- [Narrator] Where does Satan reside?
While Satan is undoubtedly heading to hell,
he is not currently there.
While cartoons often depict Satan with a red outfit,
pointed tail, and pitchfork,
medieval folklore hardly represents what the Bible portrays.
At the moment, Satan is not in hell.
Instead, Satan roams the earth,
seeking people to tempt into sin and thus separate from God.
Good soldiers of Jesus Christ know Satan roams the earth,
"seeking those whom he may devour."
One Peter 5:8, "Be sober, well-balanced,
"and self-disciplined.
"Be alert and cautious at all times.
"That enemy of yours, the devil,
"prowls around like a roaring lion, fiercely hungry,
"seeking someone to devour."
We must be ready.
Peter encourages us to remain clearheaded,
sober, and watchful, vigilant,
because Satan has not yet been bound and restrained
for 1,000 years as Revelation 20:1-2 says he will be.
Revelation 20:1-2, "And then I saw an angel descending
"from heaven holding the key of the abyss,
"the bottomless pit, and a great chain was in his hand,
"and he overpowered and laid hold of the dragon,
"that old serpent of primeval times,
"who is the devil and Satan,
"and bound him securely for a thousand years, a millennium."
At the present time, the devil walks about.
"He walketh about, he has access to you everywhere,
"he knows your feelings and your propensities,
"and informs himself of all your circumstances.
"Only God can know more and do more than he,
"therefore, your care must be cast upon God.", Clarke.
The devil certainly walks about.
He is a finite being and can only be
in one place at one time, yet his effort, energy,
and associates enable him to extend his influence all
over the world and in every arena of life.
We read, "Like a roaring lion."
For Christians, Satan is a lion who may roar
but who has been defanged at the cross.
Colossians 2:15, "When he had disarmed the rulers
"and authorities, those supernatural forces
"of evil operating against us,
"he made a public example of them,
"exhibiting them as captives in his triumphal procession,
"having triumphed over them through the cross."
However, the sound of his roar,
his deceptive lies, is still potent.
Psalm 91:3 implies Satan may come against us
like a fowler who captures birds.
Psalm 91:3, "For he will save you from the trap
"of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence."
Fowlers are always quiet and secretive,
never wanting to reveal their presence.
2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that Satan can come as an angel
of light appearing glorious, reasonable, and attractive.
Nevertheless, Peter warns us that Satan sometimes attacks
like a roaring lion, loud and intimidating.
2 Corinthians 11:14, "And no wonder,
"since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
We have three facts now.
Number one, he roars through persecution.
Number two, he roars through strong temptation.
Number three, he roars through blasphemies
and accusations against God.
We note Satan's goal, "Seeking whom he may devour."
His goal isn't just to lick or nibble on his prey.
He wants to devour it.
"He can never be content
"till he sees the believer utterly devoured.
"He would rend him in pieces and break his bones
"and utterly destroy him if he could.
"Do not, therefore, indulge the thought
"that the main purpose of Satan is to make you miserable.
"He is pleased with that, but that is not his ultimate end.
"Sometimes he may even make you happy
"for he hath dainty poisons sweet to the taste,
"which he administers to God's people.
"If he feels that our destruction can be more readily
"achieved by sweets than by bitters,
"he certainly would prefer that
"which would best affect his end.", Spurgeon.
We read, "Resist him, steadfast in the faith."
The secret of spiritual warfare is straightforward,
steadfast, resistance.
As we are firm in the faith, we resist the devil's lies
and threats and intimidation.
"Scripture urges believers to flee from various evils,
"but nowhere are they advised to flee from the devil.
"That would be a futile effort.", Hiebert.
1 Corinthians 6:18, "Run away from sexual immorality
"in any form, whether thought or behavior,
"whether visual or written.
"Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body,
"but the one who is sexually immoral sins
"against his own body."
1 Corinthians 10:14, "Therefore, my beloved, run,
"keep far, far away from any sort of idolatry,
"and that includes loving anything more than God
"or participating in anything that leads to sin
"and enslaves the soul."
1 Timothy 6:11, "But as for you, oh man of God,
"flee from these things, aim at and pursue righteousness,
"true goodness, moral conformity to the character of God,
"Godliness, the fear of God, faith, love, steadfastness,
"and gentleness."
2 Timothy 2:22, "Run away from youthful lusts,
"pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace
"with those believers who call on the Lord
"out of pure heart."
The word resist comes from two ancient Greek words,
stand and against.
Peter tells us to stand against the devil.
Satan can be set running by the resistance
of the lowliest believer who comes in the authority
of what Jesus did on the cross.
"Resist, be more prayerful every time he is more active.
"He will soon give it up if he finds
"that his attacks drive you to Christ.
"Often has Satan been nothing but a big, black dog
"to drive Christ's sheep nearer to the master.", Spurgeon.
We read, "Knowing that the same sufferings are experienced
"by your brotherhood in the world."
As we battle our spiritual battles, we are also comforted
by the knowledge that we are never alone.
Our brothers and sisters in Jesus have fought
and are fighting the same battles.
"The outlook is on the whole conflict of the saints.
"It is seen as one.
"No soul is fighting alone.
"Each one is at once supporting, and supported by,
"all the rest.", Morgan.
As well as being the prince of this world,
Satan is also the ruler of the Air Kingdom.
John 14:30, "I will not speak with you much longer
"for the ruler of the world, Satan, is coming,
"and he has no claim on me, no power over me,
"nor anything that he can use against me."
Ephesians 2:2, "In which you once walked,
"You are following the ways of this world,
"influenced by this present age,
"in accordance with the prince of the power of the air,
"Satan, the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient,
"the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God."
Satan does not live in hell.
He lives and works on the earth
and in the heavens circling it.
Satan is the father of lies,
and he influences and rules the world right now.
John 8:44, "You are of your father, the devil,
"and it is your will to practice the desires
"which are characteristic of your father.
"He was a murderer from the beginning
"and does not stand in the truth,
"because there is no truth in him.
"When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him,
"for he is a liar and the father of lies and half truths."
Satan desires worship, and he uses deceit and distractions
to draw man's focus to himself.
Matthew 4:9, Amplified Bible, "And he said to him,
"'All these things I will give you,
"'if you fall down and worship me.'"
The world worships Satan in one way or another,
except for those who are of the kingdom of God
and are therefore called out of Satan's deceptions.
If a person is not a child of God,
he is, by default, a child of Satan.
John 8:44, "You are of your father, the devil,
"and it is your will to practice the desires
"which are characteristic of your father.
"He was a murderer from the beginning
"and does not stand in the truth,
"because there is no truth in him.
"When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him,
"for he is a liar and the father of lies and half truths."
Acts 13:10, "And said, 'You, Elymas,
"'who are full of every kind of deceit,
"'and every kind of fraud, you son of the devil,
"'enemy of everything that is right and good,
"'will you never stop perverting the straight paths
"'of the Lord?'"
1 John 3:10 tells us how to distinguish the two,
"This is how we know who the children of God are
"and who the children of the devil are.
"Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child,
"nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister."
John 3:10, "Jesus replied, 'You are the great
"'and well-known teacher of Israel and yet you do not know
"'nor understand these things from scripture?'"
James 4:4 explains that anyone who is a friend of the world
is an enemy of God.
James 4:4, Amplified Bible, "You adulteresses,
"disloyal sinners, flirting with the world
"and breaking your vow to God.
"Do you not know that being the world's friend, that is,
"loving the things of the world, is being God's enemy?
"So whoever chooses to be a friend
"of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
This is important to know, because soon,
Jesus will return to earth and collect what belongs to him.
He will defeat the followers of Satan
and claim his elect for himself.
Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire
and tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:10, "And the devil who had deceived them
"was hurled into the lake of fire and burning brimstone,
"sulfur, where the beast, antichrist,
"and false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day
"and night forever and ever."
Afterward, Jesus will judge unbelievers according
to what they have done during their lives.
Anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life
is thrown into the lake of fire where Satan
and his minions will be by that time.
Revelation 20:13, "And the sea gave up the dead
"who were in it, and death and Hades, the realm of the dead,
"surrendered the dead who were in them,
"and they were judged and sentenced,
"every one according to their deeds."
Revelation 20:15, Amplified Bible,
"And if anyone's name was not found written
"in the book of life, he was hurled into the lake of fire."
Hell and death are also thrown into the lake of fire.
So technically speaking,
at no time does Satan reside in hell.
Revelation 20:14, Amplified Bible, AMP,
"Then death and Hades, the realm of the dead,
"were thrown into the lake of fire.
"This is the second death, the lake of fire,
"the eternal separation from God."
The key takeaway for each person is to ensure
that his own name is written in the book of life
so that he may have eternal life in heaven
rather than eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.
In Job 1, we read that he had access to God's presence,
"Now there was a day when the sons of God, angels,
"came to present themselves before the Lord,
"and Satan, adversary, accuser, also came among them.
"The Lord said to Satan, 'from where have you come?'
"Then Satan answered the Lord,
"'From roaming around on the earth
"'and from walking around on it.'", Job 1.
In Revelation 12, the devil and his demons march in heaven
and make a heavenly conflict.
Revelation 12:7-9, "And war broke out in heaven,
"Michael, the archangel, and his angels waging war
"with the dragon.
"The dragon and his angels fought,
"but they were not strong enough and did not prevail,
"and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven,
"and the great dragon was thrown down,
"the age-old serpent who is called the devil and Satan,
"he who continually deceives
"and seduces the entire inhabited world.
"He was thrown down to the earth,
"and his angels were thrown down with him.
The archangel, Michael, was God's champion,
the commanding general of God's forces.
As a result, the dragon and his minions are cast
down to the ground, and he loses his position.
The one who deceives the whole world, the devil, Satan,
is the one John refers to as "the great dragon,
"that serpent of old".
After this battle, Satan is judged and tormented forever.
Revelation 12:10, "Then I heard a loud voice in heaven,
"saying, 'Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom,
"'dominion, reign of our God, and the authority
"'of his Christ have come.
"'For the accuser of our believing brothers
"'and sisters has been thrown down at last,
"'he who accuses them and keeps bringing charges
"'of sinful behavior against them
"'before our God day and night.'"
Even so, believers have a divine advocate
before God named Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:1, "My little children, believers, dear ones,
"I am writing you these things so that you will not sin
"and violate God's law, and if anyone sins,
"we have an advocate who will intercede for us
"with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous, the upright,
"the just one, who conforms to the father's will
"in every way, purpose, thought, and action."
Satan, the adversary, may seek to destroy God's people,
but Jesus Christ is the good shepherd.
John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd.
"The good shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep."
John 10:14, "I am the good shepherd,
"and I know without any doubt those who are my own
"and my own know me and have a deep,
"personal relationship with me."
Satan will lose the conflict and be cast to Earth,
and his angels will be cast out with him.
John then offers a simple strategy believers
through the ages have employed to overcome Satan's attacks,
a threefold plan against the devil's assaults, covering,
confession, and courage.
First, the Christian's covering is nothing less
than Christ's blood, spilled for his or her sin.
Apart from the blood of Christ,
a person remains forever vulnerable to Satan.
Second, the Christian's confession is the word of God.
Recall, Jesus' successful defense
against the devil's temptations was entirely due
to his use of God's word.
Third, the Christian's courage is indicated
by loving Jesus more than life.
They did not love their lives to the death.
Revelation 12:11, "And they overcame and conquered him
"because of the blood of the lamb
"and because of the word of their testimony,
"for they did not love their life and renounce their faith
"even when faced with death."
Satan never sleeps, nor does he tire
in his repeated attacks on God's people.
Christians who think this spiritual warfare is a good
subject to discuss but don't think it affects their lives
every day may be vulnerable to spiritual defeat.