The Enemy of our Soul
Satan should never be dismissed as a comical cartoon character. We need to put him in his proper place. He is the enemy of our soul. Peter describes him as a roaring lion. Not only is he described as a lion, but Peter also tells us that Satan spends his time trying to devour us. We are Satan’s prey. Make no mistake, in our own power, we are completely incapable of fighting him. It is not by our authority that demons flee. What Satan fears most is Christ in us. Our faith shields us. God’s word fight for us.
When we talk about Satan, I am always reminded of the book of Job. This account gives us one of the greatest peeks behind the curtain of heaven. It opens up by describing God bringing in all the angels to give an account. Job 1:6-7 says, “One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” I can almost picture Satan answering begrudgingly. He has no choice but to answer. He has no choice but to obey. This angel who thought he could rise above the God of the Universe can do nothing outside of the will of the Father. When God says come, he comes. When God says speak, he has no choice but to open his mouth.
Then they get to the subject of the man, Job. To be precise, God brings up Job and presents him as a truly righteous man upon the earth. Satan’s reply is that Job only honors God because God has blessed him. To this, God agrees to allow Satan to torment the man. I want us to understand one important part of this agreement. Verse 12 says, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.’” As the book of Job continues, we see God eventually allow Satan to attack Job’s physical body, but even here He set limitations. He refused to allow Satan to take Job’s life.
I wanted to bring the story of Job into our remembrance because of the insight it gives us into Satan. Peter tells us of the destructive power of this fallen angel. However, Job reminds us that God remains in control. Satan can do nothing to you without the permission of God. If God allows it, we can rest assured it is for our good. If we stand firm and resist him, the attack served to strengthen our faith. If we suffer, it serves to strengthen our dependance on God. Satan is very real. He is not a myth or a legend. He presents himself in many different ways and will stop only at the command of God in his attempt to devour mankind.
Thankfully, we do not have to fight this enemy alone. Adam Clark wrote of Satan, “He walketh about -he has access to you everywhere; he knows your feelings and your propensities, and informs himself of all your circumstances; only God can know more and do more than he, therefore your care must be cast upon God.” What an amazing God we serve. He invites us to throw all our worries and fears on His shoulders. He sets the boundaries of the enemy and fights for us. Of all the wonderful words of wisdom Peter has given us, he chose to leave us with a powerful warning and words of comfort. We are in a battle for our soul, but we do not fight alone. God is our protection and our comfort.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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