By: Sheryl Taylor
READ: Job 1
Job 1:9-11 (NLT) “Satan replied to the LORD, ‘Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!'”
According to research conducted by The Barna Group in 2004 among Protestant and Catholic Christians, nearly 60% say that the devil, or Satan, is not a physical being but is a symbol of evil. What’s more, this is a jump of nearly 10% when the study was conducted in 2001.
While these numbers are shocking to this author, the Bible has much to say against the results. Not only is Satan real, the Bible tells us that he “….prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Even Jesus said of the devil, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
As Christians, we must understand that Satan is not just a symbol of evil in the Bible (yes, he is that, too!). But we must also realize that he wants nothing more than to distract believers away from the truth. Satan is the ultimate counteragent of God’s redemptive work in people’s lives around the world. Also, if he were not real, then Jesus would not have mentioned him. And, finally, everything that is negative comes from Satan and is not of God.
One of the most compelling passages about Satan and man in the Bible is the story of Job. Satan asked God for permission to test Job, who was a moral, wealthy, and godly man (Job 1:1). The Lord, who has authority of everyone and everything, permitted the devil’s request. As the story unfolds, Job’s life quickly turns into a bad movie script. His children, riches, and servants are like extras that suddenly die in the first scene. What followed was a pattern of testing that brought Job to his knees in worship as he patiently waited for God’s deliverance (Job 1:20).
The battle between good and evil rages on all around us every day whether we recognize it or not. We are not bystanders. As children of God through faith in Christ, Satan wants to make us worry about life’s situations, doubt God’s ability to provide, and make us fearful of the future. The Lord, however, tells us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34), that His grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:8-10), and that He will take care of what is ahead (James 4:13-17). These are promises we can hold on to when Satan tries to get the best of us.
Faith Lesson: The Lord is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your limitations (1 Cor. 10:13).
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