The Conquest of Satan - Part 1

 

Hebrews 2:14 “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of 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.”

This week, our Wednesday Evening small group Bible Study group concluded it’s “Angels and Demons” video series with a lesson on knowing the Adversary, Satan. Any battle requires knowing your enemy and their tactics, and spiritual battles are no exception. Christ took upon Himself flesh and blood that He might, through death, destroy him who had the power of death, even the devil. Who through the fear of death had kept people in bondage all their life long.

 

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.”

Pastor Kennedy explains that Jesus will first destroy the devil’s works and then ultimately destroy him. The term “destroy” doesn’t mean to annihilate or cease to exist, but rather to render ineffectual – to render impotent, to cause to be any kind of an active and dangerous threat in the world.

Satan! What do you know about him? Do you believe in him? You may hear people say, “Oh, I don’t believe in the devil.” But, God tells us that there definitely is a devil. God’s Word repeatedly states that the devil exists. Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil, talked to him, and did mortal combat with him at Calvary. Indeed, to deny the reality of Satan is to take on, ultimately, the very essence of the Christian faith. Same people may say, “Well, I just believe he represents a principle of evil.” We’re told it is best that you don’t think about these things at all. It’s negative, and the important thing is to be positive. Therefore, since this is an impersonal force – a mere principle – it will only affect you as you decide to think about ir, and then it will depress you.” In fact, by not thinking about him at all, you very likely will leave yourself open to his evil desires. No, Satan is not a mere principle of evil. He is a malignant person.

Who is Satan? Where did he come from? He is an angel. His name originally was Lucifer, the “light-bearer”. He was the mightiest, the most beautiful, the most powerful of all of God’s angels; then he sinned, we are told in both Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. What was the nature of his sin? It was simply one thought – not an act, not even a word – but a thought to himself when he said in his heart, “I will be like unto God.” He was thrown out of Heaven and took with him a great host of other fallen angels. They are collectively today known as demons. Satan, or the devil, is simply the leader of those who, like him, are fallen angels.

Therefore, Satan is not infinite. He is not omnipotent. He is not everywhere. Satan is not always tempting you. Yet, any angel, fallen or unfallen, is more than a match for any human. It is no battle at all, except for the fact that we are in Christ and He is more than a conqueror and more capable of delivering us from Satan.

Let’s continue this lesson on the conquest of Satan in the next post.

In Christ, Brian