27th September 2025

27th September 2025


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Job 1v13-2v8)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The great enemy of God's people is the creature who takes the name Satan. You may also know him as the Devil or as Lucifer and you might imagine him as a comedic figure in a skin tight red suit with horns and a pitchfork. Scripture doesn't say much about Satan but equally the Bible is not silent. So who is Satan?


Satan is not another god. He is a created being who is by no means God’s equal. The Lord has certain "incommunicable" attributes which are His alone - He is all knowing, all powerful and in all places. Satan is none of these things and so when we meet him in Job 1:6-12 he comes before God to give an account - this is not a relationship of equals.


You may struggle to believe this but Satan was created in the beginning by the Lord Jesus. Paul tells us that Jesus made everything, the things that we can see and those we can't see which includes the angels (Colossians 1v16). We do not know how many angels there are but we can be sure that Satan and his fellow angels shouted for joy when God made the earth (Job 38v7). Nevertheless, Satan did not continue signing for joy and at some point before Adam and Eve's rebellion, Satan had already turned away from God. When he appears in Genesis, he is already the enemy of God's people whispering seductive lies.


It is disputed somewhat but there are those who believe Ezekiel 28:11-19 speaks about Satan and his fall. If this passage is about the Devil then it tells us of his perfection and great beauty. He was an anointed guardian cherub who was blameless in all his ways. But, there came a day that Satan was filled with pride over his great beauty and so he became corrupted, sinful and depraved causing the Lord to cast him out of heaven. All of this took place before the Devil slithered his way into the garden of Eden.


Jude tells us that the Devil and his angels did not stay within their own position of authority (Jude 1v6) and Peter speaks of how the fallen angels are in chains and gloomy darkness until the Day of Judgement (2 Peter 2v4). Therefore, although we should not fear Satan, we should take him seriously. The Bible teaches that there is a real enemy of God's people. He is a fallen angel and he leads a host of angels who have followed him. Satan is crafty (Genesis 3v1), he is an accuser (Zechariah 3v1), he is a thief (Mark 4v15), he is a murderer (John 8v44), a liar (John 8v44), he pretends to be good (2 Corinthians 11v14) and he is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5v8).


God is sovereign and Jesus reigns but it is still true that Satan is “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31, 14:30 & 16:11), “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). He is limited yet powerful and even his name means "the accuser or the adversary" Therefore we would do well to be mindful of his activity in this world.


By God's grace we'll finish our look at Satan in the next devotion but let me finish today by assigning him with one more word - defeated. Satan might roar and rage but his head has been crushed by our crucified Lord. Evil abounds in this world but evil has already lost. Thanks be to God!


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q85 What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?
To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.
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