Notes of Faith June 13, 2025
Speak of the Devil
And the dragon was enraged.
Revelation 12:17
The devil is popular in Hollywood. Over the years, his name has appeared in the titles of many movies: The Devil Wears Prada, The Devil in a Blue Dress, The Devil and Daniel Webster, and others. But Satan is no movie star. He’s a malignant fallen archangel whose goal is to damage and destroy God’s creation. In Revelation 12, we see his anger and rage during the last half of the Tribulation. Throughout the book of Revelation, he’s seen as opposing the Lord’s people in every way possible.
How thankful we feel as we also see God’s care for His people during this time. Remember, the devil is a created being. God is infinite and eternal; Satan isn’t. God is everywhere present at once; Satan isn’t. God possesses unlimited power and authority; Satan doesn’t. God will be eternally victorious; Satan will be cast into hell.
Satan is alive and well on earth today, so cloak yourself in the armor of the believer (Ephesians 6:10-18) and resist him. He will flee from you (James 4:7).
Keep us from the evil one; uphold our faith most holy, and let us trust you solely with humble hearts and lowly.
Adapted by Martin Luther
James 4:7-10
7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Satan’s defeat can be accomplished by knowing and using the Word of God, just as Jesus did in the wilderness. He has already lost the eternal war but will continue to fight until he is thrown into the Lake of Fire, deceiving, tempting the people of the world not to believe in, nor to trust and follow God. Our fight with Satan and his fallen angels will not end until we die, or are taken to be with Christ through the rapture of His saints.
May we fight the good fight until we meet our Savior face to face!
Pastor Dale