Some people envision the devil as a red man with horns, a pointed tail and holding a pitchfork. Instead, he is an unseen spirit that is opposed to God. Just as we cannot see God but we know that He exists, we cannot see the devil but we know that he exists.
The name devil means accuser or slanderer. It comes from the Greek word diabolos. It is one of the names of Satan. Consider Revelation 20:1-2 “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” His name is the Devil and Satan and he is described as the dragon and the old serpent. Satan comes from the Greek word Satanas and means an adversary. He is God’s adversary; he is our adversary. Paul was retelling his conversion where Jesus spoke to him in Acts 26:17-18a “I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.” From this we learn that Satan is darkness or evilness and God is light or righteousness. Satan has power that he can exerts over man.
Satan was once in heaven but he fell. Jesus said in Luke 10:18 “And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” Some scholars believe that Satan is described as Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.” Whether this scripture describes the devil or not is unclear. But the devil is condemned for his pride. In describing the qualifications of a bishop, we find in 1 Timothy 3:6 “not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.”
Let us look at some of the characteristics of the devil. He is a murderer and a liar. In speaking to some Jews, Jesus said in John 8:44 “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.” I believe this can have reference to the serpent’s conversation with the woman in the Garden of Eden where he lied to her and brought death upon the man and the woman. We learn that he deceives the whole world. Revelation 12:9 “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
The devil lays snares to cause people to fall. ln the qualifications of a bishop, we read in 1 Timothy 3:7 “Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” Just like a snare is set to catch an unsuspecting small animal, the devil sets snares to cause people to sin. 2 Timothy 2:25-26 “In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” The evil plan of the devil is to cause people to be caught in his snares and to take them captive to do his will.
Let us look as some things that the devil or Satan can do. He can enter a person like he entered Judas. Luke 22:3 “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.” He can fill men’s hearts with evil. Acts 5:3a “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit.’” He afflicts men with physical sufferings. Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Satan can take the word out of a hearer’s heart. Mark 4:15 “And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.” He tempts man to do evil. 1 Corinthians 7:5 “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
Satan has devices or schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:11 “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” We should not be ignorant of the ways that he tempts us to sin. He can hinder us in our work for God. 1 Thessalonians 2:18 “Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.” He can appear as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” I understand this to mean that Satan can appear as a messenger of good when he is really a messenger of evil. He can perform signs that appear to be miracles. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders.”
To deliver us from the devil, we need help from God. Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:13 “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Pray for God’s deliverance. Peter admonished us in 1 Peter 5:8-9a “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith.” We are promised that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. James 4:7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
I encourage you to not be ignorant of the devil. Resist the devil. Pray for God’s deliverance.