The Adversary In Action

[Michael37]

Recently a professing Christian made a comment that gave rise to some contention between us.

He insisted that Satan was dead. Initially I thought he meant figuratively in the sense that he did not respond to Satan's temptings but upon inquiry into the matter it transpired that he meant it in a literal sense.

This seemed absurd to me for two reasons:

1. Scripture warns against giving Satan a foothold and discloses his future activities right up to when he is cast into the Lake of Fire to join the compound demonic entity known as the beast, and the lawless one termed the false prophet.
2. Evidence of Satan's activity and influence in world affairs and everday life is abundantly obvious.

To my mind corruption, deception, and exploitation are signs that the Adversary is still alive and very much in action. Why else would we be receiving news of war, and be bracing ourselves for its demonic leaven?  

[Starise]

I can't say I've ever met a person who insisted Satan was dead. We do get comments here from time to time that Satan is all tied up and helpless. 

Wars from my perspective, are always more complex and have deeper reasons than some are aware of. The adversary is alive and active among millions of his helpers.

 

[Justin Adams]

6 hours ago, Michael37 said:

To my mind corruption, deception, and exploitation are signs that the Adversary is still alive and very much in action. Why else would we be receiving news of war, and be bracing ourselves for its demonic leaven?  

This about satan is a misunderstanding. He IS restricted from decieving the nations- until he is allowed to round them all up for the final battle of Har'mo'ed. The mount of the Lord. Zion. The end of it all.

[missmuffet]

9 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Recently a professing Christian made a comment that gave rise to some contention between us.

He insisted that Satan was dead. Initially I thought he meant figuratively in the sense that he did not respond to Satan's temptings but upon inquiry into the matter it transpired that he meant it in a literal sense.

This seemed absurd to me for two reasons:

1. Scripture warns against giving Satan a foothold and discloses his future activities right up to when he is cast into the Lake of Fire to join the compound demonic entity known as the beast, and the lawless one termed the false prophet.
2. Evidence of Satan's activity and influence in world affairs and everday life is abundantly obvious.

To my mind corruption, deception, and exploitation are signs that the Adversary is still alive and very much in action. Why else would we be receiving news of war, and be bracing ourselves for its demonic leaven?  

Satan is not dead. Satan will be thrown into the "bottomless pit" or the abyss at the end of the 7 year tribulation for 1000 years. The bottomless pit is a holding place different than Hades where the unbelieving soul go. It is a place for the most evil of angels, including Satan. At the end of the 1000 year millennium Satan will be thrown into hell. 

Edited March 1, 2022 by missmuffet

[Marathoner]

11 minutes ago, Josheb said:

Satan is not dead. However, the existence of corruption, deceit, and exploitation is not necessarily evidence of satan's existence because once sin becomes existent it manifests itself and one other source for sin beside satan is post-disobedient humanity, or sinful human flesh. One place in the Bible this is most evident is the book of James. James places the burden on humanity, not satan. He views satan as weak: resist the devil and he will flee. James places the problem firmly in human flesh: we are tempted by our own desires that drag us away to sin. Our own desires, not satan's. 

Indeed. If Satan were culpable, the apostle of Jesus Christ would not have charged all men with wickedness and evil. 

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written:

“There is no righteous person, not even one;
There is no one who understands,
There is no one who seeks out God;
They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good,
There is not even one.”
“Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The venom of asps is under their lips”;
“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
“Their feet are swift to shed blood,
Destruction and misery are in their paths,
And they have not known the way of peace.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
(Romans 3:9-18 NASB)

The wickedness of man proceeds from his own heart.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?
I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
To give to each person according to his ways,
According to the results of his deeds.
As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid,
So is a person who makes a fortune, but unjustly;
In the middle of his days it will abandon him,
And in the end he will be a fool.”
(Jeremiah 17:9-11 NASB)

"The devil made me do it!" is no excuse. 

[Starise]

I get the past few posts but.....but......but,

We are talking about Satan or I guess whatever name you use to refer to him. That fallen one. 

Those invisible forces we fight against in our world may use humans in some capacities. They also shoulder responsibility for bad behavior.

That they are autonomously adversarial isn't up for argument, is it? 

[debrakay]

It breaks my heart when anyone says "There is no God" or "God is dead".  They are just as deceived as the person who says "There is no devil" or the "devil is dead".  Both have mental and spiritual problems far worse than we can imagine.  Imagine living a life with no hope, no peace, no real love, no faith, nothing but breathing and waiting to die.  These are the kind of people Jesus died for.  He wants to save the lost even if they never admit they are lost souls.

[MrBear]

Great thread

There is indeed a war going on and Satan is the very much real ‘General’ of the opposition as James was referred to because the Devil will flee doesn’t necessarily make him weak, But combine  the confusion he creates among even fellow believers to create doctrines of confusion and the absence of teaching from spiritual leaders who embrace the prosperity gospel, to neglect teaching of FEARING THE LORD.. 

Fear the LORD Is taught all through Scripture but when is the last time you heard this taught? 
I only say this as an intro to a video concerning this spiritual warfare by Wesblaze, he has a unique presentation using biblical truth and visual presentations

 

“CALL TO DUTY” | FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT #1. Youtube

 

I think it will indeed show that the fight is real that the devil and his minions are indeed still trying to create a gap between us and our father ( by any means necessary) 

And emphasizes FEAR OF THE LORD being the tip of the spear in our fight

[Starise]

You know......I was thinking ( yes that gets me in trouble sometimes). 

I was thinking that it would be a good idea to maybe have concrete examples of the ways in which our adversary works. Actual examples. It seems when the subject of spiritual warfare comes up we say it happens, yet no examples are given.

How have you seen the adversary directly active in events? Can it be blamed on anything else or on a human instead?

How do these things work at the micro level?

I'm not asking you @MrBear, I'm asking anyone who wants to take a shot at it, which includes you. 

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, debrakay said:

It breaks my heart when anyone says "There is no God" or "God is dead".  They are just as deceived as the person who says "There is no devil" or the "devil is dead".  Both have mental and spiritual problems far worse than we can imagine.  Imagine living a life with no hope, no peace, no real love, no faith, nothing but breathing and waiting to die.  These are the kind of people Jesus died for.  He wants to save the lost even if they never admit they are lost souls.

My heart goes out to those who do not believe in Satan, hell or heaven. They are really lost.