KILLING SATAN?

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Yesterday, I visited one of my stations and met the students trying to understand Ephesians 2. Six key questions seemed to bother them and together we arrived at the Bible’s answers, which I share here briefly:

1. IS THERE SATAN?

Yes, there is Satan. Ephesians 4:2 confirms what the Bible teaches in several other verses that there is Satan, “the prince of the power of the air” (KJV), “the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens” (HSCB)

2. WHO IS SATAN?

Again, Paul describes Satan in Ephesians 4:2 as the ruler of the evil spirits. Satan is described by several other names in the Bible, such as Accuser (Revelations 9:11), Adversary (1 Peter 5:8), Deceiver (Revelations 12:9), Devil (1 John 3:8), Enemy (Matthew 13:39), Evil One (John 17:15), Father of Lies (John 8:44), Lawless One (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10), Ruler of demons (Luke 11:15), Ruler of this world (John 12:31,32), Serpent of old (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4), Tempter (John 10:10), Wicked One (Ephesians 6:16)

3. HOW DOES SATAN OPERATE?

His work is seen through the activities of people who disobey God. Satan and his evil spirits deceive, influence and even possess people who make room for him (see Mark 5:1-20).

4. SHOULD WE PRAY AGAINST SATAN OR THE PEOPLE SATAN WORKS THROUGH?

We should pray FOR the salvation of the people Satan still uses and also that we will be PROTECTED from Satan’s control. In Ephesians 4:3, we learn that all of us used to be under Satan’s control, but God worked to save us from His power. If we are now free through faith in Jesus, we should work for the salvation of the rest, and not their destruction.

5. CAN WE KILL OUR ENEMY?

No, you should not and you cannot. If the enemy you mean is a human being who hates you, despises you, or is working against you, you must rather love and pray for him or her (Matthew 5:43-45). If you mean Satan and his evil spirits, YOU CANNOT KILL THEM, since spirits (like angels) do not die. In the instances where Jesus or His disciples came into contact with evil spirits who had even possessed human beings, they cast them out. Bible teaches that God has set a time in the future in which he will finally get rid of Satan and his evil spirits (see Luke 20:36, Jude 13, Revelations 20:10).

6. CAN WE SUMMON OR SUE SATAN AND THE EVIL SPIRITS?

No, we need not. To summon means to use your authority to send for someone, and to sue means take somebody to court. Can we use our authority in Jesus Christ to summon Satan or his evil spirits to come and answer questions to us? Certainly, this is not necessary, and the Bible does not teach us to do so. Can we bring an accusation against Satan or his evil spirits before God, sometimes even giving offerings and punishing ourselves for the purpose? This practice is also not necessary, since, as children of God, we have every liberty to ask God to deliver or protect us from the evil one without paying anything (Matthew 6:13).

CONCLUSION: THE SHORT OF A LONG STORY

Satan was an angel of God, but allowed corruption into his system and lost his place in the presence of God along with other angels who supported him (see Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28). They have since been roaming the earth seeking to use human beings to undermine humanity’s confidence in God. Because of sin, all human beings fell under Satan’s control and seemed headed for eternal condemnation with him. With the death of Christ, Satan’s power over human beings is broken, since sin is atoned for and there is escape for those who trust in Jesus Christ. Christ therefore disarmed Satan and his evil spirits (Colossians 2:15) and those who are in Christ have overcome him (1 John 2:14; 4:4). Satan is not a creature that can be killed, but he has no power at all over those who who are saved by Jesus Christ and do not give in to his lies (John 14:30). 


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