Satan roams about this earth like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). This does not mean that Satan is free to do as he pleases. He is on a leash. He may be the prince of this world, but he operates under the authority of the King of the universe.
This important point is illustrated in the story of Job. Satan had to ask God’s permission before he could tempt Job, and even when the permission was granted, certain limitations were placed on what Satan could do (Job 1:7-12).
This story illustrates another point. Satan currently has access to God’s throne, and according to Revelation 12:10, he uses that access to accuse believers day and night.
Satan’s Prophesied Fate
Satan’s ultimate fate was prophesied at the very time that Adam and Eve sinned. God spoke a curse on Satan when He said:
I will put enmity
Between you [Satan] and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He [the seed of woman] will bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him [the seed of woman] on the heel.
This is a remarkable prophecy given at the very dawn of history. It is the first Messianic prophecy in the Bible. What God is saying here is that a person born of the seed of woman (a virgin) will suffer a wound from Satan on his heel, but he will then inflict a wound on Satan’s head. The wound on the heel is symbolic of a non-lethal strike. This prophecy was fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The wound on the head is symbolic of a lethal strike and will be fulfilled when Jesus returns and casts Satan into the lake of fire.
Satan’s Current Activities
As we await Satan’s ultimate defeat, we must deal with the temptations he and his demonic hordes place in front of us. Fortunately, those of us who are believers have the blessing of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and we are assured that “He who is within us is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
We are encouraged to “put on the full armor of God,” that we might be able “to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). And we are told that if we submit ourselves to God, then when we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7).
We are also advised to avoid giving Satan an opportunity in our lives (Ephesians 4:27). In other words, we should do everything we can to avoid temptation. And in that regard, I have learned through personal experience that it is much easier to avoid temptation than it is to resist it.
In the next segment of this “Satan’s Story” series, we’ll look at what the Bible says concerning Satan’s end time world ruler — the Antichrist.
