Satan's Many Parts

The Bible shows that Satan can play many parts, and among the principal parts he plays are the following seven:

1. He is the Devil to deceive. Rev 20:10 says, "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Satan's power is not eternal - he will meet his doom. He began his evil work in mankind at the beginning (Gen 3:1-6) and continues it today, but he will be destroyed when he is thrown into the lake of fire. Satan was released from the bottomless pit (20:7) but he will never be released from the lake of fire. He will never be a threat to anyone again.

2. He is the adversary (Satan) to accuse. Luke 22:31 says, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:"

Satan wanted to crush Peter like a grain of wheat. He hoped to find only chaff and blow it away. But Jesus assured Peter that his faith, although it would falter, would not be destroyed. It would be renewed and he would become a powerful leader.

3. He is an angel of light to misrepresent. 2 Cor 11:14 says, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."

Satan "transformed" means Satan masquerading. In one popular version of the story of Eve's temptation, Satan masqueraded as an angel. Paul may have been thinking of this story, or he could have been referring to Satan's typical devices. In either case, nothing could be more deceitful than Satan, the prince of darkness (Eph 6:12; Col 1:13), disguishing himself as an angel of light. By the same token, when the false teachers claimed to represent Christ, they were lying shamelessly.

Satan and his servants can deceive us by appearing attractive, good and moral. Many unsuspecting people follow smooth-talking, Bible-quoting leaders into cults that alienate them from their families and practice immorality and deceit. Don't be fooled by external appearances. Our impressions alone are not an accurate indicator of who is or isn't a tru follower of Christ; so it helps to ask these questions: 1) Do their teachings confirm scripture (Acts 17:11)? 2) Do the teachers affirm and proclaim that Jesus Christ is God who came into the world as a man to save people from their sins (1 John 4:1-3)? 3) Is their life-style consistent with biblical morality (Matt 12:33-37)?

4. He is an enemy to oppose. Matt 13:28,39 says, "He said unto them, An enemy hath doth this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels."

5. He is the hinderer to deter. 1 Thess 2:18 says, "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us."

Paul was not using the word "Satan" here symbolically - he knew that Satan is real. Satan is called "the god of this world" (2 Cor 4"4) and "the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2). We don't know what exactly hindered Paul from returning to Thessalonica - opposition, illness, travel, complications, or a direct attack by Satan - but Satan worked in some way to keep him away. Many of the difficulities that prevent us from accomplishing God's work can be attributed to Satan (Eph 6:12)

6. He is the god of this age to blind. 2 Cor 4:4 says, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

The Good News is open and revealed to everyone, except to those who refuse to believe. Satan is "the god of this world." His work is to deceive and he has blinded those who don't beleive in Christ (see 11:14-15 (#3 above). The allure of money, power, and pleasure blinds people to the light of Christ's Gospel. Those who refuse Christ, perferring their own pursuits, have made Satan their God unknowingly.

7. He is the tempter to allure. Luke 4:2 says, "Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 1 Thess 3:5 says, "For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you and our labour be in vain."

The Devil, who tempted Adam & Eve in the Garden, also tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan is a real being, a created but rebellious fallen angel, not a symbol or an idea. He constantly fights against God and those who follow and obey God. Jesus was a prime target for his temptations. Satan succeeded with Adam and Eve and he hoped to succeed with Jesus too.

Satan ("tempter") is the most powerful of the evil spirits. His power can affect both the spiritual world (Eph 2:1-3; 6:10-12) and the physical world (2 Cor 12:7-10). Satan even tempted Jesus. But Jesus defeated Satan when he died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose again to bring new life. At the proper time God will overthrow Satan forever. (Rev 20:7-10)

Are you a follower of Satan or Christ?