“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1Peter5:8) (KJV).

PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1

Satin, the devil is real! He does not exist only in fancy!  We must not act as though there were no tempting devil. He is an enemy of mankind, bitterest enemy of Christ, more cruel, and restless than even the worst, meanest, wickedness of men! He is an adversary (opponent in a law suit), not just a common adversary, but a powerful enemy that provokes you, and litigates or disputes against you in your grand journey and aims at the very depths of your souls!

Moreover, the devil is the “grand accuser of all the brethren.” This title is derived from a word in the (GR) which signifies to “strike through or to stab.”He would strike with a malignity (like cancer) into our natures and poison into our souls; a malignity to persecute and deceive – and resistant to therapy.  He strives through our sufferings to draw man into ultimate apostasy and ruin (Isaiah 1:4-6).

He is a roaring lion; seeking prey, hungry, strong, and cruel, the fierce and greedy pursuer of souls! By his business “he walks about, seeking whom (someone) he may devour;” his whole design is to devour and destroy souls. Seen behind all is a personal devil. To this end he is unwearied, and restless, a cunning foe that never sleeps in his malicious endeavours, for he always, night and day, goes about studying and contriving whom he may ensnare to their eternal ruin.

DARK AGES

We are living in an age when Satan works according to a definite plan. A giant intellect, a masterful mind, a serpentlike wisdom and skill; he works with intense energy and sharpness on hearts, minds, individuals, families, churches, and even nations. He works in secrecy, crookedness, and deception, but most successfully in darkness (1Testimonies 308), and most effectually in disguise (Sons and Daughters of God 79).

He is on our right hand, left hand, before us and behind us (5Testimonies 709). It seems almost hopeless to escape his clutches; for he has 6000 years experience in deceiving and tempting men. But, for 6000 years faith has builded upon Christ. For 6000 years the floods and tempests of Satanic wrath have beaten upon the Rock of our salvation, but it stands unmoved (The Desire of Ages p.413).

DISLOYAL PRINCE

Yet, before his rebellion he was a bright angel in glory, Lucifer, the “day star, an anointed cherub, the highest of all created beings, the prince of angels, leader of the angelic choir, and bowed in adoration to Christ. (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-18).  But because of his pride and rebellion he was expelled from heaven with one-third of heavens’ angels; cast down to earth, falling as a flash of lightning.

All of this because of his desire for supremacy in heaven – to be God himself! Now he was prince of the world – but a disloyal prince; claiming to be Christ and the rightful owner and ruler of the world (Medical Ministry 87; 1Selected Messages 286; Great Controversy 663).

BAD NEWS

Satan is the hidden force behind the traumatic oppositions, riots, protests, bombings, revolts, uprisings, plagues, disasters, and catastrophes (Revelation 7:3). He is the culprit, also, causing the drug abuse despair, abortions, suicides, and accidents. Violence, pestilences, heinous crimes, corruptions and wars are running rampant globally but you can resist ,and defeat him!

When I hear people doubt the existence of the Devil, I tremble and shudder. He is without a doubt – real! That he is wielding unholy power and evil influence and effects in all nations today, there can be no doubt.

For those of you that have the courage turn on the radio or observe the news media if you need more concrete evidence.  Just scan your newspapers or internet devices. Now, how else can you explain the acts of hatred and violence that are all too common? It’s all senseless, mindless, insane, mindboggling!

Could hearts filled with only God’s love deliver such acts of wanton acts of destruction? Would sane, thinking men and women behave in this way if they are not in the grips of evil? We see more and more examples of the Devil’s power as we move toward the ultimate battle of good and evil  –  between the bright beam of the  Sun of Righteousness and the dark clouds of the Evil One – the distinction between those who are of the world and those who are of Christ.

We are near the close of the Great Controversy between the Prince of light, and the prince of darkness, and soon the delusions of the enemy will try our faith, of what sort it is. Satan will work miracles in the sight of the beast, and deceive “them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.” (Rev, 13:14).

BARBAROUS AGE

We are living in a barbarous age when Satan is out to destroy all of mankind. And he is using all the tricks in his unlimited arsenal to meet those ends. He uses pornography, lust, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, greed, impatience, desire, hatred, jealousy, envy, pride, homosexuality, pedophilia, and on and on. Riots, uprisings, atrocities, executions, are more and more frequent; we see countless examples of people falling into the trap of instant gratification; looting, shooting, killing, raping. Satan is a warrior! Furthermore, seen even in football, or soccer matches (sports of brutality); where rioting, stampeding fans behave wildly trampling on one another killing, mutilating, crippling –  unmercifully. Also, Satan is pleased to hear his name used in sport and mockery (Great Controversy 516)

It’s all numbing, dreadful! We often see hundreds more killed in masses of believers trampling on one another escaping from bombed Mosques or Shrines; a hideous example of Satan’s works. The persecution of Christians, furthermore are alarmingly increasing in places such as Egypt, Africa, etc. A grotesque scenario is unfolding. Those people whom he cannot lead into sin – he persecutes (5Testimonies 295).

NO JOKE!

Satan has existed since the pristine days of Adam and Eve, and he has slaughtered, plundered, and bludgeoned his way through the centuries. Some people consider the Devil a joke; a laughable cartoon character because in the Middle ages the Devil was portrayed as a buffoon (clown) with pointed horns, a long evil tail,  a hideous monster with cloven feet and bat’s wings, a pitchfork, and painted as half animal and half-human. (Great Controversy 516). Many today still make light of his existence. They have a personal delusion that there is no Satan ((1Testimonies 295).

The Devil, however, in reality bears a kingly form; is resourceful, crafty, highly intelligent, powerful spirit; and not always wears a ferocious look of a lion, but with cunning and sly eyes, noble features, a  broad forehead that recedes from his eyes; full of anxiety, care, deceit, hate, malice, mischief, pride, presumptuous, and unhappiness (2Testimonies 287; Early Writings 152).

WHEN?

The devil is a constant force at our side, coaxing, pushing, tempting, enticing, prodding, Ah! This force is never more obvious than when we’re at our weakest moments. When? Well, when we are frightened. When we’re anxious about our jobs and welfare, or when unemployed. hungry, homeless, addicted. When we’re faced with uncertainty in our future. When the pressures of modern life seem overwhelming. When you are faced with a personal dilemma – a death, the sickness of a loved one, an affliction, conflict, an injustice, a separation, a handicap, loneliness – it is easy to feel God has abandoned you.

CAUTION – DEVIL AT WORK!

In your dark hours, just remember this fact: The Devil is at work! Ah! He is trying to coax you into a decision that will ruin you for eternity. We walk a fine line between life and death! Yet, even in the worst situation, you must remember that Christ has not deserted you. God’s love is here and whatsoever stumbling block the Devil puts in your path, God can carry you across in His arms. Yet, too many people today are searching for a fast and easy way out of their dilemmas, or problems – but, they’re searching in vain.

Today we have millions of people gambling on lottery tickets. But would great wealth end the problems we face? If we had no poverty, would we not still face: Depression? Anxiety? Pain? Suffering? Frustration? Certainly we would! Money is not the remedy! Moses did not institute lottery. Raising money by lottery was condemned, yet many poor people were tempted to spend money in lotteries. The business of lottery is a fraud (Evangelism 254; Councils On Stewardship 201, 241; Fundamentals of Christian Education 318;).

HOW TO DEFEAT SATAN!

   1.) PRAYER – The solution to all of man’s needs lies in prayer!  In your hour of darkness and despair, pray that the Lord will be at your side. With God, nothing is impossible (Luke 18:27). No job is too great. No problem too complex to solve. No burden so heavy His love and protection cannot provide relief. Furthermore, the only hope of our churches is to keep wide awake. Those who are well grounded in the truth of the Word, those who test everything by a “Thus saith the Lord” are safe.

The Holy Spirit will guide those who prize the wisdom of God above the deceptive sophistries of satanic agencies. Let there be much praying, not in human lines but under the inspiration of love of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. (Ye Shall Receive Power, EGW p.125).  In praying, pledge the blood of Jesus and Satan will flee!

   2,) BIBLEWhen a message is presented to God’s people, they should not rise up in opposition to it; they should go to the Bible – go to God. Tell Him what you want, take your Bible and search as for hidden treasures. Take your Bible and present yourself before your heavenly Father, saying. “Enlighten me; teach me what is truth.”

Never study the Bible without praying first and by asking for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and it shall be given. (John 1:47). Compare the message with the “law and the testimony, and if it does not bear this test, it is not true.”(Isaiah 8:20; Revelation 12:17;19:10).

   3.) LAW OF GOD – If they belittle the Law of God (Ten Commandments) (Exodus 20:1-17); if they pay no heed to His will as revealed in the testimonies of His Spirit, they are deceivers. They are controlled by impulse and impressions, which they believe to be from the Holy Spirit, and consider more reliable than the Inspired Word. But while they think that they are led by the Spirit of God, they are in reality following an imagination wrought upon by Satan. (Ye Shall Receive Power, Ibid. p.100; p.119).

But, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” (1John 5:2, 3). “And by this we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1John 1:3, 4).

The theme of Deuteronomy Is: “The Law Restated;” The Lord states, “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and curse: A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day; and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).

The promise of the Spirit’s indwelling, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, furthermore declares “If ye love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”(John 14:15,21)

Jesus Christ, in His relation to the Law declared, “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Moreover, “The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake; He will magnify the Law, and make it honorable.” (Isaiah 42:21). Note: The Law is truly honourable, and the things of it are great things; and, if men will not magnify it by their obedience to it, God will magnify it Himself by punishing them for their disobedience. He will magnify the Law by accomplishing what is written in it, will magnify its authority, its efficacy, its equity! He will do it at last, when all men shall be judged by the Law of Liberty. (James 2:12). He is doing it every day! So, what is it that God is doing in the world, but magnifying the Law and making it honourable?!

 4.) HOLY SPIRIT – All kinds of theories will be presented to divert the minds of men and women from the very truth that defines the position we can occupy with safety in this time when Satan is working with power upon religionists, leading them to make a pretense of being righteous, but to fail of placing themselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will give you clear discernment, that you may see and appropriate every blessing that will act as an antidote to grief, as a branch of healing to every draught of bitterness that is placed to your lips. (Selected  Messages, Book 2, pp. 272-274); (Ye Shall Receive Power EGW p.125).

 5.) SUFFERING –  is universal. Problems come and go. But suffering is a way of uncovering your true character. We are also made perfect through suffering.  It is a test.  Now is our time of test and trial. But, do not look for the quick fix. The easy way out may well be the work of the devil. Always look toward the long haul, the path that leads toward eternity. God will be at hand to aid and comfort you. Pray!! Keep the Lord’s faith. In that way you will be able to crushingly defeat the Devil and endure to the end!!

   6.) FAITH – Finally, there are thousands that are being deceived by trusting some special emotion, and discarding the Word of God. The grace of Christ will be made manifest in their daily conduct. We may safely ask those that profess to be sanctified, do the fruits of the Spirit appear in your life? The best evidence that any of us can have of our connection with the God of heaven is that we keep His commandments. But, the best proof of faith in Christ is distrust of self and dependence upon God. The only proof of our abiding in Christ is to reflect His image (Signs of the Times, Feb. 28, 1895

Again, let there be much praying done, and even with fasting, that one shall not move in darkness, but move in the light as God is in the light. Many follow a wrong course of action because they do not follow Jesus fully. They follow impulse and their own imagination (Special Testimonies Relating to Various Matters in Battle Creek, pp. 17, 18). In fact, faith is the overcoming principle in the world conflict!

In these days of delusion, everyone who is established in the truth will have to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Every variety pf error will be brought out in the mysterious working of Satan, which would, it if were possible, deceive the very elect, and turn them from the truth. Satan will work in a most subtle manner to introduce human inventions clothed with angel garments. Cling, therefore, to the Word in fervent faith.

The gaining of eternal life will ever involve a struggle, a conflict. We are continually to be found fighting the good fight of faith. For Christ’s sake we are to endure trials as soldiers of Christ. Christianity is a battle and a march. It is not mimic battles in which we are engaged. We have to meet powerful adversaries; who will win?

    7.) ARMOUR – There are many who do not understand the conflict that is going on between Christ and Satan over the souls of men. They do not realize that if they would stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel they must be willing to be partakers of His conflicts and wage a determined war against the powers of darkness.

Victories are not gained by ceremonies or display but by simple obedience to the highest General, the Lord God of heaven. He who trusts in this Leader will never know defeat. (In Heavenly Places, White; Armed For The Conflict, pg. 259).

When thinking on the conflict, Paul writes to his Ephesian brethren exhorting them to “be strong,” not feeble, not wavering, tossed to and fro like the waves of the sea. But in what are they to be strong?  In their own might? No! “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

He says, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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….” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

    8.) WORK – How do you stand before God, today? The question is not How will you stand in the day of trouble, or at some future time? But how is it with your soul today? Will you go to work today? We want a personal, individual experience today. Today, we want Christ abiding with us (Review and Herald Apr. 9, 1889).

God has a special work for everyone to do, and each one of us may do well the work which God has assigned him.

The only thing we have to fear on our part is that we shall not keep our eyes continually fixed upon Jesus, that we shall not have an eye single to the glory of God, so that if we were called to lay down our armor and sleep in death we might not be ready to give an account of our trust. (Ye Shall Receive Power, EGW, pg. 135).

Finally, therefore, Jesus gained the victory through submission and faith in God, and by the apostle He says to us, “Submit yourselves, therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” We cannot save ourselves from the tempter’s power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but “the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” (Proverbs 1:10). We must not put ourselves on the enemy’s ground. We are only here as probationers. We must not act as though there were no tempting devil. We want to know that our feet are in safe paths. (In Heavenly Places pg. 254)

 Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that Mighty Name of Jesus.”  For though the case for many be sad, it is not desperate or hopeless!

But, remember, dear brethren and friends, SATAN IS NOT IMAGINARY!  A hearty Amen!

John Theodorou

USA