Is Satan Real?

Chuckle: "A woman was cured of her nervousness in one treatment: Her doctor told her it was a sign of old age."

Quote: "It is so stupid of modern civilization to have given up belief in the devil (Satan) when he is the only explanation of it." --Ronald Knox

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil (Satan) prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).

To begin, here is a rather lengthy quotation from Billy Graham's book, "Storm Warning."

"The world is on a deceitful ride, and those following the lead horse are looking over their shoulders wondering who to blame. I have actually heard people blame God for our state of affairs. Political parties blame each other. No one, of course, blames the deceiver (Satan) himself. Why? Because he cleverly performs his devious acts through mankind. . . . He is the great schemer. He is the illusive manipulator. He prances and dances and drinks in the adulation of his worshippers as he glimmers and shimmers, displaying all that glitters and that attracts the shallowness of man. Then suddenly the stinging whip wraps them around the waist; they fall on the ground as the stampede executes the deceived followers. The deceiver reins victorious -- for the moment -- as other followers, aghast and bewildered, blame God for their plight."

This word picture of Satan reveals how he operates every day, tempting and deceiving people into believing that evil isn't real and that Satan is only a figment of our imagination. Granted, it's difficult to identify Satan, personally, because he’s the master of disguise. He makes himself attractive to us.

However, if you believe the words of Jesus, you must believe that Satan is real and at work all around us every day. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert, Satan tried to bribe Jesus into worshiping him: "All this (kingdoms of the world) I will give you," he said, "If you will bow down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9 NIV). But Jesus ended the conversation by saying, "Away from me, Satan! for it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only" (Matthew 4:10 NIV).

Yes, Satan is not only real but alive and well in our world. He is the master of disguise, deceit, and temptation. He knows our weaknesses and attacks those weaknesses, like a lion attacking a weakened gazelle separated from the herd. By walking with your Lord each day in the company of loving, caring and supportive brothers and sisters in Christ, you can avoid becoming a victim of Satan's wiles.

Love, Jerry & Dotse