IS THERE A PERSONAL DEVIL?

     Some people are strictly opposed to studying anything about Satan. They say, "The less we know about him, the better off we are." This line of reasoning, on first thought, might appear to be a good one, but if one takes the trouble to think the matter over carefully, he will most certainly come to the opposite conclusion.  

     Satan is the enemy of our souls, and therefore the more information we can gather about him, his methods of working, his tactics, etc., the better we will know how to resist, combat, and counteract his efforts to defeat us. Suppose the American boys had gone to fight the Japanese without having been told certain facts about the enemy's methods of warfare. Without being acquainted with the enemy's tactics, our boys would have suffered quick defeat in many a battle, and it is for this reason that our government trains the boys in Japanese methods of fighting— Ju-jit-su, etc., and gives them as much other information as is possible. Every general who leads his men into battle welcomes any information concerning the enemy. In fact, the more he knows about his enemy, the better able he is to defeat him, for he can prepare himself and his men for the tricks and the traps that lie ahead, and thus they will not be caught by surprise. Whether in the physical realm or in the spiritual realm, it is indeed important to know the enemy— who you are fighting and what his tactics are. It is better for us to face the facts concerning him than to endeavor to avoid the reality of the facts by turning our eyes from them.

     Instead of being in the "dark" with little or no knowledge of the enemy, how comforting it is to have the following information from the Word of God. (1.) We need not be ignorant of Satan's devices or methods. The Apostle Paul stated in II Corinthians 2:11, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2.) He is a defeated foe. Hebrews 2:14, "that through death He (Christ) might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil." (3.) He CAN be overcome. I John 2:13, "I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one." Revelation 11:11, "And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony."  

     The above scripture verses encourage our hearts and bear out the truth that information concerning the enemy tends to make us stronger and courageous, instead of weaker and fearful. The statement, "The less we know about Satan, the better off we are!" does not stand up under the searchlight of truth, and therefore cannot be accepted by thinking individuals.  

     Worldly-minded people and even some professing Christians have strange ideas about the devil. In some circles it is popular to deny that there is such a person as Satan. On the other hand, some o£ those who do believe in his existence, have views about him which simply do not conform to what the Bible teaches. These views have had their origin in the minds of men who do not accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God. Many who entertain such ideas endeavor to twist the Bible's teachings to fit their own views, instead of changing their ideas of Satan to make them correspond to the teachings of the Bible. It is high time that Christians everywhere go to the Bible and find out exactly what the Word does teach about Satan. Then the next step is to believe what the Bible says and be prepared to throw overboard all erroneous ideas that have accumulated concerning the devil.  

SATAN'S LIES ABOUT HIMSELF

     At the root of all these wrong notions about the devil is Satan himself. He is responsible for them all in the last analysis. There are at least three lies which Satan gets people to believe about himself. The first lie is that the devil is a hideous creature with horns and hoofs and a tail. Artists have pictured him so. But there is not a line of Scripture to warrant such a characterization of him. The Bible does describe his appearance in the form of a serpent. This would indicate his craftiness. It refers to him one time as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. But Paul speaks of him as an angel of light in Second Corinthians 11:14. If Satan can just get people to believe he is a hideous creature, then all he needs to do is to appear to them as an angel of light and they will not know who it is and will accept his suggestions. Multitudes are deceived in this way.  

     Satan's second lie about himself is that he is like a bad little boy who can be -made fun of and ordered away at will. To multitudes the idea of a devil is only something to joke about. His name is on the lips of many as a by-word. But of course, this is not the teaching of the Bible. What a contrast to read Ephesians 6:11-12: "Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual (hosts) of wickedness in high places." This Scripture makes it clear that our warfare with Satan is no child's-play, nor is it a sham battle. We need to be prepared for this warfare by knowing how to use all of the armor which God has provided for our use.  

     The third lie that Satan gets people to believe about himself is that there is no personal devil at all. It is indeed a master stroke of the Evil One to get men to deny his existence. When men believe this then he can do with them what he will. Sincere, earnest Bible students would like to ask those who take such a position some very candid questions. Some of them are asked by the writer of the following poem:  

"Men don't believe In a Devil now,  

     As their fathers used to do;  

They've forced the door of the broadest creed  

     To let his majesty through;  

There isn't a print of his cloven foot,  

     Or a fiery dart from his bow,  

To be found in earth or air to-day,  

     For the world has voted so.  

"But who Is mixing the fatal draught  

     That palsies heart and brain,  

And loads the earth of each passing year  

     With ten hundred thousand slain?  

Who blights the bloom of the land to-day  

     With the fiery breath of hell,  

If the Devil isn't and never was  

     Won't somebody rise and tell?  

"Who dogs the steps of the toiling saint,  

     And digs the pits for his feet?  

Who sows the tares in the field of time  

     Wherever God sows His wheat?  

The Devil is voted not to be,  

     And of course the thing is true;  

But who is doing the kind of work  

     The Devil alone should do?  

"Won't somebody step to the front forthwith,  

     And make his bow and show  

How the frauds and the crimes of the day spring up?  

     For surely we want to know.  

The Devil was fairly voted out,  

     And of course the Devil is gone;  

But simple people would like to know  

     Who carries his business on?"  

SOME PROOFS OF SATAN'S PERSONALITY  

     But does the Bible actually teach that Satan is a person? Does he have a personality? It has been stated that the devil is mentioned as a personality one hundred and fourteen times in the Bible. The Lord Jesus refers to Satan fifteen times. Every one of the New Testament writers refers to Satan. Again and again personal pronouns are used in referring to the devil. Second Corinthians 11:14: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."  

     Again, Satan is referred to as speaking. Job 1:9: "Then Satan answered the Lord and said." Matthew 4:3: "And when the tempter came to him, he said." If Satan talks, that means that he has personality. On one occasion it is said of the devil that Michael the archangel had a dispute with him. Jude: 9. This could not have been possible if Satan were not a person.  

     The very names and titles given to Satan in the Bible are an indication of his personality. The word "devil" means "slanderer" or "liar". The word "Satan" means "adversary" or "accuser". Here aresome other titles that involve personality: evil one, father of lies, man of sin, prince of the power of the air, ruler of darkness, wicked one.  

     Also, Satan is said to rule over a kingdom. Matthew 12:26: "And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" These words of Jesus would lose their meaning if the personality of Satan be denied.  

     And in Revelation 20:10 we are told that Satan will be punished for ever and ever. For such a thing to happen means that the devil is a responsible personality. Otherwise it would be foolish to talk of punishing him.  

     Thus, the Bible clearly teaches that Satan is more than a mere "force" or "influence"—He is an actual person—he has personality.