Satan
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). We have an enemy, who hates us to our core. He is opposed to everything that God stands for. He is the master of deception. As he is attempting to destroy our lives, he’s good at making us think that God is the One to blame. Since the beginning of time, we have been in a spiritual battle for truth. Satan has deceived billions of people into thinking their way is superior to God’s way. It is common for Satan to fight using our emotions and feelings to deceive our minds and to form false theology—even theology that completely contradicts Scripture. Satan uses this weapon to discount any number of things the Bible teaches, even to the point of discounting the whole of Scripture.
He steals, kills, and destroys (John 10:10). He is called the Enemy (Matthew 13:39), Evil One (1 John 2:13, 3:12; 5:18), Adversary (1 Peter 5:8), Father of Lies (John 8:44), Murderer (John 8:44), Sinner (1 John 3:8), and Angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He’s quite a guy! Compare these attributes to the attributes of God!
Verses for study:
1 Peter 5:8-9: Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. So resist him, standing firm in your faith.
Ephesians 6:10-18: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.
John 8:42-45: You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
2 Corinthians 11:12-15: for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12: Satan and evil will eventually be destroyed (but in the meantime, he is wreaking a lot of havoc)
Article: The operations of the Devil in light of Believers and Unbelievers and Responding to the Demonic in the Context of Counseling by Bryan Carlson
The Bible teaches that Satan, also known as the devil, is a fallen angel (Luke 10:16-19; Revelation 12:9) who rebelled against God and seeks to lead people away from God and into sin. The devil operates in a number of ways, including: temptation: the devil tempts people to sin and rebel against God, seeking to lead them away from righteousness (1 Corinthians 10:13); accusation: the devil accuses believers of sin and tries to discourage them with guilt and shame, seeking to destroy their confidence in God's love and grace (Revelation 12:10); deception: the devil seeks to deceive people with false teaching and lies, seeking to lead them away from the truth of God's Word (2 Corinthians 11:3); oppression: the devil can also oppress people with physical, emotional, and spiritual difficulties, seeking to weigh them down and prevent them from serving God (Acts 10:38). He steals, kills, and destroys (John 10:10). He is also called the Enemy (Matthew 13:39), Evil One (1 John 2:13, 3:12; 5:18), Adversary (1 Peter 5:8), Father of Lies (John 8:44), Murderer (John 8:44), Sinner (1 John 3:8), Angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14). (Faith notes 19-22, Roy 12-13)
There is a difference between Believers and unbelievers regarding the activity of the devil. Believers have the power and protection of the Holy Spirit, and the authority to resist the devil's attacks through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:11-18). The devil cannot indwell a believer (1 Corinthian 6:15; Romans 8:9) but can establish strongholds through your anger (Ephesians 4:26-27), lack of physical intimacy in marriage (1 Corinthians 7:5), unforgiveness (2 Corinthians 2:10-11), and spiritual laziness (1 John 3:10). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are vulnerable to the devil's influence, attacks and even possession, as they have not put their faith in Christ and have not received the protection and power of the Holy Spirit. The operations of the devil in unbelievers includes binding their minds (2 Corinthians 4:4), causing mental incapacities (Luke 8:26-35). (Roy 12-13)
A biblical methodology for responding to the demonic in the context of biblical counseling includes:
Praying for protection and guidance from the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18).
Declaring and relying on the power of Jesus Christ over the devil (James 4:7).
“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9).
“Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
Confessing and repenting of any known sin, which gives the devil a foothold in a person's life (James 4:8).
Filling one's life with the truth of God's Word, which exposes and dispels the devil's lies (Ephesians 6:17).
Seeking to live a righteous and holy life, in obedience to God's commands and in dependence on His grace (1 Peter 1:16).
Surrounding oneself with a community of believers who can support and encourage one in the faith (Hebrews 10:24-25). (Roy 12-13)
Ultimately, we want our counselees to turn from being a child/slave of the devil to a child/slave of Christ. Romans 6:22 speaks of becoming a slave of God, which leads to holiness and eternal life. 1 John 3:8 states that the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil, indicating the ultimate victory of Christ over Satan. Ultimately, turning from Satan to Christ involves a fundamental shift in allegiance and a surrender of one's life to the lordship of Christ. As Colossians 1:13-14 states, "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." We will truly only be happy if we are delighting in the Lord and obeying Him (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 2:20, 5:24-25; 1 John 3:9-10; Romans 6:5-14).
Those who reject God and remain a child of the devil (John 8:44) will be cast “into the outer darkness…in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth…into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:30,41). At the great white throne judgment, God will sentence Satan, his demons, and all the ungodly to an eternal Hell (Revelation 20:11-15).
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 19-22.
Don Roy, IBCD, ACBC Theology Exam Study Guide, 12-13.
Resources
“A Theology of Biblical Counseling, The Doctrinal Foundations of Counseling Ministry” by Heath Lambert
“The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis
