Definition: Satan is the personification of spiritual evil. He is opposed to God and His purposes in the church and the world. Satan’s chief goal is to incite man to sin by presenting him with temptations and speaking lies to his heart. His power is great, but not supreme and he is ultimately subject to God.
Scriptures: 1 Peter 5:8; James 4:7; 1 John 3:8
Study: Biblical scholarship presents us with many questions about the person of Satan. Though in the Bible Satan is most often used as the name of the devil, it is also used as a title that signifies an “opposer” as when Jesus told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan.” Either way, this much is clear—Christians have a real and present enemy who seeks to tempt us to sin and distract us from our calling. We must oppose him with all our strength and trust the Holy Spirit to empower us in our weakness. Satan is a defeated enemy and we can and will obtain victory over him and all his schemes!
Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)
- Is the creature in Genesis 3 Satan?
- How does Satan oppose us?
- How much power does Satan have over our lives?
- How can we defeat Satan?