Speak of the Devil

Satan, the devil, Lucifer, dragon, son of the morning, Beelzebub, ancient serpent, prince of this world, father of lies... he's known by so many names. Not just throughout the bible but throughout the world. And whether you want to believe it or not, the devil is real and he's fighting against us. Against God and and His plans. Satan has his own plans for this world and he has his own plans for you.

Who Is He?

Satan, Hebrew for "adversary", is a heavenly being who was created by God, who created all things. Ezekiel 28:15 also notes of him being a created entity and describes him as being "perfect in thy ways". He was an anointed and beautiful cherub, but he was not infallible. In fact, Lucifer is the first being to have ever sinned. His pride in his own power and beauty overtook him and lead him to believe he could ascend higher than God himself. Satan believed, and still believes, in his own power and desires so much that he was able to corrupt a third of the heavenly host as well. (Revelation 12:4) The devil and his angels, in their great rebellion, were then cast out from heaven. He was unsuccessful in his uprising, so he used his deceit and lies to corrupt Eve and Adam in the garden of Eden.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. - Ezekiel 28:15

What Does He Want?

Satan wants to destroy God's plan. Ultimately, he would want to destroy God himself, but God has power over him and has already proclaimed what the devil's outcome will be. Eternal punishment in the lake of fire. Satan knows this. He also knows that God is perfect and untouchable. So he turns his attention to God's children. To us and this world. He wants to cause fear and create wars. He is greedy and wants control over as much as he can.

The devil wants to destroy all that is good. As Christians, he wants us to doubt our faith. He wants us to be afraid. He wants to destroy our marriages and our families. He wants fear, hypocrisy, and contradiction. He wants to lead us away from our faith and to fail in our walk with God. Satan is a liar but he's smart. He knows how to distract and tempt us. He uses his powers of deception to lead us into sin. The devil wants to devour our lives and keep as many people away from the salvation of Christ as possible.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: - 1 Peter 5:8

Why Would God Allow The Devil To Exist?

The bible tells us in Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." ALL things, including the devil and sin, have a purpose in God's plan. God is glorified through the salvation plan he played out in the beginning. Jesus was glorified when he defied sin, overcame Satan, and conquered death. Everything that happens, no matter how hard it is for us to see it, is for the glory of God.

What Is Satan's Future?

The devil may have some power over this world but he has no power over God. He will ultimately be condemned to a second and eternal death when he and his minions are cast into the lake of fire. And Satan knows this. He knows he has only a short time to try and wreak his havoc and bring as many much of this world with him as he can.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. - Revelation 20:10

We can all avoid an eternity in hell and, instead, enjoy the everlasting goodness of God. By repenting of our sins and believing that Christ died on the cross for us, we can accept his goodness and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.