SATAN IS REAL
(I have been in ministry for 50 years and in spiritual warfare ministry for almost 35 years. God has used both to teach me and make me more like Jesus. I’d like to share some of the lessons I have learned through studying, writing, teaching, counseling and praying spiritual warfare.)
In Bible college and seminary I learned all about Satan and demons. I believed everything I was taught. I had all the correct answers in my head. But nothing prepared me for the reality of facing demonic forces head on. Watching someone change from a quiet, gentle female to someone controlled by anger, hate, great strength, and speaking in a deep male voice gives a taste of Satan’s power. They seeing that personality leave (sometimes amidst screams) and the gentle woman reappear shows God’s power and victory. There is no other explanation.
In India we sometimes run into this as well. Evil is manifest in a person. It can be seen in their eyes, heard in their voice, and felt as the temperature around them gets colder. Without God’s protection we would be destroyed, but because of His power Satan’s forces cannot win.
Just as real is God’s angelic protection and provision around us. He has ways of revealing the reality of His angels and His protective power as well, and we rejoice in them.
I’ve never doubted Satan’s reality and power, but after being face to face with it I developed a new respect for it. But I have no fear, never any fear. Satan’s forces are much more powerful than me and would destroy me in a moment if they could. Clearly I am still here, so they haven’t been able to do that because God is my protection. Satan is real, but God is greater (1 John 4:4)!
Revelation 20: 1-3, 7-10 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. … 7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Do you fear Satan and demons? If you do you give them power over you. Confess your fear.
Do you take Satan and demons lightly, sometimes wondering if they really do exist and affect mankind? If so you give them the covering they covet so they can work against you without opposition.
Ask God to give you a healthy balance of respect without fear.
(For more information on the subject of spiritual warfare go to SW.ChristianTrainingOrganization.org or email me at jerry@schmoyer.net and I’ll send you a free copy of my Spiritual Warfare Handbook).