9 March 2022
By Rev Kenneth Mtata
Today’s readings
Psalm 17;
Job 1:1-22;
Luke 21:34-22:6
Today’s verse
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:8).
In some parts of the Christian world, the existence of Satan as the personification of evil and force of disobedience to God is now considered just an old myth not to be taken seriously. In our part of the world here in Africa, the existence and influence of Satan, his potential to harm and control people’s destiny, is sometimes too exaggerated. How do we get a helpful understanding of Satan as a force against God’s plan of salvation without giving Satan too much credit? We try it below!
First, Satan, like all of us, was created by God. The Devil, Satan, Belial, or Beelzebub is presented in the bible as a force against godliness. He is the personalized force and energy against God’s plan of salvation. But because he is created by God, he is not an equal force against God. In fact, since his power was neutralized through the death and resurrection of Christ, Satan will be totally defeated at the end of times.
Secondly, Satan is active in both tempting people to sin but also used as someone who partners with God in testing the strength of the faith of God’s people. In Job 1:8, Satan is presented as one who would test the authenticity and strength of Job’s faith in God. In the gospel, he is the tempter who offers Jesus a way out of God’s salvation plan. In his tempting and testing missions, Satan has no open authority over God’s people. He cannot do anything which God does not allow. His power over God’s people is limited and therefore not to be feared.
Third, since the Devil has no flesh and has no possibility of assuming a body, he can only work through human agency. He can and must recruit and enter people so that they join him in his mission to fight God’s plan of salvation, to tempt God’s people, and to accuse them before God. People who have given space to Satan to work through them can be very evil and destructive. In Luke 22:3-4 we hear that “Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.” Satan does not enter or use people against their cooperation or by force. People avail themselves to his service when they live recklessly, willfully sin, allow themselves to live in sinful arrangements and lose their trusting relationship with God and willfully disobey God. These become candidates of recruitment by Satan.
Finally, God’s people should not fear Satan or spend most of their time trying to fight him or to “bind him”. Rather, they should invest more time in deepening their relationship with God through his word, prayer, and godly fellowship, and working against the systems of evil established by Satan. Such people are already operating outside Satan’s influence or control. Even if someone has been controlled by Satan, they can be redeemed through repentance and putting their trust in God through faith in Jesus Christ. On one hand, children of God should not underestimate or exaggerate the power of Satan. On the other hand, they should also not forget the prayer in Psalm 17:8-9: “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.” God’s children are that sensitive part of God’s eye. He watches over them day and night, so that Satan and his demons have no power of them.
Prayer
God, we thank you for the salvation plan you have for us which no forces of darkness can take away from us. Strengthen our faith as we hear you speak to us in your word so that our faith will not be shaken when tested; so that we will not succumb to temptations. Help us to live in Jesus’ victory today. Amen
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