The Christian’s Relationship with the Devil
All people are conceived in sin (Ps 51:5). No one is born innocent; rather, all are born with a sin nature, as children of wrath (Eph 2:3).
When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, his posterity inherited his corruption (1 Cor 15:22). Adam and Eve fell prey to the wiles of the devil, posing as a serpent (Gen 3). Adam’s progeny are all born into slavery, into the bondage of sin (Rom 6:6; 7:14). As slaves to sin (Jn 8:34), being dead to God because they are dead in sin (Eph 2:1), humanity remains subject to the powerful influence of Satan, our adversary.
The god of this world (2 Cor 4:4) has designed and developed a world system known as, “the domain of darkness (Col 1:13).” Man lives each day in spiritual darkness, in the land of darkness, with a darkened heart (Rom 1:21). All of man’s acquaintances are in this same dark state, which is the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23:4). People must be warned that it is appointed once for each person to die, and then he or she must face the judgment of God (Heb 9:27; Rev 20:11).
The mind of man is blinded by the work of the prince of darkness (2 Cor 4:4). Man’s eternal home is outer darkness (Eccl 12:5; Mt 8:12). Men love the darkness (Jn 3:19), and they do not comprehend the light (Jn 1:5). To walk in darkness is the course of this world (Jn 12:35), and many walk in this wide way of destruction (Mt 7:13). Men are lost, and all their deeds are darkness (Rom 13:12).
God calls His chosen people out of the darkness (Rom 8:30; 1 Pet 2:9); for God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 Jn 1:5). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world (Jn 8:12),” and “all who come to Me, I shall in no wise cast out (Jn 6:37).” They have the Light of life (Jn 8:12), and they appear as lights in the world (Phil 2:15). Jesus said about His church, “You are the light of the world (Mt 5:14),” even as city set on a hill, which cannot be hidden.
The tension between light and darkness is seen every day and every night. We are reminded each year that seasons of darkness and seasons of light occur. Followers of Christ are to let their light shine all the time (Mt 5:16). Thus, there is no such thing as a part-time Christian. One either has the Son, or she does not (Jn 3:36; 1 Jn 5:12).
As children of light, Christians walk in the manner of their calling to be children of God (Eph 5:8; Phil 2:15; 1 Jn 3:1, 10). This is not some game of performance Christianity. It is living a life in fulfillment of God’s providential decree, entirely by His grace, as directed by His indwelling Spirit (Jn 14:17; 16:13; Rom 8:9, 11).
Christians have been set free from the enslavement of Satan (Jn 8:32). It is Christ who defeated the devil at the cross (Col 2:15; 1 Jn 3:8). There, Jesus disarmed the devil and made a public display of his evil organization (Col 2:15). Still, the dominion of Satan operates (Acts 26:18), although evil is exposed (Eph 5:11) by Christian truth tellers, employing the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph 6:17).
God will soon crush Satan under the feet of His saints (Rom 16:20), who are overcomers in the world (1 Jn 5:4–5), knowing with blessed assurance that they have eternal life (1 Jn 5:13), and that they are no longer under God’s condemnation (Rom 8:1), and that nothing can separate them from the love of the One who loses none of His own (Jn 10:28–29; Rom 8:35–39).
Satan poses as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:4), even as he prowls like a devouring lion to destroy people (1 Pet 5:8), even sifting the saints of God (Lk 22:31), as he did with Job and Peter. He hinders the work of saints (1 Thess 2:18) and operates his world forces of darkness (Eph 6:12), led by principal figures resembling Antichrist to come (2 Thess 2:9).
Satan dwells in the world (Rev 2:13), and occupies government, business, education, religion, entertainment, and even operates his own synagogues, his fake churches (Rev 3:9). He deceives the whole world (Rev 12:9).
Despite his defeat and disarmament, Satan is an ancient foe, who wields great power from his imprisonment (Rev 20:7)…like an incarcerated mob boss. His end is sealed by the predetermined plan of God (Mt 25:41; Acts 2:23).
Christians are to resist the devil (Jas 4:7) and his temptations to sin (Lk 4:13) — not giving him an opportunity (Eph 4:27) but standing firm against his schemes (Eph 6:11). It is not for the Christian to imagine he can defeat the devil. That would be mere pride, which is his trap and snare (1 Tim 3:7; 2 Tim 2:26).
Instead, let us simply walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25); walk in the light (1 Jn 1:7); walk in the truth (2 Jn 1:4; 3 Jn 1:3–4); walking in humility (Dan 4:37; Mic 6:8), which is to walk in the manner of our calling (1 Cor 7:17; Eph 4:1; Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12; 1 Jn 2:6). For He that is in us (Holy Spirit) is greater than He that is in the world (1 Jn 4:4); and He directs our steps (Prv 3:5–6), and we gladly acknowledge Him, who gives us the faith that overcomes (Phil 1:29; 1 Jn 5:4). This is our victory, which is Christ’s victory, and it is God who always leads us in His triumph (2 Cor 2:14).
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
January 15, 2022
