He has many aliases . . .

Liar

Angel of light

Imitator

The tempter

The evil one

Prince of demons

Satan = The accuser

The devil = The slanderer

Belial = The wicked one

Beelzebub = Lord of flies

Apollyon & Abaddon = Destroyer

Prince of the power of the airThief

Murderer

Roaring lion

The adversary

The father of lies

Prince of darkness

Prince of this world

The god of this age

The angel of the Abyss

The oppressor of the saints

The sower of discord

The enemy of all good

The spirit that works in the children of disobedience

His biography . . .

Satan is an angel. God made him before the world began (Job 38:4-7). Satan was

very powerful (Revelation 12:3: "ten horns") and very wise (Revelation 12:3:

"seven heads"). But he became the first sinner (1 John 3:8). Apparently at one

point in the past (or possibly future) he led a rebellion in heaven against God

(Revelation 12:7). In Satan’s fall, he drew a vast number of angels with him

(Revelation 12:4, 9). Some of the fallen angels are loose and some are bound in

a place called the Abyss (Luke 8:31). The loose ones we call "demons". Of the

bound ones, there are two kinds, permanently bound (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) and

temporarily bound (Revelation 9:1-11). Satan and his demons now wage war against

God’s kingdom (Revelation 12:17). At the Second Coming of Christ, he will be

bound for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3). After the thousand years, he will be

set free for a short time and will go out to deceive the nations (Revelation

20:7-9). The devil’s final end will be in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10),

which was prepared by God for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

Picture by C.Stokes 1999. A.D.

His limitations . . .

Satan is not self-existent. He is created.

He is not sovereign.

Satan rules a domain of demons, but he does not rule beyond the bound of

that confinement of rule which God has given him.

Satan never has cast off the government of God, since the rebellion totally

failed. He has been exiled to the earth and the domain around it (Ephesians

2:2).

Satan’s chain stretches just so far and God allows him to go that far and no

farther. He operates completely within the sphere of God’s allowance (e.g.

Job 1:12; 2:6).

God even uses Satan to His own ends (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Satan is not omnipotent (all-powerful). He is powerful, yes, but not all

powerful (1 John 4:4).

Satan is not omniscient (all-knowing).

Satan is an angel and angels don’t know everything (1 Peter 1:11-12).

There is no indication in Scripture that Satan can read our thoughts. But

he’s pretty good at predicting our behavior, because he’s an expert on human

nature.

Satan is not omnipresent (everywhere at the same time).

He’s fast, but not omnipresent.

But he is the head of a network of subordinate devils who make his influence

practically worldwide (Matthew 12:24).

THE POWER OF SATAN OVER THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST . . .

Satan has the whole world of unbelievers under his control (Matthew

4:8-10; John 14:30; 1 John 5:19).

Unbelievers belong to him (1 John 3:8,12) and are his children (1 John

3:10).

Satan has the power of influence and blinding. He blinds the minds of the

unbelieving (2 Corinthians 4:4). He prevents the gospel from entering

their hearts (Matthew 13:19; Luke 8:11). Satan speaks through

fortunetellers (Acts 16:16), cult leaders (1 Timothy 4:1-2), and false

preachers (2 Corinthians 11: 13-15). He seeks to deceive about his

existence, his purposes, his activities, and his coming defeat. He is the

deceiver of the whole world (Revelation 12:8). His ultimate deception will

be in the anti-christ (2 Thessalonians 2:9).

Satan can control a person’s body. Demons can cause muteness (Luke 11:14),

mental disorder (John 10:20), violent action (Luke 8:26-29), and crippling

(Luke 13:11,16). In these examples Satan caused people to be handicapped

although there was nothing physically wrong with them.

Satan influences governments and nations. Daniel 10:12-13,20-21 gives us a

glimpse into the spiritual realm of angels and demons and how they affect

nations. The "prince of the Persian kingdom" (v.13) is apparently a demon

exercising influence over the Persian realm in the interests of Satan. The

archangel of God named Michael finally overcame his resistance. Likewise

the "prince of Greece" in verse 20 is also a demon.

SATAN’S POWER OVER BELIEVERS . . .

Satan tempts believers to . . .

disobedience (1 Chronicles 21:1-7).

lose faith in God (Luke 22:31-32; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:16).

lie (Acts 5:3).

immorality (1 Corinthians 7:5).

be preoccupied by the world (1 John 2:15; 2 Timothy 4:10).

be proud (1 Timothy 3:6).

discouragement (1 Peter 5:6, 7, 10).

He also tries to create doubt (Genesis 3:1), persecutes the Church

(Revelation 2:10), hinders our service (1 Thessalonians 2:18), infiltrates

our ranks—and so confuses the world as to what a Christian really is (1

John 4:1-6; 2 Peter 2).

but . . .

Jesus cast out demons as evidence of His victory over the prince of

demons.

The truth is that "his infernal majesty" is bound and is powerless before

the Son of God (Mark 3:27).

Christ has defeated Satan (John 12:31). He defeated Satan and all spiritual

forces of evil at the cross (Colossians 2:14-15). Satan has fallen from the

heavens (Luke 10:18). He is cast out of heaven and into the earth and no

longer has the ability to accuse us before the Father (Revelation 12:10,

12-17).

Christians do not need to fear Satan, because . . .

Satan can only do to believers what God permits him to do (Job 1:12; 2:6).

In Christ we have been delivered from Satan’s power (Colossians 1:13; Acts

26:18).

We have the promise that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our

capacity (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Christ keeps us safe and Satan cannot lay hold of the believer to harm him

(1 John 5:18).

Demonic powers cannot separate us from God’s love in Christ (Romans

8:37-39).

Those who are in Christ can overcome Satan (Revelation 12:11; Romans

16:20; 1 John 2:13-14).

Greater is the One who is in us than Satan who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

We can resist the devil and he will flee from us (James 4:7).

The weapons that we have been given can pull down strongholds (2 Corinthians

10:3-4).

If we use the armor of God, we have God’s promise that we can take our stand

against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11,13).