Writing about Satan and demons, C. S. Lewis said, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” I’ve witnessed both errors numerous times and I find Lewis’ succinct and simple conclusion enlightening. Further study exposes a disturbing trend. It did not surprised me that 60% of Americans believe Satan is only a symbol of evil not a living being. What did surprise me is 45% of born-again Christians deny Satan’s existence. If you refused to believe an enemy exists and is working to destroy you, you are already defeated.
Believers must recognize that the devil is not a fairy tale, a myth, or merely the influence of evil. Neither is he a red little man with horns, a pointed tail, holding a three-prong pitchfork. Satan is real, a living spirit being. Scripture presents him this way from the beginning. The Book of Job described him as a living entity that could roam about the earth and dialogue with God. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded the temptation of Jesus. Each one wrote of Satan as an actual being who spoke and reasoned. Their accounts had to originate from Jesus, which tells us Jesus encountered Satan as a living being. We know that Satan wasn’t always evil. He was the archangel Lucifer. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you (Eze 28:15). His pride overcame him and he said I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God (Isa 14: 12-15). However, Satan the deceiver, deceived himself about his ability and the Lord’s omnipotent power who cast him out of heaven. Since then he has sought to destroy all that God created.
Jesus taught the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (Joh 10:10). John later wrote Jesus’ purpose, The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). The word destroy is also translated undo, put an end to, and abolish. The final ‘putting an end to’ takes place at the final judgment, the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev 20:10). Until then Satan is a powerful and dangerous enemy. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Beyond acknowledging the devil as a living being, we must understand that he still remains far more powerful than any human. Only Christ is more powerful than Satan; and only in Christ and through Him do we find victory. Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph 6:10).
Through Christ, we possess weapons more powerful than Satan. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corin10:3, 4 NIV). We must never forget the first part of verse 3. We cannot fight the devil with the weapons of the world or with our flesh. If we do, we will lose. In contrast God has provided weapons that are divinely powerful. Through the analogy of the armor of a Roman soldier, Paul list the weapons we possess—truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and word of God (Eph 6:14-17). With this armor we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (v11). James adds the result of standing against Satan. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (4:7). The word for resist is the same word Paul uses that is translated stand firm against. Peter also uses this word resist him [stand against], firm in your faith (1 Pet 5:9).
So what does the devil do when we just stand clothed in our divinely powerful weapons—he will flee from you. It is easy to overlook the significance of this verse and the word used for flee. It doesn’t mean the devil just turns around and walks away. No, he runs away as fast he can. I’ve worked with groups that Lewis refers to as those with ‘excessive and unhealthy interest’. Typically, warring with Satan becomes an over dramatic event. They spend more time binding and rebuking the devil than they do praying . . . unto God (Acts 12:5). A student once gave me some wise insight about this. Police officers don’t walk around in fear with their gun drawn in one hand, can of pepper spray in the other, and holding a Billy-club with their teeth all day. Instead, they put on their uniform, strap their weapons on their waist, and wear their badge of authority. Watch a real life Cop program and note how criminals run away with just the appearance of a police officer. That’s a perfect picture of believers standing clothed in the armor of God displaying their divinely powerful weapons. Satan is real, more powerful than we are, and warring against him is not a specialize skill, but displaying (sometimes using) the weapons He gave us. Putting on the armor is simply putting on Jesus and displaying truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and word of God.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Stand and watch him run.