Axis of Supernatural Evil 3 - The Devil

The Devil

The third member of this trinity of death which seeks to destroy all that God desires for human kind is the devil. In popular cultural, he goes by many different names –
Old Nick, Mr. Scratch, Mephistopheles, etc.

In scripture he is given these names and/or titles
Abaddon (Revelation 9:11).
Accuser of our brethren (Revelation 12:10).
Adversary (1 Peter 5:8).
Angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Angel of the bottomless pit (Revelation 9:11).
Antichrist (1 John 4:3).
Apollyon (Revelation 9:11).
Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24).
Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15).
Crooked serpent (Isaiah 27:1).
Devil (Matthew 4:1).
Dragon (Isaiah 27:1; Revelation 12:3; 20:2).
Enemy (Matthew 13:39).
Father of lies (John 8:44).
God of this World (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Leviathan (Isaiah 27:1).
Liar (John 8:44).
Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12).
Lying spirit (1 Kings 22:22).
Murderer (John 8:44).
Old serpent (Revelation 12:9; 20:2).
Piercing serpent (Isaiah 27:1).
Power of darkness (Colossians 1:13).
Prince of the devils (Matthew 12:24).
Prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2).
Prince of this world (John 14:30).
Roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8).
Ruler of this world (John 12:31; 16:11).
Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1; Job 1:6; John 13:27; Acts 5:3; 26:18; Romans 16:20).
Serpent (Genesis 3:4, 14; 2 Corinthians 11:3).
Son of the Morning (Isaiah 14:12).
Spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).
Swine (Matthew 7:6).
Tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5).
Unclean spirit (Matthew 12:43).
Wicked one (Matthew 13:19, 38).

Needless to say, it must be recognized that he exists and that “the world-wide and age-long works of Satan are to be traced to one predominant motive. He hates both God and man and does all that in him lies to defeat God's plan of grace and to establish and maintain a kingdom of evil, in the seduction and ruin of mankind.”*

However, we must also recognize that the devil is not equal with God. He is a created being and therefore is finite in his knowledge, his presence and his power. Though he was an angel who sought to overthrow God and assume the throne of heaven, he has the physical limitations of time and space. That is to say that he must travel to a location to arrive there and that he exists only in the present unlike our God who exists outside of time and space but involves Himself in our time and our space.

Let’s look at a few references to help us understand who our adversary is.

He has a physical existence and limitation. The scope and limits of the devil’s authority are set by God.

One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"

Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Job 1:6-7 NIV

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?" Zech 3:1-2 NIV

He held a position of authority and responsibility but was thrown out of heaven because of his arrogance and rebellion.

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."
But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate:
"Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,
the man who made the world a desert,
who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?"
Isa 14:12-17 NIV

Some even go so far as to say that he was the leader of worship before the fall.

However, he is a defeated foe.

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:17-20 NIV

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Heb 2:14-16 NIV

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 1 John 3:8 NIV

And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Rev 12:7-9 NIV

It must also be recognized that the devil cannot read our thoughts or the intentions of our hearts. His knowledge is limited to the same confines as humans and angels, physically hearing the words or watching the actions of his enemies. Granted, he has devoted the last six thousand years, more or less, to the study of mankind and he and his minions are well acquainted with our sins, our failures and our weaknesses just by virtue of their watchfulness, always looking for the “soft underbelly” of a human to cause him to fall. But he cannot read your thoughts, your mind and only God can do that.

"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." Jer 17:10 NIV

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Rom. 8:26-27 NIV


The methods and weaponry of our enemy in found in deception and lies.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:44 NIV

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. 2 Cor 11:13-15 NIV

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 2 Thess 2:9-12 NIV

We must understand that the devil did have legitimate and legal authority over this world and its inhabitants until Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified. As Joseph said of his brothers selling him into slavery,

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Gen 50:20-21 NKJV

So it was that satan thought that through the death pf God’s Son, he might win the victory he lost those millennia before. But instead, by putting to death an innocent, he sealed his own doom. Jesus, then, gained back that which was lost through Adam’s sin in the garden.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned- for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Rom 5:12-17 NIV

Satan, the devil, Mr. Scratch – it does not matter what name you give him; he is still a defeated foe. A defeated foe whose prowess and power we must recognize but who nonetheless no longer has any rights, power or privileges over the sons of God.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Rom 8:12-17 NIV


*(from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft)