Satan: Up Close & Personal
American consumers spend over five billion dollars on costumes, candy, and decorations for Halloween each year. Is Halloween and scary movies just good clean fun, or is there really a spiritual ream of disembodied spirits? Does the occult have power? The Bible answers these questions and clarifies much about the devil.
In the spiritual realm is the Creator and His angelic messengers. There are also fallen angels or demons. The word devil comes to the English language from the Greek "diabolos," which means "liar, thief, accuser, and enemy." The devil sure is real but he isn't some little red guy with a pointy tale and pitch fork. This idea and, indeed, much Christian doctrine regarding the devil and hell is derived from Mesopotamian folklore and the classic book, "Dante's Inferno." The Bible never says that satan rebelled with a third of the angels or that satan is omnipotent or omnipresent. Satan exists but he's not what most people think.
The word "satan" is an ancient Hebrew word that is now used in the English language. The adversary's name was NOT changed from the Hebrew. Normally in English Bibles, the names for people and places were transliterated and transformed into a new term. For example, the Hebrew "Moshe" is rendered "Moses" and the name "Y'shua" is often changed to "Jesus" in English. Though every other name from the Hebrew scrolls was changed for English Bibles, the translators kept the hideous name of the adversary the same. In Hebrew, he is called "ha satan" which literally means "the accuser" or "the adversary." Ha satan is like a prosecuting attorney that confronts and accuses believers in an effort to belittle them and render them powerless.
The enemy comes against the saints daily to wear them down. He accuses and he lies. He is active in every type of rebellion yet he is NOT responsible for sin. Flip Wilson was wrong when he said, "the devil made me do it." Satan's part is to simply temp, pry, and appeal to man's fleshly desires. He knows that most people are not going to murder, rob banks, and commit heinous sins. So, he comes as an angel of light and then attacks people at their points of weakness.
Though Hollywood portrays the enemy with unlimited power and strength, the Bible shows that deception is ha satan's ONLY power. This is how he attacks. He comes as a harmless idea or action and then misleads the masses. He deceived Adam and Eve in the garden and hasn't stopped since. Deception is tricky because a person doesn't know that he is being deceived. The Scriptures declare that ha satan has deceived the entire world - including ALL Christians. 1 John 5:19 says that the "whole world is under the influence of the evil one." This deception reaches the Baptists, Lutherans, and Pentecostals. Masons and Muslims are deceived as well. The enemy has deceived the entire world regarding his power and faith in general.
It doesn't take holy water or a powerful exorcism to be free from demons and deception. It only takes the words of truth. The adversary's grip is loosened by the truth. The Savior said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Don't be deceived, Satan is real and his power is in deluding the world. Deception ends as a person seeks to know and live the truth. "Submit yourselves therefore to YHWH. Resist ha satan, and he will flee from you," James 4:7.
In the spiritual realm is the Creator and His angelic messengers. There are also fallen angels or demons. The word devil comes to the English language from the Greek "diabolos," which means "liar, thief, accuser, and enemy." The devil sure is real but he isn't some little red guy with a pointy tale and pitch fork. This idea and, indeed, much Christian doctrine regarding the devil and hell is derived from Mesopotamian folklore and the classic book, "Dante's Inferno." The Bible never says that satan rebelled with a third of the angels or that satan is omnipotent or omnipresent. Satan exists but he's not what most people think.
The word "satan" is an ancient Hebrew word that is now used in the English language. The adversary's name was NOT changed from the Hebrew. Normally in English Bibles, the names for people and places were transliterated and transformed into a new term. For example, the Hebrew "Moshe" is rendered "Moses" and the name "Y'shua" is often changed to "Jesus" in English. Though every other name from the Hebrew scrolls was changed for English Bibles, the translators kept the hideous name of the adversary the same. In Hebrew, he is called "ha satan" which literally means "the accuser" or "the adversary." Ha satan is like a prosecuting attorney that confronts and accuses believers in an effort to belittle them and render them powerless.
The enemy comes against the saints daily to wear them down. He accuses and he lies. He is active in every type of rebellion yet he is NOT responsible for sin. Flip Wilson was wrong when he said, "the devil made me do it." Satan's part is to simply temp, pry, and appeal to man's fleshly desires. He knows that most people are not going to murder, rob banks, and commit heinous sins. So, he comes as an angel of light and then attacks people at their points of weakness.
Though Hollywood portrays the enemy with unlimited power and strength, the Bible shows that deception is ha satan's ONLY power. This is how he attacks. He comes as a harmless idea or action and then misleads the masses. He deceived Adam and Eve in the garden and hasn't stopped since. Deception is tricky because a person doesn't know that he is being deceived. The Scriptures declare that ha satan has deceived the entire world - including ALL Christians. 1 John 5:19 says that the "whole world is under the influence of the evil one." This deception reaches the Baptists, Lutherans, and Pentecostals. Masons and Muslims are deceived as well. The enemy has deceived the entire world regarding his power and faith in general.
It doesn't take holy water or a powerful exorcism to be free from demons and deception. It only takes the words of truth. The adversary's grip is loosened by the truth. The Savior said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Don't be deceived, Satan is real and his power is in deluding the world. Deception ends as a person seeks to know and live the truth. "Submit yourselves therefore to YHWH. Resist ha satan, and he will flee from you," James 4:7.
Daniel Rendelman
Emet Ministries
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