Does the enemy exist?

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”

(Ephesians 2:1-2 - New International Version)

Camouflage – hiding in plain sight

It is often said that the devil’s greatest trick is to make people believe he doesn’t exist. The whole concept of the enemy has been changed by society into a little red horned man with goaty legs – a figure of fun and a joke. This is exactly what the enemy wants. It is impossible to fight an enemy if we don’t even acknowledge that he truly exists. The enemy has used his power and influence, over many thousands of years, to create this situation where people don’t believe he is real. It makes it easier for him to sneak into people’s lives and corrupt them.

Jesus acknowledged the existence of the enemy and met the enemy in person while spending time out in the wilderness prior to His sacrifice for our sins. The enemy tried to tempt Jesus in much the same way the enemy tempts each of us, with quick-fix offers of worldly power, goods and acclaim.

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

Matthew 4:1 - New International Version)

Jesus resisted these temptations, but they are not just a story. Matthew would have known of this through conversation with Jesus. When Jesus returned from this period of isolation He would have shared His experiences with His followers, as they serve to edify and strengthen. They are an example of how we must resist the temptations of quick-fix worldly power, goods and acclaim, as they can lead us away from God and towards the enemy. God does bless us with gifts, but these are earned or given freely to benefit us, not placed before us to make us test or turn aside from God, as the enemy wishes.

The enemy IS a real individual

“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’”

(Job 1:8 - New International Version)

Another part of the trick of the enemy in making us believe he does not exist is the way that some people explain that he is just a manifestation of the concept of evil, a character created by the church to explain away bad things that happen. This simply isn’t true. The enemy is a real being, an individual, and has a name. This use of a personal pronoun by God shows that the enemy is a created individual being, not a concept, capable of thought, word and deed. The devil is described on many occasions as having characteristics that indicate clearly that he is an individual ‘person’. A concept is not capable of having character or displaying characteristics in actions, speech and thought processes.

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the snake’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

(2 Corinthians 11:3 - New International Version)

An obvious way of being led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ is to leave ourselves wide open to attack, temptation and destruction by the enemy through refusing to believe he exists. We must always remember that the enemy is a fallen angel whose prideful plan was to overthrow God and take over His creation.

“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

(Isaiah 14:12-14 - New International Version)

The enemy does not want the same things as God. The enemy does not want a relationship with us; the enemy wants us as fallen souls, slaves and objects of torture. The name Satan comes from the Hebrew for adversary and that is exactly what the enemy is: the adversary of all good things. The enemy stands ready to accuse us when we stray from a Christ-like life and to tempt us to take the wrong path.

“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.”

(Zechariah 3:1 - New International Version)

The enemy was an adversary of God’s plan right from the beginning. In tempting Eve and Adam he caused the brokenness we suffer with in the world today. This is something to remember when we question why bad things happen in the world, such as natural disasters. The enemy rules the Earth right now due to the fall. It is the enemy who broke perfection, brought sin into the world and in doing so created opportunity for disasters. God’s perfect plan was spoiled by the evil intent of the enemy.  Where God forgives the enemy accuses, where God loves the enemy hates, where God creates the enemy destroys.

But in the end?

The Bible shows us exactly what will happen to the enemy when Christ returns. The enemy will be defeated once and for all, and Christ will reign victorious, having reclaimed the Earth after the final battle.

“Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

(Revelation 12:12 - New International Version)

We are reassured that there is an end to the scheme of the enemy. That is why he works so hard to have an impact on so many lives.  The realisation of a time-limit to the enemy’s plans increases his desire to grab as many souls as he can before his time is up. This is why we must also work as hard as possible to save as many souls as we can by spreading the Good News of the salvation of Jesus Christ. It’s the only sure fire way to thwart the enemy!

When Christ returns there will be a reckoning. The devil knows this and is rightly afraid of it. The ending for the enemy and those who follow him is not a pleasant one. All his plans will turn against him and he will suffer the same fate that he wants for us:

“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10 - New International Version)

We need to make sure we are always alert against temptations that the enemy places in our way so we can avoid his fate. Ask Jesus for forgiveness, strength and wisdom and give your life to Him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

(Matthew 6:9-14 - New International Version)

Amen