible must believe in Satan also, for the Bible testifies that the devil is a real, living being and not just an abstract symbol.
b.The popular denial of Satan reveals a dangerous lack of belief and/or knowledge of the Bible, especially for those who claim they are Christians.
c.Believing in the devil is truly a matter of faith in God, for, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
B.Let us consider some of what God has revealed about the devil through the Bible.
1.The names and descriptions assigned to the devil reveal much about him.
a.Devil (accuser, slanderer) – This name indicates that he goes before God to accuse men of sin and speak evil of them (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; Luke 22:31; Rev. 12:9-12).
b.Satan (adversary, opponent) – This name reveals his true purpose.His appeals may appear to be good, but the results are always to our detriment.He seeks to create an opportunity for us to stumble whereby he can accuse us of offending God.He is our enemy and the enemy of Christ (1Pet. 5:8; Matt. 13:39; Luke 8:12).
c.The ruler of this world, the prince of the powers of the air – These descriptions indicate that he has tremendous power in this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12; Rev. 12:7-13).
d.Some other terms used to describe him are Belial, Beelzebub, dragon, and evil one.
2.It is evident from the Scriptures that Satan is a living, thinking person who even converses with the Father and the Son (see above passages; also Matt. 4:1-11).
3.Satan is a schemer and a manipulator, always seeking to deceive men into believing a lie.
a.The first record of his existence shows him deceiving Eve into believing that she could sin and not die, contrary to God’s word (Gen. 3:1-5).
b.Jesus said that the devil was “a murderer from the beginning,” “a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
c.Satan opposes the truth of God and seeks to keep it from men by suppressing it, diluting it, and mingling it with false doctrines (Matt. 13:19,39; Luke 8:12).
d.He disguises himself and his servants with the appearance of righteousness, taking advantage of those who do not know the truth (2Cor. 11:13-15).He even misused the Scriptures when he tempted Jesus (Matt. 4:1-11).
4.The devil’s power is death, because the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).He had all men bound up in sin and death until Christ overcame death and rendered him powerless (Heb. 2:14; Rom. 3:23; 1Cor. 15:54-57).
5.The devil’s destiny has been determined, which is eternal punishment (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).
III.RESIST THE DEVIL
A.It is necessary to acknowledge that Satan is a real being, but acknowledging him is not enough to protect us from him.For this, we must make a focused effort to oppose the devil’s advances.
B.Regarding this effort, let us consider two very similar passages: James 4:6-10 and 1Peter 5:5-9.These two passages contain some common elements that a Christian needs to ward off Satan.
1.Both of these passages enjoin humility (lowliness of mind) for the Christian.
a.Each passage quotes from the Septuagint translation of Proverbs 3:34, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6; 1Pet. 5:5).
b.Although this message is the same, the application in the two passages is different.
i.In James, the people needed to be humbled because they were selfish and worldly minded (Jas. 4:1-5; 1:14).These attitudes led to strife and quarreling.
ii.In 1Peter, the people were enduring fiery trials and suffering (1Pet. 1:6-7; 5:9-10).They needed to be humble and submit to God during this time rather than succumbing to any desires to escape the persecution by forsaking the Lord.
iii.These two situations demonstrate the primary weapons that Satan uses against God’s people: temptation and persecution.He uses these to provoke men to satisfy their self-interests instead of submitting to the will of God.Therefore, profound humility is needed to overcome Satan’s advances.
c.In both passages, the commandment is “humble yourselves,” which literally means “be humbled,” or in other words, accept your lowly position under God.
d.In both cases, God gives grace (lit. “keeps on giving grace”) to the humble, and the promised outcome of patient humility is exaltation by God (Jas. 4:10; 1Pet. 5:6).
2.Both passages advise a close relationship with God.
a.James says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8).
i.Sinners draw near to God by embracing His ways and forsaking theirs (Isa. 55:6-7).This is exactly what James said to do in James 4:8-9.
ii.We may draw near to God only through Jesus, through whom we will receive help when Satan tempts us or persecutes us (Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25).
b.Peter says, “casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you” (1Pet. 5:7).
i.Peter called upon these people who were persecuted by Satan to relieve their worries by believing that God cared for them.
ii.This was not to say that God would relieve their afflictions, but rather that their suffering for His sake would be rewarded.This required a deep trust in God.
c.Nearness to God is essential because only in Him do we have the power to defeat Satan.
3.Both passages demand active resistance to the devil.
a.James says, “Submit therefore to God.Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7).
i.The word “submit” in the Greek was a military term and means “place under.”The idea is that we are to submit to God as a soldier submits to his superiors.
ii.The word “resist” was also a military term and means “stand against.”
iii.Altogether, this means that we must choose God’s side in His fight against Satan and engage ourselves in the fight.If we do this, Satan will flee, not because he fears us, but because we stand with God and are armed by Him (Eph. 6:10-17).
b.Likewise, Peter says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.But resist him, firm in your faith…” (1Pet. 5:8-9).
i.This calls for a constant awareness of Satan because he is always seeking an opportunity (Luke 4:13; Eph. 4:27).
ii.Many have fallen simply because they were ignorant or unaware of Satan’s schemes.We must be aware of him and how he works (2Cor. 2:11).
C.Therefore, the admonition of God for overcoming Satan is to be humble and submit ourselves to God’s will, get close to God through Christ Jesus, and stand against Satan with all the might He gives us.
IV.CONCLUSION
A.We better get wise to Satan in this world.
1.Claiming ignorance will never be an acceptable excuse because God has told us so much about the devil.
2.Saying “the devil made me do it” will never be an acceptable excuse for sin because God has given us the power to resist Satan.
B.Therefore, let us open our eyes to Satan’s presence, his power, and his purpose.Let us then resist him with all of the power that God gives us, “in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left” (2Cor. 6:7).
