Strangely there are some who seem to think that any discussion about Hell and the devil should only be discussed around Halloween as if Satan is some sort of holiday mythological character.
Well Halloween has come and gone but Satan is indeed real. Despite the fact that October is behind us the devil is still on the prowl looking for those he can devour. Listen I believe in preaching the full Gospel but hardly anyone wants to talk about Satan anymore.
The Bible talks about Satan. The prince of the powers of the air, the adversary, the devil, the wicked one, Beelzebub, Lucifer, the anointed cherub are a few of the names the Bible gives us.
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thess 2:1-12
Paul is talking about a great apostasy or falling away. He is describing the state of the church prior to the coming of Christ. Folks now is the time to know what you believe and believe it. Heaven is real and so is hell. This is why we must keep preaching the entire Gospel.
God did not intend for you to spend your life in misery, His thoughts toward you are for good!
The bible says there will be a great increase in rebellion against God.
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He] is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Cor 4:1-4
The spirit of this world, Satan, has blinded people so they won’t believe in the truth. He has one purpose and one purpose only. His job is to blind and deceive people so that they will not receive Christ.
Satan wants to separate us from Jesus.
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. Luke 22:31
The warfare takes place in your mind. Wicked thoughts, an evil heart, come subtly. He stirs up offense and discord until church people and families are fight with each other. Your battle is not with your family, the church, or even the government. The battle is with your enemy. Once you understand that you will have more empathy for people who are deceived.
So God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes! Rom 1:24-25 The Message
God is not going to force Himself on any of us. If people love their deception then He will allow them to continue in it.
I thank God I answered the call when it came to my life. Oh, the life of sin and debauchery I lived in! He who has been forgiven much loves much but I can be deceived like anyone.
The devil is a master at making himself seem bigger than he is.
“Those who see you will gaze at you,
And consider you, saying:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms, Is 14:16
This scripture reminds me of The Wizard of Oz. When they finally pulled back the curtain there was no Great and Powerful Oz but just an old man. Satan’s greatest power is his ability to deceive. He will lie, and tempt you, and keep you believing you can’t be free. He wants you to believe you will always be this way because he wants to keep you from understanding just how powerful you are.
If Jesus can raise the dead then He can certainly set you free from the prison of bandage you are in. The door was opened the day Jesus died on the cross. Walk out!
Is Jesus coming back? Yes He is. I don’t know when but I want to live as if He is coming back today. God’s delay is not His laziness, or apathy, or forgetfulness. His delay is His mercy giving us more time to turn to Him.
So don’t give up. Hang in there a little while longer. Satan is not all powerful. Know your enemy, It’s not people. It’s not flesh and blood. It’s the liar, the deceiver…
It’s the devil.
Lord,
May I always remember that I fight an invisible enemy. Help me to discern his work in my life and his lies in my head. Help me to run to You for refuge and to stand on truth. In Jesus name,
Amen