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Whatever you want to call him—Satan, Lucifer, the big red fellow, or just the plain old devil—understand this fact: He is real. He's not a little red cartoon character with pointed ears, a pointed tale, and a pitchfork. He is far more sinister and diabolical than that. Satan is alive and well, and he seeks to destroy you. In 1 Peter 5:8 the Bible says, "Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
Even within Christian circles many today are choosing to ignore him and act as if he doesn't exist, and you know what? That's exactly what he desires! This is perhaps one of the most effective and deceptive spells hell has cast on humanity today. He knows the more covert he is, the more potent he can be.
The late Keith Green had incredible insight when he penned some sobering words concerning Satan. The song "No One Believes in Me Anymore" is a narrative from the viewpoint of Satan concerning his own existence. He describes how easily he is gaining power by the hour because no one believes in him anymore. Satan is most effective when he is not acknowledged or believed in, and he knows it. Never forget: It's impossible to defeat an enemy that you refuse to admit exists.
On of the greatest tragedies of the day is that much of the church is filled with unbelieving believers—people who want only to believe the portions of the Bible that make them comfortable. Those who scoff at the existence of a literal devil surmise that to believe in such a being is illogical and unrealistic. But the questions must be asked: Who's really unrealistic? How else can we explain the moral and spiritual abyss that our society has plunged into? How can we justify the millions of lives that have been wrecked, robbed, and ruined by war and famine? What about the Holocaust or the bombing of the World Trade Center? Every time a child is abused, a child is raped or someone is persecuted because of the color of his skin, it further reinforces the reality of an existing devil.
The ones who take exception to the belief in a real devil and his influence in the world would certainly then deny that he has any influence at all over their lives. The truth, however, is quite the contrary. Satan and his demons are consumed with influencing and affecting the individual lives of everyday people.
The longer I've lived the more I've come to realize: The devil has a scheme but God has a plan. Satan will do—and is doing—everything he can do to thwart the plan of God for your life. Satan doesn't just hate the world. He hates you. The hatred the devil operates in is so volcanic and intense that it really defies logic. It's hard to imagine that there is such a being that has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Satan is pure evil. He exists, and he is supremely dedicated to his unholy cause.
I want to say this with great conviction and clarity: Satan is your adversary. He is more than just an enemy of God, the church or the pastor. Satan is your personal adversary, and you will never have a greater foe than the devil.
Satan hates you because every time he sees you, he sees God. Now I am certainly not saying that we are God, but we are a reflection of Him. We are made in the image of our Creator.
Satan hates you because you have stolen his job, and you're better at it than he was! Remember now, Satan was the worship leader in heaven. The worship he brought to God was the most beautiful thing in all the cosmos, but he lost his way and when he lost his way he lost his job. There is now a new reflection of God's light today. The new reflection of God's light and glory is you and me. It's His children who have been redeemed by the power of the cross of Jesus Christ. Our song is the loveliest song in the entire universe because it's the song of the redeemed!
Satan hates you so much because God loves you so much. God loves you so much. Stop for just one moment and let that peace-bringing, hope-giving statement sink into every fiber in your being. God. Loves. You. So. Much. In fact, why not make that statement personal? Declare this very moment, "God loves me so much!" (See Romans 8:31-39).
Wow! With that kind of promise from the Word of God it would be an incredible tragedy to sit around and worry about a hater named Satan! Don't waste your days focused on Satan's hate, but spend your days feasting on God's love! God loves you personally, and there's not one thing the devil can do about it—and by the way, you can't either!
Adapted from Hell's Spells by Jim Raley, copyright 2012, published by Charisma House. Cutting through the sensationalism and spookiness of spiritual warfare, Jim Raley enables you to identify, understand, and break every bewitching spell the devil wants to launch against your life, your family, and your purpose. To order your copy, click here.
PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 08/26/2013
This week focus on the fact that God loves you unconditionally and take time to sit in His presence and meditate on that. Thank Him that no power from hell can everseparate you from His great love, and ask Him to increase your discernment and make you more sensitive to His leading. Ask Him to help you recognize any scheme, diversion or distraction the enemy may bring to steer you away from His plan and purpose for you. Continue to pray for revival and unity in our churches, for racial reconciliation and a return to God's ways in our nation, and for the expansion of God's kingdom around the world. Ask the Lord to show you're how you can share His love with those in desperate need. Rom. 8:31-39; 1 John 4:10-21; 1 Thes. 5:17
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