Understanding Satan's role (1)
Friday 21st September 2018
'God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil.' 1 John 4:4 NCV
God knows everything; angels only know what he reveals. God is everywhere; angels can only be in one place. God is all-powerful; angels are only as powerful as God allows them to be. Satan is a fallen angel who wasn't satisfied to worship God; he wanted God's throne for himself. Angels, like humans, were made to serve and worship God. And they were given free will; otherwise, how could they worship? But Satan said, 'I will make myself like the Most High' (Isaiah 14:14 NIV). That got him evicted from Heaven: 'You are brought down... to the depths of the pit' (Isaiah 14:15 NIV).
Satan wants us to believe that he is an independent force with unlimited power. But he's not. The Bible says that 'he is a liar and the father of lies' (John 8:44 NIV). And Satan hasn't changed. He's as self-centred now as he was then, but he's also still as limited now as he was then. Even when his heart was good, he was inferior to God.
The truth is that God is infinitely more powerful than Satan. We can rely on God's strength and power to help us in every area of our lives. 'But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one' (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV).
So what now? You can overcome the devil's attacks because you have God, not only on your side, but within you: 'God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world' (1 John 4:4 NCV). Rest in that.
Friday 21st September 2018
'God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil.' 1 John 4:4 NCV
God knows everything; angels only know what he reveals. God is everywhere; angels can only be in one place. God is all-powerful; angels are only as powerful as God allows them to be. Satan is a fallen angel who wasn't satisfied to worship God; he wanted God's throne for himself. Angels, like humans, were made to serve and worship God. And they were given free will; otherwise, how could they worship? But Satan said, 'I will make myself like the Most High' (Isaiah 14:14 NIV). That got him evicted from Heaven: 'You are brought down... to the depths of the pit' (Isaiah 14:15 NIV).
Satan wants us to believe that he is an independent force with unlimited power. But he's not. The Bible says that 'he is a liar and the father of lies' (John 8:44 NIV). And Satan hasn't changed. He's as self-centred now as he was then, but he's also still as limited now as he was then. Even when his heart was good, he was inferior to God.
The truth is that God is infinitely more powerful than Satan. We can rely on God's strength and power to help us in every area of our lives. 'But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one' (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV).
So what now? You can overcome the devil's attacks because you have God, not only on your side, but within you: 'God's Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world' (1 John 4:4 NCV). Rest in that.