I don't believe for a second that our Father in heaven would ever create a world and allow a rebel to have the kind of control that some people believe he had or has now. In my theology Satan and the other evil ones were defeated, Christ Michael won the "war in heaven" while incarnate on earth as Jesus of Nazareth. They have been removed. And when they were here they NEVER had the power to invade a persons will against their will. Demons were just little rebel angels that got into unstable people and caused fear. Soooooooooooooooooooooo much of what people blame on the devil is their own willful behavior!!!!!!!!!!!
Satan is a cigar butt!!!! He along with the others had become Atheist.
I'm not sure where you got the idea that the devil and the other fallen angels have been neutralized. It seems like your theology is whatever makes sense to you, and not the clear teachings of Scripture. Could it be that you are deceived by him whom you believe to be defeated?
Now look at what the Bible says. (BTW, Satan is not an atheist. He knows God exists, but he just hates Him.)
The devil tries to interfere with people being saved:
Luke 8:11–12 (NKJV)
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
1. The devil and his fellow fallen angels wage war against Christians:
Ephesians 6:10–18 (NKJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against
powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this age, against
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
2 Timothy 2:24–26 (NKJV)
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the
snare of the devil,
having been taken captive by him to do his will.
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour.
2. The devil is permitted to test the faith of some through applying suffering and persecution. He did this with Job (see Job 1) and Peter (Luke 22:31). He has to ask permission from God, though.
Revelation 2:10 (NKJV)
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the
devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
3. Not only does he deceive the whole world, he accuses the brethren until the point here in Revelation when he will be expelled from heaven permanently.
Revelation 12:9–12 (NKJV)
9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old,
called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for
the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the
devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
4. The devil will be shut up so he should deceive the nations no more for a thousand years, but this won't happen until Jesus returns (Revelation 19):
Revelation 20:1–3 (NKJV)
20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
5. And he will go to his place in the Lake of Fire, but this hasn't happened yet.
Revelation 20:7–10 (NKJV)
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
