SATAN
SATAN IS THE PRINCE OF A WORLD SYSTEM IN REBELLION AGAINST GOD AND THOSE WHO LOVE GOD
Satan is the enemy of God – an angel who led a rebellion against God before the earth was created, who desires the worship and obedience reserved for God alone. Because of this rebellion, Satan and a third of the angels who followed Satan were thrown out of heaven. For reasons known only to God, Satan is permitted to exert considerable influence on the earth; in fact, he is called “the prince of this world” by Jesus himself. Satan and his demons (the other angels who rebelled with him) apparently have territories and are powerful enough that the work of God's angels can be slowed up. However, Satan has limitations, the same as angels. He is not omnipresent (everywhere present), omniscient (all knowing), or all powerful, nor are his demons. In fact, in most ways he is completely the opposite of God.
Satan’s first interaction with man was persuading Adam and Eve that they could be like God and independent of him, by minimizing the consequences of disobedience and lying about the advantages. Throughout history and even today he appeals to man’s intellect and selfish desires to deceive the world by encouraging worldviews contrary to God’s. The Bible describes “the world” as any other people, religions, philosophies, or value systems other than God’s. But, let’s be clear about this: other religions, philosophies or even atheists are not the enemy. The enemy is Satan and the power of sin. Satan’s primary methods are to keep mankind ignorant of the truth, and he deceives by counterfeiting truth with false religions, philosophies, and values, which may have elements of truth in them. In fact, Satan’s name means “deceiver”.
The world (physical and spiritual) is a battleground for these two kingdoms in conflict. (The kingdom of heaven versus Satan’s kingdom.) Each is governed by supernatural beings (angels and demons), each has its own worldview, and each has its followers on earth. The Bible says that every person on earth belongs to one kingdom or the other. There is no neutral territory.
Believers are commanded to have a Christ-centered, biblical worldview. The world has many counterfeit and false worldviews including other religions, cults, and humanistic philosophies. Few non-Christians understand that they are controlled by Satan, but have unconsciously accepted his non-biblical worldviews, belief systems and behavior. “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” Col 2:8. On the other hand, believers clearly understand they belong to Christ. Believers are commanded to educate themselves about and fully resist, by peaceful and loving means, any religion, pattern of living or philosophy, which is antithetical to God’s.
For now, Satan and his demons continue to wreak havoc on the world and even tempt believers to disobey God. However, this conflict is not one of two equals. The Bible clearly teaches that the victory over Satan’s hold on man was already won by Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. Those who are born again have the power to resist Satan and in the end he is destined for destruction.
I John 5:19; John 12:31; Eph. 6:10-12; I Peter 5:8; Rev. 2:13; John 8:44; Eph. 2:1-2; Col. 2:8; I John 3:10; I Thess. 2:9; I John 2:15-17; Matt. 12:25-28; Acts 26:17, 18; Daniel 10:12-13, 20; II Cor. 11:14-15; II Thess. 2:4