Talking to Satan

Our Lord’s Prayer tells us to not be lead to temptation but to be delivered from evil. ( Matthew 6:9-13 ).

The Lord, who is only sinless, rebuked Satan in the wilderness & clearly noted the delusions Satan could place on us ( Matthew 4:1-11). Note that the Lord’s Prayer is imparted not long after this encounter.

Clearly we are to avoid any interaction with the devil. Also see how St. Paul instructs us ( Ephesians 6:10-20).

Tellyontellyon said:

Hello, I'm a Buddhist but not sure what to believe at the moment, but I'm exploring Christianity and praying for Jesus to guide me. I'm trying to be open minded.
I read in the Bible that Jesus was talking to Satan in the desert...
When praying it is usually about talking to God/Jesus and listening for an answer.

But should we also talk to, remonstrate with Satan. Should we say to Satan that we've seen what he's up to, and identify his activities as a way to avoid getting sucked into something wrong?
Is that something you usually do in Christianity?

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No, we don't speak to Satan - Just God.

When we know God's Word we have a defense against Satan's temptations and a means to know what is a temptation and what is good, as Jesus showed us, but we won't actually have a conversation with Satan because we arent Jesus, we can't actually see the spirit world as He could so we won't see or hear the same things Jesus could.

So temptations from the tempter will come, sometimes through others, sometimes our own minds, sometimes our flesh - but when we know God's word we know what is right, and so we also know the correct response to any temptation we may encounter.. as Jesus showed us.

We also pray to God daily to deliver us from evil - so it is also our hope that we don't encounter Satan much at all.. no point encountering him more than necessary.

Tellyontellyon said:

I wasn't really thinking of chatting to Satan, I was thinking more like a rebuke.. as Jesus did.

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Yes, I will sometimes verbally rebuke satan.. When I do I use scripture verses, just as Jesus used scripture.

If you notice all of Jesus's responses to satan were passages from the Old Testament in the Bible. He answered Satan verbally using the appropriate passage from scripture to answer to and turn away the temptation.

I find it helpful to follow that example.

As far as how many are liberal? It's a reasonably new phenomenon over the last 100 years or so but their numbers are growing exponentially.. I imagine at this point so many are becoming liberal that more fundamental/orthodox followers are quickly becoming a minority.

Tellyontellyon said:

But should we also talk to, remonstrate with Satan. Should we say to Satan that we've seen what he's up to, and identify his activities as a way to avoid getting sucked into something wrong?
Is that something you usually do in Christianity?

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We know what he's up to and there is no reason to talk to him.

He came to seek and destroy.

Think about what happened when Eve talked with the devil. He knows exactly how to turn the Word of God around and deceive people.

M-Bob

Tellyontellyon said:

What is this literal V's metaphor debate, is there a middle position? What do most people believe?

.

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I don't know what most people believe, but yes there is a middle position between taking everything in the Bible literally vs metaphorically. For instance, whether Jonah was actually swallowed by a giant fish is not important to my faith (not denying it's possible but I'm not sure it matters to the story except as prefiguring Jesus). Whether Jesus was actually raised from the dead is absolutely important to my faith.

With regard to angels and the devil, yes I believe they are literally real.

That old line, satan get behind me
might be bull?
M

Tellyontellyon said:

It seems there is a bit of a spectrum of opinion as to whether Satan is a real, objective being or a personification of our own worst qualities?
I read the word 'liberal' being used, is liberal connected with the more metaphorical understanding of the Bible?
Somebody asked about Buddhism... I'm not here to talk about Buddhism or debate.
What is this literal V's metaphor debate, is there a middle position? What do most people believe?
I wasn't really thinking of chatting to Satan, I was thinking more like a rebuke.. as Jesus did.
I suppose if Satan is a personification, then the rebuke would be to oneself?
I'm confused now as to whether Christianity sees God, angels, demons, devils etc. as actually real or not? How prevalent are the different views? Are most people 'liberal' or are more people not?
Sorry for all the questions.

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Sorry for the confusion. You will get varying views on Satan and his minions. You may also get conflicting statements on angels and their purpose. But there are hard line facts about these entities in scripture and it can be easily discerned as you find your way to know Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Confusion is not the work of the Holy Spirit. My advice to you is to seek the truth first. What is important now, while you seek the truth, is that it begins with God. As you seek Him you will be able to identify God through His Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Once you have found Him, you will get more clarity through the power of His Holy Spirit. At that time you will know whether or not to engage with the deceiver, Satan. As a Christian, discernment is of the utmost importance in our walk. We know that Satan can come as an angel of light and the power to rebuke him can only be attained through His Holy Spirit. I will pray that your journey be filled with truth in Him.
Blessings

St_Worm2 said:

SE

It's possible that the tempter was an actual, conscious spirit-being; but it's also possible that these were simply the human thoughts that would occur to someone who's mulling over what it means to be the embodiment of God on earth. I lean toward the latter.J

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Interesting!

As I believe someone asked earlier in this thread, do you believe that anything in the Bible is actual/real, or is it all myth and allegory?

I guess I should also ask, if you believe that at least some things in the Bible are real/exist, but you don't believe that demons/fallen angels exist, do you believe that there is a Heavenly Host, that elect/holy angels exist (and if so, why do you believe that they do)?

Finally, assuming that you consider at least some of the Bible to be about events that actually took place, and about people who actually lived, how do you decide which parts of it are true, and which parts are mythical instead?

Thanks!

--David[/QUOTE]

Given the reality of a coming final judgement when Satan and His demons will be sent to eternal Hell, these are entities not just myths, feelings or thoughts.

JackRT said:

There are a good many Christians like myself who regard Satan metaphorically. We say, in essence, that "We have met The Enemy and he is us."

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You might regard Satan metaphorically, but scripture doesn't, nor do those who have been involved in deliverance or spiritual warfare.

Tellyontellyon said:

That does sound like very good advice. Maybe it's better to cross the bridges when I come to them.
How do I find the truth, how can I meet Jesus as a real person?

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Do you believe He came in the flesh and walked among us in the first century?

Tellyontellyon said:

That does sound like very good advice. Maybe it's better to cross the bridges when I come to them.
How do I find the truth, how can I meet Jesus as a real person?

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Your begin in God's Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

So the starting point is there, in Scripture, and also with prayer; asking God to illuminate scripture so you may understand His Word, and also one more item I'll add..

Most countries have Bibles in their own language, a search online for one in your language may prove profitable for you.

Start in John.

You can also read books that assist you in understanding the faith such as Michael Reeves's Delighting in the Trinity, and Michael Horton's book, "Putting Amazing Back into Grace" as well as "Redemption Accomplished and Applied" by John Murray.

Tellyontellyon said:

I don't know what to believe, I can't just simply believe, I have to feel something, see something, some change has to happen in me. It's not that I need concrete proof, it's that something needs to touch me in some way, a sign of some sort, something to suggest that he is present and real... it may be just feeling that presence... I can't really say what.
But I can't just believe without some sort of realisation or some sort of change of heart.
Something has to change my heart and tip the balance in that direction.
Right now, I can't say.

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I was there 11-12 years ago, coming from an agnostic and Buddhist background. I asked God to clarify things and lead me where he wanted me to be, and God did various things to bring me to Jesus. I feel confident that he will do the same for you if you pray to him. Ask God for truth, ask him for clarity. Ask and it will be given.

Edit, because my five year old is jumping on me and I submitted too soon - absolutely read the Bible! I found the gospels to be the best starting place. But also ask God to illuminate what you read.

Tellyontellyon said:

How do I find the truth, how can I meet Jesus as a real person?

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Read the truth in the Holy Scriptures.

If you have not fully digested the Bible the major theme is below:


Creation

God
The story begins with God, who has always been. He has always existed, and He has always existed exactly as He is now. If it seems confusing, it’s because He’s beyond what anyone can fully comprehend.

Genesis 1:1 Psalms 90:2

Creation
In the beginning, God spoke and everything came into existence. By His command, the entire universe was created and filled with a dramatic display of galaxies, stars, and planets— including Earth, on which was a perfect garden of paradise called Eden. Of all the beauty He created, the masterpiece was a man and a woman. God made Adam and Eve in His image to reflect Him. They were created with the grand purpose of worshipping Him by loving Him, serving Him, and enjoying relationship with Him.

Harmony
By God’s design, all of creation was in harmony and was exactly the way it was supposed to be. During this time there was no pain, suffering, sickness or death. There was complete love, acceptance, and intimacy between God and man, between Adam and Eve, and throughout creation. But something tragic happened...

The Fall

Disobedience
Adam and Eve were far from being equal to God, yet He lovingly placed them in charge of all He had created in Eden. He gave them the freedom to make decisions and govern the earth with one rule: not to eat fruit from a specific tree. One day, God’s enemy, a fallen angel named Satan, wanted to overthrow God so he took the form of a serpent and lied to Adam and Eve. He deceived them into thinking God was not good and did not have their best interest in mind. As a result, they knowingly disobeyed God. In rebellion, Adam and Eve ate the fruit, deciding that they, not God, would determine right and wrong.

Consequence
The consequences of their actions were devastating! Like a virus, sin entered into all of creation and into the hearts of Adam and Eve. Sin, suffering, and pain were passed down from generation to generation; all of creation was distorted from its original design. We have all read or heard the stories of war, poverty, disease, greed, and scandals that plague our world today. Those are all a result of sin.

Romans 3:10 Romans 3:19

Need
When we think about the perfection and love that existed at the beginning of creation, we realize “we are far more flawed and far more sinful than we can dare imagine.” Just think of the grudges we’ve held, the lies we’ve told, the thoughts we’d never dare say aloud. An honest glance into our own hearts reveals the truth: We are all guilty. Everyone has sinned, and the ultimate consequence, even worse than physical death, is eternal separation from a loving God, in terrible misery and unhappiness. Because of all this, we need to consider the questions: Can anything be done? Is there any hope?

The Rescue

Promise made
God removed Adam and Eve from Eden as a result of their sin but left them with a promise of rescue and hope. He promised them one of their descendants would someday rescue mankind from sin. Over the next centuries, God prepared the way for this person who would become the Savior of the world. Exact details of His birth, life, and death were recorded in the Bible many centuries before His coming. In fact, the whole Bible ultimately points to this one person as the focal point of all human history. His purpose in coming was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). So who was He?

Promise kept
The promised Savior, simply, was God. God became human in the person of Jesus Christ almost 2,000 years ago, fulfilling all the predictions in the Old Testament. Jesus’ birth was miraculous since His mother was a virgin. His life was unique: He perfectly enjoyed and obeyed God without sin. This ultimately led to His agonizing death on a cross as He willingly, obediently, and sufficiently died to pay for the sins of mankind, according to God’s plan. In the greatest display of mercy and grace the world has ever known, Jesus’ life and death became a substitute for all who would trust in Him. The perfectly innocent died to rescue the hopelessly guilty from sin and Satan.

But the grave couldn’t hold Jesus. Three days later, Jesus emerged from His tomb, fulfilling His earthly mission to defeat sin by dying on the cross and to defeat death by rising from the dead—just as God promised. Forty days later He returned to Heaven where He reigns as the rightful King.

But the story doesn’t end there...

1 Peter 3:18 Galatians 1:4

The Restoration


All Things New
For all those who trust in Jesus alone, God has also promised He will make all things new. The new heaven and new earth will be completely free of sin and selfishness—a place of perfect friendship with God, others, and all creation. No more shattering earthquakes, devastating tsunamis or violent storms will plague the earth. No more pain, broken hearts, sickness or death to trouble us.

Everything will be restored to the way it was meant to be. The new earth will once again be the perfect home God intended for His creation. God’s original purpose will flourish, as those who trust in His rescue will enter into the grand purpose of worshipping Him by loving Him, serving Him, and enjoying relationship with Him forever.

Revelation 21:4

Forever with God
The most wonderful part of this new world is that we will be with God forever, experiencing complete joy. We will be restored to a perfect relationship with the One who created, loved, and died for us. C. S. Lewis, scholar and children’s author, compared the first step into this new world as “Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

Rescue by Faith Alone
Faith is simple trust in Jesus Christ alone to save you. It means instead of believing you can rescue yourself from the consequences of sin, you transfer your trust to the rescue He purchased for you by His death. Your allegiance is now to Jesus, The King. Those who place their trust in anything other than Jesus will find themselves forever separated from the loving God who gave His one and only Son to set us free from the bondage of sin. This painful separation is called Hell.
Ephesians 2:8–9


Response
God is inviting you to be part of the story He is writing throughout the ages to come. He is offering salvation to you today, which is your invitation to the rescue God offers. You can embrace the rescue of God by simply:

• Admitting your need to God
• Asking Him to forgive you
• Trusting in Jesus alone to rescue you
• Following Jesus Christ, The King of your life, in faith from this day forward

The moment you trust Jesus Christ, you become a CHILD of God and His Spirit begins to LIVE inside of you. You have become part of His story. The more you grow in your relationship with God, the more of His story you will begin to see & understand in your life. All of your sin, past and future, is forgiven, and you now find total acceptance before Him. When you begin this relationship, Jesus promises to be with you through all the UPS and DOWNS and in the joys and difficulties of this life. He loves you with an EVERLASTING, unchanging love. And not only has He promised eternal life, but He came so that you could also experience purpose, fulfillment, and freedom in this life.

John 6:47

@St_Worm2 : Your question about discerning which items in Scripture are literally real and which are mythological is a good and interesting question, but I gather from the moderator's actions that if we want to discuss it, we'll have to move to another forum.

To return to the OP:

Tellyontellyon said:

But should we also talk to, remonstrate with Satan. Should we say to Satan that we've seen what he's up to, and identify his activities as a way to avoid getting sucked into something wrong?
Is that something you usually do in Christianity?

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Setting aside the question of whether Satan is a literal being...

The baptismal promises made in my church include the question "Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?" (to which we answer, "I renounce them"). I think it can be useful to identify the evil in ourselves and in the world that corrupts and destroys people. There's a swirling mix of actions and attitudes and mistakes and brokenness around us, and in us, and naming the evil can be one step in avoiding evil. Sometimes evil is subtle and hard to see, so holding it up to the light and identifying it is helpful.

Note, though, that Christians believe we can't really swim out of the whirlpool of evil on our own; Christians look to Jesus to rescue us and heal us, because we're not strong enough to escape it ourselves.

Tellyontellyon said:

What is this literal V's metaphor debate, is there a middle position?

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There's not really a middle position on whether a being is a literal being, or a metaphor. It'll be one or the other.

Tellyontellyon said:

What do most people believe?

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That Satan is a literal being.

Tellyontellyon said:

I wasn't really thinking of chatting to Satan, I was thinking more like a rebuke.. as Jesus did.

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Well, you'd need to be in the same circumstances as Jesus when he did for that to make sense. One must also consider that Jesus had supernatural perception and insight, so he never would have misidentified when Satan was at work, and when a rebuke to him directly was warranted. Such is not the case with most people.

Tellyontellyon said:

I suppose if Satan is a personification, then the rebuke would be to oneself?

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And a most unhealthy one at that. One that I think the literal Satan can gleefully make use of to harm that person and the people around the person.

Tellyontellyon said:

I'm confused now as to whether Christianity sees God, angels, demons, devils etc. as actually real or not? How prevalent are the different views? Are most people 'liberal' or are more people not?

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Christianity definitely sees God as real. God is the cornerstone of our faith. When God isn't actually real, it is not Christianity anymore.
Angels and demons are taught in the Bible as literal beings. Therefore, most Christians will believe that they are literal beings.
I should also say that the belief in literal beings does not preclude self-responsibility, or introspection as to whether a person is causing or spreading evil.