Isaiah
14:12 How
art thou fallen from
heaven, O Lucifer,
son of the morning!
how art thou cut
down to the ground,
which didst weaken
the nations!
14:13 For
thou hast said in
thine heart, I will
ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my
throne above the
stars of God: I will
sit also upon the
mount of the
congregation, in the
sides of the north:
14:14 I
will ascend above
the heights of the
clouds; I will be
like the most High.
14:15 Yet
thou shalt be
brought down to
hell, to the sides
of the pit.
The bible speaks of
a powerful angelic
being that was
called, in the
beginning, Lucifer.
The bible describes
him as a most
beautiful and
powerful being that
God had ever
created. He was
covered with the
most precious of
stones and his
brightness was
called “son of the
morning.”
Ezekiel 28:12-13
"Son of man, take up
a lamentation for
the king of
Tyre,(Satan) and say
to him, 'Thus says
the Lord God: "You
were the seal of
perfection, full of
wisdom and perfect
in beauty. You were
in Eden, the garden
of God; every
precious stone was
your covering: the
sardius, topaz, and
diamond, beryl,
onyx, and jasper,
sapphire, turquoise,
and emerald with
gold. The
workmanship of your
timbrels and pipes
was prepared for you
on the day you were
created."
Ezekiel 28:14
"You were the
anointed cherub who
covers; I
established you; you
were on the holy
mountain of God; you
walked back and
forth in the midst
of fiery stones. v.
15, You were perfect
in your ways from
the day you were
created, till
iniquity was found
in you."
v.16 By
the multitude of thy
merchandise they
have filled the
midst of thee with
violence, and thou
hast sinned:
therefore I will
cast thee as profane
out of the mountain
of God: and I will
destroy thee, O
covering cherub,
from the midst of
the stones of fire.
Lucifer was one of
the main cherubs and
was a powerful
member of the Ark
Angels, Gabriel and
Michel being the
other two mentioned
in the Bible. He was
an angel with great
authority and
possibly the most
powerful of the
three that served in
the Temple of God.
It was, until
Lucifer became
consumed with his
own beauty and pride
entered into his
heart. Lucifer was
as we are agents of
free moral choice.
Lucifer was the
ruler of this earth,
before our creation.
His world was the
one we now live on.
What this earth was
like before creation
of Genesis 1, is not
known, but the
fossil records show
that there was a
world in times
before our time,
that was much
different that what
we experience now.
The bible speaks of
a war breaking out
in heaven as Lucifer
convinced 1/3 of the
heavenly host under
his charge to rebel
against God the
Father, the Ancient
of days with a
deception that God
wasn’t fair, or we
deserve better, or
some other lie that
we can only
theorize, but many
angels followed him
in war. Revelation
speaks of this war:
12:7 And
there was war in
heaven: Michael and
his angels fought
against the dragon;
and the dragon
fought and his
angels,
12:8 And
prevailed not;
neither was their
place found any more
in heaven.
12:9 And
the great dragon was
cast out, that old
serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan,
which deceiveth the
whole world: he was
cast out into the
earth, and his
angels were cast out
with him.
Revelation 12:12-13
"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." Now when the
dragon saw that he
had been cast to the
earth, he persecuted
the woman who gave
birth to the male
Child. (Jesus
Christ)
Unfortunately,
Lucifer now renamed
Satan the Devil, has
been cast down to
earth, his former
abode and it is the
same home that we
reside in. Some
people don’t believe
he really does exist
and it is one of
Satan’s master
strokes of
deception, that he
doesn’t exist. Some
blame him for
everything, or the
“devil made me do
it” as Flip Wilson
used to say as
“Geraldine’, or in
the other extreme,
they totally ignore
him as any
consequence in their
lives. The bible
gives ample proof
that he is more than
an adversary for the
typical human being
that is outside the
protection of God
the Father, through
Jesus Christ and His
Holy Spirit as
protectors. Satan is
a destroyer of men’s
souls.
It appears that the
more carnally
educated a person
is, the less Satan
is regarded as real,
and vice versa, the
less educated a
person is, the more
the devil is blamed
for everything. In
reality, the truth
is probably
somewhere in the
middle of the two
extremes. Satan is
called our
“adversary.” Who is
this angel that the
masses fail to
recognize as their
adversary and the
corrupter of their
souls?
RULER OF THIS
PRESENT AGE
I’m going to lay a
foundation from the
scriptures so that
we will understand
more of what we are
dealing with.
Revelation 12:3-4,
9
And another sign
appeared in heaven:
behold, a great,
fiery red dragon
having seven heads
and ten horns, and
seven diadems on his
heads. His tail drew
a third of the stars
[notice stars] of
heaven and threw
them to the earth.
And the dragon stood
before the woman who
was ready to give
birth, to devour her
Child as soon as it
was born. . . So the
great dragon was
cast out, that
serpent of old,
called the Devil and
Satan [there he is
identified], who
deceives the whole
world; he was cast
to the earth, and
his angels were cast
out with him.
Stars are used in
this passage and is
a word used for
angels. This was a
major battle in
heaven and the
rebelling angels
lost it and were
cast out of heaven.
II Peter 2:4
For if God did not
spare the angels who
sinned, but cast
them down to hell
and delivered them
into chains of
darkness, to be
reserved for
judgment…..
Here we continue on
our explanation of
what has occurred on
this earth long
before us. Another
step is clarified in
regard to the
positions that the
angels (or demons,
if we want to call
them that) are
holding at this
time. There is some
debate over the word
used in Greek here
that Peter describes
as “chains”, but
might be interpreted
as a pit, or silo
which we know is a
long cylinder dug in
the ground in
ancient time, or
above the ground to
store grain in
modern times, but is
used here to denote
a place of darkness,
restraint, or
prison. The word
"Hell" here in the
English versions
comes from the Greek
'tataroo' and it
means "a place of
restraint."
Jude 6
And the angels who
did not keep their
proper domain, but
left their own
abode, He has
reserved in
everlasting chains
under darkness for
the judgment of the
great day.
So, this
horde of demon
angels who has as
their chief
commander, Lucifer,
Satan the Devil
leading them
, but
many of them were
cast into a pit
called Tarturos
which was a place
lower than Hades or
the grave,
and chained until
judgment is brought
upon them.
How many demonic
spirits does Satan
have to do his
bidding? The Bible
speaks of thousands
upon thousands
administering to
Him, and ten
thousand times ten
thousand standing
before Him in a
vision given to
Daniel chapter 7 of
the throne room of
God. Of the 1/3 of
all angelic host
that fell to the
earth, it would be
millions of demonic
forces that attack
mankind daily to
tempt them to do
evil, or come
against them
physically or
spiritually. God
gave each of these
angels led by
Lucifer dominion
over this earth, and
the responsibility
to tend to the
earth, as their
domain, but they
left it and
rebelled, so God
chained them to the
earth in utter
darkness, meaning no
light of the Word of
God, or the Father’s
presence that
brought them life.
They were totally
and forever
separated from the
love of God because
of their rejection
of His authority and
His righteousness.
Jesus said Satan was
a murderer and the
father of lies….John
8:44
….He was a murderer
from the beginning,
and abode not in the
truth, because there
is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of
his own: for he is a
liar, and the father
of it.
In summary up to
this point,
it’s clear how all
of this fits
together now,
especially with
those verses that we
saw in Peter and in
Jude; how clear it
becomes when putting
this together with
Revelation 12, that
what occurred was
that God assigned
the angels to the
earth, that they
were under their
commander, Lucifer,
who was the sum
total of all that
God could create by
fiat and cram into a
created being; that
he was perfect in
his ways until
iniquity was found
in him. We see a
picture of a being
of awesome beauty,
of awesome power, of
tremendous
intelligence, also
though a creature of
free moral agency.
We are not given a
full description of
what Satan looked
like as Lucifer, if
he was human
looking, or what his
shape was, but he
was a created being
of incredible beauty
and brightness. But
what was totally
perfect, evolved by
his own mind and
actions into
something totally
perverse, totally
wicked, and
committed to
destroying God’s
creation of mankind,
as they were given
the promise of being
the Son’s of God and
entering into God’s
Family.
Can you picture in
your mind, what
might have been the
reaction that Satan
took when he
realized God’s plan
to make man in His
own image? I’m only
thinking out loud,
as I have no idea
what went through
this angelic beings
thought process, but
it would explain why
and how he felt that
God was not fair,
that God was putting
these frail humans
before Lucifer and
his host of angelic
beings. He was not
satisfied with his
station in the plan
of God. He wanted
more, more power,
more authority, and
rejected being
submissive to any
other power other
than his. He wanted
to be God.
What are we up
against?
I think that it's
necessary for us to
deal with the
reality of one
aspect of the
situation. I don't
think that God wants
us to hide from
these things. Once
you begin to see
what is arrayed
against us, you are
going to know that
it is by grace that
we are
saved. If we had to
fight Satan and his
demons without God
being on our side,
we would lose in the
blink of an eye. It
would be that
one-sided.
We live in a
physical realm, but
there is a spiritual
realm that we cannot
see with the human
eye. It is a war
that is being fought
all around us, and
it is for the souls
of men and the
defeat of God’s
perfect plan.
Satan is described
as a roaring lion in
1st Peter
5:8 Be
sober, be vigilant;
because your
adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion,
walketh about,
seeking whom he may
devour:
A lion cares not for
the prey, but to
destroy the prey for
food, to conquer it,
to overpower the
prey, to kill. So
the analogy of Satan
as a roaring lion
gives you some idea
of his intent. He
cares not for you,
he stalks you, he
desires your
destruction, and he
desires to make God
out a liar at your
expense.
AN ARMY OF
MINISTERING SPIRITS
In the book of
Daniel, it gives you
an idea of how
powerful this force
called Satan really
is. Daniel had been
praying for Israel
for weeks, and the
Messenger of the
Lord came to him:
Daniel
10:10 And,
behold, an hand
touched me, which
set me upon my knees
and upon the palms
of my hands.
10:11 And
he said unto me, O
Daniel, a man
greatly beloved,
understand the words
that I speak unto
thee, and stand
upright: for unto
thee am I now sent.
And when he had
spoken this word
unto me, I stood
trembling.
10:12 Then
said he unto me,
Fear not, Daniel:
for from the first
day that thou didst
set thine heart to
understand, and to
chasten thyself
before thy God, thy
words were heard,
and I am come for
thy words.
10:13 But
the prince of the
kingdom of Persia
withstood me one and
twenty days:
but, lo, Michael,
one of the chief
princes, came to
help me; and I
remained there with
the kings of Persia.
This King of Persia
in interpreted to
mean probably Satan
himself fought
against this
Messenger, which was
most likely Gabriel
and it required
Michael to come to
his aid as the
Messenger has
“wrestled” with the
angel for 3 weeks in
a spiritual battle
to keep him from
answering
Daniel’s
prayer. Can we get
an idea of the power
that this being that
withstood the
Messenger of God?
There is really a
great deal of
encouragement that
comes from this
section in Daniel
10. You can
understand why the
Apostle Paul and
also the psalmist
said that the angels
are ministering
spirits. They are
ministering to the
heirs of salvation.
My reader these
ministering Spirits
are our protectors.
This happened
without Daniel even
knowing what was
taking place to
prevent an answer to
his prayer. These
Ministering Spirits
stand between us and
certain
annihilation, as
that is Satan’s
plan, to destroy
every human being
that he can convince
to reject God and
His free offer of
grace found in His
only begotten Son.
He wishes to destroy
you physically and
ultimately
spiritually for all
eternity. He wishes
you to join him in
sure destruction in
a fire burning with
brimstone and sulfur
that was designed
not for men, but the
devil and his
angels.
Mankind is fighting
a huge army of
demons that have
been cast down to
earth to do the
bidding of their
chief captain,
Satan. But our army,
the army of God, is
much stronger than
the army we fight
for all who believe.
When Elisha prayed
for
his companion to
see what was with
them was stronger
than what was
surrounding the
camp, as his servant
was scared to death:
II Kings
6:15 And
when the servant of
the man of God was
risen early, and
gone forth, behold,
an host compassed
the city both with
horses and chariots.
And his servant said
unto him, Alas, my
master! how shall we
do?
6:16 And
he answered, Fear
not: for they that
be with us are more
than they that be
with them.
6:17 And
Elisha prayed, and
said, LORD, I pray
thee, open his eyes,
that he may see. And
the LORD opened the
eyes of the young
man; and he saw:
and, behold, the
mountain was full of
horses and chariots
of fire round about
Elisha.
God struck this army
with blindness and
the army was
defeated. So our
army of 2/3 of the
heavenly host are on
guard to protect his
chosen people, the
elect, the children
of God. But it is
not enough just to
believe that there
is a God, you must
do more.
WHAT MUST I DO?
James 2:19
You believe that
there is one God.
You do well. Even
the demons
believe—and tremble!
The demons believe
in a most powerful
God, who is our
Father, our Creator
and they tremble at
the very thought of
Him.
They
know God's
awesome power and
they, unlike
man, tremble! Maybe
the better English
word would be
shudder before
God! They recognize
His power. They are
terrified at the
thought of God. They
are thoroughly
convicted that God
is!
This verse goes a
long way toward
helping us to
understand that
saving faith is not
the intellectual
acceptance of a
theological
proposition, that
is, that God is, but
rather a belief that
expresses itself
outwardly in a
changed life.
Do you understand
what I said? The
demons believe. They
tremble in fear, but
they will not obey
God. We, too, can
believe that God is.
We give intellectual
assent to a
theological
proposition. "Yes I
believe that God
is." But we may not
even shudder and
most assuredly, most
of mankind will not
submit.
Satan is most
assuredly very real.
To deny his
existence is to put
yourself most
vulnerable to his
evil ways, his
temptations, and the
wiles within his
power to destroy
each and every one
of you. His most
distinct focus and
deception is for you
to deny he lives for
if he doesn’t exist,
then you erroneously
believe neither does
God. So why would
you need the One,
when the other
doesn’t exist?
But the bible
proves that he does
exist and is called
the prince and power
of the air, or god
of this world, but
God has made a way
to defeat him:
Ephesians,
2:1 And
you hath he
quickened, who were
dead in trespasses
and sins;
2:2 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:
2:3 Among
whom also we all had
our conversation in
times past in the
lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the
desires of the flesh
and of the mind; and
were by nature the
children of wrath,
even as others.
2:4 But
God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great
love wherewith he
loved us,
2:5 Even
when we were dead in
sins, hath quickened
us together with
Christ, (by grace ye
are saved;)
2:6 And
hath raised us up
together, and made
us sit together in
heavenly places in
Christ Jesus:
2:7 That
in the ages to come
he might shew the
exceeding riches of
his grace in his
kindness toward us
through Christ
Jesus.
2:8 For
by grace are ye
saved through faith;
and that not of
yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
2:9 Not
of works, lest any
man should boast.
To fight the good
fight with must have
the right armor, we
MUST believe in the
only begotten Son of
God, in whom is the
only Hope of
defeating this most
powerful adversary,
Satan the devil.
Don’t ever
under-estimate his
power.
Romans
10:9 that
if thou mayest
confess with thy
mouth the Lord
Jesus, and mayest
believe in thy heart
that God did raise
him out of the dead,
thou shalt be saved,
10:10 for
with the heart doth
`one' believe to
righteousness, and
with the mouth is
confession made to
salvation;
If you realize that
Satan is a real
power in this earth,
then how can we
fight such a
powerful force that
shows its evidence
all around our world
today, in wars,
famine, suffering,
and men doing
unspeakable things
to one another?
I spoke of
armor, what armor?
Ephesians
6:11 Put
on the whole armour
of God, that ye may
be able to stand
against the wiles of
the devil.
6:12 For
we wrestle not
against flesh and
blood, but against
principalities,
against powers,
against the rulers
of the darkness of
this world, against
spiritual wickedness
in high places.
6:13 Wherefore
take unto you the
whole armour of God,
that ye may be able
to withstand in the
evil day, and having
done all, to stand.
6:14 Stand
therefore, having
your loins girt
about with truth,
and having on the
breastplate of
righteousness;
6:15 And
your feet shod with
the preparation of
the gospel of peace;
6:16 Above
all, taking the
shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall
be able to quench
all the fiery darts
of the wicked.
6:17 And
take the helmet of
salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of
God:
6:18 Praying
always with all
prayer and
supplication in the
Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all
perseverance and
supplication for all
saints;
If
you have not
believed in the the
Way, the
Truth, and
the Life, then you
are already
defeated. Satan has
you exactly where he
wants you. You can
believe there is a
power called Satan,
or you can ignore
him, because to him,
it doesn’t matter,
as long as you don’t
believe in his
ultimate defeat,
Jesus the Messiah.
If you have
believed, then live
a life that
testifies to that
fact. Embrace the
Lord Jesus Christ
and let Him be your
protector, your
shield, you buckler,
your high tower, and
the only true God in
your life. With His
grace and mercy
along with multiple
millions of
Ministering Spirits,
he can defeat the
wiles of the devil
that only wish to
destroy you, because
my friend, Satan is
indeed, very real.
This is Pastor Mike
Taylor, praying for
God’s salvation
through His Son,
Jesus Christ, to be
a part of your life.
If I can help you in
any way, pray with
you, counsel you, or
just lend an
empathetic ear to
your cares, then
drop me a line to
realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,
or visit me online
at
www.churchofgod-usa.org.
God bless you all,
till we meet at
Jesus Feet.
