A Goody From Woody

GOODY FROM WOODY

If I mention his name, what picture comes to your mind? Satan!!! If you are like a lot of people, you’re thinking of an image that is not Biblical. If you are thinking of a man in a red pair of P.J.’s with a tail and horns on his head and a three-pronged pitchfork (trident), you would be in error.

So where did we get this idea of Satan as a more or less cartoon character? During the middle ages the pastors and priests and church leaders who worked mostly with people who could not read or write decided to make fun of Satan through their teaching, preaching, and even their art. The leaders of the church knew Satan fell from his place in heaven as an archangel because he wanted to usurp God as the one who is worshipped (Satan’s pride). Hence to poke fun of or jest or demean Satan as a man in a red suit etc. was born. The only problem with this idea was that by the second generation and following, the image remained without an explanation.

The Bible tells us that Satan is an angel created by God, the most powerful of the angels (the three most powerful being Michael, Gabriel, and Satan—first called in the Scripture, Lucifer). Satan was, according to Scripture, created a perfect being. He is described as originally being wise and completely righteous (cf Ezek 28:12-18). He is described in the Bible as beautiful (cf Ezek 28:12-18, esp. “your heart was lifted up because of your beauty”).

Rebellion followed this disclosure by Satan and he and one third of the angels of heaven followed Satan and were expelled from God’s presence. They later showed up after God created the world and Adam and Eve. Satan did what he always does—he gave the temptation to disbelieve and disobey God, to Eve. He convinced Eve that she could “become like God” (Gen 3:3-5). Eve fell for the trap and enticed Adam to follow. Eve was deceived and Adam was willful in rebellion. The curse that God put on people, the earth, and the cosmos is now part of our everyday life.

So Woody, why write on Satan? The answer is easy to explain. In North America only 27% of adults actually believe Satan is real. Less than 40% of born-again adults believe that Satan is real. This means 60-73 % of adults do not believe Satan is real. (Barna Resources)

To their credit the people of the Middles Ages at least knew they had an enemy, even if they portrayed him in a red suit, horns, pitchfork and tail. They were attempting to learn how to defend themselves against the archenemy of our souls.

As a former military officer I can tell you, if I were fighting a foe and they did not believe that I was real, I would win that battle with no difficulty—every principle of warfare I could use to defeat a person. The principles of warfare adopted by our U.S. military in 1921 have not changed much over the years. They are:

1) Objective: What is the defined goal

2) Offensive action: Seize the initiative

3) Surprise: enough said

4) Economy of force: focused resources

5) Security: never tell your enemy what you are doing

6) Mobility: work for the enemy’s disadvantage

7) Cooperation: all for one, one for all

Every principle people use to fight wars, Satan uses on us. Think of how he uses each principle and you’ll be wise. How can you defeat this enemy of our souls? If you are a Christian and you don’t believe Satan is real, ask yourself, “How can I believe God or His Word, the Bible, and not believe what the Bible teaches?” In short, you don’t believe in your heart what God says. That would be a fatal flaw in your life. (Read 2 Thes 2:3-5.)

C.S. Lewis wrote the book, The Screw Tape Letters, in 1942. The book is about a senior demon “Screwtape” giving advice to his nephew, also a demon (junior demon) named Wormwood. Lewis, thru these characters, gave advice to be sure “The patient” was forever damned—separated from God for eternity.

Lewis wrote in the preface, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence (where most Americans are today). The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They (the demons) are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”

Two major helps for the believer are these instructions from the Word:

1) 1 Peter 5:8, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. “

May I remind you it is the old lion that roars, not the young ones. So when the old lion roars, he is trying to scare you to run from him and into the jaws of the young powerful lions. Be on the alert!!

2) James 4:7 says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Two applications:

§ The first part of the Scripture says to submit to God. That means your mind, your thoughts, your body, work, marriage and goals. Turn them all over to our Great God. Stay in the Word and pray!

§ Resist the devil. Avoid people, places and things that lead to temptation.

Lastly, Satan shows up daily to take the joy out of Christian’s lives. We must put on our military armor (Eph 6:10-19) and remember that Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus said in Luke 10:18-20, “And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

God Bless,

Woody

P.S. For extra credit, go back and reread Martin Luther’s hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”, especially if you feel weak, vulnerable, or harassed. The truth of this hymn will greatly encourage you.