How seriously do we take the devil?

[Loukuss]

Do we take satan's power seriously? Do we acknowledge the fact that he roams our world trying to devour us? Or have we just ignored his existence, believing that he can do us no harm?
Has he convinced most of the world that he doesnt exist? The more I talk with fellow christians, the more convinced I am that the devil has deceived many of us. His subtle ways of influencing our thinking and rationalizing seem to go under the radar. people just dont see him at work in our world.
but he is a trickster and an unreliable source of information. John 8:44 speaks of him as a liar, the father of all lies.
his existence places humans in terrible peril. 1 Peter 5:8 describes him as a dangerous entity, a roaring lion, who roams all over the earth "seeking whom he may devour."

Have we completely forgotten about our enemy?

 

[JesusZone]

Yes, satan is real. His power is base on fear and confusions. If a person fear of him and give him total control over his/her life. Then, his power is massive. Other than that, he have no power over this world. He can only affected the minds of the person, not the will of a person. Only God and that person have control over his/her will. As long as you adided by God and his GREAT powers, no power of this world is against you.

 

[God_of_Mercy]

Yes, a lot of people don't take the devil seriously but sometimes I think people give him to much power.

 

[holo]

Satan shouldn't have anything, including our attention.

 

[Loukuss]

Yes, satan is real. His power is base on fear and confusions. If a person fear of him and give him total control over his/her life.

Agreed. satan should not be feared.
Luke 12: 4: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5: But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Other than that, he have no power over this world.

You are wrong here.
2 Cor 4:4 tells us that satan is the god of this world.
John 12:31; 14:31; 16:11 tells us that he is the Ruler of this world. I believe he has more power than you are willing to accept.

He can only affected the minds of the person, not the will of a person.

Unfortunately for us, our mind's and our will is tied in together. Our mind can convince of us many deceivable things that can change the will of a man.

As long as you adided by God and his GREAT powers, no power of this world is against you.

The devil is always agaisnt us. How can you believe otherwise? Just because you are a christian doesnt mean you are safe from the devil. it means you have to protect yourself even more! All the unbelievers in this world are not the devil's concern. he already has them where he wants them. he goes after christians because they are on the right path. he wants to corrupt us and conquer us for his own glory, to steal from God what is rightfully His.
2 Tim 2:26; 1 Tim 3:7 talk about how the devil sets hidden snares for christians. why would the bible warn us about this if the devil has no power over us? That doesnt make sense.

 

[justcallmejamie]

i take him seriously, i have had enough spiritual warfare not to but i dont give him to much attention i just stay mindful of his schemes

 

[Loukuss]

Yes, a lot of people don't take the devil seriously but sometimes I think people give him to much power.

Agreed. We give him too much power by giving into our sinful nature. if we stayed on the straight and narrow road that God has set before us, we wouldnt be giving the devil any power. unfortunately, most of us stray from time to time, further strengthening the devil's position as the god of this world.

 

[sawdust]

Have we completely forgotten about our enemy?

Forgotten the enemy? Nah. Forgotten the Word, that's the problem!

Know the Word and the enemy stands out like a sore thumb.
It's the Word we need to take seriously.

peace

 

[Loukuss]

Satan shouldn't have anything, including our attention.

Agreed, to an extent. he shouldnt have ANYTHING here in our world, however, we need to pay attention to the ways he tries to deceive us. if we dont pay attention to that, we are doing ourselves a great disservice.

 

[JimfromOhio]

We are easily targeted by Satan. Christians can easily be astray by their reason and intelligence because a mind can assert anything and even pretends to justify the reasons. This is the area that Satan is very successful and often uses Christianity to lead people from the Truth. Satan uses the heart to deceive the mind. Satan also uses the mind to deceive the heart. Intelligence and Emotions are two major tools that Satan will use on us. A person's heart is always found running in the direction of his/her desires. The heart that desires often leads a person towards the wrong direction.

As I mention in the other threads regarding sufferings. Who will survive? Those who are spiritually discipled deeply into the heart? Are we really spiritually rooted deeply as Christ talked about in the New Testament that we should be able to survive? Who will be strong as those in the Bible who endured all kinds of hardships? Who will be able to endure hardships as Corrie Ten Boom faced? Who will be able to endure hardships as Dietrich Bohoeffer faced? Those who believed that God will not allow Christians to suffer are in big trouble and probably won't last. The Bible talks about "apathy" and "apostasy". Jesus and New Testament writers warned that there will be "Christians" who will reveal their true self whether they are a Christian or playing a Christian.

 

[Loukuss]

i take him seriously, i have had enough spiritual warfare not to but i dont give him to much attention i just stay mindful of his schemes

Thats a better way of explaining it. sister.

 

[Loukuss]

Forgotten the enemy? Nah. Forgotten the Word, that's the problem!

Its so true its painful.

Know the Word and the enemy stands out like a sore thumb.
It's the Word we need to take seriously.

peace

to that. lets get back to God's Word so we can be more discerning of our world and the times we live in.

 

[linssue55]

Do we take satan's power seriously? Do we acknowledge the fact that he roams our world trying to devour us? Or have we just ignored his existence, believing that he can do us no harm?
Has he convinced most of the world that he doesnt exist? The more I talk with fellow christians, the more convinced I am that the devil has deceived many of us. His subtle ways of influencing our thinking and rationalizing seem to go under the radar. people just dont see him at work in our world.
but he is a trickster and an unreliable source of information. John 8:44 speaks of him as a liar, the father of all lies.
his existence places humans in terrible peril. 1 Peter 5:8 describes him as a dangerous entity, a roaring lion, who roams all over the earth "seeking whom he may devour."

Have we completely forgotten about our enemy?

I haven't.........

1. The potential of Satan.
   1. SATAN CAN PERFORM MIRACLES: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew ( show ) great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. - Mt 24:24
      
      The elect will not be deceived and the deceived will not be the elect.
      
      For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world... - Rev 16:14
      
      One of the characteristics of the end times will be the proliferation of demonic miracles and deceptions.
      
      If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deut 13:1-3
   2. SATAN CAN PRETEND TO BE GOOD: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. - 2 Cor 11:13-15
      
      Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils... Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. - 1 Tim 4:1-3
      
      Satan does not mind that we be religious as long as we do not have the Savior - the Lord Jesus Christ.
   3. SATAN CAN POSSESS HUMAN BEINGS: And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils. - Lk 8:2
      
      Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being number of the twelve. - Lk 22:3
2. The purpose of Satan.
   1. SATAN SEEKS TO BLIND: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. - 2 Cor 4:3-4
   2. SATAN SEEKS TO DECEIVE: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. - 2 Thess 2:9
   3. SATAN SEEKS TO DESTROY: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. - 1 Per 5:8
   4. Satan promises the best, but pays the worst; he promises honor and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure and pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life and pays with death. - Thomas Brooks
3. The possibility of Satan.
   1. ASTROLOGY: Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee ( the coming Babylonian invasion of Israel ). - Isa 47:13
   2. WITCHCRAFT: And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shall have no more soothsayers. - Mich 5:12
   3. NECROMANCY: Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am your the Lord your God. - Lev 19:31.45

 

[Loukuss]

I haven't.........

1. The potential of Satan.
   1. SATAN CAN PERFORM MIRACLES: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew ( show ) great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. - Mt 24:24
      
      The elect will not be deceived and the deceived will not be the elect.
      
      For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world... - Rev 16:14
      
      One of the characteristics of the end times will be the proliferation of demonic miracles and deceptions.
      
      If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deut 13:1-3
   2. SATAN CAN PRETEND TO BE GOOD: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. - 2 Cor 11:13-15
      
      Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils... Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. - 1 Tim 4:1-3
      
      Satan does not mind that we be religious as long as we do not have the Savior - the Lord Jesus Christ.
   3. SATAN CAN POSSESS HUMAN BEINGS: And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils. - Lk 8:2
      
      Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being number of the twelve. - Lk 22:3
2. The purpose of Satan.
   
   1. SATAN SEEKS TO BLIND: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. - 2 Cor 4:3-4
   2. SATAN SEEKS TO DECEIVE: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. - 2 Thess 2:9
   3. SATAN SEEKS TO DESTROY: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. - 1 Per 5:8
   4. Satan promises the best, but pays the worst; he promises honor and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure and pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life and pays with death. - Thomas Brooks
3. The possibility of Satan.
   
   1. ASTROLOGY: Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee ( the coming Babylonian invasion of Israel ). - Isa 47:13
   2. WITCHCRAFT: And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shall have no more soothsayers. - Mich 5:12
   3. NECROMANCY: Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am your the Lord your God. - Lev 19:31.45

Thanks for sharing that, Linssue. For all those reasons above, and many more, I wont forget who my enemy is, either.

God bless, Sister,
Lucas