Who is Satan? Getting to Know the Enemy.

Recognizing our enemy, whose most successful strategy involves getting people to believe he doesn't exist, is critical to living the victorious, abundant life Jesus came to give us.

Unmasking and exposing Satan and his demons can render him powerless, as we come skillful in using the weapons God has given us.

In order to properly explore this issue, we have to understand three foundational issues:

1. Who the one true God is.

2. Who Satan is.

3. The origin and nature of demons.

Belial, the name commonly used as a synonym for Satan, is the personification of evil. Paul contrasted Belial, the prince of darkness, with Christ, The Light of the World.

What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:15)

The Bible depicts Belial as a powerful demon who secludes people into any type of sin. His name means "wicked and worthless." It has also been translated as "lord of arrogance" or "lord of pride" (Belial) and "the angel of lawlessness."

Belial attracted people to worship him as a god. His followers were called "sons of Belial." Yahweh, or God, warned that the followers of Belial could be identified if they encouraged Israel to serve other gods.

"that scoundrels from among you have gone out and led the inhabitants of the town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods,” whom you have not known, 14 then you shall inquire and make a thorough investigation. If the charge is established that such an abhorrent thing has been done among you, 15 you shall put the inhabitants of that town to the sword, utterly destroying it and everything in it—even putting its livestock to the sword." (Deuteronomy 13:13-15)

The devil or Satan is not an evil spirit; God created him as an angel - but he sinned and fell, becoming the god of the kingdom of darkness.

 

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