The Real Enemy
Satan
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. – Ephesians 6:10-13
“The devil or Satan—also called Lucifer, the Adversary, the enemy of our souls, the prince of the power of the air—is a spiritual being who is the archenemy of God and everything related to Jesus Christ. When you become a Christian, he puts a target on your back. That’s why the Bible tells us that, no matter how it may seem, our battle is not against other people. Instead, our real enemy is Satan and the evil principalities and powers under him. We are told in Scripture to be alert and watchful and not to be ignorant of the devil’s devices. One of those devices is having people think that he doesn’t exist. But Jesus spoke about Satan and was even tempted by him, although Jesus of course prevailed against him with the Word of God. Jesus said that Satan was ‘the father of lies’ and ‘a murderer from the beginning.’ Satan is against life and peace and joy. He foments hatred, racial prejudice and all kinds of evil. He was in fact the originator of evil. Satan is not all-knowing, all-powerful or present everywhere, as God is; but he has a host of assisting demonic forces at his disposal that are ready to carry out his schemes. He is compared in Scripture to a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He is such a powerful and clever foe that we have no chance of standing against him in our own strength. It is for this reason that the Bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God, as it is outlined in chapter 6 of the New Testament book of Ephesians. Thankfully, Scripture tells us that greater is he that is in us—i.e. the Spirit of Christ— than he that is in the world—i.e. the devil (1 John 4:4). In his New Testament letter, the apostle Peter exhorted the church to ‘resist him, standing firm in the faith’ (1 Peter 5:9). Let’s do that today, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – Pastor Cymbala
- Who is Satan, and what are some of the other names by which he is called?
- What does Satan do when you become a Christian?
- Thinking back on some of the battles you may have had as a Christian, how does it change your thinking to know that your battle was not against the people who may have been involved, but rather against the enemy of your soul?
- How do we stand against the devil’s schemes?
- What is the hope we have of prevailing against Satan?