Why did this creature, which was adorned so magnificently and held such a high position in heaven, turn against his Creator and lead a rebellion against Him and become so malevolent towards humanity? Hebrews 2:5 may be our clue, “For He (God) has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels”. From this and the Isaiah 14 reference, we can surmise that he felt jilted that the creation was not to be entrusted to his dominion, but rather he and the other ‘angels’ were to be subordinate to humanity – how galling. In his opinion God had misled them, and so he would take what he believed should rightfully be his, and in doing so subject or destroy God’s preferred chosen ones – humanity.
So what powers does he have that we could possibly fear him? To properly comprehend his devices, we need to understand the nature of his intended victims. The essence of humanity – that is you – is to be found in Genesis 1:26 and 28, where God conceives us to be made in His image and likeness, and enjoins us to subdue our earth. From Genesis 2:7 we see that man is made from the dust of the ground, that is he is of the earth that was to be subdued, though spiritually he is of God. In the New Testament we are habitually reminded to ‘crucify the flesh’. In other words to ‘subdue our earth’ making it subject to our godly spirit, for it is that spirit which is of the image and likeness of God and should have the authority over the physical. Satan cannot attack our spirit for that is God’s, but he can use our flesh as a weak point for his assaults.
In John 10:10 Jesus said that the thief – the one that desires to usurp what is rightfully yours – comes to steal, kill and destroy. In the Garden we notice that he tempted Eve with the desirability of the fruit which God had said would lead to death. With this action he accused God of lying, he lied about the outcome of Eve’s actions, he stole Adam and Eve (in their own minds) from their relationship with God and their position in the Garden, and caused them to enter into the condition where they would die. This was all achieved through appealing to the ‘lusts of the flesh’ as the New Testament would say. In this one example we see that his weapons are ‘accusation’, ‘temptation’, and ‘deception’. And ever since Adam ‘cursed God and died’ (Job 2:9b), death has brought fear into our lives, and that fear has brought sin (1 Corinthians 15:56a) so that we now lie, accuse, steal, kill and destroy to gain or keep that which we find we desire within this creation – continuing the works of Satan for him, even to the point of denying the existence of God.
As we are essentially spirit beings in an earthen vessel (2 Corinthians 4:7), if our allegiance to God’s Spirit is so weakened, then it is possible for other spirits to attach themselves. The spirits that would do this are not seeking to benefit you, but to cause you harm – this we call ‘demon possession’. The good news is that the demons (Satan and his cohorts) are only equal in power to the good angels (Jude 1:9), but are still less powerful than all mighty God, of which you are part. This is why Jesus came – to reveal to us our true identity that we may destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8b). When we abdicate the fleshly nature control of ourselves to be subject to our God Spirit, then Satan and his minions must desist (James 4:7). This is why you should heed St Paul’s advice in Ephesians 6:10-18.
