SATAN
The name "Satan" means "adversary," in other words he is your enemy. He cannot possess you or own you but he will attempt to defeat you in your Christian walk. Satan cannot do anything to you unless it is allowed by God. (Job 2:5-6)
 
The Existence of Satan
 
It is doubted by the world:
A. Because of all the silly cartoons which picture Satan as a two-horned, fork tailed creature in red flannel underwear.
B. Liberal preachers have been too silent about Satan
C. Conservative preaching has been silent about him also.
D. A quotation from the Baptist Bulletin, December 1971, Page 13:
 
"If I were the devil, the first thing I would do is deny my own existence...this disciple of doubt seems to thrive best when he is underestimated or ignored or denied...If I were the devil I would deny my existence to the world and downplay it in the local church, thus freeing me to go about my business unheeded, unhindered, and unchecked."
 
On April 3, 1965, a great news commentator on radio named Paul Harvey had broadcast the following message concerning Satan.  Paul Harvey was a Christian and was on hundreds of radio stations in the majority of cities across the USA so this message went out to millions of people.
 
If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States. I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: Do as you please. Do as you please. To the young, I would whisper, The Bible is a myth. I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is square.  In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: Our Father, which art in Washington. . .
 
If I were the devil, I would educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I would threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I would get organized. I would infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me. I would peddle narcotics to whom I could. I would sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I would tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say she is right. With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.
 
If I were Satan, I would make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle. If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps. In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.
 
Paul Harvey, Good Day.
 
There are groups today who completely deny the existence of Satan because of following false teachings of others. This happens when people do not study their Scriptures and allow a central person do all their thinking for them.
 
The Five-Fold Sin of Satan from Isaiah 14:12-14
1. I will ascend into heaven - He wanted to rule in God's place as he desired equality with God.
 
2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God - A possible reference to Satan wanting to be worshipped by the angels or the children of God.
 
3. I will sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
    A. The mountain where God agreed to meet His people and make himself known to them. This was Sinai.
    B. Satan wanted control of the entire universe. In heathen writings, the north was the home of the ancient gods, possibly the Babylonian gods since the Book of Isaiah was written during the apostasy of the divided era of the nation of Israel.
    C. In Scripture, a mountain is a synonym for a kingdom. Satan wanted to have authority not only over his one kingdom, but also the kingdom of God. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. {2} My help cometh from the LORD, which made
       heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2, KJV)
 
4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds - He may be referring to the Shekinah glory of God. (Exodus 16:10)
 
5. I will be like the most high - Most High is the Hebrew description of God which means the "strongest strong one." He coveted the power of God.
 
Some of the Methods Satan uses to deceive
1. He sows tares among the wheat - Matthew 24:30 - This corresponds to unbelievers existing in the local church assembly along with believers.
2. He sows false doctrine - 1 Timothy 4:1-3
3. He defiles the Word of God:
    A. Taking it out of context - Matthew 4:6 - In this passage he quoted Psalm 91:11 but conveniently left out the part "To keep thee in all thy ways."
     B. Misinterpretation
     C. Overstressing one sided doctrine (biased interpretation)
     D. Disregards certain doctrines like the doctrine of Satan.
     E. Eisegesis - It means placing or forcing an erroneous meaning on a Scripture verse.
4. He hinders the work of God - 1 Thessalonians 2:18
5. He can hinder the prayers of God's people - Daniel 10:12-13
6. He blinds people to the gospel - 2 Corinthians 4:4
7. He steals the truth - Matthew 13:19
8. He is the accuser of the brethren - Revelation 12:9-10
9. He sets snares for people - 2 Timothy 2:26
10. He tempts people - Matthew 4:1; Ephesians 6:11
11. He can afflict people - Job 2:7; 2 Corinthians 12:7
12. He deceives - Revelation 12:9; 20:10
13. He sabotages the home - 1 Corinthians 7:5
14. He induces the sinner and saint to sin against God:
      A. David - 1 Chronicles 21:1
      B Judas - John 13:27
      C. Peter's rebuke of Jesus - Matthew 16:22-23
      D. Ananias and Sapphira - Acts 5:1-11
 
Satan is a defeated foe and a created being. He has no power or authority over the Christian. His power is not greater than God's power and on the last day, he will be cast into the lake of fire along with all those who followed him and denied Christ.
 
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