It takes a challenger, opponent, enemy, of supreme ability and power to bring out God's infinately
greater powers and abilities.
Just like athletes or sports teams need very
tough opponents to really show how great they are.
I think, very few Christians
realise, just how great Satan's penetration into our churches, bibles, music, doctrines, and lives, is.
Christians, I fear, unwittingly give lots of money, energy, etc., to Satan's causes.
An easy way to see this --
In the last 70 years we have had tremendous,
side-by-side, increase in our own high technology, including information, and computer systems.
and -- tremendous increase in knowledge of God's high tech world of molecular biology and also, his intricate,
genetic code system.
By comparison, we know this immense complexity only comes
by Special Creation. This, of course proves the Creator God is absolutely real.
The low estimate for species on this planet is 10 million -- the high estimate is 100 billion -- all these with
codes in the millions or billions of letters (base pairs).
Special Creation by
God is a PLAIN FACT.
Yet colleges and universities continue to push the MYTH
of Evolution.
THIS IS TESTIMONY TO SHEER POWER OF SATAN TO DECEIVE --
AND TO HIS MUSCLE TO FORCE ARMIES OF INTELLIGENT, EDUCATED PEOPLE TO LIE FOR HIM.
We are crazy, not to realize, Satan is massively effecting our churches, our lives, and our cultures. I have
many articles, listed in the left column on this page.
See my page - Human Body - including, Dr. Michael Denton's amazing statement on Molecular Biology.
By reviewing the Bible passages below, the reader will get a good idea of Satan's origin, destiny, his mighty power,
his methods, and the evil and, destruction he has done.
The Devil had
to get God's permission to bring the great Old Testament man, Job, under trial.
God
set limits on what Satan could do with Job.
Job did not know what was going
on, why he was suffering, but he kept his trust in God.
Eventually God revealed
what was happening and rewarded Job well.
The New Testament indicates
the Devil can trouble us, but, not beyond what God allows.
We are given
precautions, we should follow. But, God will protect us.
1Corinthians 10:13:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it.
1Peter 5:8,9 says: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith ...
1Timothy 3:7: (Speaking of Elders, Deacons) Moreover he must have a good report of them which
are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
2 Timothy
2:25-26: In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to
the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive
by him at his will.
We must include, here, New Testament passage Ephesians
6:10-13, showing it is evil spirit agents with whom we "wrestle":
10Finally,
my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put
on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13Wherefore take unto you
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
See
my page, Put on the Whole Armour of God.
Here is chapter 1 of Job.
1There
was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed
evil. 2And there were born
unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3His substance
also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a
very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
4And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three
sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5And it was
so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning,
and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed
God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
6Now
there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Note: "Sons of God" are angels, here, -- in Satan's case, a fallen angel.
7And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD,
and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there
is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all
that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee
to thy face.
12And the LORD said
unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from
the presence of the LORD.
13And there
was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
14And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the
asses feeding beside them:
15And
the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee.
16While
he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep,
and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
17While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made
out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword;
and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18While
he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their
eldest brother's house:
19And, behold,
there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and
they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21And said, Naked came I out of my
mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22In all this Job sinned not,
nor charged God foolishly.
Note: The Book of Revelation, chapter 11 shows that in the future Satan
will be thrown out of heaven.
But this has not happened yet, and
he continues his accusations to God, against us:
7And
there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength,
and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them
before our God day and night.
11And
they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having
great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
This last
verse shows that when he does come down, he will be furious.
Note: Verse
11 above says one must be a real Christian to overcome him.
See my web
page, They Came to Jesus.
Also, check the list on the left for other
pages at my site.