Is there really a being called the devil?

 

You will be amazed, in this day and age, how many people still do not believe in the existence, activities and eventual demise of the person known as the devil, but ……

The answer to this question would depend entirely on whether you believe in God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, and on your acceptance and belief that the Bible is God’s infallible and unchangeable Word, which is still as relevant and profitable today as it was when it was written, and is given to us “….

by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” 2Tim 3:16-17, and ”
In hope of eternal life, which
God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began;….” Titus 1:2

Many will say, ”
Kathy you do not know what you are talking about, the Bible is old hat, not for us and cannot be taken literally.” And yes, it might not be for you because for some or other unfathomable reason you have not come into a living, vibrant, life-changing relationship with the author, Jesus Christ – the author and finisher of our faith, but all who have and even for those who do not KNOW Him as they should, God’s Word is very relevant, at all times!

For 37 years I did what I thought was right and even though I was raised with a Biblical background my life was definitely not guided by the Word of God, until that day when I came face to face with the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God! Therefore I can testify to the relevance, effectiveness and changing ability of God’s Word having walked with the Lord Jesus for 18 years and not one day has passed that He has not spoken to me in some way or other either through His Word, His Spirit, circumstances, day to day events, nature or other people!

Yes, there are other voices that try to interrupt and manipulate as we apply His Word in our lives, and yes, often we allow ourselves to be deceived, but the Lord Jesus has been ever faithful, never leaving our side no matter what! Matt 28:20

Others can say, ”
But every one interprets the Bible differently,” and yes, that unfortunately has been true for centuries now (Foxes book of the Martyrs), but it is not my interpretation of God’s Word that matters at all, but it does matter how the Holy Spirit uses Scripture to mould us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus! And that is something the devil will not tolerate, that we are unshakably and fully submitted, committed and obedient to the will of our heavenly Father, never allowing the evil one to get a hold on us long enough to manipulate us away from that intimacy that Jesus wants with us every day!

Jesus says to all those who do not accept Him as Saviour of the world, Lord of lords and King of kings, that ”
You are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for
he is a liar, and
the father of it” John 8:44. We have a choice to make – who are we going to believe: the Creator of ALL or the father of lies?

So, assuming that you do believe in Father God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit we can continue looking at this issue of the existence of the devil.

There are various words used for the devil in God’s Word, e.g. great dragon, that old serpent, devil, evil or wicked one, satan, Lucifer, son of the morning, Beelzebub, prince of the devils, prince of this world, prince of the power of the air and the spirit that works in the children of disobedience.

To assist you to come to an understanding, I have given you Scripture references to help you find the authenticity and truth of God’s Word and its relevance in our lives in the here and now, always remembering that the devil will try and bring lies so that our eyes can be taken off the cross of Calvary, where Jesus, the Son of God, hung to pay for our sins, so that we can have eternal life with Father God and not land up in the lake of fire, where the devil actually wants us so that he will not be there alone – for eternity!

1 Chron 21:1; Job 1:6-9, 12; 2:1-4, 6-7; Ps 109:6; Isa 14:12; Zec 3:1-2; Matt 4:1, 5, 8, 10-11; 7:10; 9:32-34; 10:25; 11:18; 12:22, 24, 26-27; 13:39; 15:22; 16:23; 17:18; 25:41; Mark 1:13; 3:22-23, 26; 4:15; 5:15-16, 18; 7:26, 29-30; 8:33; Luke 4:2-3, 5-6, 8, 13, 33, 35; 7:33; 8:12, 29; 9:42; 10:18; 11:14-15, 18-19; 13:16; 22:3, 31; John 6:70; 7:20; 8:44, 48-49, 52; 10:20-21; 12:31; 13:2, 27; 14:30; 16:11; Acts 5:3; 10:38; 13:10; 26:18; Rom 16:20; 1 Cor 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor 2:11; 11:3-4; 12:7; Eph 2:2; 4:27; 6:11; 1 Thess 2:18; 2 Thess 2:9; 1 Tim 1:20; 3:6-7; 5:15; 2 Tim 2:26; Heb 2:14; Jam 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8; 1 John 3:8, 10, 12; Jude 1:9; Rev 2:9-10, 13, 24; 3:9; 12:4, 9, 12-17; 13:2, 4; 16:13; 20:2, 7, 10.

 

Next we will look at the Lord Jesus Christ and what Father God has to say about Him in His Word, so watch this space!