SATAN, A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Satan, also known as the Devil, (Rev 12:9), is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19), by taking numerous angels with him in his fall (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:1-14), and by introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve (Genesis 3:1-15).

Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:12-14; Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Pet 5:8; Revelation 12:9-10), the prince of this world who has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 16:20), and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).

We teach that demons or evil spirits are made up of at least a portion of the fallen angels who chose to follow Satan. They oppose the work of God at every hand and thus, every believer is engaged in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-12). Though demons can harass Christians and even hold power over the life of a Christian who willingly gives ground to the enemy by consciously yielding to temptation, demons cannot possess the body of a believer in the same way they can that of a nonbeliever (2 Timothy 2:25-26; Luke 22:31,32). The believers body is the permanent temple of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:4; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20) and therefore can no longer be possessed by Satan or other demons, (Ro 8:38-39).