This Person Called Satan

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This Person Called Satan

By Sondra Treadway (Struggling with this paper fellow believers - I have not turned in yet.... input would be appreciated) I have always believed in a literal supernatural being...yet....as I said "struggling - do assist please"

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This paper has been written from much sought out prayer and counsel. It took many hours of study and I pray that at the end of this paper the reader can come to a sound biblical conclusion as to who this person Satan is as well as his angels.

THE SOURCE OF POWER

I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me. [6] That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. [7] I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Isaiah 45:5-7

For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. Micah 2:11

Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? Amos 3:6

For he (YHVH) maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. Job 5:18

We find in Deut 32:16-24 that Israel chose to believe in God but also believed there were other powers acting in their lives. They sacrificed to these “other powers” called devils which so angered God that He cast them off from being His people. Would we be behaving precisely as Israel if we were to also accept the existence of other powers separate from God?
Hear what the apostle Paul tells the Corinthians in his letter to them regarding fellowship with those that sacrifice to devils. Please note that Paul uses the words “devils” and “idols” interchangeably.

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. I Cor. 10:20

But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof: I Cor. 10:28

Ponder this: As there is only one God who has the only source of power, would it not follow that devils have no real power at all and that they are nothing? Paul tells us that devils/idols are nothing.

As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. [5] for though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many.) [6] But to us there is but one God…… I Cor. 8:4-6

In the seventeenth chapter of Acts, we find further proof of the belief that devils are idols/gods. In Thessalonica they had not heard of Jesus and his resurrection. The people thought Paul was babbling on about a new god. Paul taught them that God is the only source of power and that He is not present in their devils…their idols.
 
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EVIL / UNCLEAN SPIRIT

In the Old Testament, we find that an evil or unclean spirit refers to a troubled mental state and that it always comes from God.
But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. I Sam. 16:14

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul…… I Sam. 18:10

Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. Jud. 9:23

Would we not concur that infirmities and sicknesses are the same as being possessed by “devils” and “evil spirits” as shown by the following in the New Testament?

When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed WITH DEVILS: and he cast out THE SPIRITS with his word, and healed all that were sick: [17] That is might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our INFIRMITIES, and bare our SICKNESSES. Matt 8:16,17
In reading John 8:52; 10:20; and 7:19,20, we find the people thought that Jesus was mad and thus had a demon that caused this madness.
 
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DEVILS / DEMONS and THE DEVIL

In the Old Testament we find four occurrences of the words “devils” and “demons:” Lev 17:7; Deut 32:17; 2 Chron. 11:15 and Ps 106:37. In each of these occurrences the word(s) mean “idol/god.”

In the New Testament we find many occurrences of “devils/demons.” For instance, in Matthew 4:24 we find Jesus healing many that were possessed with devils. In Greek, the word for “devils”, according the Strong’s Concordance, is #1139 daimonizomai, “dahee-mon-id’-zom-ahee” from 1142 which means to be exercised by a demon - vexed with, possessed with a devil. We find the Pharisees, in Matthew 9:34, stating that Jesus is casting out the devils through the prince of the devils. In this instance, the Strong’s Greek word is #1140 daimonion, “dahee-mon;-ee-on”; neut. of a der. of 1142; a demonic being; by extension a deity:-devil, god. In Revelation 16:14, we read, ‘They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.’ And last, we find the Strong’s Greek word #1228 diabolos, “dee-ab’-ol-os”; from 1225, a traducer; spec. Satan [compare 7854]”-false accuser, devil, slanderer. (7854) satan, saw-tawn; from 7853 an opponent; espec. (with the art. Pref) Satan, the arch-enemy of good:-adversary, Satan, withstand. (7853) to attack(fig. Accuse) (be an ) adversary such as we find in Matthew 25:41 ‘Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’ It is important to note the definite article written before each occurrence of #1228 diabolos as the subject/object is certainly definite. Who is this devil?

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. [8] He that committeth sin is of the devil; for THE DEVIL sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. I John 3:7,8

Wherefore, as BY ONE MAN SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12
For the WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:22-23

Would it not behoove us to look at the beginning to find out who sinned from the beginning? So we turn to Genesis - the beginning, yes? Who committed the sin? Was it not through Adam that sin came to be? Yes, we all know the serpent beguiled/seduced Eve. However, we can not believe this serpent to be a supernatural fallen angel. We are not told that "Satan" entered into the serpent. This serpent is one of the creatures God created. God allowed the serpent to speak, just as He allowed Balaam's [wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] to speak (Numbers 22: 28). God allowed Adam and Eve to be tested and they failed. The serpent did not make them eat the fruit, it just provided the test. Adam and Eve decided for themselves that they would eat of the fruit. Man's own wicked/evil desires is that devil that sinned from the beginning.

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Matt 15:18-20

Let us backtrack to the phrase found above in Matthew 9:34 "prince of the devils" and the phrase "prince of the power of the air" found in the scripture noted below.

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Ephesians2:2
 
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my apologies here - I didn't think first before I started posting my paper..... it is 7 pages long....

Moderators? Will this be okay? I really would appreciate help with this paper.

I will wait..... and if you believe it to be too long.... go ahead and delete thread but kindly tell me in an pm email that it is too long, k? Thanks
 
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Patty

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Spirit is the unseen aspect of a man.
His appetite, his mind, his attitude, his emotions, his decision-making, his choices, etc. Never can these aspects be seen.

Physical things are things that can be seen. whether they are seen or not.

Man can do nothing to change the physical about himself. He cannot, for example, grow more fingers.

Man CAN do something to change the spiritual about himself. He can improve his attitude, he can improve his appetite, he can improve the way he chooses, etc.

What man does with his spirituality affects his physical aspects. He can choose to eat too much, and he'll get fat, for example. Not his body's fault, but the fault of his choices.

That's why the emphasis of religions is on the spiritual.

'Satan' is a word, in my opinion, that refers to the greedy aspects of man. It's a man's own personal greed. It might very well be written 'sating' or satin'.

Nobody causes me to do bad things. If I do 'em, I'm accountable. I'm the only one who will answer for what I've done. There will be nobody standing by my side to take the blame for what I did.

Evil exists only in the minds of men.


Patty
 
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MatthewDiscipleofGod

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Satan is real and Satan can tempt people. Now it can be said that Satan may not be able to be all places at once like God so it may be demons that tempt some and sometimes (actually most of the time I would say) it's just our sinful flesh. Bible is clear about Satan being real.

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Obvious this serpent (Satan) is real because

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Also...

Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

This of course after the temptations.

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Again Satan thinking he can pull one over God. Showing how foolish he really is.

There is a ton more on Satan. Probably a fallen angel. Do we go and do what Adam and Eve did and blaim Satan for our sins though? Certainly not!
 
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