In this issue of Chapter and Verse we will begin to consider the question "Does the devil exist?" Is the devil real; and if so how does he affect mankind today? Do we believe the Holy Scriptures regarding this age old enemy? Does he have an agenda? Can mankind successfully overcome his assault on humanity?
These are all honest and noteworthy questions. One thing man never seems to be in short supply of is his opinion regarding life.
Although mankind has accomplished many magnificent achievements, in and of himself he is clueless when it comes to spiritual matters.
This is why when it comes to football man may speak with authority however when it comes to spiritual subject's man must take a back seat to the Bible.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
As one writer put it "this is not to be marveled at, the apostle says, seeing that men in their natural powers (as they call them) are not endued with that faculty by which spiritual things are discerned (which faculty comes another way) and therefore they consider spiritual wisdom as folly: and it is as if he should say, It is no marvel that blind men cannot judge of colors, seeing that they lack the light of their eyes, and therefore light is to them as darkness. The man that has no further light of understanding, than that which he brought with him, even from his mother's womb."
Jude 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Man is born without the spirit of God. Thus he is in no position to discern spiritual matters.
However, God has not abandoned mankind to chance and circumstance. Our heavenly Father in His endless love and mercy has provided the solution for mankind.
Jesus Christ is the answer. When you accept Jesus Christ into your life, confess him as your Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead at that moment in time you receive the gift of holy spirit.
From this point on you are now equipped to understand spiritual matters. You now have the ability within to discern the things of the spirit.
However, just because a person has the ability to fly a 747 doesn't mean you should move over and let him take the wheel immediately.
In addition to receiving the holy spirit much prayer and study is necessary if we are to begin to rightly divide and apply the Word of truth. Part of that truth concerns our original question "Does the devil exist?"
KJV Genesis 3:1-4 1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:Revelation 12:7-9 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.
Here we see that the devil is also referred to by different names: Dragon, Satan, and the old serpent. The serpent of Genesis 3 is called the devil in Revelation 12.
He is present and operating in the beginning and the end.
Adam and Eve knew there was a devil.
Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
God knows there's a devil.
KJV Matthew 4:1-4 1Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Jesus knew there was a devil.
Matthew 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
The woman of Canaan knew there was a devil.
Matthew 17:18-19 18And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
The disciples knew there was a devil.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Peter knew there was a devil.
Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Michael and the other angels know there is a devil.
1 Corinthians 5:3-5 3For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.Acts 13:9-10 9Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Paul knew there was a devil.
Revelation 2:8-9 8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
John knew there was a devil.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James knew there was a devil.
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Jude knew there was a devil.
Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Hell, even the Pharisees knew there was a devil.
Now let me ask you a question. If God, Adam and Eve, Jesus, the angels, the disciples, the apostles, the woman of Canaan, Jude and the Pharisees all know there is a devil how is it that any professing Christian can deny the existence of the devil?
Does Satan exist? The answer is a resounding yes.
To be continued …