Sunday, January 1, 2012

How is Satan a Blessing to Christians?

Why does God let Satan exist?

The following doctrine is an amplified explanation of a comment that the writer recently posted on a Christian blog dealing with Satan's seemingly unending attacks on Christians. When the writer posted this comment, he realized how much misconception and misunderstandings exist as to Satan's nature, purpose and plan in relationship to God's Holy and Define Will. Many Christians do not understand WHY God created Satan or why He allowed him to become the scoundrel he is! We will look at what the Bible has to say as to this question, as we seek to understand the Mind of God in relation to evil.

Jesus said, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:44).

In this verse we see Jesus, while condemning the false leaders of His day, revealing a truth that we as Christians MUST understand; a truth that is clearly explained by His affirmation: Satan is a Liar!

In John Chapter 8, Jesus is dealing with the religious & political leaders of His day who, much like today, had twisted God's words and the Law to their own gain. They had a "good thing going" in that they put burdens on the people that were too difficult to bare and provided ways around them (loopholes) for themselves and anyone rich enough to give them a proper (monetary) kickback. They accepted bribes and flattery much as do our political leaders do today. Jesus pointed out that He came to set men free (from sin) and they hated Him for it. They claimed that they too were sons of Abraham and He, being a nobody, had no right to question their authority. Their hatred of Jesus at this point had grown to a murderous hate! They were very jealous of Jesus & His followers who were becoming more in number then their own. Jesus said to them a few minutes prior to our text, "I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you." (John 8:37). In our text above which was taken from the very heat of the dialog, Jesus bears down on their TRUE identity and in so doing provides us with the topic of our theses: Satan!

Jesus calls Satan the Father of Lies! As such, he continually attacks God and His people with lies, falsehoods, incomplete truths (half-truths), accusations, inadequacy indictment and twisting of truth into truthful sounding doctrine. These lies are attacks on our mind, heart, conscience and self-worth with one, and only one, goal: To hinder the work of the Lord!

When Christians are serving Jesus, Satan attacks even more ferociously! But the blessing of God is in this! You see, God knows what Satan is all about. He created Satan with the capacity to turn against his Creator for a reason. God uses Satan for His purposes. Without Satan, there would be no sin or knowledge of it. It is Satan that stirs us to sin by our fleshly nature. That knowledge is then turned into a death sentence by the Law of Moses because the Law, which is Holy, is beyond human capacity to follow:

"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, You shall not covet. But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." (Romans 7:7-12)

God could never have made us Holy without our knowledge of our lack of Holiness! That's why God removed the Tree of Life from man's grasp in the garden of Eden after man sinned. He put it there to show man that He had so much more to offer us! But when Adam & Eve sinned, access to the tree was removed. Jesus provides us with a Holy nature when we accepted Him as out Lord and Savior. His blood cleansed us of our sins and He imparted His righteousness to us. That is why God told Satan in the Garden of Eden, "And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman (Eve), And between your seed (the Antichrist and all who are Satan's) and her Seed (Capitalized as it refers to Jesus); He shall bruise your head (Destroy Satan), And you shall bruise His heel (persecute Jesus and Christians as they seek to serve Him)" (Genesis 3:15).

So from the very beginning God tell us that Satan's attacks on Christians would be constant and unrelenting. He will always be on our "heel(s)" to try and hinder us from doing God's plan! Look at our text again and see if that is not what Jesus told the leaders of His day? Notice He said that:
  • They were of their "father the devil" (children of Satan)
  • They wanted to do Satan's work ("desires of your father you want to do")
  • They could "not stand the truth, because there is no truth in" them!
Since this was their goal and their plight, Jesus had said they "seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in" them! Isn't it ironic how much the world wants to stamp out Christianity? They wish we would all "just die"! Because they hate us and they hate our Father (God); who's Son will destroy them and their father Satan!

So why does God allow Satan to continue, because he is still uses him for the purpose of revealing to every new child that is born through the ages that they are unholy and need the Life that comes from Jesus Only! OK, But why is he allowed to attack Christians? Ah, Good question! You see, Satan is like a dividing "line in the sand" between the forces of evil and the forces of good. Satan, is used by God as a revealer of man's spiritual condition. By Satan's attacks, we know that we are sons (and daughters) of God. Without that distinction, who could tell us apart? But, because it is a witness to us that we ARE Children of God, it is a blessing to us! If we are not attacked, we are not saved! Many today call themselves Christians, but they have never truly been born-again. If they have been, they are sure to be attacked!

But God allows this for another reason as well... You see, Satan's power was destroyed at the Resurrection. He no longer owns the world as Jesus purchased it back. Satan did inherit the world from Adam and Eve when they sold it, along with their souls, to Satan! But wait, some would argue that God owns the earth! Not so! Read what He said:

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. And God said, See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food; and it was so" (Genesis 1:27-30) You see, God created the earth, but he gave it to man ("fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion" & "See, I have given you...")!

Since Satan was defeated at the Resurrection, he has no power over us, nor can he hinder us from serving the Lord! As John stated:

"By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:2-4)!

When Satan attacks you, rejoice! Because it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are God's Chosen & Redeemed! And that you have been counted worthy to "suffer with Christ"! You share in His death, so one day you can share in His Resurrection and Glory! :)

Bottom line, when Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

Lastly, if Satan attacks your ministry (service for the Lord), then you know your doing the right stuff!

May God Richly Bless You for All You Do for His Kingdom!



Doctrinal Truth:


If you are not attacked by Satan, you are not saved! Read the verses below the Summary and accept Jesus before it is too late! The Hourglass is Almost Empty! Time is Running Out!


Summary

We are being warned! God is showing us what His purpose for this world entails. As we get closer and closer to the end, the world has become more and more sinful! And unfortunately, this condition will worsen till He returns and redeems us from ourselves. Don't let sin, self or Satan who has invaded our planet separate you from the free gift of salvation that Jesus extends to you in His invitation to be born-again: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)

Are You Ready? If not get ready, "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand"!

Read: Luke 13:3; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:8-13; Acts2:38