Is Satan Real? Post 230
Is Satan real you may ask? I asked this question too, when I was a new Christian and it sent me searching the Bible for the answer.
It didn’t take long in my search to find the truth about the devil and hell. The Devil, also referred to as Satan or the Serpent, is alive and well. His sole purpose is to entice us to follow him into sin. He was introduced to us in the very first book of the Bible in the story of Adam and Eve. I learned very quickly that yes, Satan is for real.
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, the Lord told them that they could eat from any of the beautiful fruit trees EXCEPT the tree in the center of the garden called “the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” As Adam and Eve were enjoying themselves, the Serpent enters the scene and he questioned Eve; he said to her, “Did God really say you could not eat from that tree?”
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”(Gen 3:1 NIV)
This, my friends, is how the devil works every time. He questions us. He wants us to doubt what we know in our heart to be true. We start to second guess the truth! We start to believe that the sin all around us isn’t sin at all. We actually start listening to those who are the loudest and filled with the most pride.
We need to be aware of what is true and beautiful and right in God’s eyes so that other people don’t change our thinking. Whether we like it or not we are influenced by the media, actors, YouTubers, movies and anyone that speaks to us. Many of these platforms are run by people who are living in darkness; they may believe in God but chose not to follow the Lord’s teachings. When they try to influence us they question us, “Did God really say you couldn’t…”
Simply insert the things that entice you. We all have something that we should live without or something we should change. This is our weak point and the Devil knows what it is. He will send people into our lives to entice us and to lure us away from following what we know to be true about right living.
The Devil begins by having us doubt the teachings of Jesus. Then, after we start to question the Lord’s teachings, Satan knows he has a foothold on our thinking and can start to inch his way in to our life, luring us to make choices that are against the will of God. Making choices opposed to God will result in unhappiness, broken relationships, discouragement, depression, apathy as well as missing additional blessings that God gives for being obedient. The worst outcome frp, following the Devil is spiritual death- being separated from God and all of His goodness. This happens when we repeatedly refuse to do what we know is right.
“When tempted, no one should say God is tempting me, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desires and enticed. Then, as the desire is conceived it gives birth to sin; and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.” (James 1:13-16)
God isn’t obligated to protect us where He hasn’t lead us.
When we make decisions based on our feelings rather than God’s truth, we are stepping out from His umbrella of protection. Some consequences we face are tough and usually have a long term negative impact on more than just our own life.
If we decide to be a believer and follower of the Lord’s teachings, we will be back under His umbrella, safe and secure. “The Lord is faithful, He will strengthen you and protect you from the Evil one.” (2 Thes 3:3)
Read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. This son lived wildly, spent his inheritance and became destitute and very unhappy. God could have lead the prodigal son to a job so that he wasn’t destitute, but the Lord chose not to do that. God may have wanted the son to experience the consequences of his actions so that he could see the error of his ways. It wasn’t until the prodigal son decided to go back to his father and live as his father directs, that he was happy, fulfilled and safe. We are all prodigal “sons” and our heavenly Father is always waiting for us with open arms to welcome us back into a peaceful life.
The best protection from the lures of Satan is to fill our minds with the Word of God. Then naturally we will desire to live life God’s way. we At this point we can relax and enjoy life without worry about the future because we know the Lord is directing our steps. He will provide for us and protect us as we stay close to Him. This is our Garden of Eden.
For more on this topic, see Dr. Charles Stanley’s Youtube channel found here
God’s Promise:
“So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”(Isaiah 41:10)
Food For Thought,
Lisa
