Those who play with the devil's toys will be brought by degrees to wield his sword.
- R. Buckminster Fuller
Psalms in the Night…
With so many wonderful Biblical promises and powerful examples of God's interaction with mankind, see Psalms of Delight, Psalms in the Night are a way of exploring and sharing some of the difficult and challenging thoughts, feelings and experiences God's people encounter while endeavoring to fully enjoy His presence and power, protection and provision. In ever more genuine and meaningful ways. For themselves and their children, family and friends.
Psalms in the Night are written in concert with Psalms of Delight. Both series contain Modern Psalms meant to comfort and inspire those seeking the Omni-God revealed in Scripture.
Evil One Summary
Belief in Satan is passé. While the Bible directly and indirectly dedicates scores of verses to our Adversary, modern Christianity regards speaking about the Devil as juvenile and foolish. Even the most fundamental Christians, if they think of him at all, do so as simply a defeated foe. Yet Scripture and human history tell a very different story.
For the time being, Satan is alive and well, appearing before the Supreme Court of Creation as Prosecutor, accusing and condemning humanity in Heaven and as the "god of this world" captivating and capturing mankind on Earth. With the stage being set for Revelation's incredible events, including an unprecedented war in heaven resulting in the Devil and his fallen angels cast from heaven to earth, perhaps his greatest deception of all is leading us to deny the extent of his relevance, if not his very existence. For a complete exposé version please see GB's article, "Satan."
Evil One
Modern Psalm in the Night 11
At 2:00 a.m. I'm awake thinking about Satan. I wonder how many others are doing the same? How many now days believe in the personification of evil enough to give him a serious thought? Not many I bet.
You do. The Bible's full of passages detailing the havoc caused by Your fallen Archangel once called Lucifer or in Hebrew הילל בן־שׁחר Helel Ben-Shachar. Like dark matter and energy, the effects of his angelic rebellion are ubiquitous on the Earth. Giving the Devil his due, Christ reserves 1/7th of the Lord's Prayer to emphasizes the power of his temptations:
- "Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one." Matthew 6:9-13
- "Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” Revelation 12:7-12
- "The devil never grants long leases." Irish Proverb
- “We may not pay Satan reverence, for that would be indiscreet, but we can at least respect his talent.” Mark Twain
- "Where God has his church the Devil will have his chapel." Spanish Proverb
- "When the Devil quotes Scriptures, it’s not, really, to deceive, but simply that the masses are so ignorant of theology that somebody has to teach them the elementary texts before he can seduce them." Paul Goodman
- “But Satan now is wiser than of yore, and tempts by making rich, not poor.” Alexander Pope
- "Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate." Sun Tzu
- "It is so stupid of modern civilization to have given up believing in the devil when he is the only explanation of it." Ronald Knox
Devil's Due
Unfortunately, Heaven and Earth's Adversary's all too aware of mankind's fundamental and ultimate need to know and please You, our Creator and Savior. Displaying devilish cunning Satan has for millennia employed various means to move God's people to grieve Him. Samson's foolishness with Delilah is an example of worldliness and lust deceiving God's anointed judge and deliverer. Even the great warrior and psalmist, prophet and King David on more than one occasion fell prey to Satan's snares with devastating results:
- "Now Satan entered the scene and seduced David into taking a census of Israel. David gave orders to Joab and the army officers under him, 'Canvass all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and get a count of the population. I want to know the number.' Joab resisted: 'May God multiply his people by hundreds! Don't they all belong to my master the king? But why on earth would you do a thing like this—why risk getting Israel into trouble with God?' But David wouldn't take no for an answer, so Joab went off and did it... And God, offended by the whole thing, punished Israel. Then David prayed, 'I have sinned badly in what I have just done, substituting statistics for trust; forgive my sin—I've been really stupid.' God answered by speaking to Gad, David's pastor: 'Go and give David this message: 'God's word: You have your choice of three punishments; choose one and I'll do the rest.' Gad delivered the message to David: 'Do you want three years of famine, three months of running from your enemies while they chase you down, or three days of the sword of God—an epidemic unleashed on the country by an angel of God? Think it over and make up your mind. What shall I tell the One who sent me?' David told Gad, 'They're all terrible! But I'd rather be punished by God whose mercy is great, than fall into human hands. So God unleashed an epidemic in Israel—seventy thousand Israelites died.' 1 Chronicles 21:1-15 MSG
- "And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’ There were many suggestions, and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’ How will you do this?’ the Lord asked. And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’ 'You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it. So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom.” 1 Kings 22:20-23
In another example, Scripture tells us that "at the time when kings go off to war" David sent the entire army of Israel off into battle while remaining at home in his palace. Satan, exploiting a lack of diligence by one of Your greatest warriors, seduced David by enflaming his lust for Bathsheba. What few realize is the full extent of his horrifying betrayal. Though he could have married any and as many Israelite virgins he chose, instead he was moved to pick a woman who was far more than just the wife of some unknown soldier. According to 1 Chronicles 11, this same "Uriah the Hittite" was one of David's mighty men and elite personal guard. Furthermore, we are told Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam, another decorated soldier. Worse, she was also the granddaughter of Ahithophel, perhaps David's wisest counselor, of whom scripture says his advice was like listening to "the oracle of God." The reason David could see Bathsheba bathing from his rooftop was because of the honored positions held by her faithful and loyal husband, father and grandfather!
Such passages record the frailty and betrayal by the worst and best of the Your own people. David, hand picked and anointed by God, repeatedly fell from grace. If such a campion of faith and man after God's own heart could be so deceived, it's little wonder 21st century Christianity bares so little resemblance to 1st century believers.
Careful consideration of the handful of passages discussed reveal Satan as the architect and originator of sin. First sparking revolt in Heaven, he then launched a campaign of temptation, deception and terror that continues to wreak havoc on Earth. While mankind is clearly complicit in sin, it's largely in response to cunningly devised and devastating attacks by an evil dictator of a vastly superior race. Shellshocked, each successive generation of fallen man reals dazed and confused from unrelenting blows by an unseen and unmerciful Foe. And all the while, in the world's most devilish public relation's campaign, Satan veils his presence by twisting the minds of men to attribute evil to God and one another.
Sun Tzu, in his famous, "Art of War" warned "If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril. If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles." Unfortunately, modern society regards the Devil as no more a threat than a myth of the past. Rather than take the nearly 500 Bible verses directly and indirectly targeting Satan seriously, even the Church has fallen into the trap of marginalizing the daily global and individual impact of "the god of this world." Most believers taking the time to considering the Devil at all, declare themselves victors over a defeated enemy, overlooking billions of souls enslaved to deception and sin and hundreds of millions of Christians falling like flies to his many temptations.
It's gloriously true that Christ conquered Satan on the cross. As a couple of different versions of just one Scripture dealing with the victory of Jesus declares:
- "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Colossians 2:15
- "He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets." Colossians 2:15 MSG
Yet today evil's at an all time high. The original sin of entitlement known today as Me-ism has spilled over from heaven’s rebellion onto earth inflaming mankind’s passions and issues with God. Ethics and truth have been devilishly inverted. There are at least seven different gospels with thousands of variations on may Christs yet only One True. Even within the Church gross sins such as immorality and abortion, pornography and divorce are rampant. Add to this list more subtle sins of commission and omission and it's easy to see that while Christ's costly atonement has triumphed over Satan, most of modern Christianity has not. World War II provides an excellent metaphor. In the largest amphibious assault in history, allied forces established a beach head in France during the invasion of Normandy. For our example this might reflect Christ's birth and ministry. After bitter struggle a day came when it was clear the price had been paid in blood to defeat the Nazi's, as Christ conquered Satan on the cross. Yet from that moment to the end of global hostilities, millions more perished as battles continued.
Surely the Church should celebrate Earth's Normandy. Yet we must not forget the struggle still rages and the stage is being set for a final a period of Great Tribulation. Soon physical war will break out in Heaven and Satan and his fallen angelic army will be once and for all cast out of Heaven onto the Earth. Furious and knowing his time to be short, he immediately raises up the Antichrist, making war against and overcoming the saints. Only after patiently enduring and overcoming him "by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and not loving their lives unto death" does Christ return to rapture the faithful who remain.
Think Again
We once understood the serious spiritual war engulfing us. It's reality filled our prayers and even our worship. Beloved hymns of deliverance were sung to You from around the world, such as A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, one of the most famous of all time:
A mighty Fortress is our God, A Bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name, From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever.
Doesn't sound much like modern worship. Our forefathers understood the difference between glorifying the Devil and revealing his presence and the peril around us. Out of insight into our situation and respect for Your word they were careful to neither ignore or "revile angelic majesties."
Yet we heed neither their advice or Yours. Rather we live under Satan's tyranny in a arrogant conspiracy of silence refusing to admit we've got the Devil on our backs in more ways than one. I beg You to help us come to our senses. I ask You to trouble others as You've troubled me. Help us resist turning eternal reality into myth. Cause us to believe what Your word plainly teaches and emphasizes.
Forgive us for not defending the truth and allowing the "thief to come to steal, kill and destroy." Though we refuse to, remember the power and cunning of our ancient Adversary who accuses and condemns in Heaven those he tempts and deceives on Earth. Remember we are but dust, puny mortals pitted against the ruthless genius of millions if not billions of eternal fallen angels and legions of ancient demons.
Lord, compared to our unseen foes we're little more than hapless infants born under the tyranny of a diabolical masters deceiving us into slaughtering rather than loving each other. You know the pain and agony he's caused Your creation. Please help us to come humbly and boldly, successfully and repeatedly, victoriously, joyously and gloriously 'before Your throne of grace to obtain mercy, help and resource at this time of need.'
For while we stand before You utterly condemned for our sin, particularly my generation and the next in First World Nations and beyond and are without excuse, even our behavior is not without explanation! For it is written that he formally known as Lucifer who stands accusing and condemning us first tempted and deceived us after having led a myriad of angels astray. Ancient, holy and glorious angels from Heaven above! Realistically what chance do we have dear God to stand against so great an Adversary, his army and demonic resistance given that in comparison the entire human race was born yesterday and dies tomorrow balanced if and when at all on toes of flesh. Praying if and when at all as lungs expel air strumming vocal cords to the tune of two to three pounds of brain matter, without an unprecedented global outpouring of Your Spirit's presence and power, provision and protection?
Grant us the gift of brokenness and repentance, revival and even reformation. Rend the Heavens and come down! You're our Creator and Savior! You're on record saying You "Surely as I live I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked" and "are not willing that any should perish but that all should come to salvation." So save us! Hear the screams of tens of billion already in hell and the groans and cries of all mankind! Make Yourself known to Your earthly children granting that we might choose salvation over judgment and You our true Ally over Satan our true Enemy.
God, please deliver us today. Tomorrow will be forever too late for tens of thousands! Hear Jesus' and our prayers. "Lead us not into temptation!" Deliver us from all the sin above, about and within. Save us from all evil, the Evil One, the Evil Him! For Yours is the Kingdom, Power and Glory forever.
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