(From Gods Answers To Mans Questions by Dr. Alban Douglas, downloadable for free)
Angels And Satan
Lesson 40 — Satan
INTRODUCTION
The Christian life is a battle against our great foe, Satan, called the devil By virtue of the fall of man we became the devil's possession, his pawns.
We share the same fate--cursed by God and destined to hell.
When we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour this relationship of Satan and sinner is broken but Satan does not give us up easily; he fights desperately to regain us.
The Bible tells us to resist Satan, fight him, give him no place in our lives.
I. SATAN'S ORIGIN
Satan is a created being according to the Lord in Col 1:16; the time is unknown.
Satan is described in Ezek 28:12-19.
Verse 12-Satan was full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
Verse 13-He was covered with precious stones, sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, Jasper, sapphire, emerald, carbuncle and gold.
He was capable of using tabrets and pipes for he was musical
Verse 14-he was the anointed cherub, perhaps the chiefest, highest angel Verse 17-his heart was lifted up because of his beauty and wisdom.
Verse l5-he was created perfect and remained perfect until sin entered him.
Verse 16--sin and iniquity were discovered in Satan.
Verses 16-18-Satan was cast out from the presence of God in heaven.
Satan is also described in Isa 14:12-17.
Verse 12-he was called Lucifer, the son of the morning.
Verses 13, 14—his pride led him to desire to be like the most High God Verse 15-his destiny is mentioned as being hell, down to the sides of the pit.
Since Satan has been cast out of heaven he now makes his abode in the air, Eph 2:2.
Satan still has a limited access to heaven to accuse the brethren: Job 1:6-12; Zech :1.
This power may continue until the fulfillment of Rev 12:10.
II. SATAN'S PERSONALITY
Many today do not believe in a personal devil, recognizing only the evil tendencies of the flesh or vices as human weaknesses.
Jesus speaking in John 8:44 said to the unbelieving Jews, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." He must be a person to be a father.
In Job 1:6-12, Satan talks to God accusing Job of evil; an influence cannot talk.
In the story of the Temptation of Christ, in Matt 4:1-11, Jesus was dealing with a real person, a real enemy, a tricky, subtle foe.
Satan is a real person, possessing life, intelligence, will power and feelings.
Satan, however, is a spirit being and does not possess a human body (neither tail or horn.)
III. SATAN'S CHARACTER
1. He is a thief. Matt. 13:19, the devil steals the Word of God from the hearts of hearers: "When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.
2. He is subtle. II Cor. 11:3, Satan beguiled Eve: ". .. . as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty." See lesson 36.
3. He is a murderer. John 8:44; "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning."
4. He is a liar. John 8:44, "When he (Satan) speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. "
5. He is a deceiver. Rev 12:9, ". . . and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. . ."
IV. SATAN'S TITLES
1. He is an angel of light. II Cor. 2:13-15, "For Satan himself is transformed into angel of light. "
2. He is a roaring lion. I Pet. 5:8, ".. . your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
3. He is the prince of the power of the air. Eph 2:2, ". . . according to the prince the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. "
4. He is the power of darkness. Col 1:13, ". . . delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son."
5. He is the great dragon, the serpent, the devil, Satan, Rev 12:9, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels."
6. He is the prince of this world. John 14:30, "For the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me. "
7. He is the god of this world II Cor 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. "
8. He is king of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, Rev 9:11.
V. SATAN'S WORK
1. To seek whom he may devour. I Pet. 5:8, "The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. "
2. To sow tares and evil doctrine. Matt 13:25, 30, "His enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way."
3. To blind the minds of men. II Cor. 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. ..
4. To accuse the brethren. Rev 12:10, "For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. "
5. To sift (test) the Christians. Luke 22:31, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed.?
6. To destroy the flesh (lives) of men. I Cor. 5:5, "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day."
VI. SATAN'S SUBORDINATES
1. Satan's angels, evil spirits, unclean spirits and devils. II Pet. 2:4, "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness.
Jude 6, "And the angels which kept not their first estate. . . reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."
2. Principalities, powers, world rulers and spiritual hosts. Eph 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.?
3. Sinners who do his will. John 8:44, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do."
4. Saints sometimes inadvertently allow Satan to use them as Peter did in Matt 6:22-23,. Jesus looked at Peter but rebuked Satan who had spoken through Peter’s lips.
VII. SATAN'S DESTINY
1. At a future date he will be cast out of heaven. Rev 12:7, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.?
Satan still has access to heaven today.
2. Then Satan will begin to stir up men against God. Rev. 12:12, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. "
3. Then he will be changed by an angel. Rev. 20:1-3, "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and he bound him a thousand years."
4. Satan will be cast into the bottomless pit for the thousand years, Rev. 20:3.
5. After this he will be loosed for a little season and go out to deceive men and attempt to revolt against God. Rev. 20:7-8, "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea."
6. Satan is defeated and cast into the lake of fire forever, Rev. 20:7-10.
CONCLUSION
Satan is mighty but God is Almighty; Satan was forever defeated at Calvary. Let us constantly claim victory over Satan through the Blood of Calvary, Rev. 12:11.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
391. Tell seven things about Satan before his fall.
392. Show that Satan is a person (5 points).
393. Give a 5-fold character sketch of Satan.
394. Which one of the characteristics listed in question 393 do you consider to be the most terrifying? Why?
395. Name 8 titles ascribed to Satan.
396. Name 5 things that Satan does.
397. Who are Satan's subordinates or assistants?
398. Give one illustration from the life of Christ where Satan was able to speak through the lips of a disciple.
399. On the basis of Rev. 12:7-12, and 20:1-10, trace the destiny of Satan.
400. What sin caused Lucifer the Cherub to become Satan the devil?