Christian Living

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BY COMMENTING
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article

Track Writer

Add to Favorites

by GLENN PEASE
01/24/18
Free to Share

Based on I Thess. 2:17-20

      Children are constantly coming up with that profound argument that they feel is an infallible guide to what ought to be-“But I wanna.” I remember explaining to Steven one time that we don’t always get to do what we want, and Cindy felt that was good advice. So the next time he was refused and hollered out his most powerful argument, “But I want to!” Lavonne and I were delighted when in all seriousness Cindy said, “But Steven, we don’t always get what we want you know.” That advice, like most advice, is only remembered to be given away and not to be applied, for Cindy herself became convinced that “I want to,” is the ultimate argument.

        Adults have the same problem. We have desires and wants we would like to fulfill, but we are hindered and frustrated and we wonder why? Paul had this problem also. He was eagerly trying to get back to Thessalonika. His desire to do was great, and he wanted desperately to get back there. But when he couldn’t fulfill that desire, he did not say it must be the Lord’s will, but he said instead that Satan hindered him. We want to consider this adversary of Paul and the attitude he had about this adversary.

I. PAUL’S ADVERSARY.

        The first thing we see from the context is that Paul did not use Satan as a scapegoat for all evil. He had just given a blistering denunciation of the Jews without mentioning Satan. He did not doubt that Satan was the instigator of it all, but those who follow Satan are guilty by their own choice, and the blame cannot be thrown off of them. Satan caused the fall of Adam and Eve too, but they were punished and were not excused on the basis of a scapegoat. We need to have some understanding of this adversary, and so we will look at a few facts.

A. HIS ORIGIN.

      The church has always agreed that Satan is a created being, and that he was created holy. E. M. Bounds wrote, “We have no genesis of the devil in the Bible as a direct statement.” The Bible is only concerned with his history in relation to humanity. The curtain is drawn and the main actors are already on the stage. Isa. 14: and Ezek. 28 are passages often used to get information about Satan. The text actually refer to the king of Babylon and Tyre. When we were assigned to do research on Isa. 14:12 in the Seminary, which reads, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning.” Not one of the great commentaries saw a reference to Satan. Those who feel these texts do refer to Satan say that this was before he was cast out of heaven. They see this as yet future just before a great tribulation.

        In spite of the lack of a definite statement the tradition of the church has been that Satan was a perfect angel, and possibly even the highest angel. It was because of pride that he rebelled against God, and others followed him and were cast out of heaven. Jude 6 says, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the last day.” In the Jewish tradition man played a major role in the fall of Satan and his angels. In The Books of Adam and Eve Satan gives his own account of why he fell. God created Adam and Eve and then commanded the angels to worship them. The following is Satan’s response:

          “Michael also brought thee and made us worship thee in tsight of God; and God the Lord spoke: ‘Here is Adam. I have made thee in my own image and likeness.’ And Michael went out and called all the angels, ‘Worship the image of God as the Lord God hath commanded.’ And Michael himself worshiped first; then he called me and said, ‘Worship the image of God the Lord.’ And I answered, ‘I have no need to worship Adam.” And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I said to him, ‘Why dost thou urge me? I will not worship an inferior and younger being than I. I am his senior in the creation, before he was made was I already made. It is his duty to worship me.’”

        The result was that he was cast out with others, and in revenge he tempted Eve and got them cast out of Eden. It is a case of misery loving company. This idea has been held by some Christian theologians, and a number feel that it was Satan’s aggravation with man in some form that lead to his rebellion.

B. HIS OCCUPATION.

        Jesus went about doing good, and Satan goes about devouring good. Jesus came to serve, but all that Satan does is for the disservice of man. In his pride Satan hates the concept of service. Milton puts these words in his mouth: “Better to reign in hell then serve in heaven.” Only three times does Satan speak in the Bible: To Eve, to Job and to Jesus. Most of his destructiveness is through action. Being a spiritual being he cannot affect us directly, but he can use means. He can inspire and encourage that which is immoral, and by external means cause men to chose evil rather than good.

        Charles Moeller, a Catholic author, wrote, “The sanctuary of free will, of the spirit, remains entirely inaccessible to the devil; he can never act directly upon the spiritual faculties of man, but only indirectly by disturbing from outside the sensible equipment (the body, the senses, material objects and so on) used by the soul for the realization of spiritual activity.” This is why he failed to tempt Christ to sin. Jesus did not respond to any of his lures. Eve did, and every time we sin we chose to respond to something external. Paul’s being hindered by Satan was some external force that did not affect Paul’s inner man at all. And we want to consider Paul’s attitude toward this adversary.

II. PAUL’S ATTITUDE.

     Paul was no pessimist. He was hindered by Satan, but he never sat down and gave up. He didn’t get to do what he wanted, but he did not, like an immature child, say, “But I want to.” Paul rejoiced in spite of his frustration because in spite of the hindrance he had perfect confidence that ultimate victory would be his.   He bypasses Satan’s present hindrance, and he sees beyond to the glorious day to Christ’s coming. He knows whether or not he ever sees the Thessalonians again before that day, he will see them then, and they will be his crown and joy. What a day that will be for Paul, and what a day for all of us, for we will recognize one another and rejoice together.

        It is no wonder that though he was bothered by Satan Paul was never beaten. Satan was his foe in the battle for men’s souls, but Paul knew that Satan could not halt the Gospel, even if he could hinder it. Why did he have such assurance? It was because he had the word of his Lord who saved him and commissioned him. We read in Acts 26:15-18, “Then I asked, who are you Lord? “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied. “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

         The most important thing we can know about Satan is that Jesus has defeated him. All the teaching of the Bible about Satan centers in the Christ event, which includes His life, death, resurrection, ascension and second coming. This means that we must find a middle ground between the view that sees Satan cast out of heaven in the ancient past, and the view that sees this event in the future. We find this middle ground just where we should expect to find it. It is at the central event of all time-the cross. Jesus said that if He was lifted up He would draw all men to Him, for the power of Satan over them would no longer be unbreakable.

         Consider some primary passages from the words of Christ. Luke 10:17-20 says, “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’” How was it possible to invade the domain of Satan? It was because Jesus had already defeated Satan in the wilderness, and he invaded his domain over sickness and disease. On the cross Jesus would enter Satan’s realm of death and personally bind him. In Matt. 12:26-29 we read Jesus saying, “If Satan drives out Satan he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his positions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.”

         Paul uses strong language to emphasize the victory of Christ. He writes in Col. 1:13, “He has delivered us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.” In 2:14-15 he writes, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinance that was against us...nailing it to His cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” John wrote in I John 3:8, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” In Heb. 2:14 we read, “That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.”

       All of the biblical writers recognized that Satan still has power, and that we are to be cautious in our battle with him. All our confident that with the whole armor of God we can not only resist him, but defeat him, and even invade his kingdom of darkness with the light of the Gospel and rescue those who are bound by him. Satan is bound right now in the only sense that the New Testament says he will ever be bound until his final doom. And that is in the sense that he can no longer deceive the nations. That is why the Great Commission of preaching the Gospel in all the world can be fulfilled. It is confidence in the power of Jesus to gain the victory that motivates the world wide program of the church. Greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world.

        Paul knew where he was going, and though he did not always get what he wanted, he knew God would accomplish all that He wanted, and with that attitude even the devil cannot rob him of his joy in the service of Christ. If you cannot accomplish what you want for the Lord, never be discouraged, but look beyond to the assured victory when you experience Satan’s hindrance.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR

Reader Count & Comments

Date

Read more articles by GLENN PEASE or search for other articles by topic below.

Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)

Read more by clicking on a link:
Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You

...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19

Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38

LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE

FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.