Satan, Our Enemy

There should be no reason given why one should be ignorant of who Satan is. The Scriptures reveal so much about him, that we should know who he is and who his children are.  II Cor. 11:13, 14, “ for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

            “Be sober; be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”. I Peter 5:8. God has not limited him to whom he goes after.  Matthew 4:3, “now when the tempter came to him, he said, if you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread”. Matthew 16:23, Christ said to Peter, “get thee hence behind me Satan; you are an offence (one that would cause you to stumble) to me”.

            He is referred to as one who has “no truth in him” in John 8:44 and that he is a “liar and the father of lies”. He is not bound by God so that anyone cannot be tempted by him.

            He is known by various names in the Scriptures.  Serpent, Satan, devil, dragon, Revelation 20:2, “he laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years”. Beelzebub, Matthew 12:24, “this man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons”. Tempter, I Thes.3:5, “lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor be in vain”.

Wicked one, Matthew 13:19, in the parable of sower, “then the wicked on comes and snatches them away what was sown in his heart”. Vs 38, “but the tares are the sons of the wicked one”.

Accuser, Rev.12:10, “for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before God day and night has been cast down”.

Three titles that point to Satan’s authority in this world.

Ruler or prince of this world. John 12:31, “now is the judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast down.

god of this age—“ whose mind he god of this age has blinded who do not believe”.

The prince and power of the air—Eph. 2:2, “in who you once walked according to the prince and power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience”.

Metaphor’s that describe Satan.

1.     Matthew 13:4, parable of sower, “birds came and devour them”. (Seed that fell) vs 19 refers to the wicked one who snatched seed away.

2.     Enemy, Matthew 13:25, “while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares”. Vs. 28, “he said to them, an enemy has done this”.

3.     Wolf, John 10:12, “the shepherd who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep.

4.     Roaring lion—I Peter 5:8  

- CL Bruner