The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming around on the earth and from walking around on it,” Job 1:7.
Lucifer was once an arch angel, an anointed Cherub according to Ezekiel 28:14. An angel of song and one of the most beautiful creatures in all of heaven, Satan exercised free will. This decision resulted in his expulsion from heaven, cast down to earth. Despite this demotion, Satan is recognized as the ruler of the air by the apostle Paul, Ephesians 2:2, maintaining his angelic powers. This supernatural ability enables Satan to scan the earth quickly, preying upon weak and vulnerable souls, 1 Peter 5:8.
Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Yes, a man will give all he has for his life. 5 But put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh [and severely afflict him]; and he will curse You to Your face,” Job 2:4-5.
Satan’s first victim is a curious woman, attracted to a beautiful tree with luscious fruit. Entering into a serpent, this crafty being planted doubt within the minds of human beings. Questioning the only rule given to Adam as caretaker of the Garden of Eden, Satan challenged God’s authority, using logic and justification to promote sin. After successfully lying to Adam and Eve, Satan set his sights on taking down Job. Asking God for permission, illness is introduced to earth, striking Job’s body. The goal of this affliction is to force Job, a man of integrity to curse God. While Satan’s second attack was unsuccessful, imagine the array of tricks Satan uses today to encourage individuals to deny God.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies, John 8:44.
During a discourse about what it means to be a true disciple, Jesus unmasks Satan’s natural language. The founder of half truths, Satan hides behind lies, convincing the uninformed that compromise, lust and temporary pleasures is okay to do every once in a while. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the crowd, where your heart is, there your treasure will be also, Matthew 6:19-21. Giving into any sort of subtle deviation from the truth plays into the hand of the Devil. To ensure that future believers don’t fall into this trap, the apostle Paul urges people to test everything that you hear, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22. Any type of careless response to unproven information sets you up for failure, deceived by the father of lies. Therefore, be alert, on guard and prepared for smooth talkers seeking to persuade you into believing a lie.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 